| Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Emperor of Russia (disputed) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reign | July 1922 – 16 June 1923 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Nicholas II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Successor | Monarchy abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | (1856-11-18)18 November 1856Gregorian calendar ((1856-11-06)6 November 1856Julian calendar) St. Petersburg,Russian Empire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 5 January 1929(1929-01-05) (aged 72) Antibes,France | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burial | St. Michael the Archangel Church(1929–2015)[1] Chapel of the Transfiguration of Our Lord,Bratsky military cemetery,Moscow(since 2015)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| House | Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mother | Duchess Alexandra of Oldenburg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Commander in Chief of theRussian Imperial Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (Russian: Николай Николаевич Романов (младший –the younger); 18 November 1856 – 5 January 1929) was a Russian grand duke andWorld War I general, a son ofGrand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia and a grandson of EmperorNicholas I. He was commander-in-chief of theImperial Russian Army units on the main front in the first year of the war, during the reign of his first cousin once removed, EmperorNicholas II. Although held in high regard byPaul von Hindenburg, he struggled with the colossal task of leading Russia's war effort against Germany, including strategy, tactics, logistics and coordination with the government.[3] After theGorlice–Tarnów offensive in 1915, Tsar Nicholas replaced the Grand Duke as commander-in-chief of the army. He later was a successfulcommander-in-chief in the Caucasus region. He was briefly recognized as emperor in 1922 in areas controlled by theWhite movement in theRussian Far East.
A very tall man at 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in), Nicholas, named after his paternal grandfather, the emperor, was born as the eldest son toGrand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (1831–1891) andDuchess Alexandra of Oldenburg (1838–1900) on 18 November 1856.[4] His father was the sixth child and third son born toNicholas I of Russia and his EmpressAlexandra Feodorovna (1798–1860). Alexandra Fedorovna was a daughter ofFrederick William III of Prussia andLouise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.[5]
Grand Duke Nicholas was the first cousin once removed of TsarNicholas II. To distinguish between them, the Grand Duke was often known within the Imperial family as "Nikolasha": the Grand Duke was also known as "Nicholas the Tall" while the tsar was "Nicholas the Short".
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Grand Duke Nicholas was educated at theschool of military engineers and received his commission in 1873.[4] During theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878), he was on the staff of his father who was commander in chief.[4] He distinguished himself on two occasions in this war. He worked his way up through all the ranks until he was appointed commander of the Guard Hussar Regiment in 1884.
He had a reputation as a tough commander, yet one respected by his troops. His experience was more as a trainer of soldiers than a leader in battle. Nicholas was a very religious man, praying in the morning and at night as well as before and after meals. He was happiest in the country, hunting or caring for his estates.
By 1895, he was inspector-general of the cavalry, a post he held for 10 years.[4] His tenure has been judged a success with reforms in training, cavalry schools, cavalry reserves and the remount services. He was not given an active command during theRusso-Japanese War, perhaps because the tsar did not wish to hazard the prestige of theRomanovs and because he wanted a loyal general in command at home in case of domestic disturbances. Thus, Nicholas did not have the opportunity to gain experience in battlefield command.
Grand Duke Nicholas played a crucial role during theRevolution of 1905. With disorder spreading and the future of the dynasty at stake, the tsar had a choice of instituting the reforms suggested by CountSergei Witte or imposing a military dictatorship. The only man with the prestige to keep the allegiance of the army in such a coup was the grand duke. The tsar asked him to assume the role of a military dictator. In an emotional scene at the palace, Nicholas refused, drew his pistol and threatened to shoot himself on the spot if the tsar did not endorse Witte's plan. This act was decisive in forcing Nicholas II to agree to the reforms.
From 1905 to the outbreak ofWorld War I, he was commander of thePetersburg Military District. He had the reputation there of appointing men of humble origins to positions of authority. The lessons of the Russo-Japanese War were drilled into his men.
On 29 April 1907, Nicholas marriedPrincess Anastasia of Montenegro (1869–1935), the daughter of KingNicholas I, and sister ofPrincess Milica, who had married Nicholas's brother,Grand Duke Peter. They had no children. She had previously been married toGeorge Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg, by whom she had two children, until their divorce in 1906. Since the Montenegrins were a fiercely Slavic, anti-Ottoman people from theBalkans, Anastasia reinforced thePan-Slavic tendencies of Nicholas.
