#maria pavlovna the elder

[oceanlilacs]

Russia! My astonished child's eyes see huge palaces, beautiful parks, fountains, gardens, amazing gatherings of relatives, military parades, religious services in churches glittering with gold, jewels so breathtaking you can hardly believe they are real [... ] My eyes also see long corridors, vestibules, and halls, of a size beyond compare, opening one into another, and our feet trotting timidly over wide stretches of floors, so unbounded and polished, that we seemed to walk on ice. And everywhere, a very characteristic smell: a mixture of turpentine, Russian leather and cigarette smoke, with a fragrance, unique in its own way, that distinguished the imperial palaces. Imperial is the right word, fantastic, like in fairy tales [...] every superlative is at its place in that Russia of the Tsars, that Russia full of splendour, which today is no more...

－ Queen Marie of Romania, “Story of My Life”

[imperial-russia]

Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder in her mourning garb, after the death of her husband grand Duke Vladimir

[romanovsonelastdance]

The Family of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich

Vladimir and his wife, Maria Pavlovna the Elder, seated in front with their children (from left), Andrei, Elena, Kirill and Boris behind.

[adini-nikolaevna]

“My eldest daughter Alexandra is soft, sensitive and intelligent; she is very sweet, although not beautiful. But Elena is surprisingly good; she is extremely kind, but too playful. Maria has a brilliant mind and a beautiful heart, but her beautiful appearance was damaged by smallpox. Ekaterina, this one is a beautiful little doll, darling; very funny; the youngest, spoiled child of her mother.”

- Grand Duchess (later Empress) Maria Feodorovna of Russia on her four elder daughters, Grand Duchesses Alexandra, Elena, Maria, and Ekaterina, ca. 1791.

[loiladadiani]

“Royal Group”

This is an interesting picture, for more than one reason. First, lets see who is in it (I don't recognize them all but I will tell you who I recognize.) From left to right, the second woman in white is Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna; there is a woman I don't recognize behind her and then comes her mother, Miechen ( Grand Duchess Maria Palovna the Elder.) in front of Miechen, sitting on a step is Nicholas Nicholaievich (Nicholasha); slightly behind Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna is Olga Paley, Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich’s wife. Pavel is next to her, the only person in the picture sitting on a chair. In front of him there is an older gentleman in military garb, whom I don't recognize. Next to him sits a very young Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich. Sitting slightly behind Andrei is his brother Grand Duke Boris.

There are at least four interspersed ladies I don't recognize, as well as several officers. All the way to the right, stands the unmistakable Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich.

When I first saw this picture, I noticed that Miechen is resting her hand on Nicholasha’s neck in what to me appeared like a rather intimate gesture. And of course, some time after that I read that there were rumors that Miechen and Nicholasha had an affair (the source for that is not a consistently reliable one.) I don't believe the rumours. Nicholasha was no fool and in no position to offend his older and more powerful cousin, Vladimir, known for his fiery temper. Plus most of the literature states that Miechen and Vladimir we're very well matched and loved each other. But there is the hand…on…Nicholasha’s…neck…

[pokadandelion]

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna "The Elder"

[ladysophy]

Here’s the American Southern (Confederate) version of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder…

This is Robert Toombs and his beloved wife Martha Juliann (who went by Julia) Debose Toombs. Toombs was the first Confederate Secretary of State under Jefferson Davis. The bits of pieces I learned about them, they remind me of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder.

Julia and Maria “Miechen” in particular could honestly be twins. It’s kind of frightening. Julia was a great hostess and was very intelligent, but she had a mean streak. She strongly dislike Edwina Reagan, the Confederate Postmaster’s (John H. Reagan) wife, because Julia thought she wasn’t very educated and looked down on her. She, along with her husband, talked trash about Davis too. Toombs was still pissed off that he lost the presidency to Davis (by making a complete fool of himself by drinking too damn much at the time!).

While Robert was highly intelligent, a loving friend, a loving husband, and loving father, he was also a handful. He was very sarcastic and argumentative and loved the bottle too much. The only comparison I can make with Robert and Vladimir is that they had strong personalities. And possibly the wish to get higher office (The Confederate Presidency in Robert’s case and being Tsar In Vladimir’s case).

However, the Toombs dealt with tragedy too. The only son Laurence died from scarlet fever in childhood. Their daughters, Mary Louisa and Sarah, both died from childbirth. So this is where my sympathy lays with the challenging couple.

