Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark)
Maria Feodorovna | |||||
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Hvidøre House, Klampenborg, Denmark | |||||
Burial | (reinterred in 2006) | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue |
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House | Glücksburg | ||||
Father | Christian IX of Denmark | ||||
Mother | Louise of Hesse-Kassel | ||||
Religion | Russian Orthodoxy prev. Lutheranism | ||||
Signature |
Maria Feodorovna (
Appearance and personality
Dagmar was known for her beauty. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge said that Dagmar was "sweetly pretty" and commented favorably on her "splendid dark eyes".[1] Her fiancé Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsesarevich of Russia was enthusiastic about her beauty. He wrote to his mother that "she is even prettier in real life than in the portraits that we had seen so far. Her eyes speak for her: they are so kind, intelligent, animated."[1] When she was tsarevna, Thomas W. Knox met her at Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia's wedding and wrote favorably about her beauty compared to that of the bride, Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He wrote that Dagmar was "less inclined to stoutness than the bride, she does not display such a plumpness of shoulder, and her neck rises more swan-like and gives fuller play to her finely formed head, with its curly hair and Grecian outline of face." He also commented favorably on "her keen, clear, and flashing eyes."[2]
Dagmar was intelligent. When considering Dagmar for her second son, Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria judged that "Dagmar is cleverer [than her older sister, Alexandra]... she is a very nice girl."[3] When she married, she didn't know how to speak any Russian. However, within a few years, she mastered the language and was so proficient that her husband wrote to her in Russian.[4] She told an American minister to Russia that "the Russian language is full of power and beauty, it equals the Italian in music, the English in vigorous power and copiousness."[4] She claimed that "for compactness of expression", Russian rivaled "Latin, and for the making of new words is equal to the Greek."[4]
Dagmar was very fashionable. John Logan, a visitor to Russia, described her as "the best dressed woman in Europe". He claimed that Empress Elisabeth of Austria "excelled her in beauty" but that "no one touched" her "in frocks".[5] Charles Frederick Worth, a Parisian couturier, greatly admired her style. He said, "Bring to me any woman in Europe-- queen, artiste, or bourgeoise-- who can inspire me as does Madame Her Majesty, and I will make her confections while I live and charge her nothing."[5]
Dagmar was very charming and likable. After meeting her, Thomas W. Knox wrote, "No wonder the emperor likes her, and no wonder the Russians like her. I like her, and I am neither emperor nor any other Russian, and never exchanged a thousand words with her in my life."[2] Maria von Bock, the daughter of Pyotr Stolypin, wrote, "kind, amiable, simple in her discourse, Maria Fedorovna was an Empress from head to toe, combining an inborn majesty with such goodness that she was idolized by all who knew her."[6] Meriel Buchanan wrote that she possessed a "gracious and delightful charm of manner."[6] Andrew Dickson White, the U.S. minister to Russia, said that she was "graceful, with a most kindly face and manner" and that she was "in every way cordial and kindly."[6] Nadine Wonar-Larsky, her lady-in-waiting, noted that "her smile cheered everyone and her gracious manner always suggested a touch of personal feeling which went straight to the hearts of her subjects. She also possessed that priceless royal gift of never forgetting a face or name."[7]
Early life
Princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar was born on 26 November 1847 at her parents' residence in the
In 1852 Dagmar's father became heir-presumptive to the throne of Denmark, largely due to the succession rights of his wife Louise as niece of King
Dagmar was closest to her eldest sister, Alexandra, and they maintained a strong connection to each other all their lives. The two princesses shared a room in the Yellow Mansion and were raised together. The sisters received the same education deemed appropriate for upper-class girls: they were taught housekeeping by their mother, and learned to dance, play music, paint and draw, and speak French, English, and German by tutors. However, the father also insisted that they learn gymnastics and sports, which was more unusual for girls. During their upbringing, Dagmar and Alexandra were given swimming lessons by the Swedish pioneer of swimming for women, Nancy Edberg;[13] she would later welcome Edberg to Russia, where she came on royal scholarship to hold swimming lessons for women. Dagmar is described as lively and intelligent, sweet but less beautiful than Alexandra, and better at painting and drawing than her sisters, who, on the other hand, were more talented in music.
Upon the death of King
Engagements and marriage
First engagement
At the end of 1863, as the daughter and sister of the kings of Denmark and Greece and sister-in-law of the Prince of Wales, Dagmar was now considered one of Europe's most coveted princesses. She received a proposal from
In 1864, the Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna announced that her son would visit Denmark, and during the summer Nicholas, or "Nixa" as he was known in his family, arrived at Fredensborg Palace, where the Danish royal family was staying. Nicholas had never met Dagmar, but had for a number of years collected photographs of her, and both families wanted the marriage. When they met, Dagmar and Nicholas were mutually attracted, and Nicholas wrote to his mother:
I came here as if in a fever (...) I can not describe to you what came over me, when we approached Fredenborg and I finally saw the sweet Dagmar. How can I describe it? She is so beautiful, direct, intelligent, experienced, and yet shy at the same time. She is even more beautiful in reality than in the pictures we have seen so far.
After returning to Russia to obtain his father's permission, Nicholas proposed to Dagmar on 28 September 1864 in the Bernstorff Palace Gardens and received a yes.[15] The engagement was announced at Bernstorff Palace later the same day.[10] Her future mother-in-law Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse) gave her a six-strand pearl necklace and Nicholas gave her a diamond bracelet.[1] In total, the betrothal gifts Dagmar received from her future in-laws cost 1.5 million rubles.[16]
The engagement was popular in both countries and at the same time ensured the Danish royal family even better connections. The engagement took place right during the Second Schleswig War between Denmark on one side and Prussia and Austria on the other, and during the peace negotiations after the war in October 1864, Dagmar unsuccessfully asked her future father-in-law to help Denmark against Prussia over the disputed territory of Schleswig-Holstein. In a letter, she asked Alexander II of Russia: "Use your power to mitigate the terrible conditions which the Germans have brutally forced Papa to accept... the sad plight of my fatherland, which makes my heart heavy, has inspired me to turn to you."[1] It is believed that she did it with the consent of her parents, but it is not known if it was at their request. Her appeal was in vain, but from that moment on she became known for her anti-Prussian views.
As Nicholas continued on his journey to Florence, Dagmar and Nicholas exchanged daily love letters for months. When he grew ill, Nicholas sent fewer letters and Dagmar teasingly asked him if he had fallen in love with "a dark-eyed Italian".[17] In April, Nicholas grew gravely ill with cerebrospinal meningitis. Alexander II of Russia sent a telegram to Dagmar: "Nicholas has received the Last Rites. Pray for us and come if you can."[17] On 22 April 1865, Nicholas died in the presence of his parents, brothers, and Dagmar. His last wish was that Dagmar would marry his younger brother, the future Alexander III.
Dagmar was devastated by Nicholas' death. Nicholas' parents struggled to "pull Princess Dagmar away from the corpse and carry her out."[18] She was so heartbroken when she returned to her homeland that her relatives were seriously worried about her health. She had already become emotionally attached to Russia and often thought of the huge, remote country that was to have been her home. Many were sympathetic towards Dagmar. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge wrote of "poor dear Minny's sorrow and the blight which has fallen upon her young life."[18] Queen Victoria wrote "how terrible for poor Dagmar... the poor parents and bride are most deeply to be pitied."[18]
Second engagement and marriage
Alexander II of Russia and Maria Alexandrovna had grown fond of Dagmar, and they wanted her to marry their new heir, Tsarevich Alexander. In an affectionate letter, Alexander II told Dagmar that he hoped she would still consider herself a member of their family.[19] Maria Alexandrovna tried to convince Louise of Hesse-Kassel to send Dagmar to Russia immediately, but Louise insisted that Dagmar must "strengthen her nerves... [and] avoid emotional upsets."[20] Dagmar, who sincerely mourned Nicholas, and Alexander, who was in love with his mother's lady-in-waiting Maria Meshcherskaya and attempted to renounce his place as heir to the throne in order to marry her, were both initially reluctant. However, under pressure from his parents, Alexander decided to go to Denmark.[21]
In June 1866, Tsarevich Alexander arrived in Copenhagen with his brothers Grand Duke
Both Dagmar and Alexander quickly embraced the prospect of marrying each other, and were soon described as genuinely enthusiastic.In the time leading up to Dagmar's departure to Russia, many festive events took place in Copenhagen, On 22 September 1866, Dagmar left Copenhagen on board the Danish
Dagmar was warmly welcomed in Kronstadt by the emperor's brother Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia and escorted to St. Petersburg, where she was greeted by her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law on 24 September. The weather on this September day was almost summery with temperatures of more than 20 degrees, which was noted by the poet
In the following weeks, Dagmar was educated in Russian court
After the many wedding parties were over the newlyweds moved into the
On 18 May 1868, Maria gave birth to their eldest child,
Around 12.30 my wife came to the bedroom and lay down on a couch where everything was prepared. The pains became stronger and stronger, and Minny suffered very much. Papa ... helped me hold my darling the whole time. Finally, at 2.30, the last minute came and suddenly all her suffering stopped. God sent us a son whom we named Nicholas. What a joy it was! It is impossible to imagine. I sprang to embrace my darling wife, and she instantly became cheerful and was terribly happy. I had been weeping like a child but suddenly my heart became light and cheerful.[31]
