THE TRAGEDY OF THE ROMANOVS

Nicholas II married Alexandra of Hess, a German princess, in 1894.

The goal of all royalty? To produce an heir to the throne. Preferably a MALE heir.

To produce an heir to the throne.

Preferably a MALE heir.

Nicholas and Alexandra have 4 beautiful daughters - Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia

Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia

Finally, they have their son!! Alexei Romanov is born in 1904.

Alexei Romanov is born in 1904.

ALL THE CZAR’S CHILDREN:

BUT, there is a problem - The boy has hemophilia – a disorder of the blood which does not allow it to clot properly. Will he even live to be Czar? The family keeps it a secret so that the people of Russia do not panic about the fact that the Czarivich may not be able to fulfill his duties. To help, close family friends introduce the family to a man they believe can help. . .

The boy has hemophilia – a disorder of the blood which does not allow it to clot properly.

Will he even live to be Czar?

The family keeps it a secret so that the people of Russia do not panic about the fact that the Czarivich may not be able to fulfill his duties.

To help, close family friends introduce the family to a man they believe can help. . .

GRIGORI EFIMOVICH “RASPUTIN”

A peasant-monk and holy man from Siberia?

Or a woman-chasing, charlatan?

Due to increasing rumors about Rasputin’s actions and the fact that Nicholas leaves to go to the war-front (WWI), the nobles decide to take matters into their own hands. They will murder him!

They will murder him!

The 3 chief conspirators are a somewhat disreputable group: The first is Prince Felix Yusopov Heir to one of Russia’s wealthiest families.

The first is Prince Felix Yusopov

Heir to one of Russia’s wealthiest families.

Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich A cousin of the czar

A cousin of the czar

V. M. Purishkevich Far right-wing member of the imperial Duma known for his passionate hatred of all liberals, radicals, and Jews.

Far right-wing member of the imperial Duma known for his passionate hatred of all liberals, radicals, and Jews.

The corpse of Rasputin

Did Rasputin predict his death? I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before January 1st. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian Mother and to the children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your throne and govern, and you, Russian Tsar, will have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles, and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twenty-five years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave Russia. Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other, and for twenty-five years there will be no noblers in the country. Tsar of the land of Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigory has been killed, you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for more than two years. They will be killed by the Russian people...I shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, think of your blessed family. Words written by Grigory Rasputin in a letter to the Tsarina Alexandra, 7 Dec 1916 23 days later, Rasputin was killed, by two relatives of the Tsar Nicholas II

I write and leave behind me this letter at St. Petersburg. I feel that I shall leave life before January 1st. I wish to make known to the Russian people, to Papa, to the Russian Mother and to the children, to the land of Russia, what they must understand. If I am killed by common assassins, and especially by my brothers the Russian peasants, you, Tsar of Russia, have nothing to fear, remain on your throne and govern, and you, Russian Tsar, will have nothing to fear for your children, they will reign for hundreds of years in Russia. But if I am murdered by boyars, nobles, and if they shed my blood, their hands will remain soiled with my blood, for twenty-five years they will not wash their hands from my blood. They will leave Russia. Brothers will kill brothers, and they will kill each other and hate each other, and for twenty-five years there will be no noblers in the country. Tsar of the land of Russia, if you hear the sound of the bell which will tell you that Grigory has been killed, you must know this: if it was your relations who have wrought my death then no one of your family, that is to say, none of your children or relations will remain alive for more than two years. They will be killed by the Russian people...I shall be killed. I am no longer among the living. Pray, pray, be strong, think of your blessed family.

Words written by Grigory Rasputin in a letter to the Tsarina Alexandra, 7 Dec 1916

23 days later, Rasputin was killed, by two relatives of the Tsar Nicholas II

But the story does not end there: Shortly after Rasputin’s death, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne (March 7, 1917.) Shortly after that, the entire imperial family and several servants, a friend, and a doctor were taken hostage by the Bolsheviks. They were moved from town to town over the course of the next year to avoid being rescued by the White army – supporters of the czar.

Shortly after Rasputin’s death, Czar Nicholas II abdicated the throne (March 7, 1917.)

Shortly after that, the entire imperial family and several servants, a friend, and a doctor were taken hostage by the Bolsheviks.

They were moved from town to town over the course of the next year to avoid being rescued by the White army – supporters of the czar.

One of several homes the family was housed in was this house in Tobolsk, Siberia:

The main Cheka Guard, Jacob Yurovsky

The Ipatiev home in Ekatrinburg would be their final house, “the house of special purpose.”

For further info you can go to: WWW.ROMANOV-MEMORIAL.COM IT HAS BLUE-PRINTS AND LAY-OUTS OF THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.

WWW.ROMANOV-MEMORIAL.COM

IT HAS BLUE-PRINTS AND LAY-OUTS OF THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.

THE BASEMENT ROOM:

After the murders, the bodies were packed onto wagons and taken to a mine-shaft:

But the story doesn’t end there – or does it??? No one could believe the brutality of murdering not only the czar, but women, children and servants, too. Rumors kept surfacing about sightings of the Romanovs, in particular sightings of the youngest daughter.

No one could believe the brutality of murdering not only the czar, but women, children and servants, too.

Rumors kept surfacing about sightings of the Romanovs, in particular sightings of the youngest daughter.

ANASTASIA ROMANOV

One of the last photos taken of her:

A woman, who would later call herself Anna Anderson, claimed to be Anastasia Romanov. She was one of the most credible of all who made the claim.

Anna Anderson insisted, even on her death bed, that she was Anastasia Romanov. Anastasia as a girl (left) Anna Anderson (right)

Anastasia as a girl (left)

Anna Anderson (right)

After communism fell in 1991, many records were unsealed, and now we know more of the story: Yurovsky and his guards could not go through with the grim process of hacking and sawing the bodies, so they buried them.

Yurovsky and his guards could not go through with the grim process of hacking and sawing the bodies, so they buried them.

Site of burial:

Forensic scientists piecing the puzzle together:

Finally, in 1998 the Russian Orthodox Church gives the Romanovs a final resting place in a proper burial: