and something done toward harmonizing the interests of the independent states into a nationality.
The Emperor Francis died in 1835, after an eventful reign of forty-three years, leaving his dominions to his son Ferdinand, under the auspices of the profound Metternich. But during the revolutionary epoch of 1848, while the Hungarians were in arms to assert their independence, he abdicated; and his brother declining to accept the Imperial crown, it came to the son of the latter, Francis Joseph, who thereupon assumed the titles of Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.
HISTORY OF RUSSIA.
While England, under the first of her Scottish kings, was falling from
the high estate she had occupied under her native princes; while in France
the genius of Richelieu was making itself felt; while the glory was departing
from the Spanish monarchy; while the Thirty Years' War was beginning
to desolate Germany; while the illustrious career of Gustavus Adolphus
was opening upon Sweden; and while the warriors of Turkey were
yet terrible to the nations of Europe, Michael Theodoriwitz, earliest of the
dynasty of Romanoff, became Czar of Muscovy. His dominions were
uncultivated, his subjects barbarous, and the country was in the utmost
disorder; for on the extinction of the male line of the former Czars—the
posterity of John Basilowitz, who had redeemed Russia from the Tartars—no
fewer than five pretenders had aspired to the vacant throne, and involved
the realm in civil war. But Michael, proving worthy of his elevation,
reigned for more than thirty years, maintained his position with
dignity, and beqeathed the crown to his heir.
Alexis, the son of Michael, succeeded in 1645, and applied himself with vigor to the harsh duties of reform. The necessity was indeed pressing; for Muscovy was still little better than a ferocious anarchy; and the capital was kept in perpetual consternation by the capricious violence of the Strelitzes—a militia formed in imitation of the celebrated Turkish Janizaries. But the new Czar proved himself an able ruler, and did much to create order. He published a code of laws, purified the courts of justice, restrained the power of the boyards over their serfs, and afforded much encouragement to agriculture and manufactures.
Toward the close of his reign Alexis was deprived by death of his first wife; and though he had a family of sons and daughters, the Czar determined upon a second matrimonial speculation. According to the fashion then pursued by the rulers of Russia, Alexis issued a proclamation inviting all the most beautiful damsels in his dominions, irrespective of their social condition, to repair to Moscow that he might select a fitting bride. Among the rest came a lady named Natalie. She, having attracted the eye of Alexis, was forthwith exalted to the dignity of Czarina; and, in due time, she became the mother of a prince who afterward rendered himself famous as Peter the Great.
When Alexis expired in 1676, he left, besides Peter, then a mere child, two sons, Theodore and Ivan, and a daughter, Sophia, who ere long played
