The House of Romanov was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule over Russia, reigning from 1613 until the February Revolution abolished the crown in 1917.
The February Revolution of 1917 resulted in abdication of Nicholas II in favor of his brother Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich. The latter declined to accept the crown, terminating the Romanov dynasty’s rule over Russia. (Many believe that the crown did not technically pass to Michael, as Tsarevich Alexei would have automatically succeeded his father, Nicholas II. Thus Alexei would have been the only one who could renounce the crown, Michael could not abdicate, and the crown would still be in the Romanov name.)
After the February Revolution, Nicholas II and his family were placed under house arrest in the Alexander Palace. Several members of the Imperial Family, including Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich of Russia, managed to establish good relations with the interim government and eventually fled the country during the October Revolution.
Pictured from left to right, the last Romanovs, 1913: Olga, Maria, Nicholas II, Alexandra, Anastasia, Alexei, and Tatiana.
«She never left the children brought up in her institutions afterwards, but helped them all her life, went into all the details that concerned them, and was a true mother to everyone. None of those who served her died in the palace except in her presence. She comforted everyone to the end and always closed the eyes of the dying. Doctors once told her that her retired lady-in-waiting, who lived on Vasilievsky Island, was suffering greatly from breast cancer, that it would be possible to save her, but she did not agree to the operation otherwise than if the Empress herself would be present during her production. “Well,” she said, “if only her recovery depends on it, then I will fulfill her wish.” She went to her and held her head during the whole operation. She went into the smallest details about her establishments and not only supervised the upbringing of the children, but also did not forget to send them treats and give them all sorts of pleasures. One boy was forced to stay in bed for a long time due to illness; she brought him drawings, pencils and various things. With every courier she was informed about the state of his health — she was in Moscow at the time. When appointing honorary guardians, the choice was the strictest: she corresponded with each of them herself weekly, inquired about the pupils and pupils, about their behavior and health, and always gave wise humane advice … Everything was invented by a tender heart for the benefit, joy and peace of all who depend on her. It was not a dry, lifeless patronage, but maternal care. But her arrival at the institute was a real holiday. Maman, mam an, Mutterchen — could be heard from everywhere. Sometimes, at a big dinner, she would order dessert to be taken off and sent to some institute in turn. And she asked guardiansin her testament to remember that the first basis of all actions should be a boon!Babies abandoned by their mothers enjoyed her special attention. One day my father, who always accompanied her when she visited institutions, expressed surprise that she so tenderly kissed the little members of these unfortunate people, examined the laundry on the nurses and so on. “Ah!” she replied, “all these abandoned children are now mine and must find in me the care they are deprived of."»
(с) Maria Sergeevna Mukhanova, lady-in-waiting of Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna.
«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.»
«I read his diary, he (Nicholas 2) brought it with him. I was very interested in one day in the diary, this is April 1, where he writes about Alice of H (Alix of Hesse) and about me. He likes Alice very much, he has already told me about it before, and I am seriously starting to be jealous of her…»
Uniform dress of the Life guards Cuirassier of Her Majesty Empress Maria Feodorovna regiment. Maria was Colonel-in-Chief of the Blue Cuirassiers, one of the Gatchina regiments. ▸Traditionnalcolorblue.
Empress Maria Feodorovna’s uniform dresses
In the pictures, Maria is wearing the uniform of the Cavalier-Guards Regiment of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Maria Feodorovna. The regiment was stationed in Saint Petersburg. ▸Traditionnalcolorred.
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
Most of all I remember the famous Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, the sister of the Empress, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. They had a striking resemblance to each other, but the Grand Duchess Elizabeth had a thinner oval face, which is why those who knew her said that she surpassed her younger sister in appearance. She had charming manners, a sweet smile and a charming voice. She had amazing taste in clothes, and she was one of those people who create their own atmosphere around themselves. She became the personification of what a princess should be: charming, amiable, finding a kind word for everyone. When someone saw her after a bereavement in the gray clothes of a nun, calm, sweet, serene, she was the embodiment of practical charity, and looking into her eyes, one could feel in them an understanding of all human pain and suffering.
Baroness Sofia Karlovna Buksgevden, “Before the storm”
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.
Queen Olga of the Hellenes dedicated her life to Greece, but her heart and loyalty forever lay with her native country - Russia - and she never tried to hide it. Among the many demonstrations of the fact, whenever a Russian ship was harboured in Athens, the Queen would visit it, inquire about the Russian sailors and provide them with every comfort possible. She also had a store of Russian soil, brought with her from the numerous trips, and should a sailor or any Russian die in Greece and she got a word about it, she would insist on spreading the Russian soil over the coffin.
«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.»
