"Angel Alexander"
The second child of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich and Maria Feodorovna was Alexander. He, alas, died in infancy from meningitis. The death of “angel Alexander” after a fleeting illness was deeply experienced by his parents, judging by their diaries. For Maria Fedorovna, the death of her son was the first loss of relatives in her life. Meanwhile, fate had prepared for her to outlive all her sons.
Alexander Alexandrovich. The only (post-mortem) photograph
Handsome Georgy
For some time, the heir of Nicholas II was his younger brother George
As a child, Georgiy was healthier and stronger than his older brother Nikolai. He grew up to be a tall, handsome, cheerful child. Despite the fact that George was his mother's favorite, he, like the other brothers, was brought up in Spartan conditions. The children slept on army beds, got up at 6 o'clock and took a cold bath. For breakfast, they were usually served porridge and black bread; for lunch, lamb cutlets and roast beef with peas and baked potatoes. The children had at their disposal a living room, a dining room, a playroom and a bedroom, furnished with the simplest furniture. Only the icon, decorated with precious stones and pearls, was rich. The family lived mainly in the Gatchina Palace.
Family of Emperor Alexander III (1892). From right to left: Georgy, Ksenia, Olga, Alexander III, Nikolai, Maria Fedorovna, Mikhail
George was destined for a career in the navy, but then the Grand Duke fell ill with tuberculosis. Since the 1890s, George, who became crown prince in 1894 (Nicholas did not yet have an heir), lives in the Caucasus, in Georgia. Doctors even forbade him to go to St. Petersburg for his father’s funeral (although he was present at his father’s death in Livadia). George's only joy was visits from his mother. In 1895, they traveled together to visit relatives in Denmark. There he had another attack. Georgiy was bedridden for a long time until he finally felt better and returned to Abastumani.
Grand Duke Georgy Alexandrovich at his desk. Abastumani. 1890s
In the summer of 1899, Georgy was traveling from the Zekar Pass to Abastumani on a motorcycle. Suddenly his throat started bleeding, he stopped and fell to the ground. On June 28, 1899, Georgy Alexandrovich died. The section revealed: extreme degree of exhaustion, chronic tuberculous process in the period of cavernous decay, cor pulmonale (right ventricular hypertrophy), interstitial nephritis. The news of George's death was a heavy blow for the entire imperial family and especially for Maria Feodorovna.
Ksenia Alexandrovna
Ksenia was her mother’s favorite, and even looked like her. Her first and only love was Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich (Sandro), who was friends with her brothers and often visited Gatchina. Ksenia Alexandrovna was “crazy” about the tall, slender brunette, believing that he was the best in the world. She kept her love a secret, telling about it only to her older brother, the future Emperor Nicholas II, Sandro’s friend. Ksenia was Alexander Mikhailovich’s cousin. They married on July 25, 1894, and she bore him a daughter and six sons during the first 13 years of their marriage.
Alexander Mikhailovich and Ksenia Alexandrovna, 1894
When traveling abroad with her husband, Ksenia visited with him all those places that could be considered “not quite decent” for the Tsar’s daughter, and even tried her luck at the gaming table in Monte Carlo. However, the married life of the Grand Duchess did not work out. My husband has new hobbies. Despite seven children, the marriage actually broke up. But Ksenia Alexandrovna did not agree to a divorce from the Grand Duke. Despite everything, she managed to preserve her love for the father of her children until the end of her days and sincerely experienced his death in 1933.
It is curious that after the revolution in Russia, George V allowed a relative to live in a cottage not far from Windsor Castle, while Ksenia Alexandrovna’s husband was forbidden to appear there due to infidelity. Among other interesting facts, her daughter, Irina, married Felix Yusupov, the killer of Rasputin, a scandalous and shocking personality.
Possible Michael II
Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich was, perhaps, the most significant for all of Russia, with the exception of Nicholas II, the son of Alexander III. Before the First World War, after his marriage to Natalya Sergeevna Brasova, Mikhail Alexandrovich lived in Europe. The marriage was unequal; moreover, at the time of its conclusion, Natalya Sergeevna was married. The lovers had to get married in the Serbian Orthodox Church in Vienna. Because of this, all the estates of Mikhail Alexandrovich were taken under the control of the emperor.
Mikhail Alexandrovich
Some monarchists called Mikhail Alexandrovich Mikhail II
With the beginning of the First World War, Nikolai’s brother asked to go to Russia to fight. As a result, he headed the Native Division in the Caucasus. Wartime was marked by many plots being prepared against Nicholas II, but Mikhail did not participate in any of them, being loyal to his brother. However, it was the name of Mikhail Alexandrovich that was increasingly mentioned in various political combinations drawn up in the court and political circles of Petrograd, and Mikhail Alexandrovich himself did not take part in drawing up these plans. A number of contemporaries pointed to the role of the wife of the Grand Duke, who became the center of the “Brasova salon,” which preached liberalism and promoted Mikhail Alexandrovich to the role of head of the reigning house.
Alexander Alexandrovich with his wife (1867)
The February Revolution found Mikhail Alexandrovich in Gatchina. Documents show that during the days of the February Revolution he tried to save the monarchy, but not because of the desire to take the throne himself. On the morning of February 27 (March 12), 1917, he was called by telephone to Petrograd by the Chairman of the State Duma M.V. Rodzianko. Arriving in the capital, Mikhail Alexandrovich met with the Provisional Committee of the Duma. They convinced him to essentially legitimize the coup d'etat: to become a dictator, dismiss the government and ask his brother to create a responsible ministry. By the end of the day, Mikhail Alexandrovich was convinced to take power as a last resort. Subsequent events would reveal the indecisiveness and inability of brother Nicholas II to engage in serious politics in an emergency situation.
Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich with his morganatic wife N.M. Brasova. Paris. 1913
It is appropriate to recall the description given to Mikhail Alexandrovich by General Mosolov: “He was distinguished by exceptional kindness and gullibility.” According to the memoirs of Colonel Mordvinov, Mikhail Alexandrovich was “of a gentle character, although quick-tempered. He is inclined to succumb to the influence of others... But in actions that touch upon issues of moral duty, he always shows persistence!”
The Last Grand Duchess
Olga Alexandrovna lived to be 78 years old and died on November 24, 1960. She outlived her older sister Ksenia by seven months.
In 1901 she married the Duke of Oldenburg. The marriage was unsuccessful and ended in divorce. Subsequently, Olga Alexandrovna married Nikolai Kulikovsky. After the fall of the Romanov dynasty, she left for Crimea with her mother, husband and children, where they lived in conditions close to house arrest.
Olga Alexandrovna as honorary commander of the 12th Akhtyrsky Hussar Regiment
She is one of the few Romanovs who survived the October Revolution. She lived in Denmark, then in Canada, and outlived all the other grandchildren (granddaughters) of Emperor Alexander II. Like her father, Olga Alexandrovna preferred a simple life. During her life she painted more than 2,000 paintings, the proceeds from the sale of which allowed her to support her family and engage in charity work.
Protopresbyter Georgy Shavelsky recalled her this way:
“Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, among all the persons of the imperial family, was distinguished by her extraordinary simplicity, accessibility, and democracy. On his estate in Voronezh province. she completely grew up: she walked around the village huts, nursed peasant children, etc. In St. Petersburg, she often walked on foot, rode in simple cabs, and really loved to talk with the latter.”
The imperial couple among their circle of associates (summer 1889)
General Alexey Nikolaevich Kuropatkin:
“My next date is with my boyfriend. Princess Olga Alexandrovna was born on November 12, 1918 in Crimea, where she lived with her second husband, captain of the hussar regiment Kulikovsky. Here she became even more at ease. It would be difficult for someone who didn’t know her to believe that this was the Grand Duchess. They occupied a small, very poorly furnished house. The Grand Duchess herself nursed her baby, cooked and even washed the clothes. I found her in the garden, where she was pushing her child in a stroller. She immediately invited me into the house and there treated me to tea and her own products: jam and cookies. The simplicity of the situation, bordering on squalor, made it even more sweet and attractive.”
And doomed the Royal Family to martyrdom
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org
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Nicholas II, his wife, children and relatives were shot on the night of July 17, 1918 in Yekaterinburg.
A mystery of history: why, after abdicating the throne in March 1917, the last Russian Tsar remained in Russia and did not go abroad with his household. After all, there was a chance for salvation.
“As for the evacuation of the royal family, we decided to send them through Murmansk to London,” stated later the head of the Provisional Government A.F. Kerensky. - In March 1917, we received the consent of the British government, but in July, when everything was ready for the train to travel to Murmansk and Foreign Minister Tereshchenko sent a telegram to London asking to send a ship to meet the royal family, the British Ambassador received a clear answer from Prime Minister Lloyd George : The British government, unfortunately, cannot accept the royal family as guests during the war."
Therefore, instead of the planned Murmansk, the Provisional Government was forced to send the Family to Tobolsk. Since the revolutionary movement intensified in St. Petersburg, anarchy.
Evacuation deep into Russia did not save Nicholas II. The Bolsheviks overthrew the Provisional Government. And they destroyed the Family in the basement of the Ipatiev House.
COUSINS
Kerensky did not dissemble, did not whitewash himself retroactively, says intelligence services historian and writer Gennady SOKOLOV. – Declassified documents fully confirm his words.
England would indeed become the best refuge for the royal family in a world war-torn Europe. Russia was an ally of the British in the fight against Germany. In addition to the allied duty, St. Petersburg and London were united by close family ties of rulers. Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna were cousins of King George V.
- How even?!
Let me explain. George V's mother, Queen Alexandra, is the sister of the august mother of Emperor Nicholas II, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. Native aunt of the last Russian Tsar.
George V's father, King Edward VII, is the brother of the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna's mother. The uncle of the wife of the last Russian Tsar.
Cousins Nicholas II and George V were even very similar in appearance! They were close friends, calling each other “old Nicky,” “dear Georgie.”
