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Alix of Hess-Darmstadt was born on June 8, 1872 in Darmstadt, Germany. Her parents were the Grand Duke and Duchess of Darmstadt; her mother was also the daughter of Queen Victoria. When Alix was still very young, her sister Mary and then her mother died of diphtheria. Also, her brother Frederick (1870-1873) died from a fall from a window in his mother's room, complicated by hemophilia. She spent much of her time in England, staying with her grandmother and various aunts, uncles and cousins. When she was older she continued in the role of Landsmutter (Mother of the land) for her father.

At the wedding of her sister Elizabeth (Ella) to their cousin Seril of Russia, Alix met for the first time (and fell in love with) the Tsarivitch Nicholas. Even thought she was in love with him she did not want to marry him because she did not want to give up her Protestantism to be Russian Orthodox. About 4 or 5 years after they first met Alix's brother Ernest got married to their first cousin nicknamed Ducky. Since both were cousins of Nicholas as well he went to the wedding to see Alex. During the time that he was there he continually asked her to be his wife, and thanks to their love as well as their cousin Kaiser William II Alex finally consented to marry Nicholas.

Alix spent the first part of her engagement with her grandmother Queen Victoria in England telling her everything that had transpired leading to the engagement. The rest of the engagement did not go so smoothly though. Several months after the engagement Nicholas's father became ill at one of his palaces in Russia. Alix hearing this got there as soon as she could, but shortly after she got there Nicholas became Tsar Nicholas II. After this tragedy Alix did not want to wait to become a member of the family. Shortly after the death of her future father-in-law Alix became a member of the Russian Orthodox Faith taking the name Alexandra Fyodorovna. She and Nicholas wanted to marry where they were, but family told them that they should get married after the funeral of his father in Moscow. Thus the people of Russia got their first glimpse of their future Empress through death.

They were married on November 26, 1894, shortly after the death of his father, and before 1901 had four daughters named Olga (1895-1918) Tatiana (1897-1918), Maria (1899-1918) and Anastasia (1901-1918). In 1904 Alix gave birth to a son Alexis (known as Alexei) and sadly he had hemophilia, which was passed on to her a sister and brother from their mother Princess Alice and grandmother Queen Victoria.

In 1917 Nicholas was forced to abdicate the throne of Russia. The people who would have accepted it if he had abdicated in favor of his son, did not understand why he abdicated in favor of his brother. He only did this because he knew that his son's chances of survival were not good.

He and his family were then imprisoned in Siberia, and later moved to Ekaterinburg, where on the night of July 17, 1918 the Russian royal family was massacred. In the 1990s the burial sites were investigated, although the bodies of the Tsarivitch Alexei and one of his sisters (it is unclear which one) were missing. Using DNA from HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh (Alix was his great-aunt) proved that four of the bodies belonged to the Tsarina and three of her daughters.

Her Imperial Highness, The Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna Romanova was born on June 26, 1899. She was the third daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra. She had two older sisters - Olga and Tatiana, one younger sister - Anastasia, and one younger brother Alexei. Maria's siblings usually called her Marie or Mashka. She was the angel of the family, and she was very loving and warm. She said that she wanted to marry a Russian soldier and have 20 children. She was a pretty girl with light brown hair and large blue eyes, which her family called "Marie's saucers." Maria was pretty close to her younger sister Anastasia, who were known as "The Little Pair", while her older sisters Olga and Tatiana, were called "The Big Pair." As well as their older sisters, they shared a bedroom and Maria tended to be dominated by Anastasia because of her energy and enthusiasm. Maria's other sisters referred to her as their "stepsister" because she was so good and never got into trouble. Maria was a plump girl in her childhood but she became very thin after the attack of measles she and her siblings had. When her father abdicated, for himself and for Alexei, Maria and her family were prisoners of the Revolution, in Tobolsk. After that, Maria, her father and mother went to Ekaterinburg, leaving her sisters - Tatiana, Olga and Anastasia - with her younger brother Alexei who got very hurt. After Alexei was well enough to be moved, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, Alexei and some of their employees went to Ekaterinburg, to be with Maria and their parents. In Ekaterinburg the Romanovs lived in a place called "The House of Special Purpose." Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia all shared one room, while her father, mother, and Alexei shared another. On July 17, 1918 the Romanovs, their doctor, and others were set up in a basement in "The House of Special Purpose." Then, 11 executors entered and started firing. Maria and her family and servants all died. Maria was only 19 years old when she died. But, when they found the bodies of the Romanovs and their servants they realized there were two missing, Alexei and either Maria, Tatiana, or Anastasia. Recently, the Russian Orthodox Church has canonized the Romanovs as saints.

