Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich was born on August 12, 1904 in Peterhof and shot on July 17, 1918 in Yekaterinburg. He was the fifth oldest child, the only male heir of Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna.
About character
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich became a real gift for his parents, because they were waiting for him for a really long time. Before that, four daughters had already been born, and the king needed a male heir.
The couple cried out to the Lord. Through their prayers, Alexey Nikolaevich Romanov was born. He was baptized in the Grand Palace of Peterhof in 1904. Outwardly, the young man was very good-looking and handsome, even handsome. Despite all the hardships, he had a clean and open face. However, due to illness, excessive thinness appeared.
By nature, the boy was accommodating, he loved his loved ones. They always found common ground, especially with Princess Mary. In his studies, he achieved success, languages were well given. The young man showed a lively mind and observation, knew how to be affectionate and enjoy life no matter what. His mother loved and cared for him.
The heir bowed moreto strict military behavior than the etiquette of the courtiers, mastered the popular dialect. He was not a spender and even saved up various, at first glance unnecessary, things such as nails or ropes in order to later adapt them for something.
The army attracted him. He did not go overboard in food, he could eat ordinary cabbage soup, porridge and black bread - soldier's food. He even became a taster of soldier's cuisine. So we can say that ordinary soldiers in the Russian Empire ate the same way as the prince, who was quite to his taste.
Impressions of Moscow
For eight years, Alexey Nikolaevich Romanov did not leave St. Petersburg. He first visited Moscow in 1912 when he went there with his parents to attend the unveiling of a monument to Alexander III, his grandfather.
The Tsarevich was met in the Kremlin with an icon of the Mother of God, painted especially for the arrival. All the Moscow nobility rejoiced at this meeting, as they saw their future tsar, as was then believed. The boy was also pleased with the trip, as it was his first official appearance as heir to the throne.
Military service
When the First World War was in full swing, the prince served as chief of some regiments and chieftain of the troops of all Cossacks. Together with their father, they visited the army, where they gave out awards to fighters who distinguished themselves on the battlefield.
For achievements in service he was awarded the St. George silver medal of the 4th degree. However, I had to forget about further career development. March 2, 1917the father abdicated for himself and for his son. The throne was taken by Mikhail Alexandrovich, Nikolai's younger brother.
This decision was made by the emperor, after consulting with the surgeon, who said that it was possible to live with the disease that plagued Alexei. However, in order to avoid any threat to he alth, it is better to refuse royal affairs.
Disease
All the children of Nicholas II, except for Alexei Nikolayevich, were absolutely he althy. However, the boy inherited hemophilia from his mother. The same disease was found in many European rulers.
Doctors noticed a negative trend already in the fall of 1904. Then the baby suffered from bleeding that began from the navel. Any bruise or wound turned out to be a real punishment of the Lord, since the tears did not heal, the damaged tissues did not grow together. Sometimes even apple-sized hematomas formed.
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich suffered from the fact that his skin did not stretch properly, blood circulation was disturbed due to pressure. The problem was constantly forming blood clots. The nannies of Tsarevich Alexei were forced to watch the boy and treat him very carefully. Small scratches were covered with tight bandages that tightened the vessels. However, there were times when this was not enough. One day, nosebleeds almost ended in death for the prince. He felt no pain.
Physical suffering
Aleksey Nikolaevich Romanov was subject to not only external, but also internal bleeding. ATthey mostly affected the joints. Thus, a very young boy turned into an invalid, because the blood accumulated and could not come out, pressing on the nerve. Tissues, bones and tendons were destroyed. He could not move his limbs freely.
The biography of Tsarevich Alexei is indeed full of sorrows and trials from a very young age. He did the exercises, they gave him a massage, but he was never insured against new trouble.
It would seem that destructive morphine remained the only salvation, but the parents decided not to corrupt their son with it. So he could avoid pain only by losing consciousness. Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich lay in bed for weeks, chained in orthopedic devices that straighten his limbs, and also constantly took baths from healing mud.
New Injury
A typical trip to the hunting ground ended badly in 1912. When the boy got into the boat, he injured his leg, a hematoma appeared, which did not go away for a long time. Doctors feared the worst.
An official announcement was made about this, which, however, did not mention what disease the young man was suffering from. The fate of Tsarevich Alexei is full of darkness and suffering, and not simple childhood joys. He couldn't even walk on his own for a while. It was carried in the arms of a person specially appointed to this position.
The disease became especially acute when the royal family was exiled to Tobolsk in 1918. The children of Nicholas II endured the move well. However, the prince again received an internal injury. startedsuffering from bleeding in the joints. But the boy just wanted to play. Somehow he jumped and ran, as a result of which he hurt himself. He could not repeat such a fun game again, since he remained an invalid until his death.
Investigation
The Tsarevich's life was cut short when he and his entire family were shot in Yekaterinburg. This happened in the Ipatiev House on the night of July 17, 1918. One of the participants in this operation confirmed that the young man did not die immediately, it took a second shot to kill him.
Canonization was carried out in 1981, but it was done by the foreign Orthodox community. The Moscow Patriarchate joined it only in 2000
It is also worth mentioning another interesting fact.
In 1991, the remains of the royal family were examined. They did not identify the flesh and bones of the young man. This state of affairs is explained by the fact that he and the body of one of the sisters were burned.
In the summer of 2007, on the outskirts of the Piglet's Log, near the main grave, charred remains were found, which, according to investigators, belong to the children of the king. In 2008, they conducted an examination, on which E. Rogaev worked together with specialists from the United States. Confirmation was received that these relics belonged to the bodies of the king's heirs. Until now, they have not been interred, since the Russian Orthodox Church has not recognized them. Since 2011, the charred bodies were kept in the main archive of the state, and in 2015 they were transferred to the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow.
Unwritten history
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov completely canonizeddeservedly. He is revered as a martyr. Memorial Day is July 4, according to the Julian calendar. In the summer of 2015, President Dmitry Medvedev issued a decree on the reburial of Alexei and his sister Maria.
The church has many more questions regarding these remains. The story of Tsarevich Alexei can hardly be called joyful. Short life, but how much pain in it! Moreover, reading about the character of the young man, we can conclude that he aroused the sympathy of not only the courtiers, but also ordinary people. Perhaps he would have made a wonderful king, if not for the illness and execution.
