Ivan VI of Russia

Ivan VI Antonovich (

After more than twenty years as a prisoner, Ivan was killed by his guards when some army officers (unknown to Ivan) attempted to free him. His surviving siblings, who had been born in prison, were then released into the custody of their aunt, the Danish queen dowager Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They settled in Horsens, where they lived in comfort under house arrest for the rest of their lives.

Emperor of Russia

Ivan was born on 23 August 1740 at

This expectation was fulfilled within two months of the birth of their first child. On 5 October 1740 the infant Ivan was adopted by his grandaunt (who was on her deathbed) and declared her heir apparent. The empress also declared that her longtime lover and advisor, Ernst Johann von Biron, duke of Courland, would serve as regent until Ivan came of age. Indeed, the desire to ensure that her lover would enjoy power and influence after her death was the primary reason that the dying empress chose to name as her heir the infant rather than his mother.

Empress Anna died soon thereafter on 28 October 1740. The following day the infant was proclaimed emperor as Ivan VI, Autocrat of All The Russias, and Biron became

Deposition and imprisonment

Ivan's reign, and his mother's regency, lasted thirteen months, for on December 6, 1741, a

On the accession of Catherine II, in the summer of 1762, still more stringent orders were sent to the officer in charge of "the nameless one"; if any attempt were made from outside to release him, the prisoner was to be put to death. Under no circumstances was he to be delivered alive into anyone's hands, without an express written order in the Empress's handwriting.^[3] By this time twenty years of solitary confinement had disturbed Ivan's mental equilibrium, though he does not seem to have been actually insane. Nevertheless, despite the mystery surrounding him, he was well aware of his imperial origin and always called himself Gosudar (Sovereign). Instructions had been given not to educate him, but he had been taught his letters and could read his Bible. Since his presence at Shlisselburg could not remain concealed forever, its eventual discovery was the cause of his demise.^[2]

A sub-lieutenant of the garrison, Vasily Mirovich, learned of his identity and formed a plan for freeing and proclaiming him Emperor. At midnight on 5 July 1764, Mirovich won over some of the garrison, arrested the commandant, Berednikov, and demanded the release of Ivan.^[2] His jailers, on orders of their commander, an officer surnamed Chekin, immediately murdered Ivan in compliance with the secret instructions already in their possession. Mirovich and his supporters were arrested and executed shortly thereafter. Ivan was buried quietly in the fortress, and his death secured Catherine II's position on the throne until her own son came of age.

Ivan's siblings, who were born in prison, were released into the custody of their aunt, the Danish-Norwegian queen dowager, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, on 30 June 1780 and settled at Horsens in Jutland. There, they lived under house arrest for the rest of their lives under Juliana's guardianship and at Catherine's expense. Although they were prisoners, they lived in relative comfort and retained a small "court" of forty to fifty people, all Danes except for the priest.^[4]

Ancestry

See also

• Bibliography of Russian history (1613–1917)
• Man in the Iron Mask
• Tsars of Russia family tree

Notes

References