Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/72

58  the sacrament to her, said, "Take, madam, the body of him, who forgave his enemies upon the cross.. [sic]"

Notwithstanding the jealousies and factions during her regency, she appears to have had the interest of the French very much at heart; and delivered the monarchy into the hands of her son more powerful than it had ever before been. She was buried at St. Denis, but her heart was carried to Val-de-Grace, which she had founded. The following epitaph was made upon her:

daughter of the czar John Alexiowitz, she married, in 1710, Frederic William, duke of Courland, who died without children, 1711. The czar Peter II. her grand nephew, dying in 1780, she was proclaimed empress. She was then at Mittau, in Courland, her usual residence, where deputies came to announce her succession, and to propose some articles from the council of state, at Moscow, limiting the power and prerogatives of the crown, which she accepted and signed.

When duchess of Courland, Anne had shown great favour to Biron, a person of mean extraction, but who, by a lucky chance had become gentleman of the chamber, and married one of her maids of honour. His ascendancy over her, his spirit of intrigue, and extreme