Anna Ioannovna

Anna Ioannovna has been crowned on April 28, 1730, after getting rid herself of the guardianship on the part of supreme council, which still tried to urge her to follow its «regulations» (a number of rules, according to which the empress got limited in her powers). In January of the same year she has announced her coming back to Russia and in February of the same year she has moved to Moscow. After making certain complicated political reshuffles, she has urged all high officials to swear their allegiance to her, as to the sovereign.

Then there began respective preparations for the coronation ceremony about which they have informed all common people, foreign ambassadors, as well as tsarist relatives and «their majesties».

The coronation ceremony was held in the Assumption Cathedral according to the habitual rites: the archbishop Theophanus imposed the crown and the mantle on her, then he has handed over her respective imperial regalia: the scepter and the orb. For the first time, the coronation ceremony included special prayer, proclaimed by the knelt down sovereign, clad in the purple. Upon proclamation of this prayer, all present officials knelt down and Theophanus read his noble prayer. After being anointed, the Empress was led into the altar part of the temple to accept the Holy Sacrament according to the regal rite.

After leaving the Assumption Cathedral the newly crowned sovereign, being hided under the luxurious canopy and followed by her suite, strolled to the Archangel Cathedral, then to the Annunciation Cathedral and further on to the Red Gate. At the appointed hour the Empress entered the Faceted Chamber, where numerous persons of honor, who were waiting in anticipation of her appearance, lined up in two rows according to their ranks. The archbishop was the first to announce the beginning of the festive meals, then Anna Ioannovna sat down to the table, asked something to drink and had her «meals». The meals were brought to her table by 15 servants according to the order, established by special ceremony of 1724. The food remains off the regal table were given to the common people.

The Empress threw away with her own hand the golden and silver badges out of the window. On occasion of these festivities, which lasted up to the 5 of May, the city enjoyed beautiful illuminations each day.

In 1735 the Russian Empire in alliance with Austria declared war on Turkey. The motive was the Russia-Iran Agreement (Iran being in the state of war with Turkey), as well as regular attacks of the Crimean Tartars on Ukraine late in 1735 and the Crimean Khan’s campaign against the Caucasus.

In March 1736 General Field Marshal B.Kh. Minich developed a detailed plan of the Azov siege and assault. The campaign was commanded by General Field Marshal P.P. Lassi. Cossacks headed by Ataman Ivan Krasnoshchekov took part in the operation. To provide success, Azov was also blocked from the sea. The commander of the Azov flotilla was Rear Admiral P.P. Predal.

On July 19 the Turkish Major of Azov Ibrahim Aha started negotiations, which ended with the Turks’ agreement to surrender, and on the 20th of July the keys to Azov were solemnly handed to General Field Marshal P.P. Lassi.

The casus belli for the Russian Turkish war of 1735 – 1739 became incessant forays, made by Crimean Tatars to Ukraine and Caucasus. In 1736 the Russians contemplated to take Azov and to concentrate wholly on fighting the Crimean Tatars. In summer of 1736 the don army, headed by the general P. P. Lassy and under support of the don military flotilla took Azov, while the Dnieper army, headed by B. K. Minikh, captured Bakhchisarai. However, certain problems, linked with the army provision with foodstuffs and ammunition, combined with epidemics and overall weariness, urged Minikh to retreat and to return to Ukraine.

In 1737 Minikh resumed military actions and took Ochakov, leaving there 8000-strong garnison. In summer of 1737 upon forcing a crossing over Sivash, the Russian army entered Crimea and inflicted a series of defeats to Fetkhi-Guirey. However, it has failed to retain Crimea. Meanwhile, military campaigns, ventured by Austria, the ally of Russia, have ended in failure too.

Because of the plague epidemic the Russian Army had to abandon Ochakov and Kinburn, yet in 1739 Minikh succeeded to take Khotin and Yassy in violent battles.

Subsequent conclusion of the peace treaty between Austria and Turkey, as well as certain threat of eventual aggression on the part of Sweden, urged Russia to sign Belgrade peace treaty in September of 1739. Peaceful negotiations in Constantinople on behalf of Russia were carried out by French ambassador Villeneuve. According to said Belgrade peace treaty Azov has been returned to Russia with no right to erect any fortifications there, while Kabarda in the Northern Caucasus has been announced as the neutral territory. Moreover, Russia had no right to keep either military or trade vessels on the Black Sea. To make the matters worse, the ruling Sultan of Turkey refused to recognize Empress status of Anna Ioannovna.

By the end of her rule Anna Ioannovna got seriously ill and according to her testament, after her reign the throne should have been inherited by the descendants of her sister Catherine of Mecklenburg, whose daughter, Elisabeth Catherine Christine, has adopted orthodoxy and has got the name of Anna.

Anna Ioannovna herself was officially considered non-married and she had no children. In 1740 Anna Leopoldovna, married off to Anton Ulrich, the Prince of Braunschweig-Luneburg, gave birth to the boy, Ioann. In its turn, Anna Ioannovna announced the infant, Ioann VI Antonovich, as her crown prince and shortly before the death, though after her long hesitations, she has signed respective manifest, by virtue of which Biron, her favorite, has been nominated as the regent to Ioann VI Antonovich, who was only 2 months old at that time.

Anna Ioannovna deceased on October 17, 1740 of kidney disease. On the same day the imperial scepter has been handed in to her great nephew.

Anna Ioannovna was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg.