NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Alix of Hesse and Rhine

Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (German: Alix Victoria Helena Luise Beatrice Prinzessin von Hessen und bei Rhein) 6 June 1872 – 17 July 1918, under the name Alexandra Fyodorovna (Russian: Императрица Александра Фёдоровна), was Empress consort of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of the Russian Empire. Born a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, she assumed the name Alexandra Fyodorovna upon blessing into the Russian Orthodox Church, which canonised her as Saint Alexandra in 2000. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1410x2552, 942 KB) Portrait by an unknown artist of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Tsarskoe Selo, Russia, 1907. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hessen in Germany. ... Hesse (German: Hessen) is a state of Germany with an area of 21,110 kmÂ² and just over six million inhabitants. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Snow-covered statue of Sverdlov in Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburgs Church on the Blood built on the spot where the Tsar and his family were executed. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Nicholas II of Russia (May 18, 1868â€”July 17, 1918)[1] (Russian: , Nikolay II) was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland,[2] and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna (1895-1918) Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia (Olga Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° ÐžÐ»ÑŒÐ³Ð° ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°), also known as Olishka or Olya. ... Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna (1897-1918) Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaievna of Russia (Tatiana Nikolaievna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° Ð¢Ð°Ñ‚ÑŒÑÐ½Ð° ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°) Tanya, Tatya or Tanushka (May 29 (O.S.)/June 10 (N.S.), 1897 - July 17, 1918) was the second daughter of Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse. ... Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna (1899-1918) Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia (Maria Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° ÐœÐ°Ñ€Ð¸Ñ ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°), also known as Marie or Mashka (June 26, 1899 - July 17, 1918) was the third daughter of Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra of Hesse. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Tsarevich Alexei (1904-1918) Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (Russian: ) (July 30 (OS)/August 12 (NS), 1904 â€“ July 17, 1918), of the House of Romanov, was Tsesarevich of Russia and was the youngest child of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna. ... The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt came into existence in 1568, as the portion of George, youngest of the four sons of Landgrave Philipp of Hesse. ... Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine Louis IV (Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Karl) (12 September 1837 - 13 March 1892), was the fourth Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, reigning from 13 June 1877 until his death. ... Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary), (25 April 1843 â€“ 14 December 1878), was a member of the British Royal Family, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... King George V of the United Kingdom and his consort, Queen Mary A queen consort is the wife and consort of a reigning king. ... Nicholas II of Russia (May 18, 1868â€”July 17, 1918)[1] (Russian: , Nikolay II) was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland,[2] and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Monomakhs Cap symbol of Russian autocracy, the crown of Russian grand princes and tsars Czar and tzar redirect here. ... Official language Russian Official Religion Russian Orthodox Christianity Capital Saint Petersburg (Petrograd 1914-1924) Area Approx. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death in 1901. ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Catholic Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ...

Alexandra is best remembered as the last Tsaritsa of Russia, as one of the most famous genetic carriers of haemophilia, as well as for her support of authoritarian control over the country. Her notorious relationship with the Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin was also an important factor in her life. A Tsaritsa (Цари́ца), also called tsarina, czarina, or czaritsa, was the title of Tsars wife or a female autocratic ruler(monarch) of Russia or Bulgaria. ... Haemophilia figured prominently in the history of European royalty. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Early life

She was born Princess Alix Victoria Helena Luisa Beatrice in Darmstadt, Hesse and by Rhine, a grand duchy that was then part of the German Empire. Her father was Grand Duke Louis IV, and her mother was the former Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was baptized on 1 July 1872 according to the rites of the Lutheran Church and given the names of her mother and each of her mother's four sisters, some of which were transliterated into German. Her godparents were the Prince of Wales, the Princess of Wales, the Tsarevich of Russia, the Tsarevna of Russia, Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Landgravine of Hesse. Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hessen in Germany. ... Hesse (German: Hessen) is a state of Germany with an area of 21,110 kmÂ² and just over six million inhabitants. ... Motto: Gott mit Uns (German: God with usâ€) Anthem: Heil dir im Siegerkranz (unofficial) Territory of the German Empire in 1914, prior to World War I Capital Berlin Language(s) German (official) Polish (Posen, Upper Silesia, Masuria) French (Alsace-Lorraine) Government Constitutional monarchy Emperor - 1871-1888 William I - 1888 Frederick... Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine Louis IV (Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Karl) (12 September 1837 - 13 March 1892), was the fourth Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, reigning from 13 June 1877 until his death. ... Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary), (25 April 1843 â€“ 14 December 1878), was a member of the British Royal Family, the third child and second daughter of Queen Victoria. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death in 1901. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (in full Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel), later The Prince Consort, (26 August 1819 â€“ 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Lutheranism is a movement within Christianity that began with the theological insights of Martin Luther in the 16th century> Luthers writings launched the Protestant Reformation of the Western church. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841 â€“ 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... This page is about the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom. ... Alexander III (March 10, 1845 â€“ November 1, 1894) reigned as Emperor of Russia from March 14, 1881 until his death in 1894. ... Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (November 26, 1847â€“October 13, 1928) was Empress Consort of Russia. ... The Princess Beatrice, (Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore), (14 April 1857 - 26 October 1944), was a member of the British Royal Family, the fifth daughter and the youngest child of Queen Victoria. ... Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel, later Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, (July 25, 1797 â€“ April 6, 1889) was the consort of Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge, the tenth born child and seventh son of King George III of the United Kingdom and Queen Charlotte. ...

In 1878 when Alix was six, her mother died. She became very close to her maternal grandmother and was often thought to be Victoria's favourite granddaughter. As a result, Alix spent much of her early years in the United Kingdom, and frequently stayed with her English relatives at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. As a little girl, she was called Sunny. But after the loss of her mother and younger sister, May, she became more sullen and withdrawn. In 1892 when she was twenty, her father died, and her brother, Ernst Ludwig, succeeded his father as Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Balmoral Castle. ... Motto: , traditionally rendered in Scots as Wha daur meddle wi me?[1] and in English as No one provokes me with impunity. ... Osborne House and its grounds are now open to the public Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. // History The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. ... The Isle of Wight is an English island and county, off the southern English coast, to the south of the county of Hampshire. ... Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Marie of Hesse and the Rhine (24 May 1874 - 16 November 1878) was the youngest daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, the Grand Duke of Hesse. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Ernest Louis Grand Duke of Hesse in 1905 Ernest Louis Charles Albert William (de: Ernst Ludwig Karl Albert Wilhelm), (25 November 1868-9 October 1937) was the last Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine from 1892 until his abdication in 1918. ...

Marriage

Alix was married relatively late for her rank in her era, having refused a proposal from Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence (the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) despite strong familial pressure. She had, however, already met a cousin by marriage, the Tsarevich of Russia, whose mother was the sister-in-law of Alexandra's uncle, Prince of Wales. At first, Nicholas's father, Tsar Alexander III, refused the prospect of marriage, but later relented as his health began to fail. Alix was troubled by the requirement she renounce her Lutheran faith, as a Russian tsarina had to be Orthodox; but she was persuaded and eventually became a fervent, even fanatic convert. She and Nicholas became engaged in April 1894. Alexander III died in November of that year, and Nicholas became Tsar of all the Russias at the age of twenty-six. Prince Albert Victor Christian Edward, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, KG KP (January 8, 1864 â€“ January 14, 1892) was a member of the British Royal Family, as the eldest son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and Alexandra of Denmark. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841 â€“ 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... Nicholas II of Russia (May 18, 1868â€”July 17, 1918)[1] (Russian: , Nikolay II) was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland,[2] and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841 â€“ 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King of the Commonwealth Realms, and the Emperor of India. ... Alexander III (March 10, 1845 â€“ November 1, 1894) reigned as Emperor of Russia from March 14, 1881 until his death in 1894. ...

Portrait by L. Tuxen of the wedding of Tsarevich Nicholas II and Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, which took place at the Chapel of the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, on November 14/26, 1894. Among those also depicted in this portrait, against the wall to the right of the window, from left to right - King Christian IX of Denmark, the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna, the Grand Duchess Olga, the Grand Duchess Xenia, the Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, and Olga Konstantinovna, Queen of the Hellenes. Today this portrait hangs at Buckingham Palace.

