The marriage of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna is called holy. The last emperor and empress in Russian history carried their feelings through all the trials and tribulations.

5 years wait

Love for Alexandra Feodorovna, then a princess Hessian Alice, was the first love of Nicholas II. This feeling was born in him even before he came of age - at the age of 16, and the future king saw his wife in Alice, who was even younger - 12! The princesses' relatives still called their baby Sunny, that is, "Sun", and Nikolai was already thinking about the wedding. “I dream of someday marrying Alix G. I have loved her for a long time, but especially deeply and strongly since 1889, when she spent 6 weeks in St. Petersburg. All this time I did not believe my feeling, I did not believe that my cherished dream could come true,” Nikolai wrote in his diary. For five years he waited for God's will for this marriage, for five years he humbly prayed, asked for "adults" and wrote a diary, on the first page of which there was a photograph of his Alice. Later he would write to her: “The Savior told us: “Whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” These words are endlessly dear to me, because for five years I prayed with them, repeating them every night, begging Him to make Alix’s transition easier. V Orthodox faith and give her to me as a wife."
Water wears away the stone and breaks through the dam of the parental “no”. Five years later, the lovers get married to be together until their death.

Simplicity of habits

Despite the height of their position, which could not be higher, the emperor and empress led completely simple life, trying not to indulge in excesses and raising children in severity. They were convinced that everything superfluous only corrupts, that it is “from the evil one.” It is known that Nikolai preferred cabbage soup and porridge to exquisite French dishes, and instead of expensive wine he could drink ordinary Russian vodka. The emperor easily swam in the lake with other men, without making anything secret about his person and his body.
And Alexandra Fedorovna’s behavior during the war is known to many - she completed courses for nurses and, together with her daughters, worked as a nurse in a hospital. Gossips discussed this every now and then: they said that such simplicity would reduce the authority royal family, then - that the empress hates Russians and helps German soldiers. No queen has ever been to Rus' nurse. And the activities of Alexandra and her daughters in the hospital did not stop from early morning until late at night.
There is a lot of evidence that the tsar and queen were unusually simple in dealing with soldiers, peasants, orphans - in a word, with any person. The queen instilled in her children that everyone is equal before God, and they should not be proud of their position.

Kayak trips

The royal family is usually presented in a solemn atmosphere, while performing the duties of the country's leaders. But you can’t live like this, and it’s even more difficult to preserve and strengthen your family in such conditions. The Emperor, Empress and their children can also be imagined... on a kayaking trip. Nicholas II had a passion for kayaks since childhood; his parents gave his first kayak to the Tsarevich at the age of 13. Many relatives of the future monarch knew about their love of water, and Nicholas II often received a boat or kayak as a gift for his birthdays.
Alexandra, with her sore legs (which forced her to early years sit in a wheelchair for a while), seeing her husband’s passion, joyfully shared it. And although the long stay in cold water It was contraindicated for her; she periodically kept company with her beloved husband. Memoirists, for example, mention her four-kilometer kayak trip through the Finnish skerries.

Charity

Workshops, schools, hospitals, prisons - Empress Alexandra was involved in all this from the very first years of her marriage. Her net worth was small, and to carry out charity events she had to reduce personal expenses. During the famine of 1898, Alexandra gave 50 thousand rubles from her personal funds to fight it - this is an eighth of the family’s annual income.
Living in Crimea, the empress took an active part in the fate of tuberculosis patients who came to Crimea for treatment. She rebuilt the sanatoriums, providing them with all the improvements - with her personal money.
They say that Empress Alexandra was a born sister of mercy, and the wounded were happy when she visited them. Soldiers and officers often asked her to be with them during difficult dressings and operations, saying that “it’s not so scary” when the empress is nearby.

Houses of charity for fallen girls, houses of hard work, a school of folk art...
“The August Family did not limit itself to monetary assistance, but also sacrificed Their personal labors,” testifies the monk Seraphim (Kuznetsov) in his book. - How many church airs, coverings and other things were embroidered by the hands of the Queen and Daughters, sent to military, monastic and poor churches. I personally had the opportunity to see these royal gifts and even have them in my distant desert monastery.”

