The Battle of Borodino occurred on 7 September, 1812 just outside of Moscow city gates. It is considered to be the bloodiest of all Napoleonic war battles. The French won it technically, but were not able to enter the ancient Russian capital city nor to destroy General Kutuzov’s army.
As part of 100th anniversary celebrations in 1912, the Romanov family arrived in Moscow. Emperor Nicholas II and his daughters visited the exhibition at the Museum of the Year 1812, in the halls of the Imperial History Museum. In late afternoon they headed to the Chistoprudny Boulevard to see the panorama of the Borodino battle. After a detailed review of the panorama, Nicholas II and the imperial party visited the Kremlin. Read more ROMANOV FAMILY: BATTLE OF BORODINO ANNIVERSARY
MARIA ROMANOV’S FIRST LOVE: “FATSO” NIKOLAI DEMENKOV
The scion of a noble family, who was always associated with the Fleet, Nikolai Demenkov was born on the first day of September, 1885. At 25, he graduated from the Marine Corps. His comrades always referred to him as “the benevolent Demenkov”. Shortly after his release from the Corps, he enlisted in the Black Sea Navy, and started going on international voyages on “The Kubanetz”. In 1913 he became a Flag Officer in the Mine Division, under the command of V. Trubetskoy. In July 1913 his division became security guard of Livadia. Demenkov commanded the boats that were close on duty to the Romanov family: guarding them when someone from “The Standard” went for a swim or kayaking. Read more MARIA ROMANOV’S FIRST LOVE: “FATSO” NIKOLAI DEMENKOV
The reburial of two children of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna has finally been (tentatively?) scheduled for October 18, 2015. The ceremony will take place in the Peter and Paul Cathedral on Zayachi Island in St. Petersburg. This proposal was made by the Special Commission of the Russian government, under the leadership of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Sergei Prikhodko.
The committee has been dealing with research and reburial of the Tsar’s children for several years. Currently the skeletal remains of (what is now accepted to be) Maria Romanov and her brother Alexei Romanov are kept at Russia’s State Archives. The other members of the imperial Romanov family were previously entombed at St Peter and Paul Cathedral, where all Russian Tsars and members of the imperial family had been traditionally buried. Read more GRAND DUCHESS MARIA AND TSAREVICH ALEXEI: WILL THEIR REMAINS FINALLY BE ALLOWED TO REST IN PEACE?