Catherine I was created. Ekaterina I: How Martha Skavronskaya became the Russian Empress

January 1725 became a sad month for Russia. The Great Tsar and Emperor Peter died. His illness and death were so rapid that Peter did not have time to appoint his receiver. Rererencers of the Russian throne were: Peter, the grandson of Peter, Catherine, the wife of Peter, and Anna and Elizabeth, Peter's daughter. During the lifetime of Peter the Great Empress Catherine 1, the Great was crowned as the ruling queen. This gave her more chances to the throne. So the era of palace coups began, more than fifty years of untouching the country.

The struggle for power unfolded. Noble noble families took the side of Peter, who was just nine years old at that time. The nobles pursued their mercenary interests, and Peter was chosen by them, as a child who can be easily manipulated. The nobility opposed by the Peter reformer was great, hoped by the statement of nine-year-old Peter to cancel the majority of laws on reforms in the country. For the young Peter, the family of Repin, Dolgoruky and Golitsyn stood. They argued their actions by the fact that only Peter had legitimate rights to the throne, being the only representative of the genus Romanov on the male line.

As opposed to the opinion of the noble families, the nearest environment of the deceased king. They did not want to pass the country into the hands of the child and thereby strengthen the power of the nobility, which could again harm the country. They decided that Empress Catherine 1 The Great should rule the country. Catherine was not only a wife of Peter, but also his companion. She personally contributed to a multitude of reforms in the country. This gave the hope that the course of Peter the Great would continue.

Gathered advice to define the future ruler. The noble families who had advantaged in the meeting were won. Then, by order of the nearest companion of Peter the Great Menshikov, the palace surrounded the troops of the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments. Nobody risked against the army. Empress Ekaterina 1 Great was approved by the ruler of Russia. Menshikov, who so contributed to the promotion of Catherine to power, was declared its first assistant.

The first thing Catherine, as the head of the country, was reconciliation with Palace. For this purpose, it was created by the special body "Supreme Secret Council", which included as supporters of Peter and representatives of the nobility. In this case, Menshikov was a key figure in the Council affairs. In general, Menshikov was the second person in the country in the era of the Board of Catherine, which solved almost any questions.

The Board of Catherine 1 was not destined to last long, already in May 1727 she died.

Rank Skavron, Romanovs Birth name March Skavronskaya Father Samuel Skavronsky Mother Dorothea Gan. Spouse 1. Johann Cruise
Children daughter:
Catherine (mind in childhood)
Anna,
Elizabeth,
Natalia-senior (mind in childhood);
Natalia Jr. (mind. In childhood)
Two more died in infancy (up to year) son: Peter (mind in childhood);
Autograph Awards Ekaterina I Alekseevna on Wikisklad

Ekaterina I. (Martha Samuel Skavronskaya, married Cruise; After accepting Orthodoxy Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailova; April 5 - May 6) - Russian Empress since 1721 (as a spouse of the reigning emperor), since 1725 as the ruling sovereign; The second wife of Peter I, the mother of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

In her honor, Peter I was established by the Order of St. Catherine (1713) and called the city of Ekaterinburg in the Urals (1723). The name of Catherine I is also wearing the Catherine Palace in the royal village (built with her daughter Elizabeth Petrovna).

early years

Until now, its place of birth is not defined, the details of her early life.

According to one of the versions, it was born in the territory of modern Latvia, in the historical region, Vidzeme, which was included at the turn of the XVII -XVIII centuries in the Swedish Livonia, in the Latvian family or Lithuanian peasant from the neighborhood of Kegrass. According to another version, the future empress was born in Derpete (now Tartu, Estonia) in the family of Estonian peasants.

In addition, the surname "Skowrońska" is also characteristic of people of Polish origin.

In connection with Catherine I, another surname is called a slave. According to the same data, the slave (and not Cruz) is the surname of its first husband-dragoon (this version fell into fiction, for example, Roman A. N. Tolstoy "Peter First"), on others it is her maiden name, and someone Johann slave was her father.

Video on the topic

-1725 years

Lover Peter I.

"So there were cases when the king, driving on postal from St. Petersburg, who was called Nienshan, or Noteburg, to the Livonia, to go further, stopped at his favorite Menshikov, where he noticed Catherine among the servants who were served at the table. He asked where she was from and how she acquired it. And, talking quietly on the ear with this favorite, who only answered him by the nod of his head, he looked at Catherine for a long time and, teasing her, said that she was smart, and finished her joking speech by told her when she went to sleep, attribute her Candle in his room. It was an order said in a joking tone, but not tolerant of any objections. Menshikov accepted this as proper, and the beauty devoted to his owner spent the night in the room of the king ... The next day the king went in the morning to continue his way. He returned his favorite that he lent him. On the satisfaction of the king, which he received from his night conversation with Catherine, can not be judged by the generosity he showed. It limited himself to only one ducatus, which is equal in the cost of half of one Liudor (10 francs), which he put in a military arm in his hand at parting. "

"The sound of Katerina's voice reassured Peter; Then she sazed him and took it, caressing, for his head, which was slightly soaked. It produced a magical effect on him, he fell asleep a few minutes. So as not to break his sleep, she held his head on her chest, sitting motionless in the continuation of two or three hours. After that he woke up completely fresh and cheerful. "

In personal letters, the king showed an unusual tenderness for him to the spouse: " Katerinushka, my friend, hello! I hear that you miss, and I'm not safe ..." Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth to her husband 11 children, but almost all of them died in childhood, except Anna and Elizabeth. Elizabeth later became the empress (rules in -), and the direct descendants of Anna ruled Russia after the death of Elizabeth, with software. One of the sons died in childhood, Peter Petrovich, after the renunciation of Alexei Petrovich (the elder son of Peter from Evdokia Lopukhina) was considered from February 1718 to his death in 1719 by the official heir to the Russian throne.

Dish "Cathedral Catherine I". Moscow, 1724-1727. Master Nikolai Fedorov. One of the central moments of the first Russian coronation, held in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on May 7, 1724: imposing Peter the Great Imperial Crown to his wife Catherine. The crankshake of Catherine is represented in a parade dress and a broken ermine mantle, which suggests. The mantle, first included in the state regalia, was performed specifically for this ceremony. Pictured in the hands of Peter Crown - the first Russian imperial crown - was also created for this coronation. On the left behind the figure of Peter depicts the Count Ya. V. Bruce with a gilded cushion for the crown in his hands. It was he who made a new symbol of monarch of power to the Cathedral. On the right of the emperor, two bishings are probably the Archbishops of Feodosiya (Yanovsky), presented in Mitre and with the staff in Hands, and Feofan (Prokopovich), who are brought by Peter the coronation mantle for laying on Catherine

Foreigners, with the attention of the Russian courtyard who followed the attachment of the king to the spouse. Bashevich writes about their relationship in 1721:

"He loved to see her everywhere. There was no military look, the shutter, the ceremony or the holiday, at which it would not be ... Catherine, confident in his wife's heart, laughed at his frequent love adventures, like Libya over the inputers of August; But but he, telling her about them, always ended in words: nothing can compare with you. "

Children of Peter I from Catherine I

Children	Year of birth	Year of death	Note
Ekaterina Petrovna	January 8	July 27.
Anna Petrovna	February 7.	May 15	In married the German Duke Charles Friedrich; I left in Kiel, where the son of Charles Peter Ulrich gave birth (later the Russian emperor Peter III).
Elizabeth Petrovna	December 29th	5 January	Russian Empress with.
Nataliya Petrovna	March 14th	May 27.
Margarita Petrovna	September 14	June 7.
Peter Petrovich	November 19.	April 19.	It was considered the official heir to the crown with to death.
Pavel Petrovich	13th of January	January 14.
Nataliya Petrovna	August 31	March 15th

Rise to power

The people's majority were for the only male representative of the dynasty - the Grand Prince Peter Alekseevich, the grandson of Peter I from the deceased during interrogations of the eldest son Alexei. For Peter Alekseevich was a robust to know (Dolgoruky, Golitsyn), who considered him the only legitimate heir, born from decent royal blood marriage. Count Tolstoy, Prosecutor General Yaguzhinsky, Chancellor Count Golovkin and Menshikov, at the head of the service, could not hope to maintain the power received from Peter I under Peter Alekseevich; On the other hand, the coronation of the empress could be interpreted as an indirect indication of Peter on the heir. When Catherine saw that there was no more hope for her husband's recovery, he instructed Menshikov and to act in favor of his rights. Guard was predicted to adoration to the dying emperor; It suffered this attachment to Catherine.

Guard officers from the Preobrazhensky regiment came to the meeting of the Senate, having embroidered the door to the room. They frankly stated that they would break the heads of old boyars, if they would go against their mother Catherine. Suddenly, drum battle rang out from the square: it turned out that both Guards Shelves were built before the palace. Prince Feldmarshal Repnin, President of the Military College, asked angrily: " Who rested without my knowledge to bring the shelves here? Am I not Feldmarshal?" Buturlin, the commander of the Preobrazhensky regiment, responded to repnin that shelves called on the will of the Empress, which all subjects are obliged to obey, " not excluding you"He added an impudent.

Thanks to the support of the Guards regiments, he managed to convince all opponents of Catherine to give her voice. The Senate "Unanimously" erected her to the throne, calling " all-demanding, keeping the great state owner by Empress Catherine Alekseevna, the autocrat of the All-Russian"And in justification, announcing the will of the late sovereign who was interpreted by the Senate. The people were very surprised at the first time in Russian history for the throne of a woman, but there was no excitement.

With Peter, she shone not with her own light, but borrowed from the great man she was a companion; She had to reduce to keep himself at a well-known height, to detect attention and sympathy for the movement that happened about her; She was devoted to all secrets, the secrets of the personal relationship of the surrounding people. Her position, fear for the future held her mental and moral forces in constant and strong tension. But the wing plant achieved heights due to the only of forests, near which he was wound; The giant is a fight - and the weak plant disseminated on the ground. Catherine has kept knowledge of persons and relations between them, saved the habit of wagoning between these relations; But she had neither due attention to affairs, especially internal, and their details, nor the ability of prison and directions.

Portrait of A. D. Menshikov

On May 1, 1726, the Polish Order of the White Eagle was awarded.

Foreign policy

For 2 years of the Board of Catherine I, Russia did not led large wars, only in the Caucasus operated a separate building under the top of Prince Delgorukov, trying to repel the Persian territories, while Persia was in a state of thought, and Turkey unsuccessfully fought with Persian rebels. In Europe, Russia showed diplomatic activity in defending the interests of the Holstet Duke (Anna Petrovna's husband, Ekaterina's daughter) against Denmark. The preparation of Russia of the Expedition to return the Duke of the Golzogi dutch, Schlesigna, led to a military demonstration on the Baltic on the part of Denmark and England.

Another area of \u200b\u200bRussian policies in Catherine was to ensure the guarantees of Nesteadt world and the creation of an antitaryo block. In 1726, the government of Catherine I concluded the Vienna Union Treaty with the Karl VI Government, which became the basis of the Russian-Austrian military-political alliance of the second quarter of the XVIII century.

End of Board

Catherine I Rules for not long. Balls, festivities, feasts and couments, who followed a continuous series, undermined her health, and from April 10, the Empress sloped. The cough, first of weak, began to strengthen, fever was discovered, the patient began to weaken the day from the day, there were signs of damage to the lung. The queen died in May 1727 from the complications of an abscess of the lung. On another unlikely version, death came from the most severe attack of rheumatism.
The government had to urgently address the question of the throllery.

Question about the Preconsession

Ekaterina I. Portrait of an unknown artist.

Catherine managed to be easily erected by the throne due to the youngsters of Peter Alekseevich, but in Russian society there were strong moods in favor of the adult Peter, the direct heir to the Romanian dynasty on the men's line. The Empress, alarmed by acceptable letters directed against the Decree of Peter I of 1722 (according to which the reigning sovereign had the right to assign any successor to himself), asked for help to his advisers.

The party led by Tolstoy, just promoted the construction of Catherine, could hope that Catherine would live for a long time and circumstances could change in their favor. Osterman threatened the peoples of the people for Peter as the only legal heir; He could answer that the army on the side of Catherine, that it will be on the side of her daughters. Catherine, for his part, tried to win the attachment of the troops.

Menshikov managed to take advantage of Catherine's disease, which signed on May 6, 1727, a few hours before death, accusing a decree against Menshikov's enemies, and on the same day the count Tolstoy and other high-ranking enemies of Menshikov were sent to the link.

Will

At 9 pm 6 () May 1727, 43-year-old Empress died.

Despite the fact that many serious scientists challenge the role of an occasion in history, it is impossible not to recognize that Catherine I went to the Russian throne in many ways by chance. The rules it is not long - a little more than two years. Nevertheless, even despite such a short period of reign, it remained in history as the first empress.

From scratch in the sovereign

Martha Skavron, which will soon be known to the world as Empress Catherine 1, was born on the territory of today's Lithuania, on the lands of Livonia, in 1684. There are no accurate information about her childhood. In general, the future Catherine 1, whose biography is very ambiguous, and sometimes contradictory, according to one of the versions, was born in the family of a peasant. Her parents soon died from the plague, and the girl was given to the house of the pastor as a maid. According to another version, Martha lived with his aunt from twelve years, after which it turned out to be in the family of a local priest, where he was in the service and led literacy and needlework. Scientists are still arguing about where the future Catherine was born 1.

Biography

And the origin of the first Russian empress, and the date, and the place of her birth is still not established by domestic historians. More or less unequivocally in historiography approved the version proving that she was the daughter of the Baltic peasant Samuel Skavronsky. In the Catholic faith, the girl was baptisped by parents, giving her the name of March. According to some reports, she was brought up in the Marienburg boarding house, under the supervision of the Pastor Gluck.

Future Ekaterina I was never a diligent student. But they say that she has changed cavaliers with a striking frequency. There is even information that March, pregnants from a certain nobleman, gave birth to a daughter from him. The pastor managed to give her married, but the spouse, who was a Swedish dragoon, soon disappeared during the Northern War.

After the capture of Marienburg, the Russian March, becoming a "military trophy", for some time there was a mistress of the Unter-Officer, later, in August 1702, found himself in the way of Field Marshal B. Sheremetev. He, who commemorated her, took the port of the port of himself, while handing out later A. Menshikov. It was here that she came across Peter I.

The biographers of the Russian royal family are still guessing than she could captivate the king. After all, the beauty of March was not. Nevertheless, she soon became one of his mistresses.

And Catherine 1.

In 1704, March, according to the Orthodox custom, was baptized by the time she was already pregnant. Future empress Brest Tsarevich Alexey. Skating easily adapt to all circumstances, Catherine never lost the presence of the spirit. She perfectly studied the character and habit of Peter, becoming necessary for him and in joy, and in grief. In March 1705, they had two sons. However, the future Ekaterina I still continued to live in Menshikov's house in St. Petersburg. In the 1705th, the future Empress was brought to the house of the sister of King Natalia Alekseevna. Here the illiterate staff began to study and read. According to some information, it is during this period that the future Ekaterina I tie a fairly close relationship with Menshikov.

Gradually, the relationship with the king became very close. This is evidenced by their correspondence of 1708. Peter had a lot of mistresses. He even discussed them with Catherine, but she did not blame him in anything, trying to adapt to the royal whims and put up with his frequent outbreaks of anger. She was invariably near the epilepsy attacks, sharing all the difficulties of hiking life and imperceptibly turning into the actual wife of the sovereign. And although the future Ekaterina I did not accept direct participation in solving many political issues, but he had a great influence on the king.

Since 1709, she accompanied Peter everywhere, including all trips. During the Prut campaign of 1711, when the Russian troops came to the environment, she saved not only the future husband, but also the army, giving the Turkish visa all his jewels to incline him to sign the truce.

Marriage

Upon returning to the capital, twentieth of February 1712, Peter 1 and Catherine 1 were married. Already those who were already born by the time of their daughter Anna, who later became the wife of the Duke of Golzhtinsky, as well as Elizabeth - the future empress, being at the age of three and five years, at the wedding they performed the duties accompanying Freilin to Altar. Wedding took place almost secretly in a small chapel, which belonged to Menshikov's prince.

From now on, Catherine I acquired the yard. She began to take foreign ambassadors and meet with many European monarchs. Being a spouse tsar-reformer, Catherine Great - the 1st Russian Empress - according to his will, and did not give way to her to the endurance of her husband. In the period of time from 1704 to 1723, she gave birth to Petra eleven children, however, most of them died in infancy. So frequent pregnancy did not interfere with her accompany her spouse in his numerous campaigns: she could live in a tent and rest on a tough bed, not a drop of rap.

Merit

In 1713, Peter I, having highly appreciating the decent behavior of his wife during the unsuccessful for Russian prudecarriage, established the Order of St. Catherine. He personally laid signs on the spouse in November 1714. Initially, he was named the Order of Liberation and was intended only to Catherine. About the merits of his wife during the ill-fated pruth campaign Peter I remembered in his manifesto on the coronation of his wife in November 1723. Foreigners, with great attention that followed all what happened in the Russian yard, unanimously noted the attachment of the king to the Empress. And during 1722, Catherine even chose her head and began to wear a grenaderian cap. She spent with her husband a review of troops leaving right to the place of battle.

On the twenty-third of December, the 1721th College of Senate and Synod recognized Ekaterina with Russian Empress. Especially for her coronation in May 1724, a crown was ordered, which his splendor was superior to the crown of the king himself. On the head of the wife, this imperial symbol laid Peter himself.

Portrait

Opinions about what appeal was Catherine, contradictory. If you focus on her male environment, then opinions are generally positive, but women, belonging to her biased, considered her little growth, tolstoy and black. And indeed, the appearance of the empress did not make a special impression. It was worth just to look at her to notice her low origin. The dresses she wore were old-fashioned style, fully covered with silver with sequins. It has always been a belt, which was in front of decorated with embroidery from precious stones with an original pattern in the form of a double-headed eagle. At the queen were constantly inspired by the Order, a dozen of samples and amulets. When she went, all this wealth rang.

Quarrel

One of their sons - Peter Petrovich, who, after the renunciation of the older heir of the emperor, was considered from 1718 by the official prestroller, in 1719 he died. Therefore, the king reformer was only in his wife to see his future successor. But in the autumn of 1724, Peter suspected the empress in treason with a monomation chamber. He executed the latter, and she stopped communicating with his wife: he did not talk at all, and it forbade access to it. The fascination of others caused a terrible blow to the king: in anger he ruined the will, according to which the throne passed to the spouse.

And only once at an insistent request, her daughter Elizabeth Peter agreed for lunch with Catherine - a woman who was his inseparable friend and assistant for the entire twenty years. It happened this month before the death of the emperor. In January 1725 he became bad. Catherine was all the time in bed of a dying monarch. On the night of the 28th to the 29th Peter died on the hands of his wife.

Climbing to the throne

By the death of the spouse, and did not have time to declare his last will, the decision on the precloser began to deal with the "Supreme Lord" - members of the Senate, Synod and General, who were already in the palace from the twenty-seventh of January. Among them were two parties. One, which consisted of residual aristocracy residues held at the very top of the government, was led by the European Formed Prince D. Golitsyn. In an effort to limit the autocracy, the latter demanded to build the throne of Peter Alekseevich - the juvenile grandson of Peter the Great. It must be said that the candidacy of this kid was very popular among the entire aristocratic class of Russia, which wanted to find the unfortunate Tsarevich in the Siblius, who could restore their past privileges.

Victory

The second party was on the side of Catherine. The split was inevitable. With the help of his longtitude friend Menshikov, as well as Buturlin and Yaguzhinsky, leaning on the guard, she climbed the throne as Catherine 1, the years of the reign of which for Russia were not expensive for Russia. They were short. According to Menshikov, Catherine did not interfere in state affairs, moreover, the eighth of February 1726, she transferred the management of Russia into the hands of the Supreme Secret Council.

Politics inside the country

The state activities of Catherine I were limited to most of them only by signing securities. Although I must say that the Empress was interested in the affairs of the Russian fleet. From her behalf of the country in fact, the secret council - the body created shortly before her for the throne. It included A. Menshikov, Golovkin, F. Apraksin, D. Golitsyn, P. Tolstoy and A. Osterman.
The Board of Catherine 1 began with the fact that many prisoners and declared were reduced and pardoned. The first was associated with the increase in prices and fear to cause discontent in the people. Some reforms of Catherine 1 abolished the old, adopted by Peter 1. For example, the role of the Senate was significantly reduced and local bodies were abolished, which were replaced by the governor, a commission was formed into which the general and flagships entered. According to this reform, Catherine 1, they should have taken care of the improvement of Russian troops.

Catherine I (Martha Samilovna Skavron, in marriage Cruz; after the adoption of Orthodoxy - Ekaterina Alekseevna Mikhailov). 5 (15) April 1684 was born in Derpte (Livonia) - died 6 (17) May 1727 in St. Petersburg. Russian Empress since 1721, the ruling public from 1725. The second wife of Peter I. Mother of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna.

In honor of Catherine I in 1713, Peter I was established by the Order of St. Catherine, and in 1723 the city of Yekaterinburg was named in the Urals. The name of Catherine I is also wearing the Catherine Palace in the royal village (built with her daughter Elizabeth Petrovna).

Martha Skavron, who became known as Ekaterina I, was born 5 (15 in a new style) April 1684 in Derpte (Livonia - now Tartu, Estonia).

The place of her birth is for some historians questioned. There is a version that she was born in the territory of modern Latvia - in the historic region, Vidzeme, which was included at the turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries in the Swedish Livonia.

Father - Estonian peasant, according to another version - Latvian or Lithuanian peasant, originally from the neighborhood of Kegeum.

It is worth noting that the surname "Skowrońska" is also characteristic of individuals of Polish origin.

Martha's parents died from the plague in 1684. Her uncle gave the girl to the house of Lutheran pastor Ernst Glitka, known for its Bible transfer to Latvian. After taking Marienburg, the Russian troops of the glitch, as a scientist, was taken to the Russian service, founded the first gymnasium in Moscow, taught languages \u200b\u200band wrote poems in Russian.

Martha was used in the house of the glitch as a servant, a letter did not teach her.

According to another version, in particular, in the Brockhaus and Efron dictionary, the mother of Martha after the death of her father, gave the daughter to the service in the family of Pastor Glitka, where it was as if they were taught literacy and needlework.

There is another version - until 12 March, Anna-Maria Veselovskaya lived at his aunt, and only then turned out to be in the family of glitch.

She had two sisters - Anna and Christine, as well as two brothers - Karl and Friedrich. Their families of Catherine in 1726 transported to St. Petersburg with the help of Jan Kazimir Sapega, who received the highest state reward for personal merits to the Empress. It is believed that he transported her family from his possessions in Minsk. Catherine appropriated Karl and Friedrich in January 1727, counting dignity, without calling them by their brothers. In the will, Catherine I, the Skavronsky are vaguely called "near spruces of her own surname." With Elizabeth, Petrovna, the daughter of Catherine, immediately after its modernity at the throne in 1741, children of Christina (gender) and children of Anna (Efimovsky) were also erected into the county dignity. In the future, the official version it became that Anna, Christina, Karl and Friedrich - Native Brothers and Sisters of Catherine, Children Samuel Skavronsky.

At the same time, from the end of the XIX century, a number of historians questioned this relationship. They pointed out the fact that Catherine did not call the Skabronskaya, and Veshelevskaya or Vasilevskaya, and in 1710 after the capture of Riga in the letter to the same renaine called the very different names of the "Sprinkles of Katerina My" - "Yagan-Jonus Vasilevsky, Anna-Dorothea, also their kids". Therefore, other versions of the origin of Catherine were proposed, according to which she is a cousin, and not a native sister who announced in 1726 by Spavronsky.

Personal life Catherine I:

At the age of 17, Marta was married to the Swedish dragoon named Johan Crouse (Johan Cruse) - just on the eve of the Russian offensive on Marienburg. A day or two after the wedding, Johann trumpeter with his regiment was serving at war and disappeared.

According to some reports, the spouse was the name of the slave, not a cruise (this version fell into fiction - for example, in the novel "Peter First").

On August 25, 1702 during the Northern War, the Army of the Russian Feldmarshal Sheremetev, leading the fighting against the Swedes in Livonia, took the Swedish fortress Marienburg (now Aluksne, Latvia). Sheremetev, using the departure of the main Swedish army to Poland, subjected the edge of a merciless ruin.

In Marienburg Sheremetev captured 400 inhabitants. When Pastor Glitch, accompanied by his Chelyadi, came to apply for the fate of the inhabitants, Sheremetev noticed the maid Marta Cruz and took her to his mistress.

After a short time, in about August 1703, she was the patron to be the prince, friend and associate of Peter I. So tells the Frenchman Franz Willboon, who was in the Russian service in the fleet from 1698 and married to the daughter of the pastor glitch. The story of Wilbua is confirmed by another source - notes of 1724 from the archive of the Aldenburg Duke. According to these notes, Sheremetev sent the pastor of the glitch and all the inhabitants of Marienburg to Moscow, he left himself. Menshikov, taking Marta from the elderly Feldmarshal a few months later, rushed greatly with Sheremethev.

Scotman Peter Henry Bruce in the Memoirs set out (since others) the version that Marta took the Colonel of the Dragun Shelf of Baur (later became General): "Baur immediately ordered her to put it in his house, who repaired her concerns, giving her the right to dispose of all the servants , And she soon loved the new guide for her household manner. The general later often said that his house was never so well-groomed, as in the days of her stay there. Prince Menshikov, who was his cartridge, once saw her at the general, also noting something extraordinary in her appearance and manners. Asking who she knows how to cook, he heard in response just what had behaved in the story, to which the general applied a few words about a worthy position in his house. Prince said that it was in such a woman he hardly needs, because he himself is now very bad. This general answered that he was obliged to prince too much to not fulfill what he only thought about - and immediately calling Catherine, he said that before her - Prince Menshikov, who needs such a maid like her, and that The prince will make all the soda in order to become, as he himself, her friend, adding that he too respects her, so as not to give her the opportunity to get his share of honor and good destiny. "

In the fall of 1703, in one of his regular arrings to Menshikov to St. Petersburg, Peter I met Marta and soon made her his mistress, calling in the letters to Katerina Vasilevskaya (possibly, by the last name of her aunt).

Franz Willbua transmits their first meeting like this: "So there were cases when the king, driving on postal from St. Petersburg, which was then called Nienschman, or Noteburg, to the Livonia, to go on, stopped at his favorite Menshikov, where he noticed Catherine among the servants who served at the table. He asked where she was from and how she acquired it. And, talking quietly on the ear with this favorite, who only answered him by the nod of his head, he looked at Catherine for a long time and, teasing her, said that she was smart, and finished her joking speech by told her when she went to sleep, attribute her Candle in his room. It was an order said in a joking tone, but not tolerant of any objections. Menshikov accepted this as proper, and the beauty devoted to his owner spent the night in the room of the king ... The next day the king went in the morning to continue his way. He returned his favorite that he lent him. On the satisfaction of the king, which he received from his night conversation with Catherine, can not be judged by the generosity he showed. It limited himself to only one ducatus, which is equal in the cost of half of one Liudor (10 francs), which he put in a military arm in his hand at parting. "

In 1704, Katerina give birth to the firstborn, called Peter. Next year - Paul (both died soon).

In 1705, Peter sent Katerina to the near Moscow village Preobrazhenskoye, Natalia Alekseevna Tsarevna, where Katerina Vasilevskaya learned Russian diploma, and, moreover, he began his friends with his family Menshikov.

When Katerina was baptized in Orthodoxy (1707 or 1708), he changed the name to Catherine Alekseevna Mikhailov, because she was Tsarevich Alexey Petrovich, and the surname of Mikhailov was used by Peter I, if he wanted to remain incognito.

In January 1710, Peter arranged a triumphal march to Moscow on the occasion of the Poltava Victory, there were thousands of Swedish prisoners at the parade, among which Johann Cruz was also on the story of Franz Wilbu. Johann admitted his wife, who gave birth to the Russian king alone by other children, and was immediately exiled to the remote corner of Siberia, where he died in 1721.

From the words of Franz Wilbua, the existence of the living legitimate husband of Catherine during Anna's birth (1708) and Elizabeth (1709) was later used by opposing fractions in disputes on the right to the throne after the death of Catherine I. Posses from the Oldenburg Duchy, Swedish dragoon Cruz died in 1705, however It is necessary to keep in mind the interest of German dukes in the legitimacy of the birth of the daughters of Peter, Anna and Elizabeth, who were sought for grooms among the German specific rulers.

Even before the legal marriage, by Peter Ekaterina gave birth to daughters Anna and Elizabeth. Katerina alone could cope with the king in his seizures of anger, he knew how to calm the attacks of a convulsive headache of Peter who patient attention. According to Memoram Bashvych: "The sound of the voice of Katerina reassured Peter; Then she sazed him and took it, caressing, for his head, which was slightly soaked. It produced a magical effect on him, he fell asleep a few minutes. So as not to break his sleep, she held his head on her chest, sitting motionless in the continuation of two or three hours. After that he woke up completely fresh and cheerful. "

In the spring of 1711, Peter, attaching to the charming and easy-to-eat the former maid, commanded to consider Catherine his wife and took it into an unfortunate for the Russian army, a Prutian campaign. The Danish Messenger of Yust Yulia since the words of Tsareven (Peter I nieces) so recorded this story: "In the evening, the king called them without his departure, sister Natalia Alekseevna in one house to the Transfiguration Slobod. There he took his hand and put his mistress to them Ekaterina Alekseevna. For the future, the king said, they should consider it legitimate his wife and the Russiansu Queen. Since now, in view of the urgent need to go to the army, he cannot be married with her, he caresses her with him to commit it at a wider time. At the same time, the king made it clear that if he dies before he had time to marry, then after all his death they would have to look at her as a legitimate spouse. After that, they were all congratulated (Catherine Alekseevna) and kissed her hand. "

In Moldova, in July 1711, 190 thousand Turks and Crimean Tatars pressed the 38,000 Russian army to the river, completely surrounding the numerous Connection. Catherine went to the far hike, being on the 7th month of pregnancy. According to the well-known legend, she took off all his decorations to give them to bribe the Turkish commander.

Peter I was able to conclude a Prothesky world and, sacrificing Russian conquests in the south, bring the army from the environment. The Danish Messenger Yust Yulia, who was at the Russian army after entering it from the environment, does not report such actions of Catherine, but he says that the queen (so now everyone called Ekaterina) distributed their jewels to the preservation of officers and then gathered them. In the notes of the Brigadier Moro de Braz, it is also not mentioned about bribing the vizier of the jewels of Catherine, although the author (Brigadier Moro de Braz) knew from the words of Turkish Pasha on the exact amount of government orders aimed at bribes.

The official wedding of Peter I with Catherine Alekseevna was held on February 19, 1712 in the Church of Isaacia Dalmatsky in St. Petersburg.

In 1713, Peter I, in honor of the decent behavior of his wife, during the unsuccessful Pruth campaign, established the Order of St. Catherine and personally laid the signs of the Order on November 24, 1714. Initially, he was called the Order of Liberation and was intended only to Catherine.

About the merits of Catherine during the pruth campaign I remembered Peter I in my manifesto about the coronation of the wife of November 15, 1723: "Our courtesy of the Empress Empress Catherine was a great assistant, and not a sharpening in this, but in many military acts, postponed a nonsense feminine, Quality was present with us and Eliko, it was possible, and the Napa in the Prottian campaign from the Turks, read the desperate time, like men, and not the female came, about the whole of our army. "

In personal letters, the king showed an unusual tenderness to his wife: "Katerina, my friend, hello! I hear that you miss, and I'm not safe. " Ekaterina Alekseevna gave birth to her husband 11 children, but almost all of them died in childhood, except Anna and Elizabeth. Elizabeth later became an empress (rules in 1741-1762), and the direct descendants of Anna ruled Russia after the death of Elizabeth, from 1762 to 1917. One of the deaths of the sons, Peter Petrovich, after the renunciation of Alexei Petrovich (the eldest son of Peter from Evdokia Lopukhina) was considered From February 1718 to his death in 1719, the official heir of the Russian throne.

Children of Peter I and Catherine I:

Anna Petrovna (February 7, 1708 - May 15, 1728). In 1725 he was married to the German Duke of Charles Friedrich; I left in Kiel, where the son of Charles Peter Ulrich gave birth (later the Russian emperor Peter III).

Peter Petrovich (November 19, 1715 - April 19, 1719) was considered the official heir to the crown from 1718 to death.

Foreigners, with the attention of the Russian courtyard who followed the attachment of the king to the spouse. Bashevich writes about their relationship in 1721: "He loved to see her everywhere. There was no military look, the shutter, the ceremony or the holiday, at which it would not be ... Catherine, confident in his wife's heart, laughed at his frequent love adventures, like Libya over the inputers of August; But but he, telling her about them, always ended in words: nothing can compare with you. "

In the fall of 1724 Peter I suspected the empress in the marital infidelity with her chamber of the Mons, who was executed on another occasion. The head of the executed king brought Catherine on a tray. He stopped talking to her, access to it was forbidden. Only once, at the request of his daughter Elizabeth, Peter agreed to dine with Catherine, who had been in a larger friend for 20 years.

Only at the death of Peter reconciled with his wife. The RMS for the throne owned: Catherine, the son of Tsarevich Alexei Peter and daughter Anna and Elizabeth. But Catherine was crowned by Peter I in 1724. In January, 1725 Catherine spent all the time in the bed of the dying sovereign, he died on her hands.

Ekaterina I:

Opinions about the appearance of Catherine contradictory. If you focus on eyewitnesses - men, then, in general, they are more than positive, and, on the contrary, women sometimes treated her biased: "She was small, fat and black; All her appearance did not make a profitable impression. It was worth looking at her so that she would immediately see that she was low of origin. The dress that was on her, in all likelihood, was bought in a shop on the market; It was an old-fashioned style and everything is covered with silver and glitter. By her, alongside, it was possible to take it for the German wandering artist. It was a belt, decorated in front of embroidery from precious stones, a very original drawing in the form of a double-headed eagle, whose wings were littered with small gemstones in a firm rim. At the queen, about a dozen orders and as many samples and amulets were inspired, and when she was walking, everything rang out, as if the blinded mule was passed. "(Wilhelmina Bayret).

Board of Catherine I (1725-1727)

The manifesto of November 15, 1723, Peter announced the future coronation of Catherine as a sign of its merits. The ceremony was held in the Assumption Cathedral 7 (18) of May 1724. Especially for this case was made the first crown in the history of the Russian Empire. It was the second of Rus the coronation of a female spouse of the sovereign (after the coronation of Marina Mnishek Lhadmitriy I in 1606).

With its law of February 5, 1722, Peter canceled the former procedure for the inheritance of the throne by a direct descendant on the male line, replacing him with the personal purpose of the reigning sovereign.

To become a successor to the decree of 1722, any person who decent, according to the sovereign, could lead the state. Peter died in early morning on January 28 (February 8), 1725, did not have time to name the successor and not leaving sons. The absence of a strictly defined order of the throne of the throne of Russia was given to the will of the case, and the subsequent time entered the story of the era of palace coups.

Graph Tolstoy, Prosecutor General Yaguzhinsky, Chancellor Count Golovkin and Menshikov, at the head of the service, could not hope for the preservation of the government received from Peter I under Peter Alekseyevich. On the other hand, the coronation of the empress could be interpreted as an indirect indication of Peter on the heir. When Catherine saw that there was no more hope for her husband's recovery, he instructed Menshikov and to act in favor of his rights. The guard was predicted before the adoration of the dying emperor, it suffered this attachment to Catherine.

Guard officers from the Preobrazhensky regiment came to the meeting of the Senate, having embroidered the door to the room. They frankly stated that they would break the heads of old boyars, if they would go against their mother Catherine. Suddenly, drum battle rang out from the square: it turned out that both Guards Shelves were built before the palace. Prince Feldmarshal Repnin, President of the Military College, asked angrily: "Who rescued without my knowledge to bring the shelves here? Am I not Feldmarshal? " Buturlin, the commander of the Preobrazhensky regiment, answered the repove that the shelves called on the will of the Empress, which all subjects are obliged to obey, "not excluding you", he added an impressive.

Thanks to the support of the Guards regiments, he managed to convince all opponents of Catherine to give her voice. The Senate "Unanimously" erected her to the throne, calling "the uncompressed high state owner by Empress Ekaterina Alekseevna, the University of All-Russian" and in justification, announcing the will of the late sovereign who was interpreted by the Senate. The people were very surprised at the first time in Russian history for the throne of a woman, but there was no excitement.

January 28 (February 8) of 1725 Catherine I went to the throne of the Russian Empire Thanks to the support of the guard and nobles, raised under Peter. The Epoch of the Board of Empress began in Russia, when it was ruled by the end of the XVIII century, with the exception of several years, some women.

The actual power in the reign of Catherine concentrated Prince and Field Menshikov, as well as the Supreme Secret Council. Catherine was completely satisfied with the role of the first mistress of the Tsarist village, relying on the state management issues on their advisers. She was interested only on the fleet's affairs - the love of Peter to the sea touched her.

At the initiative of Count P. A. Tolstoy in February 1726, a new state authority was created, the Supreme Secret Council, where the narrow circle of the main dignitaries could manage the Russian Empire under the formal chairmanship of the semi-monster empress. The Council included General-Field Marshal Prince Menshikov, Admiral General Count Apraksin, Chancellor Count Golovkin, Graph Tolstoy, Prince Golitsyn, Vice Chancellor Baron Osterman. Of the six members of the new institution, only Prince D. M. Golitsyn was a leaving from the Born's Rooms. A month later, the number of members of the Supreme Secretary Council included the son-in-law of the Empress, the Duke of Holchta Karl-Friedrich (1700-1739).

As a result, the role of the Senate dropped sharply, although it was renamed High Senate. The supremes decided to share all important things, and Catherine only signed the papers sent by them. The Supreme Council eliminated the local authorities created by Peter, and restored the power of the governor.

Long wars who led Russia affected the finances of the country. Because of the fault, the prices of bread rose, dissatisfaction increased in the country. In order to prevent the uprising, the pioneer was reduced (from 74 to 70 kopecks).

The activity of the Catherine Government was limited mainly to small issues, while embellished treasures, arbitrariness and abuse. There were no reforms about any reforms and transformations, inside the council was the struggle for power.

Despite this, the easiest people loved to the empress for making it unhappy and willingly helped them. The soldiers, sailors and artisans were constantly crowded in her front: some were looking for help, others asked Queen to be in them. She did not refuse to anyone and ordinary Chervonians gave any of his kid.

During the reign of Catherine I, an expedition of V. Bering was organized, the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was established.

Catherine I Rules for not long. Balls, festivities, feasts and couments, who followed a continuous series, undermined her health, and from April 10, 1727 Empress slightly. The cough, first of weak, began to strengthen, fever was discovered, the patient began to weaken the day from the day, there were signs of damage to the lung.

The queen died in May 1727 from the complications of an abscess of the lung. On another unlikely version, death came from the most severe attack of rheumatism.

Ekaterina I.

The government had to urgently address the question of the throllery.

Vice-Chancellor Osterman offered to reconcile the interests of the troves and a new serviceant to marry the Grand Duke Peter Alekseevich on Tsarevna Elizabeth Petrovna, daughter of Catherine. The obstacle was their close relationship, Elizabeth was Native aunt Peter. In order to avoid possible in the future, Osterman offered at the conclusion of a marriage to determine the order of the prestoliya.

Catherine, wanting to appoint the heir to the daughter of Elizabeth (according to other sources - Anna), did not decide to adopt the Osterman project and continued to insist on its right to appoint a successor to himself, hoping that over time the issue would be resolved. In the meantime, the main supporter of Catherine Menshikov, appreciating Peter's perspective to become a Russian emperor, moved to the camp of his adherents. Moreover, Menshikov managed to achieve the consent of Catherine to marry Mary, daughters Menshikov, with Peter Alekseevich.

When the empress was dangerous, members of the Supreme Government agencies were gathered to solve the issue of successor: the Supreme Secret Council, Senate and Synod. Guards officers were invited. The Supreme Meeting strongly influenced the appointment by the heir to the young grandson of Peter I - Peter Alekseevich. Before the death itself, the testament signed by Elizabeth, signed by Elizabeth, was hurriedly signed by Elizabeth. According to the testament, the throne inherited the grandson of Peter I, Peter Alekseevich.

Subsequent articles were attacked over a minor emperor; The power of the Supreme Council was determined, the order of the heritage of the throne in the case of the death of Peter Alekseevich. According to the will, in the case of the childless death of Peter, Anna Petrovna and her descendants ("Descendants"), then her younger sister Elizabeth Petrovna and her descendants, and only then his sister Peter II Natalia Alekseevna. At the same time, those applicants for the throne, which would not be an Orthodox religion or have already reigned abroad, were excluded from the order of inheritance. It was on the will of Catherine I am 14 years later, Elizabeth Petrovna referred to Elizaveta in Manifesto, who settled her right to the throne after the palace coup 1741.

The 11th article of the Testament was amazing those present. It was commanded by all nobles to promote to the wrap of Peter Alekseevich with one of the daughters of Prince Menshikov, and then to achieve the majority to promote their marriage. Literally: "We also have our foresters and the administration's government to try between his love (Grand Prince Petro) and the marriage of the marriage of Menshikov, the marriage of Menshikov. Such an article clearly testified to the person who participated in the drawing up of the will, but for the Russian society, Peter Alekseevich's right to the throne - the main article of the will - was undoubtedly, and the excitement did not arise.

Later, Empress Anna Ioannovna ordered Chancellor to ginger to burn spiritual Catherine I. He fulfilled, nevertheless saving a copy of the will.

The image of Catherine I in the movies:

1938 - Peter the first (role fulfilled)

(5.04.1684 (Dr. data - 1683, 1685 or 1686) - 6.05.1727, St. Petersburg), IMT. All-Russian (from 28 Jan 1725), 2nd Wife Imp. Peter I. Preserved several. The versions of the origin of E. A., according to one of them, she was a daughter of litas. The peasant from Liflandia and before the adoption of Orthodoxy wore the name of March Skavron. Polish. The language was native to her family, by the direction of Peter I found, but until 1726 kept "under strong guard" to avoid publicity: Brother E. A. Friedrich was a yammer, and sister of Christine with her husband - serf peasants. Eagle E. A. did not receive, I could only put a signature. In his youth lived in the house of Pastor Glitka in Marienburg (now Aluksne, Latvia), worked as a lauree and a cook. Was married to the Swede. Dragoon I. Cruz, who went to war soon. 25 Aug. 1702, during the Northern War, when taking Marienburg Rus. The troops came privileged, became the servant Gene.-Field Marshal B. P. Sheremeteva, then "Porto" (laundry) at gr. A. D. Menshikov. In 1703, Peter I noted, and she became one of his favorite. Accepted ultimate. Baptism with the name Ekaterina Alekseevna, her godfather became Tsarevich Alexey Petrovich. E. A. and Peter I were born 11 children, most of them died in infancy, Anna (1708-1728) and Elizaveta Petrovna remained alive (Russian Imp.) (1709-1761).

From 1709 E. A. accompanied Peter I in military campaigns and various trips. Before departing to the Protian campaign on March 6, 1711, secretly married a king, a public wedding took place after returning, 19 Feb. 1712 during a hike when Rus. The troops were surrounded, had an impact on the decision of Peter I to start negotiations with the Turks about the truce, according to the legend, sent his jewelry to the Great Wiz. In memory of the participation of E. A. In the campaign of Peter I, I established the Order of Liberation (Catherine Holy Order) and Nov 24. 1714 awarded his wife. E. A. was a caring wife and mother. Differing a smooth and fun character, calmed her husband during the outbreaks of anger, divided the difficulties of hiking life with him, bought her products for the yard, she always sought to make a pleasant surprise to her husband. In turn, Peter I showed concern about the "Heartsinth of Friend". Preserved OK. 200 of his letters to his wife, the king missed her and often caused to himself: "For God, come soon! And if why it is impossible to be soon, to write out, it's not without sorrow that I hear nor see you. "

After the wedding, E. A. appeared his yard, she took foreign ambassadors, met Europe. monarchs. In the descriptions left by foreigners, it was noted that it tastefully dressed, its low origin is striking. During this period, the queen did not participate in the management of the state-in. The decision of political issues did not interfere, but it was often overlooked before the king for Menshikov and others. Guidelled nobles. Peter I reported to her about military campaigns and battles, but did not devote to affairs. 15 Nov. 1723 was published by Manifesto on the upcoming coronation of E. A., K-paradium "Great Austice was, and not a sharpening in this, but also in many military acts, she was postponed by a female, will be present with us and I could have helped with us ... " Coronation took place on May 7, 1724 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, Peter I laid imp. The crown on the head of the kneeling wife. It is believed that he was going to convey E. A. The predominant right to occupy the throne after death, counting on supporting the nearest environment. But in 1724 she lost the confidence of the emperor: in November. It was arrested and executed by the manager of the Willem Mons, according to contemporaries for the relationship with E. A. The name of the Empress was not mentioned on the investigation, but Peter I took her to look at the execution, ordered to seal her jewels and forbade it to fulfill its orders. E. A. was afraid for his future, tried to return the arrangement of her husband and squeezed his forgiveness.

In Jan. 1725, during the death sick of Peter I, did not leave the heirs and did not have time to draw up a testament, a split was planned in the ruling tip: Some considered it necessary to build Alexei Peter's son's throne (Imp. Petr II) with recent . A. and under the control of the Senate, others (Menshikov, gr. P. A. Tolstoy) - Make E. A. Autocratic government. At the critical moment, the empress distributed money to the Guards officers and paid the detainees of the guards from his own funds. Another 7414 r. From personal funds went "for some extraordinary expenses" Majoras Guard and others. Higher Outline. As a result, January 28 The same year, after the death of Peter I, she was erected to the throne.

E. A. promised "cases, conceived by the work of the emperor, with the help of God to make" and tried to follow this program. For the current management of the country 8 Feb. 1726 by the decree of the Empress was formed by the Supreme Secret Council, in which Menshikov entered, Tolstoy, c. G. I. Golovkin, gr. F. M. Apraksin, Baron A. I. Osterman and KN. D. M. Golitsyn (Menshikov advanced to the 1st place). E. A. NE. Once visited meetings of the Council, but on Dec. 1726 until the end of the reign there did not appear, 4 Aug. 1726 was issued a decree on the reality of decrees for the signatures of all members of the Supreme Secretary Council. The value of the Senate and Holy Synod has fallen sharply, they began to obey the Supreme Secretary Council. E. A. controlled him through the Cabinet (personal office), which received information from the governors and commander of the troops and on behalf of the Empress communicated with the Supreme Secret Council. Named decrees E. A. related primarily to the Gins and villages, layoffs and appointments; In these cases, she sometimes defended their right to the opinion of the members of the Supreme Secret Council.

