Anna Ivanovna (Russian: Анна Иоанновна, Anna Ioannovna) (7 February [O.S. 28 January] 1693, Moscow – 28 October [O.S. 17 October] 1740) reigned as Duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730 and as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740.
Anna was the daughter of Ivan V of Russia, as well as the niece of Peter the Great. The latter married her to Frederick Wilhelm, Duke of Courland in November 1710, but on the return trip from Saint Petersburg in January 1...
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Anna Ivanovna (Russian: Анна Иоанновна, Anna Ioannovna) (7 February [O.S. 28 January] 1693, Moscow – 28 October [O.S. 17 October] 1740) reigned as Duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730 and as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740.
Anna was the daughter of Ivan V of Russia, as well as the niece of Peter the Great. The latter married her to Frederick Wilhelm, Duke of Courland in November 1710, but on the return trip from Saint Petersburg in January 1711, her husband died. Anna continued ruling as Duchess of Courland (now western Latvia) from 1711 to 1730, with the Russian resident, Peter Bestuzhev, as her adviser. She never remarried after the death of her husband, but was reputed by her enemies to have indulged in a love affair with Ernst Johann von Biron for many years.
On the death of Peter II, Emperor of Russia, the Russian Supreme Privy Council under Prince Dmitri Galitzine made Anna Empress in 1730. They had hoped that she would feel indebted to the nobles for her unexpected fortune...
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