Laws of Family Understanding

The diaries and letters of the royal family are becoming increasingly popular in Russia and abroad. Young couples look to them for recipes for maintaining strong and happy family. And, I must say, they find it. Here are some quotes:
"The meaning of marriage is to bring joy. Marriage is a Divine rite. This is the closest and most sacred connection on earth. After marriage, the main responsibilities of a husband and wife are to live for each other, to give their lives for each other. Marriage is a union two halves into a single whole. Everyone until the end of his life is responsible for happiness and greater good another."
"The crown of love is silence."
“Great art is to live together, loving each other tenderly. This should begin with the parents themselves. Every house is like its creators. A refined nature makes a house refined, a rude person will make a house rude.”

Gifts to each other

Small and large gifts to each other were an important part of the Romanov family life. In one of her diaries, Empress Alexandra writes: “A husband and wife must constantly show each other signs of the most tender attention and love. The happiness of life is made up of individual minutes, of small, quickly forgotten pleasures: from a kiss, a smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment and "countless small but kind thoughts and sincere feelings. Love also needs its daily bread."
The empress's notes are not a theory, but her daily life. She loved to surprise Nikolai and the children on a variety of occasions, and Nikolai appreciated and shared this tradition. Perhaps the most famous and traditional gift in their home was Faberge eggs for Easter.
One of the most touching and beautiful eggs is the clover egg. On its openwork rim there is an image of the Imperial crown, the date “1902” and the monogram of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna framed by clover flowers. And inside is a precious quatrefoil with 4 portraits of the royal daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. This egg is a symbol happy marriage Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, because the four-leaf clover, which is so rarely found in nature, is a promise of happiness. And the egg itself is symbolic: it is Easter, and eternal birth, and family, and the Universe, and faith in the appearance of an heir.

Honeymoon 23 years long

All families remember their wedding day, but Alix and Nikolai even celebrated their engagement day every year. They always spent this day, April 8th, together, and separated for the first time when they were already over forty. In April 1915, the emperor was at the front, but even there he received a warm letter from his beloved: “For the first time in 21 years we are not spending this day together, but how vividly I remember everything! My dear boy, what happiness and what love you gave me for all these years... You know, I kept that “princess dress” that I was in that morning, and I will wear your favorite brooch...” After so many years of marriage, the Empress admitted in letters that she kisses Nicholas’s pillow when he was not around, and Nikolai still became shy, like a young man, if they met after a long separation.
It’s not for nothing that some contemporaries said with some envy: “Their honeymoon lasted 23 years...”
On the day of the wedding, Alix wrote in Nikolai’s diary: “When this life ends, we will meet again in another world and will remain together forever.”

Name: Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt)

State: Russian empire

Field of activity: Policy

Greatest Achievement: Wife of Emperor Nicholas II. Took control internal politics state, made changes in the cabinet of ministers.

Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt) was born on June 6, 1872 in a place called Darmstadt (German Empire). In 1894 she became the wife of Nicholas II. Having no support at court, when her son fell ill with hemophilia, she turned to the sorcerer Grigory Rasputin for help. As soon as Nikolai went to the front, Alexandra replaced all the key ministers with those indicated by Rasputin. At the end of the 1917 revolution, she was imprisoned and killed on the night of July 16-17, 1918. Her reign is believed to hastened the collapse Russian Empire.

early years

Alexandra Fedorovna was born in Germany, in the city of Darmstadt. At birth she was named Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt. She was born on June 6, 1872 and was the sixth child in the family of Ludwig IV and Duchess Alice - daughter of the Queen of Great Britain -. Among her family they called her Alix. When Alexandra was six years old, her mother died and the girl was given to be raised by her grandmother, Queen Victoria. Alix spent most of her childhood in Britain, surrounded by her cousins. Alexandra studied philosophy at the University of Heidelberg.

