The novel of Nicholas II and Matilda Kshesinskaya is true. Matilda Kshesinskaya - mistress of the Grand Dukes of the Romanovs

Famous prima ballerina

She was the mistress of Emperor Nicholas II and two Grand Dukes, and later became the wife of Andrei Vladimirovich Romanov. Such women are called fatal - she used men to achieve her goals, weaved intrigues, and abused personal connections for career purposes. She is called a courtesan and seductress, although no one disputes her talent and skill.

Maria-Matilda Krzezinska was born in 1872 in St. Petersburg into a family of ballet dancers who came from the family of bankrupt Polish counts Krasinski. Since childhood, the girl, who grew up in an artistic environment, dreamed of ballet.

At the age of 8 she was sent to the Imperial Theater School, from which she graduated with honors. Her graduation performance on March 23, 1890 was attended by the imperial family. It was then that the future Emperor Nicholas II saw her for the first time. Later, the ballerina admitted in her memoirs: “When I said goodbye to the Heir, a feeling of attraction to each other had already crept into his soul, as well as into mine.”

After graduating from college, Matilda Kshesinskaya was enrolled in the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater and in her first season took part in 22 ballets and 21 operas. On a gold bracelet with diamonds and sapphires - a gift from the Tsarevich - she engraved two dates, 1890 and 1892. This was the year they met and the year they began their relationship. However, their romance did not last long - in 1894, the engagement of the heir to the throne to the Princess of Hesse was announced, after which he broke up with Matilda.

Kshesinskaya became a prima ballerina, and the entire repertoire was selected specifically for her. The director of the imperial theaters, Vladimir Telyakovsky, without denying the dancer’s extraordinary abilities, said: “It would seem that a ballerina, serving in the directorate, should belong to the repertoire, but then it turned out that the repertoire belongs to M. Kshesinskaya. She considered the ballets her property and could give or not let others dance them.”

Prima weaved intrigues and did not allow many ballerinas to go on stage. Even when foreign dancers came on tour, she did not allow them to perform in “her” ballets. She chose the time for her performances herself, performed only at the height of the season, and allowed herself long breaks, during which she stopped studying and indulged in entertainment. At the same time, Kshesinskaya was the first Russian dancer to be recognized as a world star. She amazed the foreign audience with her skill and 32 fouettés in a row.

Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich looked after Kshesinskaya and indulged all her whims. She went on stage wearing insanely expensive Faberge jewelry. In 1900, on the stage of the Imperial Theater, Kshesinskaya celebrated 10 years of creative activity (although before her ballerinas gave benefit performances only after 20 years on stage). At a dinner after the performance, she met Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, with whom she began a whirlwind romance. At the same time, the ballerina continued to officially live with Sergei Mikhailovich.

In 1902, Kshesinskaya had a son. Paternity was attributed to Andrei Vladimirovich. Telyakovsky did not choose his expressions: “Is this really a theater, and am I really in charge of this? Everyone is happy, everyone is happy and glorifies the extraordinary, technically strong, morally impudent, cynical, arrogant ballerina, who lives simultaneously with two great princes and not only does not hide it, but, on the contrary, weaves this art into her stinking cynical wreath of human carrion and depravity "

After the revolution and the death of Sergei Mikhailovich, Kshesinskaya and her son fled to Constantinople, and from there to France. In 1921, she married Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, receiving the title of Princess Romanovskaya-Krasinskaya. In 1929, she opened her own ballet studio in Paris, which was successful thanks to her big name.

She died at 99, having outlived all her eminent patrons. Disputes about her role in the history of ballet continue to this day.

In the Russian Empire there was not a single person who would stand up for the emperor, and in the Russian Federation there are more than enough such well-wishers

In the Russian Empire there was not a single person who would stand up for Nicholas II, and in the Russian Federation there are more than enough such well-wishers

It’s not childish that he cares about Russia. In psychiatry this would be called schizophrenia. In politics they call it an attempt at reconciliation and agreement with one’s past, present and future. The trouble is that all temporary states are changeable. Because of this, today we have to reconcile and agree with what was stigmatized only yesterday. The most recent example is the passion around Alexei Uchitel's film "Matilda" about the carnal love of the ballerina KSHESINSKAYA and NICHOLAS II. Today this king is considered by us to be both Bloody and Saint. As anyone likes. But a tendency is visible that tomorrow we will be forced to consider him exclusively a saint. Therefore, while we can, we remind you of the human nature of the sovereign, and at the same time of his bloody life path to heaven.