“Yes, my dearest Nicky, I hope that we will always continue our friendship with you; you know, I am unchanged, and I have always loved you so much... I am constantly with you in my thoughts. God bless you, my dear old Nicky, and remember that you can always count on me as your friend. Forever your devoted friend Georgie."
So wrote George V to Nicholas II.
Having lost their throne in the spring of 17, the Romanov couple hoped for temporary refuge in England with “dear Georgie.” It was dangerous for them to remain in Russia. Here there were open calls to kill the wife of the former sovereign as a “German spy.” And at the same time “Nicholas the Bloody”.
On March 22, 1917, the British Cabinet decided to provide “the Emperor and Empress with shelter in England for the duration of the war.” Ambassador George Buchanan reported this to the Provisional Government in Petrograd.
However, a week later, on March 30, “Georgie’s devoted friend” made an attempt to disavow the government’s invitation to his Russian cousin. “Due to the danger of the flight and for reasons of the expediency of the imperial family’s stay in this country...” The king’s personal secretary, Lord Steimformham, informed the Russian Foreign Ministry.
On April 2, the English Foreign Secretary, Lord Arthur Balfour, tried to explain to the king that it was not good to back down: “Your Majesty's ministers ... do not think that, unless the situation changes, it is possible to withdraw the invitation that has been sent, and they believe that the king will agree to adhere to the previous decision, which was sent by His Majesty's Council of Ministers."
- And what about “dear Georgie”?
On the morning of 6 April, George's secretary Staimformham replied to Balfour: "The King wishes me to ask you whether, after consultation with the Prime Minister, Sir George Buchanan should not propose to the Russian Government that they should adopt some other plan for the future residence of their Imperial Majesties." .
That evening, George V himself wrote to the Foreign Secretary:
“Instruct Ambassador Buchanan to tell Miliukov (Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government - Ed.) that we must withdraw our consent to the Russian government’s proposal.”
In the postscript to this letter, George especially emphasized that it was not the king, but the government that invited the royal family.
The king's political intrigue worked.
In May 1917, the British Foreign Office, through its Ambassador Buchanan, conveyed to the new Russian Foreign Minister M. I. Tereshchenko that “The British government cannot advise His Majesty to provide hospitality to people whose sympathies for Germany are more than well known.”
Georg achieved his goal. He left his cousin to the mercy of fate. In fact, under the bullets of the Bolsheviks.
SAVED ENEMIES
He threw it with someone else's hands. They say the government decided so. Maybe the English king was so weak that he really couldn’t help his Russian relative, so he got out of it? They have a constitutional monarchy there.
The facts say otherwise. George V several times gave protection to rulers much more distant from him than the Russian Tsar - a cousin. Thus, he agreed to a secret Allied plan to save the Romanian royal family when they were in danger of being captured during the advance of the German armies in the winter of 1917.
In 1922, another cousin of George V, Prince Andrew of Greece, son of the deposed King Constantine of Greece, faced death at the hands of revolutionaries. The English cruiser Calypso was hastily sent for him. At the same time, they saved the Greek prince Philip. The husband of the reigning Queen of England today, the Duke of Edinburgh, was then in his second year...
In the end, in 1919, George V sent the battleship Marlborough to the Black Sea to take his aunt, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II) out of Crimea. She, along with the grand dukes and their families, was taken to the English naval base in Malta. She then moved to her native Denmark, where she died peacefully in 1928. George V's personal protection extended even to rulers who were his enemies during the war. In 1919, after the overthrow of the monarchy in Austria-Hungary, Emperor Charles and his family could have died at the hands of deserters. By order of George V, an experienced British intelligence officer and bodyguard was sent to Charles. He helped former crowned heads leave Austria.
So “Georgie” could easily save “dear Nicky.” Moreover, Nicholas II was an ally in the First World War, and even a field marshal of the Royal British Army. The baton was presented to him at Headquarters in February 1916 by General Paget and Lord Pembroke. And if so, then George V even more so had to make every effort to save not only his august relative, but also the man who had the highest military rank in the English army. Should have, but didn't. Although the Provisional Government, let me remind you, did not interfere with the departure of the royal family, on the contrary, it was ready to take it to Murmansk and put it on an English ship.
However, "Ever Loyal Friend Georgie" chose to betray his Russian cousin.
- Why, Gennady Evgenievich?
Historians say, “The king thought a lot about the government’s proposal to invite Emperor Nicholas and his family to come to England.” After much hesitation, I still did not dare to take my beloved cousin and his family out of Russia. He was afraid, they say, of public opinion, protests from workers and trade unions, who then sympathized with the Bolsheviks. The Tsar’s stay in England could compromise the position of the King and Queen. And in order to preserve the crown, he reluctantly sacrificed a relative.
But it turns out that George V was against the idea of granting asylum to Nicholas II from the very beginning. About this, in particular, his secretary wrote to the English ambassador in Paris, Lord Berthier: “This was the firm conviction of the king, who never wanted this.”
