Michael Romanov

Brother Of The Last Tsar, Diaries And Letters, 1916-1918

Helen Azar, Nicholas B. A. Nicholson

• Publisher: Academica Press
• Year: 2020
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9781680539684
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism
• Index: Literature

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (1878-1918) was born the youngest son of Tsar Alexander III, ruler of the mightiest empire on earth. Upon the premature death of his elder brother Grand Duke George in 1899, Michael was thrust into the spotlight as the Heir-Tsesarevich of his older brother, Tsar Nicholas II, then the father of three girls. Even after the birth of an heir in 1904, Michael was pushed closer to the throne with each of the young boy's life-threatening bouts of hemophilia. By 1916, with World War I in full swing, Nicholas and and Empress Alexandra had become deeply unpopular not only in political circles but also with other members of the House of Romanov, who felt that the parlous times required drastic change. Michael found himself at the center of these events and was briefly even named Emperor as they unfolded. In Michael Romanov: Brother of the Last Tsar, translator Helen Azar and Romanov historian Nicholas B. A. Nicholson present for the first time in English Grand Duke Michael's annotated diaries and letters of 1916-1918. These newly available documents offer rare insight into the fall of the Russian Empire, the rise and fall of the Provisional Government that succeeded it, and the terrifying days of the Bolshevik Revolution, after which Michael found himself a prisoner doomed to meet his end in the remote city of Perm, at the edge of Siberia, just over a month before the former Tsar and his family were murdered in Ekaterinburg.

The Diaries of Michael Romanov

December 1916

1 December. Thursday. Ai-Todor.¹ At 10 1/2 Natasha,² J[ohnson]³ and I went to Livadia.⁴ Came out by the upper gate and walked on the horizontal path but made a mistake and walked on the old one, which leads to the Oreanda church,⁵ there we had to walk up the real horizontal one, where we met up with Maria V[asilievna]⁶ and walked down along the vineyard to the big road, and, just before reaching Kichkine,⁷ we got into an automobile and returned home. In the afternoon I went to see Xenia, dropped by Vasya’s,⁸ who is in bed with high fever, and then Xenia⁹ and I drove in my Rolls Royce to Livadia beach, where we took a little walk, then went up to the suite’s house, and I drove Xenia via upper road, and I returned home. After tea I slept on the sofa. The weather was ideal until 2 o’cl, then it got cloudy, there was no wind, 10° in the shade, really hot in the sun. Today I found out that I received the Order of St. Vladimir, 2nd class, with swords.¹⁰

2 December. Friday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl Natasha and I took a walk on our property and sat on the usual bench. In the afternoon we took a ride to Oreanda together, then to Koreiz via the upper road, there went down to Miskhor¹¹ and returned home via the lower road. I took one more walk on the Shelaputin property.¹² Xenia arrived at 4 3/4 and we had tea, after which the three if us sat in the sitting room until 6 1/2. Before dinner I studied with J[ohnson], and I was studying music. At tea we laughed a lot. The weather was sunny from 2 o’cl, mild, around 9 deg.

3 December. Saturday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl Natasha, Maria V, J[ohnson] and I drove to Livadia, from the Grand Palace we walked to the sea and walked on the beach - there we got into an automobile and returned home via the lower road. In the afternoon Natasha rested, and around 3 1/2 N, Maria V and I took a ride in the automobile to Simeiz¹³ and back, drove on the lower road. Having returned home at 5 1/4, we had tea, then the ladies played kosti,¹⁴ while J[ohnson] read a newspaper aloud. After dinner N[atasha] and Maria V played kosti. The weather was sunny and warm until 2 o’cl, 9 deg., no less than 20° in the sun.

4 December. Sunday. Ai-Todor. At 10 3/4 Natasha, Maria V, J[ohnson] and I went to Oreanda for liturgy, Mitya and Tatiana¹⁵ were there. In the afternoon Natasha, M V, J[ohnson] and I went to the Miskhor beach, but did not stay there very long. From there our companions returned home, while we went to tea at Xenia’s where Sonia D¹⁶ and Princess Orbeliani¹⁷ were too. Returned home at 6 o’cl. In the evening we studied music. The weather was sunny most of the day, 9°.

