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Why a fanlisting for Alexandra? Personally I admire her strenght of character.
She has been accused of adultery, espionage and manipulation - all based on lies and gossip.
Alexandra was a private person in non-private world, and that became her fall.
Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine was born on June 6, 1872. Her father was Grand Duke Louis IV of Hesse and her mother, Grand Duchess Alice was born Princess of United Kingdom and a daughter of Queen Victoria. As a little girl she was always cheerful and was nicknamed "Sunny". But after the death of her mother in 1878, Alix become more and more reserved. In 1884 her sister Ella married Grand Duke Sergei of Russia. During the wedding Alix met Tsarevich Nicholas of Russia. Alix and Nicholas could often be seen together and they became friends, and Nicholas fell in love with her. It was not until 1889 they met again when Alix visited Ella in Russia. They fell in love, but Nicholas parents refused him to marry her. Alix returned home. In 1894, Nicholas parents gave permission for the couple to marry. Nicholas proposed, but Alix refused even though she loved him dearly. The reason behind her refusal was the question of conversion to the Russian Orthodox Faith. It was not until her sister Ella spoke about her own conversion Alix changed her mind. When Nicholas proposed a second time she accepted. Instantly she begun to prepare her for the conversion. But in November Nicholas father fell seriously ill and Alix rushed to Russia to see her furture father-in-law. She made in just in time and a few days later Tsar Alexander III died and her fiancé was now Tsar of Russia. A few days later Alix was received into the Russian Orthodox Church and given the name Alexandra Feodorovna. Alexandra and Nicholas was married in St Petersburg only days later. She was now the Tsarina, Empress, of Russia. On her weddingnight she wrote in Nicholas diary; "At last united, bound for life; and when this life is ended, we meet again in the other world and remain together for eternity." Life as Tsarina was not ease. Alexandra was shy and uncomfortable amongst people she did not know. She was judged by others as stiff, proud and very "german". Alexandras and Nicholas first child was born a year later, 1895, Olga. Tatiana followed in 1897, Maria in 1899 and Anastasia in 1901. Both Alexandra and Nicholas loved their four daughters but only a son, a Tsarevich, could inherit the Russian throne. Alexandra became more and more desperate in her wish to carry out her duty as a Tsarina. Her wish was granted in 1904 when she gave birth to a son, Alexei. But Alexei was diagnosed with hemophilia and Alexandra blamed herself for Alexeis illness. Meanwhile, her concern for her son made her nervous and her own health deteriorated as result. Alexandra prayed for a miracle but nothing could help Alexei, until she met Rasputin, a holy man who could ease Alexeis agony. For Alexandra, Rasputin was a miracle and took his advice and trusted him completely. Their close relationship give rise to gossip where Alexandra was accused of having an affair with Rasputin. Alexandras popularity collapsed. The first world war in 1914 made the german born Alexandra even more unpopular. She was known in the press as the "german whore" and "german spy". But Alexandra cared little about it and trained as a nurse and the hospital work made her health stronger. The war released her from the pomp of court but separated her from Nicholas. After the russian revolution in 1917 and Nicholas abdication, Alexandra and her family was deported to Siberia. On August 26, 1917 the family arrived with selected servants to Tobolsk. On 20 April, 1918 the family was transported to Yekaterinburg. But this time the family was separeted. Nicholas and Alexandra went ahead with their daughter Maria. Shortly before their departure Alexandra instructed her children to sew their jewels into their clothes. The family was united again in May. Early in the morning of July 17, 1918, the entire family was executed by the Bolsheviks. |