"Adini and Sanny"

Grand Duchesses Alexandra Nikolaievna ('Adini')
and Alexandra Iosifovna ('Sanny')

Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaievna was the youngest daughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia. She died at the tender age of 19 in childbirth. 'Adini' had been suffering from tuberculosis even before her marriage to Prince Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel, but it was soon after her wedding that her health deteriorated rapidly. Her illness, her difficult pregnancy, and her tragic death was a dark episode to the otherwise happy and idyllic family life of the Russian emperor. 

Lively, talented, and mischievous, Adini was a favorite among her siblings, but she had a particular soft spot for her younger brother Konstantin who she called 'Kostya'. They bonded over shared love for music - she, a talented singer and he, a skillful player of musical instruments. Both were also artistically-inclined and voracious readers. ⁣When Adini died, Konstantin was on a sea voyage. He was then an officer of the Russian navy and when he received the news that his favorite sister died, he was profoundly affected. "...the sun's rays have faded forever in our family", he wrote in his journal. ⁣He often think about his sister, especially when he went on a campaign oversees, and he referred to her as his "guardian angel". 

3 years after the death of Adini, he fell in love with and married a German princess, Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg. Curiously, his chosen bride not only bore the name of his dead sister, but she also looked a lot like her. 'Sanny' was a highly attractive and lively girl. Furthermore, she was also a music and an art lover. These qualities of Sanny greatly reminded him of Adini. When Sanny came to Russia and was introduced to Konstantin's mother for the first time, the Empress could not help but notice the physical resemblance and burst into tears. The sight of her future daughter-in-law undoubtedly brought back the happy and sad memories about Adini.

Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaievich ('Kostya')
Portrait by Franz Kruger
(State Hermitage Museum, Russia)

Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna about the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna
(Photo courtesy of https://www.worthpoint.com/)

"Grand Duchess Elizaveta Fedorovna came to [St.] Petersburg the very first winter I spent there. Her husband was the Governor-General of Moscow, and they did not often visit the capital. A few days after my arrival, the Grand Duchess called and led me to walk along the promenade. I have been especially fond of her since I first met her in Athens during my sister's engagement. She was especially kind and sweet with me, and since then we have become friends. Grand Duchess Elizabeth, Ella, was one of the most beautiful women of her time. Her head was in perfect shape, like a statue, and beautiful features. Her complexion was like rose petals, and she never used make-up or powder. At the ball, she was simply dazzling, always dressed beautifully and wore her wonderful jewelry like no other. I was devoted to her, and throughout all the years that I knew her, she was always the same kind and dear friend. The stay with her in the beautiful country house of her husband, Ilinskoe, near Moscow, was amazing. She did everything so that everyone felt at home, and could always do what she wanted. She kept herself simple, took part in all the fun and did everything in her power so that the guests had a good time."

~ From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna 

Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna of Russia

Queen Caroline of Bavaria: A Royal Stepmother and Mother

Stepmothers are often portrayed as wicked and evil in fairy tales and other stories. They were almost always the antagonist in a story and hell-bent in making the protagonist's life miserable. Among royal families, there were also stories of stepmoms who were (although not exactly wicked and evil), downright difficult or were unable to endear themselves to their stepchildren. Or stepchildren hating their stepmothers because they were loyal to the memory of their beloved biological mother. Then there were also stories of intrigues and family disputes.

But there was a royal stepmother who was the complete opposite of the fairy tales' portrayal. Not only was she became a beloved member of the family but also a doting and devoted stepmother to her stepchildren. She was Princess Caroline of Baden, future Queen of Bavaria.

Princess Caroline of Baden, was the second daughter of Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt. She came from a close-knit family, a characteristic that she would want for her own family someday. Her upbringing was more French than her native German, so it was quite ironic that several years later, she developed a deep hatred with anything French. This hatred was largely rooted to the execution of Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon, Duke of Enghien, at the instigation of Napoleon Bonaparte. Caroline was said to be very much in love with the Duke and that her family considered him a potential husband for her. But they eventually had to drop the matter because of their fear of French opposition.

Caroline of Baden, later Queen of Bavaria, 1820.
Portrait from Karolinen Gymnasium

Love and Marriage Prospects of the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna of Russia
Detail from a portrait by Christina Robertson
(State Hermitage Museum, Russia)

Beautiful, elegant, imposing and intelligent – these were just some of the words used to describe the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna, the second daughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.

