Jurewicz’s People

European Royalty in London in 1910

Nine reigning monarchs were present during King Edward VII’s burial in 1910. Thankfully, someone saw this as a wonderful picture opportunity and collected the monarchs for this historical image, possibly the only photograph of all nine kings in existence. In the back row, from left to right: King Haakon VII of Norway, Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria, King Manuel II from Portugal and the Algarve, Kaiser Wilhelm II from Germany and Prussia, King George I from Greece, and King Albert I from Belgium.

In the front low, seated from left to right are King Alfonso XIII from Spain, King George V from the United Kingdom, and King Frederick VIII from Denmark.

The Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (1887)

Elizabeth Feodorovna was a royal from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. In 1884, she married Sergei, a son of Alexander II, who was born on November 1, 1864. She relocated to St. Petersburg in 1891 and converted to Russian Orthodoxy at that time. After Sergei met his end in 1905, Elizabeth stopped eating meat, sold her possessions, and started a convent to help the sick and aged of Moscow. She gained no political favor because of this.

In 1918, she was captured on Lenin’s orders and banished to Perm before being relocated to Yekaterinburg and then Alapayevsk. She was then taken to an abandoned iron mine, blindfolded, and marched to the bottom, where she took her last breath.

Aleksandra Romanowa (1872–1918)

Aleksandra Fiodorowna, urodzona jako Wiktoria Alicja Helena Ludwika Beatrycze z Hesji-Darmstadt[a] (ur. 6 czerwca 1872 w Darmstadt, zm. 17 lipca 1918 w Jekaterynburgu) – ostatnia cesarzowa Rosji jako żona cesarza Mikołaja II. Święta prawosławna.

Aleksandra Fiodorowna , born as Victoria Alice Helena Ludwika Beatrycze of Hesse-Darmstadt [a] (born June 6, 1872 in Darmstadt , died July 17, 1918 in Yekaterinburg ) – the last empress of Russia as the wife of Emperor Nicholas II. Orthodox saint.

Childhood

At the age of six, she lost her mother. Duchess Alicja Koburg died of diphtheria , which she contracted from her sick children [1] . In 1879, together with her siblings, at the will of her father, she moved to the British court, under the care of her grandmother, Queen Victoria [2] .

In 1884, at the age of twelve, Princess Alice for the first time met the heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Nicholas, who was four years her senior. The young man then gave her a brooch, but Alice, embarrassed, returned it to him the next day. The second time they met in the same year at the wedding of Alicja’s sister Elizabeth with Grand Duke Sergei Aleksandrovich Romanov . After this meeting, Mikołaj noted in his journal that he fell in love with Alice, and she reciprocated him [3] . Tsar Alexander III and Tsarina Maria FyodorovnaThey were not satisfied with their son’s interest in the Hessian princess, due to the low rank of the family from Hesse-Darmstadt in their opinion and the project of marriage between Nicholas and the daughter of the claimant to the French throne – Helena or with the Prussian princess Margaret [3] . At the same time, Alice’s grandmother planned to arrange her marriage with Prince Clarence and Avondale, Albert Wiktor [4] .

Alicja studied piano (which she mastered to a high degree), history, geography, English and German literature. One of her teachers, Margaret Jackson, conveyed her interest in politics [5] .

Youth

At the age of sixteen, Alice was confirmed in the Lutheran Church and officially introduced into elegant society. That same year, she rejected Prince Albert Victor’s proposal; Queen Victoria respected her decision, although she hoped that the princess would change her mind [6] . In the winter of 1889 and 1890, Alicja visited her sister Elizabeth in Russia. There she could meet Tsarevich Nicholas again. They both recalled that their mutual feeling had increased even more after this meeting [7] . After returning from Russia, Alice finally rejected the marriage proposal to Albert Wiktor, Queen Victoria did not oppose it [8]. Alicja returned permanently to Darmstadt, where, as her father was a widower, she performed the duties of a princess, organizing balls and social events and engaging in charity. In 1891, she rejected a second marriage proposal, also arranged by her grandmother, this time with Prince Maksymilian of Baden . Occasionally she corresponded with Tsarevich Nicholas [9] .

