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Wedding of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna

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172: 929: 853: 703: 682: 27: 1071: 1050: 908: 576: 1087: 763: 971: 954: 1034: 1016: 991: 834: 808: 293:, the private imperial confessor and chief of the Palace clergy, along with other clergymen. After Nicholas mounted the dais, Marie Feodorovna led Alexandra to the dais, and the priest brought rings on a tray. After blessing them, Yanyshev announced the betrothal of Nicholas to Alexandra to the congregation, and then handed them their rings. After exchanging them three times, Nicholas and Alexandra knelt and exchanged formal wedding vows, with Nicholas's best men, Grand Dukes Michael, 874: 721: 665: 746: 788: 647: 631: 615: 599: 560: 540: 524: 508: 492: 474: 458: 442: 426: 406: 388: 372: 352: 335: 156:, aged forty-nine, leaving twenty-six-year-old Nicholas as tsar of Russia. The following day, Alix, who had arrived at Livadia several days earlier in order to receive the dying tsar's blessing, was received into the Russian Orthodox Church as Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna. Alix had apparently expressed her wish to take the name Catherine, but decided to take the name Alexandra on Nicholas's request. 149:, came to speak to her, insisting that it was her duty to marry Nicholas, despite her religious scruples. Elizabeth also spoke with her, insisting that there were not that many differences between Lutheranism and Orthodoxy. At the prompting of the kaiser, Nicholas proposed for the second time, and she accepted. 234:
At 12:10, the procession into the Great Church began, with canons of the Peter and Paul Fortress announcing the beginning of the ceremonies. Marie Feodorovna led the procession, accompanying her daughter-in-law to be, with Nicholas walking behind them in his Hussar's uniform, complete with his medals
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argued that, as Nicholas was tsar, the wedding should be held in St. Petersburg with some pomp. With Nicholas unwilling to wait until the end of official mourning to marry, it was decided to hold the wedding on his mother's birthday, which would have allowed for court mourning to be somewhat relaxed.
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Invitations had been sent out, along with a dress code: Russian gentlemen were to wear full regimental dress, bureaucrats were to wear the appropriate uniforms as stipulated in Peter the Great's Great Table of Ranks; Russian ladies were to come in full court dress, foreign women in evening dresses,
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holding the nuptial crowns above their heads. Following being led around the lectern, they knelt and kissed a gold cross, and following a final prayer, Nicholas and Alexandra were pronounced man and wife, at which point the church bells across St. Petersburg rang and guns were fired from the Peter
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Plans for the wedding, which had been set for the spring of 1895, had been in the works since Nicholas's engagement, and it ordinarily would have included a week of public celebrations and parades. However, the death of Alexander III put an end to such extravagant plans. Nicholas had initially
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Shortly after arriving in Coburg, Nicholas proposed to Alix. However, Alix, who was a devout Lutheran, rejected Nicholas's proposal, as in order to marry the heir to the throne, she would have to convert to Russian Orthodoxy. Nonetheless, Alix's cousin,
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Due to court mourning, there was no reception, nor honeymoon, with Nicholas and Alexandra going to reside with his mother and brother at the Anichkov Palace. In time, however, Nicholas and Alexandra would move to the
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and the orange sash of the Order of Hesse und Bei Rhein. Along with the Romanov Grand Dukes and Duchess, foreign royal relatives processed into the church, headed up by Nicholas's maternal grandfather,
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Nicholas had also intended to keep the wedding a private family affair, but his uncles had persuaded their nephew to invite the diplomatic corps to watch the procession to and from the cathedral.
