Empress Consorts of Austria 1804-1918 Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily (6 June 1772 – 13 April 1807), second wife of Emperor Franz I - Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este (14 December 1787 – 7 April 1816) , third wife of Emperor Franz I - Karoline Auguste of Bavaria (8 February 1792 – 9 February 1873), fourth wife of Emperor Franz I - Maria Anna of Savoy (19 September 1803 – 4 May 1884), wife of Emperor Ferdinand I - Elisabeth of Bavaria (24 December 1837 - 10 September 1898), wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I - Zita of Bourbon-Parma (9 May 1892 – 14 March 1989), wife of Emperor Karl I
e)The posthumous reputations. As was established here the Godunovs didn’t manage to hold on to power and the Time of Troubles was a bad period. The Romanov dynasty which came and marked the end of the Times of Troubles in 1613 managed to claim the throne on the grounds that the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty was great-nephew of Anastasia Romanovna, Ivan the Terrible’s first beloved wife. Because of that the Romanovs never essentially did or attempted to do with Ivan’s image what was done to Richard’s image under the Tudors. As many historians point out for the sake of political capital and to extra prop up Tudors’ ascension on the throne Richard III was described not simply as a bad King-usurper and a tyrant, but according to the numerous Tudor chronicles essentially as some form of evil abomination, so Tudors looked like heroes who defeated this almost-Antichrist and saved England. The Romanovs per the official narrative weren’t saving Russia from Ivan the Terrible (Ivan was dead for 29 years by the time the Romanovs came to the throne). They were saving Russia from the consequences of the Times of Troubles and the legacy of the Godunovs, who fucked up. Besides the Romanov dynasty had their own share of familial conflicts, and thus they were not inclined to overly demonize Ivan (or Rurik dynasty in general). Peter I the Great, one of the most prominent and respected rulers of Romanov dynasty, imprisoned his son and heir Alexei on accusations of conspiring rebellion against him, Alexei was tortured and condemned to death – but he died because of inflicted torture, before his execution. Then Catherine (later known as Catherine the Great) deposed her husband Peter III and he promptly died/was killed. Then Alexander(future Alexander I) knew that they’d depose his father Paul I – but Paul was not just deposed, he was assassinated. Alexander’s accession to the throne was announced by one of the conspirators who took part in the coup. Historians still debate to this date if Alexander knew his father was going to get murdered or he wanted to simply remove his father from power and become Emperor himself but wanted to spare his father’s life. So, while numerous historians wrote various accounts about Ivan’s reign during the rule of the Romanovs and some of them’re quite critical of Ivan and some of his actions, Ivan didn’t become the prime villain in the Romanovs’ story, like Richard III became in Tudors’ story and remained conflicted, complicated, debatable, feared but respected figure both in Russian history and among many of the Romanovs themselves.In fact, Romanovs used Ivan for self-political propaganda too, but often they used him for establishing continuity and elevation of royal power. Peter the Great himself openly respected and appreciated Ivan as the ruler and for example when Peter became Emperor, he used Ivan’s image during one of major celebrations, there was large image of Ivan IV (as first Tsar) on one side of triumphal arch with inscription “Started it” and on the other side large image of the Peter the Great himself (as first Emperor) with inscription “Improved it”. Catherine the Great also respected Ivan the Terrible, and praised him. Romanovs, as you see, in many ways stressed that they’re continuing after Ivan the whole state-building and state-governing. Richard III didn’t get such posthumous respectable edition. So, here’s the difference, basically.
The Romanovs ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917, when the revolution brought their reign to an abrupt end. The extravagant tasted of the tsars are particularly evident in the imperial jewellery collected in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Empress Alexandra wore this crown at her wedding to Nicholas II in 1894. It came to be considered part of the imperial wedding regalia, along with a diamond studded kokoshnik that was worn in front of it, long diamond earrings, a jeweled clasp for the robe, and heavy bracelets, some of which date to the time of Catherine the Great. Bands of diamonds are sewn onto the velvet-covered supports of this orb-shaped wedding crown, and a cross of six larger, old mine-cut diamonds surmounts it. Three rows of small diamonds with two rows of larger diamonds in between form the bands.
«Princess Louise…she combined inexpressible charm and grace with restraint and tact, quite rare at the age of fourteen. In all her actions, the result of her mother’s worries, both respected and beloved, was visible. Her mind, soft and delicate, grasped with extreme rapidity everything that could decorate it, like a bee that knows how to get honey from the most poisonous plants. Her conversation reflected the freshness of her youth, and to this she added a great correctness of concepts.»
Empress Catherine I, the first Empress consort and Empress regnant of Russia, was recorded to have been a recipient of four Awards: Order of Saint Catherine, Order of Saint Andrew, Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, and Order of the White Eagle.
The Kochli Sapphire Tiara. Made in 1894 by Friedrich Koechli, part of a parure consists of a corsage ornament or brooch, a tiara and a necklace. Commissioned by Tsar Alexander III and Tsarina Marie Feodorovna for the last Tsarina of Russia, Alexandra Feodorovna, nee Pss Alix of Hesse upon her marriage to their son Nicholas II the same year. Intertwined scrolls in which 16 sapphires are set mounted in gold; the diamonds are mounted in silver and linked with gold.
“Alexandra Feodorovna is German neither in mind nor spirit and has never been so… In her inmost being she has become entirely Russian… I have no doubt of her patriotism… Her love for Russia is deep and true. And why should she not be devoted to her adopted country which stands for everything dear to her as woman, wife, sovereign and mother?”
— Maurice Paléologue on the Tsarina of Russia and her devotion to her country; from Born to Rule (p. 239)