Her Imperial Highness, The Grand Duchess Tatiana Nicholaievna Romanov was born on June 10, 1897. She is the second child of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra. She has one elder sister, Olga, two younger sisters - Maria and Anastasia and a younger brother Alexei. Out of all of Tatiana's siblings, she was her mother's favorite companion. She was tall and a lot like her mother and the classical beauty of the family with auburn hair and grey eyes. Tatiana was extremely close to her older sister Olga, who was only 18 months apart. Tatiana and Olga shared a bedroom and were called "The Big Pair", while Olga's other two younger sisters - Maria and Anastasia - whee called "The Little Pair." She was also the leader of her brother and sisters, and they called her "Governess." Tatiana was the one who usually took charge of everything, which didn't bother the oldest, Olga. When World War I started Tatiana her sister Olga and her Mother the Empress Alexandra became War nurses. After she caught the measles, along with her siblings, Tatiana lost a lot of weight and her personality changed after she and her family were held under guard. When her father abdicated, for himself and for Alexei, Tatiana and her family where prisoners of the Revolution, in Tobolsk. After that, Tatiana's father, mother and sister Maria went to Ekaterinburg, leaving Tatiana with her sisters Olga and Anastasia and her younger brother Alexei. Tatiana and her sisters took care of Alexei because he got very hurt before her father, mother and sister left. After Alexei was well enough to be moved, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, Alexei and some of their employees went to Ekaterinburg, to be with their parents and Maria. In Ekaterinburg the Romanovs lived in a place called "The House of Special Purpose." Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia all shared a room, while her father, mother, and Alexei shared. On July 17, 1918 the Romanovs, their Doctor, and others were set up in a basement in "The House of Special Purpose." Then, 11 executors entered and started firing. Tatiana and her family and servants all died. Tatiana was only 22 years old when she died. But, when they found the bodies of the Romanovs and their servants they realized they are missing two, Alexei and either Maria, Tatiana, or Anastasia. Recently the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia canonized the Romanovs as saints.

Her Imperial Highness, The Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaievna Romanov was born on June 18, 1901. She was the fourth child of Tsar Nicholas the second, and the Empress Alexandra. She was a big disappointment because by now they were hoping for a boy to be the tsarevich and the next tsar. She had three older sisters -Olga, Tatiana and Maria - and one younger brother Alexei. Out of all she siblings she was the favorite of her grandmother, Maria Feodorovna. She had brown hair and blue eyes and was the jokester of the family who liked to play pranks on people. Anastasia was very short and thin but when the family was in captivity, she became fatter and her mental development had slowed down. Anastasia was sometimes called "Imp" and "The Infant Terrible" of the family. Anastasia was pretty close to her older sister Maria who were known as "The Little Pair", while, her older sisters Olga and Tatiana, were called "The Big Pair." As well as their older sisters, they shared a bedroom. Anastasia dominated her older sister with her energy and enthusiasm. Anastasia was extremely close to her younger brother Alexei. Whenever Alexei got hurt, she would always try to make him better by telling jokes and trying to get him to laugh. When her father abdicated, for himself and for Alexei, Anastasia and her family were prisoners of the Revolution, in Tobolsk. After that, Anastasia's father, mother and sister Maria went to Ekaterinburg, leaving Anastasia with her sisters Olga and Tatiana and her younger brother Alexei. Anastasia and her sisters took care of Alexei because he got very hurt before her father, mother and sister left. After Alexei was well enough to be moved, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, Alexei and some of their employs went to Ekaterinburg, to be with their parents and Maria. In Ekaterinburg the Romanovs lived in a place called "The House of Special Purpose." Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia all shared a room, while her father, mother, and Alexei shared. On July 17, 1918 the Romanovs, their Doctor, and others where set up in a basement in "The House of Special Purpose." Then, 11 executors entered and started firing. Anastasia and her family and servants all died. Anastasia was only 17 years old when she died. But, when they found the bodies of the Romanovs and their servants they realized they are missing two, Alexei and either Maria, Tatiana, or Anastasia. Recently the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia canonized the Romanovs as saints.

