These festivities in honor of the embassy at Vienna were at length suddenly interrupted by the arrival of tidings from Moscow that a rebellion had broken out there against Peter's government. This intelligence changed at once all Peter's plans. He had intended to go to Venice and to Rome, but he now at once abandoned these designs, and setting out abruptly from Vienna, with General Le Fort, and a train of about thirty persons, he traveled with the utmost possible dispatch to Moscow. [1] William, Prince of Orange, was descended on the female side from the English royal family, and was a Protestant. Accordingly, when James II., and with him the Catholic branch of the royal family of England, was expelled from the throne, the British Parliament called upon William to ascend it, he being the next heir on the Protestant side. CHAPTER VIII. THE REBELLION. 1698 Precautions taken by the Czar--His uneasiness--His fury against his enemies--His revolting appearance--Imperfect communication--Conspiracy--Arguments used--Details of the plot--Pretext of the guards--They commence their march--Alarm in Moscow--General Gordon--A parley with the rebels--Influence of the Church--The clergy on the side of the rebels--Conservatism--The Russian clergy--The armies prepare for battle--The insurgents defeated--Massacre of prisoners--Confession--Peter's arrival at Moscow--His terrible severity--Peter becomes himself an executioner--The Guards--Gibbets--The writer of the address to Sophia--The old Russian nobility--Arrival of artisans--Retirement of Sophia--Her death It will be recollected by the reader that Peter, before he set out on his tour, took every possible precaution to guard against the danger of disturbances in his dominions during his absence. The Princess Sophia was closely confined in her convent. All that portion of the old Russian Guards that he thought most likely to be dissatisfied with his proposed reforms, and to take part with Sophia, he removed to fortresses at a great distance from Moscow. Moscow itself was garrisoned with troops selected expressly with reference to their supposed fidelity to his interests, and the men who were to command them, as well as the great civil officers to whom the administration of the government was committed during his absence, were appointed on the same principle.