As a young grand duchess in the Russian court, she was the focus of admiration among courtiers and members of the nobility. Contemporaries described her as tall and slender, graceful, blonde, with long eyelashes and a “divine” gleam in her eyes. There was kindness and gentleness in her expression, but she was also proud and judicious.

Despite her beauty, virtues, and her status as the daughter of the Russian emperor, Olga was not lucky in love, unlike her sisters. She married a future king and became a queen, just as her parents hoped, but the relationship with her husband was far from ideal.

Olga’s older sister, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, had married a prince of low rank, Maximilian of Leuchtenberg. Consequently, the Emperor and Empress hoped that their second daughter, would make a more brilliant match. They cherished the hope to someday see Olga marry a future king, however they did not want to force her to marry someone against her will.

"A being in close contact with the ineffable and divine..."

Grand Duchess Elizabeth in her nun's habit
Photo courtesy of Klimblim

"Although she is approaching fifty, she has kept her slim figure and her old grace. Under her loose white woolen hood, she was as elegant and attractive as in the old days before her widowhood when she still inspired profane passions… Her face in the frame of her long white woolen veil was alive with spirituality. Her delicate features and white skin, the deep, far-away look in her eyes, the low, soft tone of her voice and the luminous glow round her brow all betrayed a being in close contact with the ineffable and divine."

- From the memoirs of Maurice Paleologue about the Grand Duchess Elizabeth as a nun.

Marie of Saxe-Altenburg, Queen of Hanover

Queen Marie of Hanover
Portrait by Joseph Stieler

In the middle of the 19th century, the German kingdom of Hanover was ruled by King Ernest Augustus, a British prince by birth, who was also the Duke of Cumberland. Long before Ernest Augustus became king, he had married the rather controversial and scandalous Frederica of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Although their marriage can be said that it was out of love, their relationship with his family was quite sour. Frederica was disliked by most members of the British royal family and when Ernest Augustus became King of Hanover, he and Frederica wasted no time in setting up their court in Hanover. Frederica had only four years as queen and she died after an illness. She failed to endear herself with the people and as a result she did not become a popular queen.

Fortunately, her successor, the daughter-in-law she never met, was immensely popular with the people of Hanover.

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, First German Empress

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach,
Queen of Prussia and Empress of Germany

Empress Augusta, consort of Emperor William I and the first empress of Germany, was born a Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach on September 30, 1811. She was the youngest daughter of Grand Duke Carl Frederick of Saxe-Weimar and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia, a granddaughter of Catherine the Great.

Princess Augusta spent her formative years in the literary court of Weimar. She received a well-rounded education that was carefully supervised by her mother. Maria Pavlovna was a highly-cultivated woman who presided over the cultural development of Weimar, while Augusta's father was a simple and timid man who nevertheless enjoyed the works of Goethe. Maria Pavlovna instilled in her daughter the strict observance of etiquette and courtly manners, and above all else, the importance of performing one's duties. Thus, while Augusta grew up in the romantic atmosphere of the Weimar court, where Goethe and other well-known writers and musicians throughout Germany frequented the grand ducal palaces, she also turned into an intelligent and well-read woman who possessed a firm and independent character.

A Mother's Advice to Her Daughter

Portrait of Princess Charlotte of Prussia as a Grand Duchess of Russia.

 Below is an excerpt from a letter of Queen Louise of Prussia to her eldest daughter, Princess Charlotte. Queen Louise never saw her daughter eventually become Empress of Russia as consort of Nicholas I as the Queen died when Charlotte was only 12 years old.

"Dear Charlotte, listen to these cheerful cries and the bells ringing with reverence... Those who want to deserve this, must respond with love to the love of their people; must have a heart capable of sharing their sufferings and joys; and the most important thing - one must be with the people... Remember this, my daughter, and if you ever get to wear a crown, remember this solemn hour."

Queen Louise of Prussia

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From a letter of Queen Louise to her daughter - Princess Charlotte, future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I of Russia

New Year 2020

Happy New Year everyone! I apologized for the lack of updates for a very long time. So many events have happened in the past years - I got married, switched jobs, moved to a new place... But that does not mean that I will not be continuing this blog anymore. I love history and I love writing, and this blog is a labor of love, so it will still continue as it is. There will be articles that I will still be posting so you can check my blog from time to time. In the mean time, I wish everyone a happy and blessed new year ahead!

