Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia (; in St. Petersburg – 14 November 1908 in Paris) was the fifth child and the fourth son of Alexander II of Russia and his first wife Marie of Hesse and by Rhine. Chosen for a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at the age of seven. By the age of 20, he had been appointed lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Navy and had visited all Russia's European military ports. In 1871, he was sent as a goodwill ambassador to the United States and Japan.
In 1883, he was appointed general-admiral. He had a significant contribution in the equipment of the Russian navy with new ships and in modernizing the naval ports. However, after the Russian defeat in the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, he was relieved of his command. He was viewed at the time as an incompetent and corrupt dilettante. He died in Paris in 1908.
Early life
The Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia was born in Saint Petersburg on 14 January 1850 (4 January O.S.). He was the son of emperor Alexander II and empress Maria Alexandrovna. He was a younger brother of Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna, Tsarevich Nikolay Alexandrovich, Alexander III of Russia, Grand Duke Vladmir Alexandrovich. He was an older brother of Duchess Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich.
Alexei was chosen for a naval career since his childhood. At the age of 7 he received the rank of midshipman. The next year Konstantin Nikolayevich Posyet was appointed as his tutor. While the winters were dedicated to theoretical studies, during the summers he trained on Russian warships of the Baltic fleet stationed in Saint Petersburg harbour. Training exposed him to various sailing ships: in 1860 the yacht Shtandart on a cruise from Petergof to Livada in 1861–1863 the yacht Zabava under the flag of Counter-Admiral Posyet in the Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Bothnia, in 1864 the frigate Svetlana in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea in 1866 the frigate Oslyabya during an extensive training cruise to the Azore Islands.Ю.Л.Коршунов
On 18 September 1866 Alexei was promoted to lieutenant. He continued his navy career serving as officer aboard the frigate Alexander Nevsky on a cruise across the Mediterranean to Piraeus, where he attended the wedding of his cousin Olga Konstantinovna.
In 1868 he went on a trip to southern Russia traveling by train from Saint Petersburg to Nikolayevsk, continuing by ship down the Volga to Astrakhan. He then boarded a military ship for a cruise on the Caspian Sea to Baku, [Petrovsk (now Makhachkala) and then to Iran. He then crossed the Caucasus and reached Poti where the Alexander Nevsky was moored. From there he sailed to Constantinople, Athens and the Azore Islands On the return voyage, the frigate was wrecked off the coast of Jutland during a storm on the North Sea. Though the ship was lost, all but five crew members were unhurt and safely reached shore.
In January 1870 Alexei Alexandrovich reached the age of majority according to Russian legislation. The event was marked by taking two oaths : the military one and the oath of allegiance of the Grand Dukes of the Russian Imperial House. In June 1870 Alexei started the last part of his training. This included inland navigation on a cutter with a steam engine, on the route from Saint Petersburg to Arkhangelsk through the Mariinsk Canal system and the Northern Dvina. After visiting the schools and industrial facilities of Arkhangelsk, he started his navigation training in arctic conditions, aboard the corvette Varyag. This cruise took him to the Solovetsky Islands, continuing through the White Sea and Barents Sea to Novaya Zemlya. The route continued to Kola Bay and the city of Murmansk, the ports of northern Norway and Iceland. He returned to Cronstadt at the end of September.
Love affair with Alexandra Zhukovskaya
In 1869/1870, Alexei had an affair with Alexandra Zhukovskaya, daughter of poet Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky, who was eight years older than he was. They had a son, Alexei, born on 26 November 1871. Tsar Alexander II was strongly opposed to this relationship.
Some historians claim that they were morganatically married and that the marriage was annulled by the Russian Orthodox Church,Jacques Ferrand – Descendances naturelles des souverains et Grand-Ducs de Russie de 1762 à 1910, Paris, 1995Jacques Ferrand – Les familles comtales de l'Ancien Empire de Russie, Paris, 1999 because, according to the "Fundamental Laws of the Imperial House", this marriage was illegal. However, articles 183 and 188, which prohibited marriages without the consent of the emperor, were included in the Fundamental Laws only by the 1887 revision under Tsar Alexander III. The rules valid in 1870 did not prohibit morganatic marriages, but simply excluded their offspring from the succession to the throne.1797 Fundamental laws of Emperor Paul I of Russia. Официальный сайт Российского Императорского Дома There is no evidence either to the marriage or to the divorce. There is also no evidence that Alexei even requested the permission to marry. As Alexandra Zhukovskaya was not an aristocrat and, besides, the daughter of an illegitimate son of a Russian landowner and a Turkish slave, such a marriage would have been unthinkable.Stanislaw Dumin – Les Romanov et la république de Saint-Marin
Upset by his son's affair, Alexander II even refused to grant Alexandra Zhukovskaya a title, which would have officially recognized the Grand Duke's paternity, even if illegitimate. Other European courts also refused to grant her a title. As a solution of last resort, on 25 March 1875 Alexandra was able to secure the title of Baroness Seggiano from the Republic of San Marino, with the right to transmit the title to her son and his firstborn male descendants. It was only in 1883, that Alexander III, Alexei's elder brother, granted the Baron Seggiano the title of Count Belevsky, and in 1893 approved his coat of arms.
Overseas tours United States
Voyage After the official visit to Saint Petersburg of an American squadron under the command of Admiral David Farragut in 1867, a high level visit of the Russian Navy was envisaged by the Russian Government. After lengthy negotiations, it was decided that the Russian delegation would be headed by the Grand Duke. The official announcement of the visit was made on 29 June 1871 by Nikolay Karlovich Krabbe, Minister of the Imperial Russian Navy."The Question settled. Confirmation of the Grand Duke's visit to America" The New York Times 30 June 1871
The Russian squadron, under the command of Admiral Konstantin Nikolayevich Posyet on board the frigate Bogatyr, included the frigates Svetlana and , the corvette and the gunboat . Alexei was serving as lieutenant aboard the Svetlana. Before reaching the United States, the Russian squadron was to be met by the frigate Vsadnik of the Russian Pacific Fleet. Though all ships were equipped with steam engines, the squadron made the passage to America mainly under sail, so as to avoid making port on the route for coal supplies. In addition to Alexei's personal staff, the crew included 200 officers and over 3000 sailors. The squadron set sail out of Kronstadt on 20 August 1871."Grand Duke Alexis. His Departure For America In August The Fleet Fitting Out At Cronstadt The Probable Programme." The New York Times 16 May 1871"Preparations for the American Tour of the Grand Duke." The New York Times 19 June 1871"Grand Duke Alexis. Departure of His Imperial Highness from Cronstadt. He is in Command of a Royal Squadron." The New York Times 21 August 1871
The squadron first stopped in Copenhagen, where he paid a visit to King Christian IX of Denmark. In the English Channel the Russians were met by a squadron of the Royal Navy and escorted to Plymouth, where Alexei was met by the Duke of Edinburgh Alfred of Saxe-Coburg. A visit to Balmoral Castle had been scheduled, but had to be canceled because the Prince of Wales was very sick and Queen Victoria extremely concerned."Imposing Reception of the Grand Duke Alexis at Plymouth. The English Fleet Tender Him an Imperial Salute. Festivities at the Royal Navy Club-House. The Duke of Edinburgh Receives His Royal Cousin. Preparations at London for the Duke's Reception" The New York Times 18 September 1871 The Russian squadron set sail from Plymouth on 26 September,"Departure of the Russian squadron for New York" The New York Times 27 September 1871 and, en route to New York, stopped for a few days in Funchal (Madeira Islands), leaving on 9 October."The Russian Reception. Alexis Not Yet Arrived. Dates from Madeira" The New York Times 29 October 1871
The Russian squadron was met by an American squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral Stephen Clegg Rowan, Port Admiral of New York, hoisting his flag on the frigate . Admiral Samuel Phillips Lee, commander of the North Atlantic Squadron attended on his own flagship, the . The other ships of the squadron were the and the , attended by several tugs."Official Reception of Prince Alexis Personals." The New York Times 4 October 1871
A welcoming committee had been formed in New York, chaired by William Henry Aspinwall. Among the members of the committee were Moses H. Grinnell, General Irwin McDowell, Theodore Roosevelt Sr. Rear-Admiral S. W. Godon, John Taylor Johnston, Albert Bierstadt, Lloyd Aspinwall and others."The Coming Reception of the Grand Duke Alexis." The New York Times 27 April 1871 After a short delay due to the weather, the Russian squadron anchored in New York Harbor on 21 November 1871, where the Grand Duke was greeted by general John Adams Dix."Honors To Alexis. A Cordial Welcome To The Russian Grand Duke." The New York Times 22 November 1971 A military parade took place in the city. Alexei then attended a thanksgiving service at the Russian chapel."On Board the Mary Powell. The Grand Duke's Reception by the Committee" The New York Times 21 November 1871
Reception by President Grant
On 22 November 1871, Alexei left for Washington, D.C. by special train, placed at his disposal by the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company. The train had three cars: the "Commissariat" having all the modern improvements of a hotel, comprising store-rooms and pantry, the "Ruby", dining room car to accommodate 28 persons, with kitchen, ice boxes, and a sort of wine cellar, and the "Kearsarge", used as sitting, sleeping and reading room."The Grand Duke. Departure from New-York for the National Capital. A Special Train at His Service Throughout the Visit. Enthusiastic Reception by the People of Baltimore. Safe Arrival of the Visitors in Washington." The New York Times 23 November 1871
On 23 November, he was received by president Ulysses S. Grant. The president's wife, Julia Grant, and his daughter, Nellie Grant, also attended. Most of the members of the cabinet were present at the meeting: Hamilton Fish (United States Secretary of State), Columbus Delano (United States Secretary of the Interior) with his wife, Amos Tappan Akerman (United States Attorney General) with his wife, George S. Boutwell (United States Secretary of the Treasury), George Maxwell Robeson (United States Secretary of the Navy), General Frederick Tracy Dent (the president's brother-in-law and military secretary), John Creswell (Postmaster General of the United States), as well as generals Horace Porter and Orville E. Babcock.