06/02/2026
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🌷 On this day - 2nd June 1838 🌷
🌷 Birth of Alexandra Frederica of Oldenburg 🌷
Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna of Russia
🌷 Born in St. Petersburg on 2nd June 1838, Alexandra was the daughter of Duke Peter Georgievich of Oldenburg and Princess Therese of Nassau-Weilburg.
Alexandra grew up in a cultured and loving household, filled with music, art and learning.
As her father was a nephew of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Alexandra grew up in close proximity to the Romanovs - surrounded by the splendour of Imperial Russia.
🌷 Alexandra grew up to be a simple and down-to-earth young girl - who inherited her parents' love for charitable works and scholarly pursuits.
Alexandra's exemplary education awoke in her an interest in medicine - and in solving social problems of the poor.
She excelled in the arts, and was a talented painter like her mother.
🌷 During a ball in St. Petersburg, Alexandra met her future husband, Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich - third son of Tsar Nicholas I, and brother of Tsar Alexander II.
Nicholas had been a soldier for most of his life, and was serving in the Life Guards Regiment.
Tall and good-looking, he instantly enchanted the young Alexandra.
Twenty-four year old Nicholas proposed to seventeen year old Alexandra, in the Red Drawing Room of the Anichkov Palace.
🌷 Nicholas' and Alexandra's marriage was well-received by their respective families.
For Tsar Alexander II, his brother's marriage was a way to anchor him - for Nicholas was known to be frivolous, and lascivious - who 'delighted in the company of women!'
Tsar Alexander hoped that Alexandra would have a good influence on his brother.....
🌷 Before they married, Alexandra converted from Lutheranism to the Orthodox faith.
She received the name and title of Alexandra Petrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia.
The couple married in Peterhof, on 6th February 1856.
Nine months after the wedding, Alexandra gave birth to her first son, Nicholas.
Alexandra gave birth to her second son Peter, in 1864.
🌷 As young wife and mother, Alexandra was hospitable, and always welcomed the members of the imperial family to her home.
Although not particularly beautiful, rather plain and unsophisticated, her kindness and gentle manners endeared her to her husband's family.
Despite a good start, Alexandra's marriage to Nicholas was not destined to be happy.
🌷 While many members of the Imperial family embraced the glamour of Court life, Alexandra preferred a quieter path - and only appeared at Court when absolutely necessary.
Alexandra dressed modestly, and the endless array of glittering jewellery held no appeal to her either.
This often caused displeasure to her husband, who expected Alexandra to dress how a proper grand duchess should.
🌷 Initially, Nicholas respected and admired Alexandra's interest in charities and medicine - as well as her extremely religious nature.
He supported her causes, like founding a nursing institute in St. Petersburg and a hospital in Znamenka.
Despite her charitable good works, not everyone in society admired her actions.
Some members of the aristocracy started making fun of her piety and passion for social work - and even called her eccentric.
🌷 Eventually, Nicholas grew tired of Alexandra's increasing preoccupation with religion, and began complaining of her lack of glamour, and her distaste for society.
Nicholas began to avoid seeing Alexandra, and acquired himself a mistress - beautiful ballerina, Catherine Chislova.
Nicholas and Catherine Chislova would go on to have five children, together.
Nicholas and Alexandra began to lead separate lives - appearing together only for official ceremonies.
🌷 In 1879, determined to get rid of his wife, Nicholas
publicly accused Alexandra of infidelity with her confessor, Vasily Lebedev - and expelled her from the Palace.
Alexandra, leaving behind her jewellery, clothes and possessions, had to move to her parents' house.
The same year, Alexandra suffered a carriage accident which left her almost completely paralysed.
She could move neither her legs nor her right arm.
🌷 Alexandra moved to Kiev, and settled in Maryinsky Palace, in the hope that she would recover.
She began to completely rely on her religious devotions, for solace and comfort.
When Alexandra became wheelchair bound permanently, she decided to stay in Kiev for good.
Of course, this meant breaking her marital duties - which was convenient for her husband.
Nicholas wanted to divorce her so he could marry his mistress.
However, Alexandra vehemently refused to grant him a divorce.
🌷 Nicholas found himself wishing he would soon become a widower - and remarry.
Unfortunately for him, this was not to happen; Alexandra survived him by several years - and his mistress, too!
🌷 Alexandra took Holy Orders, and became a nun under the name 'Sister Anastasia'.
She founded a convent of nursing nuns, dedicated to helping the poor and the sick.
Sixty-one year old Alexandra died in Kiev, on 25th April 1900 - due to stomach cancer.
She was buried in the grounds of Kievo Pechersky Monastery.
An inscription on the cross of her tomb, simply says:
"There lies the remains of the servant of God:
Alexandra".
She was reburied in the garden at the St. Nicholas Cathedral of the Pokrov Monastery, on 2nd November 2009.
🌷 Source - Gem@ ArrayedInGold/From Royal to Monastic: Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna of Russia
🌷 Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna of Russia.
By Carl Timoleon von Neff 19th c.
Gatchina Museum
