Princess Anna Leopoldovna: brief biography and years of reign.

Ruler Russian Empire, was born in Rostock on December 7, 1718 from the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Karl-Leopold and his wife Ekaterina Ioannovna (granddaughter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich), was baptized according to the rite of the Protestant Church and named Elizabeth-Catherine-Christina. Young Elizabeth did not stay with her father for long. The duke's rude, despotic disposition forced Ekaterina Ioannovna to leave her husband and return to Russia with her daughter in 1722. Elizabeth's parents hardly cared much about her upbringing. Apparently, some attention was paid to this education only after the accession to the throne. younger sister Duchess Catherine - Anna Ioannovna, when the question of succession to the throne arose again. Anna Ioannovna, as you know, had no direct heirs; in order to leave behind legitimate successors, the empress, on the advice of gr. Osterman, gr. Levenvold and Feofan Prokopovich expressed her intention to appoint one of the future children of her young niece Elizabeth as heir to the throne. This intention immediately gave Elizabeth special importance at court. Feofan Prokopovich was entrusted with instructing her in Orthodox faith, and on May 12, 1733, Elizabeth converted to Orthodoxy and was named Anna in honor of the Empress. Anna Ioannovna cared not only about the spiritual, but also about the secular education of her niece. For these purposes, she chose Mrs. Aderkas as her mentor, an intelligent and experienced woman who, however, did not provide beneficial influence on spiritual development his pupil; there are also references to the princess's teacher Genninger. But the poor upbringing given to Princess Anna did not prevent the Empress from thinking about marrying her off. The choice initially fell on the Margrave of Brandenburg, Karl, a relative of the King of Prussia. Negotiations on this matter have already begun; but the alarmed Viennese court instructed Field Marshal Seckendorf, who was then in Berlin, to prevent the successful outcome of such negotiations by all means. Seckendorf acted so successfully that the matter was upset, and an offer came from Vienna to choose Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the nephew of the Empress of Rome, as a groom for Princess Anna. The offer was not rejected, and the young prince arrived in St. Petersburg in February 1733. Although Anna Leopoldovna did not like the prince, she nevertheless had to consider him her fiancé. Meanwhile, a natural feeling pulled her in the other direction. She especially liked the young, handsome Count Karl-Moritz Linar, the Saxon envoy. Madame Aderkas not only did not interfere, but directly facilitated the relations of her pupil with the clever count. The intrigue was discovered in the summer of 1735, and Mrs. Aderkas lost her position, and Count Linard was sent back to the Saxon court under a plausible pretext. The princess, however, was married off to Prince Anton four years later; On July 3, 1739, this wedding was celebrated magnificently, and 13 months later (August 12, 1740), the young couple had a son, John.

At this time, the health of the empress had already begun to give rise to serious concerns. The question arose about who should be entrusted with running the state. With a manifesto on October 5, 1740, the empress “designated her grandson Prince John as her legal heir.” But before the prince came of age, it was necessary to appoint a regent. The issue officially remained unresolved almost until the very day of the empress’s death. Only on October 16, the day before her death, Anna Ioannovna appointed Biron as regent. The manifesto of October 17, 1740, announcing the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna, made it known that in accordance with the will of the deceased, approved by her own signature, the empire should be governed according to a special charter and definition, which will be set out in a decree of the Governing Senate. Indeed, on October 18, a decree was promulgated by which Duke Biron, in accordance with the will of the Empress, was appointed regent until Prince John came of age and thus received “the ability and power to govern all state affairs both domestic and foreign."

Although Biron’s appointment as regent was facilitated by the most important court officials and dignitaries of the state (A.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Field Marshal Minikh, Chancellor Prince Cherkassky, Adm. Gr. Golovkin, Doctor of War, Sov. Prince Trubetskoy, Chief of Staff Prince. Kurakin, General-Por. Saltykov, Gofmar Shepelev and General Ushakov), however, Biron himself was aware of the precariousness of his position. The regent therefore began his administration with a number of favors: a manifesto was issued on strict observance of laws and justice by law, the capitation salary of 1740 was reduced by 17 kopecks, criminals were exempted from punishment, except for those guilty of the first two counts: thieves, robbers, mortal murderers and thieves of many things. sovereign treasury. At the same time, an order was made to limit luxury in court life: it was forbidden to wear dresses more expensive than 4 rubles arshins. Finally, graces were granted to individuals: Prince. A. Cherkassky was returned to the chamberlain rank and allowed to live wherever he wanted, V. Trediakovsky was given 360 rubles. from the confiscated estate of A. Volynsky. - All these favors showed that Biron himself was far from confident in the strength of his position, and this uncertainty, of course, incited him even more public opinion . The dissatisfied voices of P. Khanykov, M. Argamakov, Prince were heard in the guard. I. Putyatin, Alfimov and others. There were denunciations against the secretary of Princess Anne's office, M. Semenov, and against the adjutant of Prince Anton-Ulrich, P. Gramatin. This movement was all the more dangerous for Biron because the dissatisfied not only denied the duke’s rights to regency, but directly asked the question why the parents of the young prince were not appointed regents? It is natural, therefore, that the centers of this movement against the regent were Prince Anton, and then Anna Leopoldovna herself. Even 11 days before the death of the Empress, Lieutenant Colonel Pustoshkin, having learned about the appointment of Prince John as heir, had the idea that the Russian nobility should submit a petition to the Empress for Prince Anton to be regent. Although Pustoshkin’s attempt failed, Prince Anton, nevertheless, sought to change the decree on the regency and on this matter sought advice from Osterman and Keyserling, and also found support and sympathy in the above-mentioned representatives of the guard. The frightened Biron ordered the arrest of his main supporters, and in a solemn meeting of the cabinet of ministers, senators and generals on October 23. forced Anton-Ulrich, along with others, to sign the order of the late empress on the regency, and a few days later forced the prince to renounce his military ranks. The guard itself was also threatened with defeat: Biron said that ordinary soldiers of noble origin could be appointed as officers in army regiments, and their places could be filled by people of simple origin. Thus, this attempt to make the Prince of Brunswick regent ended in failure. But, besides Prince Anton, Anna Leopoldovna could have no less legitimate claims to the regency. Too weak and indecisive to realize these claims herself, the princess found herself a defender in the person of Count Minich. The ambitious and decisive field marshal hoped that if he was successful, he would take a leading position in the state, and therefore immediately got down to business. On November 7th, Anna Leopoldovna complained to the field marshal about her hopeless situation, and on the night of the 8th to the 9th, with the consent of the princess, he, together with Manstein and 80 soldiers of his regiment, arrested the regent, his closest relatives and supporters. A special commission even sentenced the Duke himself to death on April 8, 1740, and Bestuzhev to quartering on January 27, 1741. These punishments, however, were mitigated: Biron was exiled to Pelym, Bestuzhev to his father’s Poshekhon village to live without leaving.

