Contents. [Chapter I, ] [ II, ] [ III, ] [ IV, ] [ V, ] [ VI, ] [ VII, ] [ VIII, ] [ IX, ] [ X, ] [ XI, ] [ XII, ] [ XIII, ] [ XIV, ] [ XV, ] [ XVI, ] [ XVII, ] [ XVIII, ] [ XIX, ] [ XX, ] [ XXI, ] [ XXII, ] [ XXIII, ] [ XXIV, ]
[Appendix A, ] [Appendix B, ] A few minor typographical errors have been corrected. [List of Illustrations]
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MEMORIES OF
THE RUSSIAN COURT

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS
ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO
MACMILLAN & CO., Limited
LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA
MELBOURNE
THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd.
TORONTO

THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA IN HER HAPPY YEARS.

MEMORIES OF
THE RUSSIAN COURT

BY
ANNA VIROUBOVA
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON
1923

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
TO MY EMPRESS,
WITH LOVE AND FIDELITY ETERNAL

“When you are reproached—bless; when persecuted—be patient; when calumniated—comfort yourself; when slandered—rejoice; this is your road and mine.” Words of St. Seraphine.

Alexandra Feodorovna, from Tobolsk,
March 20, 1918

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall not fear. Thy rod and Thy staff shall comfort me.

ILLUSTRATIONS

[The Empress of Russia in Her Happy Days][Frontispiece]
Facing Page
[The Empress Driving Her Pony Chaise][8]
[The Empress with Grand Duchess Tatiana in Her Bedroom, Tsarskoe Selo][8]
[Alexander Sergievitch Tanieff][9]
[The Winter Palace, Petrograd][20]
[Military Review, Tsarskoe Selo][21]
[The Emperor and Empress in a Quiet Hour on Board the Imperial Yacht][32]
[The Empress Distributing Presents to Sailors at the End of a Cruise][33]
[Livadia, the New Palace of the Tsars in the Crimea][38]
[A Corner of the Court of the Palace of Livadia][39]
[The Imperial Children Bathing in the Black Sea at Livadia][39]
[The Imperial Yacht Arrives at Livadia, the Crimea][50]
[The Tsar, Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana and Mme. Viroubova at Homburg][51]
[The Empress Giving Alexei a Lesson on the Terrace][74]
[Alexei Playing in the Snow at Tsarskoe Selo][74]
[The Empress in Bed with Convalescent Tsarevitch][75]
[Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana on Board the “Standert”][78]
[The Tsarevitch with His Cousins, Children of Grand Duke Ernest of Hesse][79]
[Nicholas II and the Tsarevitch on Board the Imperial Yacht “Standert”] [80]
[The Tsarevitch with His Sailor, Derevanko][81]
[The Tsar, Tsarina, and Alexei in the Gardens at Tsarskoe Selo][81]
[The Emperor and Empress in Old Slavonic Dress, Jubilee of 1913][98]
[The Invalid Empress on the Balcony at Peterhof][99]
[The Guest Room in Rasputine’s House in Siberia][169]
[The Three Children of Rasputine Before Their House in Siberia][169]
[The Empress and Young Grand Duke Dmitri, Afterwards One of Rasputine’s Assassins][184]
[Minister of Court Count Fredericks, the Empress and Tatiana Taking Tea in Finnish Woods][185]
[Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Anastasie, and Marie, Prisoners at Tsarskoe Selo, 1917][266]
[Anna Viroubova Shortly After Her Release from the Fortress of Peter and Paul][267]
[Letters From Nicholas II to Anna Viroubova, from Tobolsk, 1917][306]
[Letters from Alexei, Tatiana, and Marie, Smuggled from Siberia in 1917][307]
[One of the Empress’s Last Letters to Mme. Viroubova, Written in Old Slavonic, 1918][320]
[Smuggled Letter from the Empress on Birchbark after Paper Gave Out][321]
[The Ex-Emperor and Alexei Feeding Turkeys in the Barnyard, Tobolsk, 1918][342]
[The Last Photograph Taken of the Empress and Her Daughters, Olga and Tatiana, Shortly Before the Murder of the Imperial Family in Siberia][343]

Note: With very few exceptions all these photographs were taken by members of the Imperial Family and by Mme. Viroubova, all of whom were experts with the camera.

MEMORIES OF
THE RUSSIAN COURT