E?nK high ftation, not only without hisknowledge, but even in
— ,— ! repugnance to his own inclination. When the deputies from
Mofcow arrived at Coftroma, where he at that time refided
with his mother, and acquainted him with his election;
Michael, recollecting the dreadful cataftrophes which had
befallen all the tzars fince the demife of Feodor Ivanovitch,
and reflecting on the prefent diftraCted -ftate of Ruflia, burft
into tears ; and for a while declined the proffered crown,
which feemed to entail deftruCtion upon thofe who had ventured
to wear it *. Overcome, however, by the importunities
of the deputies, and partly dazzled with the fplendour
of royalty, Michael at length yielded to the wiihes of his
country; and repairing without delay to Mofcow, was
crowned with the ufual folemnities. Though he afcended
the throne with reluCtance, he filled it with dignity; and
found a protection from thofe difafters which overwhelmed
his immediate predeceffors, in his own difcretion, in the wife
counfels of his father, and in the affeCtion of his fubjeCts.
Michael died in 1648, after a profperous reign of 28 years.
Alexey Michaelovitch his fon, whofe afhes lie contiguous
to his remains, is chiefly known by foreigners as the father
of Peter the Great; but he deferves likewife our attention
for his own public virtues, and for a variety of falutary in-
ftitutions. He revifed, amended, and new-modelled the
code of laws compiled by Ivan Vaffilievitch I I .; he introduced
a more regular difcipline into the army; and invited t
foreign offlcers into his fervice; he procured from Amfter-
dam feveral fhip-builders, whom he employed in conftruCt-
* See Biifching § Account o f the E le&ion were two generals, two field marshals» more
o f Mjchael. Hift. M. II. p. 403. than an hundred colonels, majors, captains,
+ Mayerberg fays, among the foreign offi- lieuteaants, and enfigns in proportion,
eers in the fervice o f Alexey Mich'aelovirch,
ing veffels for the navigation o f the Cafpian Sea ; in a word, c h a p .
he traced the great outlines of many of thofe regulations
which were afterwards improved and enlarged by the vaft
genius of his fon Peter the Great. Alexey deceafed in
1676, in the 3 2d year of his reign, and the 49th of his age.
Oppoiite to the fepulchre of AlexCy are thofe o f his fons
Feodor and Ivan : Feodor, who fucceeded his father in the
throne, has been delcribed by Voltaire and others as a
prince who poflefled a vigorous mind in a weak frame, and
whole adminiftration was dignified with many ufeful and
glorious regulations. The truth is, however, that incapacity,
no lefs than ill-health, diiqualified him from conducting the
affitirs of government; that he actually refigned himfelf to
the direction of his filter Sophia; and that all the beneficial
aCts of his adminiftration mull be alcribed to her influence,
and to the abilities, of his prime minilter the great Galitzin.
Feodor, after a fhort reign of fix years, funk in 1682 under
the diforders which had long preyed upon his frame.
Ivan, fecond brother of Feodor, and rightful heir of the
throne, was fo debilitated by epileptic fits, both in body and
mind*, that he was at firlt excluded from the fucceflion as incapable
of difcharging the functions of government, but was
afterwards recognized as joint-fovereign with his half-brother
Peter the Great; he was confidered merely as a puppet,
held up to fatisfy the multitude, and to fecure to his adherents
afhare in the adminiftration of affairs. He was allowed to
-I Schlejffing, who was at Mofcow during ” being feen on account o f its deformity,
the n ^ fati°n ° f Sophia, thus defcribes “ But he is very pious and devout j and as,
“ eldeit-. ' * Iva“ Alexb h the “ « a account o f his weak cmftitution, he
11 , f ar’ ls “ l-formed b y nature, info- “ cannot hunt, or take any$Hlent exercife,
“ read can neitlier rightly fee, “ he is the more conftant in his attendance
“ of °r ?? He always wears a Piece “ at ehurch, and never mifles a proceffion.
11 Di-evZ?.? 0re his eyes> in order t0 " He is fltort in his perfon, very thin, and
M the npper part o f his face from “ is now 30 years o f age.”