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Tsesarevich Nikolai, eldest son of Tsar Alexander II
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Tsesarevich Nikolai, eldest son of Tsar Alexander II
Nikolai, Tsesarevich of Russia (1843-1865), eldest son and heir of Tsar Alexander II. The Tsesarevich was a gifted young man trained in a liberal tradition by the finest tutors available in the expectation that he would one day have reigned as Tsar. After celebrating his engagement to Princess Dagmar of Denmark with his family in Darmstadt in October 1864, the Tsesarevich went on to Italy to continue the educational tour he had started some months before. In Florence he suddenly fell victim to back pain so severe, he had to be carried. He spent six weeks in bed, undergoing a series of painful treatments for a spinal abscess, and as soon as he could be moved he was taken to Nice, where his mother was spending the winter. There, French doctors disagreed with the diagnosis, viewing the 21-year-olds back pain as rheumatism and prescribing spinal massage. The massage spread the infection to Nikolais bone marrow and brain and his condition deteriorated steadily. He died on 24 April 1865. On his deathbed he requested that Princess Dagmar should marry his younger brother Alexander. Dagmar later became Empress Maria Feodorovna, wife of Tsar Alexander III
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Media ID 14349316
© Mary Evans Picture Library/CHARLOTTE ZEEPVAT
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this poignant photograph, Tsesarevich Nikolai, the eldest son and heir to the Russian throne under Tsar Alexander II, lies weak and ill in his bed. The image captures a moment of profound sadness and despair, as the young man, just 21 years old, battles a mysterious and ultimately fatal illness. Nikolai had been a promising and gifted young man, educated in the liberal tradition and trained to one day rule as Tsar. His engagement to Princess Dagmar of Denmark in October 1864 had been celebrated with great fanfare, and he had embarked on an educational tour of Italy to continue his studies. However, in Florence, he suddenly fell ill with severe back pain, which soon proved to be a spinal abscess. Despite his best efforts to recover, Nikolai's condition continued to deteriorate. He was taken to Nice, where his mother, the Empress Maria Alexandrovna, was spending the winter. There, French doctors diagnosed his condition as rheumatism and prescribed spinal massage. However, this treatment only spread the infection to Nikolai's bone marrow and brain, and his health continued to decline. Despite his suffering, Nikolai's thoughts were not of himself but of his beloved fiancée, Princess Dagmar. On his deathbed, he made a final request that she marry his younger brother, Alexander, to ensure the continuation of the Romanov dynasty. Tragically, Nikolai died on 24 April 1865, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled potential and deep sadness. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the unexpected twists and turns that fate can bring. The young Tsesarevich, once full of hope and promise, lies weak and ill, a testament to the cruelty of illness and the resilience of the human spirit.
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