When Alexandra was 19 years old, she met the heir to the Russian throne. This acquaintance soon became romantic in nature, but there were no prospects for marriage. Firstly, Nikolai’s father had a great dislike for Germany and the Germans, and secondly, Alix’s family expressed open contempt for the Russian people. In addition, there were rumors that Alix suffered from hemophilia as a child, and this disease was considered fatal at that time and it was known that it was inherited. But despite this, Nikolai and Alexandra were in love and on November 26, 1894 they got married. Alix was baptized in Russian Orthodox Church and received the name Alexandra Fedorovna.

Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna

Nicholas and Alexandra lived in Tsarskoe Selo, in a private imperial residence. At first they enjoyed a calm and happy family life. Until this life was destroyed by the serious illness of their son and two wars that ended in collapse.

By 1901 the couple had their first year, Nicholas and Alexandra, but they were all girls. The Romanov family needed an heir and Alexandra reached despair in trying to give her husband a son. She turned to sorcerers and priests to conceive a boy - but to no avail. Alexandra brought herself to the point that in 1903 she had a false pregnancy. Finally, in 1904, she gave birth to Nikolai’s son, who was named Alexei. But the joy in the family was short-lived. It soon became known that the Tsarevich had hemophilia.

Meeting Rasputin

Alexandra's love for mysticism led her to in 1908. Rasputin quickly gained Alexandra's trust by what she believed was healing her son using some form of hypnosis. The boy felt better after Rasputin left. For Alexandra, Rasputin became the last hope and savior of her child, but among the people Rasputin was known as a charlatan and a libertine, and Alexandra’s communication with him cast a shadow of shame on the royal court.

As all events in the royal family revolved around the illness of the heir, a serious crisis was brewing in Russia and in the world. The people received Alexandra very coldly as the wife of Nicholas II. At court they also did not like her and refused to accept her. Intrigues were woven inside the royal court, and meanwhile war was brewing in the world.

First World War and Revolution

When this led to conflict between Russia and Germany, Nicholas II went to the front, where he took personal command of the armed forces. Alexandra Feodorovna remained as regent and was supposed to supervise the work of the government. Trusting Rasputin limitlessly, she made him her advisor. Guided by Rasputin's instructions, Alexandra fired experienced ministers, replacing them with new, incompetent people.

The Russian army performed very poorly during the fighting. This served to spread rumors that Alexandra was a secret agent for Germany, which further aggravated her already difficult position in society. On December 16, 1916, Rasputin was killed by conspirators from the royal court. Left without her husband and without her main adviser, Alexandra began to lose emotional stability.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

In the winter of 1917, Alexandra's illiterate rule led to a food shortage in the country and famine began. Due to the food collapse, workers went on strike and people took to the streets of St. Petersburg, riots began. Nicholas, feeling powerless in the face of current events, decides to abdicate the throne.

In February 1917, a revolution began in Russia. The political and economic crisis contributed to spontaneous riots sweeping across the country. Weakened by the war and internal problems, the country's leadership was unable to take control of the situation. A serious split was formed and matured in society.

In the spring of 1917, Vladimir Lenin, campaigning for the overthrow of the monarchy, received widespread support from the Russian people. The Bolsheviks seized power in the country and a civil war began.

The last days and death of Alexandra Feodorovna

In April 1918, Alexandra, along with her husband and children, was transported to Yekaterinburg, captured by the Bolsheviks, and placed under house arrest in Ipatiev’s house. The family was in the dark about their future fate. Alexandra and her family had to go through a real nightmare. Being in the dark about their future fate, they could only wonder whether they would survive and whether they would be able to stay together. On the night of July 16-17, Alexandra, along with Nikolai and the children, were taken to the basement, where they were shot by the Bolsheviks. This marked the end of more than three centuries of the Romanov dynasty.

Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, whom her husband Nicholas II affectionately called “Alix,” was distinguished by impeccable taste and was known as a trendsetter. At the same time, she herself was not interested in fashion magazines and did not follow modern trends - her Puritan upbringing and natural restraint excluded a passion for luxury and the hunt for fashionable novelties. She categorically rejected the “extremes of fashion”: if popular styles of dresses seemed uncomfortable to her, she did not wear them.

