The Romanovs: A Lifelong Passion Part Two

Pictured above are the Romanov children, listed in no particular order, Anastasia, Marie, Tatiana, Olga, and the Tsarevich Alexei.

While the immediate family was concerned about Alexei, turmoil was brewing up across Russia. Nicholas needed to balance his duties as Tsar with his personal problems.

The year of Alexei's birth coincided with the start of the Russian-Japanese war. It led to a crushing defeat of Russia's armed forces. This war was the beginning of the Russian revolution. Losing to Japan, led the Russian people to question the effectiveness of Emperor Nicholas.

Bloody Sunday soon followed. On December 9, 1905, soldiers opened fire on a peaceful demonstration at Tsarkoe Selo, the family's winter palace in St. Petersburg. Although the order to shoot was given by Nicholas' uncle Vladimir, the Russians blamed the Tsar. This event caused country-wide revolts for better living conditions. In February, another of the Tsar's uncles was assassinated. The family takes refuge in Tsarkoe Selo, terrified of assassination attempts and remains secluded for the rest of the year.

Outside, the revolution is gaining momentum. Concerned, the Tsar issues a manifesto on Oct. 17, 1905, which granted liberty of conscience, freedom of the press and assemblies and gave legislative rights to the Duma. The Duma, a new parliament, was the Emperor's attempt to grant some power to his people. These actions were decided under extreme pressure from family members. Nicholas and Alexandra still believed in the autocratic system and would hang onto that belief until the day they died.

Throughout the memoirs, Nicholas proved he could be reasonable when the situation called for it and the pressure was right. It was Alexandra who could not change. She is deeply rooted in her beliefs in the Tsar, her husband, and the Russian autocracy. She would fight for her husband with everything she had. In a large way, she is equally responsible for his downfall. Her stubbornness would lead her husband and family down a path to certain death. But she believed she was doing the right thing and Rasputin assured her of that. That was the only influence he really held over the family. He was her confidante and supporter. Although, before his death, he prophesied the family's death.

The revolutions ended in 1907, but the seeds of unrest and uncertainty were already planted in the minds of the Russian people. Unbeknownst to the secret police and Russian government, underground revolutionary groups were gaining momentum. As the years dragged on, the family's circle of relatives and longtime family friends began to shrink. This allowed Ania Vyrubova and Rasputin to enter their lives. According to their personal writings, this warning was not heeded.

Another person who held great influence over Alexandra was Ania Vyrubov. She was the daughter of A. S. Taneev, an outstanding chief of the Tsar's private office. When she was recovering from a divorce from the Fleet-Lieutenant Vyrubov, she developed a close friendship with Alexandra, who supported all her wishes. It wasn't long before she was Alix' closest and most intimate friend. Ania was extremely devoted to the Emperor and Empress. She even resided on the grounds of the Winter Palace.

In the autumn of 1906, Grigory Rasputin also entered the family's close circle of friends. Ania did everything in her power to encourage the relationship between the royal family and common holy man. History would label him as the symbol of the fall of the Dynasty. But in reality, his role was smaller than that. Rasputin symbolized the Russian peasants for the Tsar and Tsarina. They believed he connected them to the Russian people, because he was simple and polite. Furthermore, he came from a small rural Russian town. He was strongly devout, faithful to the throne, and a guarantor of Russia's prosperity. In addition to all of that, he could miraculously stop Alexei's bleeding. In all of their personal writing, the family refers to him as "our friend."

They were so blindly devoted that they refused to believe the truth about the holy man. Police reports detail his exploits including night-revels, a plethora of visits to whorehouses, bribery, and official government appointments of his friends and acquaintances. His sexual pursuits were not limited to the numerous prostitutes, he also bedded wives of the Russian aristocracy. It is rumored that he had a physical relationship with the Tsarina, but nothing was ever proven. I find this highly unlikely. Although, it's certainly possible he carried on a sexual relationship with Ania. But that has not been proven, either. The Romanov family would not believe any of this information. They labeled it slander by corrupt and jealous people and ostracized anyone who tried to talk sense to them. Rasputin was off limits.

Rasputin's relationship with the Romanov family further offended the Russian people, who were convinced that Nicholas was being manipulated by his wife Alexandra. They feared Rasputin influenced Alix, who then influenced Nicholas. The Russian populace turned against her, believing that she was more loyal to Germany than Russia and blaming her for Nicholas' poor ruling skills. The Russian-German war which began in 1914 added more fuel to the fire.

