In Russia, immediately after the death of Peter the Great, a stage began, which historians called the "period of temporary workers." It lasted from 1725 to 1741.
Russian throne
At that time, among the members of the royal dynasty there was no one who was able to hold on to power. That is why it ended up in the hands of court nobles - "temporaries" or random favorites of the rulers. And although the heir to the throne formally stood at the head of Russia, however, all issues were decided by the people who put him in the kingdom. As a result of the irreconcilable enmity of Peter's comrades-in-arms, Catherine I (Alekseevna) was in power one after another, then Peter II, after whom Anna Ivanovna ascended the throne, and finally Ivan 6.
Biography
This almost unknown Russian emperor had practically no rights to the throne. To Ivan V, he was just a great-grandson. Born in the summer of 1740, John Antonovich, just two months old, was named emperor by the manifesto of Anna Ioannovna. Biron, Duke of Courland, served as its regent until he came of age.
His mother Anna Leopoldovna is the eldest granddaughterCatherine - was the most beloved niece of Anna Ioannovna. This pleasant, pretty blonde had a good-natured and meek character, but at the same time she was lazy, sloppy and weak-willed. After the fall of Biron, her aunt's favorite, it was she who was proclaimed the Russian ruler. This circumstance was at first sympathetically accepted by the people, but soon this fact began to cause condemnation among the common population and the elite. The main reason for this attitude was that the key positions in the government of the country still remained in the hands of the Germans, who came to power during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. According to the will of the latter, Emperor Ivan VI received the Russian throne, and in the event of his death, other heirs of Anna Leopoldovna would receive the seniority.
She herself didn't even have an elementary idea of how to govern the state, which was growing weaker in foreign hands. In addition, Russian culture was alien to her. Historians also note her indifference to the suffering and concerns of the common population.
Years of the reign of Ivan VI
Dissatisfied with the dominance of the Germans in power, the nobles grouped around Princess Elizabeth Petrovna. Both the people and the guard considered her the liberator of the state from foreign control. Gradually, a conspiracy against the ruler and, of course, her baby began to mature. At that time, Emperor Ivan VI Antonovich was still a one-year-old child and understood little about court intrigues.
Historians call Anna Leopoldovna's decision to declare herself the impetus for the uprising of the conspiratorsRussian empress. On December 9, 1741, a solemn ceremony was scheduled. Deciding that it was no longer possible to delay, Elizaveta Petrovna, with a group of guards loyal to her, on the night of November 25, two weeks before this event, entered the royal palace. The entire Braunschweig family was arrested: the little Emperor Ivan VI, Anna Leopoldovna and her husband. Thus, the baby did not rule for long: from 1740 to 1741.
Insulation
The family of the former ruler, including the deposed John VI and his parents, Elizabeth Petrovna promised freedom, as well as unhindered travel abroad. Initially, they were sent to Riga, but they were taken into custody there. After that, Anna Leopoldovna was charged with the fact that, being the ruler, she was going to send Elizaveta Petrovna to imprisonment in a monastery. The little emperor and his parents were sent to the Shlisselburg fortress, after which they were transferred to the territory of the Voronezh province, and from there to Kholmogory. Here, the former king, who is referred to in official lifetime sources as John VI, was completely isolated and kept separately from the rest of his family.
Famous Prisoner
In 1756, Ivan VI was transported from Kholmogory again to the Shlisselburg fortress. Here he was placed in a separate cell. In the fortress, the former emperor was officially called a "famous prisoner." He, being in complete isolation, had no right to see anyone. This even applied to prison officials. Historians say that for the entire time of his imprisonment, hecould not see a single human face, although there are documents indicating that the "famous prisoner" was aware of his royal origin. In addition, Ivan VI, who was taught to read and write by some unknown person, dreamed of a monastery all the time. From 1759, the prisoner began to show signs of inadequacy. Empress Catherine the Second, who met with John in 1762, confidently asserted this. However, the jailers believed that the former emperor was faking.
Death
While Ivan VI was imprisoned, many attempts were made to release him in order to once again elevate him to the throne. The last of them turned into death for the young prisoner. When in 1764, already during the reign of Catherine II, Lieutenant Mirovich, an officer of the guard service of the Shlisselburg fortress, was able to win over most of the garrison to his side, another attempt was made to free Ivan.
However, the guards - Captain Vlasyev and Lieutenant Chekin - had a secret instruction to immediately kill the prisoner when they came for him. Even the decree of the empress could not cancel this order, therefore, in response to Mirovich's sharp demands to surrender and give them the "known prisoner", they first stabbed him and only then surrendered. The place where Ivan VI was buried is not known for certain. It is generally accepted that the former emperor was buried in the same place - in the Shlisselburg fortress.
Thus ended the fate of one of the most unfortunate Russian rulers - Ivan Antonovich, whom historiographers also called John. Ended with his deaththe history of the royal branch, headed by Ivan V Alekseevich and which left behind neither a good memory nor glorious deeds.