5 December. Monday. Ai-Todor. In the morning I wrote a letter to Mama. Then walked to Xenia’s. She was supposed to go to Kiev today, stayed because of Irina,¹⁸ who has a cold and is in bed. I also visited Vasya. On the way back, I got wet from rain. In the afternoon Natasha and Maria V went to Yalta, and J[ohnson] and I put together a letter to Muravev¹⁹ in England. Returned to tea. Before dinner I wrote. In the evening I wrote telegrams, then played music. It was pouring rain all day, 8°.

6 December. Tuesday. Ai-Todor. In the morning I took a short walk. Around 11 o’cl Natasha and J[ohnson] went to Yalta, while I read until breakfast. Gen[eral] Spiridovich²⁰ had breakfast with us. Around 3 o’cl Xenia came to see us for a short time, and after her departure N, Maria V, J[ohnson] and I took a ride across the Yusupov estate from below up, reached Oreanda via the upper road and returned home via the usual road. After tea I wrote postcards to the children and others. At 7 o’cl Johnson, the birthday boy, went to Sevastopol in Maria V’s automobile. He is going to Gatchina in tonight’s train. The weather was very pleasant in the morning, although without sun, and from 3 o’cl there was a terrible shower, 11°.

7 December. Wednesday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl Alyosha²¹ arrived from Sevastopol, all wet from a terrible rain. Before breakfast I drove over to Xenia’s, who is leaving for Kiev in the afternoon and will return here for Christmas. In the afternoon Koton²² and I took a walk on the horizontal path, - walked for 1 hour 50 min. After tea Alyosha read newspapers aloud. In the evening Natasha played kosti with Maria V, while Alyosha with Koton. The weather was rainy until 2 o’cl, there was strong pouring rain, and then, although it was overcast, but the rain stopped, 11°. Natasha wasn’t feeling well, she stayed in bed all day.

8 December. Thursday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl I took a walk, took a “Savage” rifle²³ and walked to the upper highway, then on horizontal, but did not get to shoot. After breakfast Natasha, Maria V, Alyosha and I went to the Upper Massandra,²⁴ looked around the house and returned via Lower Massandra. After tea I read, in the evening too, while the others played dominoes. The weather was not sunny, but bright, cold wind, it rained in the evening, 8°.

9 December. Friday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl Natasha, Maria V, Alyosha and I went to Nikitsky garden, took a walk there, on the way back we stopped to see the Izumrudnoe estate, purchased by Krivoshein, - it is right near Nikitinsky garden and leads to the sea. Returned home at 1 1/2. In the afternoon Koton and I took a long walk on the horizontal [path], then reached Xenia’s house and returned home at 5 o’cl. Then Alyosha read, while I rested in the bedroom. The weather was sunny, cold wind, 8°.

10 December. Saturday. Ai-Todor. At 10 o’cl I went to Kichkine²⁵ to Mitya’s. He lovingly showed me all his dominions. At 11 o’cl I went home, and then Natasha, Maria V and I took a walk and sat under a lighthouse and warmed in the sun. Wrangel and his wife came to breakfast with us. In the afternoon we all took a walk, initially at the bay, and then on Shelaputin land, across Malysheva’s garden to Kharax,²⁶ where we dropped by Koton’s and the Wrangels.’ Having stayed there for some time, we went home and soon had tea. Soon I got a haircut, and then read. The weather was sunny, windy, 6°.

11 December. Sunday. Ai-Todor. At 11 1/4 we went to Oreanda for liturgy, Mitya and Tatiana. were there as well. Before breakfast we warmed in the sun. In the afternoon we all, i.e. Natasha, Maria V, Alyosha, Koton and I, drove in two automobiles to Ai-Petri, through Eriklik. The weather was ideal and completely windless. We stayed upstairs around 20 min. Came down the same way, only drove past the Livadia farm. Got home at 5 1/2. Before dinner I played the guitar, then rested. The weather was sunny, 7°, while on Ai-Petri 1°.

