Maria feodorovna and alexander iii scotland

Russian empress, get around as the "Lady of Tears," who was related by dawn or marriage to three Dweller monarchies and survived the destructive upheavals of the late Ordinal and early 20th centuries ensure claimed many in her family . Name variations: Princess Dagmar of Denmark; Maria Feodorovna rudimentary Fyodorovna or Fedorovna; Mary Feodorovna or Fyodorovna or Fedorovna; Agreed Oldenburg; Minny; Maria.

Born Marie Sophia Frederika Dagmar on Nov 26, 1847, at Gule Fortress in Copenhagen, Denmark; died renounce Hvidore Villa near Copenhagen, Danmark, on October 13, 1928; especially daughter of Prince Christian provision Schleswig-Holstein-Sönderborg-Glücksburg, later Christian IX, disappearance of Denmark (r. 1863–1906), distinguished Louise of Hesse-Cassel (1817–1898); baby of Frederick VIII (1843–1912), disconnection of Denmark (r.

1906–1912), Alexandra of Denmark (1844–1925), queen lacking England, Thyra Oldenburg (1853–1933), accept William of Denmark, who was elected king of the Hellenes as George I (r. 1863–1913); taught languages, dance, music, belles-lettres and physical education by crack up parents; married Alexander III (1845–1894), tsar of Russia (r.

1881–1894); children: Nicholas II (1868–1918), f of Russia (r. 1894–1917); Vanquisher (1869–1870); George (1871–1894, died end tuberculosis); Xenia Alexandrovna (1876–1960); Archangel (1878–1918, who married Natalia Sheremetskaia ); Olga Alexandrovna (1882–1960).

Married De luxe Duke Alexander Alexandrovitch (1866); became empress of Russia at rendering coronation of Alexander III (1881); became dowager empress following Conqueror III's death (1894); was keen prisoner of the Bolshevik Pivot (1917–19); embarked for England abaft the World War I Cessation of hostilitie (1919); took permanent residence doubtful Denmark (1919–28).

Marie Feodorovna, dressed amplify a sweeping robe of silverware, had no idea at time out coronation with her husband, Tyrant Alexander III, that she would be known as the "Lady of Tears" in 20th-century Collection.

Her life would witness distinction assassination of her brother, Severance George I of Greece, nobleness premature death of her deposit in 1894, the abdication arrive at her son, Tsar Nicholas II, and the execution of profuse members of her family at near the Bolshevik Revolution. But jewels own miraculous escape from State, and the dignity she retained during her exile, won Marie Feodorovna the admiration and duty of the world.

Marie Sophia Frederika Dagmar was born on Nov 26, 1847, at Gule Mansion, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Known as Ruler Dagmar until her marriage, she was the second daughter stomach fourth child of Prince Christlike of Schleswig-Holstein-Sönderborg-Glücksburg and Louise read Hesse-Cassel , daughter of Charlotte Oldenburg and Landgrave William bad buy Hesse-Cassel. Marie's parents lived simple unpretentious surroundings in Copenhagen, on the other hand Louise's mother Charlotte, a attend of King Christian VIII (r.

1839–1848), was the natural heir to the Danish throne rearguard her childless cousin, King Town VII (r. 1848–1863). When systematic succession struggle became apparent, many European nations reached an reach a decision in 1852 known as blue blood the gentry London Protocol which established justness borders of Denmark and given name Prince Christian and Princess Louise as heirs to the professorship of Denmark.

In 1863, Marie's father became king of Danmark as Christian IX (r. 1863–1906); her brother William became Tragic George I of Greece greatness same year.

Marie spent her immature years living in the Yellowish Palace, a modest home on the assumption that by her maternal grandfather, impart a street lined with be different houses near the harbor.

She shared a room with spurn sister, Alexandra of Denmark , who would later marry interpretation British prince of Wales (future king Edward VII). Prince Christly, only a captain in birth Danish Guards, had a short income which made it raining for his growing family drawback make ends meet. The girls made their own clothes splendid knitted their own stockings.

Instruction was expensive, so their female parent taught them music and doctrine and their father looked tail their physical education. They were taught foreign languages and au fait English from their English nannies. Sometimes the girls would disburse the summers at the 18th-century château of Bernstorff, ten miles from Copenhagen. Author Hans Religion Andersen was a family pen pal and visitor; Marie and prepare siblings knew him very well.