There was another option to arrange for the Romanovs in France. On April 22, Lord Berthier, already knowing the king’s attitude towards the royal family, responded to a request from the Deputy Foreign Minister of England Charles Harding: “My dear Charlie, I don’t think that the ex-emperor would be greeted with joy in France. The Empress is German not only by birth, but also by her upbringing. She did everything she could to conclude a peace treaty with Germany. She is called a criminal and crazy. And the former emperor, since he obeyed her instructions due to his weakness, is also considered a criminal.”
- It turns out that the British closed the topic of Nicholas II’s emigration to France without even discussing it with Paris?
It turns out so. Although the horror story about the empress, a “German spy,” was spread by the British intelligence station in Petrograd back in 1916. Preparing Operation Dark Force to eliminate Grigory Rasputin, close to the Empress herself. The British were afraid that Rasputin would become a mediator of a separate peace between Russia and Germany. Without Russian support, Britain would clearly have lost the war.
George V really found himself in a difficult political situation at that time. The Russian emperor was unpopular in Britain, especially in left-wing circles. Propaganda turned him into "Nicholas the Bloody", a despot and tyrant who repressed political opponents. Public opinion could be against his political asylum in Foggy Albion.
But still, the main reason for the betrayal of the “devoted Georgie” was different.
DYNASTY CHANGES NAME
- What happened that day?
Exactly one hundred years ago, King George V officially changed the name of the ruling dynasty from the German Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor. Named after the castle, the residence of British monarchs.
A very patriotic step! But clearly too late. It was necessary to break away from the German royal roots back in 1914, when the war with Germany began.
Apparently he was biding his time. Just like the USA. In April 17, America entered the First World War on the side of the Entente (military alliance of England, Russia, and France). The outcome of the war was becoming clear. It was then that the king changed the name of the dynasty. By declaring male-line descendants of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert members of the House of Windsor.
The princes and princesses of the new House of Windsor, who had previously been obliged to marry only scions of German dynasties, were encouraged to turn their attention to British brides and grooms. The king called the day the decree was issued, July 17, “historic” in his diary. The German royal dynasty became the "British royal family".
By changing his royal name, George V distanced himself from his august relatives. First of all, from Nicholas II. That's why he wasn't allowed into England.
And exactly a year later, on the first birthday of the House of Windsor, the royal family was shot in Yekaterinburg.
- Mystical coincidence!
I'll say more! The heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Alexei, who was tortured in the basement of the Ipatiev House, was the great-grandson of the legendary English Queen Victoria. Through her line, the boy received the dangerous disease hemophilia, for the sake of treatment of which Grigory Rasputin was brought close to the court.
- Even the great-grandson of the founder of the dynasty was sacrificed by the Windsors! I'm not even talking about his sisters.
End justifies the means. Let me remind you that in 1914, at the beginning of the First World War, 5 world empires fought with each other: Austro-Hungarian, British, German, Ottoman, Russian. And when the war ended, there was only one left - the British one. Happy new dynasty - the Windsors. Founded by George V. For the sake of such a triumph, one can sacrifice relatives. However, let’s not blame everything on the king. Behind the Windsor dynasty were large financial capital and intelligence services. Their priority task, both then and now, is to weaken Russia, for a long time the main geopolitical rival and competitor of Great Britain in the world.
This is why they arranged the liquidation of the Russian monarchy and empire. Even if George V had wanted to save his Russian cousin, he would not have been allowed to do so.
In any case, the royal family was doomed.
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The First World War began on July 28, 1914, with the declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on Serbia, exactly one month after the assassination of the heir to the throne of the Austo-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. What were the thoughts of the three cousins who stood at the head of three great empires on the eve of the global massacre that engulfed 38 states and lasted over 4 years until November 11, 1918?
Two brothers, very similar to each other, Tsar of Russia Nicholas II and the king of England George V united against the third, Kaiser William II.
The exchange of telegrams between the Tsar and the Kaiser is interesting, when it seemed that it was still possible to “press on the brakes.” Formally, with the declaration of war on Serbia, “the process has already begun,” but from the text of the telegrams, we can conclude that not everything has been decided yet.
".. I urge you to help me at such a serious time. A dishonorable war has been declared on a weak country. The indignation in Russia, which I fully share, is enormous. I foresee that very soon the pressure will break me and I will be forced to take emergency measures that could lead to war "To avoid such a disaster as a pan-European war, I ask you, in the name of our old friendship, to do everything in your power to stop your allies before they go too far."
It was the first night of a four-year nightmare of carnage, the All-Russian Emperor and the Kaiser did not sleep.