The tsar appointed Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich commander of troops, but a year later took command himself. He was convinced that as autocrat, the war was his responsibility. In the years that followed, Nicholas spent his time on the front and with his family during Alexei's numerous attacks. On the home front, Alexandra and her daughters set up several hospitals and helped nurse the wounded. The family also funded hospital trains.

As the war dragged on, living conditions in Russia continued to deteriorate. There were food shortages, rising prices, factory strikes, railway strikes and numerous protests. As conditions worsened, the Russian people grew angrier at the Tsar and Tsarina. However, with the family focus on the war and Alexei, the family was oblivious to their drastically changing public opinion.

It was Rasputin's murder that was their first signal of trouble. Felix Yusupov, Nicholas' sister's daughter's husband, Dimitri Pavlovich, the son of Nicholas' uncle Pavel, and V. M. Purishkevich, the leader of the right-wing faction in the Duma, planned and executed the elaborate murder. Yusupov arranged to poison him with baked sweets and wine laced with potassium cyanide. They lured him to Yusupov's home with the promise of meeting his wife Irina. Although, Rasputin ate and drank the poison, it had no effect. It was then that the plan went horribly wrong. Unsure what to do, Yusupov rushed upstairs to consult Dmitri and Purishkevich. They were waiting to help dispose of the body. They tell him to take Rasputin home and they will try again tommorrow.

Purishkevich writes that Yusupov says "if we miss him today he will be out of our reach for ever, do you really think he'll come back tomorrow once he realizes he has been deceived today? Rasputin cannot and must not leave here alive.. .If the poison doesn't work we'll have to go for broke and show our hand, we can either all go down together, or let me do it alone, I'll either dispatch him with my sauvage or smash his skull in with my knuckle-duster."

Yusupov removed a Browning from a writing desk drawer and returned to the basement. When they hear the shots, the remaining group hurried downstairs. In their hurry, though, one of them shuts off the light. A few minutes later, they get the light back on.

Yusupov writes: "all movements ceased. We bent over his body to examine it. The doctor declared the bullet had struck him in the region of the heart. There was no possibility of doubt: Rasputin was dead" Purishkevich notices he is still breathing, but doesn't mention it. They all head upstairs to clean up. A few minutes later, they return to collect the body for dumping.

Yusupov writes about looking at the dead body: "All of a sudden, I saw the left eye open. . .A few seconds later his right eyelid began to quiver, then opened. I then saw both eyes - green eyes of a viper-staring at me with an expression of diabolical hatred. . .Then a terrible thing happened: with a sudden violent effort Rasputin leapt to his feet, foaming at the mouth. . .I realized now who Rasputin really was. It was the reincarnation of Satan himself who held me in his clutches and would never let me go till my dying day."

Thankfully, Rasputin fell back to the floor. Terrified, Yusupov rushed upstairs to get Purishkevich. While Yusupov was upstairs, Rasputin exited the house and started toward the gate. Purishkevich hurried after him and shot at him three times, missing him each time. The fourth shot, struck his head and brought Rasputin down once again. To make sure he was really dead, Purishkevich walked up to him and kicked him at the temple several times as hard as he could. Rasputin was carried to the landing of Yusupov's house where Purishkevich beat Rasputin's head in with a two-pound weight.

The dead body was carried to Dmitri's car, driven to a nearby bridge and tossed in the water with several two-pound weights and chains. His body was discovered four days later. Rasputin was laid to rest on consecrated ground in the corner of Tsarkoe Selo's palace park.

Rasputin's murder and following investigation was the beginning of the end for the Romanov dynasty. But the murder did not have the desired effect on the Tsarina. Alexandra and Nicholas were deeply distraught and disgusted by the act, but they continued to carry on. They still hung on to their beliefs that autocracy was the only thing that could save Russia. They failed to see how far Russia had fallen. In fact, it was quickly becoming not salvageable.

Tsar Nicholas officially abdicates on March 2, 1917, giving the autocracy to Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, who abdicates on March 3 for the newly formed Provisional Government headed by Prince Lvov. The Russian autocracy is no more.

Nicholas writes in his diary: "My abdication is necessary. . .The crux of the matter is that it is necessary to take this step, for the sake of Russia's salvation and of maintaining calm in the army front. I agreed."

