Love in Nicholas's family 2. Love story: Love is stronger than death

In 1890, 18-year-old Matilda Kshesinskaya, a still unknown but promising girl, graduated from the Imperial Theater School. According to custom, after the graduation performance, Matilda and other graduates are presented to the crowned family. Alexander III showed particular favor towards the young talent, enthusiastically watching the dancer’s pirouettes and arabesques. True, Matilda was a visiting student of the school, and such people were not supposed to attend the festive banquet with members of the royal family. However, Alexander, who noticed the absence of the fragile dark-haired girl, ordered her to be immediately brought into the hall, where he uttered the fateful words: “Mademoiselle! Be the decoration and glory of our ballet!”

At the table, Matilda was seated next to Tsarevich Nicholas, who, despite his position and young age (he was then 22 years old), had not been seen by that time in any amorous story where he could demonstrate his ardor and temperament. Fervor and temperament - no, but devotion and tenderness - very much so.

Dreams of marriage

In January 1889, at the invitation of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt, granddaughter of the English Queen Victoria, arrived in St. Petersburg. The girl staying at the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace was introduced to Tsarevich Nicholas (Alexander III was the princess's godfather). During the six weeks that the future Empress of Russia arrived in St. Petersburg, she managed to conquer the meek heart of the future emperor and awaken in him a frantic desire to tie the knot with her. But when rumors reached that Nikolai wanted to marry Alice, he ordered his son to forget about this desire. The fact is that Alexander and his wife Maria Fedorovna hoped to marry their son to the daughter of the pretender to the throne of France Louis-Philippe Louise Henriette, whom the American newspaper The Washington Post even called “the embodiment of women’s health and beauty, an elegant athlete and a charming polyglot.”

By the time he met Kshesinskaya, Nikolai already intended to marry Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

It was only later, in 1894, when the emperor’s health began to deteriorate sharply, and Nicholas, with unusual vehemence, continued to insist on his own, the attitude changed - fortunately, Alice’s sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, contributed not only to the rapprochement of the heir to the throne and the princess, helping in the correspondence of lovers, but also influenced Alexander using hidden methods. As a result of all these reasons, in the spring of 1894, a manifesto appeared in which they announced the engagement of the Tsarevich and Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt. But that was after.

“Baby” Kshesinskaya and Nikki

And in 1890, when Nikolai could only correspond with his Alice, he was unexpectedly introduced to Matilda Kshesinskaya - according to some historians, the cunning Alexander decided that it was necessary to distract Nikolai from his love and direct his energy in a different direction. The emperor’s project was a success: already in the summer, the Tsarevich wrote in his diary: “Little Kshesinskaya positively fascinates me...” - and regularly attends her performances.

Matilda Kshesinskaya fell in love with the future emperor at first sight. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org “Baby” Kshesinskaya perfectly understood what game she was entering into, but she could hardly realize how far she would advance in relations with members of the royal family. When there was a shift in communication with Nikolai, Matilda announced to her father, a famous Polish dancer who performed on the Mariinsky stage, that she had become Nikolai’s lover. The father listened to his daughter and asked only one question: does she realize that the affair with the future emperor will not end in anything? To this question, which she asked herself, Matilda replied that she wanted to drink the cup of love to the bottom.

The romance between the temperamental and flamboyant ballerina and the future emperor of Russia, who was not used to demonstrating his feelings, lasted exactly two years. Kshesinskaya had really strong feelings for Nikolai and even considered her relationship with him a sign of fate: both he and she were “marked” with the number two: he was supposed to become Nicholas II, and she was called Kshesinskaya-2 on stage: the eldest also worked in the theater Matilda's sister Julia. When their relationship had just begun, Kshesinskaya enthusiastically wrote in her diary: “I fell in love with the Heir from our first meeting. After the summer season in Krasnoye Selo, when I could meet and talk with him, my feeling filled my entire soul, and I could only think about him...”

The lovers most often met in the house of the Kshesinsky family and did not particularly hide: at court no secrets were possible, and the emperor himself turned a blind eye to his son’s affair. There was even a case when the mayor came to the house, hastening to inform that the sovereign was urgently demanding his son to come to the Anichkov Palace. However, to maintain decency, a mansion was bought for Kshesinskaya on the Promenade des Anglais, where lovers could see each other without any interference.

End of story

The relationship ended in 1894. Matilda, ready from the very beginning for such an outcome, did not fight in hysterics, did not cry: when saying goodbye to Nicholas with restraint, she behaved with dignity befitting a queen, but not an abandoned mistress.

The ballerina took the news of the separation calmly. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org It is impossible to say that this was a deliberate calculation, but Kshesinskaya’s behavior led to a positive result: Nikolai always remembered his friend with warmth, and in parting he asked her to always address him as “you”, to still call him by his home nickname “Nikki” and in In case of trouble, always turn to him. Kshesinskaya would indeed later resort to the help of Nikolai, but exclusively for professional purposes relating to behind-the-scenes theatrical intrigues.

At this point, their relationship was completely broken. Matilda continued to dance and soared above the stage with special inspiration when she saw her former lover in the royal box. And Nicholas, who put on the crown, completely immersed himself in state concerns that fell on him after the death of Alexander III, and in the quiet whirlpool of family life with the desired Alix, as he affectionately called the former princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt.

When the engagement first took place, Nikolai honestly spoke about his connection with the ballerina, to which she replied: “What is past is past and will never return. We are all surrounded by temptations in this world, and when we are young, we cannot always fight to resist the temptation... I love you even more since you told me this story. Your trust touches me so deeply... Will I be able to be worthy of it?..”

P.S.

A few years later, terrible shocks and a terrible end awaited Nicholas: the Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday, a series of murders of high-ranking officials, the First World War, popular discontent that grew into a revolution, the humiliating exile of him and his entire family, and finally, execution in the basement of Ipatievsky Houses.

Matilda Kshesinskaya with her son. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

A different fate awaited Kshesinskaya - fame as one of the richest women in the Empire, a love affair with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, from whom she would give birth to a son, emigration to Europe, an affair with Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, who would give the child his patronymic, and fame as one of the best ballerinas of her time and one of the most attractive women of the era, who turned the head of Emperor Nicholas himself.

On April 20, 1894, the engagement of Nicholas II took place. His father Alexander III resisted this event for a long time, but finally, on his deathbed, he agreed to his son’s marriage to Princess Alice of Hesse, later named Alexandra Feodorovna. Maria Molchanova recalls the love story of the last Russian imperial couple.

Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt) was born in 1872 in Darmstadt, the capital of the small German Duchy of Hesse. Her mother died at thirty-five. Six-year-old Alix, the youngest in a large family, was taken in by her grandmother, the famous English Queen Victoria. For her bright character, the English court nicknamed the blond girl Sunny (Sunny).

Nicholas II fell in love with Alice at the age of 16 and waited 5 years for marriage

In 1884, twelve-year-old Alix was brought to Russia: her sister Ella was marrying Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. The heir to the Russian throne, sixteen-year-old Nicholas, fell in love with her at first sight. The young people, who were also quite closely related (they were second cousins through the princess’s father), immediately fell in love with each other. But only five years later, seventeen-year-old Alix reappeared at the Russian court.

Alice of Hesse in childhood

In 1889, when the heir to the crown prince turned twenty-one, he turned to his parents with a request to bless him for his marriage to Princess Alice. The answer of Emperor Alexander III was brief: “You are very young, there is still time for marriage, and, in addition, remember the following: you are the heir to the Russian throne, you are engaged to Russia, and we will still have time to find a wife.” A year and a half after this conversation, Nikolai wrote in his diary: “Everything is in the will of God. Trusting in His mercy, I look calmly and humbly to the future.” Alix’s grandmother, Queen Victoria of England, also opposed this marriage. However, when Victoria later met Tsarevich Nicholas, he made a very good impression on her, and the English ruler’s opinion changed. Alice herself had reason to believe that the beginning of an affair with the heir to the Russian throne could have favorable consequences for her. Returning to England, the princess begins to study the Russian language, gets acquainted with Russian literature, and even has long conversations with the priest of the Russian embassy church in London.

Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna

In 1893, Alexander III became seriously ill. Here a dangerous question for the succession to the throne arose - the future sovereign is not married. Nikolai Alexandrovich categorically stated that he would choose a bride only for love, and not for dynastic reasons. Through the mediation of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, the emperor's consent to his son's marriage to Princess Alice was obtained.

However, Maria Feodorovna poorly concealed her dissatisfaction with the unsuccessful, in her opinion, choice of an heir. The fact that the Princess of Hesse joined the Russian imperial family during the mournful days of the suffering of the dying Alexander III probably set Maria Feodorovna even more against the new empress.

Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov on the back of the Greek Prince Nicholas

In April 1894, Nikolai went to Coburg for the wedding of Alix's brother Ernie. And soon the newspapers reported the engagement of the crown prince and Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt. On the day of the engagement, Nikolai Alexandrovich wrote in his diary: “A wonderful, unforgettable day in my life - the day of my engagement to dear Alix. I walk around all day as if outside of myself, not quite fully aware of what is happening to me.” November 14, 1894 is the day of the long-awaited wedding. On the wedding night, Alix wrote in Nicholas’s diary: “When this life ends, we will meet again in another world and stay together forever...” After the wedding, the Tsarevich will write in his diary: “Incredibly happy with Alix. It’s a pity that classes take up so much time that I would so much like to spend exclusively with her.”

Wedding of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna

Typically, the wives of Russian heirs to the throne were in secondary roles for a long time. Thus, they had time to carefully study the mores of the society they would have to manage, had time to navigate their likes and dislikes, and most importantly, had time to acquire the necessary friends and helpers. Alexandra Fedorovna was unlucky in this sense. She ascended the throne, as they say, having fallen from a ship to a ball: not understanding the life that was alien to her, not being able to understand the complex intrigues of the imperial court. Painfully withdrawn, Alexandra Fedorovna seemed to be the opposite example of the affable Dowager Empress - she, on the contrary, gave the impression of an arrogant, cold German woman who treated her subjects with disdain.

During the famine, Alexandra gave 50 thousand rubles. from your personal funds

The embarrassment that invariably gripped the queen when communicating with strangers prevented her from establishing simple, relaxed relationships with representatives of high society, which she vitally needed. Alexandra Feodorovna did not know how to win the hearts of her subjects at all; even those who were ready to bow to members of the imperial family did not receive a reason to do so. So, for example, in women's institutes, Alexandra Fedorovna could not squeeze out a single friendly word. This was all the more striking, since the former Empress Maria Fedorovna knew how to evoke in college students a relaxed attitude toward herself, which turned into enthusiastic love for the bearers of royal power.

The imperial couple on the yacht "Standard"

The queen's intervention in the affairs of government did not appear immediately after her wedding. Alexandra Feodorovna was quite happy with the traditional role of a homemaker, the role of a woman next to a man engaged in difficult, serious work. Nicholas II, a domestic man by nature, for whom power seemed more like a burden than a way of self-realization, rejoiced at any opportunity to forget about his state concerns in a family setting and gladly indulged in those petty domestic interests for which he had a natural inclination. Anxiety and confusion gripped the reigning couple even when the empress, with some fatal sequence, began to give birth to girls. Nothing could be done against this obsession, but Alexandra Feodorovna, who had internalized her destiny as a queen, perceived the absence of an heir as a kind of heavenly punishment. On this basis, she, an extremely impressionable and nervous person, developed pathological mysticism. Now every step of Nikolai Alexandrovich himself was checked against one or another heavenly sign, and state policy was imperceptibly intertwined with childbirth.

Spouses after the birth of an heir

The queen's influence on her husband intensified, and the more significant it became, the further the date for the appearance of the heir moved forward. The French charlatan Philip was invited to the court, who managed to convince Alexandra Feodorovna that he was able to provide her, through suggestion, with male offspring, and she imagined herself to be pregnant and felt all the physical symptoms of this condition. Only after several months of the so-called false pregnancy, which was very rarely observed, the empress agreed to be examined by a doctor, who established the truth. But the most important misfortune was that the charlatan received, through the queen, the opportunity to influence state affairs. One of Nicholas II’s closest assistants wrote in his diary in 1902: “Philip inspires the sovereign that he does not need any other advisers except representatives of the highest spiritual, heavenly powers, with whom he, Philip, puts him in contact. Hence the intolerance of any contradiction and complete absolutism, sometimes expressed as absurdity.”

The Romanov family and Queen Victoria of England

Philip was still able to be expelled from the country, because the Police Department, through its agent in Paris, found indisputable evidence of the French subject’s fraud. And soon the long-awaited miracle followed - the heir Alexei was born. However, the birth of a son did not bring peace to the royal family.

After marriage, the duty of the spouses is to give their lives for each other.

The child suffered from a terrible hereditary disease - hemophilia, although his illness was kept a state secret. The children of the royal Romanov family - Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and the heir Tsarevich Alexei - were extraordinary in their ordinariness. Despite the fact that they were born into one of the highest positions in the world and had access to all earthly goods, they grew up like ordinary children. Even Alexei, who every fall threatened with a painful illness and even death, was changed from bed rest to normal in order for him to gain courage and other qualities necessary for the heir to the throne.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with her daughters at needlework

According to contemporaries, the empress was deeply religious. The church was her main consolation, especially at a time when the heir’s illness worsened. The Empress held full services in the court churches, where she introduced the monastic (longer) liturgical regulations. The Queen's room in the palace was a connection between the empress's bedroom and the nun's cell. The huge wall adjacent to the bed was completely covered with images and crosses.

The Emperor and Empress read telegrams wishing Tsarevich Alexei a recovery

During the First World War, rumors spread that Alexandra Feodorovna defended the interests of Germany. By personal order of the sovereign, a secret investigation was carried out into “slanderous rumors about the empress’s relations with the Germans and even about her betrayal of the Motherland.” It has been established that rumors about the desire for a separate peace with the Germans and the transfer of Russian military plans by the Empress to the Germans were spread by the German General Staff. After the abdication of the sovereign, the Extraordinary Commission of Inquiry under the Provisional Government tried and failed to establish the guilt of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna of any crimes.

Smolensk regional state budgetary institution

for orphans and children left without parental care

"Orphanage "Gnezdyshko"

"Nikolai II and Alexandra Fedorovna.

A story of love and devotion"

(literary living room)

Educator:

Timoshenkova L.A.

Smolensk

2016

Goals: contribute to the moral development of students.

Tasks:

Educational: using the example of the biography of the royal family, reveal the meaning of friendship, love and loyalty, kindness and responsiveness in people’s lives; learn to express your point of view;

Developmental: develop in children a sense of mutual understanding, mutual assistance, devotion; be able to notice and appreciate these qualities in people;

Educational: to cultivate a love for studying native history and literature.

Age : high school.

Form: literary living room.

Preliminary work: selection of material about the royal family and viewing photographs on the topic on the Internet.

Materials and equipment: reading materials (excerpts from letters from the royal family, placed in envelopes), a small table with photographs of NicholasII, Alexandra Feodorovna and their families, candle. Musical selection: P. I. Tchaikovsky “Seasons” (autumn, winter).

Progress of the event:

Psychological mood.

(The music of P.I. Tchaikovsky “The Seasons” is playing quietly in the room, there are photographs of the royal family on a small table, a candle is burning to create a cozy atmosphere, letters are laid out on the table).

Educator: Good evening, dear guests! Today, on a cold autumn evening, we have gathered with you in a cozy, warm living room to talk about the most important things - love and devotion. Each of us in this life is given a chance to become happy, to meet our true love, our soul mate, our “half”. And this meeting definitely happens! It's destined in heaven. Because man is born for love, and no one comes to Earth solely for the sake of torment!

Suggesting a conversation topic.

Educator:Every nation has majestic poetic legends about love: Romeo and Juliet, Tristan and Isolde, Abelard and Heloise... They exist in our country too: the love story of Peter and Fevronia, Stavr Godinovich and Vasilisa Mikulicna and, of course, Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Fedorovna. Do you want to know why the love story of the last royal family is touching, worthy of imitation and at the same time very sad? I suggest you take part in the correspondence between lovers and find out with what kind words you can win each other’s hearts.

Conversation topic illustration.

Educator: Tsarevich Nicholas and Princess Alice of Hesse fell in love with each other at a very young age, but the feeling of these amazing people was destined not only to take place and last for many, many happy years, but also to be crowned with an end, terrible and at the same time beautiful. In love, as you know, there are no rules. You can try to study instructional books, curb emotional impulses, develop a system of behavior - all this is nonsense. The heart decides, and only what is accepted is important, necessary and obligatory. The main thing is to hear and understand. And it becomes unimportant what happens next - as long as he (she) is nearby.

Their relationship and love grew stronger every year, every minute, every second of their life together. From their example, it becomes clear that love is the best thing that life gives us. The highest happiness in the world is to love and be loved.

In the book "Emperor Nicholas II as a man of strong will" you can read the following interesting facts: “The heir to Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich had to endure the first serious test of willpower in connection with his marriage, when, thanks to his stubborn persistence, endurance and patience, he successfully overcame three seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Back in 1884, when he was only sixteen years old, he first met the twelve-year-old, strikingly beautiful Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt, who came to the wedding of her elder sister.”