12 December. Monday. Ai-Todor. At 11 o’cl I took a walk on the horizontal path and reached Oreanda, where the winemaking is, and returned. Natasha, Maria V and Alyosha went to Yalta before breakfast. At 3 o’cl Natasha and I went to Sonia D’s who lives at Countess Kleinmichel’s house. We stayed there until 5 1/2, Vera Orbeliani was there as well. Having returned home, Wrangel came to me with a report, stayed here for two hours. The weather was overcast, mild, 9°.

13 December. Tuesday. Ai-Todor. In the morning I took a walk with Konstantin An. Near the Swallow’s Nest I shot at a cormorant, which was swimming away, and despite the distance I killed it. Then we went to Kharax, where we walked down to the sea, and there I killed another cormorant, I shot with the “Savage” rifle. After breakfast we all drove to Simeiz in two automobiles, from there drive up to Sevastopol highway and returned home. Before reaching home, we, the three men, walked to the sea (in Ai-Todor) and up to Kharax. With Volchok’s help I found a cormorant and brought it home. At 5 o’cl the Spiridoviches came to tea with us. Before dinner I studied with Alyosha. The weather was sunny from 12 o’cl, almost no wind, 10°.

14 December. Wednesday. Ai-Todor. In the morning I walked with Wrangel to Xenia’s children and sat at Vasya’s, who is still lying in bed, we made paper flowers with him. Natasha went to Yalta. After breakfast we all went to Countess Kleinmichel’s dacha in two automobiles to get Sonya and V. Orbeliani and then headed past Simeiz via coastal road to the Filiber estate, where we walked and sat by the sea. Drove up to the owner’s house, thinking that the estate is for sale, but this did not turn out to be so, and we drove home. We liked the area, a lot of green space right by the sea. Before dinner I wrote business letters, and in the evening as well. The weather was pleasant, although overcast, mild, 10°.

15 December. Thursday. Ai-Todor. At 20 1/2 Natasha and Maria V went to Yalta, while Alyosha, Koton and I took a long walk, went via Rostislavskaya road, crossed to the horizontal, in Ai-Todor walked down to the sea and walked up in Kharax. F.F. Meltzer²⁷ came to breakfast. In the afternoon we all went to the bay, then walked around the Shelaputin estate. After that we got into an automobile, drove to the lighthouse, made a circle around Ai-Todor and circled Irina’s house that’s being built, which we did not like. After tea F. F. Meltzer left, - and I rested, after which I wrote a letter to Countess Tolstoy, and after dinner to Prince N. S. Putyatin.²⁸ In the morning the weather was bright, 11 deg., in the afternoon the strongest NW wind was blowing, like a hurricane, the temp went down to 3°, it calmed towards nighttime.

16 December. Friday. Ai-Todor. In the morning I walked to Ai-Todor to visit Irina and Vasya, who both feel better, Dmitri was there as well. Natasha came to get me with Maria V and we went to the post, then returned home. To breakfast came: Sonya D and princess V. Orbeliani. In the afternoon we walked to the bay, then walked around all of Shelaputin estate, - the guests all advised us to buy this land. At 3 1/2 The guests left, and in an hour N, Alyosha and I went to the Spiridoviches in Yalta, where we had tea. After we returned home Wrangel came to see me with a report. In the evening I studied with Alyosha. The weather was damp in the morning, it was snowing lightly, in the afternoon it was sunny, then a strong wind started to blow from the mountains, until 12 o’cl 8 deg., then 4°.

17 December. Saturday.²⁹ Ai-Todor. At 8 1/4 I went with the “Hoop” [coupé] with Koton and the Tatar [blank space] … on Ai-Petri across Eriklik, but due to a heavy snowstorm we only reached Pendikule, travelled for an hour and a half, - made a circle and drove back, but I with …. [blank] walked to Ai-Todor, - the snow depth was three vershoks,³⁰ it was raining down below. Came home at 12 o’cl and lay down to rest before breakfast, which was at 1 1/2, the Wrangel were here. Went to Sonia D and V. Orbeliani’s for tea, Maria V came over there a bit later. We had dinner at 7 1/2, then went to the theater in Yalta, where they had a charity play, amateur, to benefit a daycare; Spiridoviches sat next to us, - Wrangel, Meltzer and Mme… [blank] stopped by our loge. Returned at 12 o’cl. The weather was very bad, windy, snow, rain, 5° in the morning, later 7°.

