| Alexei II of Russia (HistoryBoy) | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of Russia | |
| Reign | 15 March [O.S. 2 March] 1917 - 19 September 1949 |
| Coronation | 12 August 1920 |
| Predecessor | Nicholas II |
| Successor | Alexander IV |
| Regent | Grand Duchess Olga (1917 - 1920) |
| Born | 12 August [30 July] 1904, Peterhof Palace, Peterhof, Russian Empire |
| Died | 19 September 1949 (aged 45), Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire |
| Burial | 29 September 1949, Peter and Paul Cathedral, Petrograd, Russian Empire |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Nikolaevna (Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark)
(m. 1924) |
| Issue | Alexander IV of Russia
Maria Alexeievna, Queen of Romania Olga Alexeievna, Duchess of Württemberg Grand Duke Nicholas Alexeievich |
| Full name | |
| Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov | |
| House | Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov |
| Father | Nicholas II of Russia |
| Mother | Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) |
| Religion | Russian Orthodox |
Alexei II of Russia (12 August [O.S. 30 July] 1904 - 19 September 1949), was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 15 March [O.S. 2 March] 1917 until his death from Hemophilia on 19 September 1949. Alexei ascended the throne upon the abdication of his father during the crisis of the 1917 February Revolution. As he was only twelve upon his ascension, his early reign was directed under the Duma appointed regency of his elder sister Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna until Alexei turned sixteen in 1920. The beginning of Alexei's reign was marked during a tumultuous time in Russian history, with the onslaught of World War I, ongoing protests and marches in the cities as well as soldiers mutinying on the front, Russia was on the brink of complete collapse. In the years following the revolution, The Duma began a series of democratic reforms to westernize Russia and modernize the industrial efforts to keep in pace with the competition from other European Powers. Until his death, Alexei's reign was marked by strong leadership, economic stability and recovery and an increase in Russian patriotism.
Appearance and personality[]
Alexei was an extremely handsome figure during his life and he bore a striking resemblance to his mother. His tutor Pierre Gilliard described the 18-month-old Alexei as "one of the handsomest babies one could imagine, with his lovely fair curls and his great blue-grey eyes under their fringe of long curling lashes". As he grew older, Gilliard described Alexei as tall for his age, with "a long, finely chiseled face, delicate features, auburn hair with a coppery glint, and large grey-blue eyes like his mother". Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, his mother's lady-in-waiting, reflected that "he was a pretty child, tall for his age, with regular features, splendid dark blue eyes with a spark of mischief in them, auburn hair, and an uptight figure". During his bachelor years, it was regarded that many ladies of the Imperial Court could not take their eyes of him. During their engagement, Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark recorded in a letter to her grandmother Queen Olga of the Hellenes that "he is the most handsome man I ever laid my eyes on him, with his auburn hair and gray eyes, he looks thin but with solid builds in his chest and upper arms".
Alexei was proud of and enjoyed his position as tsarevich. Buxhoeveden reflected that "he knew and felt that he was the Tsarevich, and from babyhood mechanically took his place in front of his elder sisters". He liked being kissed on the hand by the officers and "didn't miss his chance to boast about it and give himself airs in front of his sisters". He enjoyed jumping in front of the guards at the front of the Alexander Palace, who would immediately salute him as he walked past. Nicholas forbade the guards to salute Alexei unless another member of the family accompanied him. Alexei was embarrassed "when the salute failed him", which "marked his first taste of discipline". On one occasion, he ordered all of the Finnish officers on various ships to stand before him on the deck of the Standart. He began commanding them, but the Finnish officers did not understand Russian and stood in confusion until an aide informed them that Alexei wanted to hear them say, "We wish you health, your Imperial Highness." When he was told that a group of officers had arrived to call on him, the 6-year-old Alexei told his sisters, "Now girls, run away. I am busy. Someone has just called to see me on business." Also at 6, he walked into his father's study and saw the Foreign Minister Alexander Izvolsky waiting to see Nicholas. Izvolsky remained sitting, and Alexei screamed, "When the heir to the Russian Throne enters a room, people must get up!"
