#Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna

[teatimeatwinterpalace]

Princesses Elizabeth and Victoria of Hesse, 1878.

'As Elizabeth and the other grew into adolescence and traveled around the courts of Europe, they became notorious for their riotous daredevilry. At first it was Victoria, as the eldest, who led the children's wild horseplay and ruled them all "with a rod of iron". She was becoming a tomboy, reveling in physical games and competition. She loved to tell and hear heroic stories, Arthurian and Homeric legends. Elizabeth, on the other hand, preferred "nice little girl stories" and the dolls and girlish things that Victoria loathed. She was more feminine and becoming prettier than her elder sister, though less practical or clever. But as she grew she began to rebel against Victoria's iron rule. One day Victoria gave in and agreed to share her authority with Elizabeth. Underneath her docile front Elizabeth had gained a character at least as strong as her sister's and tougher than those of the younger ones.' Elizabeth : Grand Duchess of Russia by Hugo Mager.

[empress-alexandra]

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, 1890s.

[elsalouisa]

"I have an unforgettable vision of the sister of the Tsarina, wife of the Grand Duke Sergius : Elisaveta Feodorovna, nee Princess Elisabeth of Hessen-Darmstadt. It was at the christening of the heir to the throne, at which I was present. After standing continuously for some time in the church I began to feel rather faint, as I always did, and one of my dear uncles took me into another part of the building, where I could sit down and recover a little. As we were going back into the chapel the Grand Duchess came towards us, in Russian dress with magnificent emerald ornaments. In that dress, and in the setting which surrounded her, at that moment she seemed, in the radiance of her beauty, like some ikon, some old Bysantine saint which had come to life !"

The memoirs of the Crown Princess Cecilie

[the-last-tsar]

Ella.

[nadziejacher]

Марфо-Мариинская обитель милосердия в Москве и памятник великой княгине Елизавете Федоровне 🤍

Я в тг🙌🏻

[royal-confessions]

“It's an understatement to say that Alice of Hesse's daughters had a profound influence on the 20th century. Victoria, the grandmother of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was the husband of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Elisabeth, who is venerated as a saint and was canonized by the Russian, Greek, and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Irene, who identified Anastasia/Anna Anderson as a fraud. Alix, the Empress of the Russian Empire, exerted significant influence on Russia's domestic and international policies, albeit often for the worse, later canonized as a Saint and a holy martyr. And poor little Marie, whose untimely death at an early age played a pivotal role in shaping Alix's shy and sorrowful personality.” - Submitted by Anonymous

[loiladadiani]

The Romanov Martyrs

I wanted to put together a little memorial that included all the members of the Romanov Family (as well as the members of their staff) that were murdered by the Bolshevik terrorists. This seems like a good week to keep them in our minds. Although we love and mourn the children especially, there were others we cannot forget.

Tsar Alexandre II was hunted down until finally blown to pieces.

Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna lost two sons and five grandchildren (no wonder she could not accept they were dead)

Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich was also hunted down and blown to pieces

Three Mikhailovichi brothers were murdered

Four Konstantinovichi were murdered, three of them brothers; I cannot imagine what their mother, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavrikievna, went through...and so on.

May they rest in peace.

[lesyoussoupoff]

Letter to Princess Zenaida Youssoupoff from Grand Duchess Elizabeth dated June 14, 1908. Word had reached the Grand Duchess of the scandal involving Prince Nicholas Youssoupoff's liaison with Countess Marina De Hayden.

"My dear Zinaida,

For a long time now I have wanted to write to you and say that I am with all my heart and thoughts with you and with your dear son, poor boy, how he must suffer! I don't know the details at all and even the facts themselves, I won't believe anything until I talk to you, how can you trust gossipers who love to repeat all sorts of nonsense! The only thing that can help you is unanimous compassion and tender participation in your misfortunes, whatever they may be, this is always a consolation. People can love, but alas they also love to talk randomly.

Poor Nikolai, at this age, every disappointment, every blow in life takes on such large proportions and makes you suffer so much. Young people always cause so much grief with their mistakes. We know better, we have gone through our own school of joys and sufferings, and we have more strength.

How is your husband? Tell him that my heart and thoughts are with him. May the Lord bless and strengthen you, and may this grief be erased by the joys to come.

Your dearly loving Elizabeth "

[csarinaalexandra]

“Always be guided by your heart rather than by your head, and your life will be transformed. Happiness does not consist in living in a palace or enjoying a large fortune; these can be lost. True happiness is something that neither men nor events can take from you. You will find it in Faith, in Hope and in Charity. Try to make those around you happy, and you will be happy yourself.” – Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia

[gogmstuff]

1887 Grand Princess Ella. From tumblr.com/royaland 976X2048.

[loiladadiani]

Grand Duchess Elizabeth was born Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Elisabeth Alexandra Louise Alice of Hesse and by Rhine on November 1, 1864, the second child of Grand Duke Ludwig IV and his wife, born Princess Alice of Great Britain, a daughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Elizabeth married Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, brother of Emperor Alexander III.

The young Grand Duchess was adored by the Imperial family and the Russian court for her beauty, kindness, and her ready adoption of Russian language, customs, and her ardent conversion to Orthodoxy.

Elizabeth and Serge moved to Moscow in 1894, when Serge was made Governor General of Moscow. Though Elizabeth had loved life in Saint Petersburg, it was not until her move to Moscow that began to see and understand what she was able to do for the less fortunate. She became very conscious of her role in helping the impoverished of Moscow, and sponsored benefits and charities in Moscow to help the poor and unfortunate.

In 1905, while driving through the Kremlin, an anarchist threw a bomb beneath her husband's carriage which exploded, tearing him to pieces, and killing him instantly.

Elizabeth remained in mourning, and in 1909, she took the veil and founded the Convent of Martha and Mary in Moscow. Elizabeth sold or gave away all her jewelry and possessions and assembled the funds to build the convent. The convent grew, and even during her lifetime, the Grand Duchess was called a saint by the poor of the capital. The convent, based on old Novgorod models, was an architectural jewel.

The convent grew and prospered until the Revolution. By 1918, her presence was finally no longer tolerated by the Revolutionary government, and she was arrested. They then exiled her first to Perm, then to Yekaterinburg, where she spent a few days and was joined by others: the Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Romanov; Princes Ioann Konstantinovich, Konstantin Konstantinovich, Igor Konstantinovich and Vladimir Pavlovich Paley; Grand Duke Sergei’s secretary, Feodor Remez; and Varvara Yakovleva, a sister from the Grand Duchess’s convent. They were all taken to Alapaevsk on May 20, 1918, where they were housed in the Napolnaya School on the outskirts of the town.

On the night of July 17th, the prisoners were woken and driven in carts on a road leading to the village of Siniachikha. Some 18 kilometres from Alapaevsk there was an abandoned iron mine with a pit, twenty metres deep. The Cheka beat all the prisoners before throwing their victims into this pit, Elizabeth being the first. Hand grenades were then hurled down the shaft.

On October 8, 1918, the White Army discovered the remains of Elizabeth and her companions, still within the shaft where they had been murdered. Elizabeth had died of wounds sustained in her fall into the mine, but had still found strength to bandage the head of the dying Prince Ioann. Her remains were removed and ultimately taken to Jerusalem, where they lie today in the Church of Mary Magdalene.

Elizabeth was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in 1981, and by the Patriarchal Russian Orthodox Church in 1992 as the New-Martyr Elizabeth. Her principal shrines are the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent, and the St. Mary Magdalene Convent on the Mount of Olives, which she and her husband helped build, and where her relics (along with the Nun Barbara) are enshrined. The convent was returned to the church and reopened in 1992 and the cathedral church in 2006, continuing St. Elizabeth’s work.

On this day, 105 years ago, on July 18th, 1918.

Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna was murdered by being thrown down a disused mine shaft in Siniachikha, Russia.

[teatimeatwinterpalace]

Princess Alice with her second daugther, Elizabeth, later Grand Duchess of Russia, 1864-1865.

Darmstadt, November 7, 1864 | The little daughter was but a momentary disappointment to us, which we have quite got over. We console ourselves with the idea that the little pair will look pretty together.

November 20, 1864 | Louis's mother is to be godmother, because it is customary here to ask someone of the name the child is to receive to stand on the occasion. We liked Elizabeth on account of St. Elisabeth being the ancestress of the Hessian as well as the Saxon House.

November 26, 1864 | I am very well and very careful; all people say I look better, and have more colour than I have had for long, and, indeed, I feel strong and well, and by fat Baby does perfectly, and is a great darling.

November 29, 1864 | I ought to mention the christening. My mother-in-law held Baby all the time, and it screamed a great deal. Victoria stood with us and was very good, only kneeling down and tumbling over the footstool every two minutes, and she kept whispering to me, 'Go to Uncle's.' I thought so much of the christening last year, when Victoria behaved much better than her larger dark sister. Ella measured twenty-three and a half inches a fortnight ago, and she had not grown then.

Kranichstein, July 10, 1865 | Ella already says, since some time, 'Papa' and 'Mama' and calls herself, and crawls, and is very forward and merry - such a contrast to Victoria, who is so pale and fair, and now thin, for Ella's eyes are so dark blue, and her hair of such a rich brown, that you would never take the little things for sisters. They are very fond of each other, and so dear together, that they give us much peasure. I would not change them for boys, if I could; this little pair of sisters is so nice, and they can be such friends to each other.

[empress-alexandra]

Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia, 1894.

[elsalouisa]

From Ella to Ernie,

"Iliynskoe July 6 1884

Dearest Boy, How kind of you to have written me that nice long letter, the landscape is charmingly done & I advise you to continue as it is always such a nice remembrance to have little pictures of the different places one has stayed at. If I find time | shall send you a small drawing too — How nice your different excurtions must be, we have no mountains here but then we row & I enjoy that extremely. I learn Russian now, every day I have a lesson for an hour 1/2, it is great fun as I begin to understand some words now when the others talk; The rooms here are very cosy but the balconies are the great charm. Paul has brought a tricicle for two together & we will try it, he also [h]as a hangingmat but I care for that much less as I am always afraid to upset so | prefer remaining on firm ground. Please give Grandmama & Uncles my best love & remember me kindly to Herr Muther. Your loving Sister Ella"

From Ella to Ernie,

"Iliynskoe July 11 1884

My darling Boy, As I wrote to the Sisters I must also send you a few lines & try & give you some news they have not, you must see each others letters as I try to put something different in each — The other [day] Serge & I took a long walk in the fields & got lots of flowers chiefly cornflowers, Schpunia went & also Paul’s black poudle Gipsy who carried my umbrella with great pride only was sometimes rather melancholy when he remained hanging in the clover leaves & sweet peas, then he made such melancholy faces that it was quite ridiculous afterwards when the grass was very high he hopped the whole way — We find continually lots of Steinpilze & they are quite delicious sometimes done as we have them & often in a thick creamy sauce or dry & fried — quite excellent. The other day Serge found a nest hidden under the grass with four dear little birds. There are heaps of wild strawberries all over the place but not yet quite ripe. Tell Grandmama I shall write tomorrow & say how we spent the day as | have given you all the news which I wish you three to tell her & dear Papa whom I send my tenderest love. Many kisses from your loving Sister Ella

[royal-confessions]

“Princess de Lamballe and Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna had so many similarities. They both affliated with the royal family (which was hated by the French and Russian people at the time), but they were actually kind-hearted, generous, and the very important thing—INNOCENT. But they ended in a very tragic and inhumane way, even more tragic than The King and Queen/Tsar and Tsarina themselves, they are the true victims of politic.” - Submitted by Anonymous

[loiladadiani]

Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna in fancy dress

Nicholas was so young he did not even have a mustache yet!