Answers to yesterday's quiz

The Death of the Czars:

A. 6
B. 1
C. 2
D. 5
E. 4
F. 3

So how did you do? We will be grading on a curve.

A. Nicholas II

6. Shot to death by revolutionaries -  Russian Czar Nicholas II was murdered with his family and servants by the Bolsheviks at Yekaterinburg July 17 1918. This included his daughter Anastasia, who may not actually have been killed with the rest of them but was almost certainly killed along with the rest of them despite persistent rumors to the contrary--even in the face of almost insurmountable evidence suggesting otherwise (except when interpreted differently). Even if she wasn't dead then, she's certainly dead now. This has been scientifically proven by scientists who ought to know.


B. Peter III

1. Overthrown by his own wife, imprisoned, killed by his wife’s favorite - It has been rumored that the Czar was murdered at the castle Ropsha by Alexius Orlov, Theodore Baryatinski and a group of compatriots, at the behest of Gregory Orlov (Alexius' brother,) Catherine II lover. Gregory hoped to be able to marry his mistress and become consort once Peter was out of the way.

C. Paul I

2. Struck in the head with a sword, then strangled and trampled to death in his bedroom. - Paul was murdered in his bedroom in the newly built St Michael's Castle by a band of dismissed officers headed by General Bennigsen, a Hanoverian in the Russian service, and General Yashvil, a Georgian. They charged into his bedroom, flushed with drink after supping together, and found Paul hiding behind some drapes in the corner. The conspirators pulled him out, forced him to the table, and tried to compel him to sign his abdication. Paul offered some resistance, and one of the assassins struck him with a sword, after which he was strangled and trampled to death.


D. Peter the Great

5. Caught a chill and died - a rumor has it that Peter had gone Lakhta along the Finnish Gulf to inspect some ironworks, Peter saw a group of soldiers drowning near shore and, wading out into near-waist deep water, came to their rescue. Peter's health declined after the event (although probably due to continuing bladder issues) and died a few months after the event.


E. Ivan VI

(Oops - I accidentally posted a photo of Ivan IV.  You know how all those Ivan's look alike.)

4. Overthrown in a coup, exiled, imprisoned, killed while trying to escape - Ivan VI was named Tsar as a child but never reigned.  He was overthrown by Empress Elizabeth II in 1741 and thrown into prison.  He languished there nearly forgotten until 1761 when a sub-lieutenant of the garrison, Vasily Mirovich, learned of his identity and formed a plan for freeing and proclaiming him Emperor. At midnight on July 5 1764, Mirovich won over some of the garrison, arrested the commandant, Berednikov, and demanded the release of Ivan. His jailers, on orders of their commander, an officer named Chekin, immediately murdered Ivan in compliance with the secret instructions already in their possession.


F. Alexander II

3. Killed by a bomb thrown by a revolutionary - An anarchist Nikolai Rysakov, from the radical group People's Will threw a bomb which disrupts Czar Alexander II's motorcade. Startled but unharmed, Alexander thanked God for his deliverance, another anarchist Ignacy Hryniewiecki, yelled "It is too early to thank God" and throws a second bomb, causing severe injuries from which Alexander bleeds to death several hours later. (Nicholas II, Alexander grandson, was one of the unfortunate witnesses to Czar's gruesome death.)