Page "Elizabeth of Russia" Paragraph 9

During the reign of her cousin Anna ( 1730 – 1740 ), Elizabeth was gathering support in the background ; but after the death of Empress Anna, the regency of Anna Leopoldovna with infant Ivan VI was marked by high taxes and economic problems.

Such a course of events compelled the indolent, but by no means incapable, beauty to overthrow the weak and corrupt government.

Elizabeth, being the daughter of Peter the Great, enjoyed much support from the Russian guards regiments.

Elizabeth often visited the regiments, marking special events with the officers and acting as godmother to their children.

The guards repaid her kindness when on the night of 25 November 1741, Elizabeth seized power with the help of the Preobrazhensky Regiment.

Arriving at the regimental headquarters dressed in a metal breastplate over her dress and grasping a silver cross she stated, " Who do you want to serve?

Me, the natural sovereign, or those who have stolen my inheritance?

" After winning the regiment over, the troops marched to the Winter Palace where they arrested the infant Emperor, his parents and their own lieutenant-colonel, Count von Munnich.

It was a daring coup and passed without bloodshed.

Elizabeth had vowed that if she became Empress that she would not sign a single death sentence, an unusual promise that she — notably — kept to throughout her life.