The entire imperial family was present at the birth of Alexander and Maria's first child. In a letter to her mother, Queen Louise, the Tsarevna wrote,
.. this bothered me immensely! The Emperor held me by one hand, my Sasha by the other, whilst every so often the Empress kissed me.[32]
Her next son, Alexander, born in 1869, died from meningitis in infancy. She would bear Alexander four more children who reached adulthood: George (b. 1871), Xenia (b. 1875), Michael (b. 1878), and Olga (b. 1882). As a mother, she doted on and was quite possessive of her sons. She had a more distant relationship with her daughters. Her favorite child was George, and Olga and Michael were closer to their father.[33] She was lenient towards George, and she could never bear to punish him for his pranks. Her daughter Olga remembered that "mother had a great weakness for him."[33]
Tsarevna
Since her mother-in-law, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, was in fragile health and spent long periods abroad for health reasons, Maria Feodorovna often had to fulfill the role of first lady of the court. She did not have best conditions to become popular in Russia, as most Russians disliked her having married Alexander after first having been engaged to his brother. However, she quickly overcame this obstacle, and became beloved by the Russian public, a popularity she never really lost. Early on, she made it a priority to learn the
Maria rarely interfered with politics, preferring to devote her time and energies to her family, charities, and the more social side of her position. She had also seen the student protests of
Maria arranged the marriage between her brother George I of Greece and her cousin-in-law Olga Constantinovna of Russia.[36] When George visited St. Petersburg in 1867, she contrived to have George spend time with Olga. She convinced Olga's parents of her brother's suitability. In a letter, her father Christian IX of Denmark praised her for her shrewd arranging of the marriage: "Where in the world have you, little rogue, ever learned to intrigue so well, since you have worked hard on your uncle and aunt, who were previously decidedly against a match of this kind."[37]
Maria's relationship with her father-in-law, Alexander II, deteriorated because she did not accept his second marriage to
In 1873, Maria, Alexander, and their two eldest sons made a journey to the
Empress of Russia
On the morning of 13 March 1881, Maria's father-in-law
Alexander and Maria were crowned at the
Maria was a universally beloved Empress. Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin wrote that Maria's "bearing, her distinguished and forceful personality, and the intelligence which shone in her face, made her the perfect figure of a queen... She was extraordinarily well-loved in Russia, and everyone had confidence in her... and [was] a real mother to her people."[45]
Maria was active in philanthropic work. Her husband called her "the Guardian Angel of Russia".[29] As Empress, she assumed patronage of the Marie Institutions that her mother-in-law had run: It encompassed 450 charitable establishments.[29] In 1882, she founded many establishments called Marie schools to give young girls an elementary education.[29] She was the patroness of the Russian Red Cross Society.[29] During a cholera epidemic in the late 1870s, she visited the sick in hospitals.[33]
Maria was the head of the social scene. She loved to dance at the balls of high society, and she became a popular socialite and hostess of the Imperial balls at Gatchina. Her daughter Olga commented, "Court life had to run in splendor, and there my mother played her part without a single false step".[26] A contemporary remarked on her success: "of the long gallery of Tsarinas who have sat in state in the Kremlin or paced in the Winter Palace, Marie Feodorovna was perhaps the most brilliant".[26] Alexander used to enjoy joining in with the musicians, although he would end up sending them off one by one. When that happened, Maria knew the party was over.[46]
As tsarevna, and then as tsarina, Maria Feodorovna had something of a social rivalry with the popular Grand Duchess
Nearly each summer, Maria, Alexander and their children would make an annual trip to Denmark, where her parents, King Christian IX and Queen Louise, hosted family reunions. Maria's brother, King George I, and his wife, Queen Olga, would come up from Athens with their children, and the Princess of Wales, often without her husband, would come with some of her children from the United Kingdom. In contrast to the tight security observed in Russia, the tsar, tsarina and their children relished the relative freedom that they could enjoy at Bernstorff and Fredensborg. The annual family meetings of monarchs in Denmark was regarded as suspicious in Europe, where many assumed they secretly discussed state affairs. Otto von Bismarck nicknamed Fredensborg "Europe's Whispering Gallery"[26] and accused Queen Louise of plotting against him with her children. Maria also had a good relationship with the majority of her in-laws, and was often asked to act as a mediator between them and the tsar. In the words of her daughter Olga: "She proved herself extremely tactful with her in-laws, which was no easy task".[26]
During Alexander III's reign, the monarchy's opponents quickly disappeared underground. A group of students had been planning to assassinate Alexander III on the sixth anniversary of his father's death at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The plotters had stuffed hollowed-out books with dynamite, which they intended to throw at the Tsar when he arrived at the cathedral. However, the Russian secret police uncovered the plot before it could be carried out. Five students were hanged in 1887; amongst them was Aleksandr Ulyanov, older brother of Vladimir Lenin.