A certain movement “Royal Cross” called on the people to unite against the historical film “Matilda” directed by Alexey Uchitel and sign an appeal addressed to the Prosecutor General with a request to ban the release of the film on the screen. In fact, no one has seen the film yet. His commercial caused public excitement.

The reason is this: “bed scenes are included in the picture with incredible audacity Nicholas II With Matilda Kshesinskaya“, and this “is not only criminal in relation to the believing citizens of the country, but also in relation to the state, since it is aimed at undermining national security.”

A deputy unexpectedly found himself at the head of the anti-Kseshin movement Natalia Poklonskaya. According to her, Nicholas II is in fact “a kind and merciful sovereign who has radically improved the well-being of his people.”

It’s stupid to check a film that hasn’t been released,” the Minister of Culture commented on Natalya Poklonskaya’s parliamentary request to the prosecutor’s office. Vladimir Medinsky.

The blind readiness of the heroine of the “Crimean Spring” to lay down her life for the Tsar caused shock among many of her fans.

I just can’t understand why what is considered the first love all over the world suddenly turns into a “vicious relationship” for Poklonskaya, offending the religious feelings of the Orthodox? - asks a journalist who is not at all liberal Oleg Lurie.

The move to Moscow from the deep provinces, the crazy parliamentary prosperity that fell on his head, coupled with a sea of ​​free time, may have unsettled the former prosecutor. In addition, we must make allowances for the fact that she studied history at school using Ukrainian textbooks. And there it is written...

Family toy

It is believed that the cheerful Polish woman Matilda Kshesinskaya was given to his phlegmatic son Niki by his father. On March 23, 1890, after the graduation performance of the Imperial Theater School, which was attended by himself Alexander III with the heir to the throne, a gala dinner was given. The Emperor ordered that Kshesinskaya be seated next to the future Emperor Nicholas II. The family decided that it was time for Niki to become a real man, and ballet was something like an official harem and relations with ballerinas were not considered shameful among the aristocracy.

In the jargon adopted by the Russian Guard, trips to ballerinas for the sexual satisfaction of their violent passions were called “potato trips.” The heir was no exception under the name of hussar Volkova I went to Matilda for potatoes for several years. Until he married Alice of Hesse.

Wanting to keep the secret of his intimate adventures, Nicholas did not allow Matilda to fall into the hands of lustful merchants and noble perverts. He left her in the “family”, transferring her to the care and comfort of his grandson NicholasI- to the Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich. The new “owner” was single and also became interested in a gorgeous woman. Sergei Mikhailovich made Kshesinskaya the prima of the Mariinsky Theater and one of the richest women in Russia. Her palace in Strelna was not inferior in luxury to the tsar’s, which greatly crippled Russia’s military budget. The same one to which the great princes, and in particular Sergei Mikhailovich, had access.

Official matters did not allow him to pay enough attention to Matilda, and he asked to “keep an eye” on the beauty of the Grand Duke Andrey Vladimirovich, grandson Alexandra II. Both lovers knew about each other, but peacefully took turns cohabiting with the “witch”, never quarreling, and each considered Vladimir, Matilda’s son, his own. He really first bore the middle name Sergeevich, and then Andreevich.

After the revolution, already in immigration to France, Kshesinskaya married Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich and received the title of His Serene Highness Princess Romanovskaya.

Alien place

One day Nicholas II told the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sazonov: “I try not to think seriously about anything, otherwise I would have been in a coffin a long time ago.” It is this phrase that most accurately characterizes the style of Nicholas' rule. His place was not on the throne, but under Kshesinskaya’s skirt and at the family table. The patriarchal custom of inheriting power not by merit, but by seniority, became a trap for tsarism. The rapidly changing world could no longer be held together by rotten bonds: “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality.”

It is customary to say about Nicholas that he personally carried out reforms, often in defiance of the Duma. However, in fact, the king rather “did not interfere.” He didn't even have a personal secretariat. Nicholas II personally never wrote detailed resolutions; he limited himself to notes in the margins, most often simply putting a “read sign.” In principle, he was not involved in government affairs. Didn't take them to heart. For example, his adjutant said that, having received the news about Tsushima, the king, who was playing tennis at that time, sighed heavily and immediately took up his racket again. In the same way, he perceived all the bad news about the unrest in the country and the news of defeats in the war.