Thus, on November 9, after the overthrow of Biron, Anna Leopoldovna proclaimed herself ruler. It was strange to see the reins of government in the hands of the kind, but lazy and careless granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich. The bad upbringing she received in childhood did not instill in her the need for spiritual activity, but when complete absence energy, the princess’s life turned into a peaceful existence. She spent most of her time lying on the sofa or playing cards. Dressed in a simple sleeping dress and tying her unkempt head with a white scarf, Anna Leopoldovna often sat in her inner chambers for several days at a time, often leaving the most important matters for a long time without any decision, and allowed only a few friends and relatives of her favorite lady-in-waiting Mengden or some foreign ministers to visit her. whom she invited to her place for card game. The only living stream in this musty atmosphere was the ruler’s former affection for Count Linar. He was again sent to St. Petersburg in 1741 by the King of Poland and the Elector of Saxony in order, together with the Austrian ambassador Botta, to persuade the ruler to an alliance with Austria. In order to keep Linar at court, Anna Leopoldovna gave him the rank of chief chamberlain and planned to marry him to her favorite, Mengden. In view of this marriage, Linar went to Dresden to ask for his resignation, received it and was already returning to St. Petersburg when in Konigsberg he learned about the overthrow of the ruler.

Anna Leopoldovna, apparently, was incapable of governing. Minich's calculations seemed to be justified. On November 11, a decree was issued by which Prince Anton was appointed generalissimo, but “according to it, Count Minich was ordered to be the first in the empire; at the same time, Count Osterman was granted the rank of admiral general, prince. Cherkassky - the rank of great chancellor, gr. Golovkin - the rank of vice-chancellor and cabinet minister. Thus, Minich began to manage almost all matters of internal administration and foreign policy. But this did not last long. Many were dissatisfied with the decree of November 11. Prince Anton was dissatisfied, to whom the rank of generalissimo, according to the decree itself, was supposedly ceded to Minich, although he had the right to it; Osterman was dissatisfied, because he had to obey an opponent who was little familiar with the intricacies of diplomacy; Finally, Mr. was dissatisfied. Golovkin because he couldn’t control himself internal affairs. Enemies took advantage of the field marshal's illness to persuade the ruler to limit the power of Minich. In January 1741, Minich was ordered to communicate with the Generalissimo about all matters, and on the 28th of the same month he was assigned to manage land army, artillery, fortification, cadet corps and the Ladoga Canal. Control foreign policy again transferred to Osterman, internal affairs - Prince. Cherkassky and gr. Golovkin. The annoyed Minikh submitted his resignation: to his great grief, this petition was accepted. The old field marshal was dismissed “from military and civil affairs” by decree on March 3, 1741. The cunning Osterman, who for a time gained primacy, contributed greatly to this outcome. But it was difficult for the deft diplomat, who successfully survived so many palace coups, to maneuver among the warring court parties. Family life The prince and princess were not particularly peaceful. Perhaps Anna Leopoldovna’s attitude towards Count Dinard, on the one hand, and on the other, the annoyance with which Prince Anton looked at the irresistible influence exerted by the maid of honor Yu. Mengden on the ruler, served as the reasons for the disagreement between the spouses. This disagreement sometimes lasted for whole week. It was abused by ministers for their own purposes. Gr. Osterman enjoyed the trust of the prince. This was enough for Mr. Golovkin, Osterman’s enemy, found himself on the side of the ruler, who sometimes entrusted him with very important matters without the knowledge of her husband and Count Osterman.

Given the inability of those at the head of the department and the struggle of ministers, there was nothing to expect particularly rich results in foreign and domestic policy. Of the internal orders of Anna Leopoldovna’s reign, one, in essence, is remarkable: “the regulations or work regulations for cloth and karase factories, which were carried out according to the report of the commission established to consider the cloth factories.” This issue was raised at the request of Minich in 1740; On January 27 of the same year, a special commission was appointed to get acquainted with factory life and draw up a draft of new legislation on the factory part. The project she developed legislative act regarding cloth and carp factories, was adopted by the government almost without any changes and issued as a decree on September 2. 1741 Regulations contained regulations regarding factory production; so, for example, factory machines and all equipment had to be in order, the material required for production had to be prepared in advance, cloth had to be made of a certain size and quality. The factory owners did not have the right to force workers to work beyond the norm specified by the regulations (15 hours) and had to give the workers a certain salary (for example, from 18 to 50 rubles per year), they could punish the offenders even with corporal punishment, with the exception of perhaps too severe ones, like a whip and links to hard labor. Manufacturers had to keep hospitals at their factories, and in case of successful production, they received incentive bonuses along with the craftsmen. Apart from this decree, no important internal orders were apparently made under Anna Leopoldovna.

This is partly explained by the fact that the government's attention was paid mainly to foreign policy. October 20, 1740 d. Emperor Charles VI, without direct heirs. Frederick II, who received a rich treasury and a good army from his father, took advantage of Austria's predicament to capture most of Silesia. Maria Theresa therefore turned to the powers that guaranteed the Pragmatic Sanction, but immediate help did not come from anywhere. The solution to this issue depended mainly on the policy that France and Russia would pursue. The task of French policy was clearly posed in the 17th century. This policy was aimed at fragmenting Germany, which was mainly due to the weakening of the House of Habsburg. For these purposes and in this case, France maintained friendly relations with Prussia and intrigued in the Porte and Sweden against Russia in order to prevent her intervention in the hostile relations of Frederick II with Maria Theresa, an intervention that, as French diplomats assumed, should Of course, keep in mind the benefits of Austria. But the assumptions of French diplomats turned out to be not entirely correct. Minich was a strong supporter of an alliance with the King of Prussia. He remembered the troubles that Austrian policy caused to him personally and to Russia itself during Turkish wars previous reign, and therefore insisted on an alliance with Prussia. Despite the fact that the ruler herself and Prince Anton preferred an alliance with Austria, the field marshal managed to insist on his own. Already on January 20, the king showed his pleasure at concluding an agreement between Russia and Prussia. But when such an agreement was concluded, the Russian government did not cease friendly relations with the Austrian court and thus found itself in an alliance with two warring neighbors. This situation was further complicated by hostile relations towards Sweden. Thanks to French gold Sweden had the opportunity to improve the armament of the army; at the same time, the Swedish youth, counting on the weakness of Anna Leopoldovna’s government, hoped to take away Vyborg. On July 28, the Swedish court chancellor expressed to M.P. Bestuzhev in Stockholm the king’s determination to declare war, and on August 13, 1741, a manifesto was issued on the same occasion on behalf of Emperor John. The main boss Swedish troops in Finland, count was appointed. Levenhaupt, commander-in-chief of the Russian troops - Lassi. Only important matter This war was the capture of Vilmanstrand by Russian troops (August 23), and the Swedish General Wrangel with many officers and soldiers was captured. This war ended in favor of Russia already under Empress Elizabeth with the Abosky Peace.

So, the new government, the government of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, took care of the world after the Swedish war. The revolution could have been expected a long time ago. Already during the election of Anna Ioannovna, muted hints were heard about the rights of Elizaveta Petrovna to the All-Russian throne. Under Empress Anna, Peter's daughter was under a kind of police surveillance and had to live quietly and modestly. After the death of Anna Ioannovna, those dissatisfied with Biron’s regency spoke out not only in favor of the Brunswick family, but also in favor of Elizabeth (Corporal Khlopov, sailor Tolstoy), and these persons were closer to the people than the courtiers who defended the rights of Prince Anton and his wife. Peter's daughter, of course, enjoyed greater popular love than Anna Leopoldovna, she was distinguished by her affectionate treatment and generosity, which attracted many who were dissatisfied with the weak rule of Princess Anna and the eternal strife of ministers. To action internal reasons The interests of foreign diplomacy also interfered. France hoped for the help of the future empress against the House of Habsburg, Sweden counted on her concession of some of the possessions seized by Peter the Great and even declared war on the ruler in anticipation of the next coup. Elizaveta Petrovna took advantage of all these favorable conditions. She managed to form a party for herself (the Marquis de la Chetardie, the surgeon Lestocq, the chamberlain Vorontsov, the former musician Schwartz, etc.) and hastened to carry out her enterprise under the influence of the suspicions that the court had. The ruler even received a letter from Breslau, which directly hinted at Elizabeth’s enterprise and advised the arrest of Lestocq; therefore, on November 24, a decree was issued that the guards loyal to Elizabeth should march to Finland against the Swedes. Having learned about this, Elizaveta Petrovna decided to act. On the night of November 24-25, 1741, she, along with several Preobrazhensky men, came to the palace and captured the ruler and her family. Following this, Minikh, Osterman, and Vice-Chancellor Count Golovkin were arrested. On the morning of November 25, everything was over and a manifesto was issued on the accession of Empress Elizabeth to the throne.

Thus, Anna Leopoldovna's intention to proclaim herself empress remained unfulfilled. After the coup on November 25, Empress Elizabeth initially thought of sending her and her family abroad; this intention is expressed in the manifesto of November 28. 1841. The Brunswick family was indeed sent on December 12 on the way to Riga and arrived here on January 9, 1742. But the attempt of the chamberlain A. Turchaninov to kill the Empress and the Duke of Holstein, made in favor of Ivan Antonovich, as well as the intrigues of the Marquis Botta, Lieutenant Colonel Lopukhin and others, intrigues that had the same goal in mind, and finally, the advice of Lestocq and Shetardy to arrest the Brunswick family forced Elizaveta Petrovna to change her decision. Already upon arrival in Riga, Prince Anton with his wife and children (John and Catherine) were kept under arrest. On December 13, 1742, the Brunswick family was transferred from Riga to Dunamünde, where Anna Leopoldovna gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, and from Dunamünde in January 1744 it was transferred to Ranenburg (Ryazan province); soon after that, on July 27 of the same year, a decree was issued to move Prince Anton and his family to Arkhangelsk, and from there to the Solovetsky Monastery. This matter was entrusted to Baron N.A. Korf. Despite Anna Leopoldovna's pregnancy, in the fall of 1744 the Brunswick family had to go to a distant and the hard way. This path was especially difficult for Anna Leopoldovna, since, in addition to illness, she experienced great sorrow: she had to part with her maid of honor Mengden, who accompanied her everywhere to Ranenburg. But the journey was not over. Baron Korf stopped in Shenkursk due to the impossibility of continuing the journey at this time of year and placed the Brunswick family in the Kholmogory bishop's house. The Baron insisted on leaving the prisoners here and not transporting them further to Solovki. His proposal was accepted. By decree of March 29 1745 Corfu was allowed to return to the court and hand over the prisoners to the captain of the Izmailovsky regiment Guryev.

A drawing of the place where the Brunswick family was imprisoned has been preserved. In a space of 400 paces in length and the same width, there are three houses and a church with a tower; there is a pond and something similar to a garden right there. The nondescript housing, the neglected courtyard and garden, which were squeezed by a high wooden fence with gates always locked with heavy irons, exudes solitude, boredom, despondency... Here Prince Anton and Princess Anna with their children lived in close confinement, without any contact with the rest of the living peace. The food was often bad, and the soldiers treated them rudely. Several months after his arrival, the family size increased. Anna Leopoldovna had a son, Peter, on March 19, 1745, and a son, Alexey, on February 27, 1746. But soon after giving birth, on March 7, Anna Leopoldovna died of puerperal fever, although in the announcement of her death, in order to hide the birth of Princes Peter and Alexei, it was said that she “died of fire.” The burial of Anna Leopoldovna took place publicly and quite solemnly. Everyone was allowed to come to say goodbye to the former ruler. The burial itself took place in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where Ekaterina Ioannovna was also buried. The empress herself directed the funeral.

The most important works on the history of the life and reign of Anna Leopoldovna: A. Soloviev, "Ist. Russia" (vol. XXI); E. Herman, "Geschichte des Russichen Staates" (Gamb., 1852-1853); Yakovlev, "The Life of Ruler Anna" (1814); M. Semevsky, "Ivan VI Antonovich" ("Otech. zap.", vol. CLXV, 1866); A. Brickner, “Emperor Ivan Antonovich and his relatives” (Moscow, 1875; also in Rus. Vest., 1874, Nos. 10 and 11); “The internal life of the Russian state from October 17, 1740 to November 25, 1741” (2 volumes, 1880 and 1886, published by the Moscow Archive of the Ministry of Justice).

Encyclopedia Brockhaus-Efron

Future Russian ruler Anna Leopoldovna was born in 1718 in the German city of Rostock and was named Elizaveta Ekaterina Christina. Her parents - Duke Karl Leopold of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Duchess Ekaterina Ioannovna, daughter of Tsar Ivan (John) V, niece of Peter I - were people who received completely different upbringings.


Anna Leopoldovna., Louis Caravaque

Ivan V

Their marriage, concluded for political reasons, was unhappy. Ekaterina Ioannovna begged Peter I to allow her to leave her husband and return to her homeland. The Tsar agreed, annoyed, however, that the wayward and frivolous woman destroyed his plan - the union of Russia and Mecklenburg. In 1722, Ekaterina Ioannovna returned to Russia with her little daughter. They were taken under her wing by the aging Tsarina Praskovya Feodorovna, widow of Ivan V.

Ivan Nikitin Portrait of Queen Praskovya Fedorovna.

In St. Petersburg, the Duchess of Mecklenburg, trying to forget the melancholy and humiliation of her six-year marriage, organized endless balls and feasts, justifying the nickname the Wild Duchess given to her by her contemporaries. The queen took up raising her granddaughter - she entrusted her to the care of a “room” girl, trained in secular manners and literacy.

It is difficult to predict what such a method of training and education would lead to, but in 1723, Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna died and no one was interested in Elizabeth anymore. The little duchess grew up, forgotten by her relatives. The girl's fate changed after the accession of Anna Ioannovna, her aunt, to the throne.

Johann Heinrich Wedekind Portrait of Empress Anna Ioannovna.

