St. Petersburg in the era of Ivan VI and Anna Leopoldovna (1740-1741)
The reign of Anna Leopoldovna, niece of Empress Anna, and her son Ivan VI, was so short that they could hardly have left any trace on St. Petersburg. However, after he was deposed, Ivan spent his childhood and youth imprisoned and for many years was the Russian "Man in the Iron Mask" and the "Mystery Prisoner". He was held in the Schlisselburg Fortress not far from St. Petersburg under such strict secrecy that even the Fortress Commander did not know his true identity. The imperial inmate was killed by his guards during a failed attempt to free him.
During most of his short reign, Ivan VI lived in Peter the Great's Summer Palace, and in the Empress Anna's wooden summer palace nearby (which hasn't survived), where earlier Von Biron had resided, Anna Leopoldovna set up her own favorite.
