| House of Ungern-Sternberg Унгерн-Штернберг (Russian and Mongolian) | |
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| Ethnicity | Baltic German, Russian, Manchu, Swedish |
| Current region |  Russia Mongolia Finland |
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| Place of origin | Russia Mongolia Germany |
| Estate | many Urga, Mongolia Zhangjiakou, China Ulan Ude, Russia (main) Kharbin, Russia (main) Vyborg, Finland |
The House of Ungern-Sternberg (Russian: Унгерн-Штернберг, Ungern-Shternberg; Mongolian: Унгерн-Штернберг, Ungyern-Shtyernbyerg; German: von Ungern-Sternberg) known un-officially in Russia as the Great Eastern Dynasty (Russian: Великая Восточная Династия, Velikaya Vostochnaya Dinastiya) is one of Russia's local duchal and princely dynasties, and one of Mongolia's most powerful families. Although also appearing in German and Swedish noble history, the most well-known are through the Russian, Mongolian and Finnish lines where Mongolian princely ilkhan line was formed during the days of Russian rule, but are now defunct under republic laws in Mongolia. In Finland, they have become barons and baronesses.
Within Russia, they currently bear the titles Duke/Duchess of Buryatia and Prince/Princess of Buryatia as well as Duke/Duchess and Prince/Princess of Manchuria, and use the title khan (while the Manchurian branches use wang), and in spit of Prince Roman von Ungern-Sternberg's non-Mongol descent. During the Cold War, they bore the titles Duke/Duchess of Mongolia, and Prince/Princess of Mongolia.
The Russian Ungern-Sternbergs today are mainly of Mongol, Buryat and Manchu stock, but through Prince Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, are nominally of Baltic German origin.
The first Ungern-Sternberg of the Orthodox religion was regarded to be Prince Jochi, who adopted the name Georgy, the eldest son of Prince Roman von Ungern-Sternberg and Princess ?????. The patriarch who began the Russian line was Prince Batjargal "Boris", who too, became Russian Orthodox and married a Rurikid, and their descendants continued to marry European nobles. Georgy's descendants continued to marry Asiatic people.
Beginning with Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, the Ungern-Sternbergs have been notorious for being ultra-conservative and monarchist, although at the same time, a tradition began by Roman, were also known for their high ties to the Aisin Gioros, infatuation with Chinese, Mongolian and Eastern cultures. They currently own one of Russia's largest collection of antiques and valuables from China, Mongolia and Japan - certain princes of the royal house have also becoming involved with the Eurasianist movement. During the Russian Civil War, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg fought to restore the monarchy and married a Manchu noblewoman, and during the tumultuous 1990s, the Ungern-Sternbergs opposed the liberal government.
Currently, they are considered one of the most powerful families in Russia and Mongolia, They are also one of the largest knyaz families in Russia, although this is so due to their marriage amongst lower-ranking nobles, and even non-nobles, however it doesn't compare to the House of Struve, who makes it a normal practice. An estimated 31% of assets in the city of Urga alone is owned and/or controlled by the Ungern-Sternbergs.
Due to marriages, related noble houses in Russia include the Belosselsky-Belozersky, Barclay de Tolly, Trubetskoy, Wrangel, Semyonov and House of Yusopov, and Russia they include the House of Savoy, House of Hapsburgs and House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg-Jalisco.
History (Russia)[]
Post-Russian Civil War[]
In 1921, the Whites sealed their victory over the Bolsheviks. However, the next political conflict would come between monarchists, republicanists and socialists. About 45% of the population of the former Russian Empire sided with the Tsarists, seeing the republicanists as being pretty much a failure, and upon fearing of Grand Duke Kiril Vladimirovich's glories in battle, Kirill I was slated to become the next Tsar.
Roman married a Manchu princess by the name of Princess Ji, as he wanted control of the railways connecting to China, giving birth to Martha and Georgy in the Chinese city of Harbin. The marriage was morganatic, and the children bore no noble titles.
Roman supported the ascent of the Tsar, but ultimately ended up supporting Grand Duke Nicholas I Nikolaevich like the rest of Russia's eastern monarchists. However, Roman's ego-centric, divisive, aggressive and abusive attitude against his subordinates caused the Asiatic Cavalry Division to turn on him. General Boris Pavlovich Rezukin also smuggled Martha and Georgy away from Roman.
From this time period, Roman von Ungern-Sternberg and Elena Pavlovna's lives during the Interwar Period are shrouded in mystery, what is known as that the two gave birth to a second son, Prince Boris, and that Elena Pavlovna and Boris too, separated from Roman. Roman died in 1941 during the Japanese invasion though the cause of their deaths are still unknown.
Georgy, Martha and Boris were all raised Russian Orthodox, that fact is known.
Meanwhile, Georgy was given the generic Russian noble title of Pomeshchik, due to his noble but morganatic descent, and was being trained to become a soldier in the military, slated to become an Imperial Royal Guard, but later ultimately went to go join the Imperial Ground Forces in 1941 when the Turkish invasion fell upon southern Russia. Lady Martha married a Russian pomeshchik, Vadim I Borisovich Ostrovsky.
Georgy married Lady Anna Nikolayevich Rennenkampff, from the Russian pomeschik line of the nominally Baltic German Rennenkampff family of edlers, and his children would marry a mix of Russian and Manchu nobles, officially making the Ungern-Sternbergs a mixed nobility.
Becoming Princes of the East[]
After the formation of the Russian Khanate of Greater Mongolia, came the crowning of Roman von Ungern-Sternberg as a prince, as well as Urzhin Garmaev and Ataman Grigory Semyonov. Roman was honored in three tradition, Baltic German, Russia and Mongolian, which the latter he favored the most. Thus, the former Baron, turned-Prince set his sights and turning the House of Ungern-Sternberg into a Mongolian dynasty. His kids, Prince Jochi, Prince ??? and Princess ??? were all born in Mongolia, raised Mongolian and learned Mongolian before learning Russian and German.
Prince Jochi and Prince ??? both converted to the Russian Orthodox Church. It is Prince Jochi, or Prince George I, who would continue the Mongolian lines, while Prince Boris would begin a Russian line, his descendants married Russians and Slavs. Prince Jochi was a dedicated member of the Mongolian church within the Moscow Patriarchate (today the Mongolian Orthodox Church). Like his father, Prince George I of Mongolia would become a very powerful military commander, without the abusive behavior.
History (in Finland)[]
The Finnish branch is through Prince Erich von Ungern-Sternberg, still remaining Lutherans. Although originally born in the Russian Empire, and having originally worked in the Russian Empire, Prince Erich later relocated to Finland, where he was hired by King Frederick I. who bestowed upon him the title of Prince Erich.
Prince Erich would go marry Princess ??? Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Frederick I would come to recognize the von Ungern-Sternbergs as one of Finlad's local nobilities.
Properties and estates[]
The early properties and estates of the Ungern-Sternberg showed typical Russian neoclassical and Tsarist influence. Roman's Palace was built using a hybrid of Mongolian and Russian Tsarist elements. However, the overwhelming majority now live in modernized and highly-urbanized estates and properties with the traditional properties of the Ungern-Sternbergs having been converted into tourist attractions, although still under the ownership of the Ungern-Sternbergs.
Manchuria Winter Palace[]
Inside of the parlors of the Manchuria Winter Palace
The Manchuria Winter Palace (Зимний дворец Маньчжурии), originally the Palace of the Barons (Дворец баронов) is one of the oldest estates of the Ungern-Sternberg family, and was the first permanent home settled by the Ungern-Sternbergs. Located in the city of Kharbin - it was the site of an older palace, that had exchanged hands between wealth Russian, Japanese and Chinese aristocrats.
It houses one of Russia's largest exhibits of Eastern cultures (including itself), housing many cultural artifacts and relics from China, Mongolia, Japan and Korea - a tradition began by Roman himself, and continued by his grandson, Prince Vassily I Borisovich Ungern-Sternberg - who also shared Roman's infatuation with East Asian culture.
It is Prince Vassily I would would become a famous Eurasianist, arguing that Russia should also prioratize high ties with the Chinese, Mongols and Turkic peoples, with the only European peoples being the other Slavs.
It suffered heavy damage at the hands of the Japanese, however renovations began in 1945, as part of the post-war building efforts, and was used by Russian soldiers during the Russo-Chinese conflict, from 1945 to 1975, was the residence of the Ungern-Sternbergs. However in 1975, Procurator General Emeritus Georgy Ungern-Sternberg, who was considered the Head of the House of Ungern-Sternbergs, decided to convert the original home into a historical relic, featuring a World War II and Russo-Chinese war museum.
Despite being a tourist attraction, and a National Monument, the Manchuria Winter Palace is still owned privately by the Ungern-Sternbergs, and not the Russian government, and theoretically, the Ungern-Sternbergs can at any moment, close the palace to tourists. On the death dates of prominent Ungern-Sternbergs, the palace is closed to the public to allow for proper mourning ceremonies.
At this point in time, the Ungern-Sternbergs live all throughout Manchuria and Russia.
Ungern-Sternberg District One[]
In Port Arthur's Metro Area, there is an entire business and commercial district under the control of the Ungern-Sternbergs, under the direct control of Miroslav Ungern-Sternberg, one of Russia's wealthiest magnates. In it contains the Miroslav Tower (Мирославская башня), a luxury high-rise directly owned by Miroslav Ungern-Sternberg. Most of the buildings within the distict are directly owned by an Ungern-Sternbergs. The Ungern-Sternberg District forms part of a larger nobility-owned complex of Port Arthur known as the Royal Metro Area (Роял Метро Район) where even non-Russian nobilities, such as the Hohenzollerns of Germany own property, where Port Arthur's richest and wealthiest live, adjacent to Hero's Village (Деревня Героев), home to many retired military veterans.
During the Tumultuous 1990s however, the Ungern-Sternberg District One suffered, as a result of the economic woes, forcing the Ungern-Sternbegs to sell many properties within the complex. In the 21st centuries, as economic ties with the West gradually increased and recovered, the district was renewed, up to the re-rise of Russia to superpowerdom in the wake of the U.S. collapse. The district recieved an influx of Russian-American migrant workers.
Vasilievich Palace[]
A section of the Vasilyevich Palace, the former Royal Residence area
The Vasilievich Palace (Васильевич дворец), named after Prince Vassily I Borisovich, is also known as the Eastern Palace (Восточный дворец), also located in Kharbin, it is considered a sister palace to original Manchuria Winter Palace. The former living home of Prince Vassily I, it is now a tourist attraction that holds Russia's largest public collection of valuable relics from the entire Eastern world, including China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Russia's Turkic regions.
Unlike the other palaces, which showed Baroque or Neoclassical stock, the Vasilievich Palace shows heavy Chinese and Mongolian influence.
Classified Property[]
As a result of Tumultuous 1990s, the Ungern-Sternberg also own other properties located in off-grid locations that have been labeled as classified. Vladimir Ungern-Sternberg has repeatedly refused to tell anyone. He stated, "God knows, the Tsaritsa knows, and her supporters, and all supporters of the Romanovs and of the nobilities of Great Russia know, it's none of anyone else's business. It's there to protect my family and other loyal patriots."
He later stated, "We are a wealthy and powerful family, living in a glorious and powerful nation, but you never know, you can't take this stuff for granted, we learned our lessons from 1917 and right when we sensed that the country was heading in a similar direction, we took action, it is what I would have wished for the Blessed Martyrs, Nicholas II and his family."
"Eastern nobility"[]
Many of the Ungern-Sternbergs also carried Roman's infatuation with Eastern culture. Prince Oleg Vasilievich Ungern-Sternberg possesses one of Russia's largest collection of valuables and artifacts from China. Many princes also live in palaces built with large-scale Mongolian, Japanese and Chinese influence, let alone marrying Manchu women themselves, and even raising trilingual kids fluent in Russian, Manchu and even Chinese.
Prince Andrey I Pavlovich Ungern-Sternberg often-not, avoids the princely image, and spends more time with the indigenous nomadic peoples of Eastern Russia and Central Asia, and even had a palace built with traditional Siberian architecture, and too, houses Mongolian and Chinese-style furniture.
Princes Vasily, Oleg and Andrey are part of many orientalist groups in eastern Russia.
"Tsars of East Russia"[]
Many Eurasianists have coined the Ungern-Sternbergs as one of the "Tsars of the East" (Цари Востока), the other being the Aisin Gioros, due to their sheer power, wealth and influence. Many have suggested that they have the full ability to break away from the Russian Empire, and form their own Tsardom if they wanted, and many Eurasianists have event adovcated forming an independent East Russian state, with the Ungern-Sternbergs and Aisin Gioros as the ruling nobilities.
