Author Topic: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs  (Read 69296 times)

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Offline Margarita Markovna

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2005, 01:34:22 PM »
I've got a book and there's a pretty big picture of it. I'll try to get it online soon.

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #16 on: September 15, 2005, 08:08:41 PM »
I am curious as it is commonly believed the following marriages were "arranged":

Marie of Great Britian-Saxe Coburg Gotha & Ferdinand of Romania

Mary of Teck & George V of Great Britian

Alexandra of Denmark and Edward VII

Dagmar of Denmark & Alexander III of Russia

QEII of Great Britian and Prince Phillip "Stavros" of Greece

Did it work out as a "loving relationship"?

Did it serve a "Political & Royal" need for the "Greater Good"?

What arranged marriages turne dout to be very happy matches?

What are the benefits of a Royal-Royal Marriage versus a Royal-non Royal marriage.



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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by TampaBay »
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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #17 on: September 20, 2005, 07:58:13 AM »
Was Miechen's and Vladimir's marriage arranged?

Was GD Maria'a & the Prussian Hohenzollen (can't remember his name) Prince's marriage arranged?

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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by TampaBay »
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Offline ChristineM

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2005, 08:16:09 AM »
I suppose it depends on your interpretation of 'arranged' Tampa.    

Fiercely pro-German Marie Pavlovna, she was so friendly with Prince Otto von Bismark that Alexander and Marie Feodorovna believed she was spying on his behalf!

tsaria

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2005, 03:19:16 PM »
Alexandra's and Edward's was arranged, IMO. QV and PA presented Bertie with a shortlist and he had to whittle it down. Albert expressed the wish he marry Alexandra. After Albert's death, QV was determined that his word was law, so Edward had little choice but to marry her . . .
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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #20 on: September 21, 2005, 02:47:02 PM »
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Alexandra's and Edward's was arranged, IMO. QV and PA presented Bertie with a shortlist and he had to whittle it down. Albert expressed the wish he marry Alexandra. After Albert's death, QV was determined that his word was law, so Edward had little choice but to marry her . . .


I would say Edward got the best part of the deal in the bargin!

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Offline ChristineM

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #21 on: September 21, 2005, 03:47:26 PM »
Could the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer, fall within the category 'arranged marriage'?   It was more or less arranged so far as I can see.   The respective grandmothers indulged in a great deal of maneouvering.    Then there was the intervention of the Duke of Edinburgh.   Not to mention the British, and foreign, Press.

tsaria  

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #22 on: September 21, 2005, 11:11:48 PM »
And did not Prince Charles say somewhere that he looked to his own maternal grandparents as inspiration for marriage deepening into real love over time? That would imply that Bertie and Elizabeth were in an arranged marriage too, wouldn't it?

Offline ChristineM

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #23 on: September 22, 2005, 06:40:50 AM »
All royal marriages, by definition, were 'arranged' to greater and lesser extents.   As everybody knows, Diana had to undergo a certain investigation before the go-ahead was given.   Had they not liked what they found, the betrothal, not to mention the marriage, would never have materialised.   Anachronistic and appalling.

Bertie, was said to be besotted by Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon.   She did not return his ardour.   I guess this is to what the Prince of Wales referred in that statement.   His grandmother learned to love his grandfather, one thing to be said in her favour.   But it was in her interest afterall.   It is a great pity he was unable to do the same in his marriage.  

Do you suppose Elizabeth Bowes Lyon was subjected to the same humiliating examination as Diana?

tsaria

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #24 on: September 22, 2005, 10:49:01 AM »
Quote
Could the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana Spencer, fall within the category 'arranged marriage'?   It was more or less arranged so far as I can see.   The respective grandmothers indulged in a great deal of maneouvering.    Then there was the intervention of the Duke of Edinburgh.   Not to mention the British, and foreign, Press.

tsaria  


I think we must look at two different marriages to see what happens.

Charles & Diana-I think Charles entered into this marriage as an "arranged marriage" with the hopes for the best.  He was attracted to Diana and hoped for the growth of love.  Diana, on the other hand was totally "in love" with Charles or thought she was.  I cannot believe Diana, from all I have read, could marry a person she did not believe she was in love with.  The marriage did not work. The reason for the failure are not the point of this discssion.  Therefore, I believe all parties, with the exception of Diana, saw it as an arranged marriage.

Dagmar & Alexander III-Dagmar was engaged to Alexander's older brother Nicholas.  Dagmar & Nicholas were in love (from what I have read) but the marriage was arranged.  Nicholas on his death bed wants Dagmar to marry AIII.  Supposedly, again from what I have read, AIII was secretly in love with Dagmar much like Alfred of Edinburgh was secretly in love with Alexandra, his brother's wife.

Dagmar agrees to marry AIII who is in love with her.  Dagmar grows to love AIII. It is a great match and good marriage.  It worked.  This marriage was arranged from everyone's pont of view except AIII.

Royals are raised to be Royals.  "Great Matches" were part of the deal.  

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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by TampaBay »
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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2005, 11:01:13 AM »
What I am really curious about was how much "arrangement" existed in the match between Prince Phillip & Queen Elizabeth II.

I wonder if she ever considered anyone else.

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2005, 11:17:39 AM »
Quote
What I am really curious about was how much "arrangement" existed in the match between Prince Phillip & Queen Elizabeth II.

I wonder if she ever considered anyone else.

TampaBay


Elizabeth said (I believe this was to her cousin Margaret Rhodes) when she became engaged that it was "after seven years of thinking about Philip and no one else".


Offline ChristineM

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #27 on: September 22, 2005, 11:45:07 AM »
Mountbatten of Burma was hugely influential in the marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip.   He was absolutely determined his nephew would marry the heir to the British throne and left no stone unturned in his determination to achieve the match.  

Had Mountbatten been alive, who can say what might have happened when it came to the point that his great-nephew and devotee, Prince Charles, was finally persuaded to marry.   He had aspirations that it would be to his great-neice.   Whether he would have been able to manipulate the pair, we will never know.

Alexander Alexandrovich who not only inherited his older brother, Nixa's, title, he also inherited his fiancee, Dagmar of Denmark.   Alexander was involved elsewhere - with Princess Marie Mestchersky (she was one of his mother's maids of honour).   He was very much in love with Marie and, for some, had to fight the battle between love and duty.   In the end, duty won - reluctantly.   He wrote 'I want to refuse to marry Dagmar, whom I cannot love and don't want...   I don't want any wife but M.E.'
Alexander II was furious.   Princess Marie was sent to Paris and Alexander Alexandrovich went to Denmark where he very soon acclimatised to the prospect of marrying Dagmar.

tsaria

« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by tsaria »

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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #28 on: September 22, 2005, 11:49:24 AM »
tsaria,

Thank you so much for the info.  My source must be unreliable as so many are.  For whatever reason, we must give Dagmar & AIII credit.  They had a successful marriage, rasied a happy family and eventually "feel" in love.  I have not read of AIII having a mistress or being unfaithful to Dagmar.  Have you?

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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by TampaBay »
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Re: Engagement, Dowry, Arranged Marriages of the Romanovs
« Reply #29 on: September 22, 2005, 11:53:02 AM »
Quote

Elizabeth said (I believe this was to her cousin Margaret Rhodes) when she became engaged that it was "after seven years of thinking about Philip and no one else".
 


I have read many places Elizabeth, The Queen Mother "Old Cookie Drawers" did not want Elizabeth to marry Phillip of Greece nor did she want Elizabeth to marry "Royal".  Cookie wanted QEII to marry a spouse from the English aristocracy. tsaria, do you have any info on this?

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« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by TampaBay »
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