futurist
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Post by futurist on Jun 23, 2016 6:44:12 GMT
What if Russian Tsar Nicholas II would have married Princess Helene of Orleans (like his parents apparently wanted him to) rather than marrying Alix of Hesse (as was the case in real life)?
Could having Helene as a wife have made Nicholas a better Russian Tsar?
Any thoughts on this?
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futurist
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Post by futurist on Jun 23, 2016 6:48:40 GMT
Also, for the record, the Orleanists actually had some personal experience with constitutional monarchy in the era of French King Louis Philippe, who I think was Helene of Orleans's great-grandfather.
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 23, 2016 17:08:57 GMT
What if Russian Tsar Nicholas II would have married Princess Helene of Orleans (like his parents apparently wanted him to) rather than marrying Alix of Hesse (as was the case in real life)? Could having Helene as a wife have made Nicholas a better Russian Tsar? Any thoughts on this? It might have some effect on him but will it be a love relationship or a i was forced int marrying him relationship. |
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futurist
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Post by futurist on Jun 23, 2016 17:33:41 GMT
What if Russian Tsar Nicholas II would have married Princess Helene of Orleans (like his parents apparently wanted him to) rather than marrying Alix of Hesse (as was the case in real life)? Could having Helene as a wife have made Nicholas a better Russian Tsar? Any thoughts on this? It might have some effect on him but will it be a love relationship or a i was forced int marrying him relationship. Hopefully it will eventually become a love relationship.  |
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lordroel
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Post by lordroel on Jun 23, 2016 17:41:50 GMT
It might have some effect on him but will it be a love relationship or a i was forced int marrying him relationship. Hopefully it will eventually become a love relationship. I think it will not change much, but then again i could be wrong. |
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futurist
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Post by futurist on Jun 23, 2016 17:43:49 GMT
Hopefully it will eventually become a love relationship. I think it will not change much, but then again i could be wrong. At least there would probably be no Rasputin in the Russian royal court and no hemophilia in the Russian royal family, though. |
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Post by lordroel on Jun 23, 2016 17:44:28 GMT
I think it will not change much, but then again i could be wrong. At least there would probably be no Rasputin in the Russian royal court and no hemophilia in the Russian royal family, though. That is true, have not toughed about that. |
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Post by empresspenguine on Jul 1, 2016 23:28:05 GMT
To start, there is a myth that Nicholas' parents wanted him to marry Helene. Nicholas records the real incident in his diary:
While I was talking to Mama this morning she made several hints about Helene, the daughter of the Comte de Paris, which puts me in awkward position. I am at the crossing of two paths, I myself want to go in the other direction, while Mama obviously wants me to take this one!
(January 29, 1892)
At the time, The Empress Marie had no idea about Nicholas feelings for Alix though Alexander did. There is nothing to show Alexander ever promoted a match with Helene.
A year later, Nicholas records: (January 10, 1893)
In the evening I had a talk alone with Papa and Mama; I have been permitted to start finding out about Alix- when I am in Berlin! I never expected such a suggestion, especially not from Mama.
The most likely conclusion: Marie thought it was time for her son to get married and suggested someone. When she found out he wanted someone else, she was quite happy with that. When Nicky actually proposed to Alix, Marie encouraged him at every turn. Nicky told her it was the Empress' letter that moved Alix to accept the proposal
Alexander's only reservation was about Alix needing to convert to Orthodoxy
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Post by empresspenguine on Jul 1, 2016 23:39:04 GMT
Moving on from the romance, the politics.
A marriage to Helene could have dragged the Romanovs deep into internal French politics. This would have been most serious during the French political crises following the death of President Faure in 1899. Then, the Orleanists and Bonapartists both made noises about revolution but nothing much came of it. A marriage to Helene would have been very bad at that time.
Other than that, I doubt if she could have had much influence on event other than maybe Nicky stays in Russia more and stops visiting Hesse-Darmstadt
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