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Alexander diary: GARF 678.2.9.31, discusses constitution unlike Europe with Loris and plans Editing Commission, 4 January 1881; Skobolev takes Denguil Tepe, 13 January 1881. GARF 678.2.8.2, second letter warns of Malaya Sadova Street shop, 25 January 1881. GARF 678.2.8.4, special commission to debate reform; Sasha opposes the reform but thanks to Loris, Nabokov and Kostia accepted; I signed; to be read at Council of Ministers on 2 March, 17 February 1881. GARF 678.2.8.4, happiest day of my life, anniversary of serf liberation, 19 February 1881. GARF 678.2.8.4, arrests and search for revolutionaries inc. Perovskaya, 20 February 1881; Loris asks if guards are loyal, 22 February 1881. GARF 678.2.8.5, warning given to Katya’s brother Prince A. Dolgoruky, 23 February 1881. GARF 678.2.8.5, Miliutin backs reforms to save dynasty, 25 February 1881. GARF 678.2.8.6, Loris to publish ukaz on coronation and constitution on same day, 26 February 1881; Zhelyabov arrested; 27 February 1881; Valuev advises avoid Malaya Sadova, 28 February 1881. Daly 1.31. Abaza, throne can’t rest on a million bayonets, quoted in Orlando Figes, People’s Tragedy (henceforth Figes, PT) 41. Retire to America: GARF 678.289.10, Katya. Zaionchkovsky 174–89; 28 January 1881 Loris memo 179–81; Lenin’s view 182. Meetings on constitution, Loris excludes Pobedonostsev: Byrnes 147–150. GARF 678.2.8.2, Alexander diary, someone near me who counts left to live (e.g. Sasha), 24 January 1881.
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GARF 678.2.8.8, tsar writes diary at 8 a.m. on Loris optimism, reforms, coronation then retirement, decision to ignore all warnings, inc. that of Katya. Last bingerles with Katya: Dr Botkin to A.S. Suvorin, Dnevnik A.S. Suvorina, 66, diary entry 14 September, 1893. Sandro 70–4. Adrian Dvorzhitsky, 1 Marta 1881, Istorichesskii vestnik (1913) 1. Details of conspiracy:1 Marta 1881 goda. Po neizdannym materialam; Delo 1 Marta: protsess Zheliabova, Perovskoi I dr pravitelsvennyi otchet. Tsar very good mood, at Manège, at deathbed, Sasha and Katya hold head: Miliutin, Dnevnik 1/2/March 1881, 272–5. Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko (eds.), A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas and Alexandra: Their Own Story (henceforth LP), Bill of Indictment, 1 March 1881, 1–4. Sasha’s view of his mother’s death, Alexander’s remarriage, ‘the scum burst out’ leading to 1 March: GARF 642.1.709.13–16, Alexander III (Sasha) to Minny 22 May 1884. Fear of bombers en route to Sunday parades, Loris warns of attacks: Katya memoirs, GARF 678.2.289.54. Tolstoya 191–7: Nelidova runs in to tell Tolstoya, the scene at deathbed, Sasha sobbing on chest of father then embraces Yurievskaya, bloodstained tunic, children enter with Shebeko.