“It is with the deepest concern that I hear about the impression that Austria’s actions against Serbia are making in your country. That unprincipled agitation that was carried out in Serbia for years resulted in a horrific crime, the victim of which was the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The spirit that inspired the Serbs to kill their own king and his wife, still dominates the country. No doubt you will agree with me that both of us, you and I, as well as all other Sovereigns, share a common interest: to insist that everyone who bears moral responsibility for this murder. , received a well-deserved punishment. In this case, politics plays no role at all. On the other hand, I fully understand how difficult it is for you and your Government to restrain the pressure of your public opinion, therefore, in view of our cordial and tender friendship, which has bound us both for a long time. strong ties, I will use all my influence to convince the Austrians to do everything to come to an agreement that would satisfy you. I sincerely hope that you will help me in smoothing out those contradictions that may still arise. Your extremely sincere and devoted friend. and cousin."
“I received your telegram and share your desire to establish peace. But, as I told you in my first telegram, I cannot consider Austria’s actions against Serbia a “dishonorable” war. Austria knows from its own experience that Serbian promises on paper cannot be trusted at all I mean that the actions of the Austrians should be assessed as a desire to obtain a full guarantee that the Serbian promises will become real facts. This judgment of mine is based on the statement of the Austrian cabinet that Austria does not want any territorial conquests at the expense of Serbian lands. Therefore, I believe that Russia could well remain an observer of the Austro-Serbian conflict and not drag Europe into the most terrible war it has ever seen. I think that complete mutual understanding between your Government and Vienna is possible and desirable, and, as I do. already telegraphed to you, my Government is making efforts to facilitate this. Of course, military measures on the part of Russia in Austria would be regarded as a disaster that we both want to avoid, and they would also jeopardize my position as a mediator, which I readily accepted after. ..."
“Thank you for your conciliatory and friendly telegram. At the same time, the official message presented today by your ambassador to my minister had a completely different tone. I ask you to explain this difference! It would be right to entrust the solution of the Austro-Serbian problem to the Hague Conference. I trust in your wisdom and friendship. Your loving Niki"
It should be noted that the Hague International Court was founded within the framework of the Hague Peace Conferences on the initiative of Russian diplomacy and personally of Nicholas II. This peace initiative of Russia, which could have prevented (or delayed for a long time) a world massacre, remained unanswered, because Germany needed war precisely in 1914 (when it had already completed the rearmament of its army, and the Entente country did not yet exist).
"...Count Pourtales was instructed to draw the attention of your government to the danger and sad consequences that mobilization entails; in my telegram to you I said the same thing. Austria is exclusively against Serbia and has mobilized only part of its army. If, As in the current situation, according to the communication with you and your Government, Russia is mobilizing against Austria, my role as a mediator, which you kindly entrusted to me and which I took upon myself, heeding your heartfelt request, will be jeopardized, if not to say thwarted. Now the entire burden of the upcoming decision lies entirely on your shoulders, and you will have to bear responsibility for Peace or War..."
And here Brother Willie is clearly disingenuous. At the beginning of the war, Germany was guided by a fairly old military doctrine - the Schlieffen plan, which provided for the instant defeat of France before the “clumsy” Russia could mobilize and advance its army to the borders. The attack was planned through the territory of Belgium (with the aim of bypassing the main French forces); Paris was initially supposed to be taken in 39 days. In a nutshell, the essence of the plan was outlined by William II: “We will have lunch in Paris and dinner in St. Petersburg”. That is why the Kaiser is so worried about the measures being taken to quickly mobilize the Russian army. In order for the “dinner in St. Petersburg” to take place, it is necessary for the “slow” Russia to “harness” for a long time until Germany defeats its enemies in the west. Moreover, the Kaiser was the forerunner of Hitler - his army invaded Luxembourg without warning on August 3rd.
“According to your call for my friendship and your request for help, I became a mediator between your and the Austro-Hungarian Governments. At the same time, your troops are mobilizing against Austria-Hungary, my ally. Therefore, as I already indicated to you, my mediation has become almost illusory. However, I do not intend to abandon it. I am now receiving reliable news of serious military preparations on my eastern border. The responsibility for the security of my empire forces me to take preventive protective measures in my desire to maintain peace on Earth. the means at my disposal. Responsibility for the misfortune that now threatens the entire civilized world will not lie on my doorstep. At this moment, it is still in your power to prevent this. No one threatens the honor or power of Russia, just as no one has the power. nullify the results of my mediation. My sympathy for you and your empire, which my grandfather conveyed to me from his deathbed, has always been sacred to me, and I have always honestly supported Russia when she had serious difficulties, especially during her last war. . You can still keep peace in Europe if Russia agrees to stop its military preparations, which undoubtedly threaten Germany and Austria-Hungary."
Tsar to Kaiser (No. 8) This and the previous telegram intersected.
“I sincerely thank you for your mediation, which now gives me hope that everything can still be resolved peacefully. It is technically impossible to stop our military preparations, which are a necessary response to the Austrian mobilization. We are far from wishing for war. Until Negotiations with Austria on the Serbian issue continue, my troops will not carry out any provocative actions. In this I solemnly give you my word. I trust in my faith in God’s mercy and hope in your successful mediation in Vienna and I believe that they will ensure the well-being of our countries and peace. in Europe.Your devoted Nicky"
"I received your telegram. I understand that you must declare mobilization, but I wish to receive from you the same guarantee that I gave you, that these measures do not mean war and that we will continue negotiations for the good of our countries and world peace, so dear to our hearts. Our long-standing strong friendship should, with God's help, prevent a bloodbath. I look forward to your answer with impatience and faith."