From that moment, a close friendship arose between them, and then a holy, selfless, selfless and ever-increasing love, which united their lives until they jointly accepted the crowns of martyrdom. Such marriages are a rare gift of God even among mere mortals, and among crowned heads, where marriages are performed mainly for political reasons and not for love, this is an exceptional phenomenon.

From the Hessian court, the marriage plans of Nicholas and Alice also did not meet with sympathy. Since the princess lost her mother when she was only six years old, and her father at eighteen, her maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria of England, was mainly involved in her upbringing. She did not like the Russian emperors Alexander II and Alexander III, who, in turn, responded to her with contemptuous hostility. “It is no wonder that with such unfriendly relations between the Russian and English courts, the heir to Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich could not find support from Princess Alice’s grandmother.”

However, life is a strange thing. Sometimes she makes turns. Yes, often drastic changes in life look like pure madness. But almost always, the collapse of your plans has a deep meaning.

In one of his letters to Alexandra, Nikolai wrote the following lines, which can be considered advice for us:“The Savior told us: “Everything that you ask of God, God will give you.” These words are infinitely dear to me, because for five years I prayed with them, repeating them every night, begging Him to make it easier for Alix to convert to the Orthodox faith and give I want her to be my wife."

From Alexandra Fedorovna’s diary:“Without the blessing of God, without His sanctification of marriage, all congratulations and good wishes of friends will be empty words. Without His daily blessing of family life, even the most tender and true love will not be able to give everything that a thirsty heart needs. Without the blessing of Heaven, all the beauty, joy, the value of family life can be destroyed at any moment."

The only thing that remained then for Tsarevich Nicholas was to wait for God to unite him with the princess. His diary from 1889 opens with a photograph of Alix. And even the harsh, tough, unshakable will of her father cannot make Nikolai stop loving her.

Five years have passed since the day when Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich turned to his father with a request to allow him to marry Princess Alice. In the early spring of 1894, seeing the unshakable decision of their son, his patience and meek submission to his parents' will, Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna finally gave their blessing to the marriage. At the same time, in England, Princess Alice received a blessing from Queen Victoria. The only obstacle remained the transition to the Orthodox faith, but they overcame this with dignity. If you really want something, then everything will help make your wish come true.

On the day of the engagement, Nikolai Alexandrovich wrote in his diary: "A wonderful, unforgettable day in my life - the day of my engagement to dear Alix. I walk around all day as if outside of myself, not quite fully aware of what is happening to me."

He is happy! Life without love sooner or later turns into vegetation, since true love cannot be replaced by anything: neither money, nor work, nor fame, nor fake feelings.

After the wedding, the Tsarevich will write in his diary:“I’m incredibly happy with Alix. It’s a pity that classes take up so much time that I would so much like to spend exclusively with her.”

Educator: Love overflows, or rather, fills them completely. How happy they were! Over the long years of marriage, feelings only grew stronger.More than 600 letters have been preserved, conveying to us the beauty of this love. Let's read excerpts from them. Try to read these words with respect, since the feelings of any person are worthy of such treatment.

(The teacher distributes letters to the students. They open the envelopes and read)

Reader 1:

From Alexandra Feodorovna’s letter to Nikolai Alexandrovich in 1914:

" Oh, how terrible is the loneliness after your departure! Although our children remain with me, a part of my life is leaving with you - you and I are one.”

Reader 2:

Nikolai's response to the letter was no less touching: "My beloved sunshine, darling wife! My love, you are terribly missed, which is impossible to express!..”

Reader 3:

Alexandra's letter to Nikolai:“I’m crying like a big child. I see before me your sad eyes, full of affection. I send you my warmest wishes for tomorrow. For the first time in 21 years we are not spending this day together, but how vividly I remember everything! dear boy, what happiness and what love you have given me over all these years."

Reader 4:

Letter from Nicholas on December 31, 1915 to Alexandra:“My warmest thanks for all your love. If only you knew how much this supports me. Really, I don’t know how I could have withstood all this if God had not been pleased to give me you as a wife and friend. I say this seriously “, sometimes it’s hard for me to speak out this truth, it’s easier for me to put it all on paper - out of stupid shyness.”

Educator: But these lines were written by people who lived 21 years in marriage!.. The greatest happiness for them was the sublimity, the high spirituality of their relationship. And if they weren’t a royal couple, they would still be the richest people in the world. They strived for simple human happiness. Their love grew stronger as spirit and holiness were now shared.

WITHFamily life for the empress is the most important matter of her life. Alexandra's diary entries reveal the depth of her understanding of the mysteries of love and marriage:

- “The divine plan is for marriage to bring happiness, so that it makes the life of husband and wife more complete, so that neither of them loses, but both win. If, nevertheless, marriage does not become happiness and does not make life richer and fuller, then the fault is not in the marriage bonds, but in the people who are united by them.”

- “The first lesson to learn and practice is patience. At the beginning of family life, both advantages of character and disposition are revealed, as well as disadvantages, and peculiarities of habits, taste, temperament, which the other half did not even suspect. Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to get used to each other, that there will be eternal and hopeless conflicts, but patience and love overcome everything, and two lives merge into one, more noble, stronger, fuller, richer, and this life will continue in peace and quiet.

- Another secret of happiness in family life is attention to each other. Husband and wife should constantly show each other signs of the most tender attention and love. The happiness of life is made up of individual minutes, of small pleasures - from a kiss, a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment and countless small but kind thoughts and sincere feelings. Love also needs its daily bread.”

Educator: Love carried them through many difficulties. Alexandra gave birth to 4 daughters. But the son, the heir, the future monarch of Russia, was still missing. Both were worried, especially Alexandra. And finally - the long-awaited prince! After 4 daughters, Alexandra gave birth to a son on July 30, 1904. The joy in the palace ended when, a week after the boy's birth, it was discovered that the child had inherited an incurable disease - hemophilia. The lining of the arteries in this disease is so fragile that any bruise, fall, or cut causes rupture of the vessels and can lead to a sad end.

Alexei's illness was kept a state secret. The doctors were powerless.

