Memories of the Russian Court

Anna Viroubova

Description

Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova (1884 – 1964) was a Russian lady-in-waiting and close friend of Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna, Empress of Russia and wife of the last ruler of the Russian Empire, Nicholas II. Within this fascinating volume, she recounts her unique experiences of life at the Russian court and relationship with the Romanov family during the years leading up to the 1917 revolution. Offering extraordinary insights into the Romanovs and the political and social climate of the time, this volume constitutes a must-read for anyone with an interest in this significant episode of world history. Many vintage book such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with the original text and artwork.

Sujets

• Lettres et linguistique
• Biography
• Empress Alexandra Feodorovna of Russia
• Alexander Palace
• Royalty
• Autobiography

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 14 juillet 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528766760
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT
Copyright 2018 Read Books Ltd. This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA IN HER HAPPY YEARS.
MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT
BY ANNA VIROUBOVA
TO MY EMPRESS, WITH LOVE AND FIDELITY ETERNAL
When you are reproached-bless; when persecuted-be patient; when calumniated-comfort yourself; when slandered-rejoice; this is your road and mine. Words of St. Seraphine.
ALEXANDRA FEODOROVNA, from Tobolsk ,
March 20, 1918
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall not fear. Thy rod and Thy staff shall comfort me .
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII
Chapter XIV
Chapter XV
Chapter XVI
Chapter XVII
Chapter XVIII
Chapter XIX
Chapter XX
Chapter XXI
Chapter XXII
Chapter XXIII
Chapter XXIV
Appendix A
Appendix B
ILLUSTRATIONS
T HE E MPRESS OF R USSIA IN H ER H APPY D AYS
T HE E MPRESS D RIVING H ER P ONY C HAISE
T HE E MPRESS WITH G RAND D UCHESS T ATIANA IN H ER B EDROOM , T SARSKOE S ELO
A LEXANDER S ERGIEVITCH T ANIEFF
T HE W INTER P ALACE , P ETROGRAD
M ILITARY R EVIEW , T SARSKOE S ELO
T HE E MPEROR AND E MPRESS IN A Q UIET H OUR ON B OARD THE I MPERIAL Y ACHT
T HE E MPRESS D ISTRIBUTING P RESENTS TO S AILORS AT THE E ND OF A C RUISE
L IVADIA, THE N EW P ALACE OF THE T SARS IN THE C RIMEA
A C ORNER OF THE C OURT OF THE P ALACE OF L IVADIA
T HE I MPERIAL C HILDREN B ATHING IN THE B LACK S EA AT L IVADIA
T HE I MPERIAL Y ACHT A RRIVES AT L IVADIA, THE C RIMEA
T HE T SAR , G RAND D UCHESSES O LGA AND T ATIANA AND M ME . V IROUBOVA AT H OMBURG
T HE E MPRESS G IVING A LEXEI A L ESSON ON THE T ERRACE
A LEXEI P LAYING IN THE S NOW AT T SARSKOE S ELO
T HE E MPRESS IN B ED WITH C ONVALESCENT T SAREVITCH
G RAND D UCHESSES O LGA AND T ATIANA ON B OARD THE S TANERT
T HE T SAREVITCH WITH H IS C OUSINS , C HILDREN OF G RAND D UKE E RNEST OF H ESSE
N ICHOLAS II A ND THE T SAREVITCH ON B OARD THE I MPERIAL Y ACHT S TANDERT
T HE T SAREVITCH WITH H IS S AILOR , D EREVANKO
T HE T SAR , T SARINA, AND A LEXEI IN THE G ARDENS AT T SARSKOE S ELO
T HE E MPEROR AND E MPRESS IN O LD S LAVONIC D RESS , J UBILEE OF 1913
T HE I NVALID E MPRESS ON THE B ALCONY AT P ETERHOF
T HE G UEST R OOM IN R ASPUTINE S H OUSE IN S IBERIA
T HE T HREE C HILDREN OF R ASPUTINE B EFORE T HEIR H OUSE IN S IBERIA
T HE E MPRESS AND Y OUNG G RAND D UKE D MITRI , A FTERWARDS O NE OF R ASPUTINE S A SSASSINS
M INISTER OF C OURT C OUNT F REDERICKS, THE E MPRESS AND T ATIANA T AKING T EA IN F INNISH W OODS
G RAND D UCHESSES O LGA , T ATIANA , A NASTASIE, AND M ARIE , P RISONERS AT T SARSKOE S ELO , 1917
A NNA V IROUBOVA S HORTLY A FTER H ER R ELEASE FROM THE F ORTRESS OF P ETER AND P AUL
L ETTERS FROM N ICHOLAS II TO A NNA V IROUBOVA, FROM T OBOLSK , 1917
L ETTERS FROM A LEXEI , T ATIANA, AND M ARIE , S MUGGLED FROM S IBERIA IN 1917
O NE OF THE E MPRESS S L AST L ETTERS TO M ME . V IROUBOVA , W RITTEN IN O LD S LAVONIC , 1918
S MUGGLED L ETTER FROM THE E MPRESS ON B IRCHBARK A FTER P APER G AVE O UT
T HE E X -E MPEROR AND A LEXEI F EEDING T URKEYS IN THE B ARNYARD , T OBOLSK , 1918
T HE L AST P HOTOGRAPH T AKEN OF THE E MPRESS AND H ER D AUGHTERS , O LGA AND T ATIANA , S HORTLY B EFORE THE M URDER OF THE I MPERIAL F AMILY IN S IBERIA
Note: With very few exceptions all these photographs were taken by members of the Imperial Family and by Mme. Viroubova, all of whom were experts with the camera.
MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT
MEMORIES OF THE RUSSIAN COURT
CHAPTER I
I T is with a prayerful heart and memories deep and reverent that I begin to write the story of my long and intimate friendship with Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II, Empress of Russia, and of the tragedy of the Revolution, which brought on her and hers such undeserved misery, and on our unhappy country such a black night of oblivion.