As a result of such a reign, by the beginning of the First World War, Russia's external debt was 6.5 billion rubles, and there was only 1.6 billion of gold in the treasury.

But Nicholas II spent 12 thousand rubles a year on sweet photographs with his family. For example, the average household expenditure in the Russian Empire was about 85 rubles per year per capita. The emperor's wardrobe in the Alexander Palace alone consisted of several hundred military uniforms. When receiving foreign ambassadors, the king put on the uniform of the state from which the envoy came. Often Nicholas II had to change clothes six times a day.

The figure of the king, primarily through his own fault, turned out to be purely decorative. It was precisely this circumstance that caused general discontent.

All economic growth in 1913 came from the private bourgeois and capitalist sector. While the mechanisms of power have practically stopped working.

They couldn’t, since all the control levers were in the hands of one person who was unable to move them. Tsarism, therefore, simply outlived its usefulness.

Nicholas II became the Bloody not when, during his coronation on May 18, 1896, 2,689 loyal subjects were killed and maimed in a stampede. He became Bloody because, of all the methods of governing the state, he decided to use only the simplest - repression.

The worse the situation became, the more often they resorted to them. The 1905 revolution was preceded by a famine of 1901 - 1903, as a result of which more than three million adults died. Tsarist statistics did not count children. To suppress peasant uprisings and workers' uprisings, 200 thousand regular troops were sent, not counting tens of thousands of gendarmes and Cossacks.

And then on January 9, 1905, Bloody Sunday occurred in St. Petersburg - the dispersal of the procession of St. Petersburg workers to the Winter Palace, which was intended to present the Tsar with a collective petition about workers’ needs. The working people, “like the entire Russian people,” have “no human rights. Thanks to your officials, we became slaves,” the workers wrote in the petition.

The troops met them with cannon and rifle fire. Everywhere the reprisal was carried out according to the same plan: they fired in volleys, with or without warning, and then cavalry flew out from behind the infantry barriers and trampled, chopped, and whipped the fleeing.

Government message: of those who went to the king, 96 were killed, 330 people were wounded. But on January 13, journalists submitted a list of names of 4,600 killed and fatally maimed to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the empire. Later newspapers wrote that more than 40 thousand corpses with bayonet and saber wounds, trampled by horses, torn by shells and other similar wounds passed through the hospitals of the city and its environs.

Thus, the people's faith in the good Tsar-Father was trampled upon. The wave of general discontent could no longer be stopped. During 1905 - 1906, peasants burned down two thousand landowners' estates out of 30 thousand existing in the European part of the empire. Jewish pogroms claimed the lives of at least 10 thousand more people.

In October 1905, the All-Russian political strike spread throughout Russia. The Sevastopol uprising ended with the execution of the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet - the cruiser "Ochakov" and other rebel ships. Funeral prayers for tens of thousands of innocent victims had no time to subside when crop failure hit Russia. The church, landowners, and tsarist officials refused to share the grain, and as a result, the massive famine of 1911 claimed the lives of 300 thousand people. Strikes and executions began again. The fact remains: in 1914, doctors examined conscripts into the army and were horrified - 40 percent of the recruits had traces of Cossack whips or ramrods on their backs.

Triumph of the will

Beginning in the autumn of 1916, not only the left radicals and the liberal State Duma, but even the closest relatives - the 15 Grand Dukes - stood in opposition to Nicholas II. Their common demand was the removal of the “holy elder” from governing the country. Grishki Rasputin and German queens and the introduction of a responsible ministry. That is, a government appointed by the Duma and responsible to the Duma. In practice, this meant the transformation of the state system from autocratic to constitutional monarchy.

The Russian officers made a decisive contribution to the overthrow of Nicholas II. His attitude towards the Tsar-Father can be judged by the derogatory name of the popular snack - “Nikolashka”. Her recipe was attributed to the king. Sugar ground into dust was mixed with ground coffee; a slice of lemon was sprinkled with this mixture, which was used to snack on a glass of cognac.

Confidant of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Adjutant General Mikhail Alekseev - general Alexander Krymov in January 1917 he spoke to the Duma members, pushing them to a coup, as if giving guarantees from the army. He ended his speech with the words: “The mood in the army is such that everyone will joyfully welcome the news of the coup. A coup is inevitable, and they feel it at the front. If you decide to take this extreme measure, we will support you. Obviously, there are no other means. There is no time to waste."