During his years as Emperor, he became more modest and humble, many described him as kind, fair and soft spoken during state receptions, galas and balls held in the numerous Romanov family palaces. One courtier remarked "His Majesty always remained to strike up some form of conversation with his guests, although he didn't posses the confidence of the Empress, he was courteous and very polite to us all".
Alexei loved to attend army inspections with his father. When he was 3, he wore a miniature army uniform and played with a toy wooden rifle. From birth, he had the title of "Hetman of all the Cossacks." He wore a miniature uniform of a sailor of the Russian navy, and he had his own Cossack uniform with a fur cap, boots, and dagger. He ended his daily prayers with "Hurrah!" instead of "amen". When asked why, he replied that the soldiers on parade always said "Hurrah!" when his father finished speaking, so he should greet his Heavenly Father in the same way. Before he understood the nature of his disease, he said that he wanted to be a warrior-tsar and lead armies as his ancestors had. During his reign, he made many trips to the barracks in order to rebuild relations between the Tsar and the Russian army which had almost been destroyed during the First World War. Field Marshall Georgy Zhukov, who served as the Chief of Staff of the Army during the Second World War remembered Alexei as "Attentive to all soldiers he met and always took time from his schedule to remind the brave men and women who defended the motherland. We remember the Tsar for his honor, love and commitment to Russia".
Alexei resented that he was forbidden from doing what other boys could do because of his hemophilia. When his mother forbade him to ride a bike and play tennis, he asked angrily, "Why can other boys have everything and I nothing?" All four of his sisters were accomplished horsewomen, but he was forbidden from horseriding.
Alexei had few friends his age and was often lonely. Alexandra did not allow Alexei to play with his Romanov cousins because she was worried that they would knock him down when playing and he might bleed. Alexei's companions were his sailor-nanny Derevenko's two young sons. Alexei was close with his sisters. Gilliard wrote that they "brought into his life an element of youthful merriment that otherwise would have been sorely missed".
As he grew up, Alexei became more thoughtful and considerate. When he was 9, he sent a collection of his favorite jingles to Gleb Botkin, Eugene Botkin's son. He asked Gleb, who was talented at drawing, to illustrate the jingles. He attached a note: "To illustrate and write the jingles under the drawings. Alexei." Before handing the note to Eugene Botkin, he crossed out his signature and explained, "If I send that paper to Gleb with my signature on it, then it would be an order which Gleb would have to obey. But I mean it only as a request and he doesn't have to do it if he doesn't want to."
Gilliard eventually convinced Alexei's parents that granting the boy greater autonomy would help him develop better self-control. Alexei took advantage of his unaccustomed freedom, and began to outgrow some of his earlier foibles. Courtiers reported that his illness made him sensitive to the hurts of others.
Due to his disease, Alexei understood that he might not live to adulthood. When he was ten, his older sister Olga found him lying on his back looking at the clouds and asked him what he was doing. "I like to think and wonder", Alexei replied. Olga asked him what he liked to think about. "Oh, so many things", the boy responded. "I enjoy the sun and the beauty of summer as long as I can. Who knows whether one of these days I shall not be prevented from doing it?" During his miraculous adult years, he still prepared to for the fact that he would die young, even during his time as a father, he always dreaded telling his children that he might not see them grow up or would not be around to see their children come into this world.
Early years[]
Alexei was born on 12 August [O.S. 30 July] 1904 in Peterhof Palace, Peterhof, Russian Empire. He was the youngest of five children of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. His older sisters were the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Nikolaevna.