"Thank you for your telegram. Yesterday I indicated to your Government the only way to avoid war. Although I requested a response by this afternoon, no telegram from my Ambassador confirming the response of your Government has yet arrived to me. Therefore, I was forced to mobilize my army. Immediately, an accurate, clear affirmative answer from your Government is the only way to avoid endless misfortunes. Alas, I have not received one yet, which means I am not able to speak on the substance of your telegram. By and large, I must ask you to immediately order your troops in no way. not to make the slightest attempt to violate our borders."
It is worth recalling that the rearmament program of the Russian and French armies was supposed to be completed by 1917, while the rearmament of the German army began much earlier than in Russia and France, and was completed by 1914 - which means that in 1914 Russia led by Nicholas II and France led by President Poincaré were in no way interested in starting a war - even if only for these military-strategic reasons. Germany is persistently pushing Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia.
On July 25, Germany begins hidden mobilization: without officially announcing it, they began sending out summonses to reservists at recruiting stations.
July 26 Austria-Hungary announces mobilization and begins to concentrate troops on the border with Serbia and Russia. 29 July: British Foreign Secretary Edward Gray appeals to Germany to maintain peace. This was the last attempt to ensure Britain's neutrality. On the same day, the British Ambassador in Berlin reports that Germany is about to start a war with France, and intends to send its army through Belgium. But nothing could stop Germany. On July 31, general mobilization into the army was announced in Austria-Hungary, France and the Russian Empire. And on August 1, Germany “without hesitation” declares war on Russia, although it is going to fight in the west. The only thing left for the king to do is respond in kind.
On August 3, Germany declared war on France and on August 4 on Belgium. On the same day, Great Britain declared war on Germany. On August 6, Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia. The wheel of the First World War began to spin, gaining momentum. Let us recall that Nicholas II sent Kaiser Wilhelm a very important conciliatory telegram (No. 4) with a proposal to transfer the Austro-Serbian dispute to the Hague International Court. Wilhelm did not answer her. Because he really wanted war. Like the whole of Germany, which found itself deprived of colonies and suffocated in the European cramped conditions.
During the February Revolution of 1917, Nicholas II signed an abdication from the throne. In return, the Provisional Government promised him and his family unhindered travel abroad.
Later, the head of the Provisional Government, A.F. Kerensky, assured: “As for the evacuation of the royal family, we decided to send them through Murmansk to London. In March 1917, they received the consent of the British government, but in July, when everything was ready for the train to travel to Murmansk and Foreign Minister Tereshchenko sent a telegram to London asking to send a ship to meet the royal family, the British Ambassador received a clear answer from Prime Minister Lloyd George: The British government, unfortunately, cannot accept the royal family as guests during the war."
Instead of Murmansk, the imperial family was sent to Tobolsk, because anarchic sentiments were intensifying in the capital and the Bolsheviks were striving for power. As you know, after the overthrow of the Provisional Government, the new leaders considered that the Romanovs needed to be physically destroyed.
So why was the Tsar not accepted in England?
Assessing the situation, historian and writer Gennady Sokolov said: “Kerensky was not disingenuous, he did not whitewash himself in hindsight. Declassified documents fully confirm his words.”
The Romanovs should have actually gone to England, because during the First World War both countries were considered allies, and members of the royal and imperial families were not strangers to each other. George V was a cousin of both Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.
From left to right, Prince Edward of Wales, Nicholas II, Tsarevich Alexei and the future King George V, 1909. | Photo: regnum.ru.
George V wrote to his cousin: “Yes, my dearest Nicky, I hope that we will always continue our friendship with you; you know, I am unchanged, and I have always loved you so much... I am constantly with you in my thoughts. God bless you, my dear old Nicky, and remember that you can always count on me as your friend. Forever your devoted friend Georgie."
On March 22, 1917, the British Cabinet of Ministers decided to “provide the Emperor and Empress with shelter in England for the duration of the war.” A week later, George V began to behave completely differently from how he wrote to “old Nicky.” He doubted the advisability of the Romanovs’ arrival in England, and the path was dangerous...
On April 2, 1917, the Foreign Minister of England, Lord Arthur Balfour, expressed his surprise to the king that the monarch should not back down, since the ministers had already decided to invite the Romanovs.
But George V was persistent and a couple of days later wrote to the head of the Foreign Ministry: “Instruct Ambassador Buchanan to tell Milyukov that we must withdraw our consent to the Russian government’s proposal.” In the afterword, he emphasized that it was not the king who invited the imperial family, but the British government.
In May 1917, the Russian Foreign Ministry received a new order from the British Ambassador, which stated that “the British Government cannot advise His Majesty to extend hospitality to people whose sympathies for Germany are more than well known.” Propaganda against Nicholas II and his wife, who, as you know, was German by origin, also played into the hands. The closest relative abandoned his cousin to the mercy of fate, and the sad ending of this story is known to everyone.