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Zaionchkovsky 203–38; on Baranov 349; on Gatchina security 197; 8 March Council 206–7; 211–15 Ignatiev memo, 12 March; ; 217 tsar lost in indecision, Pobedonostsev; 222 ‘living with madmen and they think I am an idiot not from nineteenth century but from sixteenth’, Pobedonostsev to Tyutcheva, 10 April 1881; 227–39 the 21 April Council and Alexander’s Manifesto, inc. 235 AIII to Pobedonostsev approving Manifesto, 27 April 1881. Pobedonostsev letters to Alexander III and Tyutcheva in Byrnes 150–64. Escape to Gatchina, skunks and first days in power: Sandro 75–9. Gatchina fortress and Baranov: Miliutin, Dnevnik 4.45–51. The correspondence of Pobedonostsev and Alexander III is published in Pisma Pobedonostseva k Alexandru III, vol. 1. Comedy: Valuev, Dnevnik 1877–1884, 23 March 1881. 8 March Council: diaries of Miliutin, Valuev and Perretts. 27 April Council meeting and 28–29 April meeting at Loris house and shock of Manifesto: Miliutin diary. Vorontsov–Dashkov (VD) warns of attacks: GARF 677.1.741.96, VD to AIII, 3 March 1881. Alexander III exhilarated by sacking Loris: Plotnikova 3.248, AIII to Sergei Alexandrovich. On atmosphere on accession: I. A. Shestakov, Polveka obyknovennoi zhizni (henceforth Shestakov, Polveka) 738–40, accession of Alexander III, sacking of Kostia, appointment of Alexis after emperor constantly ‘repeated that grand dukes should not head departments . . . sudden impulse’, a saturnalia of autocracy, honest people sacked, my soul aches. Incapacity of Alexander III in Katya memoirs: GARF 678.2.289.43. Tsar makes settlement with Katya Yurievskaya via Loris and Adlerberg: GARF 677.1.4.43, Adlerberg to AIII, 10 April 1881. GARF 677.1.519, Loris to AIII, 10 April 1881. Grand Duke Sergei visits Katya Yurievskaya, disgusting: Plotnikova 3.214, Sergei to Konstantin Konstantinovich (KR), 17 September 1881. Sacking of Kostia: Beech 1.62–4. Sacking of Nikolai Nikolaievich and sex mania: Paul Robinson, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich: Supreme Commander of the Russian Army (henceforth Robinson) 36. Beech 1.77. Nikolai begs Alexander III for nobility and titles for illegitimate children: RGIA 919.2.2454.88, AIII to 22 November 1882. Zaionchkovsky 2.21–23.
SCENE 3: COLOSSUS
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Sacred influence on AIII of his mother and Nixa: GARF 642.1.709.13–16, Alexander III (Sasha) to Minny, 22 May 1884. Sweet Minny, missing you: GARF 642.1.709.19–22, AIII to Maria Fyodorovna (Minny), 9 May and 12 May 1884. Dinner with Nicky and Georgy, GARF 642.1.608.11–17, AIII to Minny, 13 May 1884. GARF 642.1.709, Minny to AIII, 21 May 1884, pleased you missed me. How not to behave, Bertie prince of Wales’s baccarat scandal,: GARF 642.1.709.117, AIII to Minny, 2 June 1891. Zaionchkovsky 2.14–19. Russian brutality necessary in a Russian tsar: A.A. Mossolov, At the Court of the Last Tsar (Mossolov) 3–5. Witte 28–30: Alexander III straight–talking, not unintelligent, worry about fatness; 37–41 limited education, gifted with broad sympathetic understanding which in ruler more important than rational brilliancy; doused Misha with hose and Misha soaked him back. Edward W. Wcislo, Tales of Imperial Russia: The Life and Times of Sergei Witte (‘Wcislo’) on Alexander III: imposing, bear–like, husky and fat, in appearance ‘an absolute lout like a big Russian peasant’ but enormous character, words never differed from his actions 130–33. AIII anti–social, at ball he hides, empress dances: Shestakov diary, 2 February 1887, quoted in Zoia Belyakova, Velikii Knyaz Alexei Alexandrovich. Za i protiv (henceforth Belyakova) 153. Hall 117–31: Minny’s style and sociability. Children at Gatchina: John Van der Kiste and Coryne Hall, Once a Grand Duchess: Xenia, Sister of Nicholas II (henceforth Xenia) 10–12, inc. Minny dislike of Gatchina and Sasha happy. Paul Kulikovsky, Karen Roth–Nicholls and Sue Woolmans (eds.), 25 Chapters of my Life: The Memoirs of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna (henceforth Olga) 31–44. Family games: Edward J. Bing (ed.), Letters of Tsar Nicholas and the Empress Marie (henceforth Bing) 28, Nicky to Minny, 15 May 1884. Sasha’s humorous eyes: Sandro 139. Papa turned on the hose: Nicholas II diary is at GARF 601.1.217–266 (henceforth ND with date) – ND 7 June 1884. Papa so dear and kind to me: LP, Nicky to Alexandra of Hesse, 8 May 1894. Sandro 161 on Nicky and two brothers: Georgy the cleverest of the three, Misha simplicity of manner, favourite. Hall 117–31 Cherevin best friend, Cherevin character refined courtier mixed with primeval savage, sees world in two halves, despise Vladimir, Romanovs accuse Cherevin of drunkenness, AIII when cross ‘like a gloomy bear’, AIII backed Cherevin, AIII lying on back drinking, 1880s doctors ban drink, watched by Minny, Cherevin and AIII hide drink in boots, Mother of Invention: P. N. Lebedev, Cherevin i Alexandr III, Golos minuvshego (1917) 5/6.96–101. Zaionchkovsky 2.338 quoting Mossolov; ego big, drunk, Witte quoted 225.
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Alexis as admiral: Shestakov, Polveka 738–40, accession of Alexander III, sacking of Kostia; appointment of Alexis. I. A. Shestakov, diary: RGA VMF 26.1.1–7, Alexis indifferent to everything, 24 April 1882; how lazy my Grand Duke, 2 May 1882; does not think about right things, 26 December 1883; infuriates me, 27 June 1884. Alexis and Zina: Marie queen of Romania, Story of My Life (henceforth ‘Marie of Romania’), 1.92. Laziness of Alexis: Belyakova 161–7, Sandro on Alexis ‘Beau’ Brummel best looking, only interested in ‘love–making, food and liquor’, fast women, slow ships 188–9 and pagan Zina 171–2. On grand dukes in politics: Zaionchkovsky 2.21–3. Family Law changed: Hall 119, stop playing the tsar 116.
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Zaionchkovsky 263–6; Alexander comment on Gospel 364. Alexander hatred of Jews and on Tolstoy, Sergei and Durnovo policies: Zaionchkovsky 2.72–7. Antisemitism of Alexander and Sergei 328 and 377 Alexander’s special hatred of Jews: Polovtsov diary, 18 April 18
90. ‘Rotten Jew’: Bruce Lincoln, In War’s Dark Shadow, 30. Baron 45–50 and 356. Pobedonostsev – third of Jews must disappear: Hall 142. Anti–semitism of AIII and entourage: Cherevin Jewish memo: Zaionchkovsky 338. Marie Kleinmichel, Memories of a Shipwrecked World 129. Pobedonostsev antisemitism: Byrnes 205 letter to Dostoevsky on Jews as ulcer. Frank, Dostoevsky, novelist shares views on Jews with Pobedonostsev, reveres tsardom 678–9 and 801–7; despises Yids 745; hatred of Jews 836. GARF 677.1.741.104–9, Vorontsov-Dashkov to AIII, 2 May 1882, warns against anti-semitic policies. New security: Daly 1.32–41. Emigration of Jews to America: figures from Shmuel Ettinger, Jewish Emigration in the 19th Century: Migration – Within and from Europe – as a Decisive Factor in Jewish Life (at www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish–emigration–in–the–19th-century/2/).
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Zaionchkovsky 241–303; Zemsky Sobor 287–98. Anti semitic policies: Zaionchkovsky 2.72–7. On schemes to sell Jews by Ignatiev: Baron 356. Naryshkin 86: Ignatiev Mentir Pasha. GARF 677.1.741.104–9, Vorontsov–Dashskov to AIII, 2 May 1882, Ignatiev’s lies. Ignatiev had mentioned the Zemsky Sobor idea when he talked to Alexander Alexandrovich at Livadia in 1870; Ignatiev memoirs, GARF 730.1.161.5. Alexander III on literature: Byrnes, Pobedonostsev view of Leo Tolstoy as dangerous lunatic 256–7. Rosamund Bartlett, Tolstoy, tsar sees him as ‘godless nihilist’ 252; Tolstoy asks for mercy for Alexander II assassins – ‘Our Christ not your Christ’, replied Pobedonostsev; AIII receives Sonia Tolstoy and permits Kreutzer Sonata publication 331. Zaionchkovsky 2: 176: Alexander III censors Tolstoy.
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Zaionchkovsky 252–5; Cherevin bid to take control of Police Department and Gendarmes defeated by Ignatiev 253. Daly 1:32–48: Sacred Retinue, emergency laws, new security forces under Ignatiev and Tolstoy, Sudeikin, Rachkovsky, Degaev. P. N. Durnovo: Abraham Ascher, P. A. Stolypin: The Search for Stability in Late Imperial Russia (henceforth Stolypin), 48. Founding of Sacred Retinue: Sergei Witte, The Memoirs of Count Witte (henceforth Witte) 22–5.
