Early life Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich with three of his brothers(fromleft to right) : Alexander, Alexei, Vladimir and Tsarevich Nicholas TheGrand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich Romanov of Russia was born in Saint Petersburgon 14 January 1850 (4 January O.S.). He was the son of emperor Alexander II andempress Maria Alexandrovna. He was a younger brother of Grand Duchess AlexandraAlexandrovna, Tsarevich Nikolay Alexandrovich, Alexander III of Russia, GrandDuke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna ofRussia and He was an older brother of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russiaand Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich. Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was destinedfor a naval career since his childhood. At the age of 7 he received the rank ofmidshipman. The next year Konstantin Nikolayevich Posyet was appointed as histutor. While the winters were dedicated to theoretical studies, during thesummers he trained on Russian warships of the Baltic fleet stationed in SaintPetersburg harbour. The training was rough, but gave him the possibility ofgetting used to various sailing ships: in 1860 the yacht Shtandart on a cruisefrom Petergof to Livada [disambiguation needed] in 18611863 the yachtZabava under the flag of counter-admiral Posyet in the Gulf of Finland and Gulfof Bothnia, in 1864 the frigate Svetlana in the Gulf of Finland and the BalticSea in 1866 the frigate Oslyabya during an extensive training cruise to theAzore Islands. Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich in his youth On 18 September1866 Grand Duke Alexei was promoted lieutenant. He continued his navy careerserving as officer aboard the frigate Alexander Nevski on a cruise in acrossthe Mediterranean Sea to Pireaus, where he attended the wedding of his cousinOlga Konstantinovna. In 1868 he went on a trip to southern Russia traveling bytrain from Saint Petersburg to Nikolaevsk [disambiguation needed],continuing by ship down the Volga to Astrakhan. He then boarded a military shipfor a cruise on the Caspian Sea to Baku, [Petrovsk (now Makhachkala) and thento Iran. He then crossed the Caucasus and reached Poti where the AlexanderNevsky was moored. From there he sailed to Constantinople, Athens and the AzoreIslands On the return voyage, on the frigate was involved in a shipwreck offthe coast of Jutland during a storm on the North Sea. Though the ship was lost,the crew including Alexei Alexandrovitch was unhurt and could safely reach theshore. In January 1870 Alexei Alexandrovich reached the age of majorityaccording to Russian legislation. The event was marked by taking twooaths : the military one and the oath of allegiance of the Grand Dukes ofthe Russian Imperial House. In June 1870 Alexei Alexandrovich started the lastpart of his training. This included inland navigation on a cutter with a steamengine, on the route from Saint Petersburg to Arkhangelsk through the MariinskCanal system and the Northern Dvina River. After visiting the schools andindustrial facilities of Arkhangelsk, he started his navigation training inarctic conditions, aboard the corvette Variag. His cruise took him to theSolovetsky Islands, continuing through the White Sea and Barents Sea to NovayaZemlya. The route continued to Kola Bay and the city of Murmansk, the ports ofnorthern Norway and Iceland. He returned to Cronstadt at the end of September.Love affair with Alexandra Zhukovskaya Alexandra Zhukovskaya In 1869/1870,Alexei had an affair with Alexandra Zhukovskaya, daughter of poet VasilyAndreyevich Zhukovsky, who was eight years older than him. They were parents toa son, Alexei, born on 26 November 1871. Tsar Alexander II was strongly opposedto this relationship. Some historians claim that they were morganaticallymarried and that the marriage was annulled by the Russian Orthodox Church ,because, according to the "Fundamental Laws of the Imperial House", thismarriage was illegal. However, articles 183 and 188, which prohibited marriageswithout the consentment of the emperor, were included in the Fundamental Lawsonly by the 1887 revision under Tsar Alexander III. The rules valid in 1870 didnot prohibit mornaganatic marriages, but simply excluded their offspring fromthe succession to the throne. There is no evidence either to the marriage or tothe divorce. There is also no evidence that the Grand Duke even requested thepermission to marry. As Alexandra Zhukovskaya, was not an aristocrat and,besides, the daughter of an illegitimate son of a Russian landowner and aTurkish slave, such a marriage would have been unthinkable. Upset by his son'saffair, Alexander II even refused to grant Alexandra Zhukovskaya a title, whichwould have officially recognized the Grand Duke's paternity, even ifillegitimate. Other European courts also refused to grant her a title. As asolution of last resort, on 25 March 1875 Alexandra was able to secure thetitle of baroness Seggiano from the Republic of San Marino, with the right totransmit the title to her son Alexei and his firstborn male descendants. It wasonly in 1883, that Alexander III, the Grand Duke's elder brother, granted thebaron Seggiano the title of count Belevsky, and in 1893 approved his coat ofarms. Tour of the United States On board the frigate Svetlana Voyage to theUnited States After the official visit to Saint Petersburg of an Americansquadron under the command of Admiral David Farragut in 1867, a high levelvisit of the Russian Navy was envisaged by the Russian Government. Afterlengthy negotiations, it was decided that the Russian delegation would beheaded by Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich. The official announcement of thevisit was made on 29 June 1871 by Nikolay Karlovich Krabbe, Minister of theImperial Russian Navy. The Russian squadron, under the command of admiralKonstantin Nikolayevich Posyet on board the frigate Bogalye included thefrigates Svetlana and The Admiral General, the corvette Ignatiev and thegunboat Abrek. The Grand Duke was serving as lieutenant aboard the Svetlana.Before reaching the United States, the Russian squadron was to be met by thefrigate Vsadnik of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Though all ships were equippedwith steam-engines, the squadron made the passage to America mainly under sail,so as to avoid making port on the route for coal supplies. Except for the GrandDuke personal staff, the crew included 200 officers and over 3000 sailors. Thesquadron set sail out of Kronstadt on 20 August 1871. The squadron firststopped in Copenhagen, where the Grand Duke paid a visit to King Christian IXof Denmark. In the English Channel the Russians were met by a squadron of theRoyal Navy and escorted to Plymouth, where the Grand Duke was met by the Dukeof Edinburgh Alfred of Saxe-Coburg. A visit to Balmoral Castle had beenscheduled, but had to be canceled because the Prince of Wales was very sick andQueen Victoria extremely concerned. The Russian squadron set sail from Plymouthon 26 September. and, on route to New York, stopped for a few days in Funchal,(Madeira Islands), leaving on 9 October. The Russian squadron was met by anAmerican squadron under the command of vice-admiral Stephen Clegg Rowan PortAdmiral of New York hoisting his flag on the frigate Congress. Admiral SamuelPhillips Lee, commander of the North Atlantic Squadron attended on his ownflagship, the Severn. The other ships of the squadron were the Iroquois and theKansas, attended by several tugs. A welcoming committee had been formed in NewYork, chaired by William Henry Aspinwall. Among the members of the committeewere Moses H. Grinnell, general Irwin McDowell, Theodore Roosevelt, Sr.rear-admiral S. W. Godon, John Taylor Johnston, Albert Bierstadt, LloydAspinwall and others. After a short delay due to the weather, the Russiansquadron anchored in New York harbor on 21 November 1871, where the Grand Dukewas greeted by general John Adams Dix. A military parade took place in thecity. The Grand Duke then attended a thanksgiving service at the Russianchapel. Reception by President Grant On 22 November, the Grand Duke left forWashington by special train, placed at his disposal by the New Jersey Railroadand Transportation Company. The train had three cars: the "Commissariat" havingall the modern improvements of a hotel, comprising store-rooms and pantry, the"Ruby", dining room car to accommodate 28 persons, with kitchen, ice boxes, anda sort of wine cellar, and "The Kearsarge" used as sitting, sleeping andreading room. On 23 November, the Grand Duke was received by president UlyssesS. Grant The president wife Julia Grant and his daughter Nellie Grant alsoattended. Most of the members of the cabinet were present at the meeting:Hamilton Fish United States Secretary of State, Columbus Delano United StatesSecretary of the Interior with his wife, Amos Tappan Akerman United StatesAttorney General with his wife, George S. Boutwell United States Secretary ofthe Treasury, George Maxwell Robeson United States Secretary of the Navy,general Frederick Tracy Dent (the president brother-in-law and militarysecretary), John Creswell Postmaster General of the United States as well asgenerals Horace Porter and Orville E. Babcock . The Grand Duke arrived at 1p.m. in company of minister Katakazi, admiral Posyet and other members of hissuite. The president and the members of the cabinet received them in the BlueRoom where the presentations were made. The president then escorted the GrandDuke to the Red Room where he was introduced to the ladies. The interviewlasted only fifteen minutes, after which the Grand Duke left. The visit toWashington was overshadowed by President Grant discontent caused by the Russiangovernment refusal to recall Konstantin Katacazi, minister plenipotentiary ofRussia to the United States. The entire visit in Washington lasted only oneday. No formal entertainment was given in Washington to the Grand Duke, thoughfor all other visits of members of royal families to the White House, formaldinners had been organized. Such dinners had taken place when President JohnTyler received Franois d'Orlans, prince de Joinville, when Abraham Lincolnreceived Prince Napoleon Joseph Bonaparte and even when Ulysses Grant receivedKamehameha V, king of the Sandwich Islands. The evening of the visit to theWhite House, the Grand Duke and his suite dined at the minister Katakaziresidence, the only American official attending being general Porter. At hisdeparture the Grand Duke was asked if he intended to return to Washington.Though he expressed his interest to return during a session of Congress, theuneasy diplomatic relations due to Minister Katakazi prevented this fromhappening. There had also been expectations that a military alliance treatybetween the United States and Russia would be signed during the meeting;however this was not the case. The next day, the Grand Duke left by train forAnnapolis where he visited the Naval Academy, thereafter returning to New York.Farragut in the shrouds of the Hartfort at the battle of Mobile Bayr>Printafter the painting by William Page, presented to Grand Duke Alexei as a giftfor Tsar Alexander II The East Coast In New York, the Grand Duke visited theBrooklyn Navy Yard, Fort Wadsworth and the fortifications on Governors Island.He also reviewed the Fire Department at Tompkins Square. A highlight was thetrip by steamer on the Hudson for the visit of the United States MilitaryAcademy, West Point. Several balls were organized in his honor, the mostimportant being the grand balls at the Navy Yard and at the Academy of Music.Alexei also attended opera performances of Faust and Mignon at the Academy ofMusic. He also went on a shopping spree, stopping at the A.T. Stewart andTiffany stores where he bought some jewellery and bronze statues. On 2 December1871, a ceremony took place at the National Academy of Design, where the GrandDuke was received by Samuel F. B. Morse, William Stoddard, William Page, AlbertBierstadt and several other artists. The painting Farragut in the shrouds ofthe Hartfort at the battle of Mobile Bay by William Page was handed over toGrand Duke Alexei as a gift of the citizens of New York for Tsar Alexander II.General John Adams Dix presented the picture and the accompanying scroll, witha brief address in which he expressed the hope that it would further cement theunion that existed between the United States and Russia. The painting wasplaced on-board the Russian flag-ship for transportation to Russia. On 3December 1871, the Grand Duke Alexei left for Philadelphia where he wasreceived by general George Meade and Admiral Turner. He visited Girard College,Baird Locomotive Works and the Navy Yard. He was particularly interested by theMethodist Fair at the Horticultural Hall, where the ladies presented him anAfghan Hound. . From 7 December to 14 December, Grand Duke Alexei stopped inBoston, Massachusetts where he stayed at the Paul Revere House. The landauwhich president Lincoln rode during his visit to Boston, was prepared for theGrand Duke. He was officially welcomed at the City Hall and the State House.During his stay, the Grand Duke visited Harvard University and the suburb ofCambridge, Massachusetts as well as different public schools in the Bostonarea, being extensively briefed on the American education system. Otherhighlights of were the battlefield of Bunker Hill and the visit to theshipyards of Charlestown, Massachusetts. The Grand Duke also attended a MusicFestival where 1,200 school children composed the great choir. At the festival,a grand march of welcome, specially composed by Julius Eichberg and dedicatedto is Imperial Highness, was presented A ball in honor of the Grand Duke tookplace at the Boston Theatre. The audit of the expenses shows that the cost ofball was $14.678,58 (equivalent of $750.000 today), only $8.916,29 beingcovered by the sale of the tickets and other receipts Detour to Canada On 17December, The Grand Duke left by train to Canada. He first stopped in Montreal,where he had breakfast with the mayor of the city, and then visited Lachine,Quebec He then passed through Ottawa and Toronto, finally reaching Clifton Hill(Niagara Falls) on 22 December 1871 by the Great Western Railway. On his way,the train stopped in Hamilton, Ontario where he received a telegram from QueenVictoria, notifying him that the Prince of Wales had recovered from hisillness. From Clifton Hill the party left by sleighs for a visit to the NiagaraFalls. After having dressed in oil-skinned suits for fishermen at sea, theparty also went under the falls. The Grand Duke then crossed the Niagara Riverover new suspension bridge and then visited the United States part of thefalls. Newspaper caricature of the Grand Duke's buffalo hunt Visit to theMidwest On 23 December, Grand Duke Alexei left by train for Buffalo, New York,where he spent Christmas. On Christmas Day, he went to the opera to see theBritish Parepa-Rosa Opera Company. After the performance he sent sopranoEuphrosyne Parepa-Rosa a bracelet studded with turquoise and diamonds. On 26December, the Grand Duke arrived in Cleveland where he visited the iron millsand other factories in Newburgh Heights, Ohio. He then reviewed the ClevelandFire Department and visited the National Inventors Exhibition. He then stoppedin Detroit on his way to Chicago, where he arrived on 30 December. The city wasrecovering from the great fire. Joseph Medwill, mayor of Chicago, had writtento the Grand Duke: "We have but little to exihibit but the ruins and dbris of agreat and beautiful city and an undaunted people struggling with adversity torelieve their overwhelming misfortunes." The Grand Duke visited the destroyedpart of the city and was impressed by the rhythm of the reconstruction. He gave$5,000 USD (equivalent to $250,000 today) in gold to the homeless peopleof Chicago, Illinois. As an irony, the same day Grand Duke Alexei arrived inChicago, a special Grand Jury indicted thirteen members of the city CommonCouncil [disambiguation needed] on charges of bribery. Grand Duke Alexeialso visited the stockyards and a pork processing plant. As the Tremont HouseHotel had been burnt to the ground, the Grand Duke was accommodated in the NewTremont House which had opened on Michigan Avenue, where he was awarded the“Freedom of the City”. On New Year Day General Philip Sheridan initiated himinto the American custom of making “New Year calls upon the ladies”. From 2January to 4 January Grand Duke Alexei visited Milwaukee, Wisconsin and on 5January he arrived in St. Louis, Missouri, where he stayed for over a week. InSt. Louis, Grand Duke Alexis attended a burlesque show Buebeard in which LydiaThompson, a 36-year-old actress was singing a tune “If Ever I Cease to Love”.It is claimed that the Grand Duke was fascinated both by the actress and thesong. Supposedly, she had also sung the number privately for the duke during arendezvous. Lydia Thompson wasn’t the only woman to catch the duke’s eye; whilein St. Louis, Alexei became particularly enamored of one of his dance partners,a lady called Sallie Shannon of Lawrence, Kansas. Finally on 12 January hearrived in Omaha, Nebraska The Great Royal Buffalo Hunt Color print by LouisMaurer (1895) Trip to the hunting grounds Preparations for the hunt wereextensive and had been carried out under the command of General Joel Palmer.Two companies of infantry in wagons, two companies of cavalry, the cavalry’sregimental band, outriders, night herders, couriers, cooks had been mobilizedfor the event. The Grand Duke in the company of General Philip Sheridan,General Edward Ord, and General George Armstrong Custer, the latter having beenselected to be Grand Marshall of the hunt, arrived at Fort McPherson on 13January 1872, by a special train provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.They were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, headed by William Frederick Cody(know as Buffalo Bill). After speeches, the Duke’s party set out for thehunting grounds. The Duke and General Sheridan rode in an open carriage, drawnby four horses. William Frederick Cody escorted the party with five ambulances,a light wagon for luggage, three wagons of “champagne and royal spirits” andfifteen to twenty extra saddle horses. A relay of horses was set up at MedicineCreek, about half way to the camp, where the party stopped for lunch. Thejourney then continued to they called “Camp Alexis” on the Red Willow Creek.The 2d Cavalry band was in place and in tune; “Hail to the Chief” was playedwhen the Grand Duke arrived. The entire trip covered about 50 miles and tookapproximately eight hours. The camp consisted of two hospital tents (used asdining tent), ten wall tents and tents for servants and soldiers. Three walltents were floored and the Grand Duke was carpeted with oriental rugs. Boxstoves and Sibley stoves were provided for the tents. Cody had discussed thehunt with Spotted Tail, chief of the Brul Lakota, who had agreed to meet the“great chief from across the water who was coming there to visit him.” About600 warriors of different Sioux tribes, led by Spotted Tail, War Bonnet, BlackHat, Red Leaf, Whistler and Pawnee Killer, assembled to greet the grand duke atthe hunting camp. They had been provided with ten thousand rations of flour,sugar, coffee, and 1,000 pounds of tobacco for their trouble – twenty-fivewagon loads in all. At the start of the party, Spotted Tail, dressed in a suit,which didn fit him, with an army belt upside down and an extremely awkward lookwas introduced to the Grand Duke. Then the Indian chief extended his hand, andgreeted the Grand Duke with the customary “How.” For the amusement of Alexeithe Indians staged exercises of horsemanship, lance-throwing and bow-shooting.Then there was a sham fight, showing the Indian mode of warfare, closing upwith a grand war dance. It was noticed that Grand Duke Alexei paid considerableattention to a good-looking Indian maiden. Concerned that his mother, EmpressMaria Alexandrovna, might receive reports of his flirtations, he wrote her fromSt. Louis: “Regarding my success with American ladies about which so much iswritten in the newspapers, I can openly say, that this is complete nonsense.They looked on me from the beginning as they would look on a wild animal, as ona crocodile or other unusual beast.” . However, a dispute broke out whengeneral Custer, probably having drunk too much champagne, made crude overturesto Spotted Tail’s pretty 16-year-old daughter. Alexei was able to calm down thefight with gifts of red and green blankets, ivory-handled hunting knives and alarge bag of silver dollars. A formal council took place in Sheridan tens and apeace pipe was passed around. Spotted Tail seized the chance to press hisdemand for the right to hunt freely south of the Platte River and for more thanone store in which to trade. Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich killing a buffalowith a pistol shot on 15 January 1872 The buffalo hunt The big hunt took placeon the Grand Duke 22nd birthday, 14 January 1872. For the hunt the Duke wore ajacket and trousers of heavy gray cloth, trimmed with green, the buttonsbearing the Imperial Russian coat-of-arms. He wore his boots outside histrousers in the European way, which was unusual for his American hosts. Alexeicarried a Russian hunting knife, and an American revolver, bearing thecoats-of-arms of the United States and Russia on the handle, which he hadrecently received as a present. The hunting party approached buffalo herdseveral miles up the Red Willow Creek. The Grand Duke rode William Codycelebrated buffalo horse “Buckskin Joe”, which had been trained to ride at fullgallop with a target so that the best shot could be made. As soon as a herd ofbuffalo was seen, some two miles away, Alexei wanted to make a charge but wasrestrained by William Cody. The party moved to the windward and graduallyapproached the herd. Within a hundred yards of the fleeing buffalo, the GrandDuke, not accustomed to shooting from a running horse, fired, but missed. Codyrode up close beside Alexei, handed him his own famed .48-caliber rifle,“Lucretia,” the one with which he claimed to have killed 4,200 buffalo andadvised him not to fire until he was on the flank of the buffalo. When Alexeitried again, he brought down his game. The hide of the dead buffalo wascarefully removed and dressed; the Grand Duke took it home as a souvenir of hishunt on the western plains. Twenty to thirty animals were killed on the firstday of the hunt. The party returned early to camp, where there was a liberalsupply of champagne and other beverages provided, and the evening was spent infrontier style. The next morning Spotted Tail requested him to hunt by the sideof Two Lance, chief of the Nakota Sioux tribe, so that he could see ademonstration of the Indian way of hunting. Coming up to a heard of buffalo,Two Lance demonstrated his skill by killing a large animal with one arrow whichpassed entirely through the body of the running buffalo. The arrow waspreserved and given to Alexei. The Grand Duke killed two buffalo, one of themat 100 paces distance, with a pistol shot. On the conclusion of the hunt, whenreturning to Fort McPherson, General Sheridan proposed that William Cody takethe reins and show Alexei the old style of stage driving over the plains withthe horses at full gallop. The heavy ambulance bounded over the rough prairie,while the occupants could hardly keep their seats. Grand Duke Alexei waspleased with his hunting trip. When he and Cody parted in Fort McPherson, hepresented Cody with a fur coat and expensive cuff links. Grand Duke AlexeiAlexandrovich and General George Armstrong Custer in Topeka, at the end of thebuffalo hunt From there the train continued to Denver where the Grand Dukearrived on 17 January. While in Denver, he attended an honorary ball sponsoredby the Pioneer Club and visited some mines. Alexei apparently loved the newsport he had just learned and hunted buffalo again near Colorado Springs, onhis return trip from Denver through Kansas to St. Louis. However, the horsesused to hunt in eastern Colorado were cavalry mounts and unaccustomed tobuffalo; several hunters were injured during the resulting confusion. Alexeiwas unhurt and succeeded in killing as many as 25 buffalo. He even shot a fewmore from the train on its way across western Kansas toward Topeka, which wasreached on 22 January. It is claimed that, by the time they reached St. Louis,the party’s supply of caviar and champagne had been exhausted. General Custerbecame one of the Duke’s best friends. He accompanied the Duke and hisentourage through Kansas, to St. Louis, New Orleans, and finally to Florida.They continued to correspond with one another up until Custer death. In theUnited States, the hunt is remembered as “The Great Royal Buffalo Hunt”.Starting from the year 2000, the Hayes Center, Nebraska organizes each year the“Grand Duke Alexis Rendezvous” featuring a reenactment of the buffalo hunt.Grand Duke Alexei received as a gift from chief Spotted Tail an Indian wigmanand a bow and arrows. The Grand Duke took them back to St. Petersburg. Atpresent they are kept at the museum in Tver. In memory of his adventures in theAmerica, the Grand Duke organized every year a special entertainment. Theactors arrived to a village of tents in old carriages drawn by heavy horses. Onthe palaces lake there were “Indian” pirogues. Men with sword and tomahawksdanced with women dressed in long old skirts. The performance was supposed togive the attendance an image of the American Old West. The southern statesWhile in St. Louis, the Grand Duke made a short visit to Cincinnati, Ohio on 26January On 28 January he left by train for Louisville, Kentucky, where hevisited the Mammoth Cave He continued his trip by steamer, arriving on 2February 1872 in Memphis Tennessee aboard the Great Republic. After visitingthe city he left on 8 February aboard the James Howard and after a stop inVicksburg he finally arrived in New Orleans Poster of the Rex parade of 1872Visit to New Orleans In New Orleans Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich attendedthe 1872 Mardi Gras celebrations, where he was guest of honor reviewing theinaugural Rex parade. There are many legends related to the Grand Duke visit toNew Orleans. Though it has been claimed that local business leaders had plannedthe first daytime parade to honor the Grand Duke, but this was not true. NewOrleans was struggling to recover from the lingering effects of the civil war.At the same time, many city leaders saw the need to bring some order to thechaotic street parades of Mardi Gras day. They had planned the parade all alongand took the opportunity to capitalize on the Grand Duke visit. A new krewe ofprominent citizens was formed, calling itself the School of Design and itsruler was to be Rex (the organization is now known as the “Rex Organization”).The group of young men who founded the Rex Organization hoped not only toentertain the Grand Duke, but also to create a daytime parade that would beattractive and fun for the citizens of the city and their guests. They selectedone of their members, Lewis J. Salomon, the organization fund-raiser to be thefirst Rex, King of Carnival. Before he could begin his reign, he had to borrowa crown, scepter, and costume from Lawrence Barrett, a distinguishedShakespearean actor who was performing Richard III at the Varieties Theater. Atthe same time, Lydia Thompson tour had reached New Orleans and the Bluebeardburlesque was staged at the Academy of Music on St. Charles Avenue. Rumours ofthe courtship between the Grand Duke and the actress had reached New Orleansand were amplified mainly to ensure a full house. The Duke had already seen theperformance and was a no-show, hanging out at the Jockey Club. Besides, theGrand Duke preferences had shifted and he was captivated by the diminutiveactress Lotta Crabtree who had one of the main roles in the play The LittleDetective. Though the encounter was brief, Alexis sent her a bracelet ofdiamonds, opals and pearls in Memphis, her next stop after New Orleans. TheDuke however attended the Rex parade. According to legend, the song “If Ever ICease to Love”, was chosen as anthem of the Rex parade, because it was claimedto be the Duke favorite tune. Actually, the silly song had been written byGeorge Leybourne and published in London in 1871. The song was popular in NewOrleans long before the first Rex parade in 1872. the local adaptation of thelyrics was likely done local journalist E.C. Hancock whose newspaper hadalready published a spoof of the song in 1871. The lyrics of the song wereadapted to the occasion and changed to: “May the Grand Duke Alexis Ride abuffalo in Texas If Ever I Cease to Love” The Grand Duke never rode a buffaloin Texas, but Nebraska doesn rhyme with Alexis. It is also claimed that theGrand Duke was also given the honour of selecting the official colours forMardi Gras, and using the heraldic traditions, selected purple for justice,green for faith, and gold for power. The claim that these were the colors ofthe Romanov family is however incorrect. The parade which the Grand Dukeattended, bears little resemblance to present day parades. Rex rode a horse,not a float and the parade that followed was made up largely of the informalmaskers and marchers. There were however bands who stopped and played theRussian national anthem in honor of the Grand Duke. But many traditions such asthe selection of Rex, the King of the Parade, the Rex anthem, the parade colorsdate back to the Grand Duke visit. The Russian fleet set sail from Pensacola,Florida of 22 February 1872. It is claimed that hundreds of pounds of icedbuffalo meat were carefully stowed aboard. While Libbie Custer, generalCuster’s wife, believed the grand duke was more interested in “pretty girls andmusic” than the country he was passing through, Alexei did spend most of histime trying to get an understanding of the country. Good Will Mission to JapanThe voyage to the Far East On its way home the Russian squadron first stoppedin Havana, Cuba, which it reached on 29 February. At that time, Cuba was stilla Spanish colony and in the middle of the Ten Years’ War against theinsurgents, who had attempted to declare the island independence. Thoughfighting was still going on the western part of the island against the rebelsunder the command of Carlos Manuel de Cspedes , the hostilities did not preventgovernor Blas Villate, count of Valmaceda to receive the Grand Duke with fullhonors. During his stay in Havana, balls were organized every evening. Alexeialso attended the operas Crispino e la Comare and Martha at the Great Theatreof Havana where, at the beginning of the play, the opera choir sang the Russiannational anthem. The Grand Duke also visited the works of the Canal de Vento(now called Acueducto de Albear) for the water supply of the city, saw a cockfight in the city of Marianao and a corrida in the “Plaza de Torros” of Havana.In the following days he also went to the Yumur River valley and to the city ofMatanzas The Russian squadron then stopped in Rio de Janeiro where it arrivedon 3 June 1872. The Grand Duke entertained emperor Pedro II of Brazil and theimperial court aboard the Svetlana. The Braziliam emperor awarded him theImperial Order of Dom Pedro I. The Grand Duke looked slightly disappointed andsaid that he had hoped for the Imperial Order of the Rose, a lower order,because he had never seen a more beautiful order. Pedro II graciously awardedhim both orders. Thereafter, he spent several days in Brazil, leaving on 9June. Sailing to the Far East, the squadron stopped in Cape Town, Batavia,Singapore, Hong Kong, Canton and Shanghai Telegram sent by Grand Duke AlexeiAlexandrovich to Tsar Alexander II confirming the visit of the Japanese EmperorTour of Japan On 15 October 1872 the Russian squadron cast anchor in Nagasakiharbour, where he was greeted by the governor. The program of the Grand Dukeincluded a ceremonial dinner in his honour, visits to the surroundingcountryside and a tournament of 60 best wrestlers of Japan. On 22 OctoberAlexei and his staff visited a little village Inasa where a Russian colonylived. The Russians delegation visited two hotels named “Kronstadt” and“Moscow” as well as the Russian cemetery. The Russian squadron left Nagasaki on24 October, the next port of call being Kobe, where the Grand Duke was againgreeted by the provincial governor. The Russians were surprised by thejinrikshas which they saw for the first time. They used rickshaws for theirtrip to the Nunobeki water falls in the proximity of the city. Grand DukeAlexei also attended a performance at the local theatre in Kobe. On 1 Novemberthe Russian squadron set sail for Yokohama. The Grand Duke was met by PrinceArisugawa Taruhito, the Daij daijin (Chancellor of the Realm) who escorted himto Edo Castle. At the castle Alexei met Soejima Taneomi Head of the Gaimush(Department of foreign affairs). who made the arrangements for theaccommodation and the entertainment of the Russian delegation. On 5 November,the Grand Duke was officially received by Japanese Emperor Meiji. EmperorMeiji, presented his portrait a gift for the Tsar, the first time ever aJapanese emperor portrait was given to a foreigner, and asked for a portrait ofAlexander II in return. The Great Prince Alexeis promised to send the portraitas soon as he got back to St.-Petersburg, and, as soon as he came on-board theSvetlana, sent his own portrait to thank the Mikado. The exchange continuedand, the next day, the Emperor sent over the portraits of his spouse andmother. On 9 November, Alexei and the Mikado viewed the parade of the Japanesearmed forces, and upon his return to the palace, he was introduced to theEmpress Masako. After a few days, the Mikado at the invitation of the GrandDuke, the Mikado went to Yokohama to see the Russian squadron. Following theGrand Duke intervention, 34 Japanese Christians were pardoned by the Mikado andreleased. On 26 November the Russian squadron set sail for Vladivostok reachingthe base of the Russian Pacific Fleet on 5 December nearly a year and a halfafter it had left from Kronstadt. He then returned to St. Petersburg acrossSiberia Palace of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich on the Moika Embankment ofSaint Petersburg Palace of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich After his returnfrom America, Grand Duke Alexei was concerned about an appropriate residence.He purchased an older building located at 122 Moika River Embankment in SaintPetersburg. The building was completely redesigned and rebuilt by architectMaximilian Messmacher having a total surface of 9,200 sq.m. It isconsidered one of the most interesting examples of Saint Petersburg eclecticarchitecture. The architect used a different style for each faade. The wroughtiron and stone fence surrounding the palace and its gardens is also aninteresting feature. The central gates are still ornamented with the Grand Dukemonogram, the meaning of which was overlooked by the Soviet authorities. In1910 part of the gardens were sold for the construction of a candy factory.Though the palace was declared a national landmark in 1968, it remained indisrepair for many years. At present, the palace is undergoing majorrestoration. It will be open in December 2008 as the House of Music. Militarycareer Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich in the uniform of admiral general ofRussia In 1873, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was appointed head of theImperial Naval Guards. He was also appointed member of the section forshipbuilding and naval artillery of the Russian Naval Technical Committee.During the Russo-Turkish War (18771878) he was promoted commander of theRussian Naval Forces on the Danube. On 9 January 1878 he was distinguished withthe Order of St. George Fourth Degree for “tireless and successful managementof the naval forces and equipment on 14 June 1877 for the construction andmaintenance of the pontoon bridges and crossings at Zimnicea, Pietroani andNikopol and for the successful measures for protecting these crossing fromdestruction by enemy forces.” In 1880 he was promoted general adjutant. In 1882after the accession of Tsar Alexander III to the throne, Alexander III, Alexeiwas appointed head of the Naval Department, replacing Grand Duke KonstantinNikolaievich. In 1883 he was also appointed General Admiral of the RussianImperial Fleet. Though his control over the day-to-day affairs of the militaryis limited, Alexei is involved in naval and military planning. His influenceover the Tsar gives him a powerful say in strategic decision-making. Besidesbeing the head of Russia fleets, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was also incommand of the naval cadet corps, the Moskow guard regiment, the 37-thEkaterinburg infantry regiment, the 77-th Tenginsk infantry regiment, and the17-th Eastern Siberian infantry regiment. As commander in chief of the navy,the Grand Duke’s main concern was the constant modernization of the fleet,taking into account the rapid technological progress. During his tenure heensured a five-fold increase of the navy’s budget. He was able to launch aseries of pre-dreadnought battleships which were replacing the old ironcladships. Thus he was instrumental in the equipment of the Russian navy withseveral battleships of various classes: The Peresviet class, inspired by theBritish battleship HMS Centurion. The Borodino class, based on a Frenchdesign by the shipyards in La Seyne-sur-Mer The Petropavlovsk class designed atGalerniy Yard, St. Petersburg, The Navarin class, on the British Trafalgarclass battleship He also had older ironclads of the Imperator Aleksandr IIclass reconstructed by the Fench La Seyne yard. He also put new cruisers inservice (among which the cruiser Aurora). The Grand Duke was instrumental inthe modernization of the Russian navy. reconstructed and developed of themilitary harbours of Sevastopol, Alexander III in Livada (now Liepja, Latvia)and Port Arthur, increased of the number of navy yards and extended thedry-docks in Kronstadt, Vladivostok and Sevastopol. He also reorganized thenavy, defining the conditions for different naval qualifications, drafting ofrules for rewarding long-time service of first and second rank ship captains,restructuring of the corps of mechanical engineers and naval engineers,increasing the number of officers and crew. When tensions mounted in the FarEast, Grand Duke Alexei ordered the transfer of additional ships to PortArthur, including the battleship Petropavlovsk. Russian academician and navalengineer Alexei Nikolaevich Krylov shows that, despite these achievements,there were severe drawbacks in the Grand Duke activity. There was no strategicplanning and ships were not built based on their intended role within thefleet. There were too many ships of different types. Ships were designed mainlyby copying the ones of foreign navies, and were therefore technologically67 year old when they were launched. Their armour and equipment was ofteninadequate. The Grand Duke seems to have become aware of some the thesedeficiencies. He decided to have more battleships of a single type and to havethem designed abroad to meet the needs of the Russian navy. However, though theGrand Duke was an admirer of the British navy, the new battleships wereconceived in France and had a poor design. The new Borodino class battleshipshad tumblehome hulls and were unstable, having a high center of gravity. Thedrawbacks proved to be fatal for the Russian navy. At the outbreak of theRusso-Japanese War, in 1904 the Russian First Pacific Squadron was able toresist the Japanese attack during the Battle of the Yellow Sea. However, thesquadron was destroyed during the battle for Port Arthur, and the Baltic Fleet,sent for reinforcement was completely defeated in the Battle of Tsushima. On 2June 1905 O.S., Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovitch was relieved of his commandand retired. Life at the Russian court Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich and theDuchess of Leuchtenberg His critics talked of Alexei’ life as consisting of“fast women and slow ships,” referring to his womanizing and the defeat of theRussian navy by the Japanese. This statement is not justified, because, despiteany drawbacks, his contribution to the modernization of the Russian Navy wasoutstanding. Away from his desk Alexei devoted his time to the good things oflife. He entertained generously and collected fine silver and other works ofart to adorn his palace. Sometimes he designed his own clothes. A womanizer, hespent his vacations in Paris or in Biarritz, each time in the company of adifferent lady. Around the late 1880s he started a celebrated affair with theDuchess of Leuchtenberg, the morganatic wife of one of his cousins. BornZinaida Skobelyeva, “Zina” was a strikingly beautiful woman who had marriedEugeni of Leuchtenberg as his second wife in 1870. Alexander II made herCountess de Beauharnais and Alexander III raised her to Serene Highness andDuchess of Leuchtenberg. Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich was so besotted withher that he conducted an affair openly, under her husband’s roof and in hisfull knowledge. Eugeni Leuchtenberg drank away most of his fortune, and foryears he and Zenaida lived off his cousin’s generosity. Even after his wife’sdeath in 1899 the Duke continued to live under Alexei’s roof. Besides hismilitary duties, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich also was chairman of theImperial Commission for the Promotion of Ballet. In 1904, Grand Duke AlexeiAlexandrovich was one of the godparents of Tsarevich Alexei, the othergodparents being the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Kaiser Wilhelm II ofGermany, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, King Christian IX of Denmark,Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig of Hesse, Crown Princess Victoria of Prussia, GrandDuchess Alexandra Iosifovna, Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich, Grand Duchess OlgaNikolaievna. Besides, all soldiers serving in the military during theRusso-Japanese War were declared godfathers to Alexei. Death After theassassination of his brother Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia inFebruary 1905 and his retirement in disgrace from the navy in June that sameyear, Alexei Alexandrovich spent most of his time in a Paris house which he hadbought in 1897. At his house in Avenue Gabriel he kept open door for writers,painters, actors and especially actresses. He had always been less interestedin the armed services than in art and fashion, and he had long since beenrecognized as a connoisseur of the social, artistic and literary life of Paris.His massive frame was a familiar sight at restaurants and theaters,particularly on first nights. His last public appearance, a week before hisdeath, was at the dress rehearsal of a new play at the vaudeville. Decades ofcomfort and good living eventually took their toll on the Grand Duke’s health.He died of pneumonia in Paris on 27 November (14 November O.S.) 1908. His deathwas said to have devastated Tsar Nicholas II, his nephew, who reportedlyclaimed Alexei as his favourite uncle. In 2006 the diary of Grand Duke AlexeiAlexandrovich was found in the Russian National Library along with Yussupovfunds. The journal, written in English, begins in 1862 and ends in 1907. It hasnot been published yet. Popular culture The Grand Duke’s western hunt isalluded to in the film version of Maverick, starring Mel Gibson. In the film,the Duke is hustled, after he has grown bored with hunting animals, intothinking he has killed a Native American. He is also described by Boris Akuninin his novel “The coronation of the last Romanov” (, ) where he is presented asthe character Georgi Aleksandrovich. The 1973 Lucky Luke comic book Le GrandDuc features a Russian Grand Duke who visits the Wild West. Notes ^ a b c d ..– - ( ) – ^ Jacques Ferrand – Descendances naturelles des souverains etGrand-Ducs de Russie de 1762 1910, Paris, 1995 ^ Jacques Ferrand – Les famillescomtales de lncien Empire de Russie, Paris, 1999 ^ 1797 Fundamental laws ofEmperor Paul I of Russia. ^ a b Stanislaw Dumin – Les Romanov et la rpubliquede Saint-Marin ^ The Question settled. Confirmation of the Grand Duke visit toAmerica New York Times, 30 June 1871 ^ Grand Duke Alexis. His Departure ForAmerica In August The Fleet Fitting Out At Cronstadt The Probable Programme.The New York Times, 16 May 1871 ^ Preparations for the American Tour of theGrand Duke. The New York Times, 19 June 1871 ^ Grand Duke Alexis. Departure ofHis Imperial Highness from Cronstadt. He is in Command of a Royal Squadron. TheNew York Times, 21 August 1871 ^ Imposing Reception of the Grand Duke Alexis atPlymouth. The English Fleet Tender Him an Imperial Salute. Festivities at theRoyal Navy Club-House. The Duke of Edinburgh Receives His Royal Cousin.Preparations at London for the Duke’s Reception. The New York Times 18September 1871 ^ Departure of the Russian squadron for New York The New YorkTimes, 27 September 1871 ^ The Russian Reception. Alexis Not Yet Arrived. Datesfrom Madeira The New York Times, 29 October 1871 ^ Official Reception of PrinceAlexis Personals. The New York Times, 4 October 1871 ^ The Coming Reception ofthe Grand Duke Alexis. – The New York Times, 27 April 1871 ^ Honors To Alexis.A Cordial Welcome To The Russian Grand Duke. The New York Times 22 November1971 ^ On Board the Mary Powell. The Grand Duke’s Reception by the CommitteeThe New York Times 21 November 1871 ^ On the Mary Powell. The Grand DukeReception The New York Times 22 November 1871 ^ The Grand Duke. Departure fromNew-York for the National Capital. A Special Train at His Service Throughoutthe Visit. Enthusiastic Reception by the People of Baltimore. Safe Arrival ofthe Visitors in Washington. The New York Times 23 November 1871 ^ a b WhiteHouse – Royal And Titled Guests, 1908 ^ The Grand Duke Pays His Respects to thePresident. – The New York Times, 24 November 1871 ^ The City of Brooklyn.; TheGrand Naval Ball. Honors to Grand Duke Alexis at the Brooklyn Navy-Yard The NewYork Times, 24 November 1871 ^ Arrival In This City. The Grand Duke ReachesThis City at the Appointed Hour Programme for the Coming Week. The New YorkTimes, 25 November 1871 ^ The Grand Duke Visits the Federal MilitaryFortifications. . The New York Times, 25 November 1871 ^ A Quiet Sunday for theGrand Duke and His Party. The New York Times, 27 November 1871 ^ The GrandDuke. His Movements Yesterday- The New York Times 28 November 1871 ^ PrinceAlexis. Yesterday’s Festivities in Honor of the Grand Duke. The New York Times,29 November 1871 ^ How Alexis Passed the Day A Shopping Excursion The New YorkTimes, 30 November 1871 ^ The Grand Duke’s Visit. A Trip to West Point The NewYork Times 2 December 1871 ^ The Season of Opera The New York Times, 2 December1871 ^ Grand Duke Alexis. How He Passed His Time Yesterday And Last Evening.Presentation Of Admiral Farragut’s Picture The New York Times 3 December 1871 ^The Grand Duke: Reception at Philadelphia The New York Times, 5 December 1871 ^Return of the Grand Duke The New York Times, 6 December 1871 ^ Duke Alexis inBoston The New York Times, December 9, 1871 ^ Alexis Visits the Boston PublicSchools He Asks for Statistics, Reports, and Rules and Regulations The New YorkTimes 13 December 1871 ^ The Russian Prince -How He Passed His Second Day inBoston. Particulars Concerning the Ball The New York Times, 10 December 1871 ^Expense of Boston Ball in Honor of the Grand Duke The New York Times, 20December 1871 ^ Telegraphic Brevities The New York Times, 15 December 1871 ^The Grand Duke. Breakfast with the Mayor of Montreal The New York Times, 16December 1871 ^ The Grand Duke. Breakfast with the Mayor of Montreal The NewYork Times, 16 decembrie 1871 ^ Royal Party at the Falls of Niagara. Telegramfrom Queen Victoria The New York Times 25 December 1871 ^ Reappearance of theGrand Duke Alexis from the Canadian Snows His Future Movements The New YorkTimes, 23 December 1871 ^ Westward Progress of the Grand Duke of Russia The NewYork Times, 27 December 1871 ^ Chicago The Grand Duke and New Year Day The NewYork Times, 4 January 1872 ^ About Carnival ^ a b c d Norman E. Saul – Concordand Conflict: The United States and Russia, 1867-1914. University of KansasPress, 1996, ISBN 978-0700607549 ^ The Grand Duke Alexis arrived at Omaha TheNew York Times, 13 January 1872 ^ The Hunt of the Grand Duke Alexis ^ BuffaloHunting by the Grand Duke The New York Times 14 January 1872 ^ a b Jean Day –Buffalo Hunting – The Red Devils Chapter 29 ^ Grand duke enjoyed Topeka visit –Topeka Capital-Journal, The, 21 May 2001 ^ The Grand Duke Alexis ^ William F.Cody The Adventures of Buffalo Bill Cosimo Classics, 2005 ISBN978-1596056275 ^Andreas’ History of the State of Nebraska ^ Buffalo Hunt in Nebraska by theGrand Duke Alexis of Russia in 1872 ^ When a Romanov came a huntin’ Grand DukeAlexis: Russian came to Kansas in 1872 to go after the buffalo – By BillBlankenship ^ The Hunt fo the Grand Duke Alexis ^ a b Walt Sehnert – The GrandDuke Alexis – McCook Gazette, Monday, 31 December 2007 ^ Grand Duke AlexisRendezvous ^ a b c ^ The Grand Duke Alexis. Cincinnati Redeeming its Characterfor Courtesy. The New York Times. 29 January 1872 ^ The Grand Duke going toLouisville, Ky The New York Times 28 January 1872 ^ The Grand Duke Alexis. TheNew York Times 30 January 1872 ^ Movements of the Grand Duke Alexis The NewYork Times. 2 February 1872 ^ The Grand Duke Alexis was at Vicksburg yesterdayThe New York Times 11 February 1872 ^ Arrival of the Grand Duke at the CrescentCity. The New York Times 13 February 1872 ^ Errol Laborde – Mardi Gras.-History 2: The First Bathurst ^ History of Mardi Gras in New Orleans ^ NedHmard – New Orleans Nostalgia “She Was Only the Stable Master Daughter” ^ RexKing of Carnival ^ Renee Kutcher – Krewes Mardi Gras at www.miniature.net ^ NewOrleans Know-It-All ^ Discovery of the American West ^ Arrival of the GrandDuke Alexis in Havana The New York Times, 1 March 1872 ^ Arrival of the GrandDuke and Suite at Havana State Dining. The New York Times 1 March 1872 ^ Cuba:The Progress of the War – The New York Times, 3 March 1872 ^ Alexis The GrandDuke in Havana-His Arrival and Reception The New York Times, 11 March 1872 ^Alexis.; The Grand Duke’s Sojourn In Havana–The Ball At The Palace–A SundayCock-Fight–A Trip To Matanzas–At The Theatre–A Festive Week. The Palace Ball.Trip To Matanzas. At The Theatre. A Bull-Fight. The Duke’s Departure. The NewYork Times, 15 March 1872 ^ The Alexander Palace Time Machine ^ Brazil – TheNew York Times, 23 July 1872 ^ Arrival of the Grand Duke Alexis at Cape Town. –The New York Times, 24 August 1872 ^ South Africa: The Grand Duke Alexis’ Visitto Cape Town Ended – The New York Times, 6 September 1872 ^ -Arrival of theGrand Duke Alexis at Hong Kong. -The New York Times, 18 September 1872 ^ China:Movements of the Grand Duke Alexis. – The New York Times 13 October 1872 ^China: The Grand Duke Alexis -The New York Times, 16 November 1872 ^ a bImperial Russian State Council, 1902 ^ Japan: Reception of the Grand DukeAlexis – The New York Times, 17 December 1872 ^ .. – ^ a b ^ Palace of GrandDuke Alexei Alexandrovich ^ Palace of Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich ^ PepsiNunes The Evolution of the Imperial Russian Navy and the Grand Dukes 1850-1917Atlantis Magazine, Vol.2, 2001 Nr3-4., Vol.3 2002, Nr.1 ^ a b c Zeepvat,Romanov Autumn, p. 150 ^ a b c d Zeepvat, Romanov Autumn, p. 151 ^ Romanovs ofRussia ^ a b Van der Kiste, The Romanovs 1818-1959, p. 179 ^ Journal of GrandDuke Alexei Alexandrovich References Chavchavadze, David. The Grand Dukes.Atlantic, 1989. ISBN 0938311115 Ferrand, Jacques, Descendances naturelles dessouverains et grands-ducs de Russie, de 1762 1910 : rpertoiregnalogique,1995. Nunes, Pepsi, The Evolution of the Imperial Russian Navy andthe Grand Dukes 18501917. Atlantis Magazine, Vol.2, 2001 Nr34., Vol.3 2002,Nr.1 Van Der Kiste, John. The Romanovs 18181959. Sutton Publishing, 1999. ISBN0-7509-2275-3. Zeepvat, Charlotte. Romanov Autumn. Sutton Publishing, 2000.ISBN 0-7509-2739-9 Ancestry v  d  e Ancestors of Grand DukeAlexei Alexandrovich of Russia                                   16. Peter III of Russia               8.Paul I of Russia                      17. Catherine II of Russia              4. Nicholas I of Russia                            18. Friedrich II Eugen,Duke of Wrttemberg               9. SophieDorothea of Wrttemburg                      19. Friederike Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt              2. Alexander II of Russia                                 20. Frederick William II of Prussia              10. Frederick William III of Prussia                     21. Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt              5. Charlotte of Prussia                            22. Charles II, GrandDuke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz              11. Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz                      23. Friederike Caroline Luise ofHesse-Darmstadt               1. Grand DukeAlexei Alexandrovich of Russia                                       24. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt              12. Louis I, Grand Duke of Hesse                      25. Karoline ofZweibrcken               6. Louis II, GrandDuke of Hesse                            26. Georg Wilhelm of Hesse-Darmstadt              13. Louise of Hesse-Darmstadt                      27. Luiseof Leiningen-Heidesheim               3.Marie of Hesse and by Rhine                                  28.Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden              14. Charles Louis of Baden                      29. Karoline Luise of Hesse-Darmstadt              7. Wilhelmine of Baden                           30. Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt              15. Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt                      31. Karoline ofZweibrcken            v  d  e Grand Dukes of Russia 1st Generation TsarevichAlexei Petrovich  Alexander Petrovich  Paul Petrovitch  PeterPetrovich  Paul Petrovich  Peter Petrovich 2nd Generation Peter II3rd Generation Peter III 4th Generation Paul I 5th Generation Alexander I Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich  Nicholas I  Grand Duke MichaelPavlovich 6th Generation Alexander II  Grand Duke ConstantineNicholaevich  Grand Duke Nicholas Nicholaevich  Grand Duke MichaelNicholaevich 7th Generation Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich  AlexanderIII  Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich  Grand Duke AlexeiAlexandrovich  Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovich  Grand DukeNicholas Nicholaevich  Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich  Grand DukeConstantine Constantinovich  Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich  GrandDuke Dimitri Constantinovich  Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich  GrandDuke Michael Mikhailovich  Grand Duke Viacheslav Constantinovich Grand Duke George Mikhailovich  Grand Duke Peter Nicholaevich  GrandDuke Alexander Mikhailovich  Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich  GrandDuke Alexei Mikhailovich 8th Generation Nicholas II  Grand Duke AlexanderAlexandrovich  Grand Duke George Alexandrovich  Grand Duke AlexanderVladimirovich  Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich  Grand Duke BorisVladimirovich  Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich  Grand Duke AndrewVladimirovich  Grand Duke John Constantinovich*  Grand Duke GabrielConstantinovich*  Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich 9th Generation TsarevichAlexei Nikolaevich  Grand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich 10th Generation GrandDuke Michael Pavlovich** 11th Generation Grand Duke George Mikhailovich** *borna Grand Duke, but stripped of his title by Alexander III’s ukase of 1886,limiting the style to only male-line grandsons of a tsar **title granted byGrand Duke Vladimir Cyrillovich Wikimedia Commons has media related to: GrandDuke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia Categories: House ofHolstein-Gottorp-Romanov | Imperial Russian Navy admirals | Members of theState Council of the Russian Empire | Russian royalty | Recipients of the Orderof Saint Stanislaus (Russian) | 1850 births | 1908 deaths | Recipients of theOrder of Saint George IV Class | Recipients of the Order of Saint Andrew theFirst-CalledHidden categories: Articles with links needing disambiguation

Alexandrovich · Alexei · Duke · Grand · Russia