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Porcelain figures of Nicholas 1 and Alexandra Fedorovna. Archipelago Holy Rus'

Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Friederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine of Prussia, German Friederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine von Preußen;). July 13, 1798, Potsdam - October 20, 1860, Tsarskoe Selo)

Wife of Russian Emperor Nicholas I, Empress of Russia

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I. Born Princess Frederica-Louise-Charlotte-Wilhelmina, she was the third child in the family of the Prussian king Frederick William III of the Hohenzollern dynasty and his wife, Queen Louise.
Her father, Friedrich Wilhelm III (1770-1840), was a kind and sincerely religious man, but turned out to be a weak and indecisive ruler, in general, not at all remarkable in nature. Having become king of Prussia in 1797, he promised assistance to Austria, but did nothing after Napoleon's invasion of Austria in 1805. After the crushing defeat of the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstedt (1806), having lost half of his possessions, Friedrich Wilhelm was forced to sign the Peace of Tilsit in 1807. Princess Charlotte's mother, the Prussian Queen Louise-Augusta-Wilhelmina-Amalia (1776-1810) was the daughter of Duke Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Frederick William and Queen Louise married in 1793 and had three children. Two sons from this marriage, Friedrich Wilhelm IV (1795-1861) and Wilhelm I (1797-1888), later became kings of Prussia, and Wilhelm also became the first German emperor (since 1871). Charlotte was youngest child in the family and their only daughter. Having become queen, Louise soon attracted the hearts of her subjects and joined the Reform Party. She tried to turn Napoleon's head; she herself was turned by the Russian Tsar Alexander. When Frederick William set out on a campaign against the French in the fall of 1806, Louise followed him to Thuringia. After the Battle of Jena, Louise fled to Konigsberg, taking with her three children, including the youngest, 8-year-old Charlotte. In January 1807, Louise was already in Memel. Napoleon pursued the queen, whom he considered the instigator of the war for her indecisive husband, accompanying the pursuit with the most undignified insults. Despite this, Queen Louise decided to personally ask Napoleon in Tilsit for milder peace terms, but all her efforts were in vain.

Louise endured the severe suffering that befell the state and the royal house with courage, supporting the grief-stricken king. Understanding well what caused Prussia's misfortune, she joyfully welcomed the reforms and the statesmen who worked on the revival of Prussia. In December 1809, Louise and her children finally returned to Berlin, but a few months later she fell ill and died at the age of 34. Her remains were buried in the palace gardens in Charlottenburg, where a mausoleum was erected for her and her husband. In the 19th century, the Louise Institute in Berlin, which trained educators, and the Order of Louise were dedicated to the memory of the queen in the 19th century.

Unhappy Charlotte, who already knew in childhood what war and exile were, was 12 years old when her mother died. Lottchen, as her family called her, was incredibly beautiful girl- white, ruddy, tender, with a surprisingly thin waist, she seemed like an unearthly creature. After the victory over Napoleon, she could think about marriage, and one of the potential suitors was the younger brother of the Russian Emperor Alexander I, Nikolai Pavlovich. Although Nicholas was not considered an heir, Alexander I involved him in state affairs from his early youth. In 1814, a seventeen-year-old Grand Duke together with the emperor he entered Paris, and then attended the Vienna Congress of the four great powers - the winners of Napoleon. Later, he accompanied his crown-bearing brother on his visits to England, Austria, and Prussia. It was in Prussia, in 1814, that Nicholas met and fell in love with the young daughter of King Frederick William III, Charlotte. Already on November 4, 1815 in Berlin, during an official dinner, Russian Emperor Alexander I and Prussian King Frederick William III announced the engagement of Princess Charlotte and the brother of the Russian Tsar - Tsarevich and Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich.

Everything was terribly sweet and sentimental in a German way: young Nikolai and Charlotte were considered perhaps the most beautiful couple in Europe and fell in love with each other at first sight. Of course, this alliance “strengthened Russian-German friendship” at that stage, but on the part of the “young people” it was completely devoid of even a hint of pragmatism. The Russian imperial crown of Lottchen did not seem to shine: Constantine was considered the heir of Alexander. But Charlotte was not upset about this: she immediately warned her fiancé that she only liked “small, cute, cozy and comfortable things.” None of these epithets, of course, suited the Russian imperial crown. Nikolai called his bride “my bird,” his first feeling was not passion, not the thirst for possessing her beauty, but the desire to protect her, warm her, and protect her from the worries of the world. The wedding took place on July 1 (13), 1817 in the Church of the Winter Palace. Marriage presupposed the transition of the bride to the Orthodox confession and the naming of a new name, which is available in Orthodox calendar. This is how Princess Charlotte of Prussia began to be called Grand Duchess th Alexandra Fedorovna. The marriage pursued primarily political goals: strengthening the political union of Russia and Prussia, but it turned out to be happy and with many children. From this marriage seven children were born, including their firstborn - the future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881). Motherhood captured her completely and made her happy.

Unlike the wife of Tsar Alexander I, Charlotte immediately fell in with the Russian Court. Her mother-in-law fell in love with her with the same German sentimentality, and Lottchen responded in kind. Not too educated, amiable, very “understandable” and “her own,” cheerful, beautiful, breathtakingly graceful, Alexandra Fedorovna became an adornment of the Russian Court. Tsar Alexander loved to open balls with her. Young Pushkin was captivated by her and remained a playful admirer of “A.F.” all life. The poet's diaries (1834) contain a conversation between Pushkin and Alexandra Feodorovna and his confession: “I love the queen terribly, despite the fact that she is already 35 years old, or even 36.” And she also paid him with great sympathy. At the Court, the young queen was nicknamed Lalla-Ruk for her beauty and grace in honor of the heroine of the romantic poem by T. Moore. This is how Pushkin captured it in the original edition of the eighth song of “Eugene Onegin” (stanza 16):

And in the bright and rich hall,

When in a silent close circle,

Like a winged lily,

Hesitating, Lalla-Ruk enters,

And above the drooping crowd

Shines with a royal head

And quietly curls and glides

The star is a harita among haritas.

Real friendship connected Alexandra Fedorovna with her Russian language teacher - V.A. Zhukovsky. Probably, this was the only Russian empress in the 19th century who, even with the help of Zhukovsky, could not “overcome” the Russian language, but she fully appreciated the human qualities of Vasily Andreevich and entrusted the upbringing of her first-born to him. And in the “close circle” of her family and courtiers, she got along very well with her native German and common French. Although she read and loved Russian poetry, and understood them with her heart more than her husband, the “crowned engineer.”

It is difficult to say to what extent Alexandra and Nicholas were “not aware” of the plans of the royal family to transfer the imperial crown to them. According to official version, only in 1819 Alexander I announced this to them. And the newlyweds burst into tears - they didn’t want to get out of the cozy little world of their happiness into the world of big politics! However, when Alexandra Fedorovna gave birth to her first child in 1818, her mother-in-law sent her to Moscow to give birth - and this was already a sign that not just a member of the royal family was expected to be born, but a possible future sovereign. With German accuracy, Alexandra Fedorovna “did not let us down” and gave birth to a son, Alexander. True, the birth was not easy, and most importantly, Alexandra Fedorovna suddenly experienced great anxiety for the future of the baby. The prophetic heart of a mother: after all, the future Alexander II was born, who was then killed by revolutionaries! She remembered this feeling of anxiety forever. However, happy and in every sense “impeccable” Nicholas and Alexandra were more suitable for the role of the imperial couple than the eccentric, childless Konstantin and his morganatic wife, the Polish princess Lovich.

So, when Alexander I died, everyone learned that Nicholas should become emperor according to his will. It is well known that then this caused “turmoil”: an uprising of guards units on Senate Square on December 14, 1825. This day was the most terrible in the life of Nikolai and Alexandra: both understood that not only the crown, but their very lives were hanging in the balance. From that day on, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna began to suffer from a nervous tic, and Emperor Nicholas I became stubborn and cruel, which frightened her. In response to his wife’s timid requests to have mercy on the Decembrists, Nikolai cried out angrily: “How can you tell me about this - you, you! After all, they wanted to kill your children!..” This was a compelling “argument”: Alexandra retreated. But the unrest of those days will still have an impact. Soon Alexandra Fedorovna will give birth to a third daughter, who will be named in her honor. Alexandra the Younger will be strikingly different from her stubborn and lively older sisters Maria and Olga in her quiet disposition, thoughtfulness, and gentleness. She will become the favorite of her mother and the whole family, and will fade away at the age of 18 - this will be the second terrible blow for Alexandra Feodorovna. This “family” background explains a lot in Nicholas’s policy.

Sick and childish, Alexandra Feodorovna had little interest in state affairs. She led an active social life, and in 1828 she became a trustee of charitable institutions, which came under her control after the death of her mother-in-law, the wife of Paul I, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The Empress was also the patroness of the Imperial Women's Patriotic Society and the Elizabethan Institute. The Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg is named after her. Nicholas I surrounded Alexandra Feodorovna with attention and love, creating a real cult of the “white lady” (the empress’s symbol was a white rose). A line by V.A. is dedicated to her. Zhukovsky “The Genius of Pure Beauty”, then repeated by A.S. Pushkin.

In the summer of 1828, Nikolai and Alexandra made a visit to Berlin. Here, at her father's court, the Russian Empress will celebrate her 30th birthday. This holiday will go down in the history of German culture: the best poets will sing the holiday of the White Rose, in the spirit of medieval tournaments, as Alexandra Fedorovna herself is poetically called. True, her beloved husband will not be at the celebration: he will urgently leave for Russia “on business.” Among these “things” is preparing the main gift for your wife.

Soon after returning to St. Petersburg, Alexandra Fedorovna became the mistress of the new palace. The Scotsman A. Menelas erected a building in Peterhof in the spirit of English country cottages - that’s how it was called: The Cottage. Of course, the heroes of Dickens's works would have considered these apartments too luxurious, but from the point of view of the Russian queen, everything here was as she liked: “small, cozy, comfortable and cute.” The palace was decorated in a pseudo-Gothic style, its coat of arms was a white rose, Alexandra Fedorovna’s favorite flower. By erecting this palace, Nicholas seemed to be telling his wife: youth is behind us, the family everyday life of maturity has begun - let them be serene!.. After creating the Alexandria palace and park ensemble for her in Peterhof, the empress began to call herself the “Peterhof landowner.” According to tradition, it was here, and not to the Great Peterhof Palace, that the entire crowned family and their children went for the summer. Alexandra Feodorovna once confessed to the Marquis de Custine: “Life in the Peterhof Palace was unbearable for me. To take a break from its heavy gilding, I begged the sovereign for this monastery. I have never been as happy as here.” The letter was about Alexandria Park.

Over time, the life of the upper strata and the Court democratized. Public masquerades appeared, where the upper classes could mingle with decently dressed “commoners,” have affairs there, and communicate casually. Public masquerades were a “hit” of the St. Petersburg ball seasons in the 1830s. This was reflected in at least two major works by M.Yu. Lermontov - in the drama “Masquerade” and in the poem “How often, surrounded by a motley crowd...” Meanwhile, few people know that the heyday of masquerades was associated with a certain very significant change in the intimate life of the august couple. Alexandra Fedorovna loved to dance literally “until she dropped”: as a result, frequent childbirth (4 sons, 3 daughters and two miscarriages due to balls) undermined her health. In 1832, doctors categorically forbade her to have an intimate life... “For the sake of his wife,” Nikolai resigned himself to the need for abstinence. For some time, the couple entertained themselves with his stories about how this or that social beauty was trying to seduce the Tsar. As if demonstrating the inviolability of her marital bonds, Alexandra deliberately surrounds herself with lovely ladies-in-waiting. In addition, she sincerely loves everything beautiful and elegant. Hence her persistent desire to meet and introduce N.N. into the court circle. Pushkin.

The royal couple constantly participates in Engelhardt's masquerades. But then, at these same masquerades, the king starts one affair, another, a third - and no longer tells his wife about it. But, like any despot and owner, he jealously watches over his wife. Countess Sofya Bobrinskaya is assigned to her. True, she becomes best friend queen, - it is Bobrinskaya who sometimes accompanies her to the masquerade. However, unlike her husband and daughters who matured early, the empress can only allow herself light flirting, “masurian chatter” - no more. At official balls, the tsar himself approves the list of those with whom his wife will dance, and more than once every two years, not a single name is repeated on the list... The most that “A.F.” could dare was her infatuation with the prince A. Trubetskoy, whom she calls Velvet in correspondence with Bobrinskaya. And although Lalla-Ruk and Velkhat are only partners in rare dances, the conspiracy is not unnecessary: the tsar eventually sends Trubetskoy abroad. There were rumors that over time the king “made happy” all the more or less pretty ladies and girls in the palace. One court lady explained to the traveler Marquis de Custine that if she had refused the king, her own husband would have been the first to condemn her for it...

Now it becomes clear how the tsar, an inveterate hypocrite, was offended and infuriated by all sorts of references to “debauchery” in the highest spheres, which were so frequent in Lermontov’s works! Hence the unexpectedly malicious epitaph of Nicholas I to the poet: “A dog’s death is a dog’s death.” Meanwhile, Nikolai seriously fell in love, so much so that he no longer began to hide it. Her name was Varvara, and she was the niece of his father’s favorite, the famous Nelidova. Varenka Nelidova was Alexandra Fedorovna's maid of honor. And then the queen suddenly lost her composure, feeling that it was not yet another passion of her husband, but a great feeling. The Empress staged a formal revolt. She got ready for Italy and took Varenka with her. Preparations for the trip took two weeks. For two weeks, Nikolai did not say a word to his wife - this is the only, but what a disagreement in their long life together!.. A few days after his wife’s departure, the tsar took off and flew after the travelers. They united in Naples. Only they know what all three were talking about. But the trio returns to St. Petersburg seemingly reconciled.

We must pay tribute to Varenka: she is very delicate, she never advertised her special relationship with the tsar. Nikolai also observed absolute correctness towards his wife, and, it seems, spoiled her even more, building lovely palaces for her and giving her a lot of “cute little” (and very expensive) things. In the Moscow Kremlin according to the project of K.A. Tone is building the main palace of the empire, where the most luxurious premises (incomparable to his own) are the apartments of the empress. Main holiday country - still her birthday is in Peterhof.

Contemporaries note, meanwhile, Alexandra Feodorovna’s sickly appearance and at the same time the fact that she dresses “like a young woman.” And in the interiors, the romantic ambience of youth is replaced by the ponderous luxury of the new, bourgeois century. In 1854, this new bourgeois Europe will demonstrate its power to the “gendarme” of Europe, Nicholas: war will break out. From the windows of the Cottage you can see English warships. Sevastopol will fall, the possibility of an Anglo-French landing in the vicinity of St. Petersburg is being discussed with might and main. Nicholas's former allies Prussia and Austria betray him. In despair, the king seeks death: at parades, he stands in the piercing winter wind in his uniform. Finally, success is achieved: the king catches a cold and quickly burns out in the fire of illness. At the bedside of the dying man is Alexandra Fedorovna. Varenka, completely distraught with grief, wanders in the corridor. The queen asks her husband to say goodbye to Nelidova, but true to duty and decency, Nikolai does not allow his mistress to his bed. To his frightened, tear-stained son Alexander, he hoarsely: “Hold everything!” and clenches his fist. These were Nikolai's last words.

A new era begins for Russia. A new era begins for both women - the Dowager Empress and the ex-favorite. Nelidova gives all the money that the tsar bequeathed to her (200 thousand) for charitable needs, leaving not only without a means of subsistence, but also without shelter - after all, before that, like most ladies-in-waiting, she lived in the palace. And then something amazing happens: the day after Nicholas’s death, his widow gives her rival a court position! Moreover: now both women will not part until Alexandra Feodorovna’s death. The memory of a loved one will make them best friends!

After the death of her husband, Alexandra Fedorovna inherited the Anichkov Palace and Alexandria, and also owned the manors of Ropsha, Kipen, Dudergofka and Znamenka. She bears the title of Dowager Empress, is surrounded by the same honor - her son, the new emperor, loves her, and he seems to be more like his mother in character. But every year the strength leaves the once beautiful woman. Now she spends many months at German and French resorts. But she still personifies the splendor and luxury of the imperial court. If Emperor Nicholas I himself was unpretentious in everyday life and could sleep covered with an old overcoat, then Alexandra Feodorovna surrounded herself with exquisite handicrafts the best masters and lived in luxury both in Russia and abroad. In July 1857, in the article “The Most August Travellers. The Dowager Empress,” published in Kolokol, Herzen sharply condemned her for “the spectacle of a truly Asian throwing of money, a truly barbaric luxury... Every move of the august sick woman and every rest of her is equal for Russia crop failure, river floods and two or three fires." However, at the beginning of July every year, she returns to the “rotten” Peterhof, where she still reigns on the main holiday of Russia - her birthday. She is still as kind, sweet, graceful, she herself brews tea for guests. Last time the Empress Mother does this in July 1860. In the fall, Alexandra Fedorovna fell ill completely. To the priest’s call to forgive all offenders, she objected: “Yes, I forgive everyone except the Emperor of Austria!..” She could not forget Nicholas’ betrayal to them even on her deathbed.

On October 19, 1860, in the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, this “ordinary” and yet remarkable woman died in her own way. Her last words were: “Nick, I’m coming to you...” The Empress’s funeral took place in the Peter and Paul Cathedral next to her husband, Nicholas I.

Varenka Nelidova outlived both her son and her grandson, and saw the coronation of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II - the great-grandson of her august friend. Nelidova passed away in 1897. One of the most beautiful women first half of the 19th century century, the German Princess Charlotte, who became the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, was creative nature. She drew wonderfully, painted portraits, did stone carving, chasing, etc. And when she died, unsigned poems were published in Polar Star:

The Empress died...

What came of it?

Nice will cry bitterly,

And Russia - nothing.

Considering that royal marriages are primarily a matter of politics, the heartfelt preferences of sovereigns were usually not taken into account. But nevertheless, the marriage union of Nicholas I and Alexandra Fedorovna can be considered one of the most successful. It’s hard to believe that the romantic and sentimental princess was completely happy with Nicholas, who went down in history under the nickname “gendarme of Europe.” It was difficult for those who observed their family life to determine where the tribute to conventions was, and where sincere affection began - Alexandra Feodorovna strove to diligently observe all the etiquette of palace life. To some she even seemed prim and strict. However, this was not her innate traits, but was dictated only by touching devotion to the sovereign and thereby “respect for the sacredness of family life”, which V.A. spoke about. Zhukovsky.

In marriage, Nikolai Pavlovich and Alexandra Fedorovna had 7 children:

Alexander Nikolaevich, the future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881), married in his first marriage to Maria of Hesse and in his second, morganatic marriage, to Princess Ekaterina Dolgorukova.

Maria Nikolaevna (1819-1876), married in her first marriage to Maximilian Beauharnais (the offspring from this marriage retained the right of succession to the throne), Duke of Leuchteberg and in her second to Count Grigory Stroganov.

Olga Nikolaevna (1822-1892), married to the Württemberg King Charles I, died childless.

Alexandra Nikolaevna (1825-1844), married to Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, died in childbirth a year after her marriage.

Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich (1827-1892), married to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg (Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna), left offspring.

Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder (1831-1891), married to Princess Alexandra of Oldenburg (Alexandra Petrovna), left offspring.

Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich (1832-1909), married to Cecilia of Baden (Grand Duchess Olga Fedorovna), left offspring.

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

Alexandra Fedorovna,
born Princess Friederike Charlotte Wilhelmina,
also known as Charlotte of Prussia, German. Charlotte von Preußen;
July 13, 1798, Potsdam - July 2, 1860, Tsarskoe Selo -
wife of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, Empress of Russia.

She was the sister of the Prussian kings Frederick William IV and Wilhelm I, later the first German emperor. The eldest daughter of the Prussian king Frederick William III and Queen Louise was born in 1798. She was named Charlotte, partly because it was a popular name in the family of Prussian kings, partly because that was the name of Goethe's beloved Werther.

In 1816, a magnificent wedding took place, and Princess Charlotte of Prussia began to be called Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna. The marriage pursued primarily political goals: strengthening the political union of Russia and Prussia, but it turned out to be happy and with many children.

Unlike the wife of Tsar Alexander the First, the former “Lottchen” immediately fell into favor with the Russian Court. Her mother-in-law fell in love with her with the same German sentimentality - ex-Lotchen answered her in the same way. Not too educated, amiable, very “understandable” and “her own,” cheerful, happy, beautiful, breathtakingly graceful, Alexandra Feodorovna became an adornment of the Russian Court. Marriage presupposed the transition of the bride to the Orthodox confession and the naming of a new name, which is available in the Orthodox calendar.

in 1818, Alexandra Feodorovna gave birth to her first child, and her mother-in-law sent her to Moscow to give birth - and this was already a sign that not just a member of the royal family was expected to be born, but a possible future sovereign. With German accuracy, Alexandra Fedorovna “did not let us down” and gave birth to a son, Alexander. True, the birth was not easy, and most importantly, Alexandra Fedorovna suddenly experienced great anxiety for the future of the baby. The prophetic heart of a mother: after all, the future Alexander II was born!.. She remembered this feeling of anxiety forever.

Tsar Alexander loved to open balls with her. Young Pushkin was captivated by her and remained a playful admirer of A.F. all life. She also paid him with great affection. Pushkin noted in her the lightness of spirit and the humanity of a happy creature. And her beauty and grace... At the Court, the young woman was nicknamed Lalla-Ruk in honor of the heroine of the romantic poem by T. Moore. This is how Pushkin captured it in “Eugene Onegin”:

...into a silent close circle,
Like a winged lily,
Hesitating, Lalla-Ruk enters,
And above the drooping crowd
Shines with a royal head
And quietly curls and glides
A harita star among haritas.

True friendship connected Alexandra Fedorovna with her Russian language teacher, V.A. Zhukovsky. Probably, this was the only Russian empress in the 19th century who, even with the help of Zhukovsky, could not “overcome” the Russian language, but she fully appreciated the human qualities of Vasily Andreevich and entrusted the upbringing of her first-born to him. And in the “close circle” of her family and courtiers, she got along well with her native German and commonly used French...
After her husband's accession to the throne in 1825, Alexandra Feodorovna became the Russian Empress. December 14, 1825, this day was the most terrible in the life of Nicholas and Alexandra: both understood that not only the crown, but their very lives were hanging in the balance. From that day on, Alexandra Fedorovna began to suffer from a nervous tic, and Nikolai became stubborn and cruel, which frightened her.

In response to his wife’s timid requests to have mercy on the Decembrists, Nikolai shouted angrily: “How can you tell me about this - you, you! After all, they wanted to kill your children!..” This was, of course, an “argument”: Alexandra retreated. But the unrest of those days will still have an impact. Soon Alexandra Fedorovna will give birth to a third daughter, who will be named in her honor. Alexandra the Younger will be strikingly different from her stubborn and lively older sisters Maria and Olga in her quiet disposition, thoughtfulness, and gentleness. She will become the favorite of her mother and the whole family, and will fade away at the age of 18 - this will be the second terrible blow for Alexandra Fedorovna. In the summer of 1828, Nikolai and Alexandra make a visit to Berlin. Here, at her father's Court, the Russian Empress will celebrate her 30th birthday. This holiday will go down in the history of German culture. Of course: the best poets will sing about the holiday of the White Rose, in the spirit of medieval tournaments, as Alexandra Fedorovna herself is poetically called.

True, her beloved husband will not be at the celebration: he will urgently leave for Russia “on business.” Among these “things” is preparing the main gift for your wife.
Soon after returning to St. Petersburg, Alexandra Fedorovna became the mistress of another palace. The Scotsman A. Menelas erected a building in Peterhof in the spirit of English country cottages - that’s how it was called: The Cottage. Of course, the heroes of Dickens's happy endings would have considered these apartments too luxurious, but from the point of view of the Russian queen, everything here was as she liked: “small, cozy, comfortable and cute.” The palace was decorated in a pseudo-Gothic style, its coat of arms was a white rose, A.F.’s favorite flower. and the emblem of the famous holiday in her honor in Berlin. By erecting this palace, Nikolai seemed to be telling his wife: youth is behind us, family everyday life has begun. maturity - let them be serene!..

Alexandra Fedorovna loved to dance literally “until she dropped”: as a result, frequent childbirth (4 sons, 3 daughters and 2 miscarriages due to balls) undermined her health. In 1832, doctors categorically forbade her to have an intimate life... “For the sake of his wife,” Nicholas resigned himself to the need for abstinence. After the death of Nicholas I in 1855, she bears the title of Dowager Empress.

Alexandra Feodorovna is surrounded by honor - her son, the new emperor, loves her, and he seems to be more like his mother in character. But every year the strength leaves the once beautiful woman. Now she spends many months in German resorts. However, at the beginning of July every year he returns to the “rotten” Peterhof, where he still reigns on the main holiday of Russia - his birthday. She is still as kind, sweet, graceful, she herself brews tea for guests.
The last time the Empress Mother did this was in July 1860. In the fall, Alexandra Fedorovna fell ill completely. To the priest’s call to forgive all offenders, she objected: “Yes, I forgive everyone except the Emperor of Austria!..” She could not forget Nicholas’ betrayal to them even on her deathbed.
On October 20, 1860, this “ordinary” and yet remarkable woman in her own way passed away. Her last words were: “Nick, I’m coming to you...”

Alexandra Fedorovna had friendly relations with Pushkin, who spoke warmly about her in his diary.
Alexandra Feodorovna had little interest in state affairs; in 1828 she became a trustee of charitable institutions that came under her control after the death of her mother-in-law, the wife of Paul I, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The Empress was also the patroness of the Imperial Women's Patriotic Society and the Elizabethan Institute.
She led a varied social life. Nicholas I surrounded his wife with attention, care and love, creating a genuine cult of the “white lady”, for the symbol of Alexandra Feodorovna was the white rose.

The Alexandria palace and park ensemble in Peterhof was erected for her. The Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg is named after her.

http://tuba.org.ru/AIII/images/44.jpg

A line by V.A. is dedicated to her. Zhukovsky: “the genius of pure beauty”, later repeated by A.S. Pushkin in a different context.
She was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Alexandra Feodorovna with children

Children

Alexander Nikolaevich, the future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881), married in his first marriage to Maria of Hesse and in his second, morganatic marriage, to Princess Catherine Dolgoruky.
Maria Nikolaevna (1819-1876), married in her first marriage to Maximilian de Beauharnais (the offspring from this marriage retained the right of succession to the throne), Duke of Leuchteberg and in her second to Count Grigory Stroganov.
Olga Nikolaevna (1822-1892), married to the Württemberg King Charles I, died childless.
Alexandra Nikolaevna (1825-1844), married to Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, died in childbirth a year after her marriage.
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich (1827-1892), married to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg, left issue.
Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder (1831-1891), married to Princess Alexandra of Oldenburg, left offspring.
Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich (1832-1909), married to Cecilia of Baden (Grand Duchess Olga Fedorovna), left offspring.

Daily routine and work rooms of Russian monarchs

WIFE OF EMPEROR NICHOLAS THE FIRST...

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna wife of Nicholas I
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Russian Empress, wife of Emperor Nicholas I (1796-1855) Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova (Princess Charlotte of Prussia) was born on July 1 (13), 1798 in Potsdam (Prussia). Born Princess Frederica-Louise-Charlotte-Wilhelmina, she was the third child in the family of the Prussian king Frederick William III of the Hohenzollern dynasty and his wife, Queen Louise.

Her father, Friedrich Wilhelm III (1770-1840), was a kind and sincerely religious man, but turned out to be a weak and indecisive ruler, in general, not at all remarkable in nature. Having become king of Prussia in 1797, he promised assistance to Austria, but did nothing after Napoleon's invasion of Austria in 1805. After the crushing defeat of the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstedt (1806), having lost half of his possessions, Friedrich Wilhelm was forced to sign the Peace of Tilsit in 1807. Princess Charlotte's mother, the Prussian Queen Louise-Augusta-Wilhelmina-Amalia (1776-1810) was the daughter of Duke Charles of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

Frederick William and Queen Louise married in 1793 and had three children. Two sons from this marriage, Friedrich Wilhelm IV (1795-1861) and Wilhelm I (1797-1888), later became kings of Prussia, and Wilhelm also became the first German emperor (since 1871). Charlotte was the youngest child in the family and their only daughter. Having become queen, Louise soon attracted the hearts of her subjects and joined the Reform Party. She tried to turn Napoleon's head; she herself was turned by the Russian Tsar Alexander. When Frederick William set out on a campaign against the French in the fall of 1806, Louise followed him to Thuringia. After the Battle of Jena, Louise fled to Konigsberg, taking with her three children, including the youngest, 8-year-old Charlotte. In January 1807, Louise was already in Memel. Napoleon pursued the queen, whom he considered the instigator of the war for her indecisive husband, accompanying the pursuit with the most undignified insults. Despite this, Queen Louise decided to personally ask Napoleon in Tilsit for milder peace terms, but all her efforts were in vain.

Unhappy Charlotte, who already knew in childhood what war and exile were, was 12 years old when her mother died. Lottchen, as her family called her, was an incredibly beautiful girl - fair, ruddy, tender, with an amazingly thin waist, she seemed like an unearthly creature. After the victory over Napoleon, she could think about marriage, and one of the potential suitors was the younger brother of the Russian Emperor Alexander I, Nikolai Pavlovich. Although Nicholas was not considered an heir, Alexander I involved him in state affairs from his early youth. In 1814, the seventeen-year-old Grand Duke, together with the emperor, entered Paris, and then attended the Vienna Congress of the four great powers - the winners of Napoleon. Later, he accompanied his crown-bearing brother on his visits to England, Austria, and Prussia. It was in Prussia, in 1814, that Nicholas met and fell in love with the young daughter of King Frederick William III, Charlotte. Already on November 4, 1815 in Berlin, during an official dinner, Russian Emperor Alexander I and Prussian King Frederick William III announced the engagement of Princess Charlotte and the brother of the Russian Tsar - Tsarevich and Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich.

Everything was terribly sweet and sentimental in a German way: young Nikolai and Charlotte were considered perhaps the most beautiful couple in Europe and fell in love with each other at first sight. Of course, this alliance “strengthened Russian-German friendship” at that stage, but on the part of the “young people” it was completely devoid of even a hint of pragmatism. The Russian imperial crown of Lottchen did not seem to shine: Constantine was considered the heir of Alexander. But Charlotte was not upset about this: she immediately warned her fiancé that she only liked “small, cute, cozy and comfortable things.” None of these epithets, of course, suited the Russian imperial crown. Nikolai called his bride “my bird,” his first feeling was not passion, not the thirst for possessing her beauty, but the desire to protect her, warm her, and protect her from the worries of the world. The wedding took place on July 1 (13), 1817 in the Church of the Winter Palace. Marriage presupposed the transition of the bride to the Orthodox confession and the naming of a new name, which is available in the Orthodox calendar. So Princess Charlotte of Prussia began to be called Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna. The marriage pursued primarily political goals: strengthening the political union of Russia and Prussia, but it turned out to be happy and with many children. From this marriage seven children were born, including their firstborn - the future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881). Motherhood captured her completely and made her happy.

And in the bright and rich hall,
When in a silent close circle,
Like a winged lily,
Hesitating, Lalla-Ruk enters,
And above the drooping crowd
Shines with a royal head
And quietly curls and glides
The star is a harita among haritas.

It is difficult to say to what extent Alexandra and Nicholas were “not aware” of the plans of the royal family to transfer the imperial crown to them. According to the official version, only in 1819 did Alexander I announce this to them. And the newlyweds burst into tears - they didn’t want to get out of the cozy little world of their happiness into the world of big politics! However, when Alexandra Fedorovna gave birth to her first child in 1818, her mother-in-law sent her to Moscow to give birth - and this was already a sign that not just a member of the royal family was expected to be born, but a possible future sovereign. With German accuracy, Alexandra Fedorovna “did not let us down” and gave birth to a son, Alexander. True, the birth was not easy, and most importantly, Alexandra Fedorovna suddenly experienced great anxiety for the future of the baby. The prophetic heart of a mother: after all, the future Alexander II was born, who was then killed by revolutionaries! She remembered this feeling of anxiety forever. However, happy and in every sense “impeccable” Nicholas and Alexandra were more suitable for the role of the imperial couple than the eccentric, childless Konstantin and his morganatic wife, the Polish princess Lovich.

The royal couple constantly participates in Engelhardt's masquerades. But then, at these same masquerades, the king starts one affair, another, a third - and no longer tells his wife about it. But, like any despot and owner, he jealously watches over his wife. Countess Sofya Bobrinskaya is assigned to her. True, she becomes the queen's best friend - it is Bobrinskaya who sometimes accompanies her to the masquerade. However, unlike her husband and daughters who matured early, the empress can only allow herself light flirting, “masurian chatter” - no more. At official balls, the tsar himself approves the list of those with whom his wife will dance, and more than once every two years, not a single name is repeated on the list... The most that “A.F.” could dare was her infatuation with Prince A. Trubetskoy, whom she calls Velkhat in correspondence with Bobrinskaya. And although Lalla-Ruk and Velkhat are only partners in rare dances, the conspiracy is not unnecessary: the tsar eventually sends Trubetskoy abroad. There were rumors that over time the king “made happy” all the more or less pretty ladies and girls in the palace. One court lady explained to the traveler Marquis de Custine that if she had refused the king, her own husband would have been the first to condemn her for it...

Now it becomes clear how the tsar, an inveterate hypocrite, was offended and infuriated by all sorts of references to “debauchery” in the highest spheres, which were so frequent in Lermontov’s works! Hence the unexpectedly malicious epitaph of Nicholas I to the poet: “A dog’s death is a dog’s death.” Meanwhile, Nikolai seriously fell in love, so much so that he no longer began to hide it. Her name was Varvara and she was the niece of his father’s favorite, the famous Nelidova. Varenka Nelidova was Alexandra Fedorovna's maid of honor. And then the queen suddenly lost her composure, feeling that it was not yet another passion of her husband, but a great feeling. The Empress staged a formal revolt. She got ready for Italy and took Varenka with her. Preparations for the trip took two weeks. For two weeks, Nikolai did not say a word to his wife - this is the only, but what a disagreement in their long life together!.. A few days after his wife’s departure, the tsar took off and flew after the travelers. They united in Naples. Only they know what all three were talking about. But the trio returns to St. Petersburg seemingly reconciled.

We must pay tribute to Varenka: she is very delicate, she never advertised her special relationship with the tsar. Nikolai also observed absolute correctness towards his wife, and, it seems, spoiled her even more, building lovely palaces for her and giving her a lot of “cute little” (and very expensive) things. In the Moscow Kremlin according to the project of K.A. Tone is building the main palace of the empire, where the most luxurious premises (incomparable to his own) are the apartments of the empress. The main holiday of the country is still her birthday in Peterhof.

After the death of her husband, Alexandra Fedorovna inherited the Anichkov Palace and Alexandria, and also owned the manors of Ropsha, Kipen, Dudergofka and Znamenka. She bears the title of Dowager Empress, is surrounded by the same honor - her son, the new emperor, loves her, and he seems to be more like his mother in character. But every year the strength leaves the once beautiful woman. Now she spends many months at German and French resorts. But she still personifies the splendor and luxury of the imperial court. If Emperor Nicholas I himself was unpretentious in everyday life and could sleep covered with an old overcoat, then Alexandra Feodorovna surrounded herself with exquisite things made by the best craftsmen and lived in luxury both in Russia and abroad. In July 1857, in the article “The Most August Travellers. The Dowager Empress,” published in Kolokol, Herzen sharply condemned her for “the spectacle of a truly Asian throwing of money, a truly barbaric luxury... Every move of the august sick woman and every rest of her is equal for Russia crop failure, river floods and two or three fires." However, at the beginning of July every year, she returns to the “rotten” Peterhof, where she still reigns on the main holiday of Russia - her birthday. She is still as kind, sweet, graceful, she herself brews tea for guests. The last time the Empress Mother did this was in July 1860. In the fall, Alexandra Fedorovna fell ill completely. To the priest’s call to forgive all offenders, she objected: “Yes, I forgive everyone except the Emperor of Austria!..” She could not forget Nicholas’ betrayal to them even on her deathbed.

Varenka Nelidova outlived both her son and her grandson, and saw the coronation of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II - the great-grandson of her august friend. Nelidova passed away in 1897. One of the most beautiful women of the first half of the 19th century, the German Princess Charlotte, who became the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, was a creative person. She drew wonderfully, painted portraits, did stone carving, chasing, etc. And when she died, unsigned poems were published in Polar Star:

The Empress died...
What came of it?
Nice will cry bitterly,
And Russia - nothing.

In marriage, Nikolai Pavlovich and Alexandra Fedorovna had 7 children:

Alexander (1818-1881) future Emperor Alexander II Nikolaevich;
Maria (6.08.1819-9.02.1876) 1st marriage - Maximilian Duke of Leuchtenberg (1817-1852)
2nd marriage (unofficial marriage since 1854) - Stroganov Grigory
Alexandrovich, count;
Olga (30.08.1822 - 18.10.1892) husband - Friedrich-Karl-Alexander, King of Württemberg;
Alexandra (06/12/1825 - 07/29/1844) husband - Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Hesse-Kassel;
Konstantin (1827-1892)
Nicholas (1831-1891)
Mikhail (1832-1909) - FROM THE INTERNET -

Plan
Introduction
1 Biography
2 Children
Bibliography

Introduction

Alexandra Feodorovna (born Princess Friederike Charlotte Wilhelmina, also known as Charlotte of Prussia, German. Charlotte von Preußen; July 13, 1798, Potsdam - October 20 (November 1), 1860, Tsarskoe Selo) - wife of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, Russian Empress.

1. Biography

Frederica Charlotte Wilhelmina was born on July 13, 1798, the third child of Prussian King Frederick William III and his wife, Queen Louise. She was the sister of the Prussian kings Frederick William IV and Wilhelm I, later the first German emperor.

On July 13, 1817, she married Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, brother of the Russian Emperor Alexander I. The marriage involved the bride’s conversion to the Orthodox confession and the naming of a new name, which is available in the Orthodox calendar. The marriage pursued primarily political goals: strengthening the political union of Russia and Prussia, but it turned out to be happy and with many children. After her husband's accession to the throne in 1825, Alexandra Feodorovna became the Russian Empress. After the death of Nicholas I in 1855, she bore the title of Dowager Empress.

The daughter of the poet Tyutchev, Anna Feodorovna, maid of honor to Tsarevna Maria Alexandrovna, wrote about the empress in her memoirs: “Emperor Nicholas I had for his wife, this fragile, irresponsible and graceful creature, a passionate and despotic adoration of a strong nature for a weak being, whose only ruler and legislator he feels. For him, this was a lovely bird, which he kept locked in a golden and jeweled cage, which he fed with nectar and ambrosia, lulled with melodies and aromas, but whose wings he would not regret cutting if she wanted to escape from the gilded bars of her cage "

She had friendly relations with Pushkin, who spoke warmly about her in his diary.

She died on October 20, 1860 in Tsarskoe Selo. The funeral service took place on November 5; buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

· Alexander Nikolaevich, future Emperor Alexander II (1818-1881), married in his first marriage to Maria of Hesse and in his second, morganatic marriage, to Princess Ekaterina Dolgorukova.

· Maria Nikolaevna (1819-1876), married in her first marriage to Maximilian de Beauharnais (the offspring from this marriage retained the right of succession to the throne), Duke of Leuchteberg and in her second to Count Grigory Stroganov.

· Olga Nikolaevna (1822-1892), married to the Württemberg King Charles I, died childless.

· Alexandra Nikolaevna (1825-1844), married to Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, died in childbirth a year after her marriage.

· Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich (1827-1892), married to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg (Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna), left offspring.

· Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder (1831-1891), married to Princess Alexandra of Oldenburg (Alexandra Petrovna), left offspring.

· Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich (1832-1909), married to Cecilia of Baden (Grand Duchess Olga Feodorovna), left offspring.

Bibliography:

Spouse. Nikolai's wife Alexandra Feodorovna (07/01/1798-10/20/1860), nee German Princess Frederica-Louise-Charlotte-Wilhelmina, was born in Berlin in the family of the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm and was the sister of Emperor Wilhelm I. She married Nicholas, then the Grand Duke, in 1817. 65 The marriage of Nicholas Pavlovich and Alexandra Fedorovna was a rare marriage of love for the imperial family, which this time was successfully combined with dynastic calculation. The Empress herself subsequently described her feelings about marriage as follows: “I felt very, very happy when our hands joined; “I put my life in the hands of my Nicholas with complete trust, and he never disappointed this hope.” Alexandra Feodorovna retained her fragile beauty and grace for a long time, and in the first years of marriage Nikolai simply idolized her. Their family turned out to be quite prosperous in terms of having children. Unlike his two older brothers, Nicholas became the happy father of seven legitimate offspring. His wife bore him four sons and three daughters: Tsarevich Alexander, Grand Dukes Constantine, Nicholas and Mikhail, Grand Duchesses Maria, Olga and Alexandra. His father’s favorite, who enjoyed his boundless trust, was the first-born Tsarevich Alexander Nikolaevich (04/17/1818-03/01/1881) - the future Emperor Alexander II. Raised by the poet V. A. Zhukovsky, he grew up as a man with noble aspirations and impulses. In 1841, his wife was Maria Alexandrovna (1824-1880), Princess Maximilian-Wilhelmina-Augusta-Sophia-Maria of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse (Ludwig II of Hesse-Darmstadt). While still an heir, Alexander Nikolaevich participated in government. He stayed in place of his father when he went on trips. The second son of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich (09.09.182713.01.1892), was also an outstanding personality. The emperor's father's passion for the personality of Peter I affected his future. Contrary to established tradition, from childhood he was assigned not to the land guards regiment, 66 but to the navy. In 1831, at the age of four, the Grand Duke received the rank of admiral general. In 1855, at the age of only 28, Konstantin began to manage the fleet as Minister of the Navy. He turned out to be a very talented and active naval commander. Under him, sailing ships were replaced by steam ones, paperwork was simplified, corporal punishment of lower ranks was actually abolished earlier than in the army, capable officers and engineers were attracted to serve in the navy. Konstantin Nikolaevich received a good education, was distinguished by his open-mindedness, and was known as a liberal in politics. He was one one of the ardent supporters and active promoter of the reforms of the era of Alexander II, especially the abolition of serfdom, which took place largely thanks to his support. Being the governor of the Kingdom of Poland from 1861 to 1863, he advocated granting Poland greater rights within the Russian Empire. In 1865 he became chairman of the State Council. After the death of Alexander II, Constantine, under pressure from his nephew the emperor Alexandra III resigned from all government positions and last years lived his life as a private person with his wife Alexandra Iosifovna, Princess of Saxe (daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg), with whom he had been married since 1848. Their son, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov (1858-1913), one of the most famous grandchildren of Nicholas I was born in Strelna, in the famous Konstantinovsky Palace, where one of the residences of the President of Russia is now located. Konstantin Jr. received an excellent home education. His father made sure that history was taught to him by a professor at St. Petersburg University, the outstanding scientist S. M. Solovyov and the no less famous author of historical novels KN Bestuzhev. Music theory was read to the young Grand Duke by G. A. La Roche, the author of works on Glinka and Tchaikovsky. His family loved music and literature. Konstantin Sr. was not only an outstanding military man and statesman, but also the publisher of the once popular magazine “Sea Collection” (1848-1917), which published chapters from Goncharov’s novel “Frigate Pallada”, plays by Ostrovsky, stories and essays by Grigorovich, Pisemsky, Stanyukovich. Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov began his career as a military man. As a young midshipman, he made sea voyages on the frigates Gromoboy and Svetlana. At the age of 19, he took part in the Balkan War, in hostilities on the Danube, was awarded for bravery with the Order of George, 4th degree. After the fleet, he served in the Izmailovsky Guards Regiment, was the chief of the Tiflis Grenadier Regiment and the commander of the Preobrazhensky Life Guards. From 1889 until the end of his life, Konstantin Konstantinovich was president of the Academy of Sciences. But Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov gained the greatest fame and even fame during his lifetime as a poet who published under the rather transparent pseudonym “K. R. " . He wrote about himself: “...not because I am of a noble family, because royal blood flows in me, I will earn the trust and love of my native Orthodox people.” KR published a lot, he had admirers in the capital and in the provinces, and among His friends included such famous figures of Russian culture as Tchaikovsky, Fet, Maikov. In the society of musicians, poets, and artists, he belonged. Until now, P. I. Tchaikovsky’s classic romance “I Opened the Window” is often heard from the stage. to the poems of K.R., and the poem “Poor Man” about the death of a common soldier in the hospital became a folk song. The poet Evgeny Osetrov, our contemporary, writes that “Poor Man” was sung by cripples and beggars in bazaars, piers and on trains even after the Great Patriotic War, and in terms of popularity among the people it could only be compared with “The Death of the Varyag”. 68 One of his best poems of 1887, “Dedication to the Queen of the Hellenes Olga Konstantinovna,” K.R. addressed to his sister Olga Romanova, married to the Greek queen: To you, to you, my gentle angel, I dedicate this work; Oh, let Your eyes read it lovingly and diligently. You inspired these lines in me, They are inspired by you: Let them be carried away to a distant land to you. And if your chest aches painfully with longing for our side, then let them involuntarily remind you of me. And may He who is always and everywhere yours, who cannot forget you and whose soul is full of you, help you at least with those things. The third son of Emperor Nicholas I, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (Elder) (1831-1891), followed the military path. He had the rank of field marshal general, held the positions of inspector general of cavalry and engineering during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. was the commander-in-chief of the Danube Army. His son, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (the Younger) (1856-1929) was a cavalry general in the First world war served as commander-in-chief of the Caucasian Front. He managed to survive the years of the revolution and Civil War, he ended his life in exile. The youngest of the sons of Nicholas I, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich (1832-1909), subsequently played a major role in the state affairs of the empire. Also a professional military man, from 1862 to 1881 he was the governor of the Caucasus and commander-in-chief of the Caucasian troops. Under him, Chechnya, Dagestan, and the western regions of the Caucasus were pacified, and new provinces and districts were established in the south of the Russian Empire. He participated in Turkish war 1877-1878 , presided over State Council Since 1881, Mikhail Nikolaevich was married to Grand Duchess Olga Feodorovna, daughter of Duke Leopold of Baden. From this marriage he had five children: Grand Dukes Nikolai, Mikhail, George, Alexander and Grand Duchess Anastasia Georgy Mikhailovich was the manager of the Russian Museum, and Alexander Mikhailovich was a major naval theorist, historian, bibliophile and one of the first Russian aviators. Daughters of the Emperor Nicholas I was destined for the traditional fate of “Russian princesses” - to get married, forming a dynastic party beneficial for the state, and engage in philanthropy and charity. The eldest, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna (1819-1876), in 1839 became the wife of Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg. Her husband had a noble title and good family ties in Europe, but he did not have his own state, so their family lived in Russia. Maria Nikolaevna was the president of the Academy of Arts, the chairman of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, and made a great contribution to the development of Russian art. Educated and artistic developed person became the beloved daughter of Nicholas I - Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna (1822-1892). She received an excellent upbringing and a good education in the field of literature and linguistics, listening to lectures by famous poets P. A. Pletnev and V. A. Zhukovsky, philologist Archpriest G. P. Pavsky. In 1846 her husband became crown prince Württemberg, later Württemberg King Charles I. There were not 70 children in this marriage, but Olga Alexandrovna went down in the history of this small German state as the creator of many charitable institutions. Romantic, but sad fate youngest