The Romanovs, 1818-1959

by John van der Kiste

Book Overview

This work examines Alexander II's life and reign, and the lives of his children, including his successor Tsar Alexander III, whose determination to purge the empire of all terrorism and protect the autocracy brought more violence in its wake; and his grandson, Tsar Nicholas II, whose vacillation between autocracy and liberalism and disastrous foreign ventures led to the violent dissolution of the monarchy. It also recounts the lives of the Tsar's...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 075093459X
• ISBN13: 9780750934596
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Sutton
• Length: 292 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.1" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

For those interested in learning about lesser known Romanovs

This novel focuses mainly on Tsar Alexander II, his children, and grandchildren. It also follows the lives of the children from Alexander II's second family with Catherine Dolgoruky. The novel reveals just how many colorful characters the were in the Romanov family besides Nicholas and Alexandra. In my opinion the book really doesn't go into as much depth when it comes to the section on Nicholas II than the ones on his father or grandfather and the last 2 chapters that are supposed to be for Nicholas seem to deal more with his uncle Paul Alexandrovich than with the emperor himself. That aspect of the book is actually kind of refreshing considering the deluge of information on Nicholas II, and by writing less about him may have the author's aim. The section on Alexander III, Nicholas' father, was very revealing seeing as how not much is written about him. The information on Alexander II's youngest child Catherine, by his second wife, was also equally revealing especially her life after the revolution. The book also throws in political information with the personal to create the prevailing moods of the different time periods.

Good study of a (deservedly) doomed family

Van der Kiste is a prolific author on the subject of modern British and Continental royalty, and this is one of his better efforts. While the Romanovs had ruled imperial Russia since 1613, the male line died out in the mid-18th century. The succeeding Holstein-Gottorp dynasty (a branch of the Oldenburgs), in the person of Peter III, took the Romanov name and produced five more tsars before the Russian monarchy came to an end in 1918. Tsar Paul was idealistic and generous but also vindictive and paranoid, and ultimately was assassinated. Alexander I, a complex and contradictory figure with mystical leanings, was also the most powerful ruler on the Continent after the fall of Napoleon. Nicholas I was a repressive autocrat of limited intellectual ability and was succeeded by Alexander II, a despotic but soft-hearted reactionary, nevertheless emancipated Russia's serfs. He, too, was assassinated, which led his son, Alexander III, to tighten his control of the Russian state. And his son, Nicholas II, was totally incapable of meeting the demands of the job in an age of world war mixed with long-simmering revolution. Moreover, all the tsars in this period married German princesses, which did nothing to endear the ruling family to the Russian people during the Great War. The author does a good job of tracing the psychological threads and social and political environments that formed this disastrous family.

Interesting history of the Romanov family

Mr. Van Der Kiste has once again given the reader a history of a royal family that presents the members as real people and not just historical personages. He also mentions collateral members of the family, not just the czars. Many photos enhance the text. A very enjoyable read.

Interesting

Although you say Alexander II was the last tsar's father, actually Alexander III was, the second was his grandfather who after being blown up by a bomb died right in front of his 13 year old grandson Nicholas II, making him on the spot the new heir and Tsarevich.