and
Alexis himself, after being punished with the knout, was sentenced to
die. Two days later his death was announced. It appears that on that
day, the heir to the throne was brought before a court composed of
nine men of the highest rank in Russia and that he was beaten with a
knout to secure further confessions, and that he expired under the
torture. Those present were sworn to secrecy, and kept the oath.

Peter, therefore, had no male heir. Alexis, however, had left a son
Peter by Charlotte of Brunswick whom he married against his will. In
1723 the czar ordered Catherine to be crowned as Empress. He had
established the right to select his successor but failed to do so,
owing to his sudden death.

The following description of Peter the Great at the age of forty, is
given by a Frenchman; "He was a very tall man, well made though (p. 172)
rather thin, his face somewhat round, with a broad forehead, beautiful
eyebrows, a short nose, thick at the end; his lips were rather thick,
his skin was brown and ruddy. He had splendid eyes, large, black,
piercing, and well-opened; his expression was dignified and gracious
when he liked, but often wild and stern, and his eyes, and indeed his
whole face, were distorted by an occasional twitch that was very
unpleasant. It lasted only a moment, and gave him a wandering and
terrible look, when he was himself again. His air expressed intellect,
thoughtfulness, and greatness, and had a certain grace about it. He
wore a linen collar, a round wig, brown and unpowdered, which did not
reach his shoulders; a brown, tight-fitting coat with gold buttons, a
vest, trousers, and stockings, and neither gloves nor cuffs; the star
of his order on his coat, and the ribbon underneath it; his coat was
often unbuttoned, his hat lay on the table, and was never on his head,
even out of doors. In this simplicity, however shabby might be his
carriage or scanty his suit, his natural greatness could not be
mistaken."

XX--THE SUCCESSORS OF PETER THE GREAT. (p. 173)

Peter's strong hand had stifled the opposition to his reforms, but
with his death it reappeared. There were, therefore, two parties in
Russia: the men who had assisted the dead czar, Menzikoff, Apraxine,
Tolstoi, and others, such as the members of the secret Court who had
witnessed the violent death of Peter's only son. They dreaded the
succession of Peter's grandson, the boy who, although only twelve
years