Despite all this, the children of the royal Romanov family - Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and the heir Tsarevich Alexei grew up like ordinary children. Their father made sure that their upbringing was similar to his own: that they were not treated like hothouse plants or fragile porcelain, but were given homework, prayers, games, and even a moderate amount of fighting and mischief. Thus, they grew up as normal, healthy children, in an atmosphere of discipline and order. Even Alexei, for whom every fall threatened a painful illness and even death, was changed from bed rest to normal in order for him to gain courage and other qualities necessary for the heir to the throne.

The royal children were beautiful - not only in their appearance, but even more so in their spiritual qualities. From their father they inherited kindness, modesty, simplicity, an unshakable sense of duty and a comprehensive love for their homeland. From their mother they inherited deep faith, integrity, discipline and fortitude. The queen herself hated laziness and taught her children to always be fruitfully busy. When the First World War began, the queen and her four daughters devoted themselves entirely to works of mercy. Alexandra and the two eldest daughters also became sisters of mercy, often working as surgeon's assistants. The soldiers did not know who these humble sisters were who were bandaging their wounds, which were often purulent and fetid.

“The higher a person’s position in society,” said Nikolai, “the more he should help others, never reminding them of his position.” Being himself an excellent example of gentleness and responsiveness to the needs of others, the Tsar raised his children in the same spirit.

The pain for their son and for the fate of Russia was a very difficult test for the royal family. But their love, strengthened by hope in God, withstood all the tests.

The tragic year 1917 came. The royal family was arrested and kept in captivity, first in Tsarskoye Selo, then in Tobolsk, and finally in the Ipatiev House - the “House of Special Purpose” - in Yekaterinburg, where they were subjected to insults, ridicule and deprivation. The royal family endured everything with steadfastness and Christian humility. During this tragic time, the empress was distinguished by extraordinary greatness of spirit and “amazingly bright calm, which later supported her and her entire family until the day of their death.”

British Consul T. Reston tried to secretly facilitate the release of the Romanovs. On his initiative, a plan was developed to kidnap the family at night; white officers with false documents tried to enter Ipatiev’s house. But the fate of the Romanovs was already predetermined... The Soviet government hoped to prepare a “exemplary” trial of Nikolai, but there was not enough time for this.

At 2 o'clock in the morning from July 16 to July 17, the prisoners were woken up and ordered to go down to the semi-basement floor of the house, supposedly to move to another place. According to the executioners, the empress and eldest daughters managed to cross themselves before their death. The Tsar and Empress were killed first. They did not see the execution of their children, who were finished off with bayonets.

Thanks to the diplomatic efforts of the European powers, the royal family could go abroad and escape, as many of Russia’s high-ranking citizens escaped. After all, even from the place of initial exile, from Tobolsk, it was possible to escape at first. Why, after all?.. Nikolai himself answers this question from the distant year 18: “In such difficult times, not a single Russian should leave Russia.”

And they stayed. We stayed together forever, as we promised each other once in our youth.

Reflection.

Educator: The last day of the life of the Romanovs is now celebrated by the church as the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Royal Martyrs.

It is love and faith that are the most powerful creative forces. They create everything - life, peace, happiness, abundance and, finally, ourselves.

What do you think, what human qualities should young Alix have to become the wife of the future Russian emperor? (Modesty, femininity, kindness, erudition, education).

What helped the lovers find each other? (Patience, prayer and love)

What feelings for each other did the Romanovs manage to maintain throughout their lives? (Respect, devotion, mutual understanding)

How did you feel when you read the correspondence between the emperor and his wife? (Tenderness, shyness, trepidation, strong love).

Is this kind of correspondence possible in modern times between young people? Why? Justify your answer.

At the end of our meeting, I would like to wish you great, bright love in your life. And in order to properly build such relationships, read more often about the destinies of great people. You will find a lot of useful tips. See you!

The Emperor did everything to become the last

On the night of September 17-18, 1977By order of Boris YELTSIN, the mansion of the merchant IPATIEV, which stood in the center of Sverdlovsk, was demolished,in the basement roomwho was shot in 1918NICHOLAS II with his wife, children and three servants. The further from this event, the more reverent the heirs of the Yeltsin regime have towards the tsar. But what can I say about the last ROMANOV? nothing special.The bad has already been erased from our memory, but the goodactually,did not do anything, although he had every opportunity to do so.

The Emperor's Fatal Men

Alexander Orlov

Queen Alexandra Fedorovna For a long time she could not give birth to an heir to the throne. Nikolai blamed himself for this. There is a version that in the end he decided to give his wife to another. Allegedly, the queen's choice fell on Major General Alexandra Orlova, commander of Her Majesty's Life Guards Ulan Regiment. He was very handsome, and also a widow. The goal was achieved, and the queen gave birth to a son, Alexei. But during this time, as they reported, she developed strong feelings for her forced roommate. The emperor allegedly decided to send his rival to Egypt to avoid a scandal. Before leaving, he invited him to dinner. They say that Orlov was carried out of the palace unconscious and soon died.

Photo: wikipedia.org

Peter Stolypin

Nicholas II entrusted the administration of the state to Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin. Dreaming of leaving a mark on history, he became interested in reforms. The transformations turned out to be so difficult that the people responded with terrorism. Over three years, 768 government officials were killed and 820 were wounded.

The government adopted a law on military courts. Within 24 hours after the murder, the criminal had to be found and brought to justice. Gendarmes often captured innocent people. Previously, Russia executed an average of nine people each year. And during the three years of Stolypin’s premiership, almost 20 thousand were hanged. 62 thousand were sent to hard labor. Instead of working, the peasants hid from the authorities. As a result, a famine hit Russia, affecting 60 provinces.