In 1894, Alexander III and his wife changed their minds regarding the eldest son’s future marriage and agreed that he should propose to Alicja Hesse. Encouraged by her sister Elizabeth, Mikołaj began regular correspondence with her. The Hessian princess stated, however, that she could not abandon Lutheranism in favor of Orthodoxy (which was a necessity when marrying the Russian heir to the throne), as she considered a similar act to be a great sin that would destroy her entire life [10] . Nicholas then went personally to Coburg and in a private conversation he unsuccessfully persuaded Alice to convert . Ultimately, the princess was persuaded to accept the Tsarevich’s proposal by her cousin William and aunt Maria Mecklenburg ., the wife of Grand Duke Vladimir Aleksandrowicz Romanov . In April 1894, the engagement of Tsarevich Nicholas and Alicja Heska was officially announced [11] . The bride of the heir to the Russian throne undertook preparations for conversion to Orthodoxy under the guidance of the confessor of the tsarist family, Fr. Joanna Janyszewa [12] .

In September of the same year, Tsar Alexander III suddenly fell ill. Tsarevich Mikołaj and his fiancée accompanied him during his treatment in Livadia [13] . On November 1, 1894, the monarch died, and his eldest son inherited the crown from him. He planned to marry Alice immediately, while still in Livadia, and invite only his immediate family to participate in the ceremony. Ultimately, he was persuaded to change the plans and organization of the St.Petersburg wedding in accordance with tradition. Alicja accompanied the tsarist family during the transport of the deceased tsar’s body to St. Petersburg and during the funeral [14] . On November 2 of the same year, she adopted Orthodoxy and took the name of Alexander Fedorovna [15] .

On November 26, 1894, the Metropolitan of St.Petersburg and Palladius, Palladius , celebrated the wedding of Mikołaj and Aleksandra. Due to the ongoing mourning for the Tsar, the young people did not organize a party and were not entitled to the honeymoon. The newlyweds lived in the Aniczkowski Palace together with the tsarina-widow [16] .

Tsarina of Russia

The first years

The new tsarina of Russia did not win sympathy at the court. The behavior of Aleksandra Fedorovna was criticized by the tsarina-widow and her aunt Maria Pavlovna (Maria Mecklenburg), the service spread rumors about her [17] . The subject of jokes was her poor command of French , spoken outside [18] , and her English accent. Relations between the wife of Nicholas II and his mother were particularly bad [19] ; only slightly improved when the tsarist couple moved to Tsarskoye Selo [20]. Disheartened by the attitude of the tsarina-mother of Alexander, justifying herself with poor health, she limited the number of receptions and appeared less often in the society, further aggravating the reluctance with which she was received [21] . Before her marriage to Nicholas II, Alexander did not get to know Russia, its culture and language better, and her knowledge of Orthodoxy at the time of her conversion was superficial [22] . As Jan Sobczak writes :

The change of homeland, faith and name alienated her from the environment, even from the tsarist family, not to mention the wider aristocratic and literary circles of St. Petersburg and Moscow. Her world of experiences and contacts was quite quickly narrowed down to her husband, children and a few figures close to the imperial couple, not always of the highest caliber [22]

On November 15, 1895, the tsarina gave birth to her first child – daughter Olga [23] .

On May 26, 1896, Nicholas and Aleksandra were formally crowned Tsar and Tsarina. The ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Moscow Kremlin . On this occasion, the Governor-General of Moscow, Grand Duke Sergei Aleksandrovich Romanov , organized a festival for the city residents in the suburban Khodynka field. Rumors that free alcohol was not enough for everyone at the party led the crowd to push their way towards the food and vodka tables, causing panic. Several hundred people were killed and over a thousand were injured [24] .

Aleksandra Fedorovna in the 17th-century costume of Tsarina Maria Miłosławska

As the Russian Foreign Minister Aleksandr Izwolski recalled , the tsarist couple was shocked by the described tragedy and intended to cancel their participation in the banquet planned for the same evening at the French embassy . Convinced by his uncles, Nicholas II finally decided to go to the ball. Although the tsar and his wife subsequently visited the panic victims in hospitals, as well as funded compensation for the families killed by private means, their behavior on the day of the catastrophe was widely regarded as evidence of the ruler’s heartlessness and a harbinger of further misfortunes in his reign. The aversion towards Aleksandra also increased [24]who was accused of having had a great time at the party, despite the suffering of her people. The psychological shock associated with this event caused the tsarina to miscarry [17] . She tried to regain popularity by organizing a national charity association for women, to which she initially attracted a number of aristocrats and representatives of the wealthy bourgeoisie. It soon turned out, however, that the participants of the project hoped to gain the tsarina’s protection in exchange for participating in her projects; when it turned out that Alexandra did not intend to grant it to them, most withdrew, spreading rumors of the tsarina’s ingratitude . [25]. Alexandra’s declarations that she intended to restore the morality of the Russian Empire contributed to a further decline in her popularity at the court and in the elegant company of St. Petersburg, which began to boycott her [26] . The nervous and shy Aleksandra, brought up in Great Britain in the spirit of Victorian morality, did not understand the mentality of the Russian aristocracy, she was indignant at hearing about open romances and all-night entertainment. Hence, she was perceived as boring and sanctimonious [27] . Her shyness was taken for coldness and unkindness [22] . In turn, Aleksandra became convinced that the aristocracy, as well as the nobility, students and workers were not real Russians – only the peasants were considered such . [28]. She did not try to please her surroundings, so she never gained his sympathy [22] . The tsarina’s isolation was increased by her ambitions to look after her husband, including influencing his political decisions – such behavior was perceived as abnormal in Russia [22] .

In 1896, Alexandra Feodorovna accompanied her husband on his foreign visits to Germany, Austria-Hungary, Denmark, Great Britain and France [29] . In June 1897 she gave birth to a second child, daughter Tatiana [30] . The birth of a second daughter, instead of the expected heir to the throne, was received both by the court and by the tsarina herself with great disappointment. Only the tsar expressed sincere joy [31] .

After the birth of the second daughter, the relationship between Alexandra and Maria Fedorovna worsened even more. An open conflict broke out over the affiliation of some of the jewels traditionally worn by the tsarina. Maria Fedorovna also criticized the fact that her daughter-in-law looked after her daughters personally, neglecting public appearances [32] .

On June 26, 1899, after a difficult birth, Aleksandra gave birth to a third daughter – Maria . Disappointed with the fact that the heir to the throne had not been born again, the tsarina began to believe in the curse on her [33] . From the moment of her conversion, the tsarina was extremely attached to the new religion, she was interested in the history of Russian Orthodoxy, she read the lives of saints, and collected rare icons [27] . After the birth of her third daughter, desiring at all costs to give birth to the heir to the throne, Alexander believed that this could come true thanks to the prayerful support of the Russian Yurodives . She brought a few of them to the court [34] .

Under the influence of Milica of Montenegro [b] Tsarina became interested in the occult and joined the informal circle formed around Milica, whose members wanted to seek spiritual enlightenment [35] .

In June 1901, the fourth daughter was born – Anastazja [30] .

In a circle organized by Milica, Aleksandra met Philippe Vachot, a French charlatan and hypnotist who managed to convince the Tsar and Tsarina of his supernatural abilities. Aleksandra participated in the hypnosis sessions he organized and believed that he had a unique mission on earth. Even when the Russian police, in cooperation with French law enforcement agencies, found out that Philippe was a fraud, Aleksandra trusted him completely. The Tsarina was convinced that thanks to his help she became pregnant again. On August 31, 1902, she became convinced that it was an alleged pregnancy [36] . Aleksandra then believed that she could give birth to a son thanks to the intercession of the monk Seraphim of Sarov , who died in 1833. In 1903, she took part in his solemn canonization [c] , praying for the conception of an heir to the throne and dripping in a holy spring associated with Seraphim [37] .

During the Russo-Japanese War, the tsarina became involved in charity, organizing workshops preparing bandages and warm clothing for soldiers [38] .


1904–1914

Tsarina with her son, 1906

On August 12, 1904, Alexandra gave birth to her son, Alexius. After six weeks, the parents realized that the Tsarevitch had hemophilia [39] [d] . From then on, Aleksandra spent most of her time caring for her son and praying that he would survive [40] . Raising her son became her most important occupation, she devoted much more time to Aleksy than his sisters [41] .