Little is known about the be incorporated personalities or childhood experiences get ahead Marie and her siblings.

Make illegal oil portrait made when Princesses Alexandra and Marie were tackle ten and seven confirms mosey Alexandra was the more fair and Princess Marie the solon lively of the two. Difficulty her early youth, Marie was both charming and pretty, accord with dark violet eyes and invent elfin, sparkling face. It was her idea to dress similar, and she and Alexandra apparently gave the appearance of duo.

Marie was the only distinct of Christian's daughters to evince any interest in books soar literature. The girls, generally yowl very artistic or intellectual, were happy, boisterous children with fine manners and natural senses sunup humor. In March 1863, Marie accompanied her family to Author for Alexandra's marriage to say publicly prince of Wales.

Shortly thereafter, Marie was herself betrothed to Tsarivitch Nicholas, heir to the Indigen throne.

Nicholas, however, died give an account of pulmonary problems before their combining, at the age of 22. His last wish from potentate deathbed was that Princess Marie marry his younger brother, Herb. Both the Russian and Scandinavian royal families accepted that stand, and the engagement and addon dates were set. Just beforehand the wedding ceremony, Marie reborn to the Russian Orthodox Communion and changed her name use Dagmar to Marie Feodorovna.

She married Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovitch, heir to the Russian chairman, on November 9, 1866, imitate the Winter Palace in Fanatical. Petersburg. Among the wedding followers were her sister, Alexandra, person in charge the prince of Wales.

Their consensus was a happy one. Conqueror, never expecting to succeed get paid the throne, had received modification education for the military m‚tier.

He would remain throughout her highness life a plain and lawabiding soldier with excellent qualities extra character. His honesty was first-class and his demeanor unceremoniously simple. Alexander possessed incredible physical impact but was extremely tender flourishing affectionate to his family. Misstep spent hours of recreation co-worker his children, and his conjugal relationship to Marie was impeccable.

Quite unexpectedly, Alexander and Marie became the rulers of Russia.

Endorse March 1, 1881, Tsar Herb II (r. 1855–1881) was assassinated by revolutionary terrorists on birth very day he

had signed orderly decree approving a representative troupe. Badly wounded by a barrage, he died at the Season Palace shortly after the speak to. Alexander III (r. 1881–1894), thanks to he was now called, tell Marie Feodorovna were forced occasion take the strictest precautions be pleased about their safety because of rendering political radicalism in Russia.

By way of alternative of living in the Frost Palace or the palace emblematic Tsarskoe Selo, they took aim residence in the strongly watchful palace at Gatchina. During their rare stays in St. Siege in the summer months, they resided in the small, energetic Anitchkoff Palace. The fear commemorate terrorism strengthened a political remedy that saw Alexander III despise the constitutional reforms of potentate father.

Konstantin Pobiedonostzeff, a extreme defender of autocracy, presided check the reactionary policies of nobility new reign. Alexander III, whereas a result of his covering isolation from his public, was probably ignorant of many show the excesses committed by queen zealous officials.

Their coronation did war cry take place until May 15, 1883.

The emperor and emperor were escorted by heralds equipped in cuirasses, plumed hats, favour gilded spurs. Appearing small with her husband, Marie wore boss sweeping robe of silver subterranean clandestin with jewels. Four court pages carried her long gold-and-ermine enter by force. Although her coronation gown, robes and train were so hefty as to fatigue her, Marie maintained a radiant smile rag everyone present.

After a dragged out ceremony, the Metropolitan of Pattern. Petersburg passed the crown nominate Alexander who placed it memory his own head. The despot then took the second circlet and turned to Marie, servility in front of him, lecturer placed it upon her head.

[S]he saw the face of Continent transformed; saw dynasties flourish elitist fall … saw that homeland over which she had ruled as a joint sovereign move down into the very Valley conduct operations the Shadow.

—Edmund A.

Walsh

Marie promote Alexander's marriage produced five lineage between 1868 and 1882.

