Alexandra Fyodorovna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine / Alexandra Fyodorovna |
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| Empress Consort of Russia | |
Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna and her daughters - (left to right) the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Maria. Livadia, 1914.
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| Born | 6 June 1872 Darmstadt, Hesse |
| Died | 17 July 1918 (aged 46) Yekaterinburg, Russia |
| Spouse | Nicholas II of Russia |
| Issue | Olga Nikolaevna Tatiana Nikolaevna Maria Nikolaevna Anastasia Nikolaevna Alexei Nikolaevich |
| House | House of Hesse-Darmstadt |
| Father | Louis IV of Hesse |
| Mother | Princess Alice of the United Kingdom |
Alexandra Fyodorovna (in Russian: Императрица Александра Фёдоровна) was born Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine on June 6, 1872. She became the Empress of Russia by marrying Nicholas II. He was the last Tsar (Emperor) of the Russian Empire.
Alexandra was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The Russian Orthodox Church later made her a saint in 2000. She is known as Saint Alexandra.
Alexandra is most remembered as the last Empress of Russia. She was also a famous carrier of haemophilia. This is a condition where blood does not clot properly. Her close friendship with Grigori Rasputin was also a key part of her life.
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Early Life of Princess Alix
Alexandra was born Princess Alix Victoria Helena Louise Beatrice. Her birthplace was Darmstadt, in a region called Hesse and by Rhine. This area was part of the German Empire at the time.
Her father was Grand Duke Louis IV. Her mother was Princess Alice. Princess Alice was the second daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
A Childhood Challenge
In November 1878, a serious illness called diphtheria spread through Hesse. Alix, her sisters Irene and May, and her brother Ernie all got sick. Sadly, her sister May died that month. The others slowly got better.
Alix's mother, Princess Alice, became sick while caring for Ernie. She passed away on December 14, 1878. After this, Princess Alix became very close to her grandmother, Queen Victoria. Many people thought Alix was Victoria's favorite grandchild. Because of this, Alix spent much of her early life in the United Kingdom.
In 1892, when Alix was twenty, her father died. Her brother, Ernst Ludwig, then became the Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine.
Marriage to Nicholas II
Alix married later than most princesses of her time. She had turned down a marriage proposal from Prince Albert Victor. He was the eldest son of the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII). Her family had wanted her to marry him.
However, Alix had already met Nicholas, who would become the future Tsar of Russia. Nicholas was a relative by marriage. His uncle, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, was married to Alix's sister Elizabeth.
A Royal Engagement
At first, Nicholas's father, Tsar Alexander III, did not approve of their marriage. But as his health worsened, he changed his mind.
Alix was hesitant to give up her Lutheran faith. The future Empress of Russia had to be Orthodox. She later decided to change her mind and became a strong believer in the Orthodox faith.
She and Nicholas became engaged in April 1894. Tsar Alexander III died in November of that year. Nicholas then became the Tsar of Russia at age twenty-six. The couple married on November 14, 1894.
The End of the Royal Family
The Tsar, Tsaritsa, and their children, along with some family servants, tragically died on July 17, 1918. This happened early in the morning during the night.
Royal Titles
Here are the titles Alexandra held during her life:
- Her Grand Ducal Highness Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine
- Her Imperial Highness Grand Duchess Alexandra Fyodorovna of Russia (a title given before her marriage)
- Her Imperial Majesty Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna, Empress of Russia
See Also
- List of Russian empresses
- Nicholas II of Russia