Alix of Hesse accompanied the Imperial family as they returned to St. Petersburg with the body of the Tsar, and it is said that the people greeted their new Empress-to-be with ominous whispers of "She comes to us behind a coffin". Christian IX of Denmark (April 8, 1818 â€“ January 29, 1906) was King of Denmark from November 15, 1863 to January 29, 1906. ... Princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar (November 26, 1847 - October 13, 1928) was born as the second daughter of Louise of Hesse and Christian of Glucksburg. ... The flag of the House of Romanov Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia (Russian: ; Olga Alexandrovna Romanova) (June 13, 1882â€“November 24, 1960) was the last Grand Duchess of Imperial Russia under the reign of her elder brother, Czar Nicholas II. Her father was the reformer of 19th century Russia... Grand Duchess Xenia as a young woman. ... Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia is the name and title used by three relatively prominent members of the Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov. ... Olga, Queen of Greece Olga Constantinovna of Russia (in Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ Ð“ÐµÑ€Ñ†Ð¾Ð³Ð¸Ð½Ñ ÐžÐ»ÑŒÐ³Ð° ÐšÐ¾Ð½ÑÑ‚Ð°Ð½Ñ‚Ð¸Ð½Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð°) (3 September 1851 - 18 June 1926), born Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess of Russia, was the queen consort of King George I of Greece and in 1920, Regent of Greece. ...

Alix, renamed Alexandra Fyodorovna, and Nicholas married on November 26, 1894 at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia. They had five children: November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Located between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, the Winter Palace (Russian: Ð—Ð¸Ð¼Ð½Ð¸Ð¹ Ð”Ð²Ð¾Ñ€ÐµÑ†) in Saint Petersburg, Russia was built between 1754 and 1762 as the winter residence of the Russian tsars. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...

Unfortunately, Alexandra was a carrier of haemophilia, inherited from Queen Victoria through her mother, Princess Alice. Alexandra transmitted the disease to her son, Alexei. Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna (1895-1918) Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia (Olga Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° ÐžÐ»ÑŒÐ³Ð° ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°), also known as Olishka or Olya. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna (1897-1918) Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaievna of Russia (Tatiana Nikolaievna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° Ð¢Ð°Ñ‚ÑŒÑÐ½Ð° ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°) Tanya, Tatya or Tanushka (May 29 (O.S.)/June 10 (N.S.), 1897 - July 17, 1918) was the second daughter of Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse. ... June 10 is the 161st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (162nd in leap years), with 204 days remaining. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna (1899-1918) Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia (Maria Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Ð’ÐµÐ»Ð¸ÐºÐ°Ñ ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° ÐœÐ°Ñ€Ð¸Ñ ÐÐ¸ÐºÐ¾Ð»Ð°ÐµÐ²Ð½Ð°), also known as Marie or Mashka (June 26, 1899 - July 17, 1918) was the third daughter of Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra of Hesse. ... June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Tsarevich Alexei (1904-1918) Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (Russian: ) (July 30 (OS)/August 12 (NS), 1904 â€“ July 17, 1918), of the House of Romanov, was Tsesarevich of Russia and was the youngest child of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Haemophilia or hemophilia is the name of any of several hereditary genetic illnesses that impair the bodys ability to control bleeding. ... Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 â€“ 22 January 1901) was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India from 1 January 1877, until her death in 1901. ...

Empress Alexandra

On May 14th 1896, Nicholas and Alexandra were crowned Emperor and Empress of Russia in Moscow.^[1]^[2] The coronation celebrations was marred by the deaths of several thousand peasants in the Khodynka Tragedy, who had come to receive gifts. 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Khodynka Tragedy was a mass panic that occurred on May 18, 1896 on Khodynka Field during the festivities of the crowning of Russian Tsar Nicholas II and resulted in the deaths of 1389 people. ...

Alexandra was unpopular at court and with the Russian people, lacking charm and social skills. She was hurt by their unenthusiastic reception, and declared herself to be tired of the loose morals and etiquette of the Russian court. She did not attempt to forge bonds with the other members of the large Romanov family and she generally attended as few court occasions as possible. She was unfavourably compared to her popular (and still youthful) predecessor, The Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and a sister of the Princess of Wales, who had a higher court precedence. In Russia, Dowager Empresses outranked Empress Consorts, unlike at most royal courts of Europe. This was not conducive to happy family relations. Her failure to produce an heir to the Russian throne in her first four attempts was also judged harshly. Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (November 26, 1847â€“October 13, 1928) was Empress Consort of Russia. ... Christian IX of Denmark (April 8, 1818 â€“ January 29, 1906) was King of Denmark from November 15, 1863 to January 29, 1906. ... This page is about the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom. ...

