The historian may for convenience omit the surname thus created, but in Russia it would be a great breach of decorum to do so.
By a sudden _coup d'etat_, Elizabeth Petrovna took her rightful place upon the throne of her father (1741).

In the dead of night the unfortunate Anna and her husband were awakened, carried into exile, and their infant son Ivan VI.

was immured in a prison, where he was to grow up to manhood,--shattered in mind by his horrible existence of twenty years,--and then to be mercifully put out of the way as a possible menace to the ambitious plans of a woman.
Of the heads that dropped by orders of Elizabeth it is needless to speak; but of one that was spared there is an interesting account.
Ostermann, a German, had been vice chancellor to the Empress Anna, and had also brought about the downfall of Biron the Regent.

Now his turn had come.

He was taken to the place of execution with the rest; his gray head was laid upon the block, his collar unbuttoned and gown drawn back by the executioner--when a reprieve was announced.