To many court ladies, Alexandra Fedorovna seemed too prim, unfriendly and cold, which they even saw as signs of illness. However, this behavior was explained only by shyness and embarrassment due to communicating with unfamiliar people, as well as the English upbringing that she received from her grandmother, Queen Victoria of England. Puritan views were reflected in her behavior, taste preferences and style. Many luxury items and fashionable outfits were rejected by her as “useless.” For example, the empress refused to wear a tight skirt because it was uncomfortable to walk in.

The last Russian empress preferred outfits from the Worth brothers (sons of the famous French couturier Charles Worth), Albert Brisac, Redfern, Olga Bulbenkova and Nadezhda Lamanova. The brothers Worth and Brizak made evening and ball gowns for her, Olga Bulbenkova made formal dresses with gold embroidery, she ordered comfortable city clothes for visits and walks from Redfern, and both casual clothes and dresses for balls and receptions from Lamanova.

Her wardrobe was dominated by clothes in delicate pastel shades, light pink, blue, pale lilac and light gray outfits of the Art Nouveau era. Fashion designer Paul Poiret called these colors the “neurasthenic range.” The empress did not like satin shoes; she preferred suede shoes with a long narrow toe, golden or white.

Her style was characterized by calm, elegant silhouettes and subtle, refined shades that corresponded to her status, harmonized with her type of appearance and at the same time were a reflection of her natural restraint and modesty. Her contemporaries noted that “she dressed very well, but not extravagantly,” and some even argued that she was not at all interested in clothes.

Alexandra Fedorovna practically did not use cosmetics, did not do a manicure, explaining that the emperor did not like “manicured nails”, and curled her hair only on the eve of big palace appearances. Her favorite scents were " White Rose» perfume company "Atkinson" and Eau de Toilette"Verbena". She called these fragrances the most “transparent”.

The Empress was well versed in jewelry, of which she preferred to wear rings and bracelets. In her memoirs, one of her contemporaries, characterizing Alexandra Fedorovna’s style, says that she “always wore a ring with a large pearl, as well as a cross strewn with precious stones».

Alexandra Feodorovna treated her toilet with German pedantry and accuracy. According to the recollections of contemporaries, “the empress selected clothes in advance for the week in advance, based on her participation in certain events, as well as in accordance with personal preferences. She reported her choice to the chamberlains. Then, every day, Alexandra Fedorovna received from them a short written list of clothes planned for the next day, and gave final instructions regarding her wardrobe. Sometimes the Empress doubted what to wear and asked to prepare several sets of clothes so that she could choose.”

November 26 (14), 1894 in the Great Church Winter Palace The wedding of Nicholas II and the granddaughter of the English Queen Victoria, daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse and the Rhine - Alexandra took place. The lovers' honeymoon, according to the memoirs of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, took place in an atmosphere of mourning and funeral services - a few days before the ceremony, the groom's father, Emperor Alexander III, died.

“The most deliberate dramatization could not have invented a more suitable prologue for the historical tragedy of the last Russian Tsar,” the prince wrote in his memoirs.

On the anniversary of the wedding of the last Russian emperor, the site recalls what the marriage of the emperor was like, who allowed himself to marry for love.

At the behest of the heart

First meeting of Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt and her eldest son Alexandra III and Empress Maria Feodorovna took place in St. Petersburg in January 1889. During the six weeks of her stay in the city on the Neva, the young lady was able to charm 20-year-old Nikolai, and after her departure a correspondence began between them.

During her six weeks of stay in the city on the Neva, the young lady was able to charm 20-year-old Nikolai. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

The feelings of the future emperor that he felt for the German princess are evidenced by the entry that he made in his diary in 1892: “I dream of someday marrying Alix G. I have loved her for a long time, but especially deeply and strongly since 1889. when she spent 6 weeks in St. Petersburg. All this time I didn’t believe my feeling, I didn’t believe that my cherished dream could come true”...

