Page:A cyclopaedia of female biography.djvu/66

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ANG. ANN.

Catharine," and a portrait of herself, playing on the harpsichord, with an old female attendant in waiting.

ANGUSCIOLA, LUCIA,

Sister of the above-mentioned, was an artist of considerable skill. She obtained a reputation equal to Sophonisba's, by her portraits, as well for truth and delicacy of colouring, as for ease of attitude and correctness of resemblance.

ANNA IVANOVNA,

Empress of Russia, was the second daughter of the czar Iran or Johan, the elder brother, and for some time the associate, of Peter the Great. She was born February 8th,. 1694. In 1710, she married Frederic William, Duke of Courlaud, who died in 1711. On the death of the emperor Peter the Second, in 1730, she was declared empress by the council of state, the senate, and the principal military officers at Moscow. They passed over her elder sister, the duchess of Mecklenburg, and the princess Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, and afterwards empress, thinking that with Anna for an empress, they might reduce the government to a limited monarchy; but they were unsuccessful in their intrigues, for though she consented to all the required conditions, yet when she felt her position secure, she annulled her promises, and declared herself empress and autocrat of all the Russias.

The empress Anna had a good share of the ability which has long distinguished the imperial family of Russia; and managed the affairs of the empire with superior judgment. She was not, however, a very popular sovereign, owing to the many oppressive acts of her favourite Biron, a minion whom she had raised from a low condition to be duke of Courland. She discountenanced the drunkenness in which both sexes used to indulge; only one nobleman was allowed, as a special favour, to drink as much as he pleased; and she also discouraged gaming. Her favourite amusements were music and the theatre. The first Italian opera was played at St. Petersburgh, in her reign. She also directed the famous palace of ice to be built. She died at St. Petersburgh in 1740.

ANNA MARIA,

Of Brunswick, was the daughter of Eric the First, duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg; she was married in 1550 to Albrecht, of Brandenburgh, duke of Prussia, on the day of whose death, March 20th., 1568, she also died, leaving two children, Elizabeth and Albrecht Frederick, who succeeded his father in the government. For his instruction and guidance she wrote, in German, a work entitled "Fürsten-Spiegel"—"The Mirror of Princes," which was divided into one hundred chapters, each being an exposition of one of the principal duties of princes. The manuscript of this interesting work is in the Royal Library at Könisberg. It has recently been published by Dr. Nicolovius, professor of law in the university of Bonn.

ANN AMELIA,

Princess of Prussia, sister to Frederick the Great, born in 1723. died 1787. She distinguished herself by her tastes for the arts. She set to music "The Death of the Messiah," by Romler. She