The biggest threat to the lives of the tsar and his family, however, came not from terrorists, but from a derailment of the imperial train in the fall of 1888. Maria and her family had been at lunch in the dining car when the train jumped the tracks and slid down an embankment, causing the roof of the dining car to nearly cave in on them.
When Maria's eldest sister Alexandra visited Gatchina in July 1894, she was surprised to see how weak her brother-in-law Alexander III had become. At the time Maria had long known that he was ill and did not have long left. She now turned her attention to her eldest son, the future Nicholas II, for it was on him that both her personal future and the future of the dynasty now depended.
Nicholas had long had his heart set on marrying Princess
Empress Dowager
On 1 November 1894, Alexander III died aged just 49 at Livadia. In her diary Maria wrote, "I am utterly heartbroken and despondent, but when I saw the blissful smile and the peace in his face that came after, it gave me strength."[50] Two days later, the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at Livadia from London. While the Prince of Wales took it upon himself to involve himself in the preparations for the funeral, the Princess of Wales spent her time comforting grieving Maria, including praying with her and sleeping at her bedside.[51] Maria Feodorovna's birthday was a week after the funeral, and as it was a day in which court mourning could be somewhat relaxed, Nicholas used the day to marry Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, who took the name Alexandra Feodorovna.[52]
As Empress Dowager, Maria was much more popular than either Nicholas or Alexandra. During her son's coronation in May 1896, she, Nicholas, and Alexandra arrived in separate carriages. She was greeted with "almost deafening" applause.[53] Visiting writer Kate Kool noted that she "provoked more cheering from the people than did her son. The people have had thirteen years in which to know this woman and they have learned to love her very much."[53] Richard Harding Davis, an American journalist, was surprised that she "was more loudly greeted than either the Emperor or the Czarina."[53] Once the death of Alexander III had receded, Maria again took a brighter view of the future. "Everything will be all right", as she said. Maria continued to live in the Anichkov Palace in St. Petersburg and at Gatchina Palace.