Grigory Rasputin

In 1912 Rasputin dissuaded the emperor from intervening in the Balkan War, which delayed the start of the First World War by two years. Later, he strongly spoke out in favor of Russia's withdrawal from the war, concluding peace with Germany, renouncing rights to Poland and the Baltic states, and also against the Russian-British alliance. The “holy elder” Gregory convinced Nicholas II that the continuation of hostilities would end in the collapse of the empire.

The same persecution was organized against Rasputin in the press; he was called a German spy, the Tsarina’s lover and a sex maniac. The police did not confirm these rumors, but under public pressure the tsar turned away from Rasputin. Soon, with the active participation of the British intelligence service, he was killed, and the king lost his spiritual mentor.

The Emperor's Fatales

Matilda Kshesinskaya

Cheerful polka Matilda Kshesinskaya Dad gave Nicky to his phlegmatic son Alexander III. The family decided that it was time for him to become a real man, and ballet was something like an official harem, and such a relationship was not considered shameful among the aristocracy. In Guard jargon, trips to ballerinas for sexual gratification were called “potato trips.”

Having married, Nicholas II decided to leave Matilda in the “family”, transferring her to the care and joy of the Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich. Together, they made Kshesinskaya one of the richest women in the empire, which greatly crippled Russia’s military budget.

Having immigrated to France after the revolution, the dancer married her grandson there Alexandra II, Grand Duke Andrey Vladimirovich and received the title of Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya.

Anna Akhmatova

They met in Tsarskoye Selo, where Anna Akhmatova lived next door to a park in which the sovereign often walked alone. The emperor was so overwhelmed by passion that he completely withdrew from state affairs, handing them over to Stolypin.

In his memoirs “A Tale of Trifles,” recalling the period from 1909 to 1912, the artist Yuri Annenkov assured: “The entire literary public at that time was gossiping about the romance of Nicholas II and Akhmatova!” Contemporary of the poetess, literary critic Emma Gerstein, wrote: “She hated her poem “The Gray-Eyed King” - because her child was the king’s, not her husband’s.”

Akhmatova herself never denied rumors of an affair with the emperor.

Alexandra Fedorovna

Wife of Nicholas II, née princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt or just Alex, she didn’t fit in right away. Head of the Chancellery of the Ministry of the Imperial Household, General Alexander Mosolov, testified that the tone of this hostility was set by her mother-in-law Maria Fedorovna, who fiercely hated the Germans.

Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Count Sergei Witte wrote that Nicholas II “married a hysterical, completely abnormal woman who took him into her arms, which was not difficult given his lack of will. Thus, the empress not only did not balance out his shortcomings, but, on the contrary, greatly aggravated them.”

Touches to the portrait

He dreamed of ridding the empire of crows and cats. Whenever possible, he shot them himself and carefully recorded his successes in his diary.
He considered himself an attractive man and loved to pose. I spent 12 thousand rubles a year on photographs with my family.
At the age of 24 he received the rank of colonel and sewed about a thousand uniforms. When receiving foreign ambassadors, he put on the uniform of the corresponding state.
I smoked constantly. He started the day with a glass of vodka, but most of all he loved port wine, which was poured for him at dinner from a separate bottle.
I exercised daily and followed a diet. He ate a little, but often, preferring boiled eggs, beef and fish.
The financial portal Celebrity Net Worth named Nicholas II"the richest saint", estimating his personal wealth at $300 billion.
Together with his wife, he was a member of the occult secret order of the Green Dragon, whose symbol is the swastika.

A dozen betrayals, tragic failures and mistakes,leading to the death of the emperor:

Nicholas II took the throne in Crimea, where his father died in Livadia Alexander III. The heir cried and said that he was not ready to become king. Even my own mother, the empress Maria Feodorovna, did not want to swear allegiance to this son, begging him to give up the throne to his younger brother Mikhail.
On the day of his coronation, May 18, 1896, Nicholas II received the nickname Bloody. Then, due to the negligence of the authorities on the Khodynka field when distributing royal gifts to the people - a cod, a piece of sausage, a gingerbread and a mug - 1,389 people died in a stampede and 1,300 were seriously injured.
In 1900, Nicholas II fell ill with typhus and was about to transfer the throne to his eldest daughter Olga, who was then five years old. Since then, the idea of staging a coup in Olga’s favor, and then marrying her off to a man who would rule the country instead of the unpopular Nicholas, long pushed the royal relatives into intrigue.
Due to the theft of the grand dukes and incompetent command, the Russo-Japanese War ended for Russia with a severe defeat and the loss of Southern Sakhalin. At Tsushima, the Russian fleet was destroyed. The price for the adventure unleashed by tsarism was over 400 thousand killed, wounded, sick and captured Russian soldiers and sailors.
Nicholas II inherited from his father a powerful state and an excellent assistant - an outstanding statesman Sergei Witte. He put the country's finances in order and opposed the war with Japan. However, the king did not listen to him and replaced him with a reformer Petra Stolypina.
Faith in the good Tsar was trampled on January 9, 1905. This day was nicknamed "Bloody Sunday". A peaceful procession of St. Petersburg workers to the Winter Palace to submit a petition to the autocrat about workers' needs was shot with rifles and chopped down with Cossack sabers. About 4,600 people were killed and wounded.
In 1906, during the hunger riots as a result of Stolypin's reforms, peasants burned two thousand landowners' estates. The answer was the emergence of military courts. The “troikas” consisted of the commander of the punitive detachment, the village elder and the priest. Two types of execution were practiced - shooting and hanging.
In 1911, there was a crop failure in Russia. The church, landowners, and tsarist officials refused to share the grain, and as a result, mass famine claimed the lives of three million people. Average life expectancy dropped to 30.8 years. How did the king react? Introduced censorship of all mentions of famine.
Being ill-prepared, in the summer of 1914 Russia became involved in the First World War. Only due to the lack of shells and other weapons, losses on the fronts reached 200 - 300 thousand people per month. At the same time, in the rear they stole everything they could. Seeing confusion and vacillation in the troops, the Bolsheviks launched a successful campaign against the rotten tsarism.
If in the first three years of the reign of the last Romanov, foreign capital controlled 20 percent of the empire’s wealth, then by February 1917 - 90. The struggle between domestic and foreign capital became one of the main reasons for the February bourgeois-democratic revolution.
Since the fall of 1916, not only the liberal State Duma, but also his closest relatives have stood in opposition to Nicholas II. The Russian officers made a decisive contribution to the overthrow of the Tsar. In March 1917, it was the front commanders who forced him to sign his abdication.
The provisional government tried to send the royal family to England to live with the king's cousin - GeorgV, but he refused to accept it. France also did not want to see her. And all because Nicholas II kept capital in their banks and they hoped to pocket it. As a result, the emperor was sent deep into the country, where he met his death.

