The Romanovs

by Simon Sebag Montefiore

  22

  GARF 568.1.661.16, Nicholas to Alexeev, 3 January 1904, possibility of rupture. Sbornik dogovorov i diplomaticheskikh dokumentov po delam Dalnego Vostoka 1895– 1905 40–50, Nicholas to Alexeev, 14, 16, 28 January on allowing Japanese to land in South Korea. LP 230, Xenia diary, 31 March 1904. Constantine Pleshakov, The Tsar’s Last Armada (henceforth Pleshakov) 3–6, 32–3. Richard Connaughton, Rising Sun and Tumbling Bear (henceforth Connaughton). Kaiser: Röhl 2.264–83. Alexei and mistress booed at theatre: L. A. Tikhomirov quoted in Zaionchkovsky 271. Beech 1.129.

  23

  KR sins, 19 September 1903; ‘best man in Russia’, 19 November; constant war with my conscience, 15 December; bad thoughts in church, 21 December; secret vice, 28 December; depraved, 9 January 1904; back to bathhouse on Moika, 20 January; beautiful wife, 14 January; predilection for simple men, 19 April; overwhelmed by sin 21 May; Sergei and brother, 23 June; waiting for birth of Nicholas and Alexandra’s child, 24 July; back to bathhouse like a squirrel on a wheel, 26 July. KR birth of Alexei, 30 July; visit baby Peterhof, 2 August 1904.

  24

  Appointment of liberal Mirsky: Daly 1.148–51. Minny begs in tears: Paul Benckendorff quoted in Lieven, NII 134. On political policy, dangers of U–turns: dangerous to stop halfway / my terrible responsibility before my Maker: Bing 166, Nicky to Minny, 20 October 1902. Nicky letters to Militsa quoted in Zimin, Negroes 28–31. Alexei: LP 243–46. ND 30 July 1904. KR birth of Alexei, 30 July; visit baby Peterhof, 2 August 1904. Haemophilia: account of Roman, son of Peter and Militsa, is quoted in Rappaport 77–81. English disease: LP 228, Grand Duchess Xenia, 13 February 1904; 239 Alix to Nicky, 15 September 1904. ND 30 July 1904, 8 September 1904. KR 2 August 1904: Misha delighted. On Olga’s prospects: Carolyn Harris, Succession Prospects of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Canadian Slavonic Papers (2012) 54:61–84. Haemophilia origins; Queen Victoria suffering as parent of Leopold: Wilson, 30–1, 272, 320.

  25

  Figes, People’s Tragedy 168–173. Lieven NII 104–40. Andrew Verner, The Crisis of Russian Autocracy 100–37. Sandro 243–8. Lack of will: KR 18 November 1903 Pleshakov 60–89. German help to fleet: Röhl 2.285–93.

  26

  December 1904 unrest spreads: KR 18 November, 4, 21, 28, 30 December 1904. Verner 100–37.

  27

  Daly 1.150–2. Verner, Crisis of Russian Autocracy 137–67. Lieven NII 139–40. ND 8 January 1905.

  28

  Ruud 158–9. Daly 1.154–6. Lieven NII 140–1. Figes PT 173–181. ND 8 January 1905. KR 9 January and 11 January 1905. Alexandra to Princess Victoria of Battenberg 11 January 1905: Sophie Buxhoeveden, The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Feodorovna, Empress of Russia (henceforth Buxhoeveden) 108–10.. Robert Massie, Nicholas and Alexandra 97–100.

  29

  Daly 1.156–7. LP 245–64. Boris Savinkov, Memoirs of a Terrorist; Marie Pavlovna, Education of a Princess: A Memoir; Ivan Kalyaev testimony (including Ella’s claim that Sergei retired out of fear of murder); Grand Duchess Xenia, 4 February 1905: all quoted in LR 250–64. KR 4, 5, 6, 9 February 1905. ND 4 February 1905. Peasant revolt: Figes, PT 188–91. Caucasus revolution, Stalin in Chiatura: Montefiore, Young Stalin 132–8.

  30

  Tsushima: Pleshakov 261–279; fall of Alexis 311–315. ND 1 November 1908. Revolution spreads; assembly concession 184–88. Lieven NII 144–6. Sandro: Russia on fire 249; 14 May 1905 picnic at Gatchina, news of Tsushima arrives, N ‘said nothing as usual’ 248. KR 20 June 1905. ND 17 August, 14 September 1905. Witte to America: Witte 135–61; meeting on Shtandart, 14 September 1905. Views and appointment of Nikolasha: Robinson 62–3. ND 17 August, 14 September 1905. Björkö: Röhl 2.368–71, 379–80.

  31

  Björkö: Röhl 2.368–71, 379–80.

  32

  ND 12, 17 October 1905. GARF 543.1.232.1–4, Trepov to Nicholas, 16 October 1905; GARF 595.45.6–7, Nicholas to Trepov, 16 October. On Nikolasha as Terrible Uncle, stupidity (Minny), temper and hysteria, killing borzoi dog, mysticism, view of tsar as divine: Robinson 4, 14–16; mistresses, mysticism and Stana 51–5; Nikolasha summoned; Kireev and Mosolov stories of Nikolasha’s threats, Nikolasha’s fault 67–70; Nikolasha happy to jump out of window (1916 account of General V. M. Bezobrazov) 290. Kyril impudence: LP 277–8, Nicky to Minny, 5 October 1905. Bing 185–8, Nicholas to Minny, 19 October 1905; 192 Minny to Nicky, 1 November, on supporting Witte, Trepov admirable conduct and Nikolasha soldier at heart. This account is based also on Verner 225–45. Abraham Ascher, The Revolution of 1905: Authority Restored (henceforth Ascher,1905) 10–15. Witte 237–50. Caucasus: Montefiore, Young Stalin 138–53. Nicky attitude to Witte, evil days, wrong path: Naryshkin 189.

  33

  Witte under pressure; crackdown by Durnovo: Verner 260–80; examples of Nicholas’s brutality 272; Witte crackdown 274–80. Crackdown in Moscow, arrest of Soviet: Witte 273–84; brutality of weak men 286–92; undermined by Trepov 315; warns Nicholas like ship in storm 317; Durnovo liberal, energetic, competent, love affairs and love letters to Spanish ambassador 321–3; Trepov character 326–31; pogroms Trepov 327; and anti-semitic campaign by Kommisarov and Rachkovsky 331; reports conspiracy to tsar who didn’t intend to punish the captain 332. Nicholas on Cossack whips: Stolypin 71. Durnovo crackdown, 15,000 killed and wounded: Figes, PT 200–2. Alex Marshall, Russian General Staff 1860–1917, on Alikhanov-Avarsky/Griazanov 64. Bezobrazov, Orlov and Richter brutalities: Ascher, 1905, 333–4. Approval of brutalities by Orlov etc. in letters to Minny: Bing 194, Nicky to Minny, 10 November 1905, council of ministers talk a lot, disappointed in Witte; 195 Nicky to Minny, 17 November, peasant disturbances, not enough troops; 196 Nicky to Minny, 1 December, Witte deals with revolutionary movement energetically; 200–2 Nicky to Minny, 8 December, old heedless Liberals now clamouring for decisive action, army likes Nikolasha and has confidence in him; 202 Nicky to Minny, 15 December, Semyonovsky Regiment to Moscow yesterday, Dubasov in Moscow, Orlov to Livland; 205 Nicky to Minny, 22 December, armed rebellion in Moscow crushed, Vorontsov ill; 207 Nicky to Minny, 29 December, Dubasov in Moscow; Baltics Orlov, Richter good work, terror must be met by terror; 210 Nicky to Minny, 12 January 1906, Orlov splendid work, Nikolasha excellent idea, Meller–Zakomelsky Siberia; Durnovo splendid, Trepov indispensable. Nikolasha plans the crackdown and orders quartermaster to insist on Orlov severity (1,170 killed): Robinson 70–5. ‘Tickles me’: Lincoln, In War’s Dark Shadow 310. Nicholas delays execution on recommendation of ADC: Spirodovich 1.72–3. Rasputin: Nikolasha meets Rasputin first, account of Prince Roman Petrovich (Militsa’s son) quoted in Robinson 70. First Nicky/Alix meeting: ND 1 November 1905.

  34

  Jewish jokes and Nicholas’s attitude to Jews (and later to Beilis case) Spirodovich 1.393–4, 2.142, 446–7. Alexandra on Jews: F 115, A to N, 13 April 1915; F 242, A to N, 17 September 1915. Röhl 1.758, Nicholas to Helmuth von Moltke 1895. Elders of Zion: Ruud 204–18. Daly 2.123–30. On Black Hundreds and Dubrovin meeting: Witte 192; Mosolov 143. Jewish imitations: Bing 30, N to Minny, 5 September 1884. Jewish attitudes, ‘English man is Yid’: Witte 190. Fired by hatred of Jews: Nicholas to KR – Beech 2. 120. On Black Hundreds: Kotkin, Stalin 99–101. Figes, PT 197. Reconquest of Caucasus: Montefiore, Young Stalin 152–4.

  35

  Witte, Nicholas hates him: Naryshkin 197. Stolypin, background: Stolypin 1–33; disarms revolutionaries 60; nerves 60; MVD 88–9; law and Duma 100–5. Goremykin: H. H. Fisher (ed.), V. N. Kokovtsov, Out of my Past: The Memoirs of Count Kokovtsov (henceforth Kokovtsov) 123–9. On Goremykin: Gerasimov quoted in Ascher, Revolution of 1905 63–70. Witte and Jewish clique: Bing 221, Nicky to Minny November 1906.

  36

  Opening of Duma LP 286, Xenia diary, 27 April 1906. KR 27 April 1906. Spirodovich 1. 59–64. Nikolasha proposes Stolypin as premier: Robinson 89. Stolypin, MVD and premier; bombing, and first dismissal of Duma: Stolypin 97–182. Bing 215–17, Nicky to Minny, 16 and 30 August 1905. Child blowing up nanny, 16,000 officials killed – quoted in Kotkin,
Stalin 104; decline of parties 118. Figes, PT 233–4. Tsar demands immediate executions, martial law, his view passed on by War Minister A. F. Rediger to Interior Minister Stolypin, 1 July 1906: RGIA 1276.1.92.11, Rediger to Stolypin. Alex Marshall, Russian General Staff 1860–1917, on Alikhanov-Avarsky/Griazanov 64. Tsarist oppression: Ascher, 1905, 333–4. Imperial security: King 110–1; Spirodovich 1.271/284–7.

  37

  Rasputin: James T. Fuhrman, Rasputin: The Untold Story (henceforth Rasputin): background and character 15–30; arrival 40–8. A Russian peasant: Olga Alexandrova quoted in Massie, Nicholas 189. Penile wart, female orgasm: Figes, PT 32. Rasputin meets Nikolasha first then the Crows: Prince Roman Petrovich quoted in Robinson 71; Vyrubova 67–70.

  38

  King 107; Rasputin 46–8; Vyrubova 1–67. Orlov: Naryshkin 188.

  39

  Alix lying in bed all day: Vyrubova 20; anything if she was well 24; driving fast 21; one friend 33; OTMA upbringing, younger two etc. 36–7; Tsar orders cinema: GARF 553.16.32, NII to Benckendorff, 13 February 1913. Gilliard 28 on Vyrubova, sentimental mystical, Alix only dominant friendship. Vyrubova’s friendship for Alex, mania and mystic superstition: Naryshkin 186. Nicholas only survived due to his prayers: Sophia Tyutcheva quoted in Rappaport 162. Rasputin 39–48; Alix and daughters’ letters to Rasputin 94–5. ND 18 July, 12 October, 9 December 1906; Stolypin, 27 May 1907; 6 November, 27 December 1908, on visits to Anna to see Rasputin; 4, 29 February, 29 March, 26 April, 15 August 1909. KR 6 and 10 November 1906, on Nikolasha and Stana. Nikolasha’s divorce: Robinson 97–101. Vyrubova 69. LP 290, Nicky to Stolypin, 16 October 1906; 297, Alix to Nicky, 17 July 1907; 304, Xenia diary, 7 September 1908; 306 Olga memoirs; 308–10 Alix to Olga, 1 and 11 January 1909 on ‘girlies’ and Our Friend; Tatiana to Alix, 17 January 1909. Olga Alexandrovna, 25 Chapters of My Life, 98–101. Bing 227, Nicky to Minny, 22 March 1907, on Nikolasha’s marrage. Hercules: Zimin, Negroes 409–10 and 415–18, quoting Vyrubova and Maurice Paléologue. Hercules and Nubian Guards: this is based on the research of Penny Wilson – see http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=348.0;wap2. Veronal and other opiates: Rappaport, Ekaterinburg, 55, 60; girls’ luxuries 74–75.

  40

  Stolypin 115–49; Jewish reform 169–2; second Duma, 174–6; coup and third Duma, 202–15; Vorontsov, Caucasus 237–9. Jewish reform: Krasnyi arkhiv (1925) 5.13, Nicholas II to Stolypin, 10 December 1906. Hatred of Jews: LP 340, Nicky to KR, 14 September 1912. Bing 220, Nicky to Minny, 11 October 1906, like and respect Stolypin; 228, 29 March 1907, on Duma, ‘slap! and they are gone’. Figes, PT 225–8.

  41

  Military reforms: Lieven, Flame 146–8. Norman Stone, Eastern Front (henceforth Stone) 24–6. Robinson: 88–104. Stolypin reforms; on Jewish and other reforms 1906–7: Stolypin 150–206. SD memberships: Kotkin, Stalin 118. Izvolsky: Lieven, Flame 192–7.

  42

  Stolypin 251–60; 279 meeting with Edward VII at Reval. Lieven, Flame, 148–50, 197–203; 208–24. Geyer 277–80. Clark 185–90. Geyer 276–8. Margaret MacMillan, The War that Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 (henceforth MacMillan) 391–422. Stone 24–6. 11 August 1907, calm at home, Izvolsky, British triumph, Stolypin 253; 1908 crisis 257–9; war fatal for dynasty 259. Figes, PT 225–9. Robinson 88–129. Edward VII at Reval: Stolypin 279. Reval/Cowes: Mossolov 210–12; Spirodovich 1:170–5. Miranda Carter, The Three Emperors 352–4; Cowes 374–6. Jane Ridley, Bertie: The Life of Edward VII 398–422. Rappaport 124–8. King 426–32. 1908 crisis, key ministerial meeting: AVPRI 340.787.7.162–6. Izvolsky portrait: Harold Nicolson, Lord Carnock 216. Bulgaria, Ferdinand as tsar, Izvolsky calls Aehrenthal ‘ce sale juif’, NII says act of megalomaniac but accepts Ferdinand as king on Petersburg visit: Ferdinand 214–34. Minny outraged at Ferdinand: Bing, Minny to Nicky 12 March 1909. Montenegro demands wars: Montenegro 264. Friendship and death of General A. A. Orlov, 4 October 1908, in Cairo: Spirodovich 1.271, 285–6. Alexander Orlov unique role: Naryshkin 188.

  43

  Stolypin 327–62. Kokovtsov 263–70; don’t I count for something 282. Rappaport 149–52: Sophia Tyutcheva on girls at assassination and visit of Rasputin. Stolypin on war and revolution: Serge Sazonov, Fateful Years, 1909–1916 (henceforth Sazonov) 232. Stolypin in decline: Figes, PT 226–31. War and military policy, fortress razing and creation of reserve Sukhomlinov reforms, Little and Great Programmes, economic data: Stone 19–33. Lieven, Flame 225–6. Sukhomlinov: V. A. Sukhomlinov, Vospominaniia (henceforth Sukhomlinov) goal to clear out grand dukes 191; and to create army equal to Germany 210; to tsar I was primarily a servant 214 or technician 233; 25 July, tsar completely calm with Nikolasha, megalomania of Nikolasha, all powerful 243; Nikolasha looked like Ivan the Terrible with his fits of rage 244. Sukhomlinov visits Livadia 1909, pretty wife loved beautiful toilettes, loathed by society: Spirodovich 1.1385. Incredible friovolity: Kokovtsov 310–35. Laughed at aeroplanes: Sandro 264. Geyer 288–92. MacMillan 353–5. William C. Fuller Jr, Strategy and Power in Russia 425–33. William C. Fuller Jr, The Foe Within 45–8. Maurice Paléologue, An Ambassador’s Memoirs 1.83. Fall of Nikolasha, failure of his reforms: Robinson 104–8; the Crows row with Rasputin (memoirs of Prince Roman Petrovich: Roman Petrovich Romanov, Am Hof des Letzten Zaren) 108; Alexandra on Nikolasha vs man of God and Nikolasha’s regret (memoirs of his First World War chaplin G. Shavelskii) 108–9. Death of Tolstoy: Bing 260 N to Minny 11 November 1910; Bartlett, Tolstoy 386–7; 412–9.

  44

  Rasputin vs Stolypin and church leaders: Rasputin 49–85. Whoever praised him was good: Naryshkin 196–7. Sukhomlinov 191–3, manoeuvres, evil one, weak one. Stolypin, late crises. military naval laws, crisis of reforms: Stolypin 250–326. Tsar rejects Stolypin’s resignation, vetoes naval bill: GARF 601.1.1125.4–5, Nicholas II to Stolypin, 24 April 1909.

  45

  Stolypin assassination: Stolypin 363–88. End of Stolypin, no party: Figes, PT 230–1. Stolypin gloomy, tsar schedule, shooting, appointment as PM: Kokovtsov 271–8; Rasputin 87–91. Bing 264–7, Nicky to Minny, 1 September 1911. Rappaport 149–51, quoting Sophia Tyutcheva. Ruud 173–200. LP 331, M. P. Bok, Stolypin’s daughter. Naryshkin 199. Mistake of family feuds: Marie Romania 2. 223

  46

  Beilis, Kokovtsov, loss of Stolypin: Stolypin 363–88. Kokovtsov 271–8; not Khvostov 276 and 292; new PM conversation with Alexandra on Stolypin and fate 283. Rasputin 87–91. Bing 264–7, Nicky to Minny, 1 September 1911. Rappaport 149–51, quoting Sophia Tyutcheva. Ruud 173–200. LP 331, M. P. Bok, Stolypin’s daughter. Naryshkin 199. Mendel Beilis case, Chaplinsky reports in Kiev, anti–Jewish law on trade in Siberia: Levin 116–24.

  47

  Olga’s ball: Rappaport 156–7. Vyrubova 22.

  48

  Kokovtsov 291–300. Rasputin crisis: M. V. Rodzianko, The Reign of Rasputin (henceforth Rodzianko) 36–9, audience with Minny; 40–57 audience with tsar and Yusupova report on Alexandra’s wish to hang. LP 337, Rodzianko memoirs; Xenia diary, 25 January, 16 February, 16 March 1912, on Minny, Xenia, Yusopova talks. ND 15 February 1912. Vyrubova 30: Tyutcheva rebuked severely. Better one Rasputin than ten hysterics: Nicholas quoted in Figes, PT 33. Borodino: LP 340, Nicky to KR, 14 September 1912. King 316–17. Wortman 379–82.

  49

  Illness of Alexei in Nicholas’s words: Bing 276, Nicky to Minny, 20 October 1912. Alexei’s illness: Vyrubova 42–3, build me a monument, Nicky rushes out, Rasputin message. LP 342, 343–8, Nicky to Minny, 20 October 1912. ND 5–13 October 1912. Gilliard 8–12.

  50

  Kokovtsov 313–429. Sukhomlinov 191–3, manoeuvres, evil one, weak one. Robinson 108–29: rise of Sukhomlinov, rivalry with Nikolasha, Nikolasha’s return to favour, cancels war minister’s manoeuvres. Sukhomlinov in Livadia: Spirodovich 1.1385. Attempt to sack Sukhomlinov: Kokovtsov 310–35. Sazanov: MacMillan 458–61; Sazonov womanly 461. ‘Sad wobbler’ quote in Ferdinand 257. Pancake: F 226, 11 September 1915; 421, 17 March 1916; 537, 17 July 1916. Sazonov 90–7. Clark 340–2 on 1912 crisis and plans. Geyer 288�
��92. MacMillan 353–5. Ferdinand 242–7, inc. 2 million francs for Ferdinand from NII. Montenegro coronation: Montenegro 276–28. Military policy: Fuller, Strategy and Power in Russia 425–33. Fuller, The Foe Within 45–8. Paléologue, Ambassador’s Memoirs 1.83.

  51

  Balkan wars: Lieven, Flame, portrait of Sazonov 232–4; the First Balkan War 241– 72, inc. tsar leans towards Serbs 258, against autonomous Albania; revision of Kokovtsov version 267–9. MacMillan 448–80. Sazonov 90–7. Clark 281–90, 340–2. McMeekin 20–7. German and Austrian roles: Röhl 2.880–6, 917–32. Bulgaria in First Balkan War, advance towards Byzantium, attitude of Sazonov and Nicholas II towards Balkan League and Bulgarian success, Sazanov wobbling, Ferdinand 245–74. Montenegro 279–301. Sazonov 68–78. Hunting calms nerves: LP 346, Nicky to Minny, 20 October 1912. Military doctrine what I order: D. A. Rich, The Tsar’s Colonels: Professionalism, Strategy, and Subversion in Late Imperial Russia 221. Sukhomlinov 152: blames Sazonov for Slavophile war policies; Nicholas 1911 wanted command army 191. Stana and Militsa as Montenegro supporters, Nikolasha neutral: Robinson 128. Kokovtsov on Sukhomlinov, Alix: 301–19; extra military budget 342–4; partial mobilization crisis 344–51; Militsa canvasses Kokovtsov 357. Sazonov to Kokovtsov, 12 November 1912, quoted in Ronald P. Bobroff, Roads to Glory 55. V. I. Bovykin, Iz istorii vozniknoveniia pervoi mirovoi voiny 125–7; Nicholas, 23 November 1912. Naval plan: KA 6.51–2, Grigorevich to Nicholas, 25–26 October 1912. Sazonov memorandum to Kokovtsov quoted in McMeekin 25.