Elizabeth of Russia

Elizabeth Petrovna was the Empress of Russia from 1741 until 1762.

She is remembered as a popular monarch for several specific reasons. First, she famously decided not to execute a single person during her entire reign. Second, she funded massive construction projects that changed the look of Russia. Third, she was a strong leader who opposed Prussian policies in Europe. Her death in 1762 marked the end of the agnatic line of the Romanovs. This means she was the last ruler from the direct male line of that family. After her, her nephew ascended the throne, starting the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov.

Elizabeth was born on December 18, 1709, at Kolomenskoye Palace near Moscow.

Her father was Tsar Peter the Great, a famous ruler who modernized Russia. Her mother was Catherine I, who had previously been a washerwoman and housemaid. Because her mother was a commoner, Elizabeth's social status was sometimes questioned by European royals. Although her parents married officially in 1712, Elizabeth was considered illegitimate for several years. This status made it difficult to arrange marriages with other powerful European dynasties. Many candidates, including princes from England and Portugal, were considered but never finalized.

Her early education was not very systematic or formal. While her father adored her, he did not focus on her schooling. She was actually illiterate until her early twenties and could not write.

However, she was considered a clever girl by those around her. A French governess taught her mathematics, the arts, and several languages. Through the scholar Isaak Pavlovich Veselovsky, she studied French very thoroughly. This led to a trend called Gallomania, where French culture became very popular in Russia. She also became highly skilled in dancing, riding, hunting, and gardening.

Elizabeth's path to the throne involved a military coup in 1741.

Before she became Empress, Russia went through many confused successions. After the death of her half-brother Alexei in 1718, the throne passed through several relatives. This included her mother Catherine I, her nephew Peter II, and her cousin Anna. Elizabeth spent years gathering support from the elite Guards regiments. She visited these soldiers often and acted as a godmother to their children. In 1741, she used the military's support to seize power and declare her nephew, the future Peter III, as her heir.

During her reign, Elizabeth helped bring about an Age of Enlightenment to Russia. This was a period of great scientific and cultural growth. She encouraged Mikhail Lomonosov to found the University of Moscow.

This became the highest-ranking educational institution in the country. She also supported Ivan Shuvalov in founding the Imperial Academy of Arts. Her domestic policies gave nobles more power in local government. However, she also shortened the terms of service that nobles owed to the state.

Architecture and grand design were central to Elizabeth's rule. She turned her court into one of the most splendid in all of Europe.

She worked closely with her favorite architect, Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Together, they completed massive Baroque projects that defined the Russian landscape. These included the Winter Palace and the Smolny Cathedral in Saint Petersburg. She also worked to modernize the roads throughout the Russian Empire. Her reign is still visible today through these massive stone monuments.

Elizabeth also led Russia through two major European conflicts. These were the War of Austrian Succession from 1740 to 1748 and the Seven Years' War from 1756 to 1763.

Alongside the diplomat Aleksey Bestuzhev-Ryumin, she formed an alliance with Austria and France. During the Seven Years' War, Russian troops won several victories against Prussia. They even briefly occupied the city of Berlin. Just as Frederick the Great of Prussia was considering surrender in January 1762, Elizabeth died. Her death changed the course of the war and the future of the Russian monarchy.