Catherine I of Russia Catherine I of Russia Catherine I (, born , later known as Marta Samuilovna Skavronskaya; – ) was the second wife of Peter the Great and Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death. The life of Catherine I was said by Voltaire to be nearly as extraordinary as that of Peter the Great himself. There are no documents that confirm her origins. Said to have been born on 15 April 1684 (o.s. 5 April), she was originally named Marta Helena Skowrońska. Marta was the daughter of Samuel Skowroński (later spelt "Samuil Skavronsky"), a Roman Catholic peasant from the Polish–Lithuanian
Catherine the Great (TV series) Catherine the Great (TV series) Catherine The Great is a 2015 Russian television series starring Yuliya Snigir as Catherine the Great. It was scheduled to premiere in late 2015 on Channel One Russia. The history of Catherine the Great from the moment she arrived in Russia as the new bride of Peter III and her ascent to the Russian throne. Nearly 20 years of palace intrigues, conspiracies, the struggle for power and personal dramas. Filming was completed from December 2013 to August 2014 in Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast (including Peter and Paul Fortress, Constantine Palace, Gatchina, and Lenfilm Studios).