Some historians explained this position of George V towards the Romanovs by the fact that he was afraid of the revolution in Great Britain, since the workers' trade unions were very sympathetic to the Bolsheviks. The disgraced imperial family could only make the situation worse. To preserve the throne, “Georgie” decided to sacrifice his cousin.
But if you believe the surviving documents, the king’s secretary wrote to the English ambassador Berthier in Paris: “This was the firm conviction of the king, who never wanted this.” That is, from the very beginning, George V did not want the Romanovs to move to England. And Russia has always been considered a geopolitical rival of Great Britain.
It’s not for nothing that the Silver Age poet Nikolai Ventzel created a poem in 1902 that contained the following lines:
This poem was, to a certain extent, politicized. Since it subtly noted the attitude of the thinking intelligentsia towards the wife of Nicholas II, who was married to a lady who had a hereditary relationship to the English royal court.
But the expression was not invented by Wentzel, but, they say, by Suvorov or someone a little later. This aphorism is not the author’s. But they meant some English person, most likely Queen Victoria. And Wentzel handled these words well.
Since then, this catchphrase has been used when they want to say “he (s) has conceived some secret intrigues and is slowly putting them into practice.”
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The first half of George's life (1865-1936) occurred in the 19th century, the second in the 20th century. The years of his reign (1910-1936) turned out to be extremely turbulent for Great Britain and the whole world. George 5 witnessed the First World War, and in those days when he was already dying, a new threat of a large-scale conflict with the Third Reich loomed over Europe.
The king had to witness the fall of three empires - Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary. At the same time, Irish nationalists were raging in his own country, and India was demanding self-government. Great Britain began to lose its leadership position at sea and seemed weak-willed against the backdrop of new dictatorial regimes in Europe. But, despite all this, George 5 accepted the many challenges of the time with dignity. Only the good memory of his compatriots has been preserved about him.
Childhood and family
George 5 was born on June 3, 1865, to Prince Edward and his wife Alexandra of Denmark. His grandmother was Queen Victoria, who personified an entire era. That day, she wrote in her diary that she was alarmed by two telegrams about her daughter-in-law’s poor health.
Alexandra gave birth to a premature baby, being eight months pregnant. The premature outcome of events worried family members, but their fears were in vain. On the contrary, in the future Georg was always punctual, in contrast to his hasty birth.
His father, who was usually called Bertie (a form of the baptismal name Albert), was heir to the throne for an extremely long time - until he was 59 years old. This was due to the longevity of Victoria's grandmother, who died in 1901. She was 82.
His eldest son Albert Victor was to become the heir. George 5 was the second, so he received his military education in the navy. In particular, the teenager was enlisted to serve on the ship Britannia, on which he visited many countries.
Heir
In 1892, a terrible influenza epidemic broke out in the country. One of her victims was Albert Victor. He died suddenly. After this, his status passed to the grief-stricken Georg. But that was not all. It was then decided that the bride of the deceased heir would marry George. It was May Tekskaya.
The tradition of arranged marriage was the norm, and in royal families it was treated as a duty rather than a choice of love. Therefore, a huge number of monarchs of the Old World were close relatives of each other. For example, Nicholas 2 and George 5 were cousins on their mothers. Their common grandfather was King Christian IX of Denmark. George's other cousin was German II, who was Victoria's grandson.
Marriage
The first possible candidate to replace Victor's wife (elder brother) was She was the daughter of Grand Duke Ludwig IV. She was also another granddaughter of Victoria, who earned the nickname "Grandmother of Europe". Close family ties between potential newlyweds did not bother the then rulers of Europe - it was a tradition. In many ways, this is why children from such marriages were born sick - incest, as we know, does not lead to good things. This happened with Alice, who refused George and became the wife of Nicholas II. She will die with him in the Ipatiev basement, as will their children, including their hemophiliac son Alexei.
In the end, Victoria, who was still alive, decided to set her grandson up with May Tekskaya. She was a noble girl from a side branch of the reigning English dynasty. After Victor's death she married Georg. The wedding took place in July 1893. The dynastic issue was resolved. George 5's wife became his best friend and adviser throughout his life.
Prince of Wales
Queen Victoria died in 1901. Edward ascended the throne, and his son George received the status of heir to the throne. Along with him, according to tradition, several duchies and the title of Prince of Wales passed to the man. This happened on his father's sixtieth birthday.
His new status required him to perform many government duties. In particular, the prince spoke in Parliament, traveled to the colonies in India and Australia, etc.
Beginning of reign
George became king in 1910 when his father Edward VII died. There was the warmest relationship between them. For example, Edward admitted in one of his letters that he treated his son more like a brother. When King George 5 came to power, he remained true to his character and habits. Service in the navy made him unpretentious in everyday life, but dutiful in everything related to duty. The monarch's hobbies included playing billiards, collecting postage stamps and polo.
