Ivan V Alekseyevich Romanov of Russia

Born September 6, 1666 – died February 8, 1696

Eldest son of Alexis I and Maria Miloslavskaya, after his father’s death there was great turmoiol within the country and a struggle of power that eventually led to a new idea for tsars. The people chose for Ivan to be the senior tsar ruling with a co-tsar with his younger half brother Peter I, their older sister Sofya then became regent. Ivan suffered from many different physical and mental health issues that led him to not want the tsar position at all, this allowed Sofya to completely rule Russia. She even placed her self on many coins and metals throughout Russia and found a wife for Ivan.

This set up was easy to work with at first, or at least until Sofya and Peter became to both want ruling control. In 1689, Sofya led a revolt against her half brother for control, unfortunately for her she had been in the public’s eye too much, and with Ivan choosing Peter’s side, she was forced out and the brothers took control.

Ivan was not involved in the ruling of Russia, for most of his term he divulged power to Peter and resigned to a quite life with his wife Praskovia Saltykova. They eventually had six children, but only four survived. Ivan lived this way until his death in 1696.