19. Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya
Also known as Martha, this young woman’s story is a rags to riches tale. From a poor family, Martha’s parents died of plague in 1689 leaving her and her 5 siblings alone in the world. A Lutheran minister and his wife adopted Martha into their family and raised her. As she grew, her growing beauty began to alarm the minister’s wife. She then marries Martha off to a Swedish officer in order to keep her away from her son. The marriage was short-lived and Martha ended up in the household of Prince Alexander Menshikov.
While serving in the home of the prince, she meets Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia. Upon meeting, the two became inseparable and she became his mistress. He and his first wife divorced years before, so Peter was a free man. During the years prior to their marriage, Martha gave birth to 5 of Peter’s children. After a secret marriage, followed by an official one, the couple then had 6 more children together. Peter then crowned his wife Empress Consort of Russia, Unfortunately, 13 years into their official union Peter fell ill and died. Martha took the name Catherine and became the first official Empress of Russia. She ruled as Catherine I until her death 2 years later.