The Empress, who respected her relatives, brought her closer to her older sister Ekaterina Ioannovna and drew attention to her 12-year-old daughter. Teachers and an experienced teacher, Madame Aderkas, were assigned to the girl, in whom they found “prudence, charm of soul, erudition and high mental development.” Having matured, Elizabeth turned into a spoiled, vain society girl. She despised all work, including mental work.

Anna Leopoldovna (princess).State Russian Museum.

The aunt's palace and her entourage made up the world in which Elizabeth became the creation of a fashionable salon education. There was no suitable society for the young duchess; she was forced to spend time among people much older than herself and of different tastes. Constantly immersed in dreams, the girl was not interested in either the country where she lived or its people. She was indifferent even to her aunt's concerns. In her dreams, she pictured a beautiful lover, capable of inspiring ardent feelings. However, politics intervened in her life.

Valery Jacobi Jesters at the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna. 1872

Empress Anna Ioannovna was childless. Who will he go to after her? Russian throne? This question could not help but worry her. She did not know the character, aspirations, capabilities of her niece and did not perceive her as her successor. Therefore, the queen decided to quickly find Elizabeth a husband and hoped that they would have a boy. He will receive an education worthy of a prince and will be declared heir to the throne. The Empress immediately began to carry out her plans. In 1733, Elizabeth converted to Orthodoxy, receiving a new name in honor of her aunt - Anna. The princess, who from now on was officially called Anna Leopoldovna (named after her father Karl Leopold), was keenly interested in her future marriage.

Johann Wedekind Portrait of Anna Leopoldovna.

The Empress chose Prince Anton as her husbandUlrich of Brunswick-Bevern. But the prince was unlucky; he had a rival - Count Karl Moritz Linar, ambassador of the Saxon Elector. The social dandy made an irresistible impression on Anna Leopoldovna, who began to openly neglect her groom. The matter went so far that Anna Ioannovna herself had to intervene: Count Linar was urgently recalled, and Anna Leopoldovna was ordered to go down the aisle with the unloved Anton Ulrich.

Johann Wedekind Portrait of Anton von Ulrich

The magnificent wedding took place in the summer of 1739. Anna Leopoldovna was accompanied by the empress herself. They rode in a huge open carriage, gilded and elaborately decorated. They were surrounded by horsemen on luxuriously decorated pacers, many footmen in gold-embroidered liveries, walkers and pages. The wedding ceremony lasted from nine in the morning until late in the evening, and the festivities on the occasion of the marriage lasted a whole week. Parade exits, exits, balls, concerts replaced each other. The young people were visible all the time, were present everywhere and observed the solemn ceremony. One of his instructions required wearing a court dress made of brocade woven with gold, very dense and unusually heavy. The bodice of the dress, like armor, constrained the body, not allowing free breathing and movement. A high hairstyle made from your own hair and false hair on a special frame, entwined with threads from precious stones, weighed more than one kilogram.

In August 1740, Anna Leopoldovna and Anton Ulrich had their first son, named John in honor of his great-grandfather - Tsar Ivan Alekseevich, the elder brother of Peter I. The birth of the prince was announced by an artillery salvo.

Ivan Antonovich (1740-1764), infant emperor, reigned from 1740 to 1741.

Soon Anna Ioannovna issued a manifesto in which she appointed the prince as the legal heir to the imperial throne. In October 1740, the empress died. Infant John was declared Emperor John VI (John Antonovich), and Anna Ioannovna's all-powerful close associate Biron was declared regent. Russian society expressed dissatisfaction with such a rise of the hated favorite. The guard grumbled.

John Antonovich, ruler Anna Leopoldovna, Duke Biron

Portrait of Emperor John VI Antonovich (1740-1764).

Anton Ulrich tried to declare his right to become a ruler with his young son. However, Biron, at a meeting of the Supreme Privy Council, publicly accused him of encroaching on power. After threats and insults, the regent unequivocally warned: Anton Ulrich may be the prince and father of the emperor, but at the same time his subject. Therefore, the prince should come to terms with the existing state of affairs and remain faithful to John VI.

Duke Anton Ulrich von Brunswick (1633-1714), Brunswick, Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum

The relationship between Anton Ulrich and Anna Leopoldovna and Biron was never friendly or even respectful. The couple wanted to get rid of the regent's dictates at any cost. When nothing worked out for Anton Ulrich, Anna Leopoldovna got down to business. She plotted with Field Marshal Burchard Christoph Munnich, and he arrested Biron and his entire family.

Unknown artist of the 18th century Portrait of the Duke of Courland E.I. Biron. 1737-40 Rundāle Palace, Latvia.

So Anna Leopoldovna found herself at the head of the state with the title of ruler. On behalf of her son Ivan Antonovich, she issued a decree in which she awarded Anton Ulrich the title of generalissimo. However, the prince's pride was not satisfied. He wanted to rule the country, visited the Military College, demanded reports and documents on current affairs. With patience and restraint, the prince gradually achieved his goal: those around him got used to seeing him as a ruler.

But Anna Leopoldovna did not want to tolerate her unloved husband next to her and share power with him. As before, she spent almost all her time in the palace. Surrounded by trusted persons, lying on the sofa, the ruler discussed the smallest details own costumes, outfits for one-year-old Ivan Antonovich and his newborn sister, Princess Catherine. She spent her evenings at the card table. Returned to the Russian court, Count Linar, dear to Anna’s heart, was an Austrian and English ambassadors, as well as the Empress's favorite Juliana Mengden, kept her company. Other courtiers were not invited to such evenings.

Emperor John Antonovich as a child with his maid of honor Juliana von Mengden

Ivan VI

Sometimes Anna Leopoldovna had to deal with state affairs. Ministers appeared with a pile of papers, and she only sighed sadly. Anna Leopoldovna clearly did not know how to govern the country. Her closest relative, Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna, took advantage of this. On the night from 24 to 2?. November 1741 a coup d'état was carried out. Anna Leopoldovna and her family were arrested. Elizabeth proclaimed herself empress. Anna Leopoldovna was from time to time informed about the suspicious behavior of the crown princess and her entourage. But the ruler did not attach any importance to the rumors. Then Anton Ulrich began to convince her to arrest Lestocq, Elizabeth’s personal physician, who aroused strong suspicion. Anna, angry, forbade her to touch this topic in the future.

"The accession of Elizabeth Petrovna on November 25, 1741. Tsesarevna Elizaveta Petrovna and the Preobrazhensky guards in the guardhouse Winter Palace on the night of November 25

Why did Anna Leopoldovna so persistently not believe the warnings about the danger that threatened her? Maybe, knowing her cousin Elizabeth from childhood, cheerful, eccentric, affectionate towards her, Anna, and then towards her son, she did not believe in the princess’s insidious plans? Or did you think that Elizabeth, born before the official marriage of Peter I and Catherine Alekseevna, would not dare to encroach on the legal rights of the mother of the reigning emperor?

