Tsarevich Alexei was a long-awaited child. Beloved by everyone, he grew up surrounded by family and servants, but his life was overshadowed by a terrible disease - hemophilia.
long-awaited child
Tsarevich Alexei was a long-awaited child. After the birth of four daughters, Olga, Tatyana, Maria and Anastasia (the difference between them was two years), the emperor and the empress really wanted a son who would become the heir to the throne.
Anastasia Fedorovna was especially worried. She was so worried that she developed pathological mysticism. All sorts of "advisers" began to revolve around her. One of them, the Frenchman Philip, was able to convince the Empress that he could provide male offspring. The empress, after his exhortations on a nervous basis, even had a false pregnancy.
Only a few months later, Alexandra Feodorovna agreed to a medical examination, which showed that the Empress was not pregnant. The charlatan was exposed by agents of the tsarist police in France.
Help Seraphim
Both Nicholas II and the Empress were deeply religious people. They fervently prayed for the birth of an heir to the recently canonized Seraphim of Sarov. The proposal to canonize Sarovsky was made by the emperor himself. In his family, the Sarov elder was revered for a long time: according to legend, Alexander I visited him incognito, and the 7-year-old daughter of Alexander II was cured of a serious illness with the help of the mantle of St. Seraphim.
About the role of the empress in this matter, Count Witte said: “They say that they were sure that the Sarov saint would give Russia an heir after the four Grand Duchesses. This came true and finally and unconditionally strengthened the faith of Their Majesties in the holiness of the truly pure Elder Seraphim. A large portrait appeared in His Majesty's study - the image of St. Seraphim.
Name
As to why the boy was named Alexei, there are two points of view. According to one, the crown prince was named in honor of the Moscow Metropolitan Alexy, according to another - in honor of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. It is known that Nicholas II considered him one of the best Russian sovereigns. And it was for what. Aleksey Mikhailovich, although he was called the "quietest", led a purposeful and tough policy, annexed the Left-Bank Ukraine and brought the borders of Russia to the Pacific Ocean. At the costume ball in 1903 (a year before the birth of his son), Nicholas II was in the costume of Alexei Mikhailovich.
Hemophilia
The heir to the throne, Tsarevich Alexei was born on July 30, 1904. However, the birth of a son did not bring peace to the imperial family. Two months after his birth, the crown prince began to bleed heavily, which could not be stopped for a long time. Then Alexandra Fedorovna heard a terrible word: hemophilia. In this disease, the lining of the arteries is so thin that any injury can cause the vessels to rupture. Before that, the three-year-old brother of Alexandra Feodorovna died from the consequences of hemophilia.
Hemophilia is inherited. The first carrier of the gene was Queen Victoria of England. Children inherited the fatal gene from her. Her son Leopold died of hemophilia at 30, and two of her five daughters, Alice and Beatrice, carried the ill-fated gene.
Rasputin
Proximity to the court of Grigory Rasputin was also associated with hemophilia of the heir to the throne, who managed to quickly relieve her symptoms.
The maid of honor of the Empress, Anna Vyrubova, wrote about one of the most severe cases of bleeding of Tsarevich Alexei, who was bleeding from his nose: “Professor Fedorov and Doctor Derevenko fussed around him, but the blood did not stop. Fedorov told me that he wanted to try the last resort - to get some kind of iron from guinea pigs. The Empress knelt beside the bed, puzzling over what to do next. Returning home, I received a note from her with an order to call Grigory Efimovich. He arrived at the palace and went with his parents to Alexei Nikolaevich. According to their stories, he went up to the bed, crossed the Heir, telling his parents that there was nothing serious and they had nothing to worry about, turned and left. The bleeding has stopped."
Most often, Rasputin did not even touch the heir, but began to earnestly pray, after which the bleeding stopped. However, sometimes Rasputin also used natural remedies. Anna Vyrubova recalled that during one of the bleedings, the “old man” took out a lump of tree bark from his pocket, boiled it in boiling water and covered the entire face of the boy with this mass. The bleeding has stopped. In this case, it is obvious that Rasputin used the properties of oak bark to stop bleeding.
“The prince is alive as long as I am alive,” said Rasputin. He turned out to be right. Tsarevich Alexei survived the elder by only a year and a half.
With seven nannies
Due to the terrible illness of Alexei, bodyguards were assigned to him from an early age: two sailors from the imperial yacht, the boatswain Derevenko and his assistant Klimenty Nagorny.