- Gem

January 24, 1779 - Birth of the Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna

"Today, on your birthday, my dear Eliza, I write this letter in response to yours, passed by Amelia [Elizabeth's sister]. May Heaven grant you happiness and bliss in this world! This is my most heartfelt and ardent desire! But for this, you should adhere to the principle that you have defined for yourself in the form of a motto: patience and perseverance! Remind yourself that it was Providence that determined your place; leaving it voluntarily would be a sign for the disgruntled."

-Extract from a letter written by the Margravine of Baden to her daughter the Empress Elizabeth on the latter's birthday on January 24, 1811.

New Portrait of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna

A lovely portrait of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna by little-known Russian artist, Ekaterina Ieronimovna Viskovatova, 1896. 

This particular painting of the Grand Duchess is currently on display at the Buckingham Palace as part of the exhibit, "Russia, Royalty and the Romanovs". 

Courtesy: The Royal Collection

In Remembrance of the Martyrdom of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth

Grand Duchess Elizabeth from a black-and-white photo,

colorized by Klimbim

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia. She, along with other members of the extended Imperial Family, were murdered by Bolsheviks on July 18, 1918, in the Siberian town of Alapayevsk. Their death, even with those of the Tsar and his family, a day before, were one of the bloodiest chapters on the history of Russia. 

As a commemoration to this beautiful and selfless woman, who has been an inspiration to me for so many years already, here are quotes from her cousin and admirer, Queen Marie of Romania:

"Aunt Ella, on these occasions was so fairy-like an apparition that I would like to dip my pen in colour, so as to be able to make her live again, if only for a moment, because eyes that have never beheld her will never be able to conceive what she was. With that divine smile curving her perfect lips, with a blush on her cheeks, only comparable to almond-blossoms, and an almost bashful look in her long-shaped, sky-blue eyes... Her gown, heavily embroidered in silver, is a colour which is neither blue nor green, the colour of glaciers or of aquamarine; her kokoshnik of emeralds and diamonds is truly a halo for her angelic face, and the gorgeous jewels, covering arms and throat, have, when she wears them, the aspect of gifts, piously offered to some beloved saint."

----------------------------------

"Aunt Ella, beautiful, beautiful Aunt Ella, may something of my love for you reach you in that faraway country where you rest in a martyr's grave. Now you are in the Holy Land, the victim of this world, too dark for your light."

The Austrian Empress and the Russian Grand Duchess

 

"The Grand Duchess was always terribly interested in everything that concerned the Austrian Empress. Perhaps, some envy played a part in this, since the Empress was famous for her beauty. So, for example, the Grand Duchess often asked: "Is my hair as beautiful as the Empress? Do you not find that I am like her?" I remember how she once interrogated someone who has newly returned from Vienna, where he was traveling with an order to Emperor Franz Joseph, Adjutant-General von Stühler: "Who is more beautiful, the Austrian empress or I?" General Stühler, slightly embarrassed, replied: "If the Austrian empress is the most beautiful woman on Earth, your Highness is undoubtedly the most beautiful princess! "The Grand Duchess was satisfied with this answer."

--From the "Memories of a Shipwrecked World" by Countess Kleinmichel.

The idol of Moscow

"As for Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, she was the idol of Moscow, the soul of every charitable enterprise and the ornament of every meeting. She was not shy, like her sister, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, she knew how to talk to anyone about anything. She was everywhere, she knew everyone, and if her help was needed, she would render it with both hands. She had a rare gift of sympathy and understanding, which enabled her to enter into the position of each person."

-From the memoirs of Princess Lydia Leonidovna Vasilchikova, 1886-1919

Marie of Baden, Duchess of Brunswick

I have always found the daughters of Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden quite interesting. In the past, I wrote several articles about his daughters, Caroline, Louise, and Frederica, and now I'll be continuing with Marie, second to the youngest daughter in the family.

Marie was born in 1782, the fifth daughter in a family of 7 children. Marie's family had a rather modest lifestyle as opposed to other noble houses of Europe, so her parents had to made up with this by ensuring that their children receive an excellent education which will strengthen their marriage prospects. Both Charles Louis and Amalie were politically astute individuals who tried to make the most out of their circumstances. As a result, Marie’s eldest sister, Caroline, would eventually become Queen of Bavaria, while her other sisters, Louise and Frederika would become, Empress of Russia and Queen of Sweden, respectively. Her younger sister Wilhelmine would become Grand Duchess of Hesse. Another sister, Amalie, who was the identical twin of Caroline, remained unmarried and would settle permanently in Russia with their sister Louise. Their brother Charles would marry Napoleon's step-niece, Stephanie de Beauharnais.

