Catherine I of Russia wife. It is clear that Menshikov and Marta formed a lifetime alliance. It is possible that Menshikov, who was quite jealous of Peter's attentions and knew his tastes, wanted to procure a mistress on whom he could rely. In any case, in 1703, while visiting Menshikov at his home, Peter met Marta. In 1704, she was well established in the Tsar's household as his mistress, and gave birth to a son, Peter. In 1705, she converted to Orthodoxy and took the new name of Catherine Alexeyevna ("Yekaterina Alexeyevna"). She and Darya Menshikova accompanied Peter and Menshikov on their military excursions.
History of the Jews in Russia ethnically-unique economic role. Documentary evidence as to the presence of Jewish people in Muscovite Russia is first found in the chronicles of 1471. The relatively small population of them were subject to discriminatory laws, but they do not appear to have been enforced at all times. The Jewish people residing in Russian and Ukrainian towns suffered numerous religious persecutions. Converted Jews occasionally rose to important positions in the Russian State, i.e. Peter Shafirov, vice-chancellor under Peter the Great was of Jewish origin. Their situation changed radically, during the reign of Catherine II, when the Russian Empire acquired rule over large