In the vague and often difficult history of our country, there are names of people who, by chance, entered the books that tell about the development of Russia. Most often this happened with those individuals who, by the fact of their birth, belonged to the royal family. This can be said about the princess, whose name Ekaterina Ioannovna Romanova says little to the modern layman. Meanwhile, such a princess lived in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century.
Birth and childhood
Let's start with the fact that Catherine was lucky since childhood. Firstly, she happened to be born in 1691 in the family of the young Tsar John Alekseevich, co-ruler of Peter the Great. Secondly, the little princess managed to survive, unlike her weather sisters. We will talk about the third luck of the young princess in more detail below.
As you know, the young and extremely sickly Tsar John Alekseevich and his wife Praskovya had 6 daughters, but only a few girls survived to adulthood. Princess CatherineIoannovna just belonged to the number of surviving children.
By the way, the godparents of the little princess were the most eminent. They were her uncle Peter the Great and great-aunt, the sister of the sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich Tatyana Mikhailovna.
Childhood of little Catherine, especially before 1708, flowed in quiet Moscow, under the walls of the Kremlin. The girl got stronger, by the time she moved to the new capital, which was founded by her royal uncle, Ekaterina Ioannovna was already in good he alth. Photos of St. Petersburg of that time speak of the greatness of this city.
Marriage
Now it's time to talk about the third luck of the little princess. Catherine was lucky that in her time the tsar's daughters were not kept in captivity until their deaths, without marrying off, but overseas suitors were found.
Moreover, these changes were introduced by her uncle Peter the Great. Before him, girls in royal families were the decoration of the royal house, which no man, even from the most noble family, could take with him. Tsarevnas were not given in marriage, because they were not of their own rank, and overseas infidels were not favored then.
So the princesses lived out their lives, forever remaining old maids, went on a pilgrimage, commanded their yard girls, embroidered and got bored.
Ekaterina Ioannovna, fortunately or unfortunately for herself, escaped such a fate. She was married off by her royal uncle, who, in an effort to improve relations with the Mecklenburg court, married his goddaughter to the ruler Duke Karl Leopold.
By the wayto say that Catherine was well educated for her time: she spoke several languages, knew history, was literate.
The wedding with a foreign spouse took place in 1716 in Danzig. The ceremony was magnificent. Peter the Great contributed to the fact that a marriage contract was drawn up between the spouses, suggesting that allied relations would be concluded between Russia and the Duchy of Mecklenburg.
Flight to Russia
However, on the grief of the young wife, her marriage to Karl was unsuccessful. This was due to many reasons: the duke himself managed to quarrel with Peter, he treated his wife rudely and unceremoniously. Not accustomed to such treatment, Ekaterina Ioannovna returned home 6 years later with her young daughter, who bore the Protestant name Elizaveta Katerina Kristina.
She was received at home with kindness and understanding of her difficult situation. The princess never saw her husband again. He lost his throne and died in the fortress many years later.
Here, after the death of Peter the Great's grandson Peter Alekseevich, Ekaterina Ioannovna could have become empress herself, but this place, by decision of the Senate, was taken by her younger sister Anna Ioannovna. This was due to the fact that Catherine was still formally married, so her husband had the right to claim the Russian throne, which was unacceptable.
As a result, her widowed sister Anna Ioannovna, Duchess of Courland, was elected to the throne.
Early death
However, the life of a princess at court duringThe sister's reign was going pretty well. In addition, Ekaterina Ioannovna, whose children had died, with the exception of one daughter, should also be glad that her childless sister, Empress Anna, appointed her daughter as heir to the throne.
Elizaveta Katerina Kristina received the name of Anna Leopoldovna in Orthodoxy. It is she who will be destined to become regent under the young emperor John, who, as a result of a palace coup, will be sent to the sidelines of history by Peter's daughter Elizabeth. But this event is only destined to happen.
And Ekaterina Ioannovna died early: in 1733 at the age of 41.