They only dream of peace

Professor at Tokyo Institute of Microbiology Tatsuo Nagai I am sure that the remains discovered near Yekaterinburg do not belong to Nikolai Romanov and members of his family. He made this conclusion in 2008 based on a comparative analysis of the DNA structure of the Ekaterinburg remains and DNA taken from particles of sweat from the imperial clothes, as well as the DNA of his closest surviving relatives.

The populist YELTSIN first destroyed the memory of the Tsar, and then solemnly buried an unknown person under the guise of God’s anointed. Photo: © ITAR-TASS

The discovery gave special weight to the arguments of a large group of historians and geneticists, who are confident that in 1998, in the Peter and Paul Fortress, under the guise of the imperial family, an unknown person was buried with great pomp.

Sex instead of revolution

Political scientist Maxim SHEVCHENKO believes that the whole scandal with Alexey UCHITEL’s film “Matilda” is about the carnal love of the ballerina KSHESINSKAYA and NICHOLAS II - this is a political technology that is usedso as not to remind people of the reasons for the Great October Revolution.

POKLONSKAYA humbly carries her cross

Former prosecutor Natalia Poklonskaya who walks around with portraits Nicholas II, is, in my opinion, a representation of the level Peter Pavlensky nailing his eggs to Red Square, explains the secrets of internal politics Maxim Shevchenko. - The elites are scared to talk about the revolution, but somehow it’s impossible to miss its 100th anniversary. Therefore, cunning political strategists gave advice - to replace the story about the causes of the revolution and about the personality Lenin showdown: did the sovereign sleep with the ballerina or did not sleep. This is exactly why they came up with all this clownery with Poklonskaya. The Russian bureaucratic elite feels that it is fattening, growing fat and bathing in golden baths and living in golden palaces, while the people before the revolution lived in straw huts and now live on meager salaries. The elite knows that people perfectly see the injustice that is happening and feel their instability. As a result, he tries to justify his boorish behavior by citing the sacredness of all Russian authorities, which, of course, is absurd.

Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt) was born in 1872 in Darmstadt, the capital of a small German state, the Duchy of Hesse. Her mother died at thirty-five. Six-year-old Alix, the youngest in a large family, was taken in by her grandmother, the famous English Queen Victoria. For her bright character, the English court nicknamed the blond girl Sunny (Sunny).

In 1884, twelve-year-old Alix was brought to Russia: her sister Ella was marrying Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. The heir to the Russian throne, sixteen-year-old Nicholas, fell in love with her at first sight. But only five years later, seventeen-year-old Alix, who came to her sister Ella, reappeared at the Russian court.

Alix’s grandmother, Queen Victoria of England, also opposed this marriage. However, when the wise Victoria later met Tsarevich Nicholas, he made a very good impression on her, and the English ruler’s opinion changed.

On the next visit of the blond German princess, a year later, Nicholas was not allowed to see her. And then the Tsarevich met the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya. His relationship with her lasted almost four years...

In April 1894, Nikolai went to Coburg for the wedding of Alix's brother Ernie. And soon the newspapers reported the engagement of the crown prince and Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt.

On the day of the engagement, Nikolai Alexandrovich wrote in his diary: “A wonderful, unforgettable day in my life - the day of my engagement to dear Alix. I walk around all day as if outside of myself, not quite fully aware of what is happening to me.” He is happy! Life without love sooner or later turns into vegetation, since true love cannot be replaced by anything: neither money, nor work, nor fame, nor fake feelings.

Having learned about the engagement, Kshesinskaya sent anonymous letters to the bride, in which the ink of her former lover was written. Alix, having barely read the first line and seeing that the signature was missing, gave them to the groom.

November 14, 1894 is the day of the long-awaited wedding. On their wedding night, Alix wrote in Nikolai’s diary: “When this life ends, we will meet again in another world and will remain together forever...”

After the wedding, the Tsarevich will write in his diary: “Incredibly happy with Alix. It’s a pity that classes take up so much time that I would so much like to spend exclusively with her.” From the correspondence between Nikolai and Alexandra, we know that love and happiness filled them both. More than 600 letters have been preserved, conveying to us the beauty of this love.

The royal children in Europe and Russia were very well-educated people. Well-mannered and educated for life. And family life, especially for the empress, is the most important matter in her life. Alexandra's diary entries reveal the depth of her understanding of the mysteries of love and marriage.

“Divine design is for marriage to bring happiness, to make the lives of husband and wife more complete, so that neither loses and both win. If, nevertheless, marriage does not become happiness and does not make life richer and fuller, then the fault is not in the marriage bonds, but in the people who are united by them.”

“The first lesson to be learned and practiced is patience. At the beginning of family life, both the advantages of character and disposition are revealed, as well as the shortcomings and peculiarities of habits, taste, and temperament, which the other half did not even suspect. Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to get used to each other, that there will be eternal and hopeless conflicts, but patience and love overcome everything, and two lives merge into one, more noble, stronger, fuller, richer, and this life will continue in peace and quiet.

Another secret of happiness in family life is attention to each other. Husband and wife should constantly show each other signs of the most tender attention and love. The happiness of life is made up of individual minutes, of small pleasures - from a kiss, a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment and countless small but kind thoughts and sincere feelings. Love also needs its daily bread.”

