The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna by C. W. Gortner

This is a story of a young woman who came from impoverished royal family, became Russian tsarina and one of the wealthiest women in the world. In the end, she was forced to flee the country during the Russian Revolution, leaving her penniless and dependent on the charity of the British royal family.

This is a story of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, whose eldest son was the last Russian monarch. She marked the history as a resilient woman, who early on learned the Russian language, embraced its people and customs, and devoted her time to charities rather than politics. But when needed she knew how to rule. “Being a member of the imperial family came with obligation. I had discovered mine.” It was administration of the Red Cross.

In 1866 Princess Dagmar of Denmark, known as Minnie, agrees to marry Alexander III of Russia. Once in Russia, she converts to Orthodoxy and adopts her new name Maria Feodorovna. “I was no longer the impoverished daughter of a once-negligible family, a princess of no power. I was indeed a Romanov now…”

Her time in Russia, from early on, is marked by revolutions. The Nihilists are against anything established in social order including monarchy and religion. Minnie’s husband’s father, the ruling tsar Alexander II frees the serfs. He recognizes that change is inevitable. She understands her father-in-law as well as she recognizes that her husband stands for something else, and she needs “to pry open his constrained view.” As he stands by, “Autocracy, orthodoxy, and nationality are the three pillars of Russia, where the tsar is ordained by God to rule, not to tear down God’s rule.”

The freed serfs move to the cities in search of jobs, but this creates another exploitation of cheap labor at factories. This gives Nihilists fuel to urge serfs to rise up against monarchy.

She offers her help in managing Red Cross as their help might be very much in need in case of brewing revolutionary war. The experience makes her eyes wide open, “While we dwelled in splendor, Russia suffered right under our unseeing eyes. (…) Not only was the need overwhelming, there seemed to be no way to relieve it.” Now, she understood the hatred of Nihilists.

“It took months of disentangling the bureaucratic knots that had resulted in more than half of the Red Cross funds being redirected into unscrupulous pockets…”

After the death of her husband, her oldest son Nicholas becomes the Emperor, and his wife tsarina, who takes the title from Minnie. This and other issues put restrains between two women.

With poor economy and rising riots and violent demonstrations, the tsar declares Russia under a semi-constitutional monarchy. What his father had planned years ago and he was opposed to, now was a reality.

In 1917, the provisional Duma and Soviet government assume charge of the state.

The story starts very strong, with moving prose intertwined with rich historical details, it moves from the palaces of Copenhagen to the palaces of Saint Petersburg and outside the city. White nights and cold winters are infused with rich traditions and trials of life. Human emotions are beautifully expressed through the lives of imperial family, who were privileged, but humans as the rest of us. 

However, the last 30% of the book is a bit drawn-out, slowing the pace. It is enlightening to have an overview of the events, and to be acquainted with the influence of Grigori Rasputin over the royal family. But to keep the pace steady, the end of the book could have been a bit more condensed. 

Overall, it is a very interesting read and highly recommend it.

To be released: 7/10/18

Also, highly recommend The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner. About one of the most powerful women of her time.

@Facebook/BestHistoricalFiction