At the age of seven, Tsarevich Alexei began to study. The empress herself supervised his studies, she also chose teachers for her beloved son. The confessor of the imperial family, Archpriest Alexander Vasiliev, became the teacher of the law, Alexei, the Russian language was taught by Privy Councilor P.V. Petrov, arithmetic - State Councilor E.P. Tsytovich, tutor and teacher of French was Pierre Gilliard, teacher of French and tutor, English was taught to the heir to the throne by Ch. Gibbs, as well as Alexandra Fedorovna herself.
In the classroom where the Tsarevich was trained, he liked to take his pets - a dog named Joy and a cat Kotik.
Alexey treated his mentors with great love. Anna Vyrubova recalled: “The heir took an ardent part if some grief befell the servants. I remember a case with a cook who for some reason was denied a position. Aleksey Nikolaevich somehow found out about this and pestered his parents all day until they ordered the cook to be taken back. He defended and stood up like a mountain for all his people.
Character
Tsarevich Alexei was a very active boy. He liked to fool around. Georgy Shavelsky writes in his memoirs: "Sitting at the table, the boy often threw
generals with lumps of bread; taking butter from a saucer on a finger smeared it
neck neighbor, so it was with the Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich. Once, for
At breakfast, the Heir smeared oil on his neck three times.
Doom
From March 8, 1917, the royal family was under arrest in Tsarskoye Selo. August 1 - exiled to Tobolsk. There, the royal family was under arrest in the governor's house.
Here, in exile, in the Tobolsk house, an old dream of Nicholas II came true - he himself was engaged in raising his son, taught him history and other sciences. The lessons of his father continued for Alexei in the Yekaterinburg house, where the royal family was moved in the spring of 1918.
The disease of the Tsarevich followed him and worsened. In Tobolsk, he fell down the stairs and was badly hurt, after which he could not walk for a long time. In Yekaterinburg, his illness worsened even more.
Alexei adopted a deep religiosity from his parents, icons hung on a gold chain at the head of his bed (it was stolen by the guards after the execution of the royal family). The Tsarevich always, even when he could not walk, was present at divine services, sitting in an armchair.
Before his 14th birthday, the Tsarevich did not live only a few weeks. On the night of July 17, 1918, he was killed along with his parents and sisters in the basement of the Ipatiev House. In August 2000, the holy martyr Tsesarevich Alexy was canonized.
The royal family spent the summer of 1904 at their summer residence at the lower dacha in Peterhof. On the calendar it was July 30 (August 12, according to a new style), the weather, as befits a St. Petersburg midsummer, turned out to be sunny and hot. However, this day promised to be different from others from the very morning: the court doctors noted signs of an early birth in Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The future baby was not long in coming - during breakfast, the empress began to have contractions and she barely made it to the bedroom. It was there that one of the greatest events in the history of the 20th century took place - the birth of the heir to the throne.
The ruins of the Lower Dacha in Alexandria Park, Peterhof - the birthplace of Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich
Alexei became the fifth child in the family of Emperor Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna.
Almost ten years have passed since the marriage of the king and queen. Olga was born in 1895, Tatiana in 1897, Maria in 1899 and Anastasia in 1901. However, according to Russian laws, all the great princesses could not become the head of the empire, only a boy could be the heir. Therefore, the birth of the Tsarevich was expected for many years, and not only by the royal family, but by the whole world. By his very birth, he began to play an important role in big politics.
GOD'S MERCY
WE, NICHOLAS II,
EMPEROR AND AUTOGRAPHER
ALL-RUSSIAN,
Tsar of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland.
and other, and other, and other.
We declare to all OUR faithful subjects:
On the 30th day of this July, OUR Most Beloved Spouse, THE EMPRESS ALEXANDRA FYODOROVNA, was successfully relieved of her burden by the birth of our Son, named Alexei.
Accepting this joyful event as a sign of the grace of God pouring out on US and OUR Empire, together with OUR faithful subjects, we offer fervent prayers to the Almighty for the prosperous growth and prosperity of OUR Firstborn Son, who is called to be the Heir of the God-given State and OUR great service.
By the Manifesto of June 28, 1899, WE called upon OUR Most Beloved Brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich to inherit US until the birth of our Son. From now on, by virtue of the basic State Laws of the Empire, OUR Son Alexei holds the high rank and title of the Heir of the Tsarevich, with all the rights associated with it.
