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a-a-ra-s-s-s-s-a-s-s-a-s-a-s- Welcome to the Russian rulers podcast.

Episode 40, the rain of Elizabeth 1, Part 1.

Last week we followed the rains of Catherine,

wife of Peter the Great, Anna, daughter of Alexis, and Ivan the sixth, son of Prince Anthony Ulrich

of Brunswick Lunberg and Duchess Anna Leopoldovna of Mecklenburg.

Elizabeth, who was the last remaining child of Peter and Catherine the first, overthrew Ivan and

took control of the Russian Empire. Now, before I get into the life in times of Elizabeth, I want to talk about

young Ivan, who may have had the saddest life I've come across in all my history readings. To say he led a tragic life is to vastly

understate things. On October 5, 1740, Empress Anna, Ivan's great aunt, had the now eight-week-old boy named

her successor with Ernst Byron to serve as regent.

She was on her deathbed, and she felt secure knowing that her wishes

would be carried out. Weeks later, though, after the Empress's death, Byron was arrested

and the power switched to Andre Osterman, who took over the Regency

and became the real power in Russia.

Thirteen months later, as we mentioned last week, Elizabeth staged a coup and removed Osterman and Ivan.

The boy was a threat to Elizabeth, but she was not inclined to execute the child, as she was

firmly against executions as no one would have a death

warrant signed against them throughout her 20 plus years reign.

The boy and his family were incarcerated in the fortress at Dow Gav Gariva in the north in what is now known as Latvia.

Two years later, following the Lupekehina affair, Ivan and his family was transferred to Kolmogori

in the White Sea in the far north.

...