E. A. approved the states considered by Peter I. institutions. The pillow was reduced by 4 to. In June 1725, she commanded to stop all the affairs of the fiscal denunciations, started before 1721. Declaration of May 28, 1726, the secret office was eliminated, and all of her cases were transferred to the Preobrazhensky order. In 1726-1727 The Supreme Secret Council discussed the financial problems of the country arising during the years of wars and reforms. In pursuance of Decisions E. A. in Jan. - Feb. 1727 was eliminated by a parallel civilian military (regimental) administration, the collection of submarines was transferred to the voivodam, the domestic office was established, local institutions and positions in the system of the Justice and Camera Collegium were abolished, the payment of the complaint of the MN. Categories of officials. Under E. A., the improvement of St. Petersburg was continued, new streets were tried, on B. Perspective road (he filed. Nevsky Prospect) put the first benches for leisure travelers. The capital has established solid bread prices. In aw 1725 Empress received the first Russian academics, official. The opening of the St. Petersburg Acan took place on December 27. of the same year. To rus. The service was still often made foreigners. E. A. sent an expedition to Captain-Commander V. Bering to Kamchatka in order to find out whether Asia is connected from North. America. Before his death, he ordered all the Jews "Send Vo from Russia abroad immediately continue to be in any way in any way in Russia."

The Empress could support the conversation in 4 languages, learned the appearance of the surname and some ideas about the problems that were facing the country, but seriously lead the state. Affairs was not capable. After the mourning ended on the deceased Emperor, E. A. spent most of the time in the society of Favorites. The court "hostage magazine" in 1726 describes the lifestyle E. A. for Petrovskaya tradition, she also visited the shipyard, hospitals, went to fires. According to the example of the husband was a caring "Colonel": attended the "Eczergings" of the Guard, made gifts to the name days and the christening of their children, herself more than once a perception of babies, disassembled the petitions of the soldiers, assisted in need. But most of the time E. A. dedicated to the walks "in the garden in the summer house", in other residences and the streets of the capital, as well as a feast "fun" and various fun. With her nobles, even retired, under the fear of the fine and whipping by Batogas were forbidden to walk "with beards and in an ancient dress."

E. A. considered his duty to arrange marriages daughters. Anna's marriage was predetermined by Peter I: in 1725 she married hertz. Karl Friedrich Golucket. E. A. She wanted to return the son of the land taken from him. In May 1726, the Empress ordered his yacht to arm the gun and was going to personally head the fleet in a campaign to Denmark. These measures caused Europe protests. Power. In the Baltic m. Engl entered. Squades, and military cookings had to end urgently. Negotiations about the Union with France did not give results, and in 1726 a union agreement was concluded with Austria, which became the basis of Russia's foreign policy to the 60s. XVIII century

Vice-President of Synod Novgorod Archipel. Theodosius (Yanovsky) publicly criticized the church policy of Peter I and E. A. and stated that "spiritual shepherds are very enslaved." After several Failures archive. Feodosia appears to the royal table in the secret office began a consequence of "malicious words about their imperial majesty." Archite Feodosius was arrested 27 Apr. 1725, and on May 11 of the same year, he was convicted of eternal imprisonment in Koreler in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the monastery, where he died.

The main event in church life was division of July 15, 1726 of the Holy Synod on the 2 Department. The 1st Department consisted of bishops and was solely spiritual affairs and censorship; 2nd (board savings of the Synodal Board) - from secular officials who were engaged in the judicial affairs of the clergy, determining the residence permit in the Mont-Ri of retired soldiers and officers, the management of church patrimons (income from them came to the Department, these funds could not be spent without determining Camera College). The position of the Ober-Prosecutor remained vacant, the main role in the 1st Department began to play Novgorod Archipel. Feofan (Prokopovich). The Synod has ceased to be called the Governing, the names "Holy Synod" and "Spiritual Assembly" were used. E. A. confirmed and supplemented orders entered by Peter I and relating to the life of Mont-Rey. Without restrictions, we were allowed to have a tonsure of only widden priests, everyone else should have received the permission of Holy Synod. Funny monks were prescribed to betray the court and publicly punish with the shoulders. In 1726, according to the petition of the Claim, Andrei Shepelev was restored optical empty. The school abolished in 1724 under the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (afterwards Lava) in 1726 was transformed into a seminary.

At the insistence of Menshikova, E. A. declared the heir to led. kn. Peter Alekseevich, who was going to marry Mary to his daughter. P. A. Tolstoy and Gen.-police officer A. M. Devyer wanted to transfer the throne to the daughters of Peter I. in Apr. 1727 E. A. The fever began, for the later conclusion of doctors - inflammation or "beacious damage in Lehkom." Menshikov achieved a decree from her about the arrest of Devière, then Tolstoy and their supporters were arrested. The investigation took place in a hurry and under the pressure of Menshikov. The report and the verdict were ready in the evening of May 6 of the same year, in the last hours of life E. A. signed documents. At the same time, with the participation of Menshikov, a testament was drawn up in favor of Peter Alekseevich. E. A. could no longer sign it, and a brief "extract" of the will signed Elizabeth Petrovna.

The coffin with the body of E. A. was put in the chapel inside the unfinished Petropavlovsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg, next to Peter's coffin I. On May 29, 1731, at the end of the construction of the Cathedral, it was buried with Peter I at the south. Walls in front of the altar.

East: Letters Rus. sovereigns and others. Persons of the Tsarh family. M., 1862. T. 1: Correspondence Imp. Peter I with the sovereign of Catherine Alekseevna; PSPR. T. 4-5.

Lit.: Semevsky M. I. Queen Katerina Alekseevna, Anna and Willim Mons: 1692-1724. St. Petersburg., 1884. M., 1994; Brikner A. G. Imp. Catherine I: 1725-1727 // ve. 1894. No. 1. P. 121-148; № 2. P. 615-646; He is Russia and Denmark with imp. Catherine I // PM. 1895. No. 2. P. 39-60; № 3. P. 41-56; № 7. P. 104-118; № 9. P. 24-33; Belozerskaya N. A. The origin of Catherine I // Yves. 1902. No. 1. P. 60-66; Kirchner W. The Death Of Catherine I of Russia // AHR. 1946. Vol. 51. P. 250-261; Pavlenko N. I. Singherzhavny Lord. M., 1988; He is Peter the Great. M., 1990; He is Ekaterina I. M., 2004. (ZhZL); Anisimov E. V. Women on Ros. The throne. St. Petersburg, 1998; Kurukin I. V. Epoch "Palsky Storms": Essays Polit. The history of the postpeople of Russia, 1725-1762 Ryazan, 2003; Vodarskiy Ya. E. Puzzles of the Prut's campaign of Peter I. M., 2004.

I. V. Kurukin