Tsarevich Alexey Nikolaevich was born on August 12, 1904 in Peterhof and shot on July 17, 1918 in Yekaterinburg. He was the fifth oldest child, the only male heir to Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Fedorovna.
About character
Tsarevich Aleksey Nikolaevich became a real gift for parents, since they had been waiting for him for a really long time. Before that, four daughters were already born, and the king needed a male heir.
Spouses cried out to the Lord. Their prayers were born Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov. He was baptized in the Peterhof Grand Palace in 1904. Outwardly, the young man was very handsome and handsome, even handsome. Despite all the hardships, he had a clean and open face. However, due to the disease, excessive thinness was manifested.
By nature, the boy was flexible, loved his loved ones. They always found common ground, especially with Princess Mary. In studies, he achieved success, languages were well given. The young man showed a lively mind and observation, was able to be affectionate and enjoy life no matter what. His mother loved and surrounded him with care.
The heir was more inclined to strict military behavior than the etiquette of the courtiers, assimilated folk dialect. He was not a spender and even accumulated various, at first glance unnecessary, things such as nails or ropes with the aim of later adapting them for something.
The army attracted him. He did not sort out food; he could eat ordinary cabbage soup, porridge and black bread - soldier's food. He even became a taster of soldier's cuisine. So we can say that ordinary soldiers in the Russian Empire ate the same way as the Tsarevich, who liked it all.
Impressions of Moscow
For eight years, Alexei Nikolayevich Romanov did not leave the borders of St. Petersburg. He first visited Moscow in 1912 when he went there with his parents to open the monument to Alexander III, his grandfather.
Tsarevich was met in the Kremlin with an icon of the Mother of God, written specially for the arrival. All the Moscow nobility rejoiced at this meeting, because they saw their future king, as it was then thought. The boy was also pleased with the trip, as this was his first official appearance as heir to the throne.
Military service
When the First World War was in full swing, the prince held the post of chief of some regiments and ataman of the troops of all Cossacks. Together with his father, they visited the army, where they issued awards to fighters who distinguished themselves on the battlefield.
For achievements in his service, he was awarded the St. George silver medal of the 4th degree. However, further career development had to be forgotten. On March 2, 1917, his father abdicated the right to the throne for himself and his son. The throne was occupied by Mikhail Alexandrovich, the younger brother of Nicholas.
Such a decision was made by the emperor, in consultation with a surgeon, who said that one could live with a disease pestering Alexei. However, in order to avoid any threat to health, it is better to abandon royal affairs.
Disease
All the children of Nikolai the 2nd, except Alexei Nikolaevich, were absolutely healthy. However, the boy inherited hemophilia from his mother. The same disease was found in many European rulers.
Doctors noticed a negative trend in the fall of 1904. Then the baby suffered from bleeding that started from the navel. Any bruise or wound turned out to be a real punishment of the Lord, since the tears did not heal, the damaged tissues did not grow together. Sometimes even hematomas with the size of an apple formed.
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich suffered from the fact that his skin did not stretch properly, because of pressure, blood circulation was disturbed. The problem was the constantly forming blood clots. The nannies of Tsarevich Alexei were forced to monitor the boy and treat him very carefully. Small scratches were covered with tight bandages that tightened blood vessels. However, there have been cases when this was not enough. Once nosebleeds nearly ended for the prince with death. He did not feel pain.
Physical suffering
Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov was exposed not only to external, but also to internal bleeding. Mostly they affected the joints. Thus, a very young boy turned into a disabled person, because the blood accumulated and could not go out, pressing on the nerve. Tissues, bones and tendons were destroyed. He could not move his limbs freely.
The biography of Tsarevich Alexei is really full of grief and trials from a very young age. He performed the exercises, he was given a massage, but you could never insure yourself against a new trouble.
It would seem that the only salvation was destructive morphine, but the parents decided not to corrupt their son with it. So he could avoid pain only by losing consciousness. Tsarevich Alexei Nikolayevich spent weeks in bed, chained in orthopedic appliances, straightening limbs, and also constantly took baths from healing mud.
New injury
The usual trip to the hunting grounds ended horribly in 1912. When the boy got into the boat, he injured his leg, a hematoma appeared, which did not go away for a long time. Doctors feared the worst.
This was published in an official announcement, which, however, did not mention what disease the young man was suffering from. The fate of Tsarevich Alexei is full of darkness and suffering, and not simple children's joys. He could not even walk alone at one time. He was carried in his arms by a person specially appointed to this position.
The disease escalated when the royal family was exiled to Tobolsk in 1918. The children of Nicholas the 2nd well moved the move. However, the prince again received an internal injury. The suffering from joint hemorrhage began. But the boy just wanted to play. Somehow he jumped and ran, resulting in a bruise. He could not repeat more of such a fun game, since he remained disabled until his death.
Investigation
Tsarevich’s life ended when he and his whole family were shot in Yekaterinburg. This happened in the Ipatiev House on the night of July 17, 1918. One of the participants in this operation confirmed that the young man did not die immediately, it took a second shot to kill him.
The canonization was carried out in 1981, but the foreign Orthodox community did it. The Moscow Patriarchate joined it only in 2000.
Also worth mentioning is another interesting fact.
In 1991, the remains of the royal family were investigated. They did not identify the flesh and bones of the youth. This situation is explained by the fact that he and the body of one of the sisters were burned.
In the summer of 2007, on the outskirts of the Piglet’s Log, near the main grave, charred remains were found, which, according to investigators, belong to the king’s children. In 2008, they conducted an examination, on which E. Rogayev worked together with specialists from the United States. Confirmation of the belonging of these relics to the bodies of the king’s heirs was received. Until now, they are not interred, because the Russian Orthodox Church did not recognize them. Since 2011, burnt bodies were stored in the main archive of the state, and in 2015 they were transported to the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow.
Unwritten story
Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov canonized quite deservedly. He is revered as a martyr. Memorial Day - July 4, in accordance with the Julian calendar. In the summer of 2015, a decree was issued by President D. Medvedev on the reburial of Alexei and his sister Maria.
The church has many more questions regarding these remains. The story of Tsarevich Alexei can hardly be called joyful. Short life, and how much pain it has! Moreover, reading about the character of the young man, we can conclude that he aroused the sympathy of not only courtiers, but also ordinary people. Perhaps a wonderful king would have come out of him, if not for illness and execution.