“The accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna”

But the time came when Anna Leopoldovna could not help but notice her aunt’s suspicious behavior. Anna and Elizabeth explained themselves on November 23. Many reproaches, accusations, and excuses were made on both sides. In the end, the aunt and niece burst into tears and hugged each other. They blamed everything on ill-wishers who wanted them to quarrel. Reassured, Anna Leopoldovna retired to her room. Elizabeth understood: the long-planned coup could no longer be postponed. Elizabeth thought for a long time about what to do with her arrested relatives. The Brunswick family, accompanied by a convoy, was taken from St. Petersburg to Riga. Initially, they thought to send them to Germany, retaining all the awards and family jewelry for Anna Leopoldovna and Anton Ulrich.

Arrest of the ruler Anna Leopoldovna by Tsarevna Elizaveta Petrovna.

In Riga, Anna Leopoldovna signed an oath of allegiance to the Empress in the hope that this would speed up their release and departure from Russia.

However, Elizabeth changed her mind. Until 1744, the prisoners remained under guard in the vicinity of Riga, and then they were sent to the city of Rannenburg, Ryazan province, where A. D. Menshikov’s estate once was.

From there the Brunswick family was sent to the Solovetsky Monastery, having previously taken away Anna Leopoldovna's eldest son - she never saw her firstborn again. They were transported non-stop, in closed carts, on bad roads, in snow and rain. But they never made it to the Solovetsky Islands. Due to frost, a stop was made in Kholmogory, where the prisoners remained.

Kholmogory

They were placed in the bishop's house. Anna Leopoldovna had no idea that her son, the emperor, was right there, nearby. His fate remained unknown to his parents. Only at the beginning of 1756, by order of the Empress, the boy was secretly taken from Kholmogory to St. Petersburg.

In 1756 Ivan VI was transported from Kholmogor V solitary confinement V Shlisselburg fortress . In the fortress, Ivan (officially called the “famous prisoner”) was in complete isolation; he was not allowed to see anyone, not even the serf servants. During his entire imprisonment he never saw a single human face. However, documents indicate that the prisoner knew about his royal origin, was taught to read and write and dreamed of life in a monastery.

Mirovich Standing over the Body of Ivan VI, who was on guard duty in the Shlisselburg fortress, won over part of the garrison to his side in order to free Ivan.

However, Ivan’s guards, Captain Vlasyev and Lieutenant Chekin, were given secret instructions to kill the prisoner if they tried to free him (even after presenting the Empress’s decree about this), so in response to Mirovich’s demand for surrender, they stabbed Ivan and only then surrendered.

Mirovich was arrested and beheaded in St. Petersburg as a state criminal. There is an unconfirmed version according to which Catherine provoked him in order to get rid of the former emperor.

Portrait of Anna Leopoldovna in an orange dress I. Ya. Vishnyakov 1741 - 1746

In exile, her husband repeatedly reproached Anna for not caring about the safety and well-being of both her own and the emperor. The former ruler invariably responded to reproaches: she saw no reason for repentance, since she managed to prevent bloodshed.

The unfortunate woman showed amazing fortitude in the troubles that befell her. Anna Leopoldovna died in 1746 from childbirth fever, leaving four children in the arms of Anton Ulrich. Her body, by order of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, was brought to St. Petersburg and buried with honors in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The tragedy of the Brunswick family did not end with the death of Anna Leopoldovna. Her husband and children had to live in prison for another for many years, and having gained freedom, be burdened by it, accustomed to captivity, and remember the past as happy times.

Annunciation Church and Trinity CathedralAlexander Nevsky Lavra

The ruler of the Russian Empire, Anna Leopoldovna, was born on December 18 (7 old style) 1718 in Rostock (Germany), was baptized according to the rite of the Protestant Church and named Elizabeth-Christina. She was the daughter of Duke Karl-Leopold of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Princess Ekaterina Ioannovna - the daughter of Tsar John Alekseevich, sister of the future Empress Anna Ioannovna.

In 1722, her mother, being unhappy in her marriage, left with her daughter for Russia. The girl lived with her grandmother Praskovya Fedorovna, sometimes in Moscow, sometimes in St. Petersburg, sometimes in the vicinity of the capital.

Biography of Empress Anna IoannovnaRussian Empress Anna Ioannovna was born in Moscow on February 8 (January 28, old style) 1693. She was the middle daughter of Tsar Ivan Alekseevich and Praskovya Fedorovna (née Saltykova).

In 1731, after ascending the Russian throne, Empress Anna Ioannovna, who had no children, brought her 13-year-old niece closer to her court and surrounded her with a staff of servants and mentors. A French woman, the widow of General Aderkas, was appointed as the teacher; Archbishop Feofan Prokopovich instructed her in Orthodoxy.

In 1733, Elizabeth converted to Orthodoxy with the name Anna in honor of the reigning empress. Her fiancé, Prince Anton-Ulrich of Brunswick-Bevern-Lüneburg, nephew of the Austrian Emperor Charles VI, was present at the ceremony. The princess was indifferent to the groom because of her passion for the Saxon envoy, the handsome and dandy Count Karl Moritz Linar, which was patronized by Aderkas. Having learned about this, in 1735 the angry empress ordered Aderkas to be sent abroad, and Count Linar was recalled by his court.

In 1739, Princess Anne married Prince Anton-Ulrich, rejecting the proposal of her son Peter to marry her.

On August 23 (August 12, old style), 1740, Anna Leopoldovna gave birth to a son, who was named John at baptism (in honor of his great-grandfather) and was declared heir to the throne by manifesto in October 1740.

She died on October 28 (17 old style), 1740.

Biography of Ernst Johann BironIn 1718, Biron received a position at the court of the Duchess of Courland Anna Ioannovna, niece of Peter I; was promoted to chamber cadet. After the election of Anna Ioannovna to the Russian throne, he followed her to Russia.

According to the will of Empress Anna Ioannovna, after her death he ascended the Russian throne two month old son Anna Leopoldovna, John VI, before he came of age, Ernst Biron took over the regency. The general dislike of Biron caused a movement against him among the guards, which was led by the field marshal with the consent of Anna Leopoldovna. On the night of November 20 (9 old style), 1740, accompanied by a small detachment of soldiers, he arrested Biron. On the same day, a manifesto was announced about Biron’s removal from the regency and about the appointment of Anna Leopoldovna as ruler of Russia until John VI came of age with the title Grand Duchess and Imperial Highness. Biron was exiled to the city (now village) Pelym, Tobolsk province (now Sverdlovsk region).

Prince Anton-Ulrich was elevated to Russian generalissimo. Anna Leopoldovna showed no interest in government affairs, having actually entrusted power to the cabinet of ministers. The ruler spent her time playing cards and in court entertainment.

IN short time During the reign of Anna Leopoldovna, a political amnesty was carried out for persons who suffered during the “Bironovschina”, the intensity of the work of the Secret Investigation Office of the Chancellery decreased. By her decree of 1740, the ruler allowed her subjects to file complaints about the work of the collegiums and the Senate, which were to be considered by a special commission. Since January 1741 everything government agencies were obliged to submit to the Senate information about their expenses for drawing up new states. In March 1741, a commission was created to examine government revenues.