Alexandra was fiercely protective of her husband's role as Tsar, and actively supported his rights as an autocratic ruler. She was a fervent advocate of the divine right, and believed that it was unnecessary to attempt to secure the approval of the people.

Rasputin

The birth of Alexei occurred at the height of the Russo-Japanese War on August 12, 1904. The Tsarevitch was the Heir Apparent to the throne of Russia, and Alexandra had fulfilled her most important role as Tsarina, in bearing a male child. The excitement was short-lived, when it was discovered Alexei suffered from haemophilia, which could only have been transmitted from Alexandra's side of the family. Haemophilia was generally fatal in the early 20th century, and had entered the royal houses of Europe via the daughters of Queen Victoria, who was a carrier. Alexandra had lost a brother to the disease, as well as an uncle, Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany; her sister Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine was also a carrier of the gene and, through her marriage to her cousin Prince Heinrich of Prussia, spread it to the Prussian royal family. Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, another of Queen Victoria's granddaughters and a first cousin of Alexandra's, was also a carrier of the haemophilia gene. She married King Alfonso XIII of Spain and two of her sons were haemophiliacs. As an incurable and life threatening illness, suffered by the sole male heir, the heir's disease was kept secret from the Russian people. As a carrier of the haemophilia gene, Alexandra was not a haemophiliac but she likely produced lower than normal clotting factor, having only one normal copy of the gene instead of two. Her status as a carrier, in addition to her worry over her son's health, might have been one reason for her reportedly poor health. Combatants Imperial Russia Empire of Japan Commanders N/A N/A Strength 500,000 Soldiers 400,000 Soldiers Casualties 134,817+ KIA/POW, 170,000 MIA etc. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Contrasting with heir presumptive, an heir apparent is one who cannot be prevented from inheriting by the birth of any other person. ... Haemophilia or hemophilia is the name of any of several hereditary genetic illnesses that impair the bodys ability to control bleeding. ... His Royal Highness The Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany (Leopold George Duncan Albert) (7 April 1853 - 28 March 1884), was a member of the British Royal Family, a son of Queen Victoria. ... Princess Irene of Hesse and by Rhine (11 July 1866-11 November 1953) was the third child and third daughter of Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine. ... Heinrich, Prince of Prussia (1726-1802) Heinrich, Prince of Prussia (1862-1929) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Princess Victoria Eugénie of Battenberg later Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain (24 October 1887-15 April 1969), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, was the consort of the exiled King Alfonso XIII of Spain and the paternal grandmother of the current King of Spain, Juan Carlos. ... Alfonso XIII of Spain (May 17, 1886 â€“ February 28, 1941), King of Spain, posthumous son of Alfonso XII of Spain, was proclaimed King at his birth. ...

At first Alexandra turned to Russian doctors and medics to treat Alexei; however, their treatments generally failed, and Alexandra increasingly turned to mystics and holy men. One of these, Grigori Rasputin, appeared to have a success still inexplicable today. Rasputin's unpopularity, however, and the dark rumours about him led Nicholas to distance him from the family. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 1912, Alexei suffered a life-threatening haemorrhage in the thigh and groin while the family were at Spala, Poland. At this point Alexandra took the advice of her intimate friend Anna Vyrubova and sent a telegram to Grigori Rasputin. Rasputin's response, that Alexei was over the worst and the doctors should leave him to recover, coincided with his revival. From 1912 onwards, Alexandra came to rely increasingly on Rasputin, and to believe in his ability to ease Alexei's suffering. This reliance enhanced Rasputin's political power, which was seriously to undermine Romanov rule during the First World War. Image File history File links RomanovGreatDuchesses. ... Minor traumatic bleeding from the head Bleeding is the loss of blood from the body. ... Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, neÃ© Taneyeva (Russian: ÐÐ½Ð½Ð° ÐÐ»ÐµÐºÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ€Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð° Ð’Ñ‹Ñ€ÑƒÐ±Ð¾Ð²Ð°, Ð¢Ð°Ð½ÐµÐµÐ²Ð°) (16 July 1884 â€” 20 July 1964, Helsinki), was a lady-in-waiting, best friend and confidante to Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

World War One

The outbreak of World War I was a pivotal moment for Russia and Alexandra. The war pitted the Russian Empire of the Romanov dynasty against the German Empire of the Hohenzollern dynasty. The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine, ruled by her brother, formed part of the German Empire. This was of course the place of Alexandra's birth. This made Alexandra very unpopular with the Russian people, who accused her of collaboration with the Germans. The German Kaiser, William II, was also Alexandra's first cousin. Ironically, one of the few things that Empress Alexandra and her mother-in-law Empress Maria had in common was their utter distaste for Kaiser Wilhelm II. Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard... Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern (January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia from 1888 - 1918. ...

