Michael Romanov

Nicholas B. A. Nicholson, Helen Azar

Description

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (1878-1918) was born the youngest son of Tsar Alexander III, ruler of the mightiest empire on earth. Upon the premature death of his elder brother Grand Duke George in 1899, Michael was thrust into the spotlight as the Heir-Tsesarevich of his older brother, Tsar Nicholas II, then the father of three girls. Even after the birth of an heir in 1904, Michael was pushed closer to the throne with each of the young boy's life-threatening bouts of hemophilia. By 1916, with World War I in full swing, Nicholas and and Empress Alexandra had become deeply unpopular not only in political circles but also with other members of the House of Romanov, who felt that the parlous times required drastic change. Michael found himself at the center of these events and was briefly even named Emperor as they unfolded. In Michael Romanov: Brother of the Last Tsar, translator Helen Azar and Romanov historian Nicholas B. A. Nicholson present for the first time in English Grand Duke Michael's annotated diaries and letters of 1916-1918. These newly available documents offer rare insight into the fall of the Russian Empire, the rise and fall of the Provisional Government that succeeded it, and the terrifying days of the Bolshevik Revolution, after which Michael found himself a prisoner doomed to meet his end in the remote city of Perm, at the edge of Siberia, just over a month before the former Tsar and his family were murdered in Ekaterinburg.

Sujets

• Political Science
• Nicholas II of Russia
• Michael of Russia
• Russian Empire
• Communism
• Russian Revolution
• 20th century
• Soviet Union
• House of Romanov
• Russia
• History of Russia
• Révolution russe
• Train de luxe
• History
• Communisme
• Nicolas II
• Union des républiques socialistes soviétiques
• Russie

Informations

• Publié par: Academica Press
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781680539684
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