Nicholas was a hunter. Ownership ofborzoi hounds was restricted to members of the highest nobility, and Nicholas's packs were well known. After the revolution, the dogs in his kennel were sold off by the new Soviet government. In his lifetime, Nicholas and his dogs caught hundreds of wolves. A pair of borzoi were used, which caught the wolf, one on each side, while Nicholas dismounted and cut the wolf's throat with a knife. Hunting was his major recreation, and he travelled in his private train across Russia with his horses and dogs, hunting while on his rounds of inspection.[6]
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Grand Duke Nicholas had no part in the planning and preparations for World War I, that being the responsibility of GeneralVladimir Sukhomlinov and the general staff. On the eve of the outbreak of World War I, hisfirst cousin once removed, EmperorNicholas II, yielded to the entreaties of his ministers and appointed Grand Duke Nicholas to the supreme command.[4] He was 57 years old and had never commanded armies in the field before, although he had spent almost all of his life on active service. His appointment was popular in the army. He was given responsibility for the largest army ever put into the field up to that date. He recalled that "... on receipt of the Imperial order, he spent much of his time crying because he did not know how to approach his new duties".[7]
On 14 August 1914, he published theManifesto to the Polish Nation.[8]
Grand Duke Nicholas was responsible for all Russian forces fighting againstGermany,Austria-Hungary, and theOttoman Empire. He decided that their major effort must be inPoland, which thrust toward Germany like asalient, flanked by GermanEast Prussia in the north, and Austro-HungarianGalicia in the south. He planned to attend first to the flanks and when they were secure to invade GermanSilesia.[9] In the north poor coordination of the two invading Russian armies resulted in the disaster ofTannenberg. In the south they conquered much of Galicia. Their subsequent move toward Silesia was blocked by theBattle of the Vistula River andBattle of Łódź. The grand duke picked and chose from the various plans offered by his generals. The grand duke begged for the artillery and ammunition they desperately lacked, so he could not embark on a coherent plan for victory. Nicholas came to power because of his royal status, and the tsar's belief that God was guiding his decision. He lacked the broad strategic sense and the ruthless drive to command all the Russian armies. His headquarters had a curiously calm atmosphere, despite the many defeats and the millions of casualties. He failed in terms of strategy and tactics, as well as logistics, selection of generals, maintaining morale, and gaining support from the government. On a personal level he was well liked by both officers and men.[3]
After theGreat Retreat of the Russian army, the Chief of the General StaffNikolai Yanushkevich, with the full support of the Grand Duke Nicholas, ordered the army to devastate the border territories and expel the "enemy" nations within.[10][11] The Russian authorities launched pogroms against German populations in Russian cities, massacred Jews in their towns and villages and deported 500,000 Jews and 250,000 Germans into the Russian interior.[11] On 11 June 1915, a pogrom began against Germans inPetrograd, with over 500 factories, stores and offices looted and mob violence unleashed against Germans.[11] The Russian military leadership regarded Muslims, Germans and Poles as traitors and spies, while Jews were considered political unreliables.[10]
As a result of his failure, the tsar removed the Grand Duke as commander of the Russian armed forces on 21 August 1915 and took personal command.[12][4]
Upon his dismissal, the grand duke was immediately appointed commander-in-chief andviceroy in the Caucasus (replacing CountIllarion Vorontsov-Dashkov). While the grand duke was officially in command, GeneralNikolai Nikolaevich Yudenich was the driving figure in the RussianCaucasus Army, so the grand duke focused on the civil administration.[13] Their opponent was theOttoman Empire. While the grand duke was in command, the Russian army sent an expeditionary force through toPersia to link up with British troops. Also in 1916, the Russian army captured the fortress town ofErzerum, the port ofTrebizond and the town ofErzincan. The Turks responded with an offensive of their own. Fighting aroundLake Van swung back and forth, but ultimately proved inconclusive.
It is reported that, while visiting the garrison ofKostroma he metSaid Nursi, a famousMuslim cleric who was a prisoner of war. Because of Nursi's disrespectful attitude (he refused to greet the grand duke first saying that the faithful were more senior than infidels), the grand duke gave an order to execute him. But after seeing Nursi's devotion to his religion during his last prayer, the grand duke changed his mind and amnestied Nursi.[14][15][16] However, nothing in the Grand Duke's record suggests that he would have even considered such a war crime. At the time he was urging the tsar to set up colleges for training Muslim clerics so they would not have to study abroad.[17]
Nicholas tried to have a railway built fromRussian Georgia to the conquered territories with a view to bringing up more supplies for a new offensive in 1917. But, in March 1917, the tsar was overthrown and the Russian army began slowly to fall apart.