As a new
During the first years of her son's reign, Maria often acted as the political adviser to the Tsar. Uncertain of his own ability and aware of her connections and knowledge, Tsar Nicholas II often told the ministers that he would ask her advice before making decisions, and the ministers sometimes suggested this themselves. It was reportedly on her advice that Nicholas initially kept his father's ministers.[26] Maria herself estimated that her son was of a weak character and that it was better that he was influenced by her than someone worse. Her daughter Olga remarked upon her influence: "she had never before taken the least interest … now she felt it was her duty. Her personality was magnetic and her zest of activity was incredible. She had her finger on every educational pulse in the empire. She would work her secretaries to shreds, but she did not spare herself. Even when bored in committee she never looked bored. Her manner and, above all, her tact conquered everybody".[26] After the death of her spouse, Maria came to be convinced that Russia needed reforms to avoid a revolution.[26] According to courtier Paul Benckendorff there was a scene when Maria asked her son not to appoint the conservative Viktor von Wahl as minister for internal affairs: "during which one [the empress dowager] almost threw herself at his [the tsar's] knees' begging him not to make this appointment and to choose someone who could make concessions. She said that if Nicholas did not agree, she would 'leave for Denmark, and then without me here let them twist your head around'".[26] Nicholas did appoint her favored candidate, and she reportedly told her favoured candidate the liberal reformist Pyotr Sviatopolk-Mirsky to accept by saying: "You must fulfil my son's wish; If you do, I will give you a kiss".[26] After the birth of a son to the tsar the same year, however, Nicholas II replaced his mother as his political confidant and adviser with his wife, Empress Alexandra.[26]
Maria Feodorovna's grandson-in-law, Prince Felix Yusupov, noted that she had great influence in the Romanov family. Sergei Witte praised her tact and diplomatic skill. Nevertheless, despite her social tact, she did not get along well with her daughter-in-law, Tsarina Alexandra, holding her responsible for many of the woes that beset her son Nicholas and the Russian Empire in general. She was appalled with Alexandra's inability to win favour with the public, and also that she did not give birth to an heir until almost ten years after her marriage, after bearing four daughters. The fact that Russian court custom dictated that an empress dowager took precedence over an empress consort, combined with the possessiveness that Maria had of her sons, and her jealousy of Empress Alexandra only served to exacerbate tensions between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.[55] Sophie Buxhoeveden remarked of this conflict: "Without actually clashing they seemed fundamentally unable … to understand one another",[26] and her daughter Olga commented: "they had tried to understand each other and failed. They were utterly different in character, habits and outlook".[26] Maria was sociable and a good dancer, with an ability to ingratiate herself with people, while Alexandra, though intelligent and beautiful, was very shy and closed herself off from the Russian people.
By the turn of the twentieth century, Maria was spending increasing time abroad. In 1906, following the death of their father, King Christian IX, she and her sister, Alexandra, who had become queen-consort of the United Kingdom in 1901, purchased the villa of Hvidøre. The following year, a change in political circumstances allowed Maria Feodorovna to be welcomed to England by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, Maria's first visit to England since 1873.[56] Following a visit in early 1908, Maria Feodorovna was present at her brother-in-law and sister's visit to Russia that summer. A little under two years later, Maria Feodorovna travelled to England yet again, this time for the funeral of her brother-in-law, King Edward VII, in May 1910. During her nearly three-month visit to England in 1910, Maria Feodorovna attempted, unsuccessfully, to get her sister, now Queen Dowager Alexandra, to claim a position of precedence over her daughter-in-law, Queen Mary.[57]
Empress Maria Feodorovna, the mistress of Langinkoski retreat, was also otherwise a known friend of Finland. During the
In 1899, Maria's second son, George, died of tuberculosis in the Caucasus. During the funeral, she kept her composure, but at the end of the service, she ran from the church clutching her son's top hat that been atop the coffin and collapsed in her carriage sobbing.[58]
In 1901, Maria arranged Olga's disastrous marriage to Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg.[59] For years Nicholas refused to grant his unhappy sister a divorce, only relenting in 1916 in the midst of the War. When Olga attempted to contract a morganatic marriage with Nikolai Kulikovsky, Maria Feodorovna and the tsar tried to dissuade her, yet, they did not protest too vehemently.[60] Indeed, Maria Feodorovna was one of the few people who attended the wedding in November 1916.[60]
In 1912, Maria faced trouble with her youngest son, when he secretly married his mistress, much to the outrage and scandal of both Maria Feodorovna and Nicholas.[61]
Maria Feodorovna disliked
World War I
In May 1914, Maria Feodorovna travelled to England to visit her sister.
During the war, there was great concern within the imperial house about the influence Empress Alexandra had upon state affairs through the Tsar, and the influence Grigori Rasputin was believed to have upon her, as it was considered to provoke the public and endanger the safety of the imperial throne and the survival of the monarchy.[66] On behalf of the imperial relatives of the Tsar, both the Empress's sister Grand Duchess
During this conflict of 1916–1917, Grand Duchess
There are documents that support the fact that in this critical situation, Maria Feodorovna was involved in a planned coup d'état to depose her son from the throne in order to save the monarchy.
