Scattered stuff from a native New Yorker, disorganized former English Major, film buff, haiku enthusiast, semi-professional photographer and totally amateur fencer.

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30 Day Romanov Challenge - Day 5 : Favourite Grand Duke or Prince.

Prince Vladimir Paley (It was a hard choice because I admire many Grand Dukes of the Romanov family but I wanted to enlightening a favourite of mine who is often forgotten.)

Prince Vladimir was the son of the Grand Duke Paul, youngest son of Emperor Alexander II, and of Olga Valerianovna Karnovich, the daughter of a chamberlain in the Imperial Court. The mornagatic marriage of his parents prevented him from being considered a member of the Romanov dynasty but when you learn about him and his life you understand he deserved more than certain other members of the family to bear the name of Romanov.

He was an amazing gifted man, among music, painting he was primarily a poet, he impressed those around him with his extraordinary talents. It was particularly astonishing to see the natural and abundant way in which harmonious, bright verses flew from him. He learned quickly to play the piano and other instruments, and revealed most remarkable skills for drawing and painting. He learned to read and write with similar ability in French, English and German, and later in Russian as well. At a very early age he astounded people by his extensive reading and his extraordinary memory.

The Grand Duke wanted his son to follow the dynastic tradition of an army career, and in 1908 Prince Vladimir became a student in the Corps-des-Pages, the Saint Petersburg military school for aristocratic youngsters. When World War I broke out, he enlisted in the army like many other young patriotic men. Despite his position as the son of a Grand Duke he risked his life on several occasions, fighting in dangerous places, he was promoted to lieutenant for his courage. Much loved by his comrades, some did not hesitate to protect him with their bodies. The October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Bolshevik regime marked the first steps of a lengthy calvary for all the relatives of the Tsar who had chosen to stay in Russia. On March 4th, Vladimir went to the Cheka office in Petrograd. He was received by Uritzky, who made the young poet an insulting offer:  “You are going to sign a paper saying that you cease to regard Paul Alexandrovich as your father, and then you will be free at once; if not, you will sign this other paper and that will mean exile.”

That was his last ticket to life, but Vladimir was a man of principle. Despite the fact that he was boiling over with rage, he didn’t answer and just kept his gaze firmly fixed on the Bolshevik commissar. Uritzky must have seen such a look of reproach and contempt that he said brusquely: “Very well, then, if that’s how it is, sign your sheet of departure into exile.”

He was atrociously murdered on 18 july 1918 with other member of the Romanov Family Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, Grand Duke Sergey Mikhaylovich, Prince Ioann Konstantinovich, Prince Igor Konstantinovich, Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich and Sister Varvara Yakovleva, Fiodor Semionovitch Remez. He was only 21 years. He seemed called to become one of the great characters of Russian literature. An incredible man. Incredible.

(X)

“Volodya was an extraordinary being, a living instrument of rare sensitiveness, which could of itself produce sounds of startling melody and purity, and create a world of bright images and harmonies. In years and experience he was still a child, but his spirit had penetrated into regions eached only by a few. He had genius…” Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna “The Younger” Vladimir step-sister

mor

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