At the death of Ann in the }'ear 1740, Ivan Antono vitch, the son of her niece, the princess Mecklen burgh, by her will succeeded to the throne. Biro's, Duke of Courland, was at first regent; but he being unpopular, it was no difficult matter for that princess, assisted by her husband, to accomplish his banishment to Siberia, and for herself to assume the administra torship.
But Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great by Ca tharine, bad a powerful party, by whose assistance she assumed the throne, while the prince and princess of Mecklenburgh were sent into banishment. The young prince Ivan was kept in confinement, and afterwards murdered in the castle of Schusselberg. Soon after her accession, Elizabeth nominated as her successor to the throne Charles Peter Ulric, son of the Duke of Holstein Gottorp, by Anne daughter of Peter the Great. This prince was accordingly invited into Rus sia, became a member of the Greek church, was bap tized by the name of Peter Pheodorovitch, and pro claimed grand Duke of Russia, and heir of the empire, in the fortieth year of his age. Soon afterwards he was married to Sophia Augusta Frederica, daughter of Christian Augustus, prince of Anhalt-Zerbst-Don burg, who became the famous princess Catharine II. By the death of Charles XII. emperor of Germany, Maria Theresa, queen of Hungary, was left at the mercy of the enterprising King of Prussia, but was assisted by Elizabeth, who entered into a confederacy, and sent a body of troops into Germany. For an ac count of a seven years war, the reader may consult the article PRUSSIA.
Elizabeth died on the sth Jan. 1762, the victim of disease, brought on by intemperance. The empress Ann had given an unworthy example of keeping fa vourites, which has been followed by all the subse quent princesses who have swayed the sceptre of Rus sia, and in a more open manner than is sanctioned by the custom of civilized nations. Elizabeth had her portion of them, and her conduct deserves reprobation. She is said to have possessed an extraordinary share of humanity; and, during her reign, punishment by death was unknown, in consequence of a vow she had made, and which led to numerous abusos and enormi ties in the civil, military, and naval departments. Though she was a woman of no talents, her reign was prosperous; and the same means, as in the time of her immediate predecessors, were continued with the view of improving and civilizing her people. In the year
1758, the Academy of Arts, now one of the most mag nificent establishments in the universe, was founded at Petersburg. Fond of music, she encouraged its cul tivation, and she laid the foundation of a Russian thea tre. She was also a great patroness of architecture. She followed the same policy as her predecessors, in encouraging foreigners to come and settle in her em pire. But the army was much neglected; and a kind of inquisition, under the specious name of a secret state chancery, was instituted, which led to the most fla grant abuses.
The grand Duke Peter III. ascended the throne of Russia on the demise of Elizabeth in 1762. His whole life shows that he was a feeble prince. He attempted many premature and foolish innovations, and by that means disgusted his people. By his inconstancy Ile lost the affections of his wife, a lovely and accomplish ed princess in the prime of life. Assisted by the wily princess Dashkof, and by some officers, especially the Orlofs, she formed a party, and, to avoid imprison ment and perhaps death, she succeeded in the dethrone ment of her husband. On this occasion, but for the greatest pusillanimity, Peter would have regained his crown, and escaped a cruel and barbarous death by poison administered to him while a prisoner at Ropsha, not far from St. Petersburgh. 112 only enjoyed the imperial dignity three months, and thus ingloriously fell in the 34th year of his age.—Vide Life of Catha rine II.
After Catharine had ascended the throne, her con duct was cautious and judicious, gentle and magnani mous, even to her declared enemies. From motives of policy she maintained the treaty of peace with Fre deric, which had been concluded with Elizabeth. She appears to have had considerable uneasiness at the chance of Ivan's being set at liberty. Greater vigi lance was employed in guarding him in the castle of Schusselberg; and lie was afterwards assassinated, in consequence of the failure of badly concerted measures for his deliverance. Whether his death is to be im puted to the empress and her counsellors is still matter of dispute.