It was given at Peterhof on the 30th day of July in the year nineteen hundred and four from the Nativity of Christ, but in the tenth of OUR reign.
On the original Own of HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY it is written by hand:
"NICHOLAS".
Published in St. Petersburg, under the Senate
July 30th day 1904
The news of the birth instantly spread to all corners of the world. Fireworks thundered in the Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg and the military harbor of Peterhof, bells rang all over the country, St. Petersburg and Peterhof were festively illuminated, festivities began in the streets, they sang the royal anthem and prayed for the prince. Congratulatory telegrams poured into Peterhof.
"His Majesty
Tears of joy respond to your touching suggestion. I can't express my feelings in words. God bless you and dear little Alexei. I tenderly embrace you and my future godson.
“I am infinitely happy to have the opportunity to convey to Your Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Highness my loyal congratulations on the greatest joy of the birth of His Imperial Highness the Sovereign Heir to the Throne Tsesarevich.
Prince Chakrabon of Siam"
“May the great master not reject my sincere expression of joy and the most heartfelt congratulations on a happy day when providence sent you a son. May God bless Him, sending happiness and long years to the joy of Your Majesty and the mighty Russian Empire. Devoted to Your Imperial Majesty, the heir to the throne of Persia
Prince Mohammed Ali Mirza
Alexey was born at 1.15 in the afternoon. Weight 4660 g, height 58 cm, head circumference - 38 cm, chest 39 cm. Immediately after birth, he received a number of titles and ranks: commander of the Finnish Guards Regiment, 51st Lithuanian Infantry Regiment, 12th East Siberian Rifle Regiment . In addition, he was included in the lists of all the guards regiments and military units under the command of the king, as well as the regiments of the horse guards, the guards of Her Majesty the Queen Mother's cuirassiers, the lancers of the guards regiments of Her Majesty Queen Alexandra Feodorovna and the 13th Yerevan infantry regiment of the king. Alexey also became the chieftain of the entire Cossack army.
In honor of the significant event, an amnesty and benefits were announced. All Russian soldiers who fought in distant Manchuria became honorary godfathers of the boy. Nicholas II sent a telegram to General Kuropatkin, commander of the army: “Today the Lord granted Her Majesty and me a son, Alexei. I hasten to inform you about this mercy of God to Russia and Us ... May He have a special spiritual connection for the rest of his life with all those dear to Us and to all of Russia, from the highest commanders to the soldier and sailor, who expressed their ardent love for the Motherland and the Sovereign selfless feat, full of deprivation, suffering and mortal dangers.
The first steps of the Tsarevich, photo 1905
But soon the most terrible fears were confirmed: the prince was ill with incurable hemophilia - a disease that is expressed in a tendency to bleed as a result of blood clotting.
Hemophilia constantly caused bleeding in the joints - they caused unbearable pain, turning Alexei into an invalid. During the celebrations dedicated to the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, the Heir was only carried in his arms through the front halls. He returned to his room in a state of complete exhaustion. His parents considered his presence at the celebrations necessary. But even brief appearances of the prince at the ceremonies were harmful to his health.
Tsesarevich Alexei aboard the Imperial yacht Shtandart. Photo 1907
Alexei in naval uniform. Petersburg, photo 1909
Tsesarevich Alexei, photo 1909 Tsarskoye Selo
Photo 1910
One of the strongest attacks of the disease occurred in the autumn of 1912 in Spala. Severe bleeding began, which the doctors could not stop. On October 19, the temperature rose to 39°, two days later it reached 40°. This case seemed hopeless to doctors. Alexei was unctioned, and a bulletin was sent to Petersburg, drawn up in such a way as to prepare everyone for the announcement of the death of the prince. Alexandra Feodorovna sent a telegram to Rasputin and asked him to pray for the boy. The next day the bleeding stopped and the pain subsided...
