In the beginning of the Year following, that is to say the 19th of _January_ 1710, the Count _de Lottum_ presented the King with eleven Pieces of Cannon, and several Colors and Standards that fell to his Majesty's share in the distribution that was made of those that were taken from the _French_, during the Campaign.
At the same time we lost the Duke of _Courland_ for ever. This young Prince was the King's Nephew by his Mother, who was his Majesty's Sister by the same Father, but not by the same Mother. He was but an Infant when he lost his Father the Duke of _Courland_, whose death was to him the greatest of all Misfortunes, because of the Misunderstanding which the Guardianship of this young Prince created between those who aspir'd to it. The Duchess his Mother asserted that she was the rightful Guardian of the Prince, her Son. His Uncle also pretended 'twas his Right. In short, the Nobility of _Courland_ disputed it with them both. During these Domestic Troubles, the several Parties, not watchful of their Neighbours Motions, quickly found they had powerful Enemies to cope with. The _Saxons_ being the nearest, were the most forward to take possession of their Country. The _Muscovites_ were soon at their heels, and in concert with the _Saxons_ rush'd upon what they thought most convenient. But they were both soon oblig'd to abandon that Duchy to the King of _Sweden_, who came at the head of his Troops, and without much difficulty sent them going. But after all, Fortune being weary of seconding the Arms of the _Swedish_ Monarch, he was oblig'd not long after his Entrance into _Courland_, to yield the said Duchy to the _Muscovites_, who remain'd the sole Possessors of it.
All these Troubles had oblig'd the Duchess, with the Prince her Son, to retire. She came to _Berlin_ where she was present at the King's Coronation, and afterwards, as I have already had the Honor to tell you, she marry'd the Margrave of _Brandenburg Bareith_. This Princess followed the Margrave her Husband into his Dominions, and took the Duke of _Courland_ her Son along with her. There did this young Prince stay with the Margrave his Father-in-law, till after the King of _Sweden_'s Defeat at _Pultowa_ by the _Muscovite_ Army. When the latter were become Masters of _Courland_, the Duke flatter'd himself that he should be able to prevail on the Czar to restore him to his Dominions: nor was he deceiv'd in his Expectation; for the Czar was very ready to consent to it, on condition nevertheless that he should marry his Niece, the Daughter of the late Czar, his Brother. The Match was truly illustrious, for the Princess was both the Daughter and Niece of a potent Monarch; but her Education had been very different from that of the young Prince, and there was all the Reason in the World to think, that they would not like one another long. The Duke for his part could have wish'd to be restor'd to his Duchy upon other Terms; but at length, thinking he could not do better than to accept of those, and to put himself again at the head of his Subjects, who had for several Years wish'd for his Presence; he set out for the Czar's Court, and there married the Princess. This Marriage, which was concluded with some Reluctance on the part of the young Duke, seem'd to portend him none but unhappy Days; and in short, he was scarce married, but he fell dangerously sick, and in a few days after died, which Illness they said was owing to his having been forc'd to drink to excess on his Wedding-Day. This occasion'd a general Desolation throughout the Duchy of _Courland_, the poor People having entertain'd some Hopes that the Presence of their lawful Sovereign would make them forget the Evils they had suffer'd by several years continual Wars.