: "Courting" was never private; a chaperone, typically a parent, was always present during meetings.
: Originally a servant and commoner, she caught the eye of Peter the Great in 1703 while in the household of his advisor. Sexy Girl (1684) mp4
: While "romantic love" was beginning to be recognized as a factor in marriage during this period, most 17th-century storylines focused on family alliances and financial security. Fictional Parallels : "Courting" was never private; a chaperone, typically
: Men and women of the upper classes could not approach each other without a proper introduction. : "Courting" was never private
: Stories where a girl from a humble background (like Catherine I ) maneuvers through social hierarchies via a high-stakes romance.