At the surrender of Marienburg in Livonia (1702) there was among the captives the family of a Lutheran pastor named Glueck.

Catherine, a young girl of sixteen, a servant in the family, had just married a Swedish soldier, who was killed the following day in battle.

We would have to look far for a more romantic story than that of this Protestant waiting-maid.
Menschikof, Peter's great general, was attracted by her beauty and took the young girl under his protection.

But when the Tsar was also fascinated by her artless simplicity, she was transferred to his more distinguished protection.

Little did Catherine think when weeping for her Swedish lover in Pastor Glueck's kitchen that she was on her way to the throne of Russia.