The famous Russian ballerina did not live up to her centenary for several months - she died on December 6, 1971 in Paris. Her life is like an unstoppable dance, which to this day is surrounded by legends and intriguing details.
Romance with the Tsarevich
Graceful, almost tiny Malechka, it seemed that fate itself was destined to devote herself to the service of Art. Her father was a talented dancer. It was from him that the baby inherited an invaluable gift - not just to play the part, but to live in dance, fill it with unbridled passion, pain, captivating dreams and hope - everything that her own destiny will be rich in the future. She adored the theater and could watch rehearsals with a spellbound gaze for hours. Therefore, it was not surprising that the girl entered the Imperial Theater School, and very soon became one of the first students: she studied a lot, grasped on the fly, captivating the audience with true drama and light ballet technique. Ten years later, on March 23, 1890, after a graduation performance with the participation of a young ballerina, Emperor Alexander III admonished the prominent dancer with the words: “Be the glory and adornment of our ballet!” And then there was a festive dinner for the pupils with the participation of all members of the imperial family.
It was on this day that Matilda met the future Emperor of Russia, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich.
What is true in the novel of the legendary ballerina and heir to the Russian throne, and what is fiction - they argue a lot and greedily. Some argue that their relationship was immaculate. Others, as if in revenge, immediately recall Nikolai's visits to the house, where the beloved soon moved with her sister. Still others are trying to suggest that if there was love, then it came only from Mrs. Kshesinskaya. The love correspondence has not been preserved, in the diary entries of the emperor there are only fleeting mentions of Malechka, but there are many details in the memoirs of the ballerina herself. But should they be trusted unquestioningly? A charmed woman can easily be "deluded." Be that as it may, there was no vulgarity or commonness in these relations, although the St. Petersburg gossips competed, setting out the fantastic details of the Tsarevich's "affair" "with the actress."
"Polish Mala"
It seemed that Matilda was enjoying her happiness, while being perfectly aware that her love was doomed. And when in her memoirs she wrote that “priceless Nicky” loved her alone, and marriage to Princess Alix of Hesse was based only on a sense of duty and determined by the desire of relatives, she, of course, was cunning. As a wise woman, she left the “stage” at the right moment, “letting go” of her lover, barely learning about his engagement. Was this step an accurate calculation? Unlikely. He, most likely, allowed the "Polish Male" to remain a warm memory in the heart of the Russian emperor.
The fate of Matilda Kshesinskaya in general was closely connected with the fate of the imperial family. Her good friend and patron was Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.
It was him that Nicholas II, allegedly, asked to "look after" Malechka after parting. The Grand Duke will take care of Matilda for twenty years, who, by the way, will then be accused of his death - the prince will stay in St. Petersburg for too long, trying to save the ballerina's property. One of the grandsons of Alexander II, Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich will become her husband and father of her son, His Serene Highness Prince Vladimir Andreevich Romanovsky-Krasinsky. It was precisely by the close connection with the imperial family that ill-wishers often explained all the life “successes” of Kshesinskaya
Prima ballerina
A prima ballerina of the Imperial Theatre, who is applauded by the European public, one who knows how to defend her position with the power of charm and the passion of her talent, behind whom, allegedly, there are influential patrons - such a woman, of course, had envious people.
She was accused of "sharpening" the repertoire for herself, going only on profitable foreign tours, and even specially "ordering" parties for herself.
So, in the ballet "Pearl", which was performed during the coronation celebrations, the part of the Yellow Pearl was introduced especially for Kshesinskaya, allegedly on the Highest order and "under pressure" from Matilda Feliksovna. It is difficult, however, to imagine how this impeccably educated lady, with an innate sense of tact, could disturb the former Beloved with “theatrical trifles”, and even at such an important moment for him. Meanwhile, the part of the Yellow Pearl has become a true decoration of the ballet. Well, after Kshesinskaya persuaded Corrigan, presented at the Paris Opera, to insert a variation from her favorite ballet The Pharaoh's Daughter, the ballerina had to encore, which was an "exceptional case" for the Opera. So isn't the creative success of the Russian ballerina based on true talent and selfless work?
bitchy character
Perhaps one of the most scandalously unpleasant episodes in the ballerina's biography can be considered her "unacceptable behavior", which led to the resignation of the Director of the Imperial Theaters by Sergei Volkonsky. "Unacceptable behavior" consisted in the fact that Kshesinskaya replaced the uncomfortable suit provided by the directorate with her own. The administration fined the ballerina, and she, without thinking twice, appealed the decision. The case was widely publicized and inflated to an incredible scandal, the consequences of which were the voluntary departure (or resignation?) of Volkonsky.
