In the history of Russia, John Antonovich (1740-1764) remains one of the most unusual rulers. He occupied the throne, while still a baby, and was expelled from there at the same unconscious age. Most of his life was spent in prison, from which he could not get out. This is a vivid example of the sad fate of a person aspiring to power by virtue of his origin.
Heir
Newborn John Antonovich was born in the family of Anna Leopoldovna and Anton Ulrich. These were the most notable parents that a boy could have in Russia. Mother was the niece of Empress Anna Ioannovna and granddaughter of Tsar John V. My father was of German descent and had the title of Duke of Braunschweig.
Empress Anna did not have children, which is why the throne after her death in 1740 passed to the closest male relative (grand-nephew). This ambiguous choice was also connected with the fact that the dying ruler wanted to leave power behind the descendants of her father John, but not Peter. Therefore, in her will, she indicated that after the baby the throne will pass to the other children of her niece Anna Leopoldovna.
Regency Biron
Of course, the child needed a regent who could lead the state while the formal carrier of power is growing. Neither the mother nor the father of the baby suited this role due to a lack of organizational skills and a simple interest in governing the country. Therefore, the German Biron, a favorite of the old empress, was appointed to such a high, but dangerous position.
However, Biron did not rule for long. During the life of the empress, he enjoyed her favor, but after her death remained surrounded by enemies and ill-wishers. When he was a favorite, the Duke of Courland and Semigalia broke many fates and crossed the path to many prominent officials. They were unhappy with the army, which did not want to see a newcomer German at the head of state.
Mother board
Therefore, literally in the second week of the reign of the baby, Biron was removed from power by the St. Petersburg Guard, which put in place the regent Anna Leopoldovna. But she was apathetic, and eventually gave the reins to other Germans. First it was Field Marshal Minich, and then Gray Cardinal Osterman. All of them appeared in St. Petersburg in the post-Petrine era, when a wave of newly arrived Germans literally flooded Russia - they were appointed to leading posts in the state.
It is interesting that the official papers that were drawn up during the period under consideration were called the infant king John III. This tradition has developed since the time of Ivan the Terrible (the first Russian Tsar). However, much later, in the XIX century, historians began to use the numbering, according to which the little emperor was already the Sixth. In this case, the countdown is from John Kalita, the first Moscow prince with that name, who ruled back in the XIV century, during the time of the Golden Horde.
Link to the North
But already in 1741, the guard again changed its views. Everyone was tired of the dominance of foreigners, and many sided with the daughter of Peter the Great Elizabeth. The coup was completed quickly. When it became clear that John Antonovich would no longer be a ruler, it was decided to send him and his family to the North, in exile. This place was the city of Kholmogory.
John Antonovich, for whom he became a turning point in 1741, now lived in a small house, isolated from his parents. Mother died a few years later, unable to withstand the harsh climate. Throughout the reign of Elizabeth, attempts continued to erase from the historical memory a short period in the reign of this family. In particular, the coins of John Antonovich, minted in the year of his stay on the throne, were hastily remelted. And people trying to pay with such money began to be detained and accused of high treason.
The efforts aimed at the disappearance of John and his parents from state chronicles were so successful that even when the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty was celebrated in the 20th century, no mention was made of the child, including on the monuments erected for the anniversary.
Shlisselburg fortress
In 1756, the ex-emperor John Antonovich was transferred from Kholmogor to the Shlisselburg fortress. The conditions of his detention have deteriorated significantly. From the moment he appeared in a new place, he did not see a single human face, he was forbidden to leave the cell. All this could not but affect the mental state of the now young man. Witnesses stated that he was inadequate, although during the time spent in the North, the guy learned to read and write and even knew that he was once an emperor.
Meanwhile, Catherine II came to power. John Antonovich became a figure that various adventurers who wanted to seize power tried to take advantage of. One of them was Lieutenant Vasily Mirovich. In 1764, he persuaded half of the fortress guards to riot and release the former emperor. However, the prisoner's personal guards had secret instructions from St. Petersburg, who commanded in case of any danger to kill John. So they did. Mirovich was captured and publicly executed in the capital.