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Grand Duke Constantine Nicholaievich of Russia

Born September 9, 1827(1827-09-09)
St. Petersburg
Died January 13, 1892 (aged 64)
Pavlovsk
Spouse Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg
Children Nikolai, Olga, Vera, Konstantin, Dimitri, Viacheslav
Parents Nicholas I of Russia (father)
Charlotte of Prussia (mother)

Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia (Russian: Константин Николаевич; September 9, 1827 – January 13, 1892) was the second son of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Pavlovsk (Па́вловск is a town situated in Russia, 30 km from and under jurisdiction of Saint Petersburg, just to the south of Tsarskoye Selo Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia ( 8 July 1830 Altenburg &ndash 6 July 1911 Saint Petersburg) born Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich ( 14 February 1850 &ndash 26 January 1918) was the first-born son of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich Olga Constantinovna of Russia Grand Duchess Vera Constantinovna of Russia ( February 16 1854 – April 11 1912, великая княгиня Вера Константиновна Grand Duke Constantine Constantinovich of Russia (Константи́н Константи́нович ( August 22, 1858 in Strelna &ndash June 15 Grand Duke Dimitri Konstantinovich of Russia ((Димитрий Константинович June 13 1860 – January 28 1919) was a son of Grand Duke Vyacheslav Constantinovich of Russia, ( July 13, 1862 - February 27, 1879) was a Romanov Grand duke and the Alexandra Feodorovna, born Charlotte Princess of Prussia, ( July 13, 1798 &ndash November 1, 1860) was Empress consort of Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1827 ( MDCCCXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year

During the reign of his brother Alexander II, Constantin was an admiral of the Russian fleet and reformed the Russian Navy. Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St The Imperial Russian Navy refers to the Tsarist Fleets prior to the Bolshevik Revolution. He was also an instrumental figure in the emancipation of the serfs. The Emancipation Reform of 1861 in Russia was the first and most important of liberal reforms affected during the reign of Alexander II of Russia. He was less fortunate as viceroy of Poland and had to be recalled to Russia where he was attacked for his liberalism. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

After the assassination of his brother, Alexander II, Constantin fell from favour. The new tsar, Alexander III, his nephew, opposed Konstantin’s liberal ideas and gradually stripped him of all his governmental positions. Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor His retirement was marked with personal turmoil and family setbacks. After suffering a stroke, he spent his last years as an invalid.

Contents

Education

Constantin was born in St. Petersburg, the second son and fifth child of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Alexandra Feodorovna, born Charlotte Princess of Prussia, ( July 13, 1798 &ndash November 1, 1860) was Empress consort of His parents were happy to have a second son after nine years of having only daughters. Nicholas I and his wife were devoted to each other and to their children, providing an excellent education for them.

Normally the Imperial children were kept under female supervision until they were seven. However, by the time he was five Constantin had become too willful and difficult for a governess to handle and his father appointed a male tutor for him. [1] Nicholas I intended that Konstantin would eventually become Admiral General of the Russian Fleet and with this in mind chose Feodor Litke as tutor for his son. Count Fyodor Petrovich Litke ( Граф Фёдор Петро́вич Ли́тке) Litke, who had circumnavigated the globe at the age of twenty, was a brash and bold man, unafraid of controversy or offense, and he passed these qualities along to his student. He trained the boy in naval sciences and filled his head with tales of the sea, gaining the friendship of his pupil for life [2]. Languages were an important part of Konstantin's education; he learned Russian, English ,German and French. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people [3] As he grew older, his lessons increased in length and complexity to encompass mathematics, science, statistics, and government administration. There were also early military lessons and drills. Konstantin also enjoyed music, learning to play the piano and cello. He loved drawing and had great appreciation for the arts. He also became an enthusiastic reader and his fascination with Homer led him to translate the Odyssey from German. Homer ( Ancient Greek:, Homēros) is a legendary ancient Greek epic Poet, traditionally said to be the author of the epic poems the The Odyssey ( Greek: Ὀδύσσεια or Odússeia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer.

