Nicholas II & Matilda Kschessinska - her love affairs with his cousins

[historylover]

I agree with you, Lisa.  She was perfectly entitled to write the letter.

Mathilde was certainly very resilient and it seems a pity that she and Alix couldn't have swapped places !  I think that she may have made
a better queen.

[LisaDavidson]

I agree with you, Lisa.  She was perfectly entitled to write the letter.

Mathilde was certainly very resilient and it seems a pity that she and Alix couldn't have swapped places !  I think that she may have made
a better queen.

Well, if we are talking about queens, my own opinion is that the best queen of the late Imperial period was Prince Felix Yussoupov.  .

But, yes, I take your meaning but the court would never have stood for a former ballerina as Empress. Nonetheless, I do understand why MK tried to manipulate the situation when the Tsesarevich became engaged to Alix of Hesse. At that point, for Nicholas to be MK's lover while proclaiming his love for AH meant that he was using MK - and I don't blame her from being angry or him for feeling guilty about it.

[Naslednik]

Does anyone here doubt Coryne Hall's assertion that MK did in fact write that letter to Alix?  She only credits a modern day Russian writer named Bohanov, I think, and not any actual document or quotation from a contemporary, believable source.  I think she was far too smart to risk such a misadventure, and this would have been quite risky for her position in the Ballet.  If she lost her 'Niki' and then her job, she would have had a very different life.

She and Nikolai knew the lay of the land, so to speak -- that he would have to marry a Princess.  She mentions this in her own book, so this is more reason to believe that she would not have 'warned' Alix.  I don't believe that her book lies.  She is a bit of a narcissist, but it seems clear that she and Nikolai had sincere affection for each other.

[LisaDavidson]

Does anyone here doubt Coryne Hall's assertion that MK did in fact write that letter to Alix?  She only credits a modern day Russian writer named Bohanov, I think, and not any actual document or quotation from a contemporary, believable source.  I think she was far too smart to risk such a misadventure, and this would have been quite risky for her position in the Ballet.  If she lost her 'Niki' and then her job, she would have had a very different life.

She and Nikolai knew the lay of the land, so to speak -- that he would have to marry a Princess.  She mentions this in her own book, so this is more reason to believe that she would not have 'warned' Alix.  I don't believe that her book lies.  She is a bit of a narcissist, but it seems clear that she and Nikolai had sincere affection for each other.

Having known Coryne for many years, I know that she is meticulous about her research, so, no, one does not need to doubt her. That does not mean that every source she has used is correct, as no historian has that assurance. Your best bet if you are truly wondering about this point would be to write her and ask her. Coryne is wonderfully candid and I'm sure she would answer a well thought out question.

[historylover]

I have read elsewhere that Mathilde wrote this letter. I'd like to know more about the evidence too!

Regards,
Lisa
www.bookaddiction.blogspot.com

[Naslednik]

Hi Lisa D and Lisa Newbie -- Thanks for your responses, and for my delay in replying.  Yes, I think it is a great idea to ask Coryne Hall myself.  Do I simply write to her publisher?  What is the best way to contact her?  I hope that she won't feel challenged on this matter; I was surprised to see a book reviewer mention the same modern-day referencing issue.  It is a fascinating thing to have so many new documents available to us post-glasnost, so I would love to learn more about this particular reference. In fact, when I read Imperial Dancer I often kept my pinky inside the quote reference section because I was amazed at all the new information being released.

If Mathilde did write to Alix, and the letter reached her, I would expect Alix' mention in Nikolai's diary of his 'story' to be a bit more charged with energy -- either in defense of her fiance or in surprise at the gutsy direct contact that a dancer made to a future Empress.  But we do know that Mathilde was nervy, and it is possible that her fierce love might have led her to be unwise.

Can you speculate what type of warning or information Mathilde intended to pass to Alix?  Maybe sort of a statement of her intention to continue to see him?  I am a professional musician, so I know how risky such a venture could be to a person's career.

[LisaDavidson]

I would be happy to get you in touch with Coryne Hall, so you can email me or message me here on the board. I would not publically list her email address.

Little K's position in the Imperial Ballet was quite secure and she was an artist of world class stature. That said, as a human being, I gather she could be a bit much. I have no idea what she would have said to Alexandra.

[Naslednik]

Great -- I'll send you email right now!

[LisaDavidson]

I just emailed Coryne letting her know of your interest. We should be able to get something together in the next day or two.

[Romanov_Fan19]

Just how far did the Relationship with the Tsar go   were they "intimate"

[Lalee]

I think it was a bit more than just a flirtation. There definitely was a romance. Nicholas did say that he was in love with her, but that he found it very strange because at the same Alix was always on his mind no matter what, and apparently he didn't hide this from MK and told her that he hoped that Alix would become his fiance one day. It seems that, before the marriage, MK could have been like a "substitute", like Nicholas was only using her while trying to think of how to get Alix to marry him, but he still was very fond of her.

I think during the first year or so it seemed to be just a nice romance, but later on I think it may have gotten "intimate" (by reading a couple of Nicholas's diary entries and one entry made by Alix).

[Naslednik]

Yes, and I am inclined to interpret Nikolai's words exactly as he stated them -- that they were 2 loves existing at the same time, and not one a substitute for the other.  Heaven knows they were very different women! 

[historylover]

I must say that I prefer Mathilde to Alex but she does strike one as quite dominating and strong!

Regards,
Lisa S.
www.royalrendezvous.wordpress.com

[Halinka]

Somone, proably mention this but I thought nicholas had a other lover named olga somthing? Has anyone herd of this?  Sorry if my facts are miscorrect.

[Romanov_fan]

I've never heard of it.