18 December. Sunday. Ai-Todor and departure to Brasovo.³¹ At 11 o’cl. Natasha went to Yalta with Maria V, and I and Alyosha to Oreanda church for liturgy. N[atalia] and M V also came later. Then Mitya and I went to his place in Kichkine, where I took photographs in the garden. At 1 o’cl I arrived at home, and we had breakfast. Around 3 o’cl our luggage arrived in a truck to Sevastopol, and M V’s people in a motor, i.e. servants. I wrote a letter to Prince Begildeyev, after which Koton and I went to the bay for the last time. At 4 1/2 we had tea, and at 5 o’cl 25 min. departed for Sevastopol, - I drove the Rolls Royce, with me rode: Natasha and Maria V, and in the “Hoop” [coupé] - Alyosha, Koton and Roza M. The Wrangels and police master Gvozdevich came to see us off. It was pouring rain like from a bucket, non-stop, - traveled well, arrived in Sevastopol train station at 8 o’cl 30 min and soon got into out train compartment and had something to eat, the provisions were ours. At 10 o’cl I went to the Marine library building with Alyosha, where I visited the ill Gen[eral] Alexeyev (Army Chief-of-Staff). Our train departed at 11 o’cl 40 min. Went to bed late. The weather was mild, overcast, around 6°.

19 December. Monday. The train. Got up late. Had breakfast in the compartment, ate the provision which we brought with us. Natasha played kosti with Maria V all day, while Koton [played] with Alyosha. In the afternoon I played the guitar. The weather was overcast, around 12°. From newspapers we learned of Grigorii Rasputin’s murder in Petrograd.

20 December. Tuesday. The train to Brasovo. Got up late. Got to Kursk around 9 o’cl instead of 7 o’cl. At the Dmitrievsk station the local representative of the nobility Volzhin presented Natasha and me with bread and salt.³² (Forgot to mention that Maria V transferred in Kharkov tonight and went to Moscow). At 2 1/2 we arrived in Brasovo and at the overpass we were met by: Olga Pav. P.,³³ Praskovia Iv.,³⁴ Maria Nik.,³⁵ Johnson, Rosenbach, Bantle,³⁶ and at home the children, Miss Neame, and also Maria N’s two girls were waiting for us. Initially we walked around the entire house, then I took a short walk, after which we had tea. Then we went to the wings [of the house]. Before dinner we played with the children, and the evening Domenici was here, and I played the guitar with him, initially downstairs, then upstairs. The weather was overcast, the sun was setting when we arrived, it was 8 deg., 12° towards the evening. A lot of snow.

21 December. Wednesday. Brasovo. At 10 1/2 I took a walk and made a circle in the grove, - returned home, after which I took another walk. In the afternoon the ladies went riding around with J, while I took a walk with Alyosha. After tea I played the guitar with Domenici.³⁷ After the children’s dinner, Olga P, J[ohnson], Natasha and I played hide and seek with the children. In the evening we all sat upstairs, while I played the guitar with Domenici. The weather was overcast, mild, 15°. Maria N’s daughter Irina got ill with angina, in light of which Maria N and Kisa were isolated from us and stayed in the guest house with the sick ones.

22 December. Thursday. Brasovo. At 10 o’cl Natasha, Olga P, Praskovia Iv., J[ohnson] and I went to [hunt] wolves outside of the Vladimirsky hamlet via Altukhovkaya road. The circle was very close to the edge of the forest. We chased after three (Bantle, Koton and I), with me stood Natasha and Olga P. I killed a mature one, while Bantle wounded another one. Returned home at one and had breakfast. In the afternoon Natasha with the ladies, Alyosha and me took a walk, it was difficult to walk because of snow. After tea we had to bustle and arrange everything for the departure of Maria N to Moscow. During dinner we were notified of the unexpect...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• List of Illustrations
• Introduction
• The Diaries of Michael Romanov
• Bibliography
• Index