From the reign of Peter the Great to the end of the eighteenth century, the Russian court played a pivotal role in the political and cultural life of Europe. In this detailed and engaging history, Fitzgerald Molloy explores the personalities, intrigues, and scandals that marked this period, shedding light on the often tumultuous relationship between Russia and the rest of the continent. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.