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Messages - Janet Ashton

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16
Chapter eight is the first of two whole chapters devoted to the coronation day itself, as we cast our eye over every rank of society involved, from the man at the centre of the ceremonies, to the diplomats and guests, to the onlookers and tourists.

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/extracts-from-chapter-8/


17
Speaking of autocracy.....Chapter 7 sees Nicholas receiving his diplomatic guests as he awaits his coronation, and many of these guests have an important role in the way he sees his coming role as Emperor. Here are a few extracts to whet your whistles...:-)

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/21/extracts-from-chapter-seven/

18
Amazing how Alexandra became Ms. I Love The Autocracy. 

I mean her grandmother, Queen Victoria, whom she had always been close with, was a Constitutional Monarch.   If Nicky and Alix had adopted such a system in Russia, I strongly believe they might have not had the horrible ending that they had. 

We'll never know, of course, but that is just how I feel.

Queen Victoria was never really all that meek a monarch, though, and she had to learn to bite her tongue.
By contrast, both Franz Joseph and Wilhelm II were actually constitutional monarchs too, or close to it, though both retained a right to suspend parliament and retreat to some form of personal rule if they wished (in FJ's case, this right was ultimately vested in his prime minister rather than himself). It was the war rather than system of government which cost both these monarchs their power, just like Nicholas and Alexandra. And it was the war which taught George V to take a back seat, I feel. In the crisis over the House of Lords and the Peoples' Budget just before the war, he was inclined to do the opposite.

I think Alexandra found a "meaning" in autocracy by identifying it closely with her husband and his church (as the church indeed encouraged her to do). By doing so, she could "forgive" herself for abandoning the Protestantism of her childhood by seeing that she had a much greater mission in marrying Nicholas and helping him on his way through life. It's easy to become intoxicated with the Orthodox Church, the scenery of Russia, and swallow national myths whole. 

19
I'm much enjoying the extracts from the book!

Note that prior to the State Opening of Parliament here, the Imperial State Crown is taken by carriage from the Tower to the Palace of Westminster with a Regalia Escort of the Household Cavalry.

Ann

Yes, it's interesting - as we note in the book, even in 1896 only the British monarchy maintained anything approaching the level of display of the Romanovs. Many of the other monarchs had given up being crowned at all, if their ancestors ever even had been. But in Britain and Russia, things seemed to go in the opposite direction, creating or elaborating on a set of ceremonies that became grander and grander as the twentieth century approached.

20
It is a fascinating branch of study, looking at peoples' libraries and book collections for what they tell us about their view of the world.

Janet, do you have the info on HM Own Library and story of Zichy watercolors of the coronations?

Joanna

I know Zichy painted for earlier coronations, but did he do anything in 1896? I know he was still at court, but if he did anything for Nicholas's coronation I'll admit it's new to me! :-)

Anyway, here are the extracts form Chapter Six, the day on which the sun symbolically came out for the formal entry to Moscow, a moment of great expectation for so many people, offered a first chance to see their Tsar: -

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/extracts-from-chapter-six/ 

21
Empress Alexandra’s Library in the Winter Palace

Coronation Album in Empire Drawing Room

https://winterpalaceresearch.blogspot.ca/2016/08/empress-alexandras-library-in-winter.html

Joanna

A very interesting post, because it shows how important the coronation album and all it symbolised was to Alexandra. The coronation represented almost an extension of her marriage vows, a wedding to Russia and re-consecration to Nicholas. And, of course, as we know, the two of them believed that they were swearing to keep the autocracy intact.

It is a fascinating branch of study, looking at peoples' libraries and book collections for what they tell us about their view of the world. I wrote a Masters thesis on the library of the famous Ladies of Llangollen (two Georgian gentlewomen who ran away to Wales together), and have also written about Alexandra's reading in the past, albeit her religious reading only.

22
https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/16/extracts-from-chapter-five/

Now that the foreign guests are assembled, and journalists wait with pens poised and ticker tape at the ready, the Romanovs begin to arrive in the city with their immediate entourage. Some of the entourage is human; other crucial trappings - which to onlookers seem perhaps more important than the humans! - are not.

Nicholas and Alexandra themselves come down from St Petersburg now, but take up residence outside the city until the ceremonies are to begin.

23
Here are some extracts from Chapter Four, in which we introduce many of the royal and diplomatic guests, and discuss their arrangements and accommodation.

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/14/extracts-from-chapter-four/

You'll read about a new friend of Empress Alexandra's in this chapter (we can bet that most people didn't know about this particular relationship), and a whole quiverful of interesting, difficult and influential characters.

24
Having Fun! / Re: I got a new cat: Tatiana!
« on: August 09, 2016, 03:24:27 PM »
I lost Aussie earlier this year, so I went and adopted my new baby, OJ.

Magnificent! :-)

25
The tourists are arriving, and forming their views of the freshly-painted city: -

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/extracts-from-chapter-three/

26
Thanks, Tim!

Here are some tasters of chapter two, in which we discuss the preparations and begin to explore the coronation more broadly, adding humbler characters and explaining how it would all affect them: -

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/07/extracts-from-chapter-two/

You can start to read in this chapter about the city's residents and some of the less exalted participants in the coronation itself.

28
Alexandra Feodorovna / Re: Empress Alexandra - paintings and portraits
« on: August 02, 2016, 11:07:06 PM »
Found this labeled as NII and Empress Alexandra at a reception at the French Embassy, 1899



It's actually an illustration from the official coronation album, and shows Nicholas and Alexandra arriving at the Montebello Ball (1896). Getty got this wrong...:-)

29
Here are some extracts from our introduction, as promised.....

https://coronationofnicholasii.wordpress.com/2016/08/03/the-opening-paragraphs-of-our-introduction/

More to follow over coming days!

30
Edward VII.

I wouldn't have thought he was more of a security headache than anyone else.

Ann

I don't know - I'd imagine the Prince of wales would have been quite a significant scalp for some revolutionary - much more noticeable than, say, Nicholas of Montenegro.....But of course I'm just speculating as to why he wasn't chosen to go.

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