History - On This Day - 18 June 1901 - Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia

On 18 June 1901 (O.S. June 5) a new Grand Duchess was born at the

Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.

She received the name: Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia. 

Source picture: Wikipedia

Family

Her parents were Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Tsarina Alexandra

Feodorovna. 

Grand Duchess Anastasia was the sister of:

Grand Duchess Olga,

Grand Duchess Tatiana,

Grand Duchess Maria

and Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia.

The Tsar and his family -
Taken at the exhibition in the Hermitage in Amsterdam in 2017

Early life

When Anastasia was born, the Tsar and his family were disappointed

that she wasn't a boy, who would be heir apparent to the throne. 

At the Russian Royal Court, the Tsar's children were raised as simple

as possible. They slept on hard beds, they took cold baths in the 

morning and they were expected to tidy their rooms and to do 

needlework (which was sold to charity events). 

Anastasia grew up into an energetic child, described as short with

blue eyes and blonde hair.

Anastasia and her sister Maria were known in the family as

"The Little Pair". The two girls shared a room, they often wore the

same dress and spent much of their time together. 

The four royal sisters used the nickname OTMA, which was 

derived from the first letters of their first names. 

Anastasia's health sometimes was poor. She had a weak muscle

in her back and she was prescribed twice-weekly massage. 

portrait of the family of the Last Tsar -
taken at the exhibition of the Hermitage in Amsterdam

Rasputin

Due to the Hemophilia of Alexei Nikolaevich, Anastasia's mother

relied on Grigori Rasputin. Anastasia and her siblings were taught

to view Rasputin as "Our Friend". 

World War I

During World War I, Anastasia and her sister Maria visited wounded

soldiers at a private hospital in the grounds at Tsarskoye Selo. 

The two teenagers became Red Cross nurses like their mother and

their elder sisters.

Revolution

In February 1917, Anastasia and her family were placed under 

house arrest at the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoye Selo during

the Russian Revolution. 

Tsar Nicholas II abdicated on 15 March 1917 (O.S. 2 March).

The Provisional Government later moved the former Royal

Family to Tobolsk in Siberia. Later they moved to the

Ipatiev House at Yekaterinburg. 

Captivity

In the Winter of 1917, Anastasia wrote to a good friend:

"Goodbye" ... "Don't forget us". 

At Tobolsk Anastasia and her sister sewed jewels into their clothes. 

However, even in the last months of her life, Anastasia found ways

to enjoy herself. She and other members of the household performed

plays for the enjoyment of their parents. 

The last Tsar and his family in captivity
picture taken at the Hermitage in Amsterdam

Death

After the revolution of October 1917, Russia turned into a civil war.

There were negotiations to release the former royal family and they

still had supporters called the White Army. 

When the White Army reached Yekaterinburg, the royal family

was disappeared. 

They were all murdered on 17 July 1918.

Mystery

However, it was hard to believe that the complete family of the

Last Tsar was murdered. 

At least ten women claimed to be Anastasia. The best known was

Anna Anderson. When she died in 1984, her DNA was compared

with the DNA of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (a great-

nephew of Empress Alexandra). There was no match and the test

proved that Anna Anderson was related to a Polish factory worker.

Saints

In 2000, Anastasia and her family were canonized by the

Russian Orthodox Church. 

The bodies of Tsar Nicolas II, Tsarina Alexandra and three of 

their daughters were finally interred in the St. Catherine Chapel

at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, St. Petersburg on 

17 July 1998, eighty years after they were murdered. 

Movies

The mystery of Anastasia and her family inspired many movies 

In 1956 there was a film Anastasia with Ingrid Bergman as

Anna Anderson. 

In 1997 there was an animated musical film Anastasia.

On Twitter, Lisi @empressofHaB mentioned that there is at the moment
a musical in Broadway called: Anastasia. 

Anastasia - Source picture: Wikipedia

See also the page: Russia - House of Romanov 1917 till now on top of this blog

or on this link.