Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevitch and his family

[grandduchessella]

He was very devoted to her. As mentioned on the Jews and Royalty thread, she was rumored to have been fathered by a Jewish man by the last name of Haber. Michael not only ignored the rumors of illegitimacy but also (rather remarkably IMO considering the anti-Semitism in the Romanovs) the potential Jewish factor. Nonetheless, Cecile was mocked as Frau Haber and this caused pain. Supposedly part of the reason that GD Michael stayed as Governor of the Caucuses so long was to protect his wife from some of the vicious tongues at Court.

[Svetabel]

Supposedly part of the reason that GD Michael stayed as Governor of the Caucuses so long was to protect his wife from some of the vicious tongues at Court.

Interesting point of view!   Anyway as a spouse of the Governor  Olga Fedorovna was  the Grand Dame of the Caucasus and took a full pleasure of her title and position, becouse in St-Petersburg she was just a Grand Duchess...

[Daniela]

Thanks, to both of you Svetabel and grandduchessella.
I really didn't know that their marriage was a love match.

Supposedly part of the reason that GD Michael stayed as Governor of the Caucuses so long was to protect his wife from some of the vicious tongues at Court.  
Interesting point of view!   Anyway as a spouse of the Governor  Olga Fedorovna was  the Grand Dame of the Caucasus and took a full pleasure of her title and position, becouse in St-Petersburg she was just a Grand Duchess...

And it's nice to know that he was so protective towards his wife.

Daniela

[kmerov]

Grand Duke Alexander describes her as a woman who wasn't  able to show any affection. He doesn't seem to have had a very god relationship with his mother!

[Svetabel]

Grand Duke Alexander describes her as a woman who wasn't  able to show any affection. He doesn't seem to have had a very god relationship with his mother!

I believe he loved his mother much anyway! And she loved him too.She even left by will Ai-Todor, a beautiful estate in the Crimea, to Alexander. They said he and his sister Anasatasia were her favourites.

[Svetabel]

Here is the room in Gatchina palace where was the Winterhalter's painting of GDss Olga Fedorovna. You can see the portrait on the wall.

[crazy_wing]

Thank you Svetabel.  I wonder where it is now.  Maybe it was destroyed and thats why we have only seen engravings/lithos of the portrait?

[Svetabel]

Thank you Svetabel.  I wonder where it is now.  Maybe it was destroyed and thats why we have only seen engravings/lithos of the portrait?

 

I think it was destroyed....

[crazy_wing]

Oh, that is really unfortunate  

[mclisa]

The Geyer von Geyersburg family  wasn't Jewish.  If you look at http://www.heraldica.org/topics/royalty/HGBaden.htm, House Laws of Baden. in the first paragraph under Introduction, you will find this about Luise: "His [Carl-Friedrich, margrave of Baden's] second marriage in 1787 was to Luise Caroline Geyer von Geyersberg (1768-1820) of an old knightly (reichsritterschaftlich) family.

At a guess, the rumor was simply gossip and probably attributed Jewish ancestry to the Baden famly through an uncertain paternity.  There was a similar tale about Queen Victoria's husband, Pr. Albert of Saxe Coburg Gotha, alleging that his real father was Jewish, because he was not anti-semitic as so many of his royal continental contemporaries were.  

[clockworkgirl21]

Alexander Michailovich

[Svetabel]

Alexander Michailovich

This is Grand Duke Alexey Mikhailovitch, youngest brother of GD Alexander.  

[Svetabel]

The nickname "bimbo" was the actual one used in the IF to refer to him. I don't know the origin of it. Maybe someone out there does.  

Grand Duke Nikolay was nicknamed BIMBO after some personage from a childrens' book. That personage (a little elefant or bear I don't remember exactly)  was very curious, so was little Nikolay.

[grandduchessella]

Michael (1832-1909); m.1857 Cecile of Baden (1839-1891). She became GDss Olga Feodorovna.
 
1) Nicholas (1859-executed at Fortress of SS. Peter and Paul 1919)

2) Anastasia (1860-1922); m.1879 GD Friedrich Franz III of Mecklenburg- Schwerin (he was Miechen's brother; they were parents of CPss Cecile of Prussia; Queen Alexandrine of Denmark)

3) Michael (1861-1929); m.1891 Sophie von Merenberg, Css von Torby  (their daughter Nada married Alix's nephew George, 2nd Marquess of Milford-Haven)  

4) George (1863-executed at Fortress of SS. Peter and Paul 1919); m.1900 Marie of Greece

5) Alexander (1866-1933); m.1894 GDss Xenia (1875-1960)

6) Sergei (1869-executed at Alapaievsk 1918)

7) Alexis (1875-1895).

So you can see there were only 3 siblings who lived passed the revolution. Alexander died in exile in France--he and Xenia are both buried on the Riviera. Anastasia died in Nice. Miche-Miche died in London where he had spent much of his life following his marriage.

The Riviera was tremendously popular with this branch. Anastasia spent much of her life there--she hated life in Schwerin and after her widowhood rarely stepped foot back there. Her daughter Alexandrine married the future Christian X of Denmark in Cannes. Miche-Miche had a house there and spent his time split between the Riviera and London.

[Daniela]

Olga's eldest sister was Alexandrina, Duchess of Saxe Coburg Gotha. She was nineteen years older than Olga. Did they had some contact? How did Alexandrine felt at the fact that Olga had seven children and herself wasn't blessed with them?

Daniela