Editing Catherine I of Russia (section)

==Marriage and family life==

[[File:Museum IMG 1148 (603618024).jpg|thumb|Interior of their log cabin]] [[File:Стрельна, дворец Петра04.jpg|thumb|Their small wooden palace in [[Strelna]], designed by [[Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond|Le Blond]] around 1714, had a [[botanical garden]] ]] [[File:1st Winter Palace.jpg|thumb|First Winter Palace by [[Alexey Zubov]] ]] [[File:Binnenplaats van de buitenplaats Vredenhof, Inventarisnummer NL-HlmNHA 1100 KNA006003416.JPG|thumb|''Vredenhof'']]

Though no record exists, Catherine and Peter are described as having married secretly between 23 October and 1 December 1707 in [[Saint Petersburg]].{{sfn|Hughes|2004|p=136}} They had twelve children, two of whom survived into adulthood, [[Anna Petrovna|Anna]] (born 1708) and [[Elizabeth of Russia|Elizabeth]] (born 1709).

Tsar Peter I had moved the capital to Saint Petersburg in 1703. While the city was being built he lived in a modest [[Cabin of Peter the Great|three-room log cabin]] (with a study but without a fire-place) with Catherine. The relationship was the most successful of the tsar's life and a great number of letters exist demonstrating the strong affection between Catherine and Peter I.{{sfn|Hughes|2004|p=136}} As a person she was very energetic, compassionate, charming, and always cheerful. She was able to calm the tsar in his frequent rages and was often called in to do so.

Catherine went with Tsar Peter I on his [[Pruth Campaign]] in 1711. There, she was said to have saved Peter and his future empire, as related by [[Voltaire]] in his book ''Peter the Great''. Surrounded by overwhelming numbers of Turkish troops, Catherine suggested before surrendering, that her jewels and those of the other women be used in an effort to bribe the Ottoman grand vizier [[Baltacı Mehmet Pasha]] into allowing a retreat.

Mehmet allowed the retreat, whether motivated by the bribe or considerations of trade and diplomacy. In any case, Tsar Peter I credited Catherine and proceeded to marry her again, this time officially, at [[Saint Isaac's Cathedral]] in Saint Petersburg on 9 February 1712. She was the second wife of Tsar Peter I; he had previously married and divorced [[Eudoxia Lopukhina]], who had borne him the [[Tsarevich]] (heir apparent), [[Alexis Petrovich]]. Upon their wedding, Catherine took on the style of her husband and became Tsarina. The [[Order of Saint Catherine]] was instituted by her husband on the occasion. 

Their small wooden palace in [[Strelna]], designed around 1714, had a [[botanical garden]]. In 1716, she accompanied him to his second embassy to the United Provinces but stayed behind at [[Wesel]] to give birth. He did not take her to Paris; she stayed in [[Haarlemmerhout]] in the mansion of the Russian resident Osip Solovjov.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jozien J. |last=Driessen van het Reve |year=2006 |title=De Kunstkamera van Peter de Grote. De Hollandse inbreng, gereconstrueerd uit brieven van Albert Seba en Johann Daniel Schumacher uit de jaren 1711–1752 |language=nl |page=148 |location=Hilversum |publisher=Verloren |isbn=978-90-6550-927-7}}</ref> In 1724, Peter had Catherine crowned as Empress, although he remained Russia's actual ruler.