With her sisters and brother made brilliant marriages, it was also imperative for Marie to have the same brilliant marriage. She was suggested as a prospective bride to one of the sons of Charles William, Duke of Brunswick, Prince Frederick William

Like Marie, Frederick William also came from a large family. As the fourth son and since his eldest brother was already married, much cannot be expected of him inheriting his father's title. However, with his eldest brother proved to be incapable of having an issue and his two elder brothers declared invalid and excluded from the succession, Frederick William was now seen as the hope of the House of Brunswick in continuing the family line. His father began to put pressure on him to marry. On his part, Frederick William felt that there was no need for him to marry right away.

At the same time, Marie was not fond of the idea of marriage to Frederick William, since he already had a reputation of leading a rather “fast” life. However, Frederick William's family continued to put pressure on him to marry and he finally agreed to woo the young princess. Fortunately, he and Marie became fond of each other and they were married in Karslruhe on 1 November 1802. Their eldest child, Karl, was born two years later and they had another son, William, in 1806.

Marie's quiet family life in Brunswick was interrupted by the war against Napoleonic France. As her husband was a major-general in the Prussian army, he actively participated in the war zone. When Frederick William's father died from a wound he sustained in the battlefield, Marie and her mother-in-law, Augusta, went to his deathbed despite the danger. They were not allowed to remain for a long time and they were advised to flee. Marie's husband was captured and with two very young children with her, she had no choice but to flee in Northern Europe. She and her children accepted the offer of her brother-in-law, King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden to take up residence with the royal family in Malmo. 

Marie with her eldest son, Karl

While in Sweden, Marie was constantly worried about the whereabouts of her husband and the future of their duchy. They were finally allowed to return to Germany in 1807 and she was reunited with her husband. Since Brunswick was now under Napoleon's control, they were not able to go back there and they stayed with Marie's family in Karlsruhe. While in Karlsruhe, Marie became pregnant with her third child, However, when she gave birth, the baby was stillborn, and Marie succumbed to puerperal fever. She died four days later, on December 8, 1808 at the age of 25.

Marie's life was short, but she led an exemplary life dedicated to, to her husband, and to the preservation of her duchy. After her death, Frederick William became a freedom-fighter and formed a corps raised from volunteers. They wore black uniforms which earned them the name "the Black Brunswickers". Frederick William, the Black Duke of Brunswick, became a local hero and a living legend. Perhaps as a way to give tribute to the memory of his wife, several streets, places and churches in Brunswick were named after. 

A Requiem for Adini

The Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna was the youngest daughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (born Princess Charlotte of Prussia). She was affectionately called "Adini" and her family loved her immensely. She was a favorite among her brothers and sisters because of her cheerful, spirited and mischievous nature. Her death at the age of 19 devastated the whole family and this left a lasting sorrow to the otherwise blissful family life of Nicholas I. This event also left a profound effect on each family member, particularly on Grand Duchess Olga, who was very close to her sister. On her memoirs, Olga wrote about her relationship with her sister, the courtship between Adini and Frederick William of Hesse-Kassel, Adini's marriage, sickness and subsequent death.

The following was an excerpt from the memoirs of the Grand Duchess Olga entitled "The Golden Dream of My Youth".

Royal Portrait: The Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna of Russia

“I always get a pleasant feeling every time I see something that reminds me of her. Strangely, I love her immensely, although I have never known her, and not only because she was dear to you, but also because of all the things I heard about her; it was said that she was really a great woman: she was able to keep people’s deep affection for her.”

–Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alexeievna about her aunt, the Grand Duchess Natalia Alexeievna (nee Princess Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt), the first wife of Emperor Paul I of Russia, in a letter to her mother on July 1, 1797.

"A charming effect that is impossible to describe"

"Those who were given the good fortune to see up close the Empress Elizabeth had the opportunity to judge the extreme sociability of her nature and her extraordinary judgment. Gifted with great tact and exquisite taste, having a mass of diverse and deep knowledge, she always tried to hide her talents, as opposed to that zeal and skill with which she showed to ordinary people. Her nature had the property of contemplation which allowed her to see the serious side of her surrounding; but at the same time her passion and imagination gave her a charm and grace of simplicity; combining all these qualities engendered a charming effect that is impossible to describe."

- From an essay about the spouse of Alexander I "Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna" by Sergei Semenovich Uvarov. Published in the journal "Russian Antiquity" in 1884.