During an attack of illness in Spala, photo 1912
The aggravation in Spala did not only damage his body. The disease broke his spirit. Alexey became thoughtful, withdrew into himself. In the summer of 1911, Pierre Gilliard became Alexei's French teacher and mentor. This is how Gilliard spoke about his pupil: “Aleksy Nikolayevich was then nine and a half years old, for his age he was quite tall. He had an oblong face with regular, soft features, brown hair with a reddish tinge, and large gray-blue eyes, like his mother. He sincerely enjoyed life - when she allowed it - and was cheerful and playful ... He was very resourceful, and he had a penetrating, sharp mind. Sometimes I was simply amazed by his age-old serious questions - they testified to subtle intuition. It was not difficult for me to understand that everyone around, those who did not need to force him to change his habits and teach him discipline, constantly experienced his charm and were simply fascinated by him .... I found a child with a character that was naturally kind, sympathetic the suffering of others precisely because he himself experienced terrible suffering ... "
The boy's character was complaisant, he adored his parents and sisters, and they, in turn, doted on the young crown prince, especially the Grand Duchess Maria. Aleksey was capable in studies, like the sisters, he made progress in learning languages.
The heir Tsesarevich Alexei Nikolayevich was a boy of 14 years old, intelligent, observant, receptive, affectionate, cheerful. He was lazy and did not particularly like books. He combined the features of his father and mother: he inherited the simplicity of his father, was alien to arrogance, arrogance, but had his own will and obeyed only his father. His mother wanted to, but could not be strict with him. His teacher Bitner says of him: "He had a great will and would never submit to any woman." He was very disciplined, withdrawn and very patient. Undoubtedly, the disease left its mark on him and developed these traits in him. He did not like court etiquette, he liked to be with the soldiers and learned their language, using in his diary purely folk expressions he had overheard. His stinginess reminded him of his mother: he did not like to spend his money and collected various abandoned things: nails, lead paper, ropes, etc.
ON THE. Sokolov. The murder of the royal family
At the end of October, the tsar, Alexei and his retinue departed for Headquarters in Mogilev. Alexandra Feodorovna, like Nicholas II, believed: if the soldiers could personally see the Heir, this would raise their morale. The sovereign hoped that such a trip would broaden the horizons of the Tsesarevich, and in the future he would understand what this war had cost Russia.
At the review of the troops in Rezhitsa, Gilliard watched Alexei, who did not leave his father and listened attentively to the stories of the soldiers ... “The presence of the Heir next to the tsar greatly excited the soldiers ... - this made him equal to any young man who was in military service, ”Gilliard writes in his diary.
I. Stepanov recalls: “The Heir visited the infirmary several times. Here I cannot write calmly. There is no emotion to convey all the charm of this appearance, all the unearthlyness of this charm. Not of this world. They said about him: “Not a tenant!” I believed in it even then. Such children do not live. Radiant eyes, clean, sad and at the same time glowing at times with some amazing joy.
The prince was given the new rank of sergeant major, and he was awarded the St. George Cross for visiting hospitals near the front line ...
Visit to a military hospital
photo 1915
photo 1916
On March 2, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II signed a manifesto on abdication. The family was told they were under house arrest. At the end of August, the royal family was transferred to Tobolsk.
Alexey and Olga Romanovs.
Tobolsk, photo 1917
Alexei's illness worsened again - never after the nightmarish days in Spala had he been so ill. “Mom, I want to die. I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of what they can do to us here. If they kill, then just don’t torture ... ”- said Alexei.
By May 20, 1918, it was decided that Alexey was strong enough, and the prisoners were taken under escort to a new place of detention - to Yekaterinburg. Here the royal family first encountered such open hostility.
In vain were attempts to influence the British consul and take measures to save the imperial family. The only hope was the Russian White Army of Admiral Kolchak, who was rapidly advancing in the direction of Yekaterinburg.
On July 13, the Ural Council decided to shoot the imperial family and their entourage. The execution of the order was entrusted to the new commandant of the Ipatiev House - Yakov Yurovsky.
Tsesarevich Alexei. Life and death of an heir
A documentary film about the son of Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarevich Alexei. It consists mainly of newsreels from the beginning of the 20th century. In one of the episodes of the film, we have a unique opportunity to see a live participant in the Battle of Borodino. The authors made an attempt to reconstruct the last minutes of the life of the heir Alexei, his parents and sisters - the execution of the royal family in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.
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The only son of Emperor Nicholas II, given by God in response to a long, zealous parental prayer, probably, without exaggeration, can be called the most attractive and most unsolved child figure in Russian history. “During the baptism, a wonderful incident occurred with the baby, which attracted the attention of all those present,” wrote Abbot Seraphim (Kuznetsov). “When the newborn crown prince was anointed with holy myrrh, he raised his hand and extended his fingers, as if blessing those present.” What could this boy be if he lived to adulthood? One can only assume that a great tsar was implored for Russia. But history does not know the turn “if only”. And although we understand that the figure of the young Tsarevich Alexei is too bright and unusual, we nevertheless turn to his bright image, wanting to find an example for teaching and imitation in the relationship of this boy with the outside world.
