Lot 452
Petrovna, Elizabeth (1709-1762). Empress of Russia. The daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I, Elizabeth gained the throne by using her popularity to overthrow the government of Ivan VI and his mother. Upon gaining power, she abolished the Cabinet council system of government and reinstated the Senate created by her father. Her reign was marked by an increasing control of the aristocracy over the government and peasantry. Her cultural accomplishments include the foundation of the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, the University of Moscow, and the Hermitage.
Document Signed ("Elizavet"). In Russian. One page, oblong quarto, St. Petersburg, May 5, 1737. In black ink. To the Patrimonial Chancery. With one soft horizontal fold at center, toning around edges. In very good to fine condition overall.
The town of Tsarskoe Selo was considered the royal village since 1725. A small town just outside of St. Petersburg, it was a country retreat used by Russian royalty as a summer residence and soon became a cultural treasure with its spacious parks, Baroque palaces and monuments. In this imperial decree, Elizabeth makes arrangements regarding the village, commanding the Patrimonial Chancery to: "Inquire of our reserve storage facility whether there will be a sufficient number of chetverts of oats left over after consumption up to the coming month of October of this year and to issue the excess oats to the keeping of the Tsarskoe Selo peasants for seed…"
Estimated Value $750 - 1,000.
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| Realized $776 |
