Palace Revolution of 1741

While my awful cousin Anna had been on the throne, lazing her butt off, I have been gaining supporters in the background without her noticing. However, she seems to have been somewhat competent, because after her death and the subsequent ascension to the throne of my baby cousin Ivan VI and his regent mother Anna Leopoldovna (seriously, why so many Annas?), there were so many more problems in the Empire! The people were taxed higher and there were many economic crises. Because of the problems, however, it is possible for me to overthrow the weak, corrupt government. And, being the daughter of Peter the Great, the Russian Guard Regiments support me greatly. I have a very close relationship with the Guard, and I often go by and play with their children as a sign of goodwill. This kindness was repaid when they helped me to seize back the throne that is rightfully mine. I asked them whether or not they were willing to help me, the rightful heir, or allow the ones who had stolen my throne to keep their clutches on it! Of course, they chose me, and arrested my baby cousin and their whole family, all without bloodshed-- I know I am amazing. The night that I asked them to help me, I vowed I would never sign a single death sentence within my reign. And I am proud to say that I have kept that promise. I crowned myself Empress in the Dormition Cathedral on April 25th, 1742. Although I had been somewhat self-indulgent and flawed, it is a good thing that I had inherited my father's natural genius for government. I also procrastinated quite a bit, but even though it was sometimes unneccessary, a few times it was necessary : a wise suspension of judgement under exceptionally difficult circumstances. I am quoted several times because of my brilliant proclamation blaming Russia's situation on old regimes. "The Russian people have been groaning under the enemies of the Christian faith, but she has delivered them from the degrading foreign oppression." is my favorite quote from myself. However brilliant my father was, his policies were not very effective in enforcing formative influence on the intellectual attitudes of the ruling classes as a whole, as I discovered when I ascended the throne, and I laid the groundwork for it's completion by my eventual successor Catherine the Great.

See that crown on my head? SEE IT? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT! I'M EMPRESS NOW!