Ivan VI of Russia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ivan VI |
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Portrait of a young Ivan VI
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| Emperor of Russia | |
| Reign | 28 October 1740 – 6 December 1741 |
| Predecessor | Anna I |
| Successor | Elizabeth I |
| Regent | Ernst Johann von Biron (1740) Anna Leopoldovna (1740–1741) |
| Born | 23 August 1740 Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Died | 16 July 1764 (aged 23) Shlisselburg, Russian Empire |
| Burial | Kholmogory or Shlisselburg |
| House | Welf |
| Father | Duke Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick |
| Mother | Grand Duchess Anna Leopoldovna of Russia |
| Religion | Russian Orthodoxy |
Ivan VI (born 23 August 1740, died 16 July 1764) was a very young emperor of Russia. He became emperor when he was only two months old. However, he was overthrown by his cousin, Elizabeth Petrovna, in 1741.
After losing his throne, Ivan and his parents were sent away. They spent the rest of their lives as prisoners. Ivan was kept in prison for over twenty years. He was killed by his guards when some army officers tried to free him. His younger brothers and sisters were born in prison. They were later released and lived comfortably in Denmark.
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Becoming Emperor of Russia
Ivan was born on 23 August 1740 in Saint Petersburg. His parents were Duke Anthony Ulrich and Anna Leopoldovna. Anna was the niece of the childless Empress Anna of Russia. She was also the granddaughter of Tsar Ivan V.
Anna Leopoldovna had lived in Russia almost her whole life. Her husband also lived there. They expected that they, or their children, would inherit the throne. This hope came true just two months after Ivan was born.
On 5 October 1740, Empress Anna was very ill. She adopted baby Ivan and named him her heir. She also said that her friend, Ernst Johann von Biron, would rule as a regent. A regent is someone who rules for a child until they are old enough. The Empress wanted Biron to have power after she died. This was why she chose the baby Ivan as her heir.
Empress Anna died soon after, on 28 October 1740. The very next day, the baby was declared Emperor Ivan VI. Biron became the regent. But many people, including Ivan's parents, did not like Biron. He had made many enemies while Empress Anna was alive.
Within three weeks, Ivan's father arranged for Biron to be removed. On 18 November 1740, Biron was arrested and sent away. Ivan's mother, Anna Leopoldovna, then became the new regent. However, a man named Andrei Osterman actually ran the government.
Losing the Throne and Imprisonment
Ivan's time as emperor and his mother's rule lasted only thirteen months. On 6 December 1741, there was a coup d'état. This means a sudden takeover of the government. Elizabeth of Russia took the throne.
Ivan and his family were taken prisoner. First, they were held in Riga. Then, they were moved to the fortress of Dünamünde in December 1742. Empress Elizabeth had first planned to send them back to Brunswick.
In June 1744, Ivan was moved again. He was sent to Kholmogory, far away on the White Sea. He was kept separate from his family. He saw no one but his jailer for twelve years.
When people started to hear about Ivan's imprisonment, he was secretly moved again. In 1756, he was taken to the fortress of Shlisselburg. Here, he was guarded even more strictly. No one, not even the fortress commander, knew who "a certain prisoner" really was.
During Elizabeth's rule, Ivan's name was removed from everything. All coins, documents, and books with his name were taken and destroyed. Because of this, anything with his name on it is very rare today.
When Peter III became emperor in 1762, Ivan's situation seemed to get better. Peter visited Ivan and felt sorry for him. But Peter himself was removed from power a few weeks later. New orders were sent to Ivan's guards. They were told to put restraints on him and punish him if he became difficult.
The Death of Ivan VI
When Catherine II became empress in 1762, even stricter orders were given. The officer guarding Ivan was told to kill him if anyone tried to free him. Ivan was not to be given to anyone alive, unless Catherine herself gave a written order.
By this time, Ivan had been alone for twenty years. This had affected his mind, but he wasn't completely insane. He knew he was once an emperor and called himself Gosudar (Sovereign). He was not supposed to be educated, but he had learned to read his Bible.
His presence at Shlisselburg could not be kept secret forever. This secret being discovered led to his death. A young officer named Vasily Mirovich found out who Ivan was. He made a plan to free Ivan and declare him emperor.
At midnight on 5 July 1764, Mirovich convinced some soldiers to join him. He arrested the commander and demanded Ivan's release. Ivan's jailers, following secret orders, immediately killed him. Mirovich and his supporters were arrested and executed soon after. Ivan was quietly buried in the fortress. His death helped Catherine II stay on the throne.
Ivan's brothers and sisters were born while their parents were prisoners. They were released on 30 June 1780. They were sent to live with their aunt, the Danish queen dowager, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. They settled in Horsens, Denmark. There, they lived comfortably under house arrest for the rest of their lives. They even had a small "court" of forty to fifty people.
See Also
- Bibliography of Russian history (1613–1917)
- Man in the Iron Mask
- Tsars of Russia family tree