Despite the sympathy that the Tsarevich showed for the fragile Alix, his parents dreamed of another daughter-in-law. In the role of his chosen one, they wanted to see the daughter of the Count of Paris - Elena Louise Henrietta. In those years, she was known as an enviable bride, distinguished by her beauty and intelligence. The Washington Post even called her "the epitome of women's health and beauty, a graceful athlete and a charming polyglot." But Nikolai was adamant. His persistence did its job, and his parents approved of his choice.

When the health of Alexander III began to rapidly deteriorate, the engagement of the young couple was announced. The bride arrived in Russia, where she converted to Orthodoxy with the name Alexandra, began to study the Russian language and culture of the country, which from now on was to become her homeland.

After the death of the emperor, mourning was declared. Nicholas's wedding ceremony could have been postponed for a year, but, according to some historians, the lovers were not ready to wait that long. A difficult conversation took place between Nikolai and his mother Maria Fedorovna, during which a loophole was found that allowed certain rules of decency to be observed and a speedy ceremony to be held. The wedding was scheduled for the day the Empress Dowager was born. This made it possible for the royal family to temporarily interrupt the mourning.

Preparations for the wedding took place under force majeure. The golden wedding dress for the bride was sewn by the best fashion designers in St. Petersburg. The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands and the image of Fedorovskaya were delivered to the Court Cathedral in gold frames. Mother of God, wedding rings and a silver saucer.

On November 26, in the Malachite Hall of the Winter Palace, the bride was dressed in a chic dress with a heavy mantle and taken to the Great Church.

The golden wedding dress for the bride was sewn by the best fashion designers in St. Petersburg. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Later, in her letter to her sister Victoria, Alexandra wrote: “You can imagine our feelings. One day in deep mourning, we mourn a dearly loved person, and the next day we stand down the aisle in magnificent clothes. It’s impossible to imagine a greater contrast, and all these circumstances brought us even closer.”

“The woman is good, but abnormal”

After the wedding, the relationship between the 22-year-old princess and the 26-year-old emperor, according to the recollections of those close to them, was touching and tender. Letters and diaries kept by the emperor and his wife have survived to this day. They are full tender words and declarations of love.

Even many years later, when Alexandra Feodorovna was 42 years old, she wrote a letter to her husband at the front on the day of their engagement, April 8:

“For the first time in 21 years we are not spending this day together, but how vividly I remember everything! My dear boy, what happiness and what love you have given me over all these years... How time flies - 21 years have already passed! You know, I saved that “princess dress” I was wearing that morning, and I’ll wear your favorite brooch...”

The relationship between the spouses was touching and tender. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Reading these lines, it is difficult to imagine that many considered Alexandra Feodorovna to be a cold and arrogant woman. However, according to people who knew her closely, this external aloofness was more likely a consequence of her shyness.

“Embarrassment prevented her from establishing simple, relaxed relationships with people who introduced herself to her, including the so-called city ladies, and they spread jokes around the city about her coldness and inaccessibility,” wrote actual state councilor Vladimir Gurko about her.

Chairman of the Council of Ministers Sergei Witte, whom historians nicknamed “the grandfather of Russian industrialization,” had a different opinion. In her he saw a powerful woman who had completely enslaved her own husband:

“He married a good woman, but a woman who was completely abnormal and took him into her arms, which was not difficult given his lack of will. Thus, the empress not only did not balance out his shortcomings, but on the contrary, she significantly aggravated them, and her abnormality began to be reflected in the abnormality of some of the actions of her august husband.”

Her communication with the man of God Grigory Rasputin did not have the best effect on the empress’s image. The poor health of her son, who had hemophilia, forced the desperate mother to believe the peasant from the Tobolsk province.

In difficult moments, the royal family turned to him for help. Rasputin was either called to the palace from his apartment on Gorokhovaya, or they simply held a telephone receiver to the boy’s ear, and the “holy devil” whispered to him the cherished words that helped the child.

