Born into poverty, her parents were farmers, and she died when she was very young, and she was fostered in a relative's house, with a very unfortunate beginning in life. Later, as a prisoner in Russia, she did not want to become an empress, and even more incredibly, she became the first female tsar of Russia. Her life experience is truly amazing. Catherine I, whose original name was Marta, was a Lithuanian farmer, and when she was about five or six years old, she died of plague, and then she lived with her aunt until she was sent to the german priest's house as a servant in her teenage. Because she was so beautiful, the priest's wife, fearing that she would seduce her husband and son, married her to a foreign (Swedish) soldier stationed in Marinburg at the age of 17.
Her parents died early, she was sent to the fence since she was a child, she never went to school, and no one taught her to read and write, in fact, she was illiterate. So I think that if she can marry a good person, it is not a bad choice for her.
Heaven did not take care of her and give her a peaceful life. Not long after, her husband's army was defeated, and Marta became a prisoner of the Russian army, probably in 1702. Because of her outstanding appearance, Marta was favored by the commander of the Russian army and became his mistress. He was followed to Russia, and then Marta to Menshkov's house. Here, Marta ushered in one of the most important turning points in her life.
For Menshkov was a particularly good friend of Peter the Great. When Peter the Great visited his house in 1703, he fell in love with the beautiful and gentle Marta at first sight. Since then, Marta has become the mistress of the Tsar, because Marta has long learned to observe the color and know how to please people, and thus began his path to empress.