Figure 1.--Here we see the royal family in a rather formal portrait. We would guess the portrait was taken about 1892. We are not sure who the man with a dog is, perhaps the Tsar's brother. Notice Nicholas' cossack costume and Michael's sailor suit. The portrait was taken at Lividia.

Unlike many royal marriages, the one of Dagmar and Alexander was a happy one. It was said of Alexander that the two things that he never wished to break was the peace of Europe and the Seventh Commanment. He was not only faithful to his wife, but he was devoted to domestic life, both Dagmar and the children. [Battiscombe, p. 158.] He had a wonderful way with children despite his massive appaearnce and absolutely doted upon his daughters. The Tsar was warm and loving with his wife and children, if rather over powering. The formality here is more a photographic style thann reflective of family relationships (figure 1). The portrait herewas taken at Lividia. This was a summer residence located in the Crimea. After Nivcholas became Tsar he built a more grandiose palace here. (This was the palace where Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt met during World War II for the Yalta Conference during 1945.) Family life was affected by the measures against terrorism. He did not live in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Instead the family lived in Gatchina, the palace of his great-grandfather, Paul I. Gatchina was more secure. In fact, it was built like a medieval fortress surrounded by ditches and watchtowers. While the Tsar and his family were safe there, it meant that he and the royal family were virtually totaly isolated from the Russian people. Even in this large palace, the royal family lived simply. They lived in the renovated servants area.

Growth

After the birth of Nicholas, the Imperial family grew rapidly in size. The next baby, Alexander, born in 1869, unfortunaltely died before he was 12 months old. Then George was born, in 1871, followed by Xenia, in 1875, Michael, in 1878, and finally Olga, in 1882.

The Marriage

Unlike many royal marriages, the one of Dagmar and Alexander was a happy one. It was said of Alexander that the two things that he never wished to break was the peace of Europe and the Seventh Commanment. He was not only faithful to his wife, but he was devoted to domestic life, both Dagmar and the children. [Battiscombe, p. 158.]

Parenthood

Despite Alexander being both a good husband and father, he dominated his family like the very incarnation of the proverbial Russian bear--as he dominated his Empire. Because of his preoccupation in ruling the country, it was Maria who looked after the children and served as a buffer between them and their father. Alexander was so fearsome and strong that he sometimes freightened his own children as he sometimes did his subjects. Nicholas stood in awe of his father, Tsar Alexander III. The Tsar was a giant of a man--especially imposing to a small child raised in an austere, but loving Victorian family. The Tsar was renowned in Russia for his strength and vigor. Nicholas wanted to, but could not match is father's reputation, even as he got older. Matching his physical presence, the Tsar was a very domineering father.

Relationships

George and Xenia became Nicholas's playmates in childhood games.

Family Life

The Imperail family was in many ways a protypical Victorain family, but towered over by the pesence of Czar Alexander--a larger than life presence. He had a wonderful way with children despite his massive appaearnce and absolutely doted upon his daughters. The Tsar was warm and loving with his wife and children, if rather over powering. Nicholas and his siblings were brought up very simply. They were raised in the Imperial Palace of Gatchina, their father's favorite residence. Despite the palace having 900 rooms, their quarters were located on the mezzanine level, firstly destinated for servants. They slept in army camp beds without pillows or mats and they took cold showers every morning. Their father didn't want them spoiled. They were also trained in outdoor games as a indispensable component of their everyday life, for their future benefit. They were offered pets such as dogs, birds or rabbits and they had to take care of them themselves.

Yalta

The formality here is more a photographic style than reflective of family relationships (figure 1). The portrait here was taken at Lividia. This was a summer residence located in the Crimea. After Nivcholas became Tsar he built a more grandiose palace here. (This was the palace where Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt met during World War II for the Yalta Conference during 1945.)

Terrorism

Family life was affected by the measures against terrorism. He did not live in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Instead the family lived in Gatchina, the palace of his great-grandfather, Paul I. Gatchina was more secure. In fact, it was built like a medieval fortress surrounded by ditches and watchtowers. While the Tsar and his family were safe there, it meant that he and the royal family were virtually totaly isolated from the Russian people. Even in this large palace, the royal family lived simply. They lived in the renovated servants area.

Religion

The entire family was very religious. Their favorite holiday was Easter and the children helped the parents making Easter eggs. Also, since Orthodox Easter is celebrated more lavishly and democratically than its western equivalent, the entire family exchanged the traditional Russian "three kiss salutation" among them and with their friends, servants and guards.

Traditions

The family possessed many traditions and shared pastimes. All members of the family loved reading, specially in the evenings, with Nicholas' father reading alound, and the birthdays were moments of great fun, with the children preparing gifts in secret. The children also loved to cut pictures from English and French magazines and past them on walls and corridors of the family's palaces. These pictures featured famous people, ceremonies and monuments. In those moments of fun, Nicholas developed a sense of diligence and self organization that would help him very much in the future. When he was Tsar, during his long hours in his working study occupied with affaires of state, he managed it all without a secretary. He real all the correspondence, he replied to all the letters personally and he sealed the envelopes himself.

Sources

Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1969).

Created: 5:37 AM 9/7/2004
Last updated: 12:51 AM 2/5/2010