In Soviet historiography, there was an opinion that Rasputin completely enslaved the empress, subordinating her to his will, and she, in turn, influenced her husband. According to another version, the close relationship between Alexandra Fedorovna and Grigory Efimovich is nothing more than “black PR”, which was intended to denigrate the image of the queen in society.

In 1905, when political life the country was tense, Nicholas II began to hand over the state acts he issued to his wife for review. Not everyone liked this kind of trust. statesman, who saw this as the emperor’s weakness.

“If the sovereign, due to his lack of the necessary internal power, did not possess the authority required for a ruler, then the empress, on the contrary, was all woven from authority, which was also based on her inherent arrogance,” wrote Senator Gurko.

Alexandra Fedorovna with her daughters Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

“I feel like the mother of the country”

On the night of July 16-17, 1918, in Yekaterinburg, in the “House of Special Purpose” - Ipatiev’s mansion - Nicholas II, Alexandra Fedorovna, their children, Doctor Botkin and three servants were shot.

Shortly before these terrible events, while in exile, Alexandra Fedorovna wrote to her close friend Anna Vyrubova: “I thank God for everything that happened, that I received - and I will live with memories that no one will take away from me... How old I have become, but I feel mother of the country, and I suffer as if for my child and I love my Motherland, despite all the horrors now... You know that you cannot tear love out of my heart, and Russia too... Despite the black ingratitude to the Emperor, which tears my heart... Lord, have mercy and save Russia."

Alexandra Fedorovna Romanova was born on June 7, 1872 in Darmstatt. The future Empress of the Russian Empire was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse - Ludwig of Darmstadt and English princess Alice.

The parents named their daughter Alix Elena Louise Beatrice. She was the sixth child in the family. It is worth noting that her grandmother was Queen Victoria of England.

Alix's mother loved England, and her children received a real English upbringing. The daughter ate oatmeal for breakfast, ate potatoes and meat for lunch, and ate puddings and baked apples for dessert. Alix slept on a soldier's cot and took a cold bath in the morning.

Since childhood, Alix was characterized by shyness, which she had to fight in her life. adult life. Her mother died early, saw Alix and the death of her little brother, who died due to an accident. These events left a deep mark on her heart.

After the death of her mother, Alix took up her studies, and very diligently. Her teacher was Margaret Jackson, an Englishwoman who had a great influence on the formation of the personality of the future empress. By the age of 15, the girl knew literature, history, art, geography and mathematics very well.

She played the piano well. The princess knew foreign languages- English and French, read serious literature.

Alix met her future husband Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov for the first time at a wedding older sister, who married Nikolai’s uncle, Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov. When visiting her sister, she more than once met with the heir to the Russian throne.

In 1889, Nicholas II wanted to marry Alix, but did not receive the blessing of his parents. Alexander III and Maria Fedorovna Romanov believed that Alix was not best wife for the future emperor. For a long time, Nikolai and Alix corresponded and exchanged gifts.

In the spring of 1894, the parents nevertheless gave their consent to the marriage of Nicholas II to Alix. It was not an easy decision. In order to become the wife of Nikolai Alexandrovich, Alix had to convert to Christianity. It was very difficult for Alix to renounce Lutheranism, but she still accepted Orthodoxy. The influence of Nicholas II and his older sister Ella, who converted to Orthodoxy when she became the wife of Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov, had an impact.

Alix arrived in the Russian Empire shortly before the death of her husband's father, Alexander III. The baptism was performed by John of Kronstadt. During the baptismal ceremony, Alix received Russian name. Now she was called Alexandra Fedorovna. She received the middle name Fedorovna later, before the wedding. German princesses accepted the Orthodox faith before the image Holy Mother of God Feodorovskaya - patroness of the royal dynasty.

Alexandra Feodorovna diligently prepared for marriage. The future Empress diligently studied the Russian language. Russian speech came very easily to her. She quickly learned to write and read, and a little later she was able to speak Russian fluently. In addition to the usual Russian language, Alexandra Fedorovna also learned the Church Slavonic language. This allowed her to read liturgical books and the works of Russian saints.

On November 27, 1894, their wedding took place. The wedding ceremony was performed by John of Kronstadt. The royal couple, who were in mourning for the death of Alexander III, did not organize receptions or celebrations. The newlyweds also did not go on their honeymoon.

Contemporaries describe Alexandra Fedorovna as a very graceful woman. She was fragile, beautifully built, with beautiful neck and shoulders. She wore her hair long, it was golden and thick. The empress's complexion is pink, like small child. The eyes are large, dark gray, always lively. Later, sorrows and anxieties betrayed a hidden sadness into the eyes of the empress.

On May 27, 1896, the coronation of the royal family took place in the Assumption Cathedral. Anointing for the kingdom church sacrament- this is the sovereign’s oath to rule the country, accepting responsibility for the state and people before God. Absolute power brings absolute responsibility. During the crowning ceremony, a tragedy occurred on the Khodynka field...

Alexandra Feodorovna and Nicholas II were depressed. But the planned celebrations could not be cancelled. Russia's ally, France, has invested heavily in the festivities, and would be very offended if the festivities were cancelled. The royal couple spent a lot of time in Moscow hospitals, empathizing with the victims.

From the first days of her anointing, the Empress wanted to slightly change the life of high Russian society. Her first project for this occasion is the organization of a circle of needlewomen, consisting of court ladies. Each of its participants had to sew three dresses a year and send them to the poor. The circle did not last long.

In 1895, Alexandra Fedorovna became a mother. The Empress gave birth to a daughter, Olga. In total she had 5 children. Four daughters and one son - the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei. Russian society treated the empress coldly. Soon this coldness grew into open confrontation and hatred. Therefore, she plunged headlong into family affairs and charitable causes.

Alexandra Fedorovna felt happy only in the circle of her loved ones. She raised the children herself. She believed that communicating with young ladies of high society would spoil her children, so she rarely took them to receptions. She did not spoil the children, although she loved them dearly. I ordered dresses for them myself. The clothes of the royal children also included ceremonial uniforms with skirts, which corresponded to the uniform of the regiments led by the Grand Duchesses.

Alexandra Feodorovna was a great devotee of charity. She was an impeccable mother and wife, and knew firsthand what love and pain were. She provided all possible assistance to mothers in need. During the famine that broke out in 1898, she donated 50 thousand rubles from her personal funds for the hungry.

On the initiative of the Empress, the Russian Empire created workhouses, schools for nurses, orthopedic clinics for sick children. With the outbreak of the First World War, she spent all her funds on helping widows of soldiers, wounded and orphans. Alexandra Feodorovna also cared about the school of folk art, which she founded in St. Petersburg.

She taught the children to keep diaries and write letters. Thus, she instilled literacy in them. It was a sort of educational trick. Children learned to express their thoughts competently and coherently and share their impressions. The royal couple exemplified true Christian life.

The relationship between the Emperor and the Empress was based on sincere love, which they gave not only to each other, but also to their children. The Romanov couple waited a long time for an heir; for a long time, they prayed to God for a son. And, on August 12, 1904, a son was born into the family - Tsarevich Alexei.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova did not get involved in state affairs, although her influence on the sovereign was enormous. The main concern in her life was still children, whose upbringing took all her time.

During the First World War, when the Emperor became the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and was at Headquarters, the Empress began to think about state affairs, as it should be in such cases. Alexandra Fedorovna, together with her daughters, worked in hospitals. Often at night she came to the cemetery where the soldiers were buried. She walked around the graves and fervently prayed for the souls of the deceased Russian soldiers.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova was brutally murdered along with her husband and children on July 17, 1918 in the basement of the Ipatiev House. The main thing in the life of the empress was love for God and neighbor, caring for her family and those in need. Prayer was a consolation for Alexandra Fedorovna, the inspiration for all the merciful deeds of the empress.