However, upon hearing of those, both the Ungern-Sternbergs and Aisin Gioros have fully rejected any secession ideas, especially with the Ungern-Sternbergs having been one of the Tsar/Tsaritsa's most-loyal supporters, and staunchest defenders of the monarchy. In addtiion, Grand Duke Paul I Vsevolodovich, distant cousin of the current Empress, Maria I Vladimirovna, is married to a Princess of the Ungern-Sternbergs, Alexander II Borisovna.
Prince and Baron Vladimir I Borisovich Ungern-Sternberg stated a in press conference, "Becoming the Tsar of East Russia? At what cost? The current-reigning Empress? Not gonna happen, I am better off chewing sharp glass than to overthrow the Romanovs."
Prince Andrew I Pavlovich too denied any notion of breaking away, stating, "I fully embrace, let alone acknowledge our distinct Eurasian and easternized culture, distinct from other regions of Russia. This does not warrant nor mean we want to overthrow the Romanovs or anything like that. Every nobility is distinct, look at the Wrangels of South Russia, many have Ukrainian heritage, or the Alimovs of Bukhara or the Kazembeks and Bagrations of the Caucasus, they have Persian influence, but I have not heard of them trying to overthrow the Romanovs or break free."
Currently, Maria I Vladimirovna, the Empress of all Russia, stated that she trusts the Ungern-Sternbergs, and is not concerned of any overthrow attempts.
Factions[]
Line of Prince George I Nikolayevich and Princess Anna Nikolayevich Rennenkampff (Georgievich)[]
Georgy married a noble woman from the Russian line of the House of Rennenkampff, Anna I Nikolayevich Rennenkampff. Upon Georgy's coronation as a prince, Anna too, as well as their children, became a princesses. Together they gave birth to:
- Prince Vladislav I Georgievich - married Princess Maria I Struve, Prince Vladislav I became leader within the Royal Guards
- Princess Gabriela I Georgievna - married Alexander, Hereditary Prince of Hohenzollern
- Prince Miroslav I Georgievna - married Maria I, Princess of Leningen
Line of Prince Boris I Nikolayevich and Princess Alexandra Bessolesky-Belozersky (Borisovich)[]
Upon becoming crowned a prince, Boris married Princess Alexandra from the House of Bessolesky-Belozersky, in a typical Slavophilic fashion. Unlike other monarchies and nobility, Prince Boris I Ungern-Sterneberg made great emphasis to his chilTdren on their mother's ancient Rurikid noble descent, as the Bessolsesky-Belozerskys are descendent from ancient Kievan Rus' nobilities.
- Prince Alexander I Borisovich - first and eldest child of both, pursued a business career and married Princess Olga I Nikoalyevna Golytsina from the House of Golytsin
- Prince Vassily I Borisovich - second-eldest, married Manchu Princess Olga I Pavlovna Gilarayeva from the Manchu House of Gilarayev or the Gilara-hala
- Prince Vladimir I Borisovich - third, future Naval Admiral, Procurator General, married Princess Victoria I Mikhailovna Massalskaya from the House of Massalski
- Princess Alexandra II Borisovna - fourth child, only female, married Grand Duke Paul I Vsevolodovich
Line of Prince Vassily I Borisovich and Princess Olga I Pavlovna Gilarayev (Manchu line)[]
Prince Vassily I shared his great uncle Roman's infatuation with Eastern cultures, and therefore, married Princess Olga I Pavlovna Gilarayev, from the House of Gilarayev or in Manchu, the Gilara-hala. The Gilarayevs were one of the supporters of the Tsar. Their children would be taught Manchu as a native language before Russian, and be enrolled in Manchu-speaking Gymnasiums.
- Prince Victor I Vassilievich - married Princess Catherine I Vladimirovna Tatarayev from the Manchu House of Tatarayev or Tatara-hala
- Prince Stanislav I Vassilievich - married Princess Olga I Pavlovna Khitarayeva from the Manchu House of Khitarayev, or the Hitara-hala, parents of famous Russian artist Princess Louise I
- Princess Ludmila I Vassilievna - married Prince Alexander I Petrovich Sochoroyev from the Manchu House of Scohoroyev, or Socoro-hala
Name-change contemplations[]
There have been strong contemplations by many of the Ungern-Sternbergs to change their name. The most common, is the Kharbinsky-Pavlov (Харбинский-Павлов), or even just Kharbinsky, denoting the Manchurian origins of the Ungern-Sternbergs as a knyaz house. Proponents of titled descent propose dropping Ungern-Sternberg altogether.
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