1. Ruthless Tsarinas and Palace Coups: Anna I and Elizabeth I

2. Catherine I, b. 1684, r. 1725-1727 Peasant background Peter I’s second wife Married 1707, bore nine children, two survived to adulthood: Anna and Elizabeth. 1724 named co-ruler. Ruled mostly in name only Privy Council (A. Menshikov and P. Tolstoi) - the real ruler. First woman to rule Russia Founded the Russian Academy Built bridges and palaces in “Piter”

3. Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov, 1673-1729 Born a petty noble Franz LeFort found him selling pirozhki on the streets of Moscow. LeFort died in 1699 Menshikov replaced him as Peter I’s first advisor. Pushkin’s “half-tsar”

4. Tsarina Evdokiya Feodorovna Lopukhina (Peter’s first wife) Married to Peter, 1689- 1698. b. 1669; d. 1731 Gave birth to three sons, but only Alexei survived to adulthood Before Alexei died from torture/interrogation, his wife, Charlotte, bore Peter II.

5. Peter II, b. 1715, r. 1727-1730 Grandson of Peter I Ruled initially in name only Aleksandr Menshikov and Andrei Osterman ran the government. But Peter turned his back on Menshikov and “Piter.” Menshikov was ruined; exiled to Siberia. Prince Vasily Dolgorukov took him to Moscow. Died on his wedding day, 30 January 1730, of smallpox.

6. Empress Anna Ivanovna b. 1693, ruled 1730-1740 Daughter of Ivan V (Peter’s co- tsar) Duchess of Courland, 1711-1730 Privy Council (Prince Dmitri Galitzine) thought her compliant. Instead she ruled in fact Humiliated Russian nobles Appointed Baltic Germans. Brought Russia into the War of Polish Succession, 1733-35 Died at 47 of kidney disease

7. Ivan VI, r. 1740-41 Born 1740 Anna adopted him and appointed him as successor. Replaced in Elizabeth’s coup. Imprisoned for the rest of his life. Killed in 1764.

8. Elizabeth I, b. 1709, r. 1741-1761 Daughter of Peter I and Catherine I War of Austrian succession, 1740-48 Seven Years’ War, 1756-63 Established the University of Moscow (1755) and the Academy of Fine Arts. Ended the death penalty. Removed internal tariffs. Spread Enlightenment ideas. Laid groundwork for Catherine II.