In 1835, Constantin accompanied his parents to Germany and from age eight onwards was taught to keep a diary. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. When he was just eight years old, he was given a small yacht, which he would sail between Peterhof and Kronstadt, spending his days at sea and returning home at night. Peterhof (Петерго́ф Petergof, originally named nl Peterhof, the Dutch for "Peter's Court" is a municipal town within Petrodvortsovy Kronstadt (Кроншта́дт also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt (Krone for Crown and Stadt for City) is a Russian In 1836, accompanied by Litke, he embarked on a lengthy sailing expedition and finally he was given command of the Russian frigate Hercules under Litke’s direction. Year 1836 ( MDCCCXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap During his training Konstantin was treated like all other naval cadets, even to the point of his title of Grand Duke being dispensed with. He was placed on watch duty at midnight as well as in rain and storms. [4] At the age of sixteen, Konstantin was promoted to the rank of captain and served as commander of the frigate Ulyses, visiting various ports along the Gulf of Finland and embarking on a southern tour that included the Mediterranean. The Gulf of Finland ( Finnish: Suomenlahti, Russian: Финский залив, Finskiy zaliv, Swedish: Finska viken

The encouragement and guidance of his aunt, Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna, was another important influence in Constantin's education. Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia ( Stuttgart, 9 January 1807 &ndash Stuttgart, 2 February[[ 873]] was the wife Elena took him under her wing, broadening his taste in literature and music and introducing him to the latest scientific ideas. She was well known for her liberal bent and had a big influence in her nephew’s political views. Under Litke’s influence, Konstantin began his forays into official life, taking on patronage of the new Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The Russian Geographical Society (RGO is a Learned society, founded on 6 August, 1845 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Geographical Society was subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was home to a conspicuous number of liberal bureaucrats including Nikolai Miliutin. Nikolay Alekseyevich Milyutin (1818—1872 was a Russian statesman remembered as the chief architect of the great liberal reforms undertaken during Alexander II 's

Marriage

Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia and his eldest son Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich
Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia and his eldest son Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich

The male members of the Romanov family were famous for their good looks and their height, but Constantin was rather short and ugly. The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917 He was described by one observer: " His complexion was sallow, the color of his hair was rather neutral, and resembled the sand of the seashore. His eyes were gray, dreamy, and half closed and an enormous wooden looking nose took the place of his father’s Grecian outline". [5] He had a loud voice, imposing personality and brusque manners. With a quick temper, Konstantin was a difficult man and often unpleasant.

In 1846 Constantin’s sister, Grand Duchess Olga, married Crown Prince Charles of Württemberg. Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia ( September 11, 1822 – October 30, 1892) later Queen Olga of Württemberg, was Charles of Württemberg (Karl Friedrich Alexander König von Württemberg was the third King of Württemberg, from 25 June 1864 until his death in 1891 He went with her to Stuttgart then he continued to Altenburg to be introduced to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg. Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. This article is about the city in Thuringia, Germany. For other uses see Altenburg (disambiguation. Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia ( 8 July 1830 Altenburg &ndash 6 July 1911 Saint Petersburg) born His parents had arranged the meeting thinking that Alexandra might make a good match for Konstantin. Alexandra was strikingly beautiful, tall and slim and Konstantin was immediately eager to marry her. "I don’t know what is happening to me. It is as if I am a completely new person. Just one thought moves me, just one image fills my eyes: forever and only she, my angel, my universe. I really do think I’m in love. However, what can it mean? I’ve only know her just a few hours and I’m already I’m up to my ears in Passion ". [6]

Constantin was nineteen and Alexandra three years younger; they were engaged but had to wait two more years to get married. On October 12,1847, she arrived in Russia. In February she converted to Russian Orthodoxy, taking the name of Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia ( 8 July 1830 Altenburg &ndash 6 July 1911 Saint Petersburg) born They were married six months later on September 11, 1848 in the Winter Palace. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1848 ( MDCCCXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap See also The movie Russian Ark, an innovative single shot walkthrough with period reenactments spanning three hundred years of court meetings Both were musical: he played the cello and she the piano. They seem to have been a good match. For the first years of their marriage, they were a devoted couple, starting their married life happily. In the following years, they had six children. The couple lived in some of the most luxurious palaces of the Empire: Pavlovsk, Strelna and the Marble Palace. Pavlovsk (Па́вловск is a town situated in Russia, 30 km from and under jurisdiction of Saint Petersburg, just to the south of Tsarskoye Selo Strelna (Стре́льна is a historic settlement situated about halfway between St Marble Palace or Mramornyi Dvorets was one of the first Neoclassical Palaces in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Constantin received the Marble Palace in St Petersburg as a wedding gift from his parents with Strelna, on the Gulf of Finland, as their country retreat. Strelna (Стре́льна is a historic settlement situated about halfway between St A year after his marriage Konstantin inherited Pavlovsk from his uncle Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich, and, at the death of his mother, the palace of Oreanda in Crimea. Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich of Russia ( Russian:Михаи́л Па́влович Mikhail Pavlovich) (born St Crimea (kraɪˈmiːə or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Крим Автономна Республіка Крим Avtonomna Respublika Krym; Крым

Early career

In 1849 as a young officer, Constantin took part in a campaign assisting the Austrians to put down an uprising in Hungary. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic It was his first real taste of military conflict. He took part in three dangerous clashes, coming under enemy fire. For his bravery he received the St. George's Cross. During this campaign, he wrote to his father who maintained they were the best reports he received. A year later, Konstantin was appointed a member of the State Council.

In 1853, Constantin's father Tsar Nicholas I made him General-Admiral of the Imperial Navy and head of the Department of the Imperial navy. In this position, he was in charge with reforming a navy that had largely remained unchanged since the time of Peter the Great. It fell upon Konstantin to not only preside over an archaic fleet but also to see it through the disaster of the Crimean War. The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought On the midst of the conflict, his father died and Konstantin advised his brother to search for peace in a war already lost. [7] In early 1856, he accompanied his brother Alexander II to the Crimea to view first-hand the devastation of the War. Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St Crimea (kraɪˈmiːə or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Крим Автономна Республіка Крим Avtonomna Respublika Krym; Крым These early military experiences gave Konstantin a loathing of army life and the futility of war. From then on, he was a man of peace, despite his keen interest in the navy, and in political terms a progressive. There was a close working relationship between the two brothers, which was responsible for many reforms. Konstantin was also sent on a diplomatic mission to Napoleon III. Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President

Naval reform

Plans for naval reform took Constantin’s attention at the start of his brother’s reign. He visited England and France in 1857 to study modern navies. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the Knowing Russia was an inferior military power, Konstantin made concerted efforts to modernize the Russian fleet. Under his orders, old wooden frigates equipped with cannon were replaced with new iron and steel vessels outfitted with modern French and German artillery. Beginning in 1857, he supervised a comprehensive building program that completely transformed the Imperial Navy and made it into a world superpower. Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the Under his plans, the Baltic fleet received 18 battleships, twelve frigates, and 100 canon boats, while the Pacific fleet was reinforced with twelve new armored vessels, nine transport ships and four frigates. Only the Black Sea Fleet was largely neglected due to the restriction forced upon Russia after the Crimean War. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought Nevertheless, he added nineteen new vessels, the maximum allowed to the Empire.

Constantin’s spirit of reform had to confront an overstaffed bureaucracy which obstructed his every move. "I want shipwrights and sailors, no crowds of clerks ",[8] he said. He was energetic and determined. As he pushed forward his plans for the navy, he was involved in the reform of the naval and military colleges, as well as a thorough investigation of corruption in the army and the revision of the county’s censorship laws. Abrupt, quick-tempered, and utterly contemptuous of anyone who opposed him, he could forge through problems that daunted his more sensitive elder brother.

As is usual with reformers, Constantin was both praised and despised. One critic called him " the most intelligent and able of Alexander II’s brothers", but declared that he was " too self-centered to take any real interest in the welfare of others". However, Konstantin's work had a lasting influence on the Russian Imperial Navy. Under his tenure, it was rebuilt and strengthened, with new armored, steam powered vessels replacing the old wooden frigates of his father’s reign. He left Russia with the world’s third largest sea power, a naval force recognized for its strength and feared for its disciplined approach.

Emancipation of the serfs

The most important reform of all was the emancipation of the serfs, a policy that was unpopular with large sections of the nobility. The Emancipation Reform of 1861 in Russia was the first and most important of liberal reforms affected during the reign of Alexander II of Russia. When the committee appointed to bring it about dug in their heels and made difficulties, Alexander II asked Konstantin to join the committee in September 1857. Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the Where the Tsar was unsure of himself, his younger brother was more forceful, quick tempered, and cared not what others might think of him.

In 1858 a central group for emancipation, which included only the more progressive members, Konstantin, Lanskoy, Yakov Rostovtsev , Nikolay Milyutin and their allies, replaced the original committee. Iakov Ivanovich Rostovtsev ( –) was a leading figure in the formulation of Statutes which effectively emancipated the Russian serfs. Nikolay Alekseyevich Milyutin (1818—1872 was a Russian statesman remembered as the chief architect of the great liberal reforms undertaken during Alexander II 's Even then, progress was still slow, particularly as several members objected to the Grand Duke’s brusque manner. [9]

Diehards on the committee knew better than to argue with Konstantin, but continued to use every means possible to provoke him by acting as a brake on progress. He faced a fractured group of representatives, divided between dedicated reformers intent on enacting the Emperor’s reforms immediately, and a hoist of conservative aristocrat representatives who vehemently opposed the emancipation of the serfs. Konstantin was particularly scornful of the numerous aristocratic protests against his plan, commenting once that they were not even worthy for him to spit upon. [10] On several occasions, Konstantin only just managed to keep the Committee from disintegrating under the strain. The post was a difficult one and the pressures wore on the Grand Duke. His enemies retaliated with ludicrous and poisonous gossip: " Konstantin", they said, "was insane, the result of too much masturbation". [11]

Although his brother never ceased to support him, after twelve stormy months Konstantin decided he had had enough of “the ignoble nobility”. Frustrated and disheartened, he departed for a relaxing cruise abroad. He returned to his post almost a year later, refreshed by his absence. The brothers' joint determination for results eventually paid off. [12] A general plan of procedure was soon produced and after almost five years, the emancipation finally became law in 1861. Year 1861 ( MDCCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Alexander II publicly thanked Konstantin for his contribution.

Viceroy of Poland

Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia
Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia

In 1861, the Russian sector of Poland, partitioned since the previous century, was disturbed and under martial law. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland [13] Alexander II needed a skillful governor for Poland and decided to appointed Constantin for the job. In early 1862, Constantin arrived in Warsaw as the new Namestnik of the Kingdom of Poland. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Namestnik of the Kingdom of Poland (Namiestnik Królestwa Polskiego was the Title of the official representatives of the King of Poland (i On July 4, 1862, his second day as Governor-General, a tailor’s apprentice and Polish nationalist named de Jonza saw him leaving a Warsaw theater, and shot him; the bullet grazed the Grand duke in the shoulder, but left him otherwise unhurt. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday [14] Konstantin described the attack as follows: " I went into the square", he wrote, " and a man came from the crowd approaching me. Form the breast he pulled a pistol, and fired. I ran back to the theater, otherwise I would have been dead. "[15]

Although the Tsar sent him a telegram ordering him to return to St. Petersburg at once, Konstantin preferred to stay, and his wife Grand Duchess Alexandra supported him. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River His assailant was tried and hanged and Konstantin publicly appealed to the citizens of Warsaw to end the violence. After this attack, he was always escorted by a contingent of Cossacks wherever he went. The Cossacks (Каза́ки́ Kazaki; Козаки́ Kozaki; Kozacy are a group of martial people living in the southern Steppe regions of Eastern

In July 1862, Constantin's wife gave birth to the couple’s sixth and last child in Warsaw. Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday As a compliment to the Poles, they decided to give their son a Polish name, Vacslav, but the Russians insisted that the true Russified form, Viacheslav, should be used, a compromise which pleased neither nation. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Alexander II’s second son, Grand Duke Alexander, was sent to Warsaw to stand as a godfather to the child. A large, clumsy youth of seventeen, the future Alexander III spilt a decanter of red wine at the dinner table. Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Constantin, with his abrupt manners, scolded his clumsy nephew, remarking “See what a pig they have sent us from St. Petersburg”. [16] The future Alexander III would never forget this insult and for the rest of his life he bore a grudge against his uncle.

Constantin sympathized with the Poles and, ignoring the advice of his brother’s generals, he ended martial law and embarked on a program of liberalization. Polish was reinstated as the official language, universities were opened and Konstantin appointed Poles to administrative positions, gathering a distinguished court of Poles and Russians around him. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. [17] Konstantin did all he could to appease the Poles, but his well-meant reforms did not go far enough for the Polish nationalists who wanted nothing short of independence, by force if necessary.

Acting on the advice of the Emperor, Constantin ordered a forcible conscription of certain young Poles. The move, announced on New Year’s Day 1863, was designed not to reinforce the rolls of the Army, but to round up a number of dangerous young nationalist radicals. Year 1863 ( MDCCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The measure backfired, marking the outbreak of the so-called January Uprising. The January Uprising ( Polish: powstanie styczniowe, Lithuanian: 1863 m National resistance turned to general rebellion that spread into the nine formerly Polish provinces known as Russia’s western region, where powerful landlords and Catholic clergy were ready to give vent to their hatred of Russian domination.

Intense fighting, protest, strikes, and even political assassinations, all threatened to undermine the advances that Konstantin had pushed so strenuously. He then had to declare martial law and severely repressed the uprising. Although adept when it came to naval matters, Konstantin had little taste for political fights, and none for ruthlessly crushing revolts. In August 1863, he asked the emperor to relieve him of the post of Viceroy, and Alexander II, aware of how tormented his brother had become by the situation in Warsaw, accepted his resignation. The insurrection was finally quelled in May 1864, when the more conservative Count Theodore Berg was sent to replace Konstantin as viceroy.

President of the Council of State

Back in St. Petersburg, Constantin devoted all his attention to the navy. He spent seven years reforming the Naval Department, altering laws and reorganizing trainings on recruits, and successfully managed to transform the previous often-grim conditions on board most vessels to meet modern standards and expectations. Corporal punishment was abolished in 1863 and the traditional system of naval recruitment was drastically altered.

Alexander II, who appreciated his brother’s work, made Constantin Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, where he presided over long sessions and recommended revolutionary measures to bring the laws of the Russian Empire in line with the other leading countries. In recognition of his services, Alexander II appointed him Chairman of the Council of Ministers in 1865. Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In all Konstantin was President of the Council of State for sixteen years. Though lacking in tact, he always had the Tsar's ear and defended the council's view. This also made him many enemies.

Constantin presided over many Russian institutions; he was Chairman of the Russian Geographic Committee and president of several educational institutions, including the Russian Musical Society. A promoter of Slavic causes, he saw Russia’s future in the East, nevertheless perceiving Russia’s continued hold on Alaska as a burden to the Empire. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent He was instrumental in persuading his brother to sell it to the United States in 1867.

Family crisis

Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia with his family(from left to right) : Grand Duke Dimitri Constantinovich; an unidentified aide; on the floor Grand Duke Constantin Constantinovich; sitting Grand Duchess Alexandra and Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich holding Grand Duke Viacheslav; standing behind: Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna and Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich
Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich of Russia with his family(from left to right) : Grand Duke Dimitri Constantinovich; an unidentified aide; on the floor Grand Duke Constantin Constantinovich; sitting Grand Duchess Alexandra and Grand Duke Constantin Nikolaevich holding Grand Duke Viacheslav; standing behind: Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna and Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich

Constantin was a loving father. In 1867, his eldest daughter, Olga, married King George I of Greece. Olga Constantinovna of Russia George I King of the Hellenes (Γεώργιος A' Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων Georgios A' Vasileus ton Ellinon; 24 December 1845 &ndash 18 March 1913 was She was only sixteen, and Konstantin was initially reluctant to let her marry so young. In July 1868 Olga’s first child was born and was named Constantine after his grandfather. The start of his daughter's family coincided with the breaking up of Konstantin's marriage.

Although he was only forty, Constantin’s struggles and travails of the previous decade- naval and judiciary reforms, the freeing of the serfs- had prematurely aged him. As Alexander II turned away from the reform that had marked his first decade on the throne, Konstantin's influence began to wane and he began to focus more in his personal life. After twenty years of marriage he had drifted away from his wife, their divergent political views and interests slowly tearing away the foundations of their marriage. Alexandra Iosifovna was as conservative as her husband was liberal, self-absorbed with her own beauty and her mysticism. Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia ( 8 July 1830 Altenburg &ndash 6 July 1911 Saint Petersburg) born Soon, Konstantin turned elsewhere for comfort. [18]

At the end of the 1860s, Constantin embarked on an affair, having an illegitimate daughter, Marie Condousso. In the 1880s, Marie was sent to Greece, later serving as lady in waiting to her half sister, Queen Olga. Marie eventually married a Greek banker. [19] Soon after the birth of Marie, Konstantin began a new liaison. Around 1868, Konstantin began to pursue a young dancer from the St Petersburg Conservatoire. Anna Vasilievna Kousnetzova was a talented ballerina and mime. She was the illegitimate daughter of ballerina Tatiana Markianovna Kuosnetzova and actor Vassili Andreevich Karatyguine. Anna was twenty years younger than Konstantin and initially she resisted his advances, but in 1873 she gave birth to their first child. Four more would follow. [20]

Constantin bought his second family a large, comfortable dacha on his estate at Pavlovsk, in fact lodging his mistress and their illegitimate children in close proximity to his estranged wife to whom he now referred to as his “government–issue wife”. Once more Konstantin gave ammunition to his enemies and society sided in the scandal with his suffering wife, who tried to bear his infidelity with dignity.

In 1874, scandal erupted when it was discovered that Constantin's eldest son, Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich, who had lived a dissipated life and had revolutionary ideas, had stolen three valuable diamonds from an icon in the bedroom of Alexandra Iosifovna in complicity with his mistress, an American courtesan. Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich ( 14 February 1850 &ndash 26 January 1918) was the first-born son of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich His twenty-four-year-old son was found guilty, declared insane and banished for life to Central Asia. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Constantin suffered another bitter blow when in 1879, his youngest legitimate son, Viacheslav, died unexpectedly from a brain hemorrhage.

Retirement

Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich of Russia in his late years
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich of Russia in his late years

Since 1865, Constantin had been pushing for a constitution in Russia. As President of the Council of State, he helped to prepare the proposal for a limited elective assembly which Alexander II was due to approve on the very day he was assassinated. For Konstantin and his fellow reformers, hopes ended within months of the new Emperor's ascension to the throne. Alexander III destroyed the document and as he never had liked his uncle Konstantin, whom he regarded a 'liberal powerhouse', requested his uncle's resignation. Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Konstantin refused to resign, saying that his father had directed me to serve both my deceased brother, and his successors. In my capacity as chairman of the State Council, and as Admiral-General of the Imperial navy, I plan to serve Your Majesty with just as much faith and energy. By doing so, I will fulfill my beloved father’s last wishes ". This was not the answer Alexander III had anticipated and the second time he presented his uncle not with a suggestion but with an order. [21] After sixteen years as chairman of the Council of ministers, Konstantin was stripped of the office and was replaced by his brother, the more pliable Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich of Russia; Alexander III also took away Konstantin's position as head of the Naval Department, handing it over to his own brother, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich. Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia ( October 13, 1832 &ndash December 18, 1909) was the fourth son and seventh child of Tsar The Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov of Russia (St Petersburg January 14, 1850 (January 4 O Constantin was no longer welcome at court.

The dismissal fell heavily on the still vibrant, energetic Constantin, leaving him adrift without any proper role. [22] He was an enthusiastic chess player and his chess problems were published in international journals, but that was not a substitute for the position he once had at the center of affairs. He spent increasingly more time with his second family, further humiliating his legitimate wife. With nothing left to do, Constantin retired to Pavlovsk, spending most of his time abroad or on his Crimean estate of Oreanda. Pavlovsk (Па́вловск is a town situated in Russia, 30 km from and under jurisdiction of Saint Petersburg, just to the south of Tsarskoye Selo In August 1881 a fire completely destroyed Oreanda. The palace was never rebuilt and Konstantin lived from then on in a wooden pavilion. Tragedy struck him again while living there. In April 1885, his two surviving illegitimate sons died days apart of scarlet fever. [23] Of the five children Constantin had had with Kousnetzova, only the two daughters, Marina and Anna, thrived; Konstantin showered them with affection. He was also particularly close to his eldest daughter Olga whom he visited in Greece in 1883. His grandson Prince Christopher of Greece remembered him for his sharp and loud voice, which Konstantin enjoyed using, usually for new servants and preferably in the presence of guests. Family Background He was born at Pavlovsk, Imperial Russia; his parents were George I of Greece and Olga Queen of Greece; he was the youngest Without any reason he would glare at the new servant and then scream the servant's name. Some were used to the trick and remained calm, while others dropped the dishes in terror, which amused him. [24]

Last years

In 1886, Constantin was furious when Alexander III restricted the title of Grand Duke to only children and grandchildren of Emperors, as this meant that Konstantin's grandchildren would merely be princes, but there was little he could do. He had been shunned from society and Alexander III only called his uncle to court for the wedding of Konstantin’s eldest granddaughter, Alexandra of Greece to his nephew Grand Duke Paul. Marriage and Children Alexandra whose nicknames were "Greek Alix" or "Aline" was well-loved by her family Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich of Russia (Павел Александрович (October 3 1860 N

At the beginning of August 1889, Constantin suffered a severe stroke that left his legs paralyzed and him unable to speak. The loss of his health struck the once vibrant Konstantin particularly hard. [25] As an invalid, he depended from then on on the care of adjutants while confined in a bath chair. Constantin was cared for by his wife, who gained a sort of revenge for his unfaithfulness and past humiliations. Alexandra Iosifovna did not expel Anna Kounetzova and her children from the nearby house that Konstantin had provided for them, but she made sure that Konstantin's attendants never took him there. [26]

Constantin tried in vain to convince his attendants to take him to see his second family, but they were under strict orders not to do so and pretended not to understand the invalid's wishes. One day, brought home by his attendants, he grabbed his wife’s hair and beat her with a stick before anyone could intervene. [27]

Constantin died at Pavlovsk on January 13/25, 1892. Pavlovsk (Па́вловск is a town situated in Russia, 30 km from and under jurisdiction of Saint Petersburg, just to the south of Tsarskoye Selo [28] Before he died his wife invited his mistress and their two daughters to see him for a last time.

Children

Constantin and his wife Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna had six children :

Konstantin had five illegitimate children with his mistress Anna Kousnetzova (1847-1922), they bore the last name Kniazev

Ancestry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16. Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1885 ( MDCCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Scarlet fever is a disease caused by an Exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1885 ( MDCCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Scarlet fever is a disease caused by an Exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8. Duke Charles Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp (Karl Friedrich Herzog zu Holstein-Gottorp ( April 30, 1700 - June 18, 1739) was the son of Frederick Peter III of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17. Peter III ( February 21, 1728 – July 17, 1762) (Пётр III Фëдорович Pyotr III Fyodorovitch) was Emperor Anna Petrovna of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4. Anna Petrovna Tsesarevna of Russia (Анна Петровна 27 January 1708, Moscow &ndash 4 March 1728, Kiel Paul I of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18. Paul (Па́вел I Петро́вич Pavel Petrovich) ( &ndash) was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801 Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9. Christian August Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst ( Dornburg, 29 November 1690 - Zerbst, 16 March 1747) was a German Catherine II of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19. Catherine II, called Catherine the Great (Екатерина II Великая Yekaterina II Velikaya;) reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years Johanna Elisabeth, Princess of Holstein-Gottorp
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2. Nicholas I of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20. Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10. Karl Alexander ( 24 May 1684 &ndash 12 March 1737) was Duke of Württemberg from 1698 until his death Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21. Friedrich Eugen Duke of Württemberg ( 21 January 1732 &ndash 23 December 1797) the fourth son of Duke Karl Alexander and Maria Maria Augusta Anna of Thurn and Taxis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5. Sophie Dorothea of Württemburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22. Maria Feodorovna (Мари́я Фёдоровна 25 October 1759 &ndash 5 November 1828) was the second wife of Tsar Paul I of Russia Friedrich Wilhelm, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11. Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 23. Sophie Dorothea Marie, Princess of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia (Sophia Dorothea Marie von Preußen (born Berlin, 25 January 1719; died Schwedt, 13 November Grand Duke Constantine Nicholaevich of Russia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24. Prince Augustus William of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12. For the son of Emperor William II see Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia (1887-1949 Frederick William II of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25. Frederick William II (Friedrich Wilhelm II September 25 1744 &ndash November 16 1797) was the fourth King of Prussia, reigning from Louise Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 6. Louise Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1722 &ndash 1780 was daughter of Ferdinand Albert II Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Frederick William III of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 26. Early life The son of King Frederick William II of Prussia, Frederick William was born in Potsdam and became Crown Prince in 1786 when his father ascended Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13. Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt ( German: Ludwig) ( December 15, 1719 &ndash May 13, 1790) was the Landgrave of Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27. Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt ( October 16, 1751 &ndash February 25, 1805) was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Prussia Karoline of Zweibrücken
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3. Henriette Caroline Christiane Louise of Pfalz-Zweibrücken ( Strassburg, March 9 1721 &ndash Darmstadt March 30 1774) Charlotte of Prussia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28. Alexandra Feodorovna, born Charlotte Princess of Prussia, ( July 13, 1798 &ndash November 1, 1860) was Empress consort of Charles Louis Frederick, Duke of Mecklenburg-Mirow
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14. Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29. Charles II ( October 10, 1741 November 6, 1816) was ruler of the state of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from 1794 until his death Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7. Princess Elizabeth Albertine of Saxe- Hildburghausen ( 4 August, 1713 &ndash 29 June, 1761) was a member of the reigning family Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30. Luise Auguste Wilhelmine Amalie ( Luisa Augusta Wilhelmina Amelia) ( March 10, 1776 &ndash July 19, 1810) Queen of Georg Wilhelm of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15. Georg Wilhelm of Hesse-Darmstadt ( July 11 1722 &ndash June 21 1782) was a Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt and an ancestor of many royals of the Friederike Caroline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 31. Maria of Leiningen-Dagsburg
 
 
 
 
 
 

Notes

  1. ^ David Chavchavadze, The Grand Dukes, 55.
  2. ^ Charlotte Zaepvat, Romanov Autumn, p. 67
  3. ^ Chavchavadze, 56.
  4. ^ Chavchavadze, 57.
  5. ^ King, Greg & Wilson, Penny, Gilded Prism, 10.
  6. ^ King and Wilson, 12
  7. ^ Chavchavadze, 59.
  8. ^ King and Wilson, 32.
  9. ^ John Van der Kiste, The Romanovs, 1818-1959, 27. John Van der Kiste, author was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire in 1954 son of Wing Commander Guy Van der Kiste (1912-99
  10. ^ King and Wilson, 33.
  11. ^ King and Wilson, 34.
  12. ^ Van der Kiste, 27.
  13. ^ Zaepvat, 69.
  14. ^ King and Wilson, 35.
  15. ^ King and Wilson, 35.
  16. ^ Van der Kiste, 35.
  17. ^ Zaepvat, 70.
  18. ^ King and Wilson, 39.
  19. ^ King and Wilson, 39.
  20. ^ Zaepvat, 71.
  21. ^ King and Wilson, 74.
  22. ^ King and Wilson, 74.
  23. ^ King and Wilson, 87.
  24. ^ Chavchavadze, 58.
  25. ^ King and Wilson, 89.
  26. ^ Zaepvat, 75.
  27. ^ Zaepvat, 75.
  28. ^ King and Wilson, 91.

Bibliography

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