When the Tsar travelled to the front line in 1915 to take personal command of the Army, he left Alexandra in charge of St. Petersburg. Alexandra was not gifted at government, and constantly appointed and reappointed new ministers, which meant the government was never stable nor efficient. This was particularly dangerous in a war of attrition, as neither the troops nor the civilian population were ever adequately supplied. She paid great attention to the self-serving advice of Rasputin, and their relationship was widely (and inaccurately) believed to be sexual in nature. She was the focus of ever increasing and extremely negative rumours, and widely believed to be a German spy in the Russian court. Rasputin was eventually murdered by junior members of the Romanov family Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich and Prince Felix Yusupov, who was married to the Tsar's niece Princess Irina (daughter of Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna and Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich) in 1916. 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia, of the Imperial House of Romanov (Ð”Ð¼Ð¸Ñ‚Ñ€Ð¸ ÐŸÐ°Ð²Ð»Ð¾Ð²Ð¸Ñ‡ Ð Ð¾Ð¼Ð°Ð½Ð¾Ð²) (September 18, 1891 â€“ March 5, 1941) was a Russian imperial dynast, one of the few Romanovs to escape execution by the Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Princess Irina of Russia (1895-1970) Princess Irina of Russia (In Russian ÐšÐ½ÑÐ¶Ð½Ð° Ð˜Ñ€Ð¸Ð½Ð° ÐÐ»ÐµÐºÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ€Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð° Ð Ð¾Ð¼Ð°Ð½Ð¾Ð²Ð°) (July 3, 1895 - February 26, 1970) was the daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia. ... Grand Duchess Xenia as a young woman. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Revolution

World War I put what proved to be unbearable burden on Imperial Russia's government and economy, both of which were dangerously weak. Mass shortages and hunger became the daily standard of living of tens of millions of Russians due to the disruptions of the war economy. Fifteen million men were diverted from agricultural production to fight in the war, and the transportation infrastructure (primarily railroads) were diverted towards war use, exacerbating food shortages in the cities as available agricultural products could not be brought to urban areas. Inflation was rampant which, combined with the food shortages and the poor performance by the Russian military in the war, generated a great deal of anger and unrest among the people in St. Petersburg and other cities. Combatants Allied Powers: France Italy Russia Serbia United Kingdom United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul von Hindenburg Reinhard... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...

The decision of the Tsar to take personal command of the military did not improve its performance. His relocation to the front, leaving the incompetent Tsaritsa in charge of the government, helped undermine the Romanov dynasty. Rasputin essentially ran the government until his assassination, and the poor performance of the military led to rumors believed by the people that the German-born Tsaritsa was part of a conspiracy to help Germany win the war. A Tsaritsa (Цари́ца), also called tsarina, czarina, or czaritsa, was the title of Tsars wife or a female autocratic ruler(monarch) of Russia or Bulgaria. ...

The severe winter of 1916–17 essentially doomed Imperial Russia. Food shortages worsened and famine gripped the cities. The mismanagement and failures of the war turned the soldiers against the Tsar, whose personal command of the military made him personally responsible for the defeats. A famine is a social and economic crisis that is commonly accompanied by widespread malnutrition, starvation, epidemic disease and increased mortality. ...

By March 1917, conditions had worsened. Steelworkers went out on strike on March 7th, and the following day, International Women’s Day, crowds hungry for bread began rioting on the streets of St. Petersburg to protest food shortages and the war. After two days of rioting, the Tsar brought in the Army to restore order, and the next day, on the 11th, they fired on the crowd. That very same day, the Duma, the elected legislature, urged the Tsar to take action to ameliorate the concerns of the people. The Tsar responded by dissolving the Duma. International Womens Day 2006 logo. ... A Duma (Ð”ÑƒÌÐ¼Ð° in Russian) is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. ...