On January 9, 1905 [e] the army broke up a workers demonstration in St. Petersburg led by the Orthodox clergyman Georgi Gapon . According to official estimates, 130 people were killed then [42] .Main article: Bloody Sunday (St. Petersburg , 1905)

During the demonstration, the Tsar and Tsaritsa were in Tsarskoye Selo, but in the eyes of the public and European rulers, Nicholas II was responsible for the massacre of a peaceful demonstration. Aleksandra considered it her duty to defend her husband. In a letter to her sister Victoria, she claimed that the troops’ decision to shoot at the crowd was correct and that the soldiers were acting in self-defense. She found the interior minister Piotr Światopołek-Mirski and bad advisers working in the tsar’s entourage to be the main culprits behind the deaths of the participants of the march . [40]

Due to poor health, Alexander Fedorovna showed less and less in public. Her older daughters gradually took over her tasks during public parties and balls. The Tsarina spent most of her time in her apartments, painting still lifes , embroidering, reading and writing letters. She gave up the piano and singing she had studied in the past, both of which had exhausted her. She felt best when the whole family went to the tsarist summer residence in Livadia [43]. According to the memoirs of a courtier, Baron Fredericks, around 1911 the tsarina’s behavior became strange. Her reactions and statements became unpredictable, Alexandra Feodorovna spoke softly, almost incomprehensible, she complained of heart problems. The strange behavior of the wife of Nicholas II sparked a new wave of rumors about her relationship with Rasputin [44] . In 1912, in spite of her malaise, Alexandra took part in some ceremonies commemorating the 300 years of Romanov rule in Russia [45] .

Disliked at court and in society, the tsarina felt more and more lonely. The only people she considered friends were the Georgian princess Sonia Orbeliani (from her appearance in St. Petersburg in 1898 until her death in 1915) and Anna Wyrubowa , lady of the court . [46]

Acquaintance with Rasputin

Official photo of the tsarist family from 1913

In 1905, Alexandra Feodorovna met Grigory Rasputin for the first time , whom she considered a saint miracle worker and a new incarnation of Philippe Vachot, who died in the same year [47] .

In 1907, Alexei unexpectedly recovered from a severe attack of hemophilia when Rasputin said a prayer by his bedside. The Tsarina then believed that through him her family gains God’s help [48] . In time, Alexander became convinced that Rasputin was treating not only the Tsar, but also the Tsar, and for a short time Alexandra herself. Her full confidence in Rasputin did not wane, although she was warned against him, among others through her sister Elizabeth [49] , rumors of Rasputin’s dissolute life also reached her [50] .

Aleksandra was a person of poor health. Her physical health gradually deteriorated with age, a process accompanied by deepening depression. She did not believe in the possibility of recovery and refused to go to the spa, which her doctors recommended [51] . She was also convinced that she could trust only a few people in her environment [50] . At the same time, rumors appeared in St. Petersburg about an affair between the unpopular tsarina and Rasputin [52] .

In an attempt to stop the spread of rumors, in 1912, Alexander Fedorovna revealed to some members of the Romanov family that the Tsarevitch suffered from an incurable disease – so far she tried to keep this fact a secret. She stated that the only salvation for Alexei was the help of Rasputin [45] . In October 1912, during the stay of the tsarist family in Spała , Aleksy suffered another haemorrhage. The doctors on the scene were unable to help him, but the bleeding stopped when the tsarina received a reassuring telegram from Rasputin. This event once again confirmed Alexandra’s faith in his abilities . [53]

The years of the First World War

Immediately after the outbreak of World War I, Aleksandra Fedorovna became involved in charity, opening a sewing workshop for the army in the Hermitage . She also headed the Russian Red Cross [54] . Some of the tsarist palaces were converted into lazarets [55] . By November 1914, Aleksandra and her two older daughters had completed a surgical course and, as sisters of mercy, assisted in operations in military hospitals [56] . However, after a month of such work, the tsarina fell ill and had to give it up in order to prepare icons and portraits of the tsar for each Russian regiment [57] .

Despite the fact that during the twenty years since the wedding with Nicholas II was repeatedly presented with Russian patriotism after the outbreak of the war, the Tsarina, due to her German origin, was constantly accused of supporting Germany and lacking sympathy for Russian soldiers [54] , and then even conducting secret peace talks and espionage [58] . She was accused and insulted even in the field hospitals she went to [59] .

Shortly before the end of 1916, Alexandra Feodorovna visited hospitals in Novgorod and went to the local women’s monastery. According to the recollections of witnesses, a hundred-year-old hermit living there, when she saw the tsarina, exclaimed: “Here is the tsarina martyr Alexander!” And then ordered her to boldly carry her cross [60] .

After returning to Petersburg, the tsarina learned about the disappearance of Rasputin, and on January 1, 1917, his massacred body was recovered from the Neva [f] . Aleksandra chose the place of burial personally and took part in the funeral with her family [61] .

Aleksandra’s influence on her husband’s activities during World War I.

Alexander Fedorovna insisted that Nicholas II personally take command of the Russian troops in the war. At the same time, she claimed that his actions must be successful, because as a tsar, he was under the special protection of the saints [62] . In subsequent letters to her husband who was in the general staff, she assured him that he was the rightful tsar and autocrat of Russia, appointed by God to the throne, she called for maintaining autocracy . [63] Over time, she became convinced that she was able to manage state policy on her own when advising her husband; she began to treat members of the government as fools or traitors. In this thinking she was confirmed by Rasputin, whom she trusted immeasurably [63] [64]. At first, Alexander was only supposed to inform the tsar about the events in the capital, but with time she tried to replace him more and more clearly in making personnel decisions in connection with the events she described. She followed Rasputin’s instructions. However, she did not always manage to fully influence her husband [65] .

In January 1916, on the advice of his wife, Nicholas II dismissed Prime Minister Ivan Goriemykin , replacing him with the protégé of Aleksandra and Rasputin – Boris Stürmer . He then took over the portfolios of the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of war. Stürmer’s actions contributed to a further deterioration in Russia’s situation [66] . According to the memoirs of Prince Felix Yusupov, Alexander received front maps from her husband for inspection before planned military operations, and then showed them to Rasputin [67] . The tsarist treated the war as an opportunity to consolidate autocracy in Russia, to liquidate the Duma, remove representatives of the liberal intelligentsia from power, and to base the tsar’s authority solely on the peasantry [68] .

By mid-1916, his wife’s influence over the tsar had even deepened. Confused by the intrigues in government circles and devastated by the defeats of the Russians at the front, Nicholas II decided that Aleksandra was the only person he could fully trust [67] . In November 1916, Alexander demanded that he should not listen to any advisers or ministers, but only implement Rasputin’s advice. The tsar, however, did not comply with her request. Aleksandra even suspected her mother-in-law of intending to remove her son from the throne and establish a regency until Alexius came of age [69]. In fact, in the first weeks of 1917, the Grand Dukes unsuccessfully tried to convince Nicholas not to follow his wife’s advice, and also established a government with special powers. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov persuaded him to transform the autocracy into a constitutional monarchy. The tsar not only did not heed the above-mentioned instructions, but also did not want to believe that Aleksandra’s earlier personal appointments (along with Stürmer, among others Minister of the Interior, Aleksandr Protopopov [70] ) were inaccurate [71] . Equally unsuccessful were the attempts made by her sister Elżbieta and Grand Duchess Victoria, wife of Cyril Vladimirowicz Romanov, to influence Alexandra herself [72] .

February revolution

At the outbreak of the February Revolution, Aleksandra was in the palace in Tsarskoye Selo, caring for her children suffering from measles. Initially, she underestimated the importance of social protests in St. Petersburg, describing their participants as hooliganism [73] .

After his abdication, Nicholas II ordered Alexander and the children to move to Gatchina or meet him on the road to Mogilev . Neither of these plans was realized because the revolutionaries blocked the railway to Tsarskoye Selo [74] . Thanks to Mikhail Rodzianko’s help, Aleksandra was able to go to Mogilev, but she did not take advantage of it [75]. The palace guards, however, defended the family against attacks by rioters. The Provisional Government decided to intern the Romanovs in the palace in Tsarskoye Selo under guard, the members of which, while officially guarding the former tsar, were simultaneously robbing the palace’s furnishings, and they were rude to the Romanovs. The former tsarina, while remaining externally calm, plunged into apathy [76] . She spent time reading or watching the husband and children look after the garden [77] .

Imprisonment and death

On August 1, 1917, the former tsarist family was transferred to Tobolsk by order of the Provisional Government . The windows in the train carrying the Romanovs were painted over with paint to prevent any interest in and manifestations of sympathy or condemnation for the former tsar . [78] They were placed in the governor’s house [75] . The Romanovs were under strict guard and harassed by the soldiers who were part of it. Even their food rations were limited [79]. The townspeople were sympathetic towards the internees – there were no industrial workers in Tobolsk, local townspeople and peasants did not support the revolution. Some residents passed on fresh food to the imperial family through the doctor and Romanov servants, less often letters and encrypted messages. Several of them contained promises of imminent release, which, however, never happened [80] . During her internment, Aleksandra took care of the children, teaching them religion and the German language . She perceived the family situation as a great humiliation and tolerated it much worse than her husband [81] .