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Zaionchkovsky 2.276: AIII drunk with power – Lamsdorf; Peter without the cudgel – Vannovsky. AIII bureaucrat obliteration: Figes, PT 7. AIII, long relationship with VD: GARF 677.741.1, VD to Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich, 28 July 1866; advice on military appointments during 1877 war, GARF 677.1.741.6, VD to Alexander Alexandrovich, 9 December 1877; advises move to Winter Palace for security, GARF 677.1.741.96, VD to AIII, 3 March 1881; on famine, cut the balls and banquets as contribution to committee for food, it would make decent impression, GARF 677.1.741.138, VD to AIII, 27 August 1891. Spała article and resignation of Vorontsov-Dashkov and AIII reply: AIII to VD (end of September/beginning of October 1890): RGIA 919.2.1166.2; VD to AIII about his resignation (4 October 1890): GARF 677.1.741.117; AIII to VD, in which tsar refuses resignation, calls VD friend and assistant (5 October 1890): RGIA 919.2.1214.253–4; the article on AII in Spala: Pravitelstvenny vestnik in 1890, nos. 212, 214 and 215. On digest of memoranda, on triumvirate of Vorontsov, Richter and Cherevin: N. A. Yepanchin, Na sluzhbe tyrokh imperatorov 165–7. Relations with ministers: Sandro 75–86. AIII and Pobedonostsev: Zaionchkovsky 2. 23–29; AIII and Dmitri Tolstoy 29–31.
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Coronation: GARF 642.1.608.25, AIII to Minny, 16 May 1884. Sandro 86–91. Wortman 270–9. Hall 101–6. Alexander III personally supervises Khodynka Field: Sandro 192.
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Foreign policy. Three Emperors League: Steinberg 384–7; 423–4. Afghanistan and near war with Britain: Geyer 113–15; Bulgaria and Three Emperors, Montenegro: 115–21. Tensions with Austria over Bulgaria, AIII view of Ferdinand of Coburg: Ferdinand 52–5, 103–14. Toast to Montenegro: Sandro 80. Montenegrin marriages and King Nikola: Elizabeth Roberts, Realm of the Black Mountain: A History of Montenegro (Montenegro) 261–7. Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (henceforth Clark) 91–2. AIII on public opinion to Giers: Dominic Lieven, Nicholas II (henceforth Lieven, NII) 92. Arbiters of public opinion Katkov and Meshchersky, Dmitri Tolstoy: Zaionchkovsky 2.29–31; on Katkov 31–7; on Meshchersky 37–41. Meshchersky 420–45. Frank, Dostoevsky, works with Meshchersky 617–9, 671, 679 (Meshchersky, Prince Full-stop). Katkov on foreign policy: Geyer 111.
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Noise followed by a jolt, Olga 22. Nicky’s account: Plotnikova 3.211, Nicholas Alexandrovich to Sergei, 17 December 1889. Awful event: Bing 40, Nicky to Minny, 20 October 1889. Hall 137. Witte 28–36: meets Alexander III, Jewish railway, that blunt fellow, appointment to government. Wcislo 133–4: AIII, ‘my travel is forbidden because it’s a Yid line’; Witte character 135, a certain ‘lack of restraint and brazenness of speech part of my character’. Rise of Witte: Geyer 130–45. On Vladimir: Beech 1.113, Vladimir, CO the Guards, arts and Diaghilev; Sandro 156–7. Nationalities: 1897 census quoted in Stephen Kotkin, Stalin, vol. 1:Paradoxes of Power, 1878–1928 (henceforth Kotkin) 56. Statistics on nationalities: Figes, PT 79–81; Lenin worse the better quoted 129; SRs founded 163. David Shimmelpenninck van der Oye, Toward the Rising Sun: Russian Ideologies of Empire and the Path to War with Japan (henceforth Oye) 61–81: Witte, character, vision economic growth and Far Eastern railway. Witte on possibilities of Asia to Alexander III, quoted in Geoffrey Hosking, Russia and the Russians 329. On Stalin and seminary, see Simon Sebag Montefiore, Young Stalin. Kotkin 11–12. Famine: GARF 677.1.741.138, VD to AIII, 27 August 1891.