On the 12th of March, soldiers sent to suppress the rioting crowds mutinied and joined the rebellion, thus touching off the February Revolution (like the later October Revolution of November 1917, the Russian Revolutions of 1917 get their names due to the Old Style calendar). Soldiers and workers set up the "Petrograd Soviet" of 2,500 elected deputies. Anarchy was rampant. An assembly of the Petrograd Soviet, 1917 The Petrograd Soviet, or the Petrograd Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies, was the council set up in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg, Russia) in March 1917 as the representative body of the citys workers. ... Anarchy (Greek: Î±Î½Î±ÏÏ‡Î¯Î±) is the anarchist society, the stateless society of free people. ...

During the snowballing crisis, the badly stressed Tsar suffered a nervous breakdown and failed to take further action. As, under the divine right of kings doctrine he and his Tsarina feverently believed in, HE was the government, there was no government. On the 13th, the Duma threw its lot in with the rebels, establishing a Provisional Government, led by the liberal Alexander Kerensky. The Duma informed the Tsar that day that he must abdicate. The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. ... Alexander Kerensky Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (Russian: ; May 2 [O.S. April 22] 1881 â€“ June 11, 1970) was a Russian revolutionary leader who was instrumental in toppling the Russian monarchy. ...

Nicholas tried to get to St. Petersburg by train from army headquarters at Mogiliev. The route was blocked so he tried another way. His train was stopped at Pksov where after receiving advice from a number of different sources he first formally abdicated the throne for himself and later on seeking medical advice for himself and his son the Tsarevich Alexei. Alexandra was now in a perilous position as the wife of the deposed Tsar, hated by the Russian people. Nicholas finally was allowed to return to the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo where he was under arrest with his family. Despite the fact he was a cousin of both Alexandra and Nicholas, King George V refused to allow them to evacuate to the United Kingdom, as he was alarmed by their unpopularity in his country and the potential repercussions on his own throne. Tsar, (Bulgarian цар�, Russian царь; often spelled Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. ... Alexei is a popular Russian males personal name. ... George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 - 20 January 1936) was the first British monarch belonging to the House of Windsor, as a result of his creating it from the British branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ...

The Provisional Government formed after the revolution kept Nicholas, Alexandra and their children confined in their primary residence, the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo, until they were moved to Tobolsk in Siberia in August 1917, a step by the Kerensky government designed to remove them from the capital and possible harm. They remained in Tobolsk until after the Bolshevik Revolution in November 1917, but were subsequently moved to Red-controlled Yekaterinburg. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1360x1872, 461 KB) Portrait by Alexander Sokolov of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, St. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1360x1872, 461 KB) Portrait by Alexander Sokolov of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, St. ... State emblem of the Russian Provisional Government The Russian Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd after the deterioration of the Russian Empire and the tsars abdication. ... View of the corps de logis from the cour dhonneur. ... Catherine Palace and Park Tsarskoye Selo (Russian: ; may be translated as Tsarâ€™s Village) is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting nobility 24 km south of St. ... View of Tobolsk in the 1910s. ... Siberian Federal District (dark red) and the broadest definition of Siberia (red) Udachnaya pipe Siberia (Russian: , Sibir; Tatar: ) is a vast region of Russia constituting almost all of Northern Asia. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Alexander Kerensky Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (Russian: ; May 2 [O.S. April 22] 1881 â€“ June 11, 1970) was a Russian revolutionary leader who was instrumental in toppling the Russian monarchy. ... Bolshevik (1920), by Boris Kustodiev. ... Snow-covered statue of Sverdlov in Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburgs Church on the Blood built on the spot where the Tsar and his family were executed. ...

The Tsar and Tsaritsa and all of their family, including the gravely ill Alexei, along with several family servants, are believed to have been executed by firing squad in the basement of the Ipatiev House, where they had been imprisoned, early in the morning during the night of July 17, 1918, by a detachment of Bolsheviks led by Yakov Yurovsky. Alexandra watched the murder of her husband and two servants before military commissar Peter Ermakov killed her with a gun shot to the left side of her head before she could finish making the sign of the cross. Ermakov, in a drunken haze, stabbed her dead body and that of her husband's, shattering both their rib cages. Leaders of the Bolshevik Party and the Communist International, a painting by Malcolm McAllister on the Pathfinder Mural in New York City and on the cover of the book Leninâ€™s Final Fight published by Pathfinder. ... Yakov Mikhailovich Yurovsky (June 19 [O.S. June 7] 1878 in Tomsk, Siberia, Russia â€“ before 2 August 1938 in Moscow) is best known as the chief executioner of Russias last emperor Tsar Nicholas and his family after the Russian Revolution of 1917. ...