The Imperial Headquarters was, in essence, a second government. There, according to the professor Yuri Lomonosov, who was a member of the engineering council of the Ministry of Railways during the war, dissatisfaction was brewing: “At the headquarters and at Headquarters they scolded the queen mercilessly, they talked not only about her imprisonment, but also about the deposition of Nicholas. They even talked about it at the general's tables. But always, with all this kind of talk, the most likely outcome seemed to be a purely palace revolution, like the murder of Paul.”

In March 1917, it was the military commanders of the fronts who forced the Tsar to sign his abdication. The last order of Nicholas II was the appointment of a general Lavra Kornilova Commander of the Petrograd Military District.

A few days after this, by decision of the Provisional Government, Kornilov left for Tsarskoe Selo to carry out the decree on the arrest of the former Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and the entire royal family.

By the way, today the same people who go to rallies hugging the icon of Nicholas II and singing “God Save the Tsar” have erected a monument to his jailer, General Kornilov, in Krasnodar. And they regularly hold commemorations near him, to which they bring an icon of Nicholas II.

After his abdication, Nicholas II turned out to be such a useless person that his existence was simply forgotten for some time. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government Pavel Milyukov tried to send the royal family to England in the care of the king's cousin - George V, but the king chose to abandon such a plan.

Not knowing what to do, the Provisional Government sent Nicholas II and his family deep into the country. The exile became his triumph of will. Not a sovereign, but a man; from the moment of his abdication until the day of his death, he showed much more character than during his entire reign. How did you speak about him? Edward Radzinsky, there are monarchs who do not know how to rule, but who know how to die with dignity.

The publishing house "Tsentrpoligraf" published "Memoirs" of the famous ballerina. Despite the fact that this book of memoirs was written jointly with her husband Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, in it Matilda Feliksovna talks quite openly about her affair with the Heir, the future emperor, relations with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich and other fans, many of whom offered scenes to the star not only your love, but also your marriage. publishes excerpts from these memoirs.

As a fourteen-year-old girl, I flirted with a young Englishman, MacPherson. I was not interested in him, but I liked to flirt with the young and elegant young man. On my birthday, he came with his fiancee, this hurt me, and I decided to take revenge. I couldn’t let this affront go for nothing. Choosing a time when we were all together and his fiancee was sitting next to him, I inadvertently said that I like to go mushroom picking in the morning before coffee. He kindly asked me if he could come with me. That's all I needed - that means I got the bait. I answered in the presence of the bride that if she gives him permission, then I have nothing against it. Since this was said in the presence of all the guests, she had no choice but to give the required consent. The next morning, McPherson and I went into the forest to pick mushrooms. Here he gave me a lovely ivory purse with forget-me-nots - a gift quite suitable for a young lady of my age. We picked mushrooms poorly, and by the end of the walk it seemed to me that he had completely forgotten about his bride. After this walk in the forest, he began to write me love letters and sent me flowers, but I soon got tired of it, since I was not interested in him. It ended with his wedding not taking place. This was the first sin on my conscience.

(after the graduation performance)

The Emperor sat down at the head of one of the long tables, to the right of him sat a pupil who was supposed to read a prayer before dinner, and to the left was supposed to sit another, but he pushed her aside and turned to me:

And you sit next to me.

He showed the heir a place nearby and, smiling, told us:

Just be careful not to flirt too much.

In front of each utensil was a simple white mug. The heir looked at her and, turning to me, asked:

You probably don’t drink from such mugs at home?

This simple question, so trivial, remained in my memory. This is how my conversation with the Heir began. I don't remember what we talked about, but I immediately fell in love with the Heir. Like now, I see his blue eyes with such a kind expression. I stopped looking at him only as the Heir, I forgot about it, everything was like a dream. Regarding this evening, in the Diary of Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II, under the date March 23, 1890, it was written: “We went to a performance at the Theater School. There was a short play and ballet. Very good. We had dinner with the pupils.” This is how I learned many years later about his impression of our first meeting.

