Biron family


The House of Biron was a szlachta family in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and a noble family in the Russian Empire.

History

The family rose to prominence when the last member of the House of Kettler was left without any male heirs. As a result, Ernst Johann von Biron, a lover of Empress Anna of Russia, succeeded Ferdinand Kettler as Duke of Courland and Semigallia.
After that, the family ruled the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia for periods of time between 1737 and 1795. However, the dynasty was short lived and ended with Peter von Biron, who died in 1800 with no male heirs.

Family tree