Catherine i of russia young

Although he had conducted reforms in practically all areas of Russian life, Peter the Great had nonetheless set a time bomb under the procedure for succession to the Russian throne.

Aftershocks of this reform resulted in a kaleidoscopic change of rulers in the second quarter of the eighteenth century (dubbed the "Era of Palace Coups"), and also in the so-called "Petticoat Reigns" - a rare phenomenon, in which Russia was ruled by women for the greater part of the eighteenth century.

Until this time, a woman monarch had been an extremely rare occurrence in Russia: Only Princess Olga (Prince Igor's widow) and Princess Sofia, who served as sovereign regent for the young Tsars Ivan and Peter, had albeit briefly held ultimate power in the country.

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