The 19th century British monarch's son Leopold, Duke of Albany, died from blood loss after he slipped and fell. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. The men of their royal line tended to suffer from the often fatal condition of hemophilia, an illness that prevents blood from clotting. Anastasia and her sister Maria, as the two youngest daughters, were the Little Pair. They shared a room, dressed almost alike, and spent a lot of their time together. How much Russian blood ran through Romanov veins? That much has gone down in history, but not many people know the whole, terrifying story. She couldnt even go outside for a walk without being followed. After many decades not knowing where the Romanov family laid, officials found Maria and her familys grave in 1991. Maria's siblings usually called her Marie or Mashka. More than 1,300 people died in the Khodynka Tragedy.. Less than two years after Olga was born, Empress Alexandra gave birth toyet another girl, the Grand Duchess Tatiana. They woke the Romanovs and their servants on the night of July 17 and told them to go downstairs, pretending it was for their own safety as White forces descended on Yekaterinburg. Nicky started a brief but wild affair with Mathilde Kschessinska, a stunning ballerina. did maria romanov sleep with a guard. According to scientists, it was highly probable that these were the correct remains. Finally, a full-blown revolution broke out in February 1917, forcing the tsar to abdicate, leaving the Romanov family at the mercy of the new provisional government. He even smuggled in a cake for her 19th birthday. Throughout, her mother Princess Alice refused to leave her childrens sides and managed to nurse Alexandra and some of her siblingsback to health. But not all was lost. Though this was largely a symbolic position, the serious Tatiana took up the leadership role with abandon. An article published by the BBC News [Russian Service], by Russian journalist Olga Ivshina . There was, however, a more immediate problem. After Baroness Sophie's declaration, Madame Unknown said, "I never said I was Tatiana.". Instead, she visited the wounded officers at Tsarskoye Selo. In fact, when he was just a boy, Nicholas witnessed his grandfather Alexander IIs violent, bloody end after a radical threw a grenade at him. Following the murder of the last Tsar, the Tsarina and their five children in 1918, all seven were canonised . Only, her family had other things to worry about. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Sadly, they were in for an absolutely heartbreaking end. At one point during their captivity, Nicholas and Alexandra urged their children to sew jewels into their clothing in order to conceal them from the Bolsheviks, who were confiscating priceless heirlooms. All Rights Reserved. With everything working against them, it seemed Alexandra and Nicholas werent meant to be. As she grew, Maria and her father Nicholas forged a very special bond with one another, with Maria often trying to visit her father and garner his attention. The reason they were given was fighting in the streets. On July 16, 1918, the guards at Yekaterinburg lied to Maria and her family, stating that they needed to move due to the growing unrest within the town. In truth, Alexandra had been taken in by mystics for quite some time by then. After that, the Chekists started shooting. In 1917, Maria and the Romanov family faced a violent revolution against them, which called for the end of their dynasty and Imperial rule. He lay in bed, contorted in pain, with dark patches under his eyes and a frighteningly swollen leg. Olga had some seriously awkward teenage years and, being a Russian Princess, she couldnt exactly lay low and ride them out. For Maria, her infatuation with Demenkov wasnt just some passing fad. Fate, however, had much crueler plans. It was about to reach a breaking point. Indeed, the Romanov bunch made her their unofficial leader, in spite of the fact that Olga was right there. Russian investigators have exhumed the remains of the last tsar and his wife, as they re-examine their 1918 murders. We want our readers to trust us. Wikimedia CommonsMaria Romanov and Anastasia roughhouse with their cousin, Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. As Nicholas remarked, We are grateful she was a daughter; if she was a boy she would have belonged to the people, being a girl she belongs to us.. If you think that would make him a spoiled brat, youre right on the money. Her first cousin, Louis Mountbatten, had a wild crush on her, and she remained dear to his heart until his passing in 1979. But as time went on, the rot at the center of the Romanovs grew more obvious. That was the year they gave