The Court of Russia in the Nineteenth Century: Volume 1

The Court of Russia in the Nineteenth Century: Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XII ACCESSION IN 1817 Nicholas was duly married to the Prussian Princess, who, on embracing the Orthodox faith, took the name of Alexandra; and we shall in another chapter deal at length with the character and happy married life of this accomplished and kindly lady, who did so much for the culture of Russia, and gave an example of a pure and joyous domesticity, which had the effect of regenerating the once profligate Court of St. Petersburg, perverted by a succession of voluptuous empresses whose influence still survived after an interregnum of semimonastic austerity. The Grand-Ducal couple were given the Anitchkoff Palace on the Nevski Prospect for a residence, and were there received, after the marriage ceremony, banquet, and ball, by the Emperor and Empress, who, in accordance with time-honoured Russian custom, offered them bread and salt. Here a small family supper was then served, to which, appropriately enough, Count Lamsdorff and the Countess Lieven were invited. Nicholas was now appointed Inspector-General of Engineers and Chief of the Sappers of the Guard, and was able to indulge his taste for engineering and the exact sciences, which were then only in their infancy, and had scarcely given a promise of the importance they were destined to assume. At this time Nicholas was a tall and thin angular youth, with regular features, but hollow cheeks, and a certain shyness of manner which owed its origin to an honesty of character which refused to ape the elegances and insincerities of courtiers, and in its manly protest against "foreign monkey-tricks" erred on the side of brusqueness; on the other hand, his frank cheerfulness and love of fun were contagious. The Empress-mother regarded her two youngest sons as wanting in the graces of the great ...
Country USA
Manufacturer Adamant Media Corporation
Binding Paperback
EANs 9781402197543
ReleaseDate 2000-12-27

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Adamant Media Corporation
Binding	Paperback
EANs	9781402197543
ReleaseDate	2000-12-27

The Court of Russia in the Nineteenth Century: Volume 1

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