Attitude towards women is the best way to test the nobility of a man. He must treat every woman with respect, regardless of whether she is rich or poor, high or low in social position, and show her all kinds of signs of respect,” Empress Alexandra Feodorovna wrote in her diary. She could write such words with confidence: an example of masculine nobility, a chivalrous attitude towards a woman was always before her eyes - her husband, Emperor Nicholas II.
It is very important that the little Tsarevich Alexei from childhood could see a respectful attitude towards women on the part of a man whose authority was indisputable for him. The sovereign did not disregard even the smallest things, thanks to which it was possible to teach his son a lesson.
Klavdia Mikhailovna Bitner, who gave lessons to the heir in Tobolsk, recalled him: he combined the features of his father and mother. From his father he inherited his simplicity. There was no self-satisfaction, arrogance, arrogance in him at all. He was simple. But he had a great will and would never submit to outside influence. Here is the sovereign, if he again took power, I am sure he would forget and forgive the actions of those soldiers who were known in this regard. Alexei Nikolaevich, if he had received power, he would never have forgotten or forgiven them and would have drawn the appropriate conclusions.
He understood a lot and understood people. But he was reserved and reserved. He was terribly patient, very careful, disciplined and demanding of himself and others. He was kind, like his father, in the sense that he did not have the ability in his heart to do evil in vain. At the same time, he was frugal. One day he was sick, he was served a dish that he shared with the whole family, which he did not eat because he did not like this dish. I was outraged. How can they not cook a separate meal for a child when he is sick. I said something. He answered me: "Well, here's another one. You don't have to spend money because of me alone."
Anna Taneeva: “The life of Alexei Nikolaevich was one of the most tragic in the history of the royal children. He was a charming, affectionate boy, the most beautiful of all children. Parents and his nanny Maria Vishnyakova spoiled him very much in early childhood. And this is understandable, since it was very difficult to see the constant suffering of the little one; whether he hit his head or hand on the furniture, a huge blue swelling immediately appeared, indicating an internal hemorrhage, which caused him severe suffering. When he began to grow up, his parents explained his illness to him, asking him to be careful. But the heir was very lively, loved the games and amusements of the boys, and it was often impossible to keep him. “Give me a bicycle,” he asked his mother. “Alexei, you know that you can’t!” - "I want to learn to play tennis like sisters!" "You know you don't dare to play." Sometimes Alexey Nikolaevich cried, repeating: “Why am I not like all the boys?”.
He needed to be surrounded by special care and concern. That is why, on the orders of doctors, two sailors from the imperial yacht were assigned to him as bodyguards: boatswain Derevenko and his assistant Nagorny. His teacher and mentor Pierre Gilliard recalls: “Aleksei Nikolaevich had a great vivacity of mind and judgment and a lot of thoughtfulness. He sometimes struck me with questions above his age, which testified to a delicate and sensitive soul. In the little capricious being, as he seemed at first, I discovered a child with a heart naturally loving and sensitive to suffering, because he himself had already suffered a lot.
The upbringing of any boy as the future head of the family should consist in the upbringing of responsibility, independence, the ability to make a decision in the right situation, without looking back at anyone. At the same time, it is necessary to cultivate compassion and sensitivity and an important property - the ability to listen to the opinions of Other people. The boy needs to be prepared for the role of husband, father and master of the house. For Tsarevich Alexei, the whole of Russia was such a home.
“The queen inspired her son that everyone is equal before God and should not be proud of their position, but they must be able to behave nobly without humiliating their position” (Hegumen Seraphim (Kuznetsov). “Orthodox Martyr Tsar”). If the mother had not put any effort into this, then the position of the educator of the heir, which was already difficult, would become even more difficult.
“I understood more clearly than ever how much the conditions of the environment interfered with the success of my efforts. I had to contend with the subservience of the servants and the ridiculous admiration of some of those around me. And I was even very surprised, seeing how the natural simplicity of Alexei Nikolayevich withstood these immoderate praises.