We were increasingly attracted to each other, and I increasingly began to think about getting my own corner. Meeting with parents became simply unthinkable. Although the Heir, with his characteristic delicacy, never spoke openly about this, I felt that our desires coincided. But how to tell your parents about this? I knew that I would cause them great grief when I told them that I was leaving my parents’ home, and this tormented me endlessly, because I adored my parents, from whom I only saw care, affection and love. Mother, I told myself, would still understand me as a woman, I was even sure of this, and I was not mistaken, but how to tell my father? He had been brought up with strict principles, and I knew that I was dealing him a terrible blow, given the circumstances under which I left the family. I was aware that I was doing something that I had no right to do because of my parents. But... I adored Nicky, I thought only about him, about my happiness, at least briefly...

I found a small, charming mansion on English Avenue, No. 18, which belonged to Rimsky-Korsakov. It was built by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich for the ballerina Kuznetsova, with whom he lived. They said that the Grand Duke was afraid of assassination attempts and therefore his office on the first floor had iron shutters, and a fireproof cabinet for jewelry and papers was built into the wall.

The heir began to often bring me gifts, which I at first refused to accept, but, seeing how it upset him, I accepted them. The gifts were good, but not large. His first gift was a gold bracelet with a large sapphire and two large diamonds. I engraved on it two especially dear and memorable dates to me - our first meeting at the school and his first visit to me: 1890-1892.

I threw a housewarming party to celebrate my move and the start of my independent life. All the guests brought me housewarming gifts, and the Heir gave me eight gold vodka glasses decorated with precious stones.

After the move, the Heir gave me a photograph of himself with the inscription: “To my dear lady,” as he always called me.

In the summer, I wanted to live in Krasnoye Selo or near it in order to be able to see the Heir more often, who could not leave the camp to meet with me. I even found myself a nice little dacha on the shore of Lake Duderhof, very convenient in all respects. The Heir did not object to this plan, but they made me understand that this could cause unnecessary and unwanted talk if I settled so close to the Heir. Then I decided to rent a dacha in Koerovo; it was a large house built in the era of Empress Catherine II and had a rather original triangle shape.

On April 7, 1894, the engagement of the Heir to the Tsarevich to Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt was announced. Although I had known for a long time that it was inevitable that sooner or later the Heir would have to marry some foreign princess, nevertheless my grief knew no bounds.

After his return from Coburg, the Heir did not visit me again, but we continued to write to each other. My last request to him was to allow me to continue to write to him on “you” and contact him if necessary. The Heir responded to this letter with remarkably touching lines, which I remembered so well: “No matter what happens to me in life, meeting you will forever remain the brightest memory of my youth.”

In my grief and despair, I was not left alone. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, with whom I became friends from the day when the Heir first brought him to me, remained with me and supported me. I never felt a feeling for him that could be compared with my feeling for Nicky, but with his whole attitude he won my heart, and I sincerely fell in love with him. He remained the faithful friend that he showed himself to be during these days for the rest of his life, both in happy years and in the days of revolution and trials. Much later, I found out that Niki asked Sergei to keep an eye on me, protect me and always turn to him when I needed his help and support.

The touching attention on the part of the Heir was his expressed desire for me to stay in the house that I rented, where he visited me so often, where we were both so happy. He bought and gave me this house.

It was clear to me that the Heir did not have what it took to reign. This is not to say that he was spineless. No, he had character, but he didn't have something to force others to bend to his will. His first impulse was almost always correct, but he did not know how to insist on his own and very often gave in. I told him more than once that he was not made for kingship, nor for the role that, by the will of fate, he would have to play. But, of course, I never convinced him to renounce the Throne. Such a thought never occurred to me.

The coronation celebrations, scheduled for May 1896, were approaching. Feverish preparations were going on everywhere. The Imperial Theater was distributing roles for the upcoming gala performance in Moscow. Both troupes had to be united for this exceptional occasion. Although Moscow had its own ballet troupe, in addition, artists from the St. Petersburg troupe were sent there, and I was among them. I was supposed to dance there in ordinary performances of the ballet “The Awakening of Flora”. However, I was not given a role in the ceremonial performance, for which they staged a new ballet, “The Pearl,” to the music of Drigo. Rehearsals for this ballet have already begun, the main role was given to Legnani, and the remaining roles were distributed among other artistes. Thus, it turned out that I was not supposed to participate in the parade performance, although I already had the title of ballerina and had a responsible repertoire. I considered this an insult to myself in front of the entire troupe, which I, of course, could not bear. In complete despair, I rushed to Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich for help, since I did not see anyone around me to whom I could turn, and he always treated me cordially. I felt that only he could stand up for me and understand how undeservedly and deeply I was offended by this exclusion from the ceremonial performance. I don’t know how and what the Grand Duke actually did, but the result was quick. The Directorate of the Imperial Theaters received an order from above for me to participate in the ceremonial performance at the coronation in Moscow. My honor was restored, and I was happy, because I knew that Niki had done this for me personally; without his knowledge and consent, the Directorate would not have changed its previous decision.