[ghosts-of-imperial-russia]

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder

Painted by Ernst Friedrich von Liphart, 1910s

[palecleverdoll]

Women of Imperial Russia: Ages at First Marriage

I have only included women whose birth dates and dates of marriage are known within at least 1-2 years, therefore, this is not a comprehensive list. This data set ends with the Revolution of 1917.

Eudoxia Lopukhina, wife of Peter I; age 20 when she married Peter in 1689 CE

Catherine I of Russia, wife of Peter I; age 18 when she married Johan Cruse in 1702 CE

Anna of Russia, daughter of Ivan V; age 17 when she married Frederick William Duke of Courland and Semigallia in 1710 CE

Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter I; age 17 when she married Charles Frederick I, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, in 1725 CE

Catherine II, wife of Peter III; age 16 when she married Peter in 1745 CE

Natalia Alexeievna, wife of Paul I; age 17 when she married Paul in 1773 CE

Maria Feodorovna, wife of Paul I; age 17 when she married Paul in 1776 CE

Elizabeth Alexeivna, wife of Alexander I; age 14 when she married Alexander in 1793 CE

Anna Feodorovna, wife of Konstantin Pavlovich; age 15 when she married Konstantin in 1796 CE

Alexandra Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I; age 16 when she married Archduke Joseph of Austria in 1799 CE

Elena Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I; age 15 when she married Frederick Louis, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1799 CE

Maria Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I; age 18 when she married Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1804 CE

Catherine Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I; age 21 when she married Duke George of Oldenburg in 1809 CE

Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Paul I; age 21 when she married William II of the Netherlands in 1816 CE

Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas I; age 19 when she married Nicholas in 1817 CE

Joanna Grudzinska, wife of Konstantin Pavlovich; age 29 when she married Konstantin in 1820 CE

Elena Pavlovna, wife of Mikhail Pavlovich; age 17 when she married Mikhail in 1824 CE

Maria Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I; age 20 when she married Maximilian de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, in 1839 CE

Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II; age 17 when she married Alexander in 1841 CE

Elizaveta Mikhailovna, daughter of Mikhail Pavlovich; age 17 when she married Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, in 1844 CE

Alexandra Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I; age 19 when she married Prince Frederick-William of Hesse-Kassel, in 1844 CE

Olga Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I; age 24 when she married Charles I of Wurttemberg, in 1846 CE

Alexandra Iosifovna, wife of Konstantin Nikolaevich; age 18 when she married Konstantin in 1848 CE

Catherine Mikhailovna, daughter of Mikhail Pavlovich; age 24 when she married Duke Georg August of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, in 1851 CE

Alexandra Petrovna, wife of Nicholas Nikolaevich the Elder; age 18 when she married Nicholas in 1856 CE

Olga Feodorovna, wife of Michael Nikolaevich; age 18 when she married Michael in 1857 CE

Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III; age 19 when she married Alexander III in 1866 CE

Olga Konstantinovna, daughter of Konstantin Nikolaevich; age 16 when she married George I of Greece in 1867 CE

Vera Konstantinovna, daughter of Konstantin Nikolaevich; age 20 when she married Duke Eugen of Wurttemberg in 1874 CE

Maria Pavlovna, wife of Vladimir Alexandrovich; age 20 when she married Vladimir in 1874 CE

Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II; age 19 when she married Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1874 CE

Anastasia Mikhailovna, daughter of Michael Nikolaevich; age 19 when she married Friedrich Franz III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1879 CE

Nadezhada Alexandrovna Dreyer, wife of Nicholas Konstantinovich; age 21 when she married Nicholas in 1882 CE

Elizabeth Feodorovna, wife of Sergei Alexandrovich; age 20 when she married Sergei in 1884 CE

Olga Valerianovna Paley, wife of Paul Alexandrovich; age 19 when she married Erich von Pistolhkors in 1884 CE

Elizabeth Mavrikievna, wife of Konstantin Konstantinovich; age 19 when she married Konstantin in 1885 CE

Anastasia of Montenegro, wife of Nicholas Nikolaevich the Younger; age 21 when she married George Maximilianovich, Duke of Leuchtenberg in 1889 CE

Milica of Montenegro, wife of Peter Nikolaevich; age 23 when she married Peter in 1889 CE

Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, wife of Paul Alexandrovich; age 19 when she married Paul in 1889 CE

Sophie Nikolaievna, wife of Michael Mikhailovich; age 23 when she married Michael in 1891 CE

Victoria Feodorovna, wife of Kirill Vladimirovich; age 18 when she married Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, in 1894 CE

