Relationship of Marie Feodorovna & Empress Alexandra

[bluetoria]

Perhaps too, though, Marie was a little like her sister, Alexandra, in that her love for her son was somewhat possessive. Also, as her husband was dying, she, in her grief, did not perhaps realize that Nicholas should have been more involved in the affairs of state (& that the medical bulletins should be brought directly to him). Coming in as an 'outsider' Alix saw this more clearly than those directly involved.
Then, the rushed wedding & the necessity of living with her mother-in-law meant that Alix & MF didn't 'get off to a good start.'
I believe that Alix was very unsure of her position when she was so suddenly thrust into role of Tsarina &, with MF still clinging to her status, Alix may have felt it necessary to stand her ground, which led to further, if unspoken, animosity between the two women.
I agree with you, Michael, 'no party was totally blameless' but equally no party was wholly responsible for the rift.
Had either of them been a little more flexible, it would have been mutually beneficial.

[hikaru]

Since 1915 year, Marie called Alexandra "a strange person".
So maybe since WWI she began to be more opposite to her than before.

[jfkhaos]

I believe that like her sister Queen Alexandra, the Dowager Empress was openly possessive of her children, and we know that before the imminent death of Alexander III came around, both the Emperor and Empress were opposed to Nicholas' union with Alexandra.  Only when AIII was on the verge of death was permission given to bring Alix to Russia.  Perhaps the Dowager Empress associated Alix with her husband's death, and since the common people of Russia believed Alix was a harbinger of bad luck (she arrived behind a coffin) the supersition and influence of those around her and the country at large colored her conception of Alix.  Nevertheless, I agree with previous posters who indicate that it was Marie's obligation to Alix to assist her in her transition as her own mother in law, Maria Alexandrovna, did for her.

[hikaru]

I suppose that the phrase " she arrived behind the coffin" began to use wildly after the horrors of war and revolution and because Alix did not talk much to people. Maybe if everything would be OK , nobody said like " she arrived behind the coffin".

I think that at the early time everybody were quite kind to Alix.

[ilyala]

you have to admit that the nick&alix wedding came with a lot of bad omens... whether or not people noticed them at the time is another thing, but just think of the amount of people that died when they celebrated the wedding... that and the fact that it came so close after alexander's death...

[isabel]

The mother of Marie Feodorovna was a Hessel-Cassel princess, also the mother of Alexander III, in fact, Alexander III and de father of Alix were first cousins (i am not sure).

I don´t thik they knowed Alix caracthere , so why were they opposed to their son´s choice?

[Valmont]

Firts of all, Alix was German, and  MF did not like/trust Germany, second, and I am not quite sure about this, I remember reading that Alexander and MF did not think Alix personality would coupe and would not be suitable for  a role as Empress of all Russias.... I think they were right.... but if talking about a mother's love for her son and knowing how MF loved Nicky, I understand how  she agreed to the marriage.
I want to think MF thought she would "polish" Alix to fit her role as Empress, but when thing started to get tight between them, MF must have felt kind of uncomfortable with Alix's behaviour and her  sort of Obsesion about her position. The difference is that MF had  ALL the experience and she knew how to perform her role  at perfection..
I am not taking sides with anyone here, I am just trying to imagine what would have been like between them  regarding their posible motivations....

Arturo Vega-Llausás

[grandduchessella]

[This was added by me as moderator. It had been started as a separate thread and I merged them. Sarastia is looking for some more info on the relationslhip.]

Heya,
I was just wondering what the relationship between Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna was like. I've read in various places that Maria didn't like Alexandra. Maria did bother Nikolai alot I guess about his ways of ruling Russia, comparing him to his father Alexander III.
Does anyone know about Maria and Alexandra's relationship was like??

Sarastasia

[mclisa]

No source I've seen gives specifics about Marie's famous attempt to keep certain imperial jewels in her own hands, although protocol required Alix to wear them after Nicholas became emperor.

When did this happen, if there was a particular occasion coming up where Alix as empress was supposed to wear the jewels?

Which pieces did Marie try to keep?   

Thanks.

McLisa

[Bob_the_builder]

Do you think Marie was unfair to the new Empress? I thought it was kind of rude how she shunned Alix and tried to take her place in a sense by Nicholas at the beginning. But in the end, I think Nicholas would have been a much better Tsar if he had let his mother make all the decisions instead of Alexandra, who relied so heavily on Rasputin, who certainly didn't do the Empire very good.

[Laura Mabee]

Hey Bob!
There are actually some threads on this topic already. I invite you to take a peak:

From the Alexandra Board:
Empress Alexandra and Maria Feodorovna
Alexandra and her stepmother
From Marie's Board:
Marie Feodorovna and Alexandra Feodorovna

Lots of interesting topics in those threads. 

Edited to add topics.

[Bob_the_builder]

Thanks Laura. I'll check 'em out.

[Eric_Lowe]

Well...My thought is that they just don't mix. I found Dagmar's way of trying holding on to her postion and her son unsderstandable after she lost her husband. Had Alexander III did not die at that junture and gave more time for all to get along, it might have end up better in relationships. 

[Robert_Hall]

I rarely post on these threads, but will say this; MF righfully held precedence as Dowager Empress.  She did  this well with dignity and human kindness.  I feel she did try to "embrace" Alix. However, Alexandra was wilfull, possesive, paranoid and dysfunctional. And yes, there ar tonnes of threads on both subjects here.

[Eric_Lowe]

welll...Alicky was a bit "damaged". She lost her mother and younger sister at a very young age. They all feel sorry for the motherless girl and let her go her own way. Unlike Missy who was strictly diciplined by her mother to obey. Alicky was also arrogant and spoke to most like someone with superior knowlege and knows best (made others dfeel less than themselves). If only Alice had not died...