Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-06-30
HISTORY OFRUSSIA.
Rul.s Iorthe Past One Thousand Teors-4n
Interesting kerier.


Frances A. Shaw has written brief
history of Russia, which has been pub
lished with two excellent maps by ]. L.
Osgood & Co. The history gives sue
cinct account of the successive rulers
from the time when Rurik, the noted
Varangian chief. was called to Novgorod
to suppress internal dissension and pro-
tect the place from foreign invasion.
He acted his part well, and Novgorod
found that, like the horse in tine fable,
who as kcd the help ola man, it had taken
a master upon its back when ii begged
for an ally. Rurik laid the foundation
of the empire, and after fifteen years OF
fighting and ruling with strong hand,
left his infant son, Igor, to succeed him
in $40, with Oleg for regent, and the re-
gent seems to have been faithful to his
younc master. This Igor married a
beautiful peasant girl without disclosing
his rank, afterwards made her his queen,
and at his death she became regent.
She renowned paganism and was baptized
at Constantinople, the Greek emperor
and empress acting as her sponsors, and
the imposing solemnity was followed by
a grand entertainment, the table at
which Olga and her sponsors sat being Of
solid gold. But she made very little
Roadway in introducing Christianity into
Russia.
Fourteen sovereigns followed, and at
varying intervals till the throne became
vacant in 1912, when Michael Romanoff'
a youth of sixteen. was chosen car.
His family had long been famous for It's
public services and patriotism, and he
was said to have been a descendant OF
Rurik on the female side. lie was the
founder of the present reigning family,
and during his fortunate reign of thirty
two years the country began to emerge
into a condition of comparative order
and civilization. His son Alexis reigned
thirty-one years, and did more than any
Of his predecessors to make Russia
European instead of an Asiatic nation.
His son Feodore died after brief reign
of six years, and was succeeded by Peter,
who achieved the title of "the Great
And in many respects he was one of the
most remarkable rulers of his age, and
under his energetic administration Rus
sia made a long stride toward internal
unity and civilization. His reign COW
cred the period between 1859 and l725,
and was followed by his queen, Catha-
rine, who kept the throne two years,
diving suddenly from the effects of dissi-
patton IN her thirty-ninth year. Her
career was remarkable. In one of Peters,
campaigns against Charles MI. 1.-Two
Man peasant girl, seventeen years old,
came to Ole of his generals with tears in
her eyes for the loss of her husband in a
melee, to whom she was married only
the day before. She was graceful
in person, pleasing in manner, with re-
markable sense and sweetness of temper,
and prisoner. Peter made her his mis-
tress and then married her, and ever af
ter acknowledged her as his wife. She
Joined the Greek church, and changed
her name from Marpha to Catharine
Her devotion to him WAS boundless, and
she alone could soothe the mad frenzies
Of passion to which he was subject
She went with him everywhere, advised
him, protected him, encouraged him, and
after the terrible defeat in the battle O
Pruth, when he was in despair, she saved
him and his army and his empire by hel
genius and heroism. But after his deatt
she was treated with contempt by thu
nobility, and deserted by friends. Sh'
lost the virtues that had ennobled her
and sank into dissipation. She was pres
emily followed by Peter H., with whom
the male line of the Romanof family be
came extinct. Anna, daughter of a hal
brother of Peter the Great, reigned from
1870 to 174O with conspicuous ability
She was followed by Elizabeth, thu
daughter of Peter the Great and Cath
crime, q narrow-minded superstition
woman, who ruled twenty years. Sh'
was followed by Peter ILL.,, whose heat
was unfortunately crammed with Ger
man notions, and whose face was still
more unfortunately pitted with small
pox. He got tired of his queen at
ter the manner of English Henry The
Eighth; but in this case the aversion wa!
mutual, and she, being the ADLER AM
more INSCRIPTIONS Of the two, antici