Xenia Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander Mikhailovich; age 19 when she married Alexander in 1894 CE

Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II; age 22 when she married Nicholas in 1894 CE

Olga Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II; age 18 when she married Count George-Nicholas von Merenberg in 1985 CE

Maria of Greece and Denmark, wife of George Mikhailovich; age 24 when she married George in 1900 CE

Alexandra von Zarnekau, wife of George Alexandrovich; age 16 when she married George in 1900 CE

Catherine Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander II; age 23 when she married Alexander Baryatinksy in 1901 CE

Olga Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander III; age 19 when she married Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg

Elena Vladimirovna, daughter of Vladimir Alexandrovich; age 20 when she married Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark in 1902 CE

Natalia Brasova, wife of Michael Alexandrovich; age 22 when she married Sergei Mamontov in 1902 CE

Elisabetta di Sasso Ruffo, wife of Andrei Alexandrovich; age 31 when she married Alexander Alexandrovitch Frederici in 1907 CE

Maria Pavlovna, daughter of Paul Alexandrovich; age 18 when she married Prince Wilhelm of Sweden in 1908 CE

Helen of Serbia, wife of Ioann Konstantinovich; age 27 when she married Ioann in 1911 CE

Tatiana Konstantinovna, daughter of Konstantin Konstantinovich; age 21 when she married Konstantine Bagration of Mukhrani, in 1911 CE

Irina Alexandrovna, daughter of Alexander Mikhailovich; age 19 when she married Felix Felixovich Yusupov in 1914 CE

Nadejda Mikhailovna, daughter of Michael Mikhailovna; age 20 when she married George Mountbatten in 1916 CE

Antonina Rafailovna Nesterovkaya, wife of Gabriel Konstantinovich; age 27 when she married Gabriel in 1917 CE

Nadejda Petrovna, wife of Nicholas Orlov; age 19 when she married Nicholas in 1917 CE

Anastasia Mikhailovna, daughter of Michael Mikhailovna; age 25 when she married Sir Harold Wernher in 1917 CE

59 women; average age at first marriage was 20 years old. The oldest bride was 31 at her first marriage; the youngest was 14.

[graceofromanovs]

GODPARENTS OF GRAND DUKE ALEXEI MIKHAILOVICH

Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich was born on 28 December 1875 in Tbilisi, Tbilisi Governate, Russian Empire (now Georgia). He was the the sixth son and youngest child of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia, himself the youngest son of Emperor Nicholas I. He was the only Grand Duke to bear the name and patronymic of a Tsar: Alexei Mikhailovich. On 11 January (New Style) 1876, he was christened at Tbilisi by the Palace Priest and Confessor of Their Imperial Highnesses. He had seven godparents, as listed:

ALEXANDER II, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA - his uncle, the Russian Emperor stood as one of the godparents. He became the Emperor of All Russia in 1855. Alexander’s most significant reform as emperor was the emancipation of Russia’s serfs in 1861, for which he is known as Alexander the Liberator.

GRAND DUCHESS MARIA PAVLOVNA OF RUSSIA, GRAND DUCHESS CONSORT OF SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH - his aunt was one of his godparents. One of the daughters of Emperor Paul I, the grand duchess married a German prince Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1804. She was an intellect, interested in both arts and sciences. German poet and novelist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe hailed her as one of the worthiest women of his time. She was the great-grandmother of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and Queen Victoria of Sweden.

GRAND DUKE NICHOLAS MIKHAILOVICH OF RUSSIA - his uncle, was one of his godparents. Trained for the military, as a Field Marshal he commanded the Russian army of the Danube in the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878.

GRAND DUCHESS MARIA PAVLOVNA OF RUSSIA - known as 'Maria Pavlovna the Elder', was the wife of his first cousin Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, and stood as one of his godparents. Born as Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, her ancestors included Emperor Paul I of Russia. Upon her marriage to the grand duke, she became a prominent hostess in Saint Petersburg.

GRAND DUKE ALEXEI ALEXANDROVICH OF RUSSIA - his first cousin and namesake, one of the sons of Emperor Alexander II, was one of his godparents. Chosen for a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at an early age. By the age of 20 he had been appointed lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Navy, eventually becoming general-admiral.

GRAND DUCHESS ANASTASIA MIKHAILOVNA OF RUSSIA, GRAND DUCHESS OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN - his sister, was one of his godparents. In 1879, when Alexei Mikhailovich was only four years-old, his only sister married a German prince, Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (the elder brother of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder). Their children included Queen Alexandrine of Denmark and Crown Princess Cecile of Prussia. She was a strong-willed, independent and unconventional woman. She never became used to her new country where she was unpopular. 