MICHAEL ROMANOV:
Brother of the Last Tsar Diaries and Letters, 1916-1918
Translated by Helen Azar
Annotations by
Nicholas B.A. Nicholson
MICHAEL ROMANOV:
Brother of the Last Tsar Diaries and Letters, 1916-1918
Translated by Helen Azar
Annotations by
Nicholas B.A. Nicholson
Academica Press Washington - London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Mikhail Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1878-1918, author. | Azar, Helen, translator. | Nicholson, Nicholas B. A., editor. Title: Michael Romanov : brother of the last Tsar diaries and letters, 1916-1918 / translated by Helen Azar ; annotations by Nicholas B.A. Nicholson. Other titles: Brother of the last Tsar diaries and letters, 1916-1918 Description: Washington, [District of Columbia] : Academica Press, [2020] |
Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: In Michael Romanov: Brother of the Last Tsar, translator Helen Azar and Romanov historian Nicholas B.A. Nicholson present for the first time in English the annotated 1916-1918 diaries and letters of Grand Duke Michael from the period in which he learns of the murder of Rasputin, attempts to preserve the throne for his brother Nicholas during the February Revolution, and finds himself named Emperor when his brother abdicates not only for himself, but for his son Alexei. Michael s diaries provide rare insight into the fall of the Empire, the rise and fall of the Provisional Government and the brief Russian republic, and the terrifying days of the February and October Revolutions after which Michael finds himself a prisoner who would meet his end in the Siberian city of Perm. -- Provided by publisher. Identifiers: LCCN 2020022016 | ISBN 9781680539455 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781680539462 (paperback) | ISBN 9781680539684 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Mikhail Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1878-1918--Diaries. | Mikhail Aleksandrovich, Grand Duke of Russia, 1878-1918--Correspondence. | Russia--History--Nicholas II, 1894-1917. | Romanov, House of. | Princes--Russia--Diaries. | Princes--Russia--Correspondence.
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020022016
Contents
Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Introduction
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich: Biographical Sketch To 1916
Michael s Diaries
Note on the Text
Note on the Translation and Annotations
Note on Names and Dates
The Diaries of Michael Romanov
December 1916
January 1917
Letter to Natasha:
February 1917
March 1917
The Manifesto of the Grand Dukes
Letter to Natasha:
1 March, 1917
Grand Dukes at the State Duma. Russkoe slovo , 2 March 1917
Letter to Natasha:
The Act of Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich
April 1917
May 1917
June 1917
July 1917
August 1917
September 1917
October 1917
November 1917
December 1917
January 1918
February 1918
March 1918
May 1918
June 1918
From Izvestia , 15 June 1918
Bibliography
Books:
Articles:
Index
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank and acknowledge for their assistance with this book Vasily Astankov of The State Archives of the Russian Federation (GARF); Christopher Forbes and Bonnie Kirschstein of the Forbes Collection, New York; Mike Aitken and the Pauline Gray Estate, UK, and Boris S. Stechkin. We are also indebted to Professor Paul du Quenoy, our reviewers, and the staff of Academica Press in Washington D.C., London, and India.
List of Illustrations
1. In Grand Duke Michael s hand: The church in Vienna, where we were married. Circa 1912. Private collection
2. Travelling in Europe. Seated, Irina Nikolaevna Shilova, a friend of Natasha s. Circa 1914. From the private collection of Shilova s great-grandson, Boris Stechkin.
3. Norway: Michael on horseback. Irina Nikolaevna Shilova, third from left. Circa 1914. From the private collection of Shilova s great-grandson, Boris Stechkin.
4. V. N. Shilova at left, Irina Nikolaevna Shilova at Michael s right. Circa 1914. From the private collection of Shilova s great-grandson, Boris Stechkin.
5. Knebworth House. Circa 1914. From the private collection of Boris Stechkin.
6. Michael with singer Feodor Chaliapin and the Shleifers. Circa 1914. From a private collection.
7. Michael with his son George ( Baby ) and Mrs Shleifer. Norway. Circa 1914. From a private collection.
8. Michael with his brother, Tsar Nicholas II, nieces and nephew, on the balcony of the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo. L-R: Grand Duchesses Maria, Olga, Tatiana, and Anastasia, Michael, Nicholas and Tsesarevich Alexei. Circa 1915-16. GARF. f. 640, op. 3, d. 25. 1. 66ob. 979
9. Michael on horseback, prior to 1917. From a private collection.
10. Michael and friends, at Gatchina in winter, prior to 1917. From a private collection.
11. Grand Duke Michael with his brother, Tsar Nicholas II, prior to 1917. From a private collection.
12. Michael and Natasha s house in Gatchina on Baggovutskaya Street. This house no longer exists. Circa 1916. From a private collection.
13. Natalia and Nicholas Johnson. Circa 1914. From a private collection.
14. Michael horsing around for the camera, prior to 1917. From a private collection.
15. Michael with the Russian ballerina Tamara Karsavina (in the foreground). Michael is in his swim suit, holding on to the boat. Circa 1914. From the private collection of Boris Stechkin.
16. Michael posing in front of the Kodak building on Nevsky Prospect in St. Petersburg, prior to 1917. From a private collection.
17. Michael playing the guitar, most likely circa 1916-17. From a private collection.
18. Michael visiting the 2 nd Siberian Regiment, circa 1916. From a private collection.
19. Michael s written refusal to accept the Russian throne, signed Mikhail, issued in Petrograd on 3 March 1917.
20. Likely the last known photo of Michael, taken in Perm in April 1918. With him is Pyotr Ludvigovich Znamerovsky, who has often been misidentified here as Nicholas Johnson. At least two copies of this photo exist: one at the State Archives of Russian Federation (GARF, f. P9440, op. 1, d. 1, l. 1991), which presumably belonged to Znamerovsky, as his landlady found it in his apartment after his arrest. The other copy is in the private collection of the Pauline Gray Estate.
21. On the back of the photo from the Gray collection, Michael wrote: 9 April 1918 - Perm. We were photographed during our walk in town, at the hay market, where the flea market is. The photograph was developed in 10 minutes. M. I had not shaved since the day of departure from Gatchina - (22 February/7 March). Courtesy of Pauline Gray Estate.
Introduction
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich: Biographical Sketch To 1916
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia was the youngest son and fifth child of Emperor Alexander III and his wife, the Empress Maria Fedorovna (born Princess Dagmar of Denmark). Born in 1878, during the reign of his grandfather Alexander II, known as the Tsar-Liberator for having freed Russia s serfs, Michael was fourth in line to the throne after his father and two older brothers Nicholas II, who reigned from 1894 to 1917, and George, who died young in 1899. Michael came into the world in his mother s apartments in St. Petersburg s Anichkov Palace and enjoyed a close and comfortable childhood, dividing his time between the Anichkov Palace, Gatchina Palace outside of St. Petersburg, and the Livadia Palace in the Crimea. Known as Misha within the family, Floppy to his sister Olga, and later as Uncle Mimi to his nieces, Michael was raised in the same spartan manner as most Romanov men, with an emphasis on physical and educational excellence. A fine equestrian, Michael was taught by private tutors in history and government and received extensive religious instruction.
At the age of sixteen, Michael faced two important life events. His father, Alexander III, died unexpectedly on 1 November 1894, placing him third in line to the throne. Later that year, he left his family to attend the Imperial Artillery School located in Tsarskoye Selo on the corner of Sapernaya and Veliovskaya streets. After graduating, he joined Her Majesty s Own Horse Guards Artillery, under the patronage of his mother the Dowager Empress. In November 1898 he attained legal majority, and after his consumptive brother George s death in a motorcycle accident a few months later, he became Heir-Tsesarevich to his brother, Nicholas II. In 1904, Nicholas s son Alexei was born, and Michael fell back one place in the succession. As a sign of honor, he was designated Regent to the young Heir-Tsesarevich in the event anything should happen to the Emperor.
Very little was expected of Michael other than obedience and honorable behavior. He was required to uphold his oath to the Emperor and to fulfil his obligations as a dynast of the Russian Imperial House. Laws set down by his ancestor Paul I in 1797 required him to marry a princess of royal birth. In 1902, Michael dutifully fell in love with Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Beatrice s mother, Grand Duchess Maria Aleksandrovna, and Michael s father, Alexander III were siblings, and marriages between first and second cousins to the seventh degree were prohibited by the Orthodox church. Nicholas could have given his permission to this otherwise acceptable marriage, but he refused on religious grounds. Michael and Beatrice were broken-hearted by the decision, and Michael quickly turned his attention to his sister Olga s lady-in-waiting, Alexandra Kossikovskaya, familiarly known as Dina. Wh