There were disagreements in Anna Leopoldovna's government on foreign policy issues. Minich insisted on Russia's neutrality in the upcoming war between Prussia and Austria for the "Austrian inheritance." At the request of Minich, a Russian-Prussian agreement was concluded in December 1740 alliance treaty for a period of 20 years, violating the Russian-Austrian alliance treaty of 1726. Anna Leopoldovna issued a decree limiting the powers of Minich, who resigned in May 1741. In the hope of returning the provinces conquered by Peter I, Sweden, incited by France and Prussia, declared war on Russia in July 1741. The Russian army under the command of Field Marshal Peter Lassi in the battle of Vilmanstrand (now Lappeenranta, Finland) on September 4 (August 23, old style), 1741, defeated the 15,000-strong Swedish army, its commander, Major General Karl Wrangel, was captured.

During the reign of Anna Leopoldovna, the position of the Russian Church improved. The ruler provided financial assistance monasteries, made rich contributions and donations. “Foreigners” sentenced to death were granted forgiveness on condition of acceptance of baptism.

The foreign origin of many members of the government, Anna Leopoldovna's inability to govern, her difficult relationship with her husband and too open display of affection for the Saxon envoy Linar aroused public displeasure. Lacking social support within the country and fearing the guards, Anna Leopoldovna strengthened police surveillance and tried to keep power in her hands by persecuting the opposition. The response to these measures was increased discontent among the nobles and clergy. With the participation of the French envoy to Russia, Marquis Jacques-Joachim de la Chétardie and the Swedish envoy Erik Matthias Nolken, Crown Princess Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter I, and her supporters in the person of Mikhail Vorontsov, Alexei Razumovsky, Peter and Alexander Shuvalov, Johann-Herman Lestocq prepared a state coup.

On the night of November 25, Elizaveta Petrovna, accompanied by a detachment of guards, arrested Anna Leopoldovna, her husband, the young emperor and his sister Catherine, born on August 7 (July 26, old style) 1741. Tsesarevna Elizabeth personally entered the ruler's chambers and woke her up. Anna Leopoldovna did not resist the coup, but only asked not to harm her children and her beloved maid of honor and friend Juliana Mengden. Elizabeth promised to fulfill her request.

After the coup on November 25, Empress Elizabeth initially intended to send Anna Leopoldovna and her family abroad; with the manifesto of 1841, the Brunswick family was sent to Riga. The attempt of the chamberlain Alexander Turchaninov to kill the Empress and the Duke of Holstein, made in favor of Ivan Antonovich, the intrigues of the Marquis Botta, Lieutenant Colonel Lopukhin and others, as well as the advice of Lestocq and Shetardy to arrest the Brunswick family forced Elizabeth Petrovna to change her decision. Upon arrival in Riga, Prince Anton-Ulrich, his wife and children were kept under arrest. In December 1742 it was transported to the Dinamunde fortress (Daugavgriva fortress, Latvia), and in January 1744 - to the city of Ranenburg (now Chaplygin, Lipetsk region). Juliana Mengden voluntarily followed the family of her patron.

In July 1744, Baron Nikolai Korff arrived in Ranenburg with an order from Empress Elizabeth Petrovna to send Anna Leopoldovna’s family first to Arkhangelsk and then to Solovki. The infant Ivan Antonovich was separated from his parents and imprisoned in the Shlisselburg fortress in St. Petersburg, where he was killed on July 5, 1764 during an attempt to free him. Anna Leopoldovna and her relatives were unable to reach Solovki because of the ice, and they remained in the city (now village) of Kholmogory, Arkhangelsk province, in the former bishop's house. In exile, the former ruler gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, and sons, Peter and Alexei.

On March 18 (March 7, old style), 1746, Anna Leopoldovna died due to complications after giving birth to her son Alexei in Kholmogory. The birth of Princes Peter and Alexei was hidden from the people; the cause of Anna Leopoldovna’s death was declared to be “firefighter”. Her body was transported to St. Petersburg and buried in the Annunciation Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Anna Leopoldovna's children grew up under the supervision of their father, Prince Anton-Ulrich, who died in 1774. At the end of the 1770s, at the request of the Berlin, Danish and Brunswick ruling houses, they received permission from Empress Catherine II to leave Russia. Since 1780, the children of the ruler lived in the city of Horsens in Denmark, receiving a pension from the Russian court.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

From the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Karl-Leopold and his wife Catherine Ioannovna, daughter of Tsar John V and niece of Emperor Peter I. At birth she received the name Elizaveta Ekaterina Christina and was baptized in the Protestant Church.

Young Elizabeth did not stay with her father for long. The duke's rude, despotic disposition forced Ekaterina Ioannovna to leave her husband and return to Russia with her daughter in the year. She lived under Tsarina Praskovya Fedorovna, sometimes in Moscow, sometimes in St. Petersburg, sometimes in the vicinity of the capitals.

Elizabeth's parents hardly cared much about her upbringing. Apparently, some attention was paid to this upbringing only after the accession of Duchess Catherine’s younger sister, Anna Ioannovna, to the throne in the year, when the question of succession to the throne arose again. Anna Ioannovna, as is known, had no direct heirs; in order to leave behind legitimate successors, the empress, on the advice of gr. Osterman, gr. Levenvold and Feofan (Prokopovich) expressed her intention to appoint one of the future children of her young niece Elizabeth as heir to the throne. This intention immediately gave Elizabeth special importance at court.

Here they began to raise him together with Anna in the hope that a strong attachment would be established between the young people, which over time would turn into a more necessary feeling. These hopes were not justified. At first sight, Anna disliked her betrothed, a young man of short stature, effeminate, a stutterer, very limited, but modest, with a soft and pliable character. However, this marriage took place on July 14 of the year.

With a manifesto on October 5, 1740, the empress “designated her grandson Prince John as her legal heir.” But before the prince came of age, it was necessary to appoint a regent. The issue officially remained unresolved almost until the very day of the empress’s death. Only on October 16, the day before her death, Anna Ioannovna appointed Biron as regent; on October 17 she died.

In the guard, the voices of P. Khanykov, M. Argamakov, Prince, dissatisfied with the appointment of Biron, were heard. I. Putyatin, Alfimov and others. There were denunciations against the secretary of Princess Anne's office, M. Semenov, and against the adjutant of Prince Anton-Ulrich, P. Gramatin. This movement was all the more dangerous for Biron because the dissatisfied not only denied the duke’s rights to regency, but directly asked the question why the parents of the young prince were not appointed regents? It is natural, therefore, that the centers of this movement against the regent were Prince Anton, and then Anna Leopoldovna herself. Even 11 days before the death of the Empress, Lieutenant Colonel Pustoshkin, having learned about the appointment of Prince John as heir, had the idea that the Russian nobility should submit a petition to the Empress for Prince Anton to be regent. Although Pustoshkin’s attempt failed, Prince Anton, nevertheless, sought to change the decree on the regency and on this matter sought advice from Osterman and Keyserling, and also found support and sympathy in the above-mentioned representatives of the guard. Frightened, Biron ordered the arrest of his main supporters, and at a solemn meeting of the cabinet of ministers, senators and generals on October 23, he forced Anton-Ulrich, along with others, to sign the order of the late empress on the regency, and a few days later he forced the prince to renounce his military ranks. The guard itself was also threatened with defeat: Biron said that ordinary soldiers of noble origin could be appointed as officers in army regiments, and their places could be filled by people of simple origin. Thus, this attempt to make the Prince of Brunswick regent ended in failure. But, besides Prince Anton, Anna Leopoldovna could have no less legitimate claims to the regency. Too weak and indecisive to realize these claims herself, the princess found herself a protector in the person of Count Minich. The ambitious and decisive field marshal hoped that if he was successful, he would take a leading position in the state, and therefore immediately got down to business.