On April 25, 1918, Nicholas II was separated from his family and deported from Tobolsk to Yekaterinburg . Then Alexander Fedorovna with the children joined him. The Romanovs were housed in a “special purpose house” bought from the merchant Ipatiev. By this point their future was sealed [82] .

Execution of the last Romanovs

As Elisabeth Heresch writes, the Romanovs were sure that they would be killed, only religion gave them strength [83] .

On the night of July 16-17, 1918, all family members were awakened under the pretext of immediate evacuation. The Romanovs were gathered in the basement, Alexei and Alexander sat on chairs, brought at the request of the former tsar. The commander of the house , Yakov Yurovsky , announced that the relatives of the Romanovs were trying to help them; this intention was unsuccessful and the Bolshevik garrison of the house must liquidate its inhabitants. He then shot Nicholas, killing him with one shot. It was a signal for the remaining members of the firing squad, who started shooting at all those gathered at the same time. Aleksandra died right after her husband [84]. The bodies of the dead were transported to a wilderness in the Koptiaki forest, where the faces of the Romanovs were deformed with the help of sulfuric acid. Over the next two days, their bodies were dismembered and buried in the forest. Details of the death and funeral of the last tsar and his relatives were to remain a secret [85] . On July 19, 1918, the Izvestia newspaper reported that the former tsar had been shot in connection with the discovery of a plot to free him, while his wife was in a safe place. This announcement was repeated in more detail the next day [86] .

Genealogy
Great-great-grandparentsGrand Duke of Hesse
Louis I
(1753-1830)
∞ 1777
Luiza Henryk Heska
(1761-1829)		Grand Duke of Baden
Charles Louis
(1755-1801)
∞ 1774
Amalia Frederick of Hesse
(1754-1832)		King of Prussia
Frederick William II
(1744-1797)
∞ 1769
Frederick Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt
(1751-1805)		Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg
Frederick V
(1748-1820)
∞ 1768
Caroline of Hesse-Darmstadt
(1746-1821)		Prince of
Saxony-Coburg-Saalfeld
Francis
(1750-1806)
∞1776
Augusta Reuss-Ebersdorf
(1757-1831)		Prince of
Saxony-Gotha-Altenburg
August
(1772-1822)
∞1797
Luiza Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
(1779-1801)		King of Great Britain
George III
(1738-1820)
∞1761
Sophia Charlotta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
(1744-1818)		Prince of
Saxony-Coburg-Saalfeld
Francis
(1750-1806)
∞1776
Augusta Reuss-Ebersdorf
(1757-1831)
Great-grandparentsGrand Duke of Hesse
Ludwik II
(1777-1848)
∞ 1804
Wilhelmina of Baden
(1788-1836)		Prince of Prussia
William of Prussia
(1783-1851)
∞ 1804
Maria Anna Amalie of Hesse-Homburg
(1785-1846)		Prince of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha
Ernest I
(1784-1844)
∞1817
Louis of Saxony-Gothy-Altenburg
(1800-1831)		Duke of Kent and Strathearn
Edward August of Hanover
(1767-1820)
∞1818
Victoria of Saxony-Coburg-Saalfeld
(1786-1861)
GrandparentsPrince of Hesse-Darmstadt Charles
(1809-1877)
∞ 1836
Elizabeth of Prussia
(1815-1885)		Albert of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha
(1819-1861)
∞1840
Queen of Great Britain Victoria Hanover
(1819-1901)
ParentsGrand Duke of Hesse Louis IV (1837-1892)
∞ 1862
Alice Koburg (1843-1878)
Alicja Wiktoria Heska 1)
(born June 6, 1872 – died July 17, 1918)
Husband∞ 1894
Nicholas II Romanov
(born May 6, 1868 – died July 17, 1918)
, emperor of Russia
KidsOlga Nikolaevna Romanowa
(born November 15, 1895 – died July 17, 1918)		Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanowa
(born June 10, 1897 – died July 17, 1918)		Maria Nikolaevna Romanowa
(born June 26, 1899 – died July 17, 1918)		Anastazja Nikolaevna Romanowa
(born June 18, 1901 – died July 17, 1918)		Aleksy Mikołajewicz Romanow
(born August 12, 1904 – died July 17, 1918)
  1. After the wedding – Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova.

