Catherine I was the first empress of the Russian Empire and is often regarded as the "Wu Zetian" of Russia. Wu Zetian herself was originally Li Shimin's concubine, and Catherine I had a lower starting point than her because she was a slave girl. Catherine I's life is full of legends, how did she go from slave girl to empress?
The person who promoted all this was the famous Peter the Great (Peter I) in Russian history, who was the first emperor of the Russian Empire. Catherine I's original name was Marta Helena Skovronska, and according to sources, she was born on April 15, 1684, the son of a farmer, or serf.
When Catherine was 5 years old, her parents died, and she was sent by her relatives to the priest's house to work, mainly to do some rough work of washing dishes, low status, status is not much different from slavery, can be transferred at will. However, Catherine's appearance is online, and she grows up to become a beautiful maiden, and the pastor's wife is reluctant to leave her at home.
Thus, Catherine was married to a Swedish cavalryman, a marriage that had no emotional basis and did not last long. Because the Russians drove the Swedish army out of the town, Catherine continued to follow the priest to the Russian court to do things for Menshkov, peter's favorite. The priest acted as an interpreter for Menshkov, and Catherine worked as a maid for Menshkov.
Rumor has it that Menshkov and Catherine were lovers, but there is no definitive evidence. However, in 1703, Peter I visited Menshkov's home and met the beautiful Catherine and fell in love with her at first sight. What happened next was that Catherine became Peter I's lover, was pampered, and bore him a child.
In 1705, Catherine did something that touched Peter I so much that she changed her religion and followed Peter I. This made Peter I feel that Catherine valued herself very much and had a better relationship with her. Peter I was moody, but Catherine always soothed his emotions; Catherine herself was very charismatic and fascinating.
Six years later, war broke out between Russia and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, and Catherine resolutely followed Peter I to the front line and backed him. Surrounded by Ottoman troops, Catherine called on other noble ladies to donate jewelry, and collected a large number of beauties to give to the Ottoman Grand Vizier (equivalent to prime minister).
So the enemy army retreated, Russia was relieved, Peter I looked up to Catherine, returned home with her name to set up a medal, and officially held a wedding with her, after he turned Russia into an empire, Catherine also became the Tsar Queen, and Peter I's first wife was abandoned, Catherine became the highest status woman around Peter I.
When Peter I was on the campaign, she and Peter I wrote letters to each other. This is a habit that the two have continued since they came together, and the couple wrote a total of 226 love letters before and after. From the words, it can be seen that Peter I was attached to his wife, but later, because the two lived apart for a long time, each had a lover, and some political contradictions, the relationship gradually became cold.
When the emperor died in 1925, Catherine was proclaimed empress by the power of the powerful minister Menshkov. During her reign, she founded the Supreme Privy Council and established the Russian Academy of Sciences, but she reigned for a short time, and died after only 2 years, and during her reign, the power of the Russian Empire was mainly concentrated in the hands of her courtiers, and Catherine's rule was limited.