I remember how a deputation of peasants from one of the central provinces of Russia once came to bring gifts to the heir to the Tsarevich. The three men of which she consisted, by order given in a whisper by the boatswain Derevenko, knelt down in front of Alexei Nikolaevich to hand him their offerings. I noticed the embarrassment of the child, who blushed crimson. As soon as we were alone, I asked him if he was pleased to see these people in front of him on their knees. "Ah, no! But Derevenko says that's how it's supposed to be!"
I then spoke with the boatswain, and the child was delighted that he was freed from what was a real nuisance for him.
I. Stepanov recalls: “In the last days of January 1917, I was in the Tsar's Alexander Palace with the tutor of the heir Gilliard, and together with him we went to the Tsarevich. Aleksey Nikolaevich and some cadet were playing a lively game near a large toy fortress. They deployed soldiers, fired cannons, and all their lively conversation was full of modern military terms: a machine gun, an airplane, heavy artillery, trenches, and so on. However, the game soon ended, and the heir and the cadet began to examine some books. Then the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna entered ... All this furnishings in the children's two rooms of the heir was simple and did not at all give an idea that the future Russian Tsar lives and receives his initial upbringing and education. Maps hung on the walls, there were bookcases, there were several tables and chairs, but all this was simple, modest to the extreme.
Alexey Nikolaevich, speaking to me, recalled our conversation with him when he was on a train with the sovereign in the fall of 1915 in southern Russia: “Remember, you told me that in Novorossia Catherine the Great, Potemkin and Suvorov tied Russian influence and Turkish the sultan lost his importance forever in the Crimea and the southern steppes. I liked this expression, and at the same time I told my dad about it. I always tell him what I like. "
It was especially pronounced that the boy cared a lot about Russia, but little about himself, in the episode told by Gilliard. However, the modesty of the little prince did not at all interfere with his awareness of himself as the heir to the throne. The episode, about which S. Ya. Ofrosimova told, is quite well known: “The Tsarevich was not a proud child, although the thought that he was the future king filled his whole being with the consciousness of his highest destiny. When he was in the company of noble people and persons close to the sovereign, he had a consciousness of his royalty.
Once the crown prince entered the office of the sovereign, who at that time was talking with the minister. At the entrance of the heir, the interlocutor of the sovereign did not find it necessary to get up, but only, rising from his chair, gave the prince a hand. The heir, offended, stopped in front of him and silently put his hands behind his back; this gesture did not give him an arrogant look, but only a regal, expectant pose. The Minister involuntarily stood up and drew himself up to his full height in front of the Tsarevich. To this the Tsarevich responded with a polite shake of the hand. Having told the emperor something about his walk, he slowly left the office, the emperor looked after him for a long time and finally said with sadness and pride: “Yes. It will not be so easy for you to deal with him as with me.”
According to the memoirs of Yulia Den, Alexei, while still a very young boy, was already aware that he was the heir: “Her Majesty insisted that the Tsarevich, like his sisters, be brought up quite naturally. In the daily life of the heir, everything happened casually, without any ceremony, he was the son of his parents and the brother of his sisters, although it was sometimes funny to watch him pretend to be an adult. Once, when he was playing with the Grand Duchesses, he was informed that the officers of his sponsored regiment had come to the palace and were asking for permission to see the Tsarevich. A six-year-old child, immediately leaving the fuss with his sisters, with an important look said: “Girls, go away, the heir will have a reception.”
Claudia Mikhailovna Bitner said: “I don’t know if he thought about power. I had a conversation with him about this. I said to him: "And if you reign?" He answered me: "No, it's over forever." I said to him: "Well, what if it happens again, if you reign?" He answered me: "Then it is necessary to arrange so that I know more about what is happening around." I once asked him what he would do with me then. He said that he would build a large hospital, appoint me to manage it, but he himself would come and "interrogate" about everything, whether everything is in order. I'm sure he'd be in order."
Yes, it can be assumed that under the sovereign Alexei Nikolaevich there would have been order. This tsar could be very popular among the people, since the will, discipline and awareness of his own high position were combined in the nature of the son of Nicholas II with kindness and love for people.
A. A. Taneeva: “The heir took an ardent part if some grief struck the servants. His Majesty was also compassionate, but he did not actively express it, while Alexei Nikolaevich did not calm down until he immediately helped. I remember a case with a cook who for some reason was denied a position. Aleksey Nikolaevich somehow found out about this and pestered his parents all day until they ordered the cook to be taken back. He defended and stood up like a mountain for all his people.