Comments

  1. ↑ In German original Victoria Alix Helena Louise Beatrice von Hessen und bei Rhein.
  2. ^ Wives of Prince Piotr Nikolaevich Romanov, son of Nikolai Nikolaevich Romanov, brother of Tsar Alexander II.
  3. ^ This canonization was carried out at the express request of Nicholas II, despite the reservations of some Orthodox hierarchs.
  4. ↑ Aleksandra was the carrier of the hemophilia gene, but the disease does not appear in women.
  5. ^ According to the Julian calendar in force in Russia .
  6. ^ Rasputin was murdered by Prince Felix Yusupov and the far-right deputy of the Third Duma , Vladimir Purishkevich .
  7. ↑ Until the merger with the Moscow Patriarchate in 2003.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 1-2.
  2. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 7.
  3. ↑ a b Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 34-36 and 45. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  4. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 20.
  5. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 33. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  6. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 22-23.
  7. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 26.
  8. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 27.
  9. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 32-34.
  10. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 40-41.
  11. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 46-49.
  12. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 39. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  13. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 56.
  14. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 63-64.
  15. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 44. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  16. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 47-48. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  17. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 80-81.
  18. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 88.
  19. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 49. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  20. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 45. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  21. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 69. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  22. ↑ a b c d e Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, pp. 106-108. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .
  23. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 91-92.
  24. ↑ a b Massie R .: Mikołaj i Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 56-57. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  25. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 102-103.
  26. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 104.
  27. ↑ a b Massie R .: Mikołaj i Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 68-69. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  28. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 70. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  29. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 57-59. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  30. ↑ a b Massie R .: Mikołaj i Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 67. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  31. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 110.
  32. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 111-113.
  33. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 118-119.
  34. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 122-123.
  35. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 124-126.
  36. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 127-132.
  37. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 137-138.
  38. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 142.
  39. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 103-105. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  40. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 157-159.
  41. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 185.
  42. ↑ Riasanovsky NV, Steinberg MD: History of Russia . Krakow: Jagiellonian University Press, 2009, p. 423. ISBN  978-83-233-2615-1 .
  43. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 195-196.
  44. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 198.
  45. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 202-204.
  46. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, pp. 140-141. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  47. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 168-169.
  48. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 172-173.
  49. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 187-189.
  50. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 190.
  51. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 181-183.
  52. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 194.
  53. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 206-208.
  54. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 221-223.
  55. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 224.
  56. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 226-227.
  57. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 231.
  58. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 249.
  59. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 228.
  60. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 260-261.
  61. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 264-266.
  62. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 243-244.
  63. ↑ a b Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 247-248.
  64. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 213. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  65. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 214-215. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  66. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, pp. 254-255.
  67. ↑ a b Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 225. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  68. ↑ Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, p. 487. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .
  69. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 259.
  70. ↑ Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, p. 486. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .
  71. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 229-231. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  72. ↑ Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, p. 489. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .
  73. ↑ Erickson C .: Alexandra: The Last Tsarina . New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2001, p. 271.
  74. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 266-267. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  75. ↑ a b Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 300. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  76. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 275-278. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  77. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 286. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  78. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 299. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  79. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 302. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  80. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 306-307. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  81. ↑ Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, p. 529. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .
  82. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, pp. 324-325. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  83. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 339. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  84. ^ Massie R .: Mikołaj and Aleksandra . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​1995, p. 449. ISBN  83-11-08418-1 .
  85. ↑ Elisabeth Heresch: Nicholas II. “Cowardice, lies and betrayal.” The Life and Fall of the Last Tsar of Russia . Gdynia: Uraeus, 1995, p. 346. ISBN  83-85732-07-1 .
  86. ↑ Sobczak J .: Nicholas II – the last tsar of Russia. A study of the form and evolution of power . Warsaw: Bellona, ​​2009, p. 542. ISBN  978-83-11-11639-9 .