But first I feel that I should explain briefly who I am, for though my name has appeared rather prominently in most of the published accounts of the Revolution, few of the writers have taken the trouble to sift facts from fiction even in the comparatively unimportant matter of my genealogy. I have seen it stated that I was born in Germany, and that my marriage to a Russian officer was arranged to conceal my nationality. I have also read that I was a peasant woman brought from my native Siberia to further the ambitions of Rasputine. The truth is that I am unable to produce an ancestor who was not born Russian. My father, Alexander Sergievitch Tanieff, during most of his life, was a functionary of the Russian Court, Secretary of State, and Director of the Private Chancellerie of the Emperor, an office held before him by his father and his grandfather. My mother was a daughter of General Tolstoy, aide-de-camp of Alexander II. One of my immediate ancestors was Field Marshal Koutousoff, famous in the Napoleonic Wars. Another, on my mother s side, was Count Kontaisoff, an intimate friend of the eccentric Tsar Paul, son of the great Catherine.
Notwithstanding my family s hereditary connection with the Court our own family life was simple and quiet. My father, aside from his official duties, had no interests apart from his home and his music, for he was a composer and a pianist of more than national fame. My earliest memories are of home evenings, my brother Serge and my sister Alya (Alexandra) studying their lessons under the shaded lamp, my dear mother sitting near with her needlework, and my father at the piano working out one of his compositions, striking the keys softly and noting down his harmonies. I thank God for that happy childhood which gave me strength of soul to bear the sorrows and sufferings of after years.
Six months in every year we spent in the country near Moscow on an estate which had been in the family for nearly two hundred years. For neighbors we had the Princes Galatzine and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Serge, the last named being the older sister of the Empress. I hardly remember when I did not know and love the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, as she was familiarly called. As small children she petted and spoiled us all, often inviting us to tea, the feast ending in a grand frolic in which we were allowed to search the rooms for toys which she had ingeniously hidden. It was at one of these children s teas that I first saw the Empress Alexandra. Quite unexpectedly the Tsarina was announced and the beautiful Grand Duchess Elizabeth, leaving her small guests, ran eagerly to greet her. The time was near the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna, and the Tsarina was at the very height of her youthful beauty. My childish impression of her was of a tall, slender, graceful woman, lovely beyond description, with a wealth of golden hair and eyes like stars, the very picture of what an Empress should be.
For my father the young Empress soon conceived a warm liking and confidence and she named him as vice president of the committee of Assistance par le Travail . During this time we lived in winter in the Michailovsky Palace in Petrograd, and in summer in a small villa in Peterhof on the Baltic Sea. From conversations between my mother and father I learned a great deal of the life of the Imperial Family. The Empress impressed my father both by her excessive shyness and by her unusual intelligence. She was above all a motherly woman and often combined baby-tending with serious business affairs. With the little Grand Duchess Olga in her arms she discussed all kinds of business with my father, and while with one hand rocking the cradle where lay the baby Tatiana she signed letters and papers of consequence. Sometimes while thus engaged there would come a clear, musical whistle, like a bird call. It was the Emperor s special summons to his wife, and at the first sound her cheek would turn to rose, and, regardless of everything, she would fly to answer it. That birdlike whistle of the Emperor I became very familiar with in later years, calling the children, signaling to me. It had a curious, appealing, resistless quality, peculiar to himself.
Perhaps it was a common love of music which first drew the Empress and our family into a bond of friendship. All of us children received a thorough musical education. From childhood we were taken regularly to concerts and the opera, and our home, especially on Wednesday evenings, was a rendezvous for all the musicians and composers of the capital. The great Tschaikovsky was a friend of my father, and I remember many others of note who were frequent guests at tea or dinner.
Apart from music we received an education rather more practical than was the average at that time. In the Russia of my childhood a girl of good family was supposed to acquire a few pretty accomplishments and nothing much besides. Accomplishments I and my sister were given, but besides music and painting, for which my sister had considerable talent, we were well grounded in academic studies, and we finished by taking examinations leading to teachers diplomas. I may say also that even in our drawing-room accomplishments we were obliged to be thorough, and when my father ventured to show some of our work to th