Elizabeth Petrovna

ELIZABETH PETROVNA was Empress of Russia and a daughter of Peter I and Catherine I. She was born in the village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow. She was educated privately at court, with particular emphasis on foreign languages, music, dancing, and court etiquette. Following the palace coup of November 1741, she was proclaimed empress and was crowned in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin on 25 April (6 May) 1742. Her reign continued until the end of 1761 under the Julian calendar then used in Russia. During her reign the role of the Senate was restored, internal customs duties were abolished, Moscow University was founded in 1755, the first permanent professional Russian public theatre was established in 1756, and the Academy of Arts was founded in 1757. Russia fought the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743 and participated in the Seven Years' War. A de facto moratorium on capital punishment operated throughout her reign. Elizabeth died in Saint Petersburg and was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.