In Kiev, Maria engaged in the Red Cross and hospital work,[68] and in September, the 50th anniversary of her arrival in Russia was celebrated with great festivities, during which she was visited by her son, Nicholas II, who came without his wife.[26] Empress Alexandra wrote to the Tsar: "When you see Motherdear, you must rather sharply tell her how pained you are, that she listens to slander and does not stop it, as it makes mischief and others would be delighted, I am sure, to put her against me…"[26] Maria did ask Nicholas II to remove both Rasputin and Alexandra from all political influence, but shortly after, Nicholas and Alexandra broke all contact with the Tsar's family.[26]
When Rasputin was murdered, part of the Imperial relatives asked Maria to return to the capital and use the moment to replace Alexandra as the Tsar's political adviser. Maria refused, but she did admit that Alexandra should be removed from influence over state affairs: "Alexandra Feodorovna must be banished. Don't know how but it must be done. Otherwise she might go completely mad. Let her enter a convent or just disappear".[26]
Revolution and exile
Revolution came to Russia in 1917, first with the February Revolution, then with Nicholas II's abdication on 15 March. After travelling from Kiev to meet with her deposed son, Nicholas II, in Mogilev, Maria returned to the city, where she quickly realised how Kiev had changed and that her presence was no longer wanted. She was persuaded by her family there to travel to the Crimea by train with a group of other refugee Romanovs, arriving at the end of March.
After a time living in one of the imperial residences in the Crimea, she received reports that her sons, her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren had been murdered. However, she publicly rejected the report as a rumour. On the day after the murder of the Tsar's family, Maria received a messenger from Nicky, "a touching man" who told of how difficult life was for her son's family in Yekaterinburg. "And nobody can help or liberate them – only God! My Lord save my poor, unlucky Nicky, help him in his hard ordeals!"[69] In her diary she comforted herself: "I am sure they all got out of Russia and now the Bolsheviks are trying to hide the truth."[70] She firmly held on to this conviction until her death. The truth was too painful for her to admit publicly. Her letters to her son and his family have since almost all been lost; but in one that survives, she wrote to Nicholas: "You know that my thoughts and prayers never leave you. I think of you day and night and sometimes feel so sick at heart that I believe I cannot bear it any longer. But God is merciful. He will give us strength for this terrible ordeal." Maria's daughter Olga Alexandrovna commented further on the matter, "Yet I am sure that deep in her heart my mother had steeled herself to accept the truth some years before her death."[71]
Despite the overthrow of the monarchy in 1917, the former Empress Dowager Maria at first refused to leave Russia. Only in early April of 1919, at the urging of her sister, Queen Dowager Alexandra, did she begrudgingly depart, fleeing Crimea over the Black Sea to London. King George V sent the battleship HMS Marlborough to retrieve his aunt. The party of 17 Romanovs included her daughter the Grand Duchess Xenia and five of Xenia's sons plus six dogs and a canary.[72][73]
After a brief stay in the British base in
There were many Russian émigrées in Copenhagen who continued to regard her as the Empress and often asked her for help. The All-Russian Monarchical Assembly held in 1921 offered her the
Death and burial
In November 1925, Maria's favourite sister, Queen
In 2005, Queen
Issue
Emperor Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna had four sons and two daughters:
Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Nicholas II of Russia |
18 May 1868 | 17 July 1918 | married 1894, Princess Alix of Hesse ; had issue; no surviving descendants today
|
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia | 7 June 1869 | 2 May 1870 | died of meningitis at age 10 months and 26 days |
Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia | 9 May 1871 | 9 August 1899 | died of tuberculosis; had no issue |
Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia | 6 April 1875 | 20 April 1960 | married 1894, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia; had issue |
Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia | 4 December 1878 | 13 June 1918 | married 1912, Natalia Brasova; had issue; no surviving descendants today |
Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia | 13 June 1882 | 24 November 1960 | married 1901, Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg; no issue, 1916, Nikolai Kulikovsky; had issue |
Legacy
The Dagmarinkatu street in Töölö, Helsinki, and the Maria Hospital, which also previously operated in Helsinki, are named after Empress Maria Feodorovna.[78]
She is portrayed by Helen Hayes in the 1956 Hollywood historical drama Anastasia. Irene Worth portrays her in the 1971 epic Nicholas and Alexandra. Ursula Howells played the role in one episode of the 1974 drama Fall of Eagles. Gwyneth Strong and Jane Lapotaire portrayed the Empress as a teenager and adult woman respectively in the 1975 television series Edward the Seventh. In the 1997 American animated version of the film Anastasia, directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, Maria Feodorovna is voiced by Angela Lansbury.[79]
Honours
- Russian Empire:
- Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Catherine, 1864
- Dame of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-called, 1883[80]
- Mexican Empire: Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Saint Charles, 10 April 1865[81]
- Kingdom of Portugal: Dame 1st Class of the Order of Queen Saint Isabel, 25 May 1881[82]
- Kingdom of Prussia: Dame 1st Class of the Order of Louise[83]
- Spain: Dame of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa, 6 January 1887[84]
- Empire of Japan: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown, 23 January 1889[85]
Paintings by Maria Feodorovna
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Still-life. 1868
-
Miser. 1890
Ancestry
Ancestors of Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
Citations
- ^ a b c d Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 24
- ^ a b Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 49
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 23
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 81
- ^ a b Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 129
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 150
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 170
- ^ McNaughton, Arnold (1973). The Book of Kings: A Royal Genealogy. Vol. 1. London, U.K.: Garnstone Press. p. 299.