Tatiana Vasilievna Engelhardt, Princess Yusupova

Princess Tatiana Yusupova
by Elisabeth Louise Vigee Lebrun

Today my post is dedicated to the great-grandmother of the famous Russian belle and heiress, Princess Zinaida Yusupova. 

Zinaida's great-grandmother was Princess Tatiana. She was actually born as Tatiana Engelhardt into a family of an impoverished gentry in Smolenk, Russia named Vasily Engelhardt. Her mother was Martha Elena Alexandrovna Potemkin, sister of Grigory Potemkin, who would go down in history as a brilliant military leader, statesman and a lover of Catherine the Great. Tatiana's childhood coincided with that period when her uncle rose to power. As a result, she and her sisters made a brilliant match because of their uncle's influence at the Russian court. Possessing both beauty and a gentle nature, and not to mention her uncle's protection, she was destined to have a bright future.

Tatiana and her five sisters were orphaned at a very young age. They were left to the care of their grandmother and as a result, they received little education and their manners were unpolished. As their uncle Potemkin rose to power, he took the sisters under his protection and brought them to the Russian court, where the Empress Catherine treated them generously. They were treated almost as grand duchesses and soon they learned how to be sophisticated and act accordingly.

Tatiana, at the age of 12, was appointed as a maid-of-honor to the Empress Catherine. And although she came from a poor province, she attracted admiration and attention at the court not only for being the niece of Potemkin but also for being a witty and lively girl. When the Duchess of Kingston visited St. Petersburg and was invited at court, she became strongly attached to the then 15 year-old Tatiana, treating her like her own daughter. The Duchess even told Tatiana that she would make her the heiress of her vast fortune if she would agree to live with her in England. Tatiana, however, refused.

Instead, her uncle arranged her to be married to her uncle and mother's cousin who was 25 years her senior, Mikhail Potemkin. Her uncle gave her a large dowry which further made her an attractive bride. The couple had two daughters, with the Empress serving as their godmother. However, the marriage did not last long - Tatiana's husband died six years later. It was a blow for her and she retired from court life, occasionally appearing only at the request of the Empress herself. 

But soon enough, she met a dashing nobleman named Prince Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov, who had just returned to Russia from Italy where he was working at the embassy. He and Tatiana married in 1793 with Catherine's blessing and a year later, they had a son, Boris. Despite the promising start of their married life, Nikolai and Tatiana's marriage would be a failure and soon enough the couple started living separately. Nikolai stayed in Arkhangelskoye Grand Palace while Tatiana moved to Caprice Palace where she managed the Kupavinskaya textile plant, one of Prince Nikolai’s properties. Along with the management of her husband's estate, she also devoted her time in raising her son Boris.

Despite her wish for a more quiet and secluded life, this would prove to be almost impossible. Her intellectual pursuits and artistic inclinations attracted a group of likewise intellectual and artistic people who frequented her home including the Russian poet Gavrila Derzhavin who dedicated a poem for her entitled "To a mother who brings up her children herself", Vasily Zhukovsky and Alexander Pushkin.

Tatiana also proved to be skillful and highly competent in the management of their estates. Under her supervision, she was able to increase the already vast fortune of the Yusupovs (which is also due to her inheritance from Potemkin that amounted to 18 million rubles) and her practical ability and financial acumen made her acquired substantial properties. But people were surprised by her modest lifestyle and her disdain for flamboyance and ostentatious display of wealth and they sometimes mistook it for stinginess. However, she was spending large sums of money for charity which she donated anonymously.

Tatiana, with an eye for beauty, was fascinated with jewelry and she possessed some of the most dazzling jewelry collections. Among them was the world-famous Polar Star Diamond, the diamond earrings of Marie Antoinette, a sapphire statue of Venus, the pearl and diamond tiara of Caroline Murat and the Peregrina pearl.

Tatiana died in May 25, 1841 and the large fortune of the Yusupovs was inherited by her only son, Boris.

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna in England

The Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaievna of Russia and her husband, Charles, Crown Prince of Wurttemberg visited England in August 5, 1853. They were warmly received by Queen Victoria at Osborne House a few days after their arrival. The young Queen wrote to his uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians about Olga:

"Olga is still very handsome as to features, figure, but she is a wraith which is a sad thing for one who was so beautiful and is so young. She is terribly thin and pale... Her manners are very dignified and pleasing."

(Photo courtesy of The Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
Quote courtesy of The Royal Collection)