CATHARINE I, Empress of Russia: b. Ringen, near Dorpat, Livonia, 15 April 1684; d. Saint Petersburg, 17 May 1727. The early his tory of this remarkable woman is uncertain. Ac cording to some accounts she was the daughter of a Swedish officer named Rabe, who died shortly after she was born; according to others her father was a Roman Catholic peasant. She at first bore the name of Martha and entered the service of a clergyman named Gluck, at Marienburg, who caused her to be instructed in the Lutheran religion. Here she was mar ried to a Swedish dragoon. But a few days after he was obliged to repair to the field, and the Russians, within a short period, took Marienburg in 1702. Martha fell into the hands of General Tcheremetieff, who relin quished her to Prinz Mentchikov. While in his possession she was seen by Peter the Great, who made her his mistress. She became a proselyte to the Greek Church and assumed the name of Catharine Alexiewna. In 1708 and 1709 she bore the Emperor the Princesses Anna and Elizabeth, the first of whom became the Duchess of Holstein by marriage and mother of Peter III. The second became Empress of Russia. In 1712 the Emperor pub licly acknowledged Catharine as his wife. She was subsequently proclaimed Empress, and crowned in Moscow in 1724. Besides the daughters above named she bore the Emperor five more children, all of whom died early. The Princesses Anna and Elizabeth were de clared legitimate. When Peter, with his army, seemed irreparably lost on the Pruth in 1711 Catharine endeavored to win over the grand vizier; and having succeeded, by bribing his confidant with her jewels, she disclosed her plan to the Emperor, who gave it his approba tion, and was soon relieved. She afterward received many proofs of the gratitude of her husband. Peter even deemed her worthy of being his successor. But in the latter part of 17224 she fell under his displeasure. Her cham
berlain, Moens, with whom she was suspected of being on too intimate terms, was beheaded on pretense that he had been bribed by the enemies of Russia. Mentchikov, who had always manifested much attachment to her, had now been in disgrace for some time and Peter had very frequent attacks of bodily pain, with inter vals only marked by dreadful explosions of rage. These circumstances made Catharine's situation critical and her anticipations of the future must have been the more melancholy, as the Emperor had uttered some threats of a change in the succession to her disadvantage. To prevent such an event she applied to Ment chikov; and by the prudence of Jaguschinski a reconciliation was effected with the Emperor. The Empress and the favorite were laboring to confirm their improving prospects when Peter the Great died, 28 Jan. 1725. Catharine, Mentchikov and Jaguschinski considered it nec essary to keep the death of the Emperor a secret until, by judicious arrangements, they had se cured the succession of the throne to the Em press. Theophanes, archbishop of Plescow, swore before the people and troops that Peter on his death-bed had declared Catharine alone worthy to succeed him in the government. She was then proclaimed Empress and autocrat of all the Russias and the oath of allegiance to her was taken anew. At first the Cabinet pur sued the plans of Peter, and, under Mentchikov's management, the administration was conducted with considerable ability. But the pernicious influence • of favorites was soon felt and great errors crept into the administration. Catharine died suddenly, her death being probably has tened by excess in the use of ardent spirits. Consult Lavisse and Rambaud, 'Histoire gen erale' (Vol. VII, Paris 1896), and Schuyler, 'Peter the Great' (New York 1884).