Y. Ofrosimova: “The heir to the Tsarevich had a very soft and kind heart. He was passionately attached not only to those close to him, but also to the simple employees around him. None of them saw from him arrogance and harsh treatment. He especially quickly and ardently became attached to ordinary people. His love for Uncle Derevenko was tender, hot and touching. One of his greatest pleasures was to play with the uncle's children and be among ordinary soldiers. With interest and deep attention, he peered into the lives of ordinary people, and often an exclamation escaped from him: "When I am king, there will be no poor and unfortunate people, I want everyone to be happy."
The Tsarevich's favorite food was "shchi and porridge and black bread, which all my soldiers eat," as he always said. Every day they brought him samples of cabbage soup and porridge from the soldiers' kitchen of the Consolidated Regiment; the crown prince ate everything and licked the spoon. Beaming with pleasure, he said: "This is delicious - not like our dinner." Sometimes, eating almost nothing at the royal table, he quietly made his way with his dog to the buildings of the royal kitchen and, knocking on the glass of the windows, asked the cooks for a slice of black bread and secretly shared it with his curly favorite.
P. Gilliard: “We left immediately after breakfast, often stopping at the exit of oncoming villages to watch how the peasants work. Alexei Nikolayevich liked to question them; they answered him with the good nature and simplicity characteristic of a Russian peasant, completely unaware of whom they were talking to.
Sovereign Emperor Nicholas himself did a lot to educate in his son attention and compassion for people. Gilliard recalled the time when the Tsarevich was with the sovereign at Headquarters: “On the way back, having learned from General Ivanov that there was an advanced dressing station nearby, the sovereign decided to go straight there.
We drove into a dense forest and soon noticed a small building, dimly lit by the red light of torches. The sovereign, accompanied by Alexei Nikolaevich, entered the house, approached all the wounded and talked with them with great kindness. His sudden visit at such a late hour and so close to the front line caused astonishment to be expressed on all faces. One of the soldiers, who had just been put back to bed after bandaging, looked intently at the sovereign, and when the latter bent over him, he raised his only healthy hand to touch his clothes and make sure that he really was the king, and not vision. Alexei Nikolayevich stood a little behind his father. He was deeply shocked by the groans that he heard and the suffering that he guessed around him.
The heir adored his father, and the sovereign in his “happy days” dreamed of raising his son himself. But for a number of reasons this was impossible, and Mr. Gibbs and Monsieur Gilliard became the first mentors of Alexei Nikolayevich. Subsequently, when circumstances changed, the sovereign managed to fulfill his desire.
He gave lessons to the Tsarevich in a gloomy house in Tobolsk. The lessons continued in the poverty and squalor of Yekaterinburg imprisonment. But perhaps the most important lesson that the heir and the rest of the family learned was the lesson of faith. It was faith in God that supported them and gave them strength at the time when they lost their treasures, when their friends left them, when they turned out to be betrayed by that very country, nothing more important to them in the world.
Emperor Nicholas II with his son, 1904
Nicholas II on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. Left - Tsesarevich Alexei, right - Grand Duchess Anastasia, photo 1907
Stacking logs, photo 1908
Alexey is sweeping the path in the park. (Tsarskoye Selo), photo, 1908
Alexei in naval uniform. Petersburg, photo 1909
On a bench in Alexander Park (Tsarskoye Selo), photo 1909
Genetic studies have shown that Tsarevich Alexei suffered not just from hemophilia, but from its rare variety.
The well-known diagnosis of the disease of the heir to Alexei is hemophilia, i.e. blood incoagulability, it turns out, was based solely on external symptoms, namely, increased bleeding, frequent bruising and general poor health of the unfortunate boy. No laboratory studies were carried out during the life of the heir, and could not be carried out, since biochemistry was then in its infancy. And only now, two years after the discovery of the remains and a year after the proof that they belonged to Alexei Romanov, a group of Russian-American researchers analyzed the Tsarevich's DNA.
The work was carried out, according to infox.ru, by the staff of the Medical School of the University of Massachusetts and the head of the laboratory of molecular genetics of the brain of the Scientific Center for Mental Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences Evgeny Rogaev. It is known that in 80% of cases hemophilia occurs due to a mutation of the F8 gene in the sex X chromosome, but this time no such changes were found. But the corresponding mutation occurred in the neighboring F9 gene, and this was proved for the remains of both Alexei, his sister Anastasia, and mother Alice-Alexandra. This type of mutation leads to the appearance of a rather rare hemophilia type B. It has also been established that the Romanovs do not have the gene for the even rarer hemophilia C, which affects exclusively European Ashkenazi Jews. This means that there were no Jews in the royal family.