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On 18 November, after nearly two weeks of Orthodox liturgies, and a procession from Crimea to St. Petersburg, via Moscow, Nicholas's father was interred at the
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At the Winter Palace, Alexandra was dressed in her wedding dress and imperial mantle. Her Honiton lace veil had been designed by her maternal grandfather
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expressed his wish to be married at Livadia before his father's funeral, which Nicholas's mother had agreed with. However, his uncles, Grand Dukes
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King, Greg Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp Power and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II (Wiley & Sons, 2006), pg. 329
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the bride and groom's mutual third cousin once removed and the groom's second cousin once removed
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the bride and groom's mutual second cousin once removed and the groom's first cousin once removed
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in an open landau to the Winter Palace, in the company of his sixteen-year-old brother,
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the groom's second cousin once removed and first cousin once removed of Nicholas II
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the groom's maternal uncle and aunt (also the groom's first cousin once removed)
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the groom's sister and her husband (also the groom's first cousin once removed)
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Wedding of Nicholas II of Russia and Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine
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the bride's sister and brother-in-law (also the groom's aunt and uncle)
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At 11:30 am, on the morning of the wedding, Nicholas departed the
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King, Greg The Last Empress (Wiley & Sons, 1994) pgs. 54 & 55
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the bride's sister and brother-in-law (also the bride's first cousin)
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ANOTHER MANIFESTO" 31:Engagement photograph of Nicholas and Alexandra 549:Grand Duchess Elizabeth Mavrikievna of Russia 247:(uncle and aunt of Nicholas), and their son, 1055:Duke Georg Alexander of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 175:Wedding ceremony of Nicholas & Alexandra 867:the bride and groom's mutual uncle and aunt 822:the bride and groom's mutual uncle and aunt 565:Grand Duke Dmitri Konstantinovich of Russia 529:Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna of Russia 361:Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia 620:Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia 533:the groom's paternal grandaunt by marriage 479:Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia 377:Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia 152:On 1 November 1894, Alexander III died at 1076:Duke Karl Michael of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 844:the bride and groom's mutual first cousin 497:Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia 463:Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia 393:Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia 652:Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich of Russia 636:Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia 604:Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia 447:Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia 431:Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich of Russia 170: 131:Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine 125:, one of the favorite granddaughters of 121:, to propose to Ernst's younger sister, 111:Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 1039:Duke Constantine Petrovich of Oldenburg 513:Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia 1349: 1080:the groom's second cousin once removed 1059:the groom's second cousin once removed 1043:the groom's second cousin once removed 917:the groom's second cousin once removed 415:Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna of Russia 1021:Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg 964:the groom's first cousin once removed 737: 656:the groom's first cousin once removed 640:the groom's first cousin once removed 624:the groom's first cousin once removed 585:the groom's first cousin once removed 569:the groom's first cousin once removed 545:Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich 326: 286:The service was presided over by the 708:Prince George of Greece and Denmark 419:the groom's paternal uncle and aunt 123:Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine 13: 1382:Royal weddings in the 19th century 1063:Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 980:Princess Anastasia of Leuchtenberg 921:Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 899: 793:Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna 89:14 November] 1894 at the 14: 1393: 1096:Princess Albert of Saxe-Altenburg 884:husband of the bride and groom's 411:Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich 107:Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse 91:Grand Church of the Winter Palace 49:Grand Church of the Winter Palace 1085: 1069: 1048: 1032: 1014: 989: 969: 952: 927: 906: 872: 863:Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 851: 832: 806: 786: 761: 752:Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine 744: 719: 701: 680: 675:the groom's maternal grandfather 663: 645: 629: 613: 597: 574: 558: 538: 522: 506: 490: 472: 456: 440: 424: 404: 386: 370: 357:Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna 350: 333: 25: 1329: 1320: 1311: 1302: 1293: 1284: 1275: 1266: 1257: 1254:King, Court, pgs. 346 & 347 1248: 1239: 1230: 1221: 1191:King, Court, pgs. 343 & 344 913:Duke John Albert of Mecklenburg 797:Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich 608:the groom's paternal granduncle 135:Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich 1212: 1203: 1194: 1185: 1176: 1167: 1135: 1126: 1117: 1000:Duchess Alexander of Oldenburg 225:Romanov Imperial Nuptial Crown 1: 1110: 976:Prince George Maximilianovich 201:with full jewels and awards. 96: 269:Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha 237:King Christian IX of Denmark 133:, married Nicholas's uncle, 7: 1149:Exeter and Plymouth Gazette 826:Queen of the United Kingdom 581:Duchess Vera of Württemberg 239:. Other relatives included 166: 10: 1398: 1362:1894 in the Russian Empire 730:the groom's maternal uncle 726:Prince Valdemar of Denmark 517:the groom's paternal uncle 501:the groom's paternal uncle 281:Prince Heinrich of Prussia 109:, to their mutual cousin, 1357:1890s in Saint Petersburg 1161:British Newspaper Archive 1025:the groom's second cousin 938:Princess Wilhelm of Baden 341:Empress Dowager of Russia 321: 58: 44: 36: 24: 712:the groom's first cousin 483:the groom's first cousin 467:the groom's first cousin 451:the groom's first cousin 435:the groom's first cousin 261:George, the Duke of York 119:Empress Maria Feodorovna 1008:Grand Duke of Oldenburg 880:Crown Prince of Romania 772:Prince Henry of Prussia 303:Prince George of Greece 161:Peter and Paul Fortress 1367:Russian royal weddings 1104:Duke of Saxe-Altenburg 176: 105:was at the wedding of 1372:Nicholas II of Russia 1132:King, Empress pgs. 54 891:King of the Romanians 692:Queen of the Hellenes 174: 154:Maley Palace, Livadia 78:Nicholas II of Russia 63:Nicholas II of Russia 1377:November 1894 events 1326:King, Court, pg. 353 1317:King, Court, pg. 352 1308:King, Court, pg. 352 1299:King, Court, pg. 352 1290:King, Court, pg. 352 1281:King, Court, pg. 350 1236:King, Court, pg. 346 1227:King, Court, pg. 346 1218:King, Court, pg. 344 1209:King, Court, pg. 344 1200:King, Court, pg. 343 1182:King, Court, pg. 343 960:Duke of Leuchtenberg 245:Queen Olga of Greece 82:Alexandra Feodorovna 1272:King, Court, pg 350 1263:King, Court pg. 349 946:Grand Duke of Baden 886:mutual first cousin 756:the bride's brother 589:King of Württemberg 381:the groom's brother 306:and Paul Fortress. 299:Sergei Mikhailovich 295:Cyril Vladimirovich 279:, and her husband, 229:Catherine the Great 21: 1102:(representing the 944:(representing the 919:(representing the 889:(representing the 824:(representing the 778:(representing the 738:The bride's family 587:(representing the 397:the groom's sister 345:the groom's mother 327:The groom's family 210:Grand Duke Michael 177: 115:Tsar Alexander III 103:Tsarevich Nicholas 101:On 19 April 1894, 19: 16:1894 royal wedding 1151:. 5 November 1894 818:Princess of Wales 257:Princess of Wales 143:Kaiser Wilhelm II 72: 71: 1389: 1341: 1340: 1333: 1327: 1324: 1318: 1315: 1309: 1306: 1300: 1297: 1291: 1288: 1282: 1279: 1273: 1270: 1264: 1261: 1255: 1252: 1246: 1243: 1237: 1234: 1228: 1225: 1219: 1216: 1210: 1207: 1201: 1198: 1192: 1189: 1183: 1180: 1174: 1171: 1165: 1164: 1158: 1156: 1146: 1139: 1133: 1130: 1124: 1121: 1090: 1089: 1074: 1073: 1053: 1052: 1037: 1036: 1019: 1018: 994: 993: 974: 973: 957: 956: 932: 931: 911: 910: 877: 876: 856: 855: 837: 836: 811: 810: 791: 790: 766: 765: 749: 748: 724: 723: 706: 705: 685: 684: 668: 667: 650: 649: 634: 633: 618: 617: 602: 601: 579: 578: 563: 562: 543: 542: 527: 526: 511: 510: 495: 494: 477: 476: 461: 460: 445: 444: 429: 428: 409: 408: 391: 390: 375: 374: 355: 354: 338: 337: 312:Alexander Palace 40:26 November 1894 29: 22: 18: 1397: 1396: 1392: 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Index


Grand Church of the Winter Palace
St Petersburg
Nicholas II of Russia
Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)
Nicholas II of Russia
Alexandra Feodorovna
O.S.
Grand Church of the Winter Palace
Tsarevich Nicholas
Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse
Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Tsar Alexander III
Empress Maria Feodorovna
Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine
Queen Victoria
Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine
Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Queen Victoria
Maley Palace, Livadia
Peter and Paul Fortress

Vladimir
Alexei
Sergei
Paul
Anichkov Palace
Grand Duke Michael
Prince Albert

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