As for the Tsarevich, Pierre Gillard, the children's Swiss tutor, references a conversation between Nicholas and Professor Fedorov about Alexei's diagnosis of hemophilia: "'Science teaches us, sire that it is an incurable disease. Yet those who are afflicted with it sometimes reach an advanced old age. Still, Alexei Nicholaevich is at the mercy of an accident' The Tsar hung his head and sadly murmured: 'That's just what the Tsarina told me. Well, if that is the case and Alexei can never serve his country as I should like him to, we have the right to keep him ourselves'" It is with those words that Alexei's fate is also sealed.

In addition to his signed abdication, Nicholas requests the Provisional Government allow the family to remain at Tsarkoe Selo until the children recover from their measles and safe passage to the Crimea where they can live out the remainder of their lives in peace. However, this is not what happens.

At 4 p.m. on March 8, 1917, the palace is closed and the Romanov family and several servants are held prisoner. Guards are installed. On July 31, the family begins their journey to Tobolsk. Nicholas describes their new home in his August 6 entry: "we learnt that the buildings are empty, dirty, without any furniture and that it was impossible to move into them" On Aug. 13, he adds: "Many of the rooms have still not been done, and look very unwelcoming."

The family is issued identity cards in September. As time wears on, their restrictions continue to cramp their lifestyle. They lose more and more privileges and suffer impromptu room and body searches. Their correspondence is read and packages, baggage and personal belongings are searched and confiscated. However, diary entries and letters are upbeat, grateful and carefree. Nicholas especially enjoys being a father and spending time with his children.They continue to hope that they will be rescued.

On November 2, they learn the Provisional Government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks.New guards are brought in and they learn they will be transferred to a different facility. In April Nicholas and Alexandra begin their journey to Ekaterinburg. They are accompanied by Anna Demidova, the Tsarina's maid; Terenty Ivanovich Chemodurov, the Tsar's valet, Leonid Sednev, a kitchen boy; Prince Dolgorukov, and Dr. Botkin. They arrive in Ekaterinburg at 8: 40 p.m. April 30.

In his diary, Nicholas describes the Ipatiev House, or House of Special Purpose: "The house is pleasant and clean. We have been given four large rooms." Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Alexei join them on May 23. Like their time at Tobolsk, the family remains positive and hopeful of rescue. As time goes on, they become more and more shut off from the outside world. Toward the end, they are not allowed to leave the house or send or receive mail, telegrams or packages. The guards steal from them, push them around and abuse them. Rumors have circulated that the daughters were constantly beaten and raped, although none of their personal writings reference any violent treatment.

On July 16, 1918, Commander Yurovsky issues the massacre orders. At 11 p.m., the family and servants are gathered together and led to the first floor of the House. Chairs are brought for Alexei, Nicholas and Alexandra. The remainder of the group stands behind the chairs. Yurovsky whispers to Nicholas that his royal relatives at home and abroad were trying to liberate them, so the Soviet workers' deputies had ordered everyone shot. Nicholas turns away from the squad and toward his family as the firing begins.

According to Yurovsky, the firing squad had been briefed and assigned people to fire at. They were ordered to shoot toward the heart to avoid an excessive amount of blood and pain and suffering of the victims. Nicholas was the first to be shot by Yorovsky. He then turned to shoot Alexei. The women were difficult marks, because family jewels had been sewn into the cushions they carried and their corsets. Eventually, they were all dead and Yurovsky ordered Mikhail Medvedev, a former member of the Cheka (Russian secret police, precursor to KGB) to begin removing the bodies. The bodies were loaded onto carts and driven to an abandoned mine site.The orders were to undress and burn the bodies before burial. This is when the guards discovered the hidden jewels and looted them. Sulphuric acid was also poured onto the bodies to disfigure them. As daylight approached, several of the bodies had not been burned, so they were added to the grave. The grenades were dropped in at that point..

And that was the sad end of the last Tsar and his family. Although, several rumors exist that Anastasia escaped this grisly end and lived a long and mentally disturbed life as Anna Anderson. In my heart, it's easy to believe that someone survived. That somewhere there really are descendants of the Romanov family living happy lives that their relatives never had the chance to. Perhaps I even carry some distant Romanov blood. It's a nice dream, but only a dream. There is no scientific or historical proof. But it brings me comfort as the reality of their untimely death sinks in. Perhaps it will bring you some, as well.

Check out A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra Their Own Story compiled by Andrei Mayleunas and Sergei Mironenko. Although the family is gone, their words will live on forever. So if you want to experience it through their eyes, read A Lifelong Passion. For more information, I've read them all the books listed below and they are my personal favorites. So buy one and journey back in time to relive the story of the last tsar and his family.