Catherine I of Russia Catherine Palace still bears her name. She also gave her name to Kadriorg Park and the later neighbourhood of Tallinn, Estonia, which today houses the Presidential Palace of Estonia. In general, Catherine's policies were reasonable and cautious. The story of her humble origins was considered by later generations of tsars to be a state secret. 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
Catherine I of Russia Order of Saint Catherine was instituted by her husband on the occasion of their wedding. Catherine and Peter had twelve children, all of whom died in childhood except Anna and Elizabeth: Upon Peter's death, Catherine found her four siblings, Krystyna, Anna, Karol and Fryderyk, gave them the newly created titles of Count and Countess, and brought them to Russia. In 1724 Catherine was officially crowned and named co-ruler. The year before his death, Peter and Catherine had an estrangement over her support of Willem Mons, brother of Peter's former mistress Anna, and brother to one of the current ladies in