For the first time after the fall of Minich, Osterman dominated; he found support from Prince Anton. There was discord in the government, which gave its activities a random and chaotic character.

Internal activities of Anna Leopoldovna's government concerned administration, justice, finance and industry. Thus, to ease the red tape from petitioners in the highest name, the position of racketeer master was established (November 12), who, in addition to receiving, analyzing and sending petitions, announced the highest resolutions to the Senate and personal commands to the Synod. This position was soon abolished (March 4), and its affairs were transferred to the Cabinet. Attention was drawn to the slow pace of affairs in the Cabinet and Senate, and measures were taken to speed them up. In order to streamline finances, it was proposed to review all items of income and expense, reducing the latter as much as possible. In March, a special Commission was established to review state revenues, subordinate to the Cabinet. To streamline trade and industry, the Bankruptcy Charter (December 15) and the Regulations for cloth and karase factories (September 2) were issued, concerning the supervision of the maintenance of machines, the size and quality of cloth, as well as the attitude of entrepreneurs to workers (15-hour working day, minimum wages, hospitals for workers, etc.). But it was not domestic, but foreign policy that primarily attracted the attention of the government. There was a noticeable rapprochement with Austria.

On the night of November 24-25 there was palace coup as a result of which the young emperor was overthrown in 1744, they were all transported to the city of Ranenburg (now Chaplygin) in the Ryazan province. In July they were sent to northern Russia, where the place of detention was the city of Kholmogory, where the family was imprisoned in the bishop's house, under the watchful supervision of guards.

A drawing of the place where the Brunswick family was imprisoned has been preserved. In a space of 400 paces in length and the same width, there are three houses and a church with a tower; there is a pond and something similar to a garden right there. The nondescript housing, the neglected courtyard and garden, which were squeezed by a high wooden fence with gates always locked with heavy irons, exudes solitude, boredom, despondency... Here Prince Anton and Princess Anna with their children lived in close confinement, without any contact with the rest of the living peace. The food was often bad, and the soldiers treated them rudely.

  • A. Brickner, “Emperor Ivan Antonovich and his relatives” (Moscow, 1875; also in “Rus. Vest.”, 1874, Nos. 10 and 11);
  • “The internal life of the Russian state from October 17, 1740 to November 25, 1741” (2 volumes, 1880 and 1886, published by the Moscow Archive of the Ministry of Justice).

    • Materials used

    • ANNA LEOPOLDOVNA. Sukhareva O.V. Who was who in Russia from Peter I to Paul I. M.: 2005. Pp. 39-44.
    • Encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron.

    Meanwhile, a natural feeling pulled her in the other direction. She especially liked the young, handsome Count Karl-Moritz Linar, the Saxon envoy. Madame Aderkas not only did not interfere, but directly facilitated the relations of her pupil with the clever count. The intrigue was discovered in the summer of 1735, and Mrs. Aderkas lost her position, and Count Linard was sent back to the Saxon court under a plausible pretext.

    Although in the announcement of her death, in order to hide the births of princes Peter and Alexei, it was said that she “died of fire.”

    , Arkhangelsk region, Russia

    Genus: Mecklenburg Birth name: Elizaveta Katerina Christina Mecklenburg-Schwerinskaya Father: Karl Leopold of Mecklenburg-Schwerin Mother: Ekaterina Ioannovna Spouse: Anton Ulrich of Brunswick Children: Ivan VI Antonovich (23.08. -15.07. )
    Ekaterina (26.07. -21.04. )
    Elizabeth (27.09. -31.10.)
    Peter (30.03. -11.02. )
    Alexey (10.03. -02.11.) Awards:

    Grand Duchess Anna Leopoldovna(at birth Elisabeth Katharina Christina, Princess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin German Elisabeth Katharina Christine, Prinzessin von Mecklenburg-Schwerin ; December 7, Rostock - March 19, Kholmogory) - ruler (regent) of the Russian Empire from November 9 to November 25 under the young Emperor Ivan VI from the House of Mecklenburg.

    Biography

    In Russia since 1722. Since 1731, its education was carried out by K. I. Genninger, appointed by a personal decree. In 1733, Anna Leopoldovna converted to Orthodoxy. In July 1735, Genninger, involved in a story with the Saxon envoy Moritz Karl Lienar, with whom the princess fell in love, was removed from his position as mentor.

    On July 3, 1739, Anna Leopoldovna became the wife of Anton Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The parting word during the wedding was delivered by Ambrose Yushkevich, and later published in St. Petersburg in Russian and Latin languages(subsequently Elizaveta Petrovna ordered this publication to be confiscated and destroyed).

    In August 1740, she gave birth to a son, Ivan, heir to the throne, who became emperor after Anna Ioannovna's death in October. Already in November, after the deposition of the regent, Birona declared herself ruler under the infant emperor John VI. Under her, Minikh was in charge of state affairs, then Osterman, Golovkin.

    The field marshal's son, Chief Chamberlain Ernest von Minich wrote about Anna Leopoldovna:

    During the reign of Anna Leopoldovna, a break with Sweden occurred, and the articles of the Belgrade Peace of 1739 were confirmed. The Porte began to recognize Russian sovereigns as emperors. The ruler lived in the palace of Peter the Great in the Summer Garden, and in the next house she settled her favorite Moritz Linara, whom she saw at night.

    At the end of 1741, she was overthrown as a result of a military coup that brought Elizabeth Petrovna to the throne. The ruler was informed more than once about the plans of the conspirators, but she did not attach any importance to these messages, relying entirely on the friendly disposition of her “sister” Elizabeth and preparing for the wedding of M. Linar with her friend Julia Mengden.

    For the last five years of her life, the former ruler was kept in custody in Dunamünde and Ranenburg, and then in Kholmogory, where she gave birth to two more sons and a daughter (see Brunswick family).

    Children

    • John (1740-64),
    • Catherine (1741-1807),
    • Elizabeth (1743-82),
    • Peter (1745-98),
    • Alexey (1746-87).

    Awards

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    Notes

    Literature

    • // Russian biographical dictionary: in 25 volumes. - St. Petersburg. -M., 1896-1918.
    • // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
    • Levin L. I. Russian Generalissimo Duke Anton Ulrich (History of the “Brunswick Family in Russia”). - St. Petersburg. : Russian-Baltic information center"Blitz", 2000. - ISBN 5-86789-120-8.
    • Kurukin I. V. Anna Leopoldovna. - M.: Young Guard, 2012. - 303s: ill. - ISBN 978-5-235-03533-1.

