Emperor Alexander I

[Grand_Duke_Alexei]

There are rumors everywhere saying that Alexander I faked his death, and lived on as a monk so that he would not have to be tsar.  People say that the Soviet Government opened his coffin in the 1920's and found it empty.  Is there an axtual record of this?  Has anyone actually re-opened the coffin?

[Annie]

Yes, that is an intriguing story! I heard it was empty too, and that he did appear later dressed as a monk. We have a couple other threads on this, I think one is in Imperial Russian history. This is a good mystery!

[Grand_Duke_Alexei]

I just now read that thread, seems that it wasn't discussed very extensively.  I read somewhere before where it gave a location of where he might have escaped to, (I want to say South-something), I will have to look it up.  I am surprised that there were no people claiming to be decendants of Alexander.  I never understood what fun claimants got out of confusing people and wasting their time with lies, (Although, I do give some respect to AA and a few others, at least they were smart enough to actually come up with stories that people believe, I am NOT saying that AA was Anastasia though)  Anyways, my memory is a little fuzzy, does anyone know how Alexander was "killed", if I am not mistaken, he was shot somewhere public?

[Robert_Hall]

The Soviet government made no report on opening of his tomb.
He supposedly died of some fever disease, there is an autopsy report.
The legend has him running off to be a hermit/monk. I guess that does not inspire pretneders nor descendants.
Cheers,
Robert

[olga]

He supposedly ran off and took the name of Fyodor Kuzmich.

[Grand_Duke_Alexei]

He supposedly ran off and took the name of Fyodor Kuzmich.

Any idea why he might have chosen this name?  Was it a random choice or did it have some kind of meaning?

[Robert_Hall]

It was the name of one of Alexanders servants. I think it also had a connection with a family that provided him papers.

[Maria_Pavlovna]

Did Alexander's wife Elisabeta Alexeiovna had a lover? Prince or Count Adam?

[Grand_Duke_Alexei]

It was the name of one of Alexanders servants. I think it also had a connection with a family that provided him papers.

Do you happen to remember the servant's name and what happened to him?

[Robert_Hall]

The family was Osten-Sacken, the servant was Fyodor Kuzmich Ovcharov, a Cossack.

[Sarai_Porretta]

I don't know much about Alexander I aside from these rumors about his death, but I have read some potentially disturbing and controversial statements about his relationship with his sister Catherine. It seems that she was his favorite sister and he was very reluctant for her to marry, declining many of her suitors.

The book The Grand Duchesses explains: "Some historians have claimed that she was trying to break away from an incestuous relationship with her brother, pointing out the excessive terms of endearment used in his letters and his reluctance to allow her to marry. There was an excessive devotion on Alexander's part, but I [the author] think their relationship was never consummated. Grand Duchess Catherine Pavolvna may have become frightened by it as she became older and gained more knowledge of life. In Alexander's defense, we have to remember that he was raised in complete separation from his sisters and saw little of them until the older ones were attractive young women."

So it seems from reading this that there was some attraction at least from Alexander's part, but not from Catherine's. From the paintings of Alexander's sisters presented in the book, she certainly seemed to be the most beautiful. Regardless of the fact that Alexander was not raised with his sisters and only knew them when they were attractive women, the mere fact of knowing that they were his sisters should have made them off limits to any infatuation. So, is this just another rumor surrounding Alexander or was there some truth to this?

[Lisa]

Feodor Kuzmich



http://www.dergava.tomsk.ru/english/news/

[Fay]

From many sources I have learned that Alexander Pavlovich was a very handsome man. Does anyone have pictures that could prove it? I'd be very much obliged

[Grand_Duke]

[Grand_Duke]