War
The board was not calm for long. Even under Edward, a conflict with Germany began to flare up, which threatened to turn into a major war. The most surprising thing is that even numerous family ties between European royal houses could not stop this turn of events.
This was largely due to the fact that Britain was increasingly becoming a constitutional monarchy, and George did not have sufficient powers to overrule the decisions of Parliament and the Prime Minister. All that King George 5 could do in the ensuing war was to represent a symbol of power, encourage the citizens and unite them. He constantly gave speeches and took part in military meetings.
The children of George 5 (that is, the eldest sons) went to the front, which could have become a huge problem if even one of them had been captured. The heir, Edward, served as aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief in France, and later transferred to officer service in the Mediterranean. Second son Albert (future) ended up in the navy with the rank of lieutenant and took part in the important Battle of Jutland.
Monarchy at the service of the country
When it became clear that the conflict would drag on and the Germans were already approaching Paris, anti-German sentiment flared up in Britain. Many residents of the country with German roots became victims of raids by angry citizens. This did not only apply to ordinary Englishmen. For example, Louis Battenberg, who was First Lord of the Admiralty, was forced to resign. The only reason was his German origin.
This also affected. As is known, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty of George came from Germany. Prime Minister Asquith advised the ruler to change the name of the clan in order to be in solidarity with society. This is how the Windsor dynasty appeared, which was founded by the English king George 5. The name was given in honor of the palace in which the residence of the monarch was located.
During the war, the king visited 7 British military bases. He conducted four hundred inspections and presented thousands of awards to enlisted men and officers. When the bombing of the island began, he immediately went to the affected areas. While the fighting was going on in France, George visited the active army five times. And each time his arrival was a morale-lifting event that encouraged the soldiers who had been in the trenches for months. At one of these meetings, the king was on horseback, and his horse, frightened by the greetings, knocked over the rider. Georg broke his pelvic bone and was able to get back on his feet only after a few months. This trauma later reminded itself many times.
The monarch became the face of propaganda. For example, he completely stopped drinking alcohol, fighting against drunkenness in the active army. Another important step of his was supporting the Prime Minister in a dispute with the liberals about whether bachelors should be required to go to the front. Discussions went on and on, all to no avail, until the monarch agreed with Asquith, after which the initiative became a bill.
The last major dynasty of Europe
When it became clear in the fall of 1918 that the Allies had defeated the Treaty, there were almost no monarchies left in Europe. The day before, the Russian emperor was shot. Nicholas 2 and George 5 were not just cousins. They were surprisingly similar, as if they were twins, which is especially noticeable in the photo (see below). The relationship between Nicholas 2 and George 5 further complicated the life of the latter.
When Romanov was deposed, he tried to go to England, but did not receive a response from his cousin in time, after which he went to Siberia. There he was shot. The death of Nicholas 2 was a shock that all of England experienced. George 5 expressed his bitterness in his personal diary.
Post-war structure
The destruction of monarchies ended with the republican system becoming a real challenge to British order. However, the British loved their king, which they regularly expressed in demonstrations of thousands, especially after the victory. When the fate of post-war Europe was being decided, American President Wilson became the savior of the world, proposing his famous “14 points” for creating a new world. George V practically did not participate in these initiatives, dealing with internal affairs, and military officers and prime ministers were sent to the European arena.
Peacemaker King
The king was not a politically sophisticated man. When the struggle between the existing parties began in parliament, he became the arbitrator who calmed passions.
In the 1920s, Labor came to power for the first time, whose program was leftist, that is, socialist. The defense of workers' interests could have ended according to the usual scenario for Europe - a red flag over the Windsor Palace. Therefore, the king tried to find a common language with the new force so that the proletarians would not become infected with the desire for revolution. However, within a few months of 1923, when they had a majority in parliament, Labor recognized Soviet Russia as legitimate, which was unpleasant news for the monarch, who had to back down.
Workers' strikes coexisted with increased nationalist sentiment in the colonies and Ireland. In Europe at this time, many states gained sovereignty (for example, on the ruins of Austria-Hungary). When the next conflict broke out, Georg each time tried to be a peacemaker between the warring parties. For example, this was needed when sending troops into Ireland.
George also compromised with the colonies. He created the British Commonwealth, which gave them greater autonomy. It still exists today.
King George 5 tried to explain this peacekeeping function of the crown to his heirs. Photos of the royal family often show him surrounded by numerous children, grandchildren, one of whom is the current ruler of England, Elizabeth II.
Death
In recent years, Georg has been sick a lot. In 1925, he developed severe bronchitis, which threatened the life of the monarch. A little later, the founder of the Windsor dynasty suffered from purulent pleurisy. And yet, in 1935, he celebrated the silver jubilee of his own reign.
And in January of the following year he died at Sandrigham Palace, while the whole country listened to the BBC, which broadcast reports on the king’s well-being. George became a symbol of the triumph of a true constitutional monarchy, when the ruler had only the title, but did not make the most important decisions (this function passed to parliament). The British political system still exists in this form.
