Author Topic: Foreign palaces used by Romanovs  (Read 24650 times)

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Vassili_Vorontsoff

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Re: Foreign palaces used by Romanovs
« Reply #30 on: August 07, 2006, 03:56:21 PM »
Thanks Amadeo,

In fact I could not found some shots of the imperial bedroom of Nicolas...could you help me?

Vassili

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Re: Foreign palaces used by Romanovs
« Reply #31 on: August 07, 2006, 04:04:12 PM »
Spridovitch recalls the event, from his book, V. I Ch. 18 "The Year 1909" (translation copyright Rob Moshein 2006)

In the fall, the Tsar wanted to go visit the King of Italy, which he had wished to do for some time.  The entire family wanted to go to Italy by sea, on board the Standardt; but, by reason of the Empress' illness and other considerations, that project was abandoned and it was decided to make the voyage by train, without going through Austria, whose relations with Russia were strained because of the annexation of the Bosnia and Herzegovnia, and so they would have to make a detour.
   I received the order to go in advance to Italy, where I would, along with the director of our foreign agency Krassilnikov and a functionary Vyerigine, be sent by the Police, to work with the Italian authorities on the security measures to be taken.  I went, then, to Berlin, Rome, Turin and then to the summer residence of the King of Italy at Racconigi.
   Our ambassador to Rome, Adj. Gen. Prince Dologorukov, received us; Krassilnikov, Vyerigine and me, not only as the persons charged with the mission of assuring the Emperor's security, but as compatriots to whom his showed his pleasure at finding in a foreign country.  His aide Gulkyevitch showed us the same kindness.  A similar attention on the part of our other ambassadors abroad was something to which I was never accustomed.  The majority of those other important gentlemen whom I had occasion to meet abroad displayed a glacial coldness toward all that was Russian, considered that the Emperor's security was a matter for the police, and believed that it was far beneath their high status, should they even have deigned to show the least interest at all.
   Thanks to Prince Dologorukov and Gulkyevitch, we had been most warmly received by the Italian minster of the Interior, and after having a meeting with the interested functionaries, we went back to Turin, where the central security service was located.  There, we found a service corresponding to our own Okhrana, however adapted to the needs of a constitutional State.  It was thus, for example, that given the liberties then enjoyed by the Italian citizens, the investigative service could not have the socialist parties under surveillance; also, all of those in whom the police were interested who were called "anarchists".  Thus, the plot against these "anarchists' had been authorized by the laws of all countries.  Also equally named as "anarchists" were our own Russian social democrats, including Maxim Gorki himself.
...

In foreign lands, everything went well.  The Italian authorities had taken very serious measures designed to suppress any socialist demonstrations along the passage of the Imperial train in Turin.  They had deployed many police and military men.  The Emperor who was at the window of the train car, noticed this, and remarkin that many of the posts were accompanied by police dogs, said to Dyeduline "Look, Vladimir Alexandrovitch, they use police dogs, like we do."
   The reception of the Emperor in the little station at Racconigi had a solemn character, appropriate to the circumstances.  What struck us, we other Russians, was the playing of our national anthem.  It was played much slower than at home, with pretty musical nuances, which left it with a peculiar tone.
   The troops had a decorative air, but with such an appearance, it was not very serious.
   In taking security measures, the Italians would not deal with the public.  It was thus that on the days while they were hunting, a batallion of motorcycle riflemen blocked off a large area across which all traffic was suspended.  In order to go from Turin to Racconigi, a very long detour was required.  After several days stay in Italy, the Emperor was to return to Russia.
   We believed that it was to be just a simple courtesy visit.  In reality, it was during the meetings at Racconigi that the Emperor of Russia and the King of England signed a secret treaty of reciprocal agreements between Russia and Italy in the Balkans, where they wanted to counter the growing influence of Austria.  The treaty had great political importance and was surrounded with great secrecy.  Outside of the Sovereigns, it was only known of by a very few people. Among us, it was not to be communicated, outside of the ambassador, who after arriving in Turin, fell ill, except to Gulkyevitch, one of our young diplomats, most capable, and to Col. Tchertkov who was the ambassador's attache: officer of the chevaliers of the guard, he had all of the ambassaodor's confidence and who had been charged with copying the treaty, so that it might be made known to the proper bureaus.
   The Sovereigns gave each other rich gifts after taking part in their meeting.  As for Prince Dologorukov, he greatly appreciated the manner in which my comrades and I had carried out our tasks, and he not only had obtained Italian decorations for us, he addressed a letter greatly praising us to Stolypin, who communicated it on to the Minister of the Court.

Offline amedeo

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Re: Foreign palaces used by Romanovs
« Reply #32 on: August 08, 2006, 04:05:32 AM »
Thanks Amadeo,

In fact I could not found some shots of the imperial bedroom of Nicolas...could you help me?

Vassili


In the Italian Royal Families thread there is an entire topic devoted to Racconigi Castle.

So I hope it helps.

http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php/topic,3718.30.html