- ISBN 0-220-66222-3.
- ^ a b c d Hiort-Lorenzen 1890, p. 135.
- Feodorovna as a Romanov patronymic
- ^ Hall 2001.
- ^ "Idun (1890): Nr 15 (121) (Swedish)" (PDF). Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ Bramsen 1992, p. 314.
- ^ Bramsen 1992, p. 316.
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 27
- ^ a b Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Romanovs, p. 403
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 25
- ^ Korneva & Cheboksarova (2006), p. 55
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 26
- )
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), pp. 171–172
- ^ Bramsen 1992, p. 324.
- ^ Nørregaard Frandsen, Johannes (2019). Sohl Jessen, Mads; Balina, Marina; Hellman, Ben; Nørregaard Frandsen, Johannes (eds.). "A Time of Fairy Tales: Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish Princess, and the Telegraph Business". Hans Christian Andersen in Russia. Syddansk Universitetsforlag.
- ^ Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev (17 September 1866). "Небо бледно-голубое". Литературная библиотека (in Russian). 1: 1–2.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8419-1421-6
- ^ Van der Kiste (2004), pp. 62, 63
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 173
- ^ a b c d e Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 110
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 137
- ^ Diary of Alexander III, 1868, State Archives of the Russian Federation
- ^ Letter from Maria Feodorovna to Queen Louise of Denmark, 1868, State Archives of the Russian Federation
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 111
- ^ a b Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 38
- ^ Peter Kropotkin (1901). "The Present Crisis in Russia". The North American Review.
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 30
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 31
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 94
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 95
- ^ Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Romanovs, p. 445
- ^ Battiscombe (1969), pp. 127, 128
- ^ Battiscombe (1969), p. 128
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 175
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 176
- ^ Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 102
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 179
- ^ a b Van der Kiste (2004), p. 141
- ^ King (2006), p. 63
- ^ a b Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 184
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 185
- ^ King (2006), p. 331
- ^ King (2006), p. 344
- ^ a b c Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p. 156
- ^ Malevinsky (1900)
- ^ King (2006), p. 51
- ^ Battiscombe (1969), p. 263
- ^ Battiscombe (1969), p. 273
- ^ King (2006), p. 57
- ^ King (2006), p. 55
- ^ a b King (2006), p. 56
- ^ King (2006), p. 59
- ^ John Curtis Perry. "The Flight of the Romanovs, p. 212
- ^ a b c "Empress Maria Fyodorovna". RusArtNet. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^
ISBN 9781451603156. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
When St. Petersburg was renamed Petrograd in August 1914 by Nicholas II, it was intended to 'Slavicize' the capital of the empire at war with Germany.
- .
- ^ ISBN 0-8065-1761-1. pp. 299–300
- ISBN 0-8065-1761-1. pp. 319–26-300
- ^ Isaeva, K. (2 October 2016). "Romanovs and charity: Helping the Russian army in the First World war". Russia Beyond the Headlines. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ The Diaries of Empress Marie Feodorovna, p. 239 [full citation needed]
- ^ Lerche & Mandal (2003), p. 197
- ^ Vorres (1985), p. 171
- ^ Welch 2018, p. 246.
- ^ Rappaport 2018, p. 269.