birth to their fourth and most famous daughter, the Grand Duchess Anastasia. That meant zero tolerance towards the royal prisoners. To the outside world Queen Victoria and Prince Albert seemed the embodiment of domestic bliss, but the reality was very different. As a young girl, Maria met one of her greatest admirers. The Romanovs were kept inside a house with whitewashed windows and only allowed to go outside for one hour each day. 42 Tragic Facts About Anastasia Romanov, The Lost Princess, These Mega Embarrassing Moments Still Made Us Burst Out Laughing, Grandiose Facts About Marie Antoinette, The Doomed Queen, Cary Grant Hid A Lifetime Of Heartache Behind His Debonair Smile, These Nightmare Weddings Made Us Say I DONT!. Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. A whole ragbag of assorted Romanovs emerged over the years with a catalog of crazy stories; a woman in Lake Como, Marga Boodts, announced that she was Olga; a British historian claimed Tatiana was . Suddenly, something extremely strange happened. Commander Yakov Yurovsky, Mikhail Medvedev and several other Chekists (members of Bolshevik counter-intelligence) puzzled how to kill the family for a long time. The Ipatiev House, was a neat and tidy merchant's mansion - and a well guarded one too. The revolutionaries didnt look kindly on the Romanovs continuing to live in privilege. By the next morning, Alexei Romanov was a whole new kid. Cornered on all sides, Maria couldnt help noticing the stark difference to the life she had enjoyed before the revolution. PHOTO: King George V and Emperor Nicholas II. And she wasnt about to let this crush fizzle out. Each of the Romanov girls was wearing an amulet with Grigori Rasputins image hidden inside. But as yet, they didnt even know the true meaning of upheaval.. They decided his coronation was an occasion worthy of celebration, so the court held a massive celebration the day after the event. With her affinity for romantic obsession, Maria developed a massive crush on an officer she had met while on a visit to the Russian headquarters in Mogilev. One of them anonymously sent her a cutout picture of Michelangelos famous sculpture of David. In addition to the illicit birthday cake, Skorokhodov allegedly stole Maria away from her party for a private interlude. To her mothers great disdain, Olga was bit of a tomboy,and she took it to extremes. The first objection to Madame Unknown being Tatiana Romanov came from Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden, a lady-in-waiting of Tsarina Alexandra. But of the four grand duchesses born to Nicholas and Alexandra, Maria Romanov was widely considered to be the most beautiful, known for her light hair and dark blue eyes so large that they were known in the family as Marias saucers.'. In a seemingly routine operation to remove her tonsils, the princess began bleeding profusely while on the table, so much so that the doctor operating stopped partway through. A 101-gun salute is fired from the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg, heralding the birth of yet another daughter to Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, and his German-born wife, Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna. Conspiracy theorists took interest in Marias story, not only because of what happened on the truck, but also because a man claimed to be her grandson many years later. massey hall obstructed view June 24, 2022. steve rhodes obituary 2021. medieval dynasty rye vs wheat Comments closed did maria romanov sleep with a guard. But inviting this mystic into their lives had terrible consequences. Discovery of the remains in 1991. However far Rasputin strayed after Nicholas sent him away, Maria and her family still frequently associated with him until his passing in 1916. did maria romanov sleep with a guard. Because of this tragic scenario, the family risked losing the loyalty of those around them. If anyone who opposed the Bolshevik government found the burial site, Yurovsky wanted them to think that they got the site wrong, given that the number of bodies was wrong. But everything changed in 1905 when a mysterious man entered the lives of Maria Romanov and her family. They completely refused, firing into the air instead. A new government organization called The Bolsheviks was on the rise, which featured Vladimir Lenin as its leader. But this was no peaceful meadow. While the firing squad struck both of Marias parents, three of her servants, and the familys doctor on the first try, Maria initially didnt sustain any injuries. Um, sure doesnt sound like this guy is ready to tie the knot. The Russian Royal Family, years before the revolutions started. As a result, the regime for the royals was harsher. The Big Pair and the Little Pair each shared bedrooms with plain cots and started their days with a cold bath. And they certainly werent thrilled with the announcement of another Grand Duchess. Eventually, the authorities moved Nicholas and his family to the town of Tobolsk, thousands of miles west of Saint Petersburg. In lieu of his daughters sweetness and charm, Nicholas quickly changed his tune and even referred to her as a treasure. Regardless of the fact that Maria could never be heir, he was still happy shed been born. Once, while watching a string of handsome officers march by, she exclaimed, I should like to kiss them all! No matter where she went, she was apt to develop full-blown crushes. He went to Evgeniy Botkin, who woke up the entire family. From left, the Grand Duchesses Maria Romanov, Tatiana, Anastasia, and Olga, and the Tsarevich Alexei. Born Princess Alix of Hesse and the Rhine in 1872, she was actually a granddaughter of Queen Victoriaand Victorias favorite grandchild to boot. Something had to be done. If the first three girls had successively dampened their morale, Anastasia shattered it. Just months after meeting and falling in love with Voronov, Olga had to watch as he married one of her ladies-in-waiting instead. Intimate photos of the Romanovs, shortly before their execution, 1915-1916. The girls wore a dirty uniform of white shirts and black skirts, and their hair was often unkempt. Be refined and respectable men and then we can get along.. After a grueling, five-day journey, they finally made it to Yekaterinburg. Empress Alexandra, the matriarch of the Romanov brood, was the last Tsarina of Russia. Nicholass ascension spelled doom for Russia, but people didnt know that quite yet. While still staying (under guard) at their luxurious Alexander Palace, Nicholas and his family could pretend that things were totally normal. Deeply religious people, each morning they prayed before doing their best to keep themselves busy with anything they could. Despite her fiery temper and strong backbone, Maria was a romantic at heart, and it wasnt long before she softened toward one guard in particular. Sometimes she could be downright hostile. Due to her brothers constant struggle with hemophilia, Maria and her family heavily relied on the infamous Grigori Rasputin, whom they considered a holy man that could cure Alexei. As the future Tsar and the future of the Romanov dynasty, Alexeis life was the most important out of all the children. Historians now widely believe that Anderson was actually Franziska Schanzkowska, a mentally-ill Polish factory worker. Though this might seem like vicious gossip, there are still disturbing signs. While she was a captive, the beautiful Maria Romanov caused a tragic scandal. If that was was the case, then where was Maria? Thanks for your time! Feeling completely safe for the first time in a long time, Maria let her guard down. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. From this luxurious, isolated vantage point, Nicholas heard that the Bolsheviks had taken control of the government. In fact, these crushes often got too close for comfort. Beitrags-Autor: Beitrag verffentlicht: Juni 10, 2022 Beitrags-Kategorie: reverend russell roberts atlantic city reverend russell roberts atlantic city As a child, Alexandras mother nicknamed her Sunny for her happy, smiling disposition. Rude, cocky, constantly smoking, they provoked fear and disgust.. In 1912, the Prince's condition deteriorated so badly that he received the last sacrament. Nicholas and Alexandra may have been stately monarchs, but they had a very steamy bedroom life. They were translated by Jsenya Dyakova. She was also addicted to Veronal, a kind of sedative; as she once confessed to a friend, Im literally saturated with it.. Its sad, distressing. Little did she know, far worse tragedies were in store. (Photo by Laski Diffusion/Getty Images) The Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg. Medvedev suggests that the Romanovs proved willingness to attempt an escape was one of the reasons they were murdered. When Tatiana was just 13, she became an honorary colonel in the Russian army. Collectively, the four sisters referred to themselves as OTMA (for the first . Maria Romanov and her sisters seemed to be equally taken with Rasputin, confiding in him and asking for advice on how to handle their teenage crushes. With a heavy layer of smoke filling the room, Maria saw her chance. Yet, Maria Romanov soon found she was still able to pursue her favorite pastime in the House of Special Purpose. She began flirting with the teenage guards, one of whom later recalled her as a girl who loved to have fun and quickly became the guards favorite of the Romanov children. did maria romanov sleep with a guardsony hxr mc2500 usata. Do you imagine that you can woo a well-born woman with such witticisms and have her be well disposed towards you? The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. Maria only wished that the guards could afford her a tiny bit of freedom. He wrote that the day was a great and unforgettable day for usthere are no words to thank God enough for sending us this comfort in a time of sore trials. Answer (1 of 9): Definitely yes, they suffered both physically and mentally. They knew something had to change, and they had just the ticket. It was certainly one of the most flattering. Maria is first on the left. As the most commanding mistress in the French court, she bettered the lives of many and became a beloved figure. In April 1918, the Bolsheviks moved the Romanovs to the city of Yekaterinburga truly miserable journey. did maria romanov sleep with a guard. Whenever Maria wrote letters to her father, she would always ask him to say hello to Demenkov. Although Catherine's successor Queen Anne Boleyn suffered an infamously dark fate, Aragon's own life was somehow even more tragic. While not everyone bought it, many did comment on how much she looked and acted like the Grand Duchess. Samples were taken from Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and from the . Later on, people would call him Vile Nicholas, Nicholas the Hangman, and Bloody Nicholas. A month later, she admitted to a nurse that Rasputins death had been necessary. There is even some evidence that of all the Imperial Romanov family, Olga was the only one who didnt attend his funeral. Both Alexandra and four of her siblings fell ill alongside her father, Grand Duke Louis IV. He noted the development, but it didnt worry him one bit. Alexandra was a carrier of hemophilia and not only that, she had passed it on to her only son. Maria was a shameless flirt, always batting her lashes at the young officers and even those who guarded her. With rude guards and dire circumstances (the ex-emperors daughters, for instance, had to sleep on the floor, and the Tsarevich Alexey suffered from hemophilia and couldnt walk) Ipatiev House was hardly a royal residence. Open 8AM-4.30PM what happened to danny's wife on blue bloods; whataburger coming to kennesaw ga; ovens auditorium covid policy; custom photo suspenders; chris bell powerlifter; homes for rent in west wendover, nv; No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on. While Marias parents tended to her and the other three Grand Duchesses, they were always particularly worried about Alexei, who suffered from hemophilia, a disorder where ones blood doesnt clot properly, making him more susceptible to bleeding out. Born in June 1899, Maria Romanov was the third of the Russian royal familys five children. In Tobolsk, it was ex-Tsarist army guardsmen who held them, but in Yekaterinburg the Red Guard were in charge former workers, many of whom had done jail time and hard labor under the Tsarist regime, historian Ivan Silantyevnotes. When he realized he couldnt succeed using his bayonet, he decided to bash either Maria or Anastasia across the face until she stopped screaming. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Wanted Facts About Yellowstone, TVs Killer Western Drama, Secret Facts About Peter Sellers, The Tragic Comic, Licentious Facts About Marie-Louise OMurphy, King Louis XVs Little Mistress, Trailblazing Facts About Hattie McDaniel, The Hollywood Pioneer. Thank God it was all over quite quickly! In 1914, WWI broke out. Initially, Maria Romanov and the rest of the imperial family were exiled to Tobolsk, Siberia, where life was dull but bearable. People who knew her best noted her tendency to think she was always right, with her aunt writing, She will never yield one iota of power. Even worse, this imperiousness came with a huge helping of nerves. He published his account of this historic event in his . Still, the Tsar and Tsarinas reaction was surprising. 6. From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. All Rights Reserved. Anastasia Romanov. While the three eldest Romanov girls were prim, proper, and ladylikeAnastasia wasnot. Allegedly, the doctor operating felt uneasy about the sheer amount of blood and stopped the operation partway through. Maria Romanov was a disappointment from the moment she was born. They didnt just have pet names for each other, they also had pet names for their private, er, parts. Her first cousin, Louis Mountbatten, had a wild crush on her, and she remained dear to his heart until his passing in 1979. Five years before he and his family were were awoken in the dead of night and executed in the Siberian wilderness in 1918, Nicholas II, the last King of Russia, had celebrating the three-hundred-year anniversary of Romanov family rule. Amazon.com: Maria Romanov: Third Daughter of the Last Tsar, Diaries and Letters, 1908-1918: 9781594163227: Azar, Helen, Hawkins, . They were expecting a child. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Lets just, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Fortunate Facts About Nepo Babies, The Stars Of The Silver Spoon, Royal Facts About Meghan Markle, The Duchess Of Sussex, Shady Facts About Eddie Mannix, Old Hollywoods Notorious Fixer, Show-Stopping Facts About Judy Garland, The Tragic Hollywood Icon. Last but not least, we have Anastasia, the fourth and youngest Romanov sister. did maria romanov sleep with a guard. My darling felt well all day and fed the baby herself. While Maria was in Ekaterinburg at Ipatiev House, she tried to make the best of it, and like always, treated the guards with unfailing warmth. He had no support and no troops. She even went so far as to sign off her correspondence with Mrs. In 1899, a new catastrophe struck the Romanovs: Empress Alexandra got pregnant again, hoped for a male heir, and got another daughter instead, the Grand Duchess Maria. No clan is left untouched, and even families that seem happy and normal on. When Empress Alexandra found out, she lectured Olga viciously, sniping at her, Dont be so wild and kick about and show your legs, it is not pretty.. Soon, some evidence arose that gave credence to these claims. Although Rasputin opposed WWI as well, the mystic had a disastrous vision where he claimed the Russian army would only succeed if the Tsar personally took over command. Still, she and her family remained under the protection of guards, and officials permitted them to live in their home in Tsarskoye Selo. With her four daughters (Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia), they weresewingfamily jewelry diamonds and gems into the seams of dresses and coats, so in future they would have something to live on. Her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovnanot to mentionallof Russiahad hoped for a male heir to the Russian throne. After all, giving Russia a male heir would solidify her place in court and transform her from a suspicious outsider to the mother of the crown prince. But I wouldnt say they were safe and sound. Their reaction was infamous. On his birthday (May 18) he noted: I've lived to 50! At Factinate, were dedicated to getting things right. Mountbatten wasnt the only royal who had his eyes set on Marias hand in marriage. She showed great interest in their personal lives and tried to get to know them. For example, when Anastasia roamed about teasing or even kicking people, Maria would follow behind to apologize profusely. In 1994, experts compared Anna Andersons tissue to a sample from Anastasias relative Prince Philip. In March 1917, he tried to use his guards to quell unrest in Saint Petersburg. Yet, Maria wasnt always playful. Tsar Nicholas II with daughters (left to right) Maria, Anastasia, Olga and Tatiana Romanov. The Imperial Family with the infant Grand Duchess Maria, 1899. However, if it was Maria, its still unclear whether this bayonet beating was the true cause of her death. The Romanov sisters in exile. The bullet-riddled basement of the Ipatiev House where the Romanovs met their grisly end. The Grand Duchess Maria Romanov had the face of an angel and a sunny disposition to match. Judging by these symptoms, modern doctors believe the Tsarina may have suffered from a thyroid condition called Graves disease, but she would get no relief any time soon. The family packed their bags and were ready to go as soon as possible. Growing up, Tatianas siblings called her the governess because of her controlling nature. And in contrast to her younger sister, who was more mischievous and reckless, Maria (or Mashka as she was known to her family) was described as merry and good-natured. Alexei may have been Rasputins primary charge, but the rest of the family had disturbing relationships with him too. The basement rumbled with shots and screams, but when the smoke cleared, the terrified grand duchesses were all still alive. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. After Alexandras labor, doctors noticed that Alexeis cut umbilical cord wound wouldnt stop bleeding. This reawakening spooked the heck out of Ermakov. The dinner was terribly late today they served it at 3:30 pm today, not at 1:00 pm! NicholaswroteMay 13, for instance. Answer (1 of 5): Maria was raised in the company of officers and soldiers, she was always very protected and it was common for her to have a crush on soldiers, so much so that she used to say that she wanted to marry a Russian soldier and have many children, she was not very aware that she could . Menu There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Published by Theodore Dingwall-Main on Sep 29, 2021 3:37:10 PM. When she returned to work at Tsarskoye she kept the flame alive, even if her methods were embarrassingly infantile. She was the third daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. Even Marias good nature was pushed to its limits; as she recorded, It is difficult to write anything pleasant, there is little of that here.. In those moments, Alexei could scarcely move without feeling excruciating pain. It has been corrected to reflect that it was in Ekaterinburg. Yes, this is absolutely foreshadowing. Eventually, Ogla did grow out of her awkward periodbut her sudden-onset hotness was a huge liability. As his doctor put it, Blood destroyed bones and tendons; he couldnt bend or unbend his arms or legs.. Officers incarcerated Maria and her family in November 1917, and guards kept a vigil eye on them at all times. The future Tsar Nicholas II was born in the lap of luxury at the extravagant Alexander Palace in Saint Petersburg. Alexandra, in particular, fell under Rasputins spell, becoming entirelybeholden to the only man who could heal her baby sweet. Soon enough, Rasputin was spending copious amounts of time with the royal family. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. As it turns out, officers intentionally moved Maria and Alexei from their familys burial site, in the hopes of throwing off anyone who found it in the future. montaukett tribe membership. Even if she didnt have hemophilia, Maria still bled more than usual which put her at risk while doing normal activities. Allegedly, the guards left Maria and her family like this for about half an hour. But this was easier said than done. Anastasia Romanov. She eventually succumbed to it alongside Alexandras most beloved sister, Marie. Romance just wasnt in the cards for Maria, and in any case, her time at Yekaterinburg was about to be cut short. The Tsar wasnt prepared for battle and his troops were already exhausted from earlier conflicts. Maria watched in horror as her siblings Alexei, Olga, and Tatiana were brutally executed. For perhaps the first time ever, the Romanovs had to do their own laundry and make their own food. The other two children's remainsAlexi and Mariawere found and identified in 2007. Were always looking for your input! She had two older sisters - Olga and Tatiana, one younger sister - Anastasia, and one younger brother Alexei. Baroness Sophie declared that the woman she was visiting was " too short for Tatiana .". Wikimedia CommonsThe bullet-riddled basement of the Ipatiev House where the Romanovs met their grisly end. alaska air cargo sitka phone number. She represented the last direct link to the Romanov family . Can hardly believe it myself. In 1904, the Tsar and Tsarina finally got what they wanted: Alexandra gave birth to a boy, Alexei. Then, take a look at some haunting photos from the last days of the Romanov family. You know, the one with the exposeddelicate area. 40 Extremely Imaginative Examples Of Street Art From Around The World, 'The War To End All Wars': 31 Haunting Photos From World War I, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. To the end of his days, Mountbatten kept a photo of Maria at his bedside, even while he staunchly believed that no photograph could do her beauty justice. Later, in an effort to keep them safe, officials sent Maria and her family to live in Siberia at the residences in Tobolsk and Yekaterinburn. Not only did she catch this severe illness, but she developed virulent pneumonia simultaneously. Still, the familys growing regard for Maria didnt end their desperation for a male heir. The slightest bump could cause the boy to hemorrhage for days, with the tsarina often becoming hysterical and completely breaking down, shutting herself and the young prince away from the outside world. This trip opened Marias eyes to the reality of her new incarcerated existence. He created a whole story about how Maria escaped to Romania, where she lived and had a daughter, thus making it possible for him to be a grandson. In December, Alexandras tireless mother also caught the disease, and it hit her hard. It is widely debated whether Catherine the Great and her husband, Peter III, had any . But this came at a great cost. But when he ordered them to fire upon the gathering citizenry, he got the shock of his life. For instance, the guardspaintedthe walls in the bathroom with cynical pictures and texts about the relationship between the ex-Empress Alexandra and her former favorite Grigory Rasputin (who had been murdered in 1916).