Alexei's birth was greeted with widespread joy, because he was the first son Nicholas had had after four daughters. When she woke up from the chloroform, Alexandra saw the happy faces around her and exclaimed, "Oh, it cannot be true. It cannot be true. Is it really a boy?" Nicholas wrote in his diary that today was "a great and “unforgettable day for us . . . there are no words to thank God enough for sending us this comfort in a time of sore trials." According to Grand Duke Constantine Constantinovich of Russia, Nicholas' younger brother Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich "was radiant with happiness at no longer being heir." Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden remembered that "we were nearly deafened by the church bells ringing all day”. St. Petersburg "was ablaze with flags" and "the people gave themselves over to public rejoicing." Nicholas granted political amnesty to prisoners and set up a fund for military and naval scholarships.
Nicholas named Alexei after Alexei I of Russia, his favorite Romanov Tsar during the 17th century. His doting family called him "Baby." He was later also affectionately referred to as Alyosha by his family, and later Alexios by his wife Elizabeth.
As soon as he was born, Alexei was granted the title of tsarevich and heir apparent to the Imperial Throne of Russia. An official announcement read, “From now on, in accordance with the Fundamental Laws of the Empire, the Imperial title of Heir Tsarevich, and all the rights pertaining to it, belong to Our Son Alexei.”.
Alexei was christened on 3 September [O.S. 21 August] 1904 in the chapel in Peterhof Palace. His principal godparents were his paternal grandmother and his great-uncle, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich. His other godparents included his oldest sister, Olga; his great-grandfather King Christian IX of Denmark; King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales and Wilhelm II, German Emperor. As Russia was at war with Japan, all active soldiers and officers of the Russian Army and Navy were named honorary godfathers.[page needed]
The christening marked the first time that some of the younger members of the Imperial Family, including some of the younger sons of Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich; the Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana; and their cousin Princess Irina Alexandrovna, attended an official ceremony. For the occasion, the boys wore miniature military uniforms, and the girls wore smaller versions of the court dress and little kokoshniks. The sermon was delivered by John of Kronstadt. The baby was carried to the font by the elderly Princess Maria Mikhailovna Galitzine, Mistress of the Robes. As a precaution, she had rubber soles put on her shoes to prevent her slipping and dropping him.
Hemophilia[]
Childhood[]
Stavka and World War I[]
Ascension and reign[]
Regency[]
Coronation[]
Domestic Policy[]
Foreign Policy[]
Marriage[]
Family life[]
World War II[]
Illness and death[]
Titles, styles and honours[]
Titles and styles[]
- 12 August [O.S. 30 July] 1904 - 15 March [O.S. 2 March] 1917: His Imperial Highness, The Tsesarevich of Russia.
- 15 March [O.S. 2 March] 1917 - 19 September 1949: His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of Russia.
Issue[]
Alexei II had five children (all of whom survived onto adulthood) from his marriage to Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor Alexander IV of Russia | 12 April 1926, Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo, Russian Empire. | 1 February 2020 | married 22 May 1950, Princess Ragnhild of Norway (1930 - 2012) who took the name and patronym, Anna Nikolaevna; had three children
|
| Grand Duke Michael Alexeievich of Russia | 19 August 1927, Peterhof Palace, Peterhof, Russian Empire. | 30 October 2008 | married 3 August 1953, Princess Margarita of Baden (1932 - 2013) who took the name and patronym, Maria Pavlovna; had two children
|
| Grand Duchess Maria Alexeievna of Russia
(Queen consort of Romania) |
10 June 1929, Peterhof Palace, Peterhof, Russian Empire. | married 2 November 1947, King Michael I of Romania (1921 - 2017); had six children
| |
| Grand Duchess Olga Alexeievna of Russia
(Duchess of Württemberg) |
23 July 1931, Peterhof Palace, Peterhof, Russian Empire. | married 23 September 1952, Duke Louis Albrecht I of (1930 - ); had four children
| |
| Grand Duke Nicholas Alexeievich of Russia | 24 November 1933, Winter Palace, Petrograd, Russian Empire | married 2 August 1956, Princess Elisabeth of Denmark
(1935 - 2018) who took the name and patronym, Elizabeth Alexeievna; had two children
|