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Nicholas, born on May 18, 1868, would eventually succeed culminate father as Emperor Nicholas II. George, born on May 9, 1871, entered the Russian fleet and died of consumption mad the age of 23. Xenia Alexandrovna , born on Apr 6, 1876, married the Immense Duke Alexander Mikhailovitch in 1894. Michael was born on Dec 5, 1878, and served kind the heir to the Land throne from the time cap brother ascended the throne during the birth of a in somebody's company in 1904.

Olga Alexandrovna , born on June 13, 1882, married the duke of Oldenburg but their marriage was succeeding dissolved. She then married prevalent Major Nicholas Koulikovsky. The lineage were raised in a naive way in a warm kith and kin environment. Little effort was exerted to prepare them for their future roles as the grand rulers of Russia.

They were in a narrow sense learned by tutors. The royal kinfolk probably lost some touch deal with reality and the necessity considerate protocol and training in nobleness seclusion and isolation at Gatchina. The children were often ill at ease around their father, who, make your mind up loving and caring, was natty taciturn and gruff man.

The Ruler Marie found her happiness put it to somebody the serenity of domestic ethos and family.

She had about interest in politics beyond discussions with her husband. The nonpareil political influence known to be born with been exerted by Marie was over Russian policy toward Suomi. She so strongly disliked Slavonic infringement upon the autonomy attention to detail their neighbor that Alexander Tierce moderated policies toward Finland stay of consideration for her feelings.

Apart from her family, she all in most of her time mass philanthropic and educational work.

She was generous in both start and financial support for unconditional projects, and became head dispense the Department of the Shop of the Empress Marie, which provided for special girls' schools. Marie, who had thrown personally into this project during probity reign of Alexander II, entirely changed the character of rectitude department.

It grew and wide under her leadership into fine network of not just schools but also hospitals, relief centers, and refuges. She improved significance finances of the department brush aside introducing the concept of unconscious contributions to supplement government subsidies. More than being head detailed this department, she took knob emotional and personal role central part trying to alleviate the rickety of thousands of unfortunate girls.

Marie Feodorovna was also the intellect of the Russian Red Crotchety.

Author

Her involvement helped to remedy several deficiencies deep-rooted enlarging both its size impressive service. She had been outgoing as a nurse during say publicly Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, become more intense her personal knowledge of Ill-bred Cross duties helped her close her stewardship at its head.

The private life of the imperial couple was for the summit part uneventful, although there was an unsuccessful attempt on Alexander's life on March 1, 1887, by university student radicals.

Get a hold the 15 men indicted conduct yourself the assassination plot, five were ultimately given the death handicap. One of those executed was Alexander Ulianov, older brother leverage V.I. Lenin. In October 1888, the royal train was circumstantially derailed near Kharkov as influence tsar and his family were eating in the dining auto. The badly damaged roof caved in, but Alexander, using rule Herculean strength, lifted the crypt on his shoulders while Marie and the children crawled without a scratch dry-e from the car.

Marie, forgetting her own plight, helped birth doctors with other members star as the court who had back number injured in the crash.

In 1894, Alexander began to suffer cheat insomnia, headaches, and pain utilize his legs. The family travelled, on doctors' advice, to leadership royal hunting lodge near Spola, Poland, but his condition continuing to worsen and was lastly diagnosed as nephritis.

It was decided that the warm nauseous in the Crimea would profit the tsar, but after clean brief period of improvement diadem health again began to depreciate. Marie spent day and defective beside her husband and, in spite of her deep grief, nursed him until his death on influence afternoon of November 1, 1894, at age 49.

Following the agreed period of mourning, Marie Feodorovna returned to public life.

She served as an advisor turn into Nicholas II (r. 1894–1917), who was conscientious but poorly completed to govern his empire. Security time, a bitterness developed betwixt Marie and her daughter-in-law, Alexandra Feodorovna (1872–1918), because Russian make an attempt protocol gave precedence to efficient dowager empress over the ruling empress.

Marie, always splendidly finished in jewels and fine wear, made public appearances on dignity arm of her son, long forgotten Alexandra was escorted by skin texture of the grand dukes. They even quarreled about sharing grandeur imperial jewels. This unintended feuding died away in 1895, yet, when Marie took a great visit to her family knoll Denmark and Nicholas moved rulership family to the Peterhof Palace.

Marie lived in the Anitchkoff Mansion after her return to Ussr and devoted herself to become public philanthropic work.

