Anna of Russia

Anna was invited to become empress by the Supreme Privy Council, which imposed conditions limiting her power. She accepted but soon tore up the conditions, dissolved the council, and established autocratic rule. Her accession marked a return to absolute monarchy after Peter II's death.

Anna, with support from the nobility and guards, revoked the conditions of her accession and dissolved the Supreme Privy Council. She replaced it with a cabinet of ministers loyal to her, consolidating her autocratic power and ending the experiment with constitutional limits.

Anna's reign was dominated by her German favorite, Ernst Johann von Biron, who became de facto ruler. Biron and other Baltic Germans filled key government posts, leading to widespread resentment among the Russian nobility. This period, known as Bironovshchina, was marked by corruption and repression.

Anna commissioned the construction of the first Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. The palace became the official residence of the Russian monarchs and a symbol of imperial power. It was later expanded and rebuilt by subsequent rulers.

Anna's government waged war against the Ottoman Empire, seeking access to the Black Sea. Russian forces captured the fortress of Azov and invaded the Crimea, but the war ended with the Treaty of Belgrade (1739), which returned most gains to the Ottomans. The war was costly and inconclusive.