Identification and burial

After the execution of the Romanov family in the Ipatev House, Alexandra's body, along with Nicholas, their children and some faithful retainers who died with them, was stripped and the clothing burnt according to the Yurovsky Note. Initially the bodies were thrown down a disused mine-shaft, 12 miles north of Yekaterinburg. A short time later they were retrieved, their faces were smashed and the bodies dismembered and disfigured with sulphuric acid were hurriedly buried under railway sleepers with the exception of two of the children whose bodies have still not been located. The bodies missing are assumed to be those of Marie and Alexis. In the early 1990s, following the fall of the Soviet Union, the presumed bodies of the majority of the Romanovs were located along with their loyal servants, exhumed and formally identified. A secret report by Yurovsky, which came to light in the late 1970s, but did not become public knowledge until the 1990s, helped the authorities to locate the bodies.

DNA analysis represented a key means of identifying the bodies. A blood sample from Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (a grandson of Alexandra's oldest sister, Princess Victoria of Hesse and the Rhine) was employed to identify Alexandra and her daughters through their mitochondrial DNA. They belonged to Haplogroup H (mtDNA). Nicholas was identified from DNA obtained from among others his late brother Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia. Grand Duke George had died of tuberculosis in the late 1890s and was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St.Petersburg. Alexandra, Nicholas and their children (except Alexei and one daughter, [[Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaevna of Russia, whose remains were missing) were reinterred in the Romanov family crypt in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in 1998, with much ceremony, on the eightieth anniversary of the execution. The Russian Orthodox Church, however, does not acknowledge the remains as those of the Romanovs, owing to the absence of Nicholas's sabre wound and other recent challenges.^[3] In 2000 Alexandra was canonised by the Russian Orthodox Church together with her husband Nicholas II, their children, and other selected members of the Romanov dynasty. The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, (Philip Mountbatten; born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, 10 June 1921) is the husband and consort of Queen Elizabeth II. Originally a Prince of Greece and Denmark, Prince Philip abandoned those titles to serve in the Royal Navy, but did not renounce them. ... Victoria, Marchioness of Milford Haven, nÃ©e Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine (Victoria Alberta Elisabeth Mathilde Marie) (5 April 1863-24 September 1950) was the eldest daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (1837-1892) and his wife Alice, Princess of Great Britain and... // Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is DNA that is located in mitochondria. ... Haplogroup H is a mitochondrial DNA (or mtDNA) haplogroup. ... Grand Duke George Alexandrovitch as a young man in the early 1890s. ... Tuberculosis (abbreviated as TB for Tubercle Bacillus) is a common and deadly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect the central nervous system, lymphatic system, circulatory system, genitourinary system, bones and joints. ... Tsarevich Alexei (1904-1918) Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (Russian: ) (July 30 (OS)/August 12 (NS), 1904 â€“ July 17, 1918), of the House of Romanov, was Tsesarevich of Russia and was the youngest child of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna. ... The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... This article discusses the process of declaring saints. ... The Russian Orthodox Church (Russian: ), also known as the Orthodox Catholic Church of Russia, is that body of Christians who are united under the Patriarch of Moscow, who in turn is in communion with the other patriarchs and primates of the Eastern Orthodox Church. ...

A rather romanticised version of Alexandra's life was dramatised in the 1971 movie Nicholas and Alexandra, based on the book by the same title written by Robert Massie, in which the tsaritsa was played by Janet Suzman. DVD cover Nicholas and Alexandra is a 1971 biographical film which tells the story of Czar Nicholas II of Russia and his wife, the Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse, the last of Russias monarchs. ... Robert K Massie An American historian. ... Janet Suzman (born February 9, 1939) is a South African actress. ...

Titles

Notes

Google Video is a free Google service that allows anyone to upload video clips to Googles web servers as well as make their own media available free of charge or through Google Video Store for a cost that they can set. ...

External links

Categories: 1872 births | 1918 deaths | Russian saints | Russian tsarinas | Christian martyrs | House of Hesse | House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | People executed by firing squad | Murdered Russian royalty members | Ladies of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (November 26, 1847â€“October 13, 1928) was Empress Consort of Russia. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Contents

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