Alexei: Russia's Last Tsesarevich - Letters, diaries and writings

by George Hawkins

On July 30 (August 12) 1904, Russia's long-awaited Heir, Alexei Nikolaevich, was born. It was the first time an heir had been born to a reigning Tsar since Peter the Great's son Tsarevich Alexei in 1682 and his birth was met with great rejoicing in Russia. Shortly after his birth, his parents found that Alexei had unusual bleeding and realised that he had inherited haemophilia from his great-grandmother Queen Victoria, a disease where blood does not clot normally and where even a slight bruise could cause internal bleeding leading to death. Despite the limitations caused by his disease, Alexei lived an active life, was adventurous, intelligent, was fascinated with military life and had a strong sense of humour. Here, presented in English, many for the first time are a range of writings and diaries - Alexei's own, as well as those of family members, doctors and tutors, which provide a glimpse into the short life of a boy who had been destined to be Emperor, but was murdered shortly before his 14th birthday in 1918.

691 pages, Paperback

Published January 9, 2022