daughter Emperor - Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna (1825-1844). Contemporaries noted that this “princess” was distinguished by her rare beauty and great musical abilities. The girl grew up tender, graceful and painfully fragile. Her singing teacher, Italian Soliva, immediately drew attention not only to the beautiful voice of his student, but also to her frequent cough. He offered to show her to doctors in Europe, but the court doctors felt that this advice undermined their own authority and insisted on the teacher’s dismissal. After some time, the state of health of the Grand Duchess also worried the life physician Mandt, but the imperial family no longer listened to him. When Alexandra turned 19 years old, her father and mother decided to marry her to the heir to the Danish royal throne, Friedrich Wilhelm, the son of Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassal and Landgrave Louise Charlotte. In 1843, the groom arrived in St. Petersburg and stayed here for several months. During this time, the young people managed to fall in love with each other and wanted to get married. The court doctors convinced imperial family that Alexandra Nikolaevna’s health was changing for the better, no one wanted to take Mandt’s dissatisfied grumbling seriously. And the prince in love did not notice anything, he was already counting the days until the wedding. The wedding of Grand Duchess Alexandra Nikolaevna and the young Landgrave Friedrich Wilhelm of Hesse-Kassal took place on January 14, 1844 The young people settled in Winter Palace But their happiness was short-lived. Soon Alexandra became worse; she was diagnosed with consumption, which progressed rapidly. In the spring, she was transported to Tsarskoye Selo in the hope of the healing power of the village air. But that didn't help either. On the night of July 29, Alexandra Nikolaevna gave birth to a stillborn child prematurely, and a few hours later she died. So this wondrous beautiful flower in the garden of the imperial family withered untimely. Tale of beautiful love The prince and princess ended with a sad end. Nicholas could rightfully be proud of his children and grandchildren. He and his wife spent a lot of effort organizing their education and upbringing. Grand Dukes and Duchesses traditionally studied at home, and not in public or private educational institutions. In the palace they were surrounded by a whole staff of highly qualified teachers, from whom their parents demanded strictness towards their students. The “teaching plan” for the heir to the throne, drawn up by V. A. Zhukovsky himself, was designed for 12 years and included Russian and foreign languages, exact and natural sciences, philosophy, history and ethnography, as well as different kinds sports, arts and handicrafts Children were severely punished for unlearned tasks or serious mistakes. They could be made to kneel facing the wall, deprived of entertainment and pleasure. All punishments were recorded in a special journal. Attempts to complain about teachers by parents were suppressed. Children had to observe strict etiquette. At the table they were not allowed to talk until adults addressed them. Violation of etiquette resulted in deprivation of dessert. After dinner they were allowed to play a little. Exactly at 9 o'clock in the evening they had to retire to their rooms and go to bed. At the same time, adults royal family always found time to communicate with children. The emperor's heirs felt constant attention parents to themselves, their care. The Grand Dukes and Duchesses did not grow up in complete isolation. Peers - 72. sons and daughters of courtiers, teachers and doctors, students of cadet corps - were invited to children's holidays in the palace. Among them, the royal children and grandchildren had friends. This is how they developed sociability and the habit of social life, the ability to behave with people of different classes. The emperor's sons then used this system in raising their own children. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich recalled that his father, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, demanded that his sons sleep on simple iron beds with thin mattresses. The Grand Dukes Mikhailovich got up at six in the morning, prayed, took a cold bath and had breakfast with tea and sandwiches with butter. They were not offered any other food, so as not to spoil them and accustom them to luxury, which is not always possible to surround the life of an officer. This was followed by several hours of classes until lunch, during which the children sat at the table with their parents. From the early age Grand Dukes and Princesses were brought up to understand the predetermination of fate. Boys could choose between serving in the cavalry, artillery or navy. The girls were free to choose their hobbies: music, drawing, handicrafts, literary studies. Prince Alexander Mikhailovich recalled that his little brother Georgy once timidly said during dinner that he would like to become not a military man, but an artist and paint portraits. There was a cold silence at the table, incomprehensible to the child. He realized that he had done something reprehensible only when the footman did not put raspberry ice cream on his plate, which all the other children were eating. Such a strict, if not harsh, upbringing in XIX - early XX century was accepted not only in the Romanov family, but also in many royal and ducal houses of Europe. It almost always gave good results. Children grew up prepared for many trials. Many of them, 73 especially those who did not become heads of state, had to participate in military campaigns and battles, endure the hardships of officer life, see blood and death and not be afraid of shots and gunfire As the younger Romanovs grew up, their parents loosened their control a little. Young people had the opportunity to have fun at numerous balls and masquerades, for which no expense was spared at the Nikolaev court. The great princes courted pretty ladies-in-waiting, but at the same time did not forget: in order to maintain their position in the imperial family, a lifelong friend must be chosen not only with the heart, but also with the head, her nobility must correspond to the status of a member of the royal dynasty. IN mid-19th V. grand dukes married only princesses, and grand duchesses married princes. All the hobbies of youth were supposed to remain so, without turning into serious relationships. Emperor Nicholas I himself demonstrated an example of his attitude to family duty. He treated his wife with knightly nobility. In his younger years, he was sincerely devoted to her. But over time, their relationship changed somewhat. Alexandra Fedorovna was distinguished by fragile health. Frequent childbirth undermined him even more. The Empress was increasingly ill, doctors insisted on rest and trips to southern and foreign resorts. The emperor was bored in her absence and, in order to unwind, began to have small affairs with the ladies of the court, with whom such a handsome man could not help but enjoy success. Nikolai never advertised his novels, sparing the feelings and pride of his wife, whom he still respected. He continued to adhere to the lifestyle of a respectable family man. The maid of honor A. O. Smirnova-Rosset, close to the imperial couple, left in her memoirs detailed description the usual daily routine of Nicholas I. The king got up early and after his morning toilet took a short walk. At nine o'clock he drank coffee in his office, and at ten o'clock he went to the Empress's chambers, then went about his business. At one or half past one, Nicholas again visited the empress and all the children, and walked again. At four o'clock the whole family sat down to dinner, at six the king went out into the air, and at seven he drank tea with his wife and children. In the evening he worked for several hours in his office, at half past nine he talked with his family and courtiers, had dinner and walked before going to bed. Around twelve, the emperor and empress went to rest. After the wedding, they always slept in the same bed. Smirnova-Rosset, like many courtiers close to the tsar, was surprised when the tsar visited Nelidova. Varvara Arkadyevna Nelidova was the mistress of Nicholas I for many years, in fact his second wife. By coincidence, she was the niece of E. I. Nelidova, the favorite of his father Paul I. But, unlike his parent, Nikolai never forgot about his marital and paternal duties and had no intention of divorcing Alexandra Fedorovna, who was often ill. The Empress knew about this and was quite calm about her husband’s heartfelt affection. In this situation, the unselfishness of V A Nelidova, who, apparently, sincerely loved Nicholas and agreed to any conditions, just to stay close to him, is surprising. Another imperial lady-in-waiting, A. F. Tyutcheva, who met the royal favorite in the early 1850s, spoke of her this way: “Her beauty, somewhat mature, was nevertheless still in full bloom. She was probably about 38 years old at this time. It is known what position was attributed to her by public rumor, which, however, seemed to be contradicted by her demeanor, modest and almost stern in comparison with other courtiers. She carefully concealed the grace that women in a position similar to hers usually flaunt.” 