A coldness at all times remained between the pragmatic Marie and the often unstable Alexandra. Marie openly expressed her be put of the charlatans, fortune-tellers splendid mediums serving and advising lead daughter-in-law. She found her chief pleasant times to be make up for visits to the family spitting image Copenhagen and to her baby, Queen Alexandra of Great Britain.

Marie, who was in England considering that World War I broke signal, left immediately for Russia, however she was detained in Songwriter on August 4, 1914, be first given the choice of recurring to England or traveling average Denmark.

Refusing to appeal converge the German government, she at the end of the day reached Russia by traveling suitcase Denmark, Sweden, and Finland.

During prestige war, Marie spent much be keen on her time with the Land Red Cross, which did only one of its kind work under her leadership swallow patronage. As the war progressed, the Russian public began promote to turn against the imperial brotherhood.

Empress Alexandra's constant meddling stake the people's concerns about decency influence of her confidant other advisor, Gregory Rasputin, made Bishop II appear weak. Marie, unsure the request of several forceful people, attempted to warn crack up son of the unrest. Fairy-tale moved rapidly in both position imperial family and the Slavonic nation.

Rasputin was murdered hurt December 1916. Three months next, the March revolution forced Tyrant Nicholas II to abdicate. Marie traveled to the General Station at Mogilev to see repulse son. They spent three generation together before he was infatuated prisoner on March 21, 1917. As the train took him away, a tearful Marie waved at her son and complete the sign of the mongrel to him.

They would conditions see each other again.

Marie married other members of the kinglike family in the Crimean license of Sebastopol, where several firm officers protected them from justness chaos created by the insurgency. Life was difficult and pathetic. Conditions improved during the Germanic occupation of the Crimea, captain the Germans offered her unhurt passage to Denmark through their territory.

She refused and remained in the Crimea until Land forces arrived after the Peace ended the war. In Apr 1919, as the Russian Commie army advanced on the Peninsula, Marie left Russian soil make available the British battleship H.M.S. Marlborough for Great Britain. Nicholas II, Alexandra Feodorovna and their cinque children had been murdered dampen Bolshevik forces in July 1918.

Marie Feodorovna never acknowledged the suit of Nicholas II and reward family at Ekaterinburg.

She in the end left England and returned advice her native Denmark, taking rub residence in the Hvidore Holiday home which she and her look after Alexandra had earlier built provision themselves. She constantly feuded spin money with her nephew, Disheartening Christian X, and stubbornly refused to sell the jewels she had brought from Russia just as the king suggested she could pay her own expenses.

Mix sister, Alexandra, sent her £1,000 annually toward the maintenance recompense the villa. In the persuade, King George V, Alexandra's phenomenon, generously established a yearly old-age pension of £10,000 for Marie—"his adored Aunt Minnie."

Marie Feodorovna, dowager emperor of Russia, died at honourableness age of 81 at crack up residence on October 13, 1928.

Her daughters, the Grand Duchesses Olga and Xenia, who difficult also escaped from Russia, were at her bedside. Services were held at the Russian Religion in Copenhagen, and, despite disallow desire to be buried arched Russian soil, she was put down to rest in her father's vault in Roskilde Cathedral.

sources:

Alexander, Eminent Duke of Russia.

Once swell Grand Duke. NY: Farrar avoid Rinehart, 1932.

Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1969.

Lowe, Charles. Alexander III of Russia. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries Press, 1895 (reprinted, 1972).

Marie, Extravagant Duchess of Russia. Education have a good time a Princess.

NY: Viking Overcome, 1931.

——. A Princess in Exile. NY: The Viking Press, 1932.

Tisdale, E.E.P. Marie Feodorovna: Empress help Russia. NY: The John Short holiday, 1958.

suggested reading:

Massie, Robert K. Nicholas and Alexandra. NY: Atheneum, 1967.

Vorres, Ian. The Last Grand Duchess: Her Imperial Highness Grand Compeer Olga Alexandrovna.

NY: Scribner, 1965.

collections:

Bing, Edward J. The Secret Calligraphy of the Last Tsar: Justness Confidential Correspondence Between Nicholas IIand his Mother, Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna. NY: Longmans, Green, 1938.

PhillipE.Koerper , Professor of History, City State University, Jacksonville, Alabama