Marfa Apraksina

Marfa Matveyevna Apraksina (; 1664 – 1716) was a Tsarina of Russia and the second spouse of Tsar Feodor III of Russia. Biography Daughter of steward Matvey Vasilyevich Apraksin and Domna Bogdanovna Apraksina, Lovchikova. Martha had three brothers - Peter, Fyodor and Andrey, who later became major statesmen. She was married to the widowed tsar in 1681 by his friend Ivan Yazykov, who was with the Apraksins in the property. With this marriage, Yazykov hoped to strengthen his position at court. The candidacy of the royal bride was approved by Metropolitan Hilarion, close to the Apraksin family. She received the status of a royal bride in December 1681. The wedding of a 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old king took place on 15 (25) February 1682. Martha Matveyevna was queen for only 71 days - from 15 (25) February to 27 April (7 May) 1682. The king died of scurvy on 27 April (7 May), and Martha, being childless, wore mourning for more than 33 years, being a dowager queen and, according to some assumptions, a virgin. There are allegations that Peter the Great revered the childlessness of this short marriage as the reason for the transition to him of the royal crown.