TheFebruary Revolution found Nicholas in the Caucasus. He was appointed by the emperor, in his last official act, as the supreme commander in chief, and was wildly received as he journeyed to headquarters inMogilev; however, within 24 hours of his arrival, the new prime minister, PrinceGeorgy Lvov, cancelled his appointment. Nicholas spent the next two years inCrimea, sometimes under house arrest, taking little part in politics. There appears to have been some sentiment to have him head theWhite Army forces active in southern Russia at the time, but the leaders in charge, especially GeneralAnton Denikin, were afraid that a strong monarchist figurehead would alienate the more left leaning constituents of the movement. He and his wife escaped just ahead of theRed Army in April 1919, aboard the BritishRoyal Navy battleshipHMSMarlborough.
On 8 August 1922, Nicholas was proclaimed as the emperor of all the Russias by theZemsky Sobor of thePriamurye region in the Far East which had been founded byMikhail Diterikhs. Nicholas was already living abroad and consequently was not present. Two months later the Priamurye region fell to the Bolsheviks.
After a stay inGenoa as a guest of his brother-in-law, KingVictor Emmanuel III of Italy, Nicholas and his wife took up residence in a small chateau at Choigny, 20 miles outside of Paris. He was under the protection of the French secret police as well as by a small number of faithfulCossack retainers.
He became the symbolic figurehead of an anti-Soviet Russian monarchist movement, after assuming on 16 November 1924 the supreme command of all Russian forces in exile and thus of theRussian All-Military Union, which had been founded in theKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes by GeneralPyotr Wrangel two months prior.[18] The monarchists made plans to send agents into Russia. Conversely a top priority of theSoviet secret police was to penetrate this monarchist organization and to kidnap Nicholas. They were successful in the former, infiltrating the group with spies (OGPU later lured the anti-Bolshevik British master spySidney Reilly back to theSoviet Union (1925) where he was killed). They did not succeed however, in kidnapping Nicholas. As late as June 1927, the monarchists were able to set off a bomb at theLubyanka Prison in Moscow.
Grand Duke Nicholas died on 5 January 1929 of natural causes on theFrench Riviera, where he had gone to escape the rigors of winter. He was originally buried in the church ofSt. Michael the Archangel Church inCannes, France. In 2014Prince Nicholas Romanov (1922–2014) andPrince Dimitri Romanov (1926–2016) requested the transfer of his remains. The bodies of Nicholas Nikolaevich and his wife were re-buried inMoscow at theWorld War I memorial military cemetery in May 2015.[2]
HistorianRichard Pipes said he was the most outstanding member of the Romanov dynasty in its final decades and the only member of the family to enjoy the respect and admiration of ordinary Russians.[19]
The Grand Duke received several Russian and foreign decorations:[20]
Knight 4th Class of theOrder of St. George –1877
Knight 3rd Class of theOrder of St. George –1914
Knight 2nd Class of theOrder of St. George –1915
Knight of theOrder of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-called –1856
Knight of theOrder of Saint Alexander Nevsky –1856.svg)
Knight 1st Class of theOrder of St. Anna –1856.svg)
Knight 1st Class of theOrder of St. Stanislaus –1856
Knight of theImperial Order of the White Eagle –1856
Knight 1st Class of theImperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir –1896
Knight of theOrder of the Most Holy Annunciation (Kingdom of Italy) –18 June 1890[21] – during a visit to Russia of KingVictor Emmanuel III[22]
Knight of theOrder of the Elephant (Denmark) –19 July 1909[23]
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Redeemer (Kingdom of Greece)_-_ribbon_bar.png)
Grand Cross of theLudwig Order (Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine) –10 March 1886[24]
Grand Cross of theHouse Order of the Wendish Crown (Mecklenburg)
Grand Cross of theOrder of Danilo I (Principality of Montenegro)
Grand Cross of theHouse and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis, with Golden Crown (Grand Duchy of Oldenburg) –7 December 1856[25]
Knight of theOrder of the Black Eagle (Kingdom of Prussia) –23 March 1877[26]
Pour le Mérite (military) (Kingdom of Prussia) –22 March 1879[26]
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Cross of Takovo (Kingdom of Serbia)[27]
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Star of Romania (Kingdom of Romania)
Grand Cross of theRoyal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen (Austria-Hungary) –1896[28]
Grand Cross of theLegion d'Honneur (France) –January 1897[29]
Grand Cross of theOrder of the Württemberg Crown (Kingdom of Württemberg) –1882[30]Grand Duke Nicholas was portrayed in the 1971 filmNicholas and Alexandra byHarry Andrews, and in the 1974 television dramaFall of Eagles byJohn Phillips.