His Imperial Highness Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov was born on August 12, 1904, in the Peterhof Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia. He was the youngest child and only son of Their Imperial Majesties Tsar Nicholas II and Tsaritsa Alexandra Fyodorovna. His birth was a cause for much celebration throughout the Russian Empire, for he was the long-awaited heir to the throne. However, he was only a few days old when he began to bleed uncontrollably from the navel. He was diagnosed with hemophilia B, a condition that could be traced back to his maternal great-grandmother Queen Victoria. There was no treatment for this deadly blood disease in the early twentieth century, and the life expectancy was just thirteen years. This diagnosis devastated his parents, and they devoted themselves to keeping him alive and well. Two sailors were assigned to keep a close eye on Alexei, as the most minor cut or bruise could potentially be fatal. Despite his disease, Alexei was a bright, active child. He was doted on by his four older sisters, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana, and Grand Duchess Maria, and had an especially close relationship with the family prankster, the youngest girl, Grand Duchess Anastasia. Alexei was compassionate and sweet, and suffered patiently through the frequent cruel attacks of his disease. The excruciating pain and long recovery periods left him nearly permanently disabled and put a dent in his education. He was naturally quite intelligent, though, and spoke three languages. One very serious crisis happened when he was eight in 1912 in Spala, Poland, after a tumble in a boat. He seemed fine for a few days but he later began to hemorrhage internally in his leg and abdomen and was not expected to live; he was given the last sacrament. However, Alexandra received a telegram from the faith healer Grigori Rasputin, and Alexei miraculously recovered. This incident strengthened his mother's undying faith in Rasputin that stayed until his murder in 1916. During World War I, Alexei accompanied his father to military headquarters, known as Stavka, to observe the life of a soldier. He charmed and won the hearts of both enlisted infantrymen and high-ranking officers alike with his youthful energy and simplicity. When the first Russian revolution came in March 1917, his father abdicated, and after a candid conversation with his son's doctors who told him that Alexei wouldn't survive much longer, he renounced the tsarevich's claim to the throne as well. The tsar and his family were placed under house arrest in the Alexander Palace, and in August 1917 they were moved to the Governor's House in Tobolsk, Siberia, allegedly for their own safety, but in November 1917 the Bolsheviks took power and there was little hope of getting the family to safety left. While in exile in March 1918 Alexei suffered a fall and a severe hemorrhage ensued; he was in such pain that he begged his mother to let him die. He was too unwell to accompany his family to Ekaterinburg, to where they were now being exiled. Nicholas, Alexandra, and Maria left for Ekaterinburg, and the four other siblings joined them in the Ipatiev House in April. For the remaining four months of his life Alexei was unable to walk. He found consolation in writing letters to his friend Kolya and playing card games with his sisters. He was very pious and spent much time praying. In the early morning hours of July 17, 1918, the family was woken and told they were being moved to the basement to avoid being caught in the gunfire that was raging in the city outside. The tsar and the empress, the four grand duchesses, the tsarevich, and four loyal retainers were led down the steps to the basement and and were posed as though for a portrait. Alexei had to be carried in by his father. Suddenly, an execution squad of twelve, led by Commandant Yakov Yurovsky, opened fire on the family, and a messy, savage bloodbath ensued which left no survivors save Alexei's dog Joy. The tsarevich was only thirteen years old. The bodies were dumped in the forest outside Ekaterinburg and doused in acid, but Alexei's body and that of either Maria or Anastasia were taken elsewhere and unsuccessfully cremated. The location of the remains stayed a secret until 1991, when the bodies of nine of the eleven victims were discovered and identified through DNA testing. The five royals' remains were interred in the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, but the bodies of the tsarevich and his sister were missing until 2007, when they were discovered and identified. As of 2016 they are being held in a vault in the Novospassky Monastery. In 1980, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) canonized Alexei, his parents, and sisters as martyrs. The Russian Orthodox Church followed suit and declared them passion bearers. The Russian state rehabilitated him and his family as victims of political repression.

Her Imperial Highness, The Grand Duchess Olga Nicholaievna Romanov was born on November 15, 1895 at Tsarskoe Selo. She was the oldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra. She has 3 younger sisters - Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia - and one younger brother Alexei. Olga was the most like her father, the Tsar Nicholas the Second, with chestnut-blonde hair and blue eyes. She was the more thoughtful of her sisters and very intelligent, but she was sometimes difficult, and argued with her mother, Empress Alexandra. Olga was extremely close to her younger sister Tatiana, who was 18 months younger then her. Tatiana and Olga shared a bedroom and were called "The Big Pair", while Olga's other two younger sisters - Maria and Anastasia - were called "The Little Pair." Olga was going to maybe marry Price Carol of Romania, but Olga didn't want to leave Russia. "I am Russian and I mean to remain Russian!" So Olga did not marry Prince Carol. When World War I started Olga, her sister Tatiana and her Mother the Empress Alexandra became War nurses. During the War Olga became more aware of the resentment that the Russian people had for her family. Also During the war she had a mental breakdown. When her father abdicated, for himself and Alexei, Olga and her family were prisoners of the Revolution, in Tobolsk. After that, Olga's father, mother and sister Maria went to Ekaterinburg, leaving Olga with her sisters Tatiana and Anastasia and her younger brother Alexei. Olga and her sisters took care of Alexei because he got very hurt before her father, mother and sister left. After Alexei was well enough to be moved, Olga, Tatiana, Anastasia, Alexei and some of their employees went to Ekaterinburg, to be with their parents and Maria. In Ekaterinburg the Romanov's lived in a place called "The House of Special Purpose." Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia all shared a room, while her father, mother, and Alexei shared. On July 17, 1918 the Romanovs, their Doctor, and others where set up in a basement in "The House of Special Purpose." Then, 11 executors entered and started firing. Olga and her family and servants all died. Olga was only 23 years old when she died. But, when they found the bodies of the Romanovs and their servants they realized they are missing two, Alexei and either Maria, Tatiana, or Anastasia. Recently the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia canonized the Romanovs as saints.