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    Excerpt characterizing Anna Leopoldovna

    While Rostov was making these considerations and sadly driving away from the sovereign, Captain von Toll accidentally drove into the same place and, seeing the sovereign, drove straight up to him, offered him his services and helped him cross the ditch on foot. The Emperor, wanting to rest and feeling unwell, sat down under an apple tree, and Tol stopped next to him. From afar, Rostov saw with envy and remorse how von Tol spoke to the sovereign for a long time and with fervor, and how the sovereign, apparently crying, closed his eyes with his hand and shook hands with Tol.
    “And I could be in his place?” Rostov thought to himself and, barely holding back tears of regret for the fate of the sovereign, in complete despair he drove on, not knowing where and why he was going now.
    His despair was the greater because he felt that his own weakness was the cause of his grief.
    He could... not only could, but he had to drive up to the sovereign. And this was the only opportunity to show the sovereign his devotion. And he didn’t use it... “What have I done?” he thought. And he turned his horse and galloped back to the place where he had seen the emperor; but there was no one behind the ditch anymore. Only carts and carriages were driving. From one furman, Rostov learned that the Kutuzov headquarters was located nearby in the village where the convoys were going. Rostov went after them.
    The guard Kutuzov walked ahead of him, leading horses in blankets. Behind the bereytor there was a cart, and behind the cart walked an old servant, in a cap, a sheepskin coat and with bowed legs.
    - Titus, oh Titus! - said the bereitor.
    - What? - the old man answered absentmindedly.
    - Titus! Go threshing.
    - Eh, fool, ugh! – the old man said, spitting angrily. Several moments of silent movement passed, and the same joke was repeated again.
    At five o'clock in the evening the battle was lost at all points. More than a hundred guns were already in the hands of the French.
    Przhebyshevsky and his corps laid down their weapons. Other columns, having lost about half of the people, retreated in frustrated, mixed crowds.
    The remnants of the troops of Lanzheron and Dokhturov, mingled, crowded around the ponds on the dams and banks near the village of Augesta.
    At 6 o'clock only at the Augesta dam the hot cannonade of the French alone could still be heard, who had built numerous batteries on the descent of the Pratsen Heights and were hitting our retreating troops.
    In the rearguard, Dokhturov and others, gathering battalions, fired back at the French cavalry that was pursuing ours. It was starting to get dark. On the narrow dam of Augest, on which for so many years the old miller sat peacefully in a cap with fishing rods, while his grandson, having rolled up his shirt sleeves, was sorting out silver quivering fish in a watering can; on this dam, along which for so many years the Moravians drove peacefully on their twin carts loaded with wheat, in shaggy hats and blue jackets and, dusted with flour, with white carts leaving along the same dam - on this narrow dam now between wagons and cannons, under the horses and between the wheels crowded people disfigured by the fear of death, crushing each other, dying, walking over the dying and killing each other only so that, after walking a few steps, to be sure. also killed.
    Every ten seconds, pumping up the air, a cannonball splashed or a grenade exploded in the middle of this dense crowd, killing and sprinkling blood on those who stood close. Dolokhov, wounded in the arm, on foot with a dozen soldiers of his company (he was already an officer) and his regimental commander, on horseback, represented the remnants of the entire regiment. Drawn by the crowd, they pressed into the entrance to the dam and, pressed on all sides, stopped because a horse in front fell under a cannon, and the crowd was pulling it out. One cannonball killed someone behind them, the other hit in front and splashed Dolokhov’s blood. The crowd moved desperately, shrank, moved a few steps and stopped again.
    Walk these hundred steps, and you will probably be saved; stand for another two minutes, and everyone probably thought he was dead. Dolokhov, standing in the middle of the crowd, rushed to the edge of the dam, knocking down two soldiers, and fled onto the slippery ice that covered the pond.
    “Turn,” he shouted, jumping on the ice that was cracking under him, “turn!” - he shouted at the gun. - Holds!...
    The ice held it, but it bent and cracked, and it was obvious that not only under a gun or a crowd of people, but under him alone, it would now collapse. They looked at him and huddled close to the shore, not daring to step on the ice yet. The regiment commander, standing on horseback at the entrance, raised his hand and opened his mouth, addressing Dolokhov. Suddenly one of the cannonballs whistled so low over the crowd that everyone bent down. Something splashed into the wet water, and the general and his horse fell into a pool of blood. No one looked at the general, no one thought to raise him.
    - Let's go on the ice! walked on the ice! Let's go! gate! can't you hear! Let's go! - suddenly, after the cannonball hit the general, countless voices were heard, not knowing what or why they were shouting.
    One of the rear guns, which was entering the dam, turned onto the ice. Crowds of soldiers from the dam began to run to the frozen pond. The ice cracked under one of the leading soldiers and one foot went into the water; he wanted to recover and fell waist-deep.
    The nearest soldiers hesitated, the gun driver stopped his horse, but shouts were still heard from behind: “Get on the ice, come on, let’s go!” let's go! And screams of horror were heard from the crowd. The soldiers surrounding the gun waved at the horses and beat them to make them turn and move. The horses set off from the shore. The ice holding the foot soldiers collapsed in a huge piece, and about forty people who were on the ice rushed forward and backward, drowning one another.
    The cannonballs still whistled evenly and splashed onto the ice, into the water and, most often, into the crowd covering the dam, ponds and shore.

    On Pratsenskaya Mountain, in the very place where he fell with the flagpole in his hands, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky lay bleeding, and, without knowing it, he moaned a quiet, pitiful and childish groan.
    By evening he stopped moaning and became completely quiet. He didn't know how long his oblivion lasted. Suddenly he felt alive again and suffering from a burning and tearing pain in his head.
    "Where is it? high sky, which I did not know until now and saw today? was his first thought. “And I didn’t know this suffering either,” he thought. - Yes, I didn’t know anything until now. But where am I?
    He began to listen and heard the sounds of approaching horses and the sounds of voices speaking French. He opened his eyes. Above him was again the same high sky with floating clouds rising even higher, through which a blue infinity could be seen. He did not turn his head and did not see those who, judging by the sound of hooves and voices, drove up to him and stopped.
    The horsemen who arrived were Napoleon, accompanied by two adjutants. Bonaparte, driving around the battlefield, gave the last orders to strengthen the batteries firing at the Augesta Dam and examined the dead and wounded remaining on the battlefield.
    - De beaux hommes! [Beauties!] - said Napoleon, looking at the killed Russian grenadier, who, with his face buried in the ground and the back of his head blackened, was lying on his stomach, throwing one already numb arm far away.
    – Les munitions des pieces de position sont epuisees, sire! [There are no more battery charges, Your Majesty!] - said at that time the adjutant, who arrived from the batteries that were firing at Augest.
    “Faites avancer celles de la reserve, [Have it brought from the reserves,” said Napoleon, and, having driven off a few steps, he stopped over Prince Andrei, who was lying on his back with the flagpole thrown next to him (the banner had already been taken by the French, like a trophy) .



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