The Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov Society event on 20th of October at St Leonards-on-Sea, “Romanovs in The Kremlin and in their Country Estate near Moscow: Coronations and Family Life”, was very successful, and gathered quite a big and educated audience, who were very interested in Russian history, customs and church life. There were not only members of the Society but some guests from The Art Society and Battle Historical Society, as well as some historians knowledgeable in the subject. Our special guests David and Janet McNeal arrived from the Isle of Wight.
The speaker Dr Inessa Slyunkova, former Head Architect of the Kremlin Museums and member of the Russian Academy of Architecture, delivered a well prepared talk on various aspects of the last coronation of Nicholas II and Alexandra in 1896. She informed us about the medieval church ritual of the Tsars anointing and showed wonderful pictures from some ancient Russian chronicles. Then she described the stages of the coronation and concentrated on the procession through the Kremlin. She analysed the structure of the buildings, costumes, and movements of the procession underlining the unchanging features and the new developments. Her talk incorporated pictures of the Impressive illuminations and fireworks which the audience found very modern-looking. Special attention was paid to the people’s festivities and to the tragedy which happened on the Khodynka field. Dr Slyunkova presented well known facts and her own interpretation of the tragic events.
Her talk was translated and read by John Harwood, a trustee of the Society. Inessa concluded the presentation and answered some questions. During the break people enjoyed very tasty food and wine which accompanied lively discussions and informal talks.
In the second part of the evening there was a presentation of Inessa’s new book dedicated to the Imperial estate near Moscow (Iliinskoe and Usovo) where Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich lived during Summer and Autumn. Iliinskoe was inherited by GD Sergey from his mother Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Dr Slyunkova went through her book telling us about the history of this estate and its development under Romanovs, showing us on a big screen many wonderful illustrations, portraits and landscapes. Through the art and architecture she presented us with a vivid picture of the period, of human faces of the members of the ruling dynasty, of their warm relationship with a wide circle of people and their charity work. After the assassination of GD Sergei in 1905 his wife Grand Duchess Elizabeth left the estate to her nephew, established a Convent of Mercy in Moscow in the names of Sts Martha and Mary and fully dedicated her life to the works of charity. She was murdered by the bolsheviks on 18th of July 1918 in the small village of Alapaevsk together with other members of the Romanov family and just one day after the murder of the Imperial family itself in Ekaterinburg.
The Year 2017 marks the centenary of the Russian Revolution. We are very grateful to Dr Inessa Slyunkova for the the opportunity to widen our knowledge about the Russian history of that period which was full of tragedies and produced many martyrs and saints.
In June this year The Grand Duchess Elizabeth Society in UK organised a British-Russian Romanov Conference at Windsor (Cumberland Lodge). This was dedicated to the latest museum and archival discoveries in both countries. This conference showed the strong links between the Romanov and Windsor families, and the deep interest in their individual fates by the historians from both sides. Our pilgrimage to the Isle of Wight two weeks after the conference, with a big group of our members and friends, allowed us to come close to this history, to see Osborne House and Whippingham Royal Church where many objects still keep the memory of Romanov visits here. The latest talks of Dr Inessa Slyunkova are a continuation of our educational, academic and religious activities which started in March 2016 and which will bring us to July 2018 when we will commemorate 100 years of the Imperial Family’s Martyrdom in Ekaterinburg and Alapaevsk.
Dr Maria Harwood, Chairman of the Society