GRAND DUKE MICHAEL MIKHAILOVICH OF RUSSIA - one of his older brothers stood as another of his godparents. As Romanov tradition demanded, he followed a military career. He served in the Russo-Turkish War in 1877, became a Colonel and was adjutant at the Imperial court. In 1891 he contracted a morganatic marriage with Countess Sophie von Merenberg, a morganatic daughter of Prince Nicholas William of Nassau and a granddaughter of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. For contracting this marriage without permission, their first cousin Emperor Alexander III stripped him of his military titles and banished the couple from the Russian Empire. Alexei Mikhailovich never saw his brother again after his banishment.

Source

[oceanlilacs]

💌 “We must expect anything, even a disaster. All I ask of Russia is to hold fast. She will hold. Don't doubt it!” － Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna (Miechen) to Maurice Paléologue

💌 “It seems that all are mad... I am absolutely depressed. All that happened is so terrible... My God, what awaits us and what will that end with?” － Marie Feodorovna, in a message to Xenia, after the Archduke's assasination, 1914

[imperial-russia]

Emperor Alexander II, his wife, sons and two daughters-in-law

[romanovsonelastdance]

Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna with members of the extended Romanov family.

[adini-nikolaevna]

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna “the Elder” of Russia.

[loiladadiani]

Brothers and Rivals

I have seen many photos of Alexander III and his brother Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, together, but they were usually younger than here.

The brothers had strong, "loud" personalities. Sacha could control Vladimir when necessary. Nicholas II never could. Alexander III trusted his brother with many important positions. But always carefully watched him and his wife, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, the Elder (who liked to stir up intrigues and was friendly with the Keiser.) After Alexander emerged from the train wreck in which he was involved with his family, one of the first things he did was to muse, out loud, about how disappointed Vladimir would be since they had all survived and he would not be inheriting the throne.

I know that Alexander III's dearest brother was Nicholas (Nixa) his eldest brother and closest friend. But I have always felt Vladimir and Sacha were closer than history has led us to believe. I certainly can imagine them having a good shouting match.

[sophiebernadotte]

April 18, 1890 - Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna was born in St. Petersburg as the daughter of Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna. This means she was a cousin of Tsar Nicholas II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. She was named after her late grandmother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, and her aunt, grandaunt, and godmother, Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Maria was not yet two years old when her mother died from complications after giving birth to Maria's younger brother, Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. Grand Duke Paul was so distraught by the unexpected death of his wife that he neglected his two small children, who were left in the care of his elder brother, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. Growing up without a mother and a frequently absent father, Maria and her brother Dimitri became very close, relying on each other for affection and companionship.

Shortly after Easter 1907, Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland, visited St. Petersburg and was introduced to the 16-year-old Maria Pavlovna. The prince was tall, thin, dark, and distinguished-looking "with beautiful grey eyes," Maria recalled in her memoirs. He stayed for dinner, and the following day, Maria was told that he wished to marry her. The official betrothal was announced in June 1907 at Peterhof Palace.

Maria Pavlovna later wrote that she felt her aunt had rushed her into the marriage. In her memoirs, Maria wrote: "I was using Wilhelm, in a sense, only to obtain my freedom." She and Prince Wilhelm married the following year in Tsarskoye Selo, and she became Princess Maria, the Duchess of Södermanland. The couple had one child together in 1909, Prince Lennart (later Lennart Bernadotte).

Their marriage was not happy, and they dissolved in March 1914. Maria returned to her home country in the same year as the divorce. After the revolution, she fled to France, and towards the end of her life, she lived in Konstanz, West Germany, near her son Lennart and his family.

Photo 1: Prince Wilhelm and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna photographed on their wedding day in 1908. Photo 2: Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna photographed with Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich and his children Dmitri and Maria in 1892. Portrait taken from Wikimedia Commons. Photo 3: Photograph of Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, her daughter Queen Olga of the Hellenes, her great-granddaughter Princess Maria and her great-great-grandson Prince Lennart of Sweden. Princess Maria is holding a photograph of her mother, Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna. The photograph was taken in 1909. Photo 4: Prince Wilhelm and Princess Maria were photographed together in 1908 at their home, Stenhammar Castle. Maria is pictured wearing the Sweden dress. Portrait taken from Wikimedia Commons.

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