PETER STUDIES EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION A history of Russia _naively_ designates one of its chapters "The Period of Troubles"! When was there not a period of troubles in this land?
The historian wearies, and doubtless the reader too, of such prolonged disorder and calamity.

But a chapter telling of peace and tranquillity would have to be invented.

The particular sort of trouble that developed upon the death of Feodor was of a new variety.

Alexis had left two families of children, one by his first wife and the other by Natalia.

There is not time to tell of all the steps by which Sophia, daughter of the first marriage, came to be the power behind the throne upon which sat her feeble brother Ivan, and her half-brother Peter, aged ten years.