Anna Ivanovna

Anna Ivanovna: see Anna, czarina of Russia.

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Anna Ivanovna 

Born Jan. 28, 1693, in Moscow; died Oct. 17, 1740, in St. Petersburg. Russian empress from Jan. 25, 1730.

Anna Ivanovna was the daughter of Ivan V Alekseevich and niece of Peter I. In 1710 she married a Courland duke. Soon becoming a widow, she lived in Courland. She was offered the throne by the verkhovniki (who were the members of the Supreme Privy Council) under the Konditsii (Conditions), which would have limited autocracy in favor of the feudal aristocracy. With the support of the nobility and the officers of the guard, Anna Ivanovna refused to fulfill the Konditsii on Feb. 25, 1730. The Supreme Privy Council was liquidated. The nobility received important privileges (exclusive right to own inhabited estates, restriction of the period of civilian and military service to 25 years, repeal of the law of undivided inheritance, and others). Limited in intelligence, lazy, and little educated, Anna Ivanovna paid scant attention to state affairs, devoting herself to feasts and entertainment. Her main supporters were the Baltic German nobles who occupied the dominant position in the government, with the favorite E. I. Biron at their head.

REFERENCES

Kostomarov, N. Russkaia istoriia v zhizneopisaniakh ee glavneishikh deiatelei,5th ed., book 3. St. Petersburg, 1913.
Stroev, V. Bironovshchina i Kabinet ministrov: Ocherk vnutrennei politiki imperatritsy Anny, parts 1–2. Moscow-St. Petersburg, 1909–10.
Istoriia SSSR: S drevneishikh vremen do nashikh dnei, vol. 3. Moscow, 1967. Pages 259–69.