Catherine I of Russia is historically associated with claims that she personally negotiated with Baltacı Mehmet Pasha during the Pruth Campaign between the Russian Tsardom and the Ottoman Empire, although this assertion remains controversial and unconfirmed by contemporary sources.

Catherine I of Russia was born on April 15, 1684, in the Malbork region of Poland as the daughter of a peasant family. Her birth name was Marta Elena Skavronska. Orphaned at the age of three, she was raised by a Lutheran pastor named Johann Ernst Glück. Her early life was marked by poverty, displacement, and hardship.

During the wars between Russia and Sweden in 1700, Catherine was taken captive by Russian forces. The orphaned peasant girl entered the service of one of Tsar Peter I of Russia’s advisers as a laundress. While working in the household, she attracted the attention of the Tsar, who frequently visited the residence. In 1703, she gave birth to a child fathered by Peter. In 1705, she converted to Orthodox Christianity and adopted the name Ekaterina Aleksiyevna.

Catherine I of Russia formally married Tsar Peter I in 1712. From their union, eleven children were born, but only two daughters—Anna Petrovna and Elizabeth of Russia—survived into adulthood. Elizabeth later ascended the Russian throne as Empress. Catherine remained married to Peter until his death on February 8, 1725.

It is alleged that during the Pruth Campaign of 1710–1711 between the Russian Tsardom and the Ottoman Empire, Catherine personally took part in peace negotiations with Ottoman Grand Vizier Baltacı Mehmet Pasha. However, none of the detailed Ottoman or Russian campaign chronicles mention any direct meeting between the two. According to popular accounts, when the numerically superior Ottoman army surrounded the Russian forces, Tsar Peter faced imminent defeat. Catherine reportedly suggested offering peace through personal submission. Baltacı Mehmet Pasha, considering previous Ottoman defeats and wishing to avoid risk, accepted the Russian peace proposal.

Following the Pruth Campaign, Catherine officially married Peter in February 1712. In 1714, she was crowned Empress. Upon Peter I’s death in 1725 without naming an heir, Catherine was proclaimed Empress despite opposition from the nobility, thanks to the support of palace guards and certain military factions.

As ruler, Catherine I of Russia delegated state affairs to a six-member advisory council previously appointed by her husband. In foreign policy, she supported Austria and Spain against the Hanover Alliance formed by England, France, and Prussia.

Catherine I of Russia died of tuberculosis on May 17, 1727, at the age of forty-three, in Tsarskoye Selo, Pushkin, Russia. Her reign marked the beginning of a new era in Russian history, demonstrating that imperial power could pass outside traditional noble bloodlines and establishing the precedent for future female rulers of Russia.

Source: Biyografiler.com