Gun-salute

[cebi26]

Is known that for each child born to the Tsar a gun-salute were fired in Russia. But, how many were fired for a boy and how many for a girl? And did others relatives of the czar (nephews, grandchildre...) also recieved that privilege as well?

[GrandDuchessAndrea]

301 for a boy, says KR in his diary entry regarding Alexei's birth - from A Lifelong Passion. I cannot find any reference to gun salutes for the birth of a girl - but I think it may have been 101.

What I'd like to know is where the salute was fired. In St. Petersburg? And by whom?

[edubs31]

301 for a boy, says KR in his diary entry regarding Alexei's birth - from A Lifelong Passion. I cannot find any reference to gun salutes for the birth of a girl - but I think it may have been 101.

What I'd like to know is where the salute was fired. In St. Petersburg? And by whom?

This is correct...301, and 101 respectively. I think it also pertains only to children of the Tsar, not other relatives, but I could be mistaken.

MademoiselleAndrea, to the best of my knowledge the shots were fired out of cannon at the Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint Petersburg. There were of course celebrations across Russia as the word spread. Bells ringing, bonfires, church gatherings. Prayers and much rejoicing throughout.

[cebi26]

A found this on the wikipedia of Prince Andrei Alexandrovich, GD Xenia oldest son:
Despite being only a Prince of Russia, he received a 21 gun salute at birth (which was usually reserved for Grand Dukes, with a 15 gun salute for Princes of Russia) at the insistence of his grandmother the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna
So, i think that the birth of princes also were celebrated.

[edubs31]

Well there ya go :-)

[Rodney_G.]

I thought it was 300 for a boy but I'm opento correction.

[Sunny]

I am sure it was 101 for a girl - i recall reading that for 4 times whole russia counted to 101 and hoped for a102nd shot, which did not come.
But i'm unsure whether 300 or 301 for a boy.

[Rodney_G.]

You are right Sunny about the girl's number of salvoes as 101. The reason I remember the numbers as I do is because they are a little unusual;
Why 101 but then 300? Why those numbers at all as they are? I presume for some reason of historical precedent which would be interesting to know but hard to discover.

[Jen_94]

It was 301 gun salute for a boy, Sunny 

Yes, I'd like to know why the Gun salute numbers were 301 and 101 too. Does anyone know?

[Sunny]

It was 301 gun salute for a boy, Sunny 

Yes, I'd like to know why the Gun salute numbers were 301 and 101 too. Does anyone know?

Thanks!

You are right Sunny about the girl's number of salvoes as 101. The reason I remember the numbers as I do is because they are a little unusual;
Why 101 but then 300? Why those numbers at all as they are? I presume for some reason of historical precedent which would be interesting to know but hard to discover.

of course there should be an historical reason, i'm curious too. I'll have a look in the afternoon my time. If you find sooner... let me know!

[Rodney_G.]

Sorry, people, but I'm not giving up on  300 as the number of gun salutes for the birth of a male heir to the Russian throne. I've found four sources for the 300 number. I don't know if at this point we could call them original sources, but at least one is from an Orthodox Russian Church site which might be thought to be fairly knowledgeable on the subject, though no more perfect than any other I suppose. I'm still looking.

[edubs31]

Sorry, people, but I'm not giving up on  300 as the number of gun salutes for the birth of a male heir to the Russian throne. I've found four sources for the 300 number. I don't know if at this point we could call them original sources, but at least one is from an Orthodox Russian Church site which might be thought to be fairly knowledgeable on the subject, though no more perfect than any other I suppose. I'm still looking.

I'm getting annoyed by this too as I've seen references to both 300 and 301 salutes. Why would this even be a mystery is what I would like to know...? I guess I could understand that if the real number was 301 people might have started subconsciously rounding down to an even 300 for one reason or another. I guess it also makes sense that people might think it 301 (if it was actually 300) simply because the number for females was 101. Those numbers correspond better...if it's 101, why not 301, eh?

[Jen_94]

I've read different places 300, and 301 also! More so the 301 one, but have seen 300 listed too. Is it recorded/written down anywhere at all (e.g. Diaries, maybe)?