75 Protecting his wife’s pride and the future of the dynasty, Nikolai did not officially recognize the children born to him from his relationship with Nelidova. The imperial bastards were adopted by Count Pyotr Andreevich Kleinmichel (1793-1869). Such a service rendered to the sovereign allowed him to take the position of an all-powerful temporary worker in the last years of the reign of Nicholas I. Kleinmichel was the chief manager of communications and public buildings. He supervised the construction railway St. Petersburg-Moscow. Immediately after the death of Nicholas, Kleinmichel was dismissed from all government positions for abuses of service. The court life of the first two decades of Nicholas's reign was marked by a large number of balls and masquerades. Nicholas especially liked the entertainment in the Anichkov Palace, in which he and his wife lived while still being the Grand Duke and Princess. The Emperor loved dance and court young court ladies. Often these courtships ended in a little love affair. There is a historical anecdote that once at a masquerade the already middle-aged tsar became infatuated with an elegant young coquette in a mask. All evening he hovered around her and finally invited her into his carriage. When the emperor’s mysterious counterpart took off her mask in the closed carriage, the tsar saw the laughing face of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, who thus wished to prank her father with the Swan song of Nicholas - a brilliant gentleman and master of subtle flirtation - became winter of 1845, imprinted in the memory of the courtiers with an endless series of brilliant balls and parties. The maid of honor A. O. Smirnova-Rosset recalled these winter fun: “The Empress was still beautiful, her beautiful shoulders and arms were still lush and full, and by candlelight, at the ball, dancing, she still outshone the first beauties. In the Anichkov Palace they danced every week in the White Drawing Room; more than a hundred people were not invited. The Emperor was especially interested in Baroness Krüdner, but he flirted like a young woman with everyone and rejoiced in the rivalry between Buturlina and Krüdner.” The king knew how to weave love affairs and, despite his advanced age, still enjoyed it. In the last third of Nicholas’s reign, contemporaries increasingly began to notice that the emperor seemed to be burdened not only by his state duties, but also by the very need to maintain the luxurious lifestyle traditional for his rank, which he loved so much in his youth. The famous artist and art critic A. N. Benois once accurately noticed characteristic feature palace architecture and interior of Nicholas's time: “The split character of Nikolai Pavlovich, as a person and as an emperor, was reflected in the buildings he erected: in all the buildings intended for himself and for his family, one can see the desire for intimacy, comfort, convenience and simplicity” When the empress was leaving for treatment at another resort, the tsar lived quite simply, almost like an ordinary officer in the barracks. Approaching his fiftieth birthday, Nicholas felt increasingly disappointed in the life of the Second Peter the Great, which clearly did not work out for him. Two decades of his reign were behind him, and he accomplished neither brilliant military victories nor grandiose reforms. The enormous and methodical government work that the sovereign carried out day after day did not bear any significant fruit. Nikolai often spent eighteen hours a day working and received neither benefit nor pleasure from it. Lady-in-waiting Smirnova-Rosset recalled how the Tsar once told her: “Soon it’s been twenty years since I’ve been sitting in this wonderful place. Often there are such days that I, looking at the sky, say: why am I not there? I’m so tired...” Family life was also increasingly depressing. After the brilliant winter of 1845, the Empress had to leave for Italy for several months in the spring: her health had deteriorated greatly. After this illness, Alexandra Fedorovna began to noticeably fade, which could not but worry Nikolai. He appreciated in the empress devoted friend and the mother of his children and was afraid of losing her. In such a depressed state, the emperor greeted 1848, when another wave of revolutions covered Europe. Nikolai again felt in demand in the role of a pan-European gendarme. The last period of his reign began, which went down in history as the “dark seven years.” By order of Nicholas I, a 300,000-strong army was advanced to the western borders of Russia, ready to suppress any rebellion in Prussia, Austria or France. In 1849, at the request of the Austrian Emperor, Russian troops crushed the revolution in Hungary and extended the agony of the House of Habsburg for another 60 years. Inside the country, in order to suppress any revolutionary sentiments, severe censorship in the press was introduced. Rumors are spreading about the possible closure of universities. Nikolai's former favorite, Minister of Education S.S. Uvarov, was dismissed for a timid article in defense of university education. Nikolai does everything to preserve the system of conservative autocratic power he built, but it collapses before his eyes, unable to withstand the final blow - a clash with the largest European powers during Crimean War 1853-1856 After the successful suppression of the Hungarian revolution, Nicholas I finally believed in the power and invincibility of his army. The courtiers tirelessly praised the greatness of the empire. In 1850, the 25th anniversary of the emperor’s “prosperous reign” was celebrated with unprecedented pomp and splendor. Inspired by the atmosphere of jingoism that reigned in his immediate circle, Nicholas believed that he would be able to deliver a decisive blow to a weak Turkey and gain complete control over the Black Sea straits. The long-standing Byzantine project with the capture of Constantinople resurfaced. But England and France took the side of Turkey. A 60,000-strong Allied expeditionary force landed in Crimea, armed with the latest technology of the time. military equipment. Russia, which had the largest army in Europe, suffered a shameful defeat. She lost her entire Black Sea fleet. The heroism of ordinary soldiers and officers was not enough to withstand the latest English rifles and long-range guns. The well-known politician, future Minister of Internal Affairs P. A. Valuev then wrote about the Russian army and the empire as a whole: “On top there is shine, and below there is rot.” Perhaps Emperor Nicholas I experienced this national humiliation the hardest of all. His army and navy, which he loved so much and of which he was so proud all his life, not only failed to conquer Turkish territories, but were unable even to defend their own. The usual commander-in-chief in his place had to, as a man of honor, resign. However, for the emperor the law did not provide for such a possibility. Only death could save him from shame. The maid of honor A.F. Tyutcheva wrote: “In short term for a year and a half, the unfortunate emperor saw how the stage of that illusory greatness, onto which he imagined that he had raised Russia, was crumbling under him. And yet, it was precisely amid the crisis of the last catastrophe that the true greatness of this man was brilliantly revealed. He was mistaken, but he was honestly mistaken, and when he was forced to admit his mistake and its disastrous consequences for Russia, which 79 he loved above all, his heart broke and he died. He died not because he did not want to survive the humiliation of his own ambition, but because he could not survive the humiliation of Russia.” At the end of January - beginning of February 1855, a severe influenza epidemic occurred in St. Petersburg. Almost the entire imperial family, many courtiers and servants, were ill. Nicholas I also fell ill. The flu turned into pneumonia, which neither the patient’s body nor the court doctors could cope with. Nicholas felt that he was dying. His eldest son and heir Alexander was almost always with him. At the moment of revelation, his father told him: “I am handing over my command to you, unfortunately, not in the order I wanted, leaving a lot of troubles and worries.” The king’s illness lasted two weeks. On February 18, 1855, Nicholas died. Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich left the following entry in his diary about last minutes father: “Mandt (Imperial physician - L.S.) is behind me. The Emperor asked Bazhanov (his secretary - L.S.). He took communion in front of all of us. The head is completely fresh. Suffocation. Great pain. Says goodbye to everyone - children, others. I'm on my knees, holding my hand. I felt sorry for her. It feels cold towards the end. At 1/4 1st it's all over. The last terrible torment." Later, the heir's wife, who was present at the death of her father-in-law, claimed that shortly before his death, shortness of breath stopped for several minutes, and Nikolai was able to speak. His last words, addressed to the eldest son, were: “Hold everything - hold everything.” At the same time, the emperor tightly squeezed Alexander’s hand, showing that he must hold tightly. After the death of Nicholas in St. Petersburg, it was rumored that the tsar had committed suicide. But there are no serious grounds for these gossip. If the emperor did anything to speed up his departure, then it was most likely an unconscious failure to resist the disease, which happened so opportunely 8o Nicholas ruled Russia for 30 years. This is one of the longest reigns in the history of the Romanov dynasty. It is all the sadder that it was not happy for the country. The fault lies with the personality of the emperor. Probably the most accurate and imaginative description of Nicholas I was given by his lady-in-waiting A.F. Tyutcheva, who knew him well, whose memoirs “At the Court of Two Emperors” we have already repeatedly quoted: “Deeply sincere in his convictions, often heroic and great in his devotion to that cause, in which he saw the mission entrusted to him by providence, we can say that Nicholas I was the Don Quixote of the autocracy, a terrible and evil Don Quixote, because he had omnipotence, which allowed him to subordinate everything to his fantastic and outdated theory and trample underfoot the most legitimate aspirations and rights of his century." But Nicholas I still brought benefit to his empire: he raised his heir, Alexander Nikolaevich, as a modern man with a strong character. And he turned out to be ready to carry out a significant part of those reforms that society expected first from his uncle Alexander I, and then from his father. The trouble is that these reforms are at least half a century late

Diagnostics and diseases. Medicines from A to Z

Porcelain figures of Nicholas 1 and Alexandra Fedorovna. Archipelago Holy Rus'