- ^ a b Barkovets & Tenikhina (2006), p. 142
- ^ "Kejserinde Dagmar". gravsted.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Reburial of Empress Maria Feodorovna". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. 16 July 2006. Archived from the original on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Af mier, pmol (28 September 2006). "Mand faldt ned i Dagmars grav" (in Danish). Nyhederne.tv2.dk. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ Elina Lappalainen: Helsingin historialliseen sairaalaan on suunnitteilla valtava startup-keskus – "Katto on korkealla, koska aikoinaan uskottiin bakteerien asuvan katon rajassa", Talouselämä. (in Finnish)
- ^ Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna – Anastasia (Movie) – Behind The Voice Actors
- ^ Sergey Semenovich Levin (2003). "Lists of Knights and Ladies". Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-called (1699–1917). Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine (1714–1917). Moscow. p. 25.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Soberanas y princesas condecoradas con la Gran Cruz de San Carlos el 10 de Abril de 1865" (PDF), Diario del Imperio (in Spanish), National Digital Newspaper Library of Mexico: 347, retrieved 14 November 2020
- ^ Bragança, Jose Vicente de; Estrela, Paulo Jorge (2017). "Troca de Decorações entre os Reis de Portugal e os Imperadores da Rússia" [Exchange of Decorations between the Kings of Portugal and the Emperors of Russia]. Pro Phalaris (in Portuguese). 16: 10–11. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "Luisen-orden", Königlich Preussische Ordensliste (in German), vol. 1, Berlin, 1886, p. 1056
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ "Real orden de Damas Nobles de la Reina Maria Luisa". Guía Oficial de España (in Spanish). 1928. p. 239. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
- ^ 刑部芳則 (2017). 明治時代の勲章外交儀礼 (PDF) (in Japanese). 明治聖徳記念学会紀要. p. 157.
Bibliography
- Barkovets, A. I.; Tenikhina, V. M. (2006). Empress Maria Fiodorovna. St. Petersburg: Abris Publishers.
- Battiscombe, Georgina (1969). Queen Alexandra. Constable & Company. ISBN 9780094565609.
- Bramsen, Bo (1992). Huset Glücksborg. Europas svigerfader og hans efterslægt [The House of Glücksburg. The Father-in-law of Europe and his descendants] (in Danish) (2nd ed.). Copenhagen: Forlaget Forum. ISBN 87-553-1843-6.
- ISBN 978-0-312-37115-9.
- Hall, Coryne (2001). Little Mother of Russia: a Biography of Empress Marie Feodorovna. London: Shepheard-Walwyn. ISBN 978-0-8419-1421-6.
- Hiort-Lorenzen, Hans Rudolf (1890). "Dagmar, Kejserinde af Rusland". In Bricka, Carl Frederik (ed.). Dansk biografisk Lexikon, tillige omfattende Norge for tidsrummet 1537–1814 (in Danish). Vol. IV (1st ed.). Copenhagen: Gyldendals forlag. p. 135.
- King, Greg (2006). The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-72763-7.
- Korneva, Galina; Cheboksarova, Tatiana (2006). Empress Maria Feodorovna's Favourite Residences in Russia and Denmark. St. Petersburg: Liki Rossi.
- Lerche, Anna; Mandal, Marcus (2003). A Royal Family – The Story of Christian IX and his European descendants. Aschehoug. ISBN 87-15-10957-7.
- Malevinsky, P. (1900). Императорский ширококолейный поезд для путешествий по России постройки 1896 - 1897 гг. Составлено под руководством Временного Строительного Комитета по постройке Императорских поездов инженером П. Малевинским [Imperial broad-gauge train for travel in Russia, constructed in 1896–1897] (PDF) (in Russian). МПС России (Russia's Ministry of the Means of Transportation).
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - Rappaport, Helen (2018). The Race to save the Romanoffs. New York: St Martin’s Press. ISBN 978-1-250-15121-6.
- Retsbo, Ole (2006). Dagmars sidste rejse: En dansk kejserindes dramatiske historie [Dagmar's last journey: The dramatic story of a Danish empress] (in Danish). ISBN 8776801993.
- ISBN 075093459X.
- Vorres, Ian (1985). The Last Grand Duchess. London: Finedawn Publishers.
- Welch, Frances (2018). The Imperial Tea Party: Family, Politics and Betrayal; The Ill-fated British and Russian Royal Alliance. London: Short Books. ISBN 978-1-78072-306-8.
Primary sources
- Ulstrup, Preben, ed. (2005), Kejserinde Dagmars fangenskab på Krim : dagbøger og breve 1917-19 [Empress Dagmar's captivity in Crimea - Diaries and letters 1917-19] (in Danish), Copenhagen: ISBN 8702027615
External links
- (in Russian, Danish, and English) Website of the Danish Cultural Society Dagmaria
- Newspaper clippings about Maria Feodorovna in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW