Little Mother Of Russia – Coryne Hall (1)

A great deal has been written about the relationship between the two women and Dagmar’s reluctance to help her daughter-in-law. Only a few letters from Alicky to Dagmar have survived. They apparently deal mainly with routine family matters, leaving little to base a judgement on. Dagmar was relatively young, certainly not a saint and she made no secret of the fact that she resented seeing a younger woman in her place.

The contrast between them was never more apparent than on ceremonial occasions. Dagmar knew exactly what to say and do, always taking the trouble to know the background of the people to whom she was intro- duced. Her tact and warmth of manner enabled her to smooth over any awkward moments expertly. At dinner she was full of lively conversation, with a habit of dropping her voice occasionally to a deeper note. She made people feel at ease, as if meeting them had been her greatest pleasure.

Alicky stood stiff with nerves, thrusting her hand out while she stammered in her halting French. When married ladies were presented, Dagmar shook hands warmly and offered the older ladies a chair; Alicky kept all the ladies standing. At balls the contrast was marked — Dagmar cheerfully danced all night but Alicky always left early. Dagmar had no intention of taking second place to this shy, awkward young woman. Nor was she above keeping Nicholas and Alicky waiting on ceremonial occasions, knowing that they could not leave until she was ready.

Her ladies disliked the young Empress and were never slow to gossip. Although surprised and hurt to learn that Alicky disliked her prominence, Dagmar nevertheless liked to listen. She resented Alicky for taking away Nicholas and made no attempt to guide her through the minefield of protocol. By the time she emerged from the first shock of bereavement Dagmar’s relations with Alicky were already strained and, because her daughter-in-law never asked her, she was unwilling to help.

When Grand Duchess Vladimir attempted to guide Alicky she was imme- diately rebuffed. Members of Miechen’s socially prominent court then * became hostile to the young Empress and Alicky’s mistakes were not forgiven. The personality difference between Dagmar and Alicky was summed up by a lady-in-waiting: “Without actually clashing’, wrote Baroness Buxhoeveden, ‘they seemed fundamentally unable … to understand one another’. Grand Duchess Olga felt ‘they had tried to understand one another and failed.

They were utterly different in character, habits and outlook’.’* One of the first sources of friction concerned the Crown Jewellery. When Nicholas suggested all the jewels be returned to the Winter Palace ss 23. The main block of the vast Gatchina Palace. Easier to guard than the Anitchkov, it became known as “The Citadel of Autocracy’. (David Downes, private collection) ‘ 24. Yelagin Palace.

Princess Dagmar, daughter of King Christian LX of Denmark and sister of Queen Alexandra of England and King George I of Greece, was betrothed to Tsarevitch Nicholas of Russia, a love match on both sides. Tragically, he died just months before their wedding. Out of duty she married his brother in 1866, and so fifteen years later this poor, obscure princess was raised to the heights of the Russian imperial throne when her husband became Emperor Alexander III, after the assassination of his father.

Her son was Nicholas II, the last Tsar. More tragedy was in store. Her husband died in his prime and two of her sons died young. During the First World War, her advice unheeded, the Tsar took command of the army and she could only watch in despair as the country she loved was governed by her daughter-in-law Empress Alexandra and Rasputin, with disastrous results. Russia was engulfed in revolution, leading to the destruction of the dynasty and the Church. Many of her family disappeared, including two sons and five grandchildren – among them the controversial Anastasia.

She escaped on a British warship and was brought to England. The most senior member of the dynasty to survive, her word was law among the emigrés and her influence paramount among the surviving Romanovs. She had truly become Matoushka, the mother of the Russian People. She died in Denmark, a tragic relic of a bygone age. Using previously unpublished material from the Royal Archives and information in Russian, Danish and Finnish previously unavailable in English, this is the first biography of the Empress for 40 years and the first major work in English.

£25.00 THE DANISH ROYAL FAMILY FREDERIC = (1) PRINCESS LOUISE OF GREAT BRITAIN (1724-51) Carl of = Louise Others Christian VII (1749-1808) Hesse-Cassel (1750-1831) = Princess Caroline Matilda (1744-1836) of Great Britain (1751-75) Louise (1789-1867) Others Marie = Frederick VI Louise Augusta = William, Duke (1767-1852) (1768-1839) (1771-1843 of Glucksburg (1785-1831) | Caroline Other children (1793-1881) (all died in infancy) : = Hereditary Prince Wilhelmine (1808-91) = (1) Fred Frederick Ferdinand = (2) Duke Carl of Glucksburg (1792-1863) (1813-78) Frederikke Friedrich Louise Hans (1811-1902) (1814-85) (1820-94) (1825-1911) ( Marie = Alexander of = Adelheid of (unmarried) (unmarried) (1810-69) Anhalt- Carl Schaumberg- = (1) Friedrich = Bernberg Duke of Lippe Julius Nicholas von Lasberg (1805-63) Glucksburg (1821-99) William (1824-1903) (1828-4!

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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