Early 20th Century Leather Book, Grand Prince Nikolai Mykhailovych's Emperor Alexander I - Experience of Historical Research

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Title: Emperor Alexander I - Experience of Historical Research.
Author: Grand Prince Nikolai Mykhailovych (Nicholas Michaelovich).
Publisher: Expedition of Preparation … Read more Title: Emperor Alexander I - Experience of Historical Research.
Author: Grand Prince Nikolai Mykhailovych (Nicholas Michaelovich).
Publisher: Expedition of Preparation of State Paper.
Printer: Tenyata Marstvennysty.
Edition: 2nd edition.
Publication date: 1914.
Origin: Petrograd, Russia.
Language: Russian and French.

Description: 772 p. 4to. Blue 3/4 morocco hardcover, marble boards and endpapers, illustrated with 12 tables of tissue guarded tipped-in portrait and drawing plates; color frontispiece of Alexander I, color and black/white and sketch plates throughout book.

Measures: 2.5 W x 9 D x 11.75 H inches.

About the author and work*: Nicholas Michaelovich (1859-1919) was the eldest son of Grand Duke Michael Nicholaievich, son of Emperor Nicholas I. He was born April 26, 1859 at Tsarskoe Selo, but spent his childhood in Tiflis, Georgia where his father was Viceroy of the Caucusus.

Nicholas loved education, and begged his father to allow him to enter the University, however Grand Duke Michael Nicholaievich was firmly opposed. In order to please his father, he then he entered the Acadamy of the General Staff (War College) where he excelled in his studies. Military life was not for him, though, as he much preferred studying butterflies and historical research. He began to be more interested in his historical research; publishing his first book "The Princes Dolgoruki, Collaborators to Emperor Alexander I" in 1890.

*In 1905, he left the military and pursued his research interests full time. Nicholas II happily granted him unlimited access to the Romanov Family Archives and Library. He soon published multi-volume works (over fifteen volumes in all), in both Russian and French, on the reign of Tsar Alexander I.

The Grand Duke was a member of the Acadamy of France, Honorary Doctor of History and Philosophy from the University of Berlin, and Honorary Doctor of History from the University of Moscow, President of the Imperial Russian History Society and the Russian Geographic Society.

Affectionately known to the Imperial family, "Uncle Bimbo" could be moody and eccentric, but also had a sharp wit and a keen, sometimes childish, sense of humor. He loved pranks and jokes, which endeared him to the entire family. He also considered himself to be a social and political liberal, even calling himself a "socialist". This behavior, along with his stubborn insisting on always speaking his mind, did NOT endear him to the Imperial family, and it was his charm and humor which often alleviated their anger toward his beliefs.

After the outbreak of the First World War, the anti-war Nicholas Michaelovich would make long diatribes in his favorite Petrograd clubs loudly against the war and highly critical of the Commander of the Army, his cousin Nicholas Nicholaievich. He became horrified by the actions of the Government at this time, and publicly lambasted their actions. So much so, that by the end of 1916, Nicholas II had finally lost his usual patience with Uncle Bimbo and ordered him out of Petrograd.

Nicholas Michaelovich returned to the capital a few months later, shortly after the Tsar abdicated, and stayed there. The Bolsheviks exiled him in 1918 to Vologda, along with his brother Grand Duke George Michaelovich and Grand Duke Dmitri Constantinovich. The three were later brought back to Petrograd and imprisoned. On January 30, 1919 they were shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress. (Biographies - Duke Nicholas Michaelovich by Rob Moshein) See less