Their love carried them through many difficulties. Alexandra gave birth to 4 daughters. But the son - the heir, the future monarch of Russia - was still missing. Both were worried, especially Alexandra. And finally - the long-awaited prince! After 4 daughters, Alexandra gave birth to a son on July 30, 1904. The joy in the palace ended when, a week after the boy's birth, it was discovered that the child had inherited an incurable disease - hemophilia. The lining of the arteries in this disease is so fragile that any bruise, fall, or cut causes rupture of the vessels and can lead to a sad end. This is exactly what happened to Alexandra Fedorovna’s brother when he was three years old.

Alexei's illness was kept a state secret. The doctors were powerless. The parents' constant concern for Alexy's life became the reason for the appearance of Grigory Rasputin at the imperial court. According to the doctors who were with the heir, Rasputin had the ability to stop bleeding with the help of hypnosis, so in dangerous moments of the disease he became the last hope for saving the child.

The children of the royal Romanov family - Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and the heir Tsarevich Alexei - were extraordinary in their ordinariness. Despite the fact that they were born into one of the highest positions in the world and had access to all earthly goods, they grew up like ordinary children. Their father made sure that their upbringing was similar to his own: that they were not treated like hothouse plants or fragile porcelain, but were given homework, prayers, games, and even a moderate amount of fighting and mischief. Thus, they grew up as normal, healthy children, in an atmosphere of discipline, order and almost ascetic simplicity. Even Alexei, for whom every fall threatened a painful illness and even death, was changed from bed rest to normal in order for him to gain courage and other qualities necessary for the heir to the throne.

The royal children were beautiful - not only for their appearance, but even more so for their spiritual qualities. From their father they inherited kindness, modesty, simplicity, an unshakable sense of duty and a comprehensive love for their homeland. From their mother they inherited deep faith, integrity, discipline and fortitude. The queen herself hated laziness and taught her children to always be fruitfully busy. When the First World War began, the queen and her four daughters devoted themselves entirely to works of mercy. During Alexandra's time, the two eldest daughters also became sisters of mercy, often working as surgeon's assistants. The soldiers did not know who these humble sisters were who were bandaging their wounds, which were often purulent and fetid.

The Tsarina wrote to her daughter Olga in a card on her birthday: “Try to be an example of what a good, little, obedient girl should be... Learn to make others happy, think of yourself last. Be gentle, kind, never act rude or harsh. Be a true lady in manners and speech. Be patient and polite, help your sisters in every possible way. When you see someone sad, try to cheer them up with a sunny smile... Show your loving heart. First of all, learn to love God with all the strength of your soul, and He will always be with you. Pray to Him with all your heart. Remember that He sees and hears everything. He loves His children dearly, but they must learn to do His will.”

During the First World War, rumors spread that Alexandra Feodorovna defended the interests of Germany. By personal order of the sovereign, a secret investigation was carried out into “slanderous rumors about the empress’s relations with the Germans and even about her betrayal of the Motherland.” It has been established that rumors about the desire for a separate peace with the Germans, the transfer of Russian military plans by the Empress to the Germans, were spread by the Germans. general staff. After the abdication of the sovereign, the Extraordinary Commission of Inquiry under the Provisional Government tried and failed to establish the guilt of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna of any crimes.

The pain for their son and for the fate of Russia was a very difficult test for the royal family. But their love, strengthened by hope in God, withstood all the tests.

From Alexandra Feodorovna’s letter to Nikolai Alexandrovich in 1914: “Oh, how terrible is the loneliness after your departure! Although our children remain with me, a part of my life is leaving with you - you and I are one.”

Nikolai’s response to the letter was no less touching: “My beloved sunshine, darling little wife! My love, you are terribly missed, which is impossible to express!..”

Alexandra’s letter to Nikolai: “I’m crying like a big child. I see in front of me your sad eyes, full of affection. I send you my warmest wishes for tomorrow. For the first time in 21 years we are not spending this day together, but how vividly I remember everything! My dear boy, what happiness and what love you have given me over all these years.”

Letter from Nicholas on December 31, 1915 to Alexandra: “The warmest thanks for all your love. If only you knew how much this supports me. Really, I don’t know how I could have withstood all this if God had not been pleased to give me you as a wife and friend. I say this seriously, sometimes it’s hard for me to utter this truth, it’s easier for me to put it all on paper - out of stupid shyness.”

But these lines were written by people who lived 21 years in marriage!.. The greatest happiness for them was the sublimity, the high spirituality of their relationship. And if they weren’t a royal couple, they would still be the richest people in the world: after all, love is the highest wealth and happiness.

The tragic year 1917 came. Over the course of several stages of imprisonment - first in their palace in Tsarskoe Selo, then in the governor's house in Tobolsk, and finally in the Ipatiev house - the "House of Special Purpose" - in Yekaterinburg, their guards became more and more impudent, heartless and cruel, subjecting their insults, ridicule and deprivation. The royal family endured everything with steadfastness, Christian humility and complete acceptance of the will of God. They sought solace in prayer, worship, and spiritual reading. During this tragic time, the empress was distinguished by extraordinary greatness of spirit and “amazingly bright calm, which then supported her and her entire family until the day of their death” (Gilliard. P. 162).

On July 12, under the pretext of the Czechoslovak Corps and units of the Siberian Army approaching Yekaterinburg, the Bolshevik Urals Council adopted a resolution to kill the royal family. There is an opinion that the military commissar of the Urals F.I. Goloshchekin, in the beginning. July 1918, who visited Moscow, received the consent of V.I. Lenin. On July 16, a telegram was sent to Lenin in which the Urals Council reported that the execution of the royal family could no longer tolerate delay, and asked to immediately inform whether Moscow had any objections. Lenin did not respond to the telegram, which the Urals Council may have considered as a sign of agreement.