£               TRAVELS   IN   RJJSSIA.          B.   5.
of Ruflia. Iii the following year the emprefs
nominated Charles Peter Ulric, fon of Charles
Frederic duke of Holftein Gottorp, By Anne, her
lifter, fucceffor to the crown. Having embraced
the Grr^ek religion, he was appointed great-duke ^
of Ruffia, with the aecuftomed formalities, and
, affumed the name of Peter FeoAorovitch. In
1745 he efpoufed SopHa jLugi^fta, .daughter of
Ghriftian Auguftus, prince of Anhalt Zerbft,
who, being re-baptized according to the rites
of the Greek church, was called Catharine
Alexicfna. She was born#m 1729, and was
fixteen years of age at the time of her marri-
age. Their only iffue were the great-duke Paul,
Trnru 17^4; and Anna, who was bqm in 1757,
muddied in J76L
During the Hrft years of their marriage the
iftbftperfeft union fubfifled between, them, which
was at Je»gth imomdeibf nwtaal averfkm and
difguft. Peter, whofe mind was warped by a
bad education, and who was purpofely eftranged
from political affairs, was held by Elizabeth in
? Catharine was born at Stettin, where her fether, who was in the
Ihfttffi&n fenrice, refuted as governor, and was educated with grea^
attention tinder the care of"her ntother> who was daughter of Chrif-
, tlan Atignfttts, prince bifliop of I-ubeck. A lady who knew her
Isefore her marriage, clefcrfted her to me as extremely beautiful,
accompliilied, ^rid amiable, and added, that Che expreiled great re-
 to RtilEalJhe even burft into tears, and declared
 would father marry a count in Germany than the