Felix Yusupov

Feliks Feliksowicz Yusupov ( Russian: Фéликс Фéликсович Юсýпов) (born March 11 ? / March 23,  1887 in Saint Petersburg , died September 27, 1967 in Paris ) – Russian aristocrat, prince, Count Sumarokov-Elston, known for his participation in the murder of Grigory Rasputin Rasputin . Author of memoirs “The End of Rasputina” (1927) and “Memories” (1953).

prince
DynastyThe Yusupovs
Date and place of birthMarch 11 ? / March 23,  1887
Saint Petersburg
Date and place of deathSeptember 27, 1967
Paris
FatherFeliks Feliksowicz Sumarokow-Elston
MotherZinaida Yusupov
WifeIrina Alexandrovna Romanova
KidsIrina Sheremetyev
Media at Wikimedia Commons

Curriculum vitae

He was born in the Yusupov Palace in Saint Petersburg as the younger son of Count Feliks Feliksowicz Sumarokow-Elston and Princess Zinaida Yusupova. His mother was the daughter of the last male representative of the Yusupov family. In order to prevent the extinction of the family, with the consent of the tsar, in 1885, Count Sumarokow-Elston took the surname of his wife. The Yusupas were the richest family in Russia, not even the ruling Romanov family equaled them . They multiplied their fortune over several generations. They owned four palaces in St. Petersburg, three palaces in Moscow , 37 estates in various parts of the Empire, coal and iron ore mines, land estates and factories, grain mills and oil fields [1] .

He graduated from the private Gurewicz Gymnasium. After the death of his older brother Mikołaj in a duel with Count Arwid Manteuffel, in 1908 he became the only heir of the Yusups’ estate. In 1909–1913 he studied at the University of Oxford [2] , where he was a member of the Bullington Club .

After returning to Russia on February 22, 1914, he married the princess of imperial blood, Irina Alexandrovna Romanova . From this union, the only child of Yusupov was born – Irina. The young couple made their honeymoon visiting Cairo , Jerusalem , London and Bad Kissingen , where his parents were staying at the time. After the outbreak of World War I , they stayed in Berlin , where they were detained as Russian subjects. Irina asked for the help of her relative Cecylia Mecklenburg-Schwerin to intervene with her father-in-law, Emperor Wilhelm II for their return to Russia.. The emperor refused, but in return offered to choose a country where they could spend the war. Soon after, he managed to get to neutral Denmark , from where he left for Finland and St. Petersburg [3] .

After returning to Poland, he avoided conscription because he was the only son in the family, so he started to organize a hospital in one of the wings of his palace on the Mojka River . While working in a hospital, in 1916 he decided to complete a one-year officer training in the Paziów Corps , and then start his military service [4] .

It was in the Yusupov Palace in St.Petersburg that the assassination of Rasputin was carried out . Tsarina Alexander Fedorovna demanded the immediate execution of the prince without trial, but the prince escaped punishment; he was only placed under house arrest on his property in the Belgorod region [5] . After the February Revolution, he returned briefly to St. Petersburg and took some of his property, including jewelry and two paintings by Rembrandt [6] . Then he and his family left for Crimea , from where in 1919, on board the British ship HMS Marlborough, they sailed from Yalta to Malta [3] . From there through Italy and Francethey reached Great Britain . In 1920, they returned to France, where they spent the rest of their lives.

In exile, the Yusupovs founded the IRFE fashion house, which ceased to exist in 1929 during the Great Depression . In 1932, Feliks sued the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer label in an English court for depicting his wife Irina in a bad light in the film The Last Empress [3] . In 1934, the Yusupovs received £ 25,000 in compensation. During World War II, the prince refused to support the Nazis and refused to return to the USSR [7] . The princely couple spent their entire lives together. Felix Yusupov died in 1967 and was buried in the Russian cemetery in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois . His wife died in 1970[3] .

Footnotes

  1. ↑ The Yusupovs’ Palace ( . ) . [accessed on 2018-01-04]. [archived from this address (2018-01-04)].
  2. ↑ Christopher Danzinger: The Oxford alumnus who helped to assassinate Rasputin ( eng. ) . oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk. [accessed on 2018-01-04]. [archived from this address (2019-03-14)].
  3. ↑ a b c d Greg King: The Man Who Killed Rasputin: Prince Felix Youssoupov and the Murder That Helped Bring Down the Russian Empire . Citadel, 1998. ISBN  978-2280045827 .
  4. ↑ Ronald C. Moe: Prelude to the Revolution: The Murder of Rasputin . Aventine Press, 2011. ISBN  978-1593307110 .
  5. ↑ Дворцовый комплекс Юсуповых в Ракитном ( RUS ) . [accessed on 2018-01-05].
  6. ↑ Portrait of a Lady with an Ostrich-Feather Fan ( ang. ) . [accessed on 2018-01-05].
  7. ↑ John Curtis Perry: The Flight Of The Romanovs: A Family Saga . Basic Books, 2001. ISBN  978-0465024636 .