As previously suspected, all these data confirm the version that the F9 gene mutation occurred in the British Queen Victoria, and in subsequent generations men suffer from hemophilia, and women are only carriers of this recessive disease. In the case of the Romanovs, this bearer was the wife of the last emperor, Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt, granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Having devoted her whole life to her terminally ill son, Alexandra Fedorovna brought the “healer” Rasputin closer to the throne and government, thus completely discrediting the idea of a monarchy in Russia and indirectly serving the collapse of the empire. Thus, on the example of Queen Victoria, the well-known opinion that "an Englishwoman crap" was confirmed.
On July 30 (August 12, New Style), 1904, the long-awaited heir was born in the Romanov family. Tsarevich Alexei became the fifth child of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna. The Tsarevich did not live to see his 14th birthday for only a few weeks, but the surviving letters, memoirs of contemporaries and entries from Alexei's personal diary reveal in him a strong personality and a true heir to the throne, who was worried about the fate of his people.
Nicholas II with his heir Alexei.
From an early age, the Tsarevich was sincerely worried about ordinary people, whether they were servants, petitioners, soldiers or peasants who worked in the field. Anna Vyrubova, the closest friend of the Empress, wrote in her memoirs: “The heir took an ardent part if some grief befell the servants. I remember a case with a cook who for some reason was denied a position. Aleksey Nikolaevich somehow found out about this and pestered his parents all day until they ordered the cook to be taken back. He defended and stood up like a mountain for all his people.
Once, during a trip from Livadia, a railway employee approached the emperor and complained about the small salary, which he did not have enough to feed his family. Nicholas II graciously said: "From this day on, you will receive another thirty rubles a month from Me." Little Aleksey, who was standing nearby, touched the railroad worker and said: “And you will get forty from me.” The Tsarevich often exclaimed: “When I am king, there will be no poor and unfortunate! I want everyone to be happy."
For Christmas, Alexey received a diary from his mother as a gift. On the cover it was written: “The first diary of my little Alexei. Mother". The Tsarevich seriously set to work and diligently entered into it the daily routine and the thoughts that visited him. The first entry in the diary appeared on January 1, 1916, and the last on March 30 (12), 1918.
Pages of the diary of Tsarevich Alexei.
Tsesarevich Alexei, c. 1912 | Photo: 3rm.info.
Alexei Romanov with the children of boatswain Derevenko.
Emperor Nicholas II (center) with his heir Tsarevich Alexei.
Tsarevich Alexei was very fond of everything connected with the Russian army. The heir wore the uniform of a private, which impressed the simple servicemen very much. He considered his favorite food to be “shchi and porridge and black bread, which all my soldiers eat.” Every day, from the kitchen of the Consolidated Regiment, which was responsible for the protection of the royal family, lunch was brought to Alexei for testing. The Tsarevich ate everything, licked the spoon and repeated: “This is delicious, not like our lunch.”
Emperor Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei.
In his studies, the Tsarevich was diligent, had the ability to speak foreign languages, but preferred to spend more time with the soldiers, learning their dialect. When, during the reception, the Serbian general Jurišić presented the emperor with a Serbian military cross, Alexei was also awarded a medal with the inscription "For Bravery". “I deserved it in battles with teachers!” - the prince joked.
Tatiana, Olga, Maria, Anastasia and Alexei Romanovs.
The sisters adored their younger brother. Everyone rushed to fulfill his every whim immediately. The Tsarevich himself made them laugh with the words: “Girls, go away, the Heir will have a reception.” In his diary, he wrote: “I hate being in Tsarskoe Selo, where I am the only man among fussy women!”
Alexei Nikolaevich in uniform.
When the royal family was sent, as they then thought, into temporary exile in Tobolsk, Alexei said to his teacher Claudia Bitner: “Only now I begin to understand the meaning of the word“ truth ”. Everyone in Tsarskoye Selo lied. If one day I became king, no one would dare to lie to me. I would put things in order in this country.”
Tsarevich Alexei and Emperor Nicholas II.
The hopelessness of the situation of the royal family was also reflected in the diary of the Tsarevich: “If they kill, then so that they torture them for a short time ...”. The last entry was made in Tobolsk: "How hard and boring."
