Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich of Russia facts for kids
Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov (born August 12, 1904 – died July 17, 1918) was the only son and youngest child of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Alexandra Fyodorovna. He was the heir apparent to the throne of Russia. This means he was next in line to become the Tsar, and would have been known as Tsar Alexei II. He had four older sisters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia.
Alexei suffered from a serious disease called hemophilia. He inherited this condition from his mother, and it could be traced back to his great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. In 1917, his father gave up the throne during the Russian Revolution. The family was then sent away from the capital and later tragically killed in Yekaterinburg in 1918.
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Alexei's Life and His Illness
Alexei's hemophilia meant his blood did not clot properly. Even a small bump or cut could cause severe bleeding and pain. This was a constant worry for his parents. They tried everything to help him.
The Mysterious Healer: Rasputin
When Alexei was very ill, a Russian Orthodox monk named Grigori Rasputin became close to the family. Rasputin seemed to have a special ability to help Alexei feel better, often more effectively than doctors could. This made the Tsar and Tsarina trust him deeply. Some historians believe this strong trust in Rasputin might have played a part in the family's tragic end. Rasputin himself was killed in 1916, and Alexei and his family were killed just two years later.
The End of the Romanovs
After Nicholas II gave up his throne, the Romanov family was held captive. They were moved to different places, eventually ending up in Yekaterinburg. On July 17, 1918, Alexei and his entire family were tragically killed. For many years, there was uncertainty about what happened to all of them.
Finding the Remains
In 2000, Alexei and his family were recognized as saints by the Russian Orthodox Church. Years later, in 2008, bodies were found near the site where the family was killed. DNA tests confirmed that these were the remains of Alexei and the rest of the Tsar's children, proving that all five had died.
Images for kids
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Alexei as an infant in 1904
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The former palace of Russian emperors in the Polish Białowieża Forest, where Alexei had a particularly grave crisis, early October 1912.
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Pierre Gilliard and Alexei
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Nicholas II rows his son on a boat in the Alexander Park (1911).
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Alexei on horseback in the uniform of the Nijni Novgorod Dragoons. In the background parts of the Alexander Palace can be seen. 1911
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Portrait of Alexei, dressed in the soldier's coat, cap and shoulder-boards of a corporal
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Nicholas and Alexei sawing wood in captivity at Tobolsk during the winter of 1917
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Tsesarevich Alexei in his army uniform with sister Tatiana in 1917.
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The last known photo of Alexei and sister Olga aboard the steamship Rus that took them to Yekaterinburg in May 1918.
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The Romanovs visiting a regiment during World War I. From left to right, Grand Duchess Anastasia, Grand Duchess Olga, Tsar Nicholas II, Tsesarevich Alexei, Grand Duchess Tatiana, and Grand Duchess Maria, with Kuban Cossacks
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Nicholas II, Alexei, Tatiana and Nikita
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Tsesarevich Alexei Island southeast of Emperor Nicholas II Land in a 1915 map of the Russian Empire.
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See also
In Spanish: Alekséi Nikoláyevich Románov para niños