And again they started talking about the influential patrons of the ballerina and her bitchy character.
It is quite possible that at some stage Matilda simply could not explain to the person she respected her non-involvement in gossip and speculation. Be that as it may, Prince Volkonsky, having met her in Paris, took an ardent part in the arrangement of her ballet school, lectured there, and later wrote a magnificent article about Kshesinskaya the teacher. She always lamented that she could not keep "on an even note", suffering from prejudice and gossip, which eventually forced her to leave the Mariinsky Theater.
"Madame Seventeen"
If no one dares to argue about the talent of Kshesinskaya the ballerina, then about her teaching activities respond, sometimes, not too flattering. On February 26, 1920, Matilda Kshesinskaya left Russia forever. They settled as a family in French city Cap de Ail at Villa Alam, bought before the revolution. "Imperial theaters ceased to exist, and I did not feel like dancing!" - wrote the ballerina.
For nine years she enjoyed a “quiet” life with people dear to her heart, but her searching soul demanded something new.
After painful thoughts, Matilda Feliksovna travels to Paris, looking for housing for her family and premises for her ballet studio. She worries that she won't get enough students or "fail" as a teacher, but her first class is going great and she'll have to expand to accommodate everyone very soon. Calling Kshesinskaya a secondary teacher does not turn the tongue, one has only to recall her students, world ballet stars - Margot Fontaine and Alicia Markova.
During her life at the Alam villa, Matilda Feliksovna became interested in playing roulette. Together with another famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, they whiled away the evenings at the table in the Monte Carlo casino. For her constant bet on the same number, Kshesinskaya was nicknamed "Madame Seventeen." The crowd, meanwhile, savored the details of how the "Russian ballerina" squanders the "royal jewels". They said that Kshesinskaya decided to open a school because of the desire to improve financial situation undermined by the game.
"Actress of Mercy"
The charitable activities that Kshesinskaya was engaged in during the First World War usually fade into the background, giving way to scandals and intrigues. In addition to participating in front-line concerts, performances in hospitals and charity evenings, Matilda Feliksovna hosted Active participation in the arrangement of the two most modern exemplary hospitals-infirmaries for that time. She did not personally bandage the sick and did not work as a nurse, apparently believing that everyone should do what they can do well.
And she knew how to give people a holiday, for which she was loved no less than the most sensitive sisters of mercy.
She organized trips for the wounded to her dacha in Strelna, arranged trips for soldiers and doctors to the theater, wrote letters under dictation, decorated the wards with flowers, or, throwing off her shoes, without pointe shoes, simply danced on her fingers. She was applauded, I think, no less than during the legendary performance in London's Covent Garden, when 64-year-old Matilda Kshesinskaya, in a silver-embroidered sundress and pearl kokoshnik, easily and flawlessly performed her legendary "Russian". Then she was called 18 times, and it was unthinkable for the stiff English public.
Exactly 200 years have passed since the Russian Emperor Alexander I and the Prussian King Wilhelm III officially announced the engagement of Charlotte Lotchen and Tsarevich Nikolai Pavlovich in Berlin.
Their marriage has endured many trials. In order to save the family, the daughter of the Prussian king Charlotte, when she adopted Orthodoxy, named Alexandra Feodorovna, had to come to terms with the role of the empress, the rigidity of her husband and his regular betrayals.
german beauty
Charlotte was born to William III and Queen Louise in 1798. The mother of the future Russian Empress was one of the first beauties of her time, who was favored by Napoleon and the Russian Tsar Alexander.
Nicholas I. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The grown-up Charlotte was married to the brother of the Russian Emperor, Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, which was solemnly announced in early November 1815. The couple was considered by that time one of the most beautiful in Europe. Their relations from the very beginning were very warm, despite the fact that this alliance was aimed primarily at strengthening Russian-German friendship. At the same time, the future spouses did not count on the crown, since Constantine was considered Alexander's heir.
A magnificent wedding was played in 1816. Charlotte of Prussia converted to Orthodoxy and became Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna. The wife of the future Tsar Nicholas I was well received at court, even the widowed mother-in-law Maria Feodorovna, known for her heavy disposition, warmly received her daughter-in-law.
The Russian language was taught to Alexandra Feodorovna by Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky, with whom the future empress struck up a strong friendship. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was also fascinated by her special. Alexandra Fedorovna, nicknamed at the court of Lalla-Ruk, the poet captured in the following lines:
... into a silent tight circle,
Like a winged lily
Hesitating, Lalla Rook enters,
And over the drooping crowd
Shines with a royal head
And quietly curls and glides
A star-harita among the haritas.
Nervous tic
The first-born appeared in the royal family in 1818. Alexandra Feodorovna went to give birth to her son from St. Petersburg to Moscow. There, the future Emperor Alexander II was born, who was destined to finish his father's work and abolish serfdom.
A difficult moment in the life of the family occurred after the death of Emperor Alexander I. He bequeathed that after his departure, his brother, Nikolai, should ascend the throne. To do this, Constantine had to abdicate, who was pathologically afraid of becoming king and being strangled, like his father. The eldest heir refused to return to St. Petersburg from Warsaw, and in the meantime there was "distemper" in the country. The interregnum led to an uprising of the Decembrists on Senate Square December 14, 1825. For Nikolai and Alexandra Feodorovna, this day was one of the most terrible. They understood that not only the imperial crown, but also their lives could end. The future empress, after the upheavals, began to suffer from a nervous tic. The character of Nicholas after this uprising became stubborn and cruel, which further alienated him from his wife.
According to the memoirs of historians, Alexandra Fedorovna asked her husband to pardon the Decembrists, but he flatly refused, reminding her that these people wanted to kill their children.
Love on the side
It became a tradition for the family to celebrate the birthday of the Empress. In the summer of 1828, Nikolai and Alexandra Feodorovna visited Berlin. The 30th anniversary of the queen was celebrated here. Europe remembered the grandiose holiday under the name of the White Rose - that is how the Empress was poetically called. Nicholas I himself left for Russia, where he prepared a gift for his wife - a cottage in Peterhof. The palace was decorated in a pseudo-Gothic style, and a white rose, the favorite flower of the Empress, became the coat of arms.
Emperor Nicholas I on Senate Square on December 14, 1825. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
In the 1830s, public masquerades came into vogue. Here, the upper classes could feel more at ease and start love affairs. Meanwhile, the heyday of masquerades at that time is also associated with a significant change in the intimate life of the august couple. The frequent childbirth of Alexandra Feodorovna undermined her health. By 1832, doctors completely forbade her to have an intimate life, which is why Nicholas I had to come to terms with the need to refrain from intimacy with his wife. At masquerades, the king began to take one mistress after another. He did not tell his wife about this, but carefully monitored the fidelity of Alexandra Feodorovna. He even personally began to approve the list of those who would dance with the empress at official events. More than once a year, the same surname was not repeated in this list. A small hobby of the Empress with Prince Alexander Trubetskoy was severely suppressed by the emperor - the suitor was quickly sent abroad.
Nicholas I, who showed signs of attention to a large number of court ladies, eventually ignited a strong feeling for Varvara Nelidova, who was also the native niece of his father's favorite. The new mistress of the tsar was the maid of honor of Alexandra Feodorovna. The queen, who could not help but notice the change in her wife, staged a riot. In 1845 she went to Italy and took Varvara Nelidova with her. Two weeks later, Nicholas I could not stand it and went after the travelers. They managed to discuss the extremely delicate situation in Naples and remove all questions. The three of them returned to St. Petersburg.
One by the bed
In 1853 broke out Crimean War. Sevastopol fell, the landing of the Anglo-French troops in the vicinity of St. Petersburg was actively discussed. The betrayal of the former allies greatly crippled the king. Nicholas I eventually caught a bad cold and burned down from illness on March 2, 1855. At his bedside last hours was Alexandra Fedorovna. The tsar, who observed decency, did not let Varvara Nelidova to his bed, who was not far from the door of his bedroom at the time of the tragedy.
The emperor left his mistress 200 thousand rubles. Nelidova decided to donate everything to charity and was left without a livelihood. Surprisingly, Alexandra Fedorovna forgave her rival and provided her with a court position. The memory of Nicholas I made them best friends until the end of their lives.
The Empress spent the rest of her life in foreign resorts - the damp climate of St. Petersburg greatly affected her health. Alexandra Feodorovna died on October 20, 1860. Varvara Nelidova survived her by 37 years, having managed to catch the coronation of her friend's great-grandson, who became the last Russian emperor.
“Over the past hundred years, only one Russian tsar has not lived with a ballerina. It's me,” says Alexander III in the film “Matilda”. Moreover, this emperor had no mistresses at all, unlike his predecessors from the Romanov dynasty. Whoever they did not go to the favorites ... And the fate of these women developed in different ways.
Peter I
The Russian Emperor No. 1 was an amorous man: two official marriages and many mistresses. The first favorite of the young king was Anna Mons. And Peter met a beautiful woman - the daughter of a merchant from Minden in the German Quarter in Moscow, where he liked to go in his free time to chat with the foreigners who lived there.
Anna Mons
At that time he was already married to Evdokia Lopukhina. His romance with Mons lasted over 10 years. Peter even divorced Lopukhina and sent her to a monastery. But the tsar never married Anna, although he openly lived with her. According to rumors, Mons never really loved Petra, but rather allowed herself to be loved and used him for her own purposes. Moreover, she twisted novels on the side, for which she eventually received a resignation in 1704. Peter had already begun an affair with Marta Skavronskaya, the future Empress Catherine I. Mons was imprisoned under House arrest were accused of cheating. She was saved from further trouble by her relationship with the Prussian envoy to Russia, Georg-John von Keyserling. Peter eventually gave even the go-ahead for their marriage. The husband, however, died suddenly shortly after the wedding. And three years later, in 1714, Anna herself died of consumption in Moscow. Mons was 42 years old. Her last lover was the Swedish captain Karl-Johann von Miller, whom she presented with valuable gifts and to whom she bequeathed almost her entire fortune (5,740 rubles).
The youngest daughter of the Yakut governor Mikhail Arseniev barbarian beauty was not. But she was smart and educated, which charmed not only Peter, but also his wife Catherine, whose maid of honor she served. Varvara Arsenyeva's sister Daria was the wife of the closest associate of Emperor Alexander Menshikov. However, they say that women gave love to both gentlemen in turn. Arsenyeva outlived Peter, but not Menshikov's disgrace. She was exiled to a monastery, where she died a year later.
Varvara Arsenyeva
"Mary Hamilton Before her Execution".
Photo: wikipedia.org. Artist: Pavel Svedomsky
Even more tragic fate Mary Hamilton. Catherine's maid of honor quickly disappointed Peter; love, however, never smelled here. Then she started an affair with Peter's batman Ivan Orlov. But he cheated on her, and Maria, in order to return the gentleman, showered her with gifts: jewels that she stole from the empress. And when she eventually became pregnant from him, she killed the baby. When all this became known, Peter ordered Mary to be executed, although the empress stood up for her. But the monarch did not change his mind, and the former favorite was beheaded. Orlov was forgiven.
In parallel with Hamilton, Peter had an affair with Avdotya Rzhevskaya, to which he gave the nickname "boy-woman". A happy fate awaited the favorite. Peter married her to his batman Grigory Chernyshev, who later rose to the title of count and the rank of general. The woman bore him four children. Avdotya Chernysheva continued to enjoy influence at court: she was equally valued by both Anna Ioannovna and Peter's daughter, Elizabeth.
Avdotya Chernysheva
Photo: wikipedia.org. Unknown artist of the 18th century
Maria Rumyantseva
Maria Matveeva was a distant relative of her namesake, Mary Hamilton. But how different were their fates. The granddaughter of the boyar Matveev, the closest associate of Peter's father, Alexei Mikhailovich, spoke fluent French, danced well, had beauty and liveliness, which attracted the attention of Peter I. He was very jealous of her, and married her to another of his batmen (it was profitable then position) - Alexandra Rumyantseva.
According to rumors, the father of her son, the famous Russian commander Peter Rumyantsev, may have been the emperor. Maria Rumyantseva lived for almost 90 years. And she became famous for accepting foundlings and homeless children in her house.
Maria Cantemir
Photo: wikipedia.org. Artist: Ivan Nikitin
The last love of Peter is the daughter of his ally, the Moldavian ruler Dmitry Maria Cantemir . The father, who at that time lived in Moscow, encouraged his daughter's romance with the emperor. Mary became pregnant by Peter, but the boy was stillborn. After the death of the emperor in 1725, Cantemir never married again and died alone in 1757.
Alexander II
Alexander II
After the death of Maria Alexandrovna, Alexander II, to the displeasure of his relatives, marries Dolgoruky. Their romance by this point had lasted for 14 years. But this marriage was considered morganatic, that is, their children did not have rights to the throne. Dolgoruky was granted the title of the Most Serene Princess Yuryevskaya, the same surname was henceforth worn by her children with the emperor. Alas, less than a year after the wedding, Alexander II was killed by the Narodnaya Volya. And Alexander III, who ascended the throne, did not intend to endure Princess Yuryevskaya. And she and her family leave Russia forever. Ekaterina Dolgorukova died in Nice in 1922 at the age of 74. History has preserved numerous letters from lovers and memoirs written by the princess already in a foreign land.
Ekaterina Dolgorukova
With a young Katya Dolgoruky the emperor met for the first time when he was 41 years old. But they started dating only after 7 years. Alexandra's wife, Maria Alexandrovna, was already ill with consumption by that time. And then there is the death of the eldest son Nikolai, which greatly crippled her. The affair with Dolgoruky was not approved by either the court or those close to the emperor, especially his son Alexander, heir to the throne. The monarch was even forced to send his favorite abroad, where he went on dates. But over time, he settled her in the palace with the children. They had four of them, one boy, however, died in infancy.
Nicholas I
Nicholas I
Curious things sometimes happen in history. So, the most famous mistress of the third son of Paul I was Varvara Nelidova- Cousin of his father's favorite. Actually, Ekaterina Nelidova raised her. The wife of Nicholas I, Alexandra Fedorovna, gave birth to numerous offspring, but, alas, because of this, at the age of 35, according to rumors, she could no longer fulfill her marital duty. So the emperor became interested in the maid of honor's wife. Their relationship lasted almost 17 years. Alexandra Feodorovna, they say, approved of them, at least she didn’t interfere and didn’t make scandals. And this connection was not openly advertised.
Varvara Nelidova
Nelidova was a decent and beautiful girl, unlike her aunt. But she captivated Nikolai not only with her beauty, but also with her mind. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, “she knew how to manage her master with a tact that is characteristic only of a woman. Pretending to submit to everything, she always knew how to direct him on the path that, in her opinion, was the best. She could have abused her influence in terms of intrigue and nepotism, but she was far from it and never tried to show herself, did not surround herself with ghosts and a halo of power; she was well aware of the proud and suspicious nature of the sovereign. After the death of Nicholas I in 1855, she wanted to leave the court, but his son Alexander II did not allow it. Nelidova almost never went out into the world, she also never got married. She survived Nicholas I for 42 years, having died in the reign of his great-grandson Nicholas II.
Alexander I
Alexander I
According to rumors, Alexander I and his favorite had children - in particular, the daughter Sophia, who, of course, bore the surname Naryshkin. She died young shortly before her wedding. They say that Alexander was very worried, and this undermined his health. He died a year later, in 1825, without leaving an heir. The throne passed to his brother Nicholas.
Maria Naryshkina
Naryshkina, after parting with the emperor, went abroad, then settled in Odessa, where, according to rumors, she married again - to the former aide-de-camp Brozin. She died at the age of 75 and is buried in Munich.
Pavel I
One of the first pupils of the Smolny Institute for Noble Maidens Ekaterina Nelidova she was not a beauty either, but she danced beautifully, she was smart, educated and well-read, she knew how to conduct conversations on various topics. By this she attracted the heir to the throne, Pavel Petrovich. Together they spent a lot of time, which, naturally, embarrassed the wife of the Tsarevich Maria Feodorovna, whose chamber-maid of honor was Nelidova. But Ekaterina Ivanovna managed to convince that they only have friendly relations. Yes, and Pavel repeated more than once that he was connected with Nelidova by "friendship sacred and tender, but innocent and pure." Maria Fedorovna believed her husband and also became friends with his favorite, who by that time had become the head of Smolny. Together they tried to influence the future emperor.
But in the old days there were no stars, because there was no stage, no television. There were royal families and other aristocrats - they caused such mass delight, as actors and musicians do now. And they could not talk about PR relations: they married only those who could be married, and lovers became favorites. That is, lovers.!
Favorite of Alexander II Ekaterina Dolgorukova
A princess, an aristocrat, but not a princess, and therefore she could not marry her lover. The emperor was friends with her family: he met Katya only when she was twelve. He gave education to all the children of the Dolgorukovs after the death of their father, and then he met again a sixteen-year-old girl already ... and fell in love with madness! And the girl refused to become a mistress!
However, when Maria Alexandrovna, the queen, came down with tuberculosis, the doctors strongly recommended that she refrain from intimate contact with her husband. This suited Catherine, and she officially became the maid of honor of the Empress in order to live next to her lover! She gave birth to four, note, children. And when Maria nevertheless died, the emperor, with a clear conscience, married Katya. Alas, the family did not accept her, and even did not let her lover go to the funeral, so she had to take the children and leave for France.
Mistress of Alexander I Maria Naryshkina
She was sixteen, she came from Poland - the princess was married to the aristocrat Dmitry Naryshkin! Maria amazed everyone with her beauty and taste, shone at the balls. Alexander I did not just fall in love with her - he agreed with her husband! And, despite the presence of both legal spouses, Alexander and Maria constantly appeared together at balls. But he refused to divorce his wife, and Maria, who gave birth to five children (at least four from the tsar, all under the name of her official husband, who, we recall, was not against it!), left Alexander.
Only one question remains open: were they or Dmitry simply could not object to the emperor due to any threats? ..
Mistress of Paul I Anna Lopukhina
At the age of nineteen, Anna met the emperor ... and it was a fateful meeting. Pavel ordered the Lopukhina family to move to St. Petersburg, gave all relatives good positions and even titles. The emperor painted the walls of the Mikhailovsky Palace in the color of her gloves! He gave the ships the name "Anna"! But in the end, since the pressure of society was strong, she still left the king and got married. Pavel believed that Anechka would return, but two years later he died - so she stayed with her husband. Gagarin, but in the heart
Mistress of Nicholas II Matilda Kshesinskaya
Prima ballerina and author of an amazingly fascinating memoir! She lived in a mansion in St. Petersburg, bought for her by the Tsar in love, and for four years they met there. Nicholas was not then the heir, just the king's son, and sincerely hoped to marry, but it did not work out. And when he had to become emperor, he left Matilda. Kshesinskaya, on the other hand, began dating cousins of the imperial family, with two at the same time, and did not know who the father of the two was! But in the end she married one of the brothers, went to Paris, opened a ballet school. And Nikolai died during the revolution.
JoInfoMedia journalist Diana Lynn recalls that, in fact, there are enough such mistresses and modern powers that be ... May society finally stop putting pressure on people so that they can meet and live together in the open!
The first persons of the state could afford the most noble beauties, yet they were absolute rulers, constrained only by some official tradition - to marry the persons of the imperial houses, and not just anyone, but whoever they needed. For the soul, the kings kept favorites for themselves and loved many more than legal wives. Dilettant. media talks about some mistresses of Russian tsars.
Alexander II met Ekaterina Mikhailovna during military exercises near Poltava, when he was visiting her father, Prince Dolgorukov. She was still a little girl. The misfortune of this family helped the happiness of the emperor - Dolgoruky went bankrupt, leaving his wife with four sons and two daughters without funds. Alexander II took them into his care, placing the Dolgorukov brothers in military schools, and the sisters in the Smolny Institute.
In March 1865, during a visit to Smolny, he was introduced to 17-year-old Ekaterina Dolgorukova, whom he remembered and, it seems, fell in love with at that time. The first meetings were held secretly - at the Winter Palace. After - in Peterhof, they began to spend more time together. The legitimate wife of the king was ill with consumption and did not get out of bed. Ekaterina Dolgorukova gave birth to Alexander four children, but her marriage was not recognized by the Romanovs, one of the most ardent opponents of the morganatic connection was the Tsarevich - the future Emperor Alexander III.
Ekaterina Dolgorukova gave birth to four children to Alexander II
It is believed that Anna Vasilchikova was the fifth wife of Ivan IV, popularly called the Terrible, but this marriage was not recognized by the church, that is, in fact, it was not a marriage.
The tsar found Anna Vasilchikova at the age of 17 in the house of Prince Peter Vasilchikov beautiful girl and immediately planned to take her to his palace. The prince did not want to give his daughter away, but Grozny simply sent matchmakers to him. True, this marriage did not last long - only about three months. Moreover, the king cooled off towards her already at the end of the first. Vasilchikova was forcibly tonsured in the Suzdal Intercession Monastery. In 1577, it became known about her death under mysterious circumstances. The tsar himself announced the death - sending out the news of the commemoration of Vasilchikova.
Ivan IV lost interest in his mistress Vasilchikova in a month
Ekaterina Ivanovna was called a phenomenon by Catherine II herself, she herself loved to marvel at the talented, graceful and beautiful graduate of the Smolny Institute. Nelidova received a gold medal from the Empress. In 1776, she was appointed maid of honor to Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, and by the time Paul I came to the throne, she had already become a maid of honor.
The emperor called their relationship "sacred and tender friendship, but innocent and pure", she claimed that God himself appointed her to protect the sovereign. True, a quarrel soon occurred between them - Nelidova was to a much greater extent the party of Catherine II, and not her lover. As a result, the emperor expelled Nelidova from St. Petersburg. Upon learning of the murder of Paul I, Ekaterina Ivanovna was so shocked that in just a few months she became a perfect old woman.
Catherine II called her son's mistress a phenomenon
Maria Andreevna comes from a noble noble family, the daughter of a real Privy Councilor, a woman of incredible beauty. Peter I not only loved her terribly, but was also terribly jealous. Once he even punished her for being too free with other men and threatened to marry her to a man who would imprison her at home, as in a monastery. By and large, he did just that, but he entrusted her only to one of the people closest to him - Alexander Rumyantsev.
Together with his wife, the tsar distinguished his batman with "considerable villages" and a piece of land for a palace on the road to Tsarskoye Selo, on the banks of the Fontanka. However, the presence of a husband, as they say, did not interfere with meetings with the emperor. While Rumyantsev was in Constantinople, and then dealt with state issues near the Persian borders, Peter I visited his love and even, as if, gave her a son, named after the tsar Peter.
Peter I punished his mistress for free behavior with others
The favorite of Peter III, Elizabeth Romanovna Vorontsova, according to some statements, did not give the impression of a beauty. With olive skin, a scarred face after suffering smallpox - these are the remarks of the Grand Duchess Ekaterina Alekseevna, to whom Vorontsova was appointed as a lady-in-waiting. The addiction of Peter III (in general, an eccentric person) to her caused general surprise, "the Grand Duke expressed a very regrettable taste." He himself, as they say, called his mistress in a simple way: Romanovna.
As soon as Peter III became emperor, Vorontsova became his official favorite. Appointed as a lady-in-waiting, she spent almost all the time with him, participating in the entertainment and amusements of the king who was bogged down in childhood. The heyday of the Vorontsova era will end along with the decline of the era of Peter III, however, in relation to her, the measures will be quite mild. She even manages to marry a state councilor.
Peter III called his mistress in a simple way: Romanovna
