ar, and at length, in the
year 1712, Peter determined to place her before the world in the position
to which he had already privately and unofficially raised her, by a new
and public marriage.

It was not pretended, however, that the Czar was to be married to
Catharine now for the first time, but the celebration was to be in honor
of the nuptials long before performed. Accordingly, in the invitations
that were sent out, the expression used to denote the occasion on which
the company was to be convened was "to celebrate his majesty's old
wedding." The place where the ceremony was to be performed was St.
Petersburg, for this was now many years after St. Petersburg had been
built.

[Illustration: The Empress Catharine.]

Very curious arrangements were made for the performance of this
extraordinary ceremony. The Czar appeared in the dress and character of
an admiral of the fleet, and the other officers of the fleet, instead of
the ministers of state and great nobility, were made most prominent on
the occasion, and were appointed to the most honorable posts. This
arrangement was made partly, no doubt, for the purpose of doing honor to
the navy, which the Czar was now forming, and increasing the
consideration of those who were connected with it in the eyes of the
country. As Catharine had no parents living, it was necessary to appoint
persons to act in their stead "to give away the bride." It was to the
vice admiral and the rear admiral of the fleet that the honor of acting
in this capacity was assigned. They represented the bride's father,
while Peter's mother, the empress dowager, and the lady of the vice
admiral of the fleet represented her mother.

Two of Catharine's own daughters were appointed bridesmaids. Their
appointment was, however, not much more than an honorary one, for the
children were very young, one of them being five and the other only three
years old. They appeared for a little time pending the ceremony, and
then, becoming tired, they were taken away, and their places supplied by
two young ladies of the court, nieces of the Czar.

The wedding ceremony itself was performed at seven o'clock in the
morning, in a little chapel belonging to Prince Menzikoff, and before a
small company, no person being present at that time except those who had
some official part to perform. The great wedding party had been invited
to meet at the Czar's palace later in the day. After the ceremony had
been performe