Catherine I of Russia vs Christian VII of Denmark

Marta Skowronska, a Lithuanian peasant, married Tsar Peter I of Russia. This marriage elevated her from obscurity to the imperial court, eventually leading to her coronation as Empress Catherine I after Peter's death.

Peter the Great crowned his wife Catherine as Empress consort in a formal ceremony at the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow. This was a rare honor for a woman of low birth and signaled her importance in Peter's reign.

Following Peter the Great's death without a clear male heir, Catherine I was proclaimed Empress regnant by the Imperial Guard and the Senate. She became the first woman to rule Russia in her own right, with the support of Alexander Menshikov.

Catherine I created the Supreme Privy Council as an advisory body to assist in governing the Russian Empire. The council, dominated by Alexander Menshikov, effectively reduced Catherine's direct role in state affairs and concentrated power among a few nobles.

Catherine I died of tuberculosis at the age of 43 in Saint Petersburg. Her death ended her brief two-year reign and led to the accession of Peter II, the grandson of Peter the Great, under the regency of the Supreme Privy Council.

Christian VII, suffering from severe mental illness, appointed his personal physician Johann Friedrich Struensee as a minister. Struensee quickly gained influence over the king and effectively became the de facto ruler of Denmark-Norway, initiating a series of radical Enlightenment reforms.

Under Struensee's direction, a wave of reforms was enacted, including freedom of the press, abolition of torture, reform of the justice system, and reduction of noble privileges. These reforms were implemented rapidly and without consultation, alienating the nobility and conservative elements.

A conspiracy led by the queen dowager Juliana Maria and noble opponents resulted in Struensee's arrest. He was convicted of usurping royal authority and having an affair with Queen Caroline Matilda. Struensee was executed, and his reforms were largely reversed, restoring conservative rule.

After Struensee's fall, Christian VII remained king but was completely incapacitated by mental illness. A regency government was established, first under Juliana Maria and later under Crown Prince Frederick (future Frederick VI). Christian VII had no real power for the rest of his reign.