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Sandro 158–60: ‘flaunted his many peculiarities’; Ella ‘ravishing beauty, rare intelligence, delightful sense of humour.’ Marie of Romania on Serge, Ella 1.93–97. Grand dukes in politics: Zaionchkovsky 2.21–3. Sergei Moscow governorship: Zaionchkovsky 2.22–3, 38, 72–6, 97. Wortman 311–12. Witte 380: Sergei and Durnovo antisemitism to please, ‘Jew-baiting at court very predominant’. Sergei buggering chaplain: John Röhl, Wilhelm II: the Kaiser’s Personal Monarchy (‘Rohl 1’)123. Sergei sad to leave regiment and cries, funny sad, the job doesn’t scare me, it interests me very much: Plotnikova 3.356, Sergei to Nicky, 30 May 1891. Jewish emigration – 111,000 in 1892, 137,000 in 1892: figures from Ettinger, Jewish Emigration in the 19th Century. On marriage and character: Beech 1.136–44. Sergei and Ella marriage: Christopher Warwick, Ella: Princess, Saint and Martyr (henceforth Ella) 82–4; Sergei character 85–93; Jerusalem 93–7; Guards 98; arrival of Ella 101–4; sex 130–3; Ella Jerusalem revelation 144–6; marriage of Grand Duke Paul and Princess Alexandra of Greece (Grand Duchess Alexandra Georgievna) 151; Moscow pogrom 165. Sergei and Ella: LP 256–7 quoting from Marie Pavlovna’s memoirs; 265 Ella to Nicky, 26 February 1904, ‘He loved order’.
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Germany and France: Alexander to Giers, August 1885: American Historical Journal, 25.3 (Apr 1920), 394; 391–40, L. B. Packard, ‘Russia and the Dual Alliance’. Geyer 157–60, 172–7. Steinberg 436–7; on decision to discontinue Reinsurance 450, 460. Röhl 1.31–7: Willy ‘visit to Petersburg 1888 and tsar’ view of Willy; visit to Germany 1889 218–25; on Willy’s health and sanity 298–9 and 334; Reinsurance Treaty 335– 47; French at Kronstadt 364–5; relations with Willy 473–8. AIII literally nauseated by boy monkey Wilhelm: Lebedev 96–101.
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Nicky never laughed, rarely cried, loved army: Sandro 186–7. Witte 179: inexperienced but rather intelligent, well mannered, good breeding concealed shortcomings; views Englishman as a Jew 189. Wcislo 139, Alexander III to Witte – Nicky a boy and uninterested in state affairs. Cherevin, AIII’s favourite child Georgy/unimpressed by NII: Lebedev 96–101. Nicky distance, imperial mist – Marie Romania 2.65 and 2.326. Zaionchkovsky 2.19–21, inc. Lambsdorf half-boy half-man quote; wild parties in Guards; influence of Pobedonostsev and Meshchersky; 29 funny Jewish stories, Nicky to Minny, 5 September 1884. Polovtsov, Dnevnik 26 January 1892. LP 67: ‘You don’t know how sly I can be,’ Nicky to Alix, 2 June 1894. Sandro 186 – thin education but with excellent English. Lieven, NII 106, tells Pobedonostsev ‘I always agree with everyone and then do things in my way.’ Lieven, NII 28–43, inc. quotes from Olga, on being childish, q
uotes from Vladimir Ollongren on Alexander calling Nicky ‘girly’; influence of Heath, reading habits, self-control, intelligence, preparation to rule. On Nicky’s view of newspapers as a Jew sitting there: Röhl 1.758, Nicholas to Helmuth von Moltke 1895. Limited horizons, sailor suits: Hirsch 161. Jews horsedealers, Hirsh at Sandringham: Bing 84, Nicky to Minny, June 1894. Alexander Orlov, Nicky’s only unique friend: Spirodovich 1.285–6. Patrimonial views of tsardom Census of 1897: ‘Khozyain Zemli Russkoy/Khozyayka Zemli Russkoy’: GARF, F.601. Inv. 1. File 2. Fol. 2, 28 January 1897. Figes, PT 6–7. Robinson on Nicky’s fear of Nikolasha 35. Correspondence between Nicky and Sergei: Plotnikova 3. First meeting with Kshessinskaya: Coryne Hall, Imperial Dancer: Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs (henceforth Dancer) 13–15; recommendations for Nicky from Cherevin and Pobedonostsev 18; first meetings 20–1. Nicky in town all the time, Alexander alone at Gatchina: GARF 642.1.710.54– 7, Alexander III (Sasha) to Minny, 16 April 1892.
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