By the time the order was received from the Court, the ballet “Pearl” had been fully rehearsed and all the roles had been assigned. In order to include me in this ballet, Drigo had to write additional music, and M.I. Petipa staged a special pas de deux for me, in which I was called the “yellow pearl”: since there were already white, black and pink pearls.

In the previous season, the stage did not captivate me, I hardly worked and did not dance as well as I should have, but now I decided to pull myself together and began to study hard in order to be able, if the Emperor came to the theater, to please him with my dancing. During this season, 1896/97, the Tsar and Empress attended the ballet almost every Sunday, but the Directorate always arranged for me to dance on Wednesdays, when the Tsar was not at the theater. At first I thought this was happening by accident, but then I noticed that it was being done on purpose. This seemed unfair and extremely offensive to me. Several Sundays passed like this. Finally the Directorate gave me the Sunday performance; I had to dance Sleeping Beauty. I was quite sure that the Emperor would be at my performance, but I found out - and in the theater everything is learned very quickly - that the Director of the theaters persuaded the Emperor to go this Sunday to the Mikhailovsky Theater to watch a French play, which he had not seen the previous Saturday. It was absolutely clear to me that the Director deliberately did everything possible to prevent the Emperor from seeing me, and for this purpose persuaded him to go to another theater. Then I could not stand it and for the first time took advantage of the Sovereign’s permission given to me to directly contact him. I wrote to him about what was happening in the theater, and added that under such conditions it was becoming completely impossible for me to continue to serve on the Imperial stage. The letter was handed over personally into the hands of the Sovereign by Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.

This season, four Grand Dukes: Mikhail Nikolaevich, Vladimir Alexandrovich, Alexei and Pavel Alexandrovich - showed me touching attention and presented me with a brooch in the shape of a ring studded with diamonds, with four large sapphires, and on the case was attached a plaque with their names engraved on it.

In the summer of the same year, when I was living at my dacha in Strelna, Niki, through Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, told me that on such and such a day and hour he would ride on horseback with the Empress past my dacha, and asked that I definitely be there time in your garden. I chose a place in the garden on a bench where Nicky could clearly see me from the road along which he had to pass. Exactly on the appointed day and hour, Niki and the Empress drove past my dacha and, of course, saw me perfectly. They drove slowly past the house, I stood up and made a deep bow and received a gentle answer. This incident proved that Nicky did not at all hide his past attitude towards me, but, on the contrary, openly showed me sweet attention in a delicate manner. I never stopped loving him, and the fact that he did not forget me was a huge consolation for me.

The tenth anniversary of my service on the Imperial stage was approaching. Typically, artists were given a benefit performance for twenty years of service or a farewell performance when the artist left the stage. I decided to ask for a benefit performance for ten years of service, but this required special permission, and I made this request not to the Director of the Imperial Theaters, but personally to the Minister of the Imperial Court, Baron Fredericks, a sweet and sympathetic man who always treated kindly and favored to me. When I had an appointment with the Minister, I thought especially carefully about my dressing in order to make the best impression on the Minister. I was young and, as they wrote in the newspapers at that time, slim and graceful. I chose a light gray woolen dress that hugged my figure, and a triangular hat of the same color. Although this may seem impudent on my part, I liked myself when I looked in the mirror - pleased with myself, I went to the Minister.

He greeted me very nicely and complimented me on my toilet, which he really liked. It gave me great pleasure that he appreciated my dress, and then I more boldly approached him with my request. He immediately kindly agreed to report it to the Tsar, since the question of assigning a benefit outside the general rules depended solely on the Tsar. Seeing that the Minister was in no hurry to let me go, I told him that it was only thanks to him that I was doing well at 32 fouettés. He looked at me in surprise and questioningly, wondering how he could help me with this. I explained to him that in order to do fouetté without leaving his seat, it is necessary to have a clearly visible point in front of him at every turn, and since he is sitting in the very center of the stalls, in the first row, even in the dimly lit hall there is a bright light on his chest stand out for their splendor of the order. The Minister really liked my explanation, and with a charming smile, he walked me to the door, once again promising to report my request to the Emperor and letting me know that, of course, there would be no refusal. I left the Minister kindly and very happy. Of course, I received a benefit, and again my unforgettable Nicky did it for me. For my benefit I chose Sunday, February 13, 1900. This number has always brought me happiness.

On the day of their benefit performances, artists usually received from His Majesty’s Cabinet a so-called Royal gift, mostly a standard gold or silver item, sometimes decorated with colored stones, depending on the category of the gift, but certainly with the Imperial eagle or crown. Men usually received gold watches. These gifts were not particularly elegant. I was very afraid that I would receive such jewelry that would be unpleasant to wear, and I asked, through Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, to do everything possible so that I would not be awarded such a gift. And indeed, on the day of the benefit performance, the Director of the Imperial Theaters, Prince Volkonsky, came to my dressing room and gave me the Tsar’s gift: a lovely brooch in the form of a diamond snake, coiled in a ring, and in the middle a large sapphire cabochon. Then the Emperor asked Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich to tell me that he chose this brooch together with the Empress and that the snake is a symbol of wisdom...

Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich immediately made a huge impression on me on this first evening that I met him: he was amazingly handsome and very shy, which did not spoil him at all, on the contrary. During lunch, he accidentally touched a glass of red wine with his sleeve, which tipped over in my direction and splashed my dress. I was not upset that the wonderful dress was lost; I immediately saw in this an omen that it would bring me a lot of happiness in life. I ran upstairs to my room and quickly changed into a new dress. The whole evening went surprisingly well and we danced a lot. From that day on, a feeling immediately crept into my heart that I had not experienced for a long time; This was no longer an empty flirtation...

During the summer, Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich began to come to rehearsals at the Krasnoselsky Theater more and more often. Our wonderful dramatic artist Maria Aleksandrovna Pototskaya, who was my great friend, teased me, saying: “Since when did you become interested in boys?” He was, however, six years younger than me. And then he began to come to me all the time in Strelna, where we had such a wonderful and lovely time. I remember those unforgettable evenings that I spent waiting for his arrival, walking through the park in the moonlight. But sometimes he was late and arrived when the sun had already begun to rise and the fields were fragrant with the smell of cut hay, which I loved so much. I remember the day of July 22, the day of the angel of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, his mother. On her name day there was always a picnic in Ropsha with music and gypsies. He couldn’t come to see me in Strelna early, but he promised to come anyway, unless they stayed there too late, returning to their home in Krasnoye Selo. I was waiting for him with excitement, and when he appeared, my happiness knew no bounds, especially since I was not sure that he would be able to come to me. It was a wonderful night. We sat on the balcony for long hours, either talking about something, listening to the singing of waking birds, or the rustling of leaves. We felt like we were in heaven. We never forgot this night, this day, and every year we celebrated our anniversary.

Upon arrival in Paris, I felt unwell, invited a doctor, who, after examining me, stated that I was in the very first period of pregnancy, about a month in total, by his definition. On the one hand, this news was a great joy for me, but on the other hand, I was at a loss as to what I should do upon my return to St. Petersburg. Then I remembered about the monkey bite in Genoa, would this bite affect my child’s appearance, since they said that a strong impression is reflected on the child. After spending several days in Paris, I returned home; I had to experience a lot of joyful things, but also a lot of hard things... I, moreover, had a difficult season ahead, and I didn’t know how I would survive it in this state.

Before Lent, they gave a very nice ballet, “Mr. Dupre’s Disciples,” in two scenes, staged by Petipa to music. I danced the role of Camargo, and in the first act I had a charming soubrette costume, and in the second - tunics. The stage was close to the seats in the first row, where the Tsar, the Empress and members of the Imperial family sat, and I had to think very carefully about all my turns so that my changed figure would not be conspicuous, which could only be noticed in profile. I ended the season with this performance. I couldn’t dance anymore, it was the sixth month. Then I decided to transfer my ballet “La Bayadère”. I was on the best terms with her, she was constantly at my house, had a lot of fun and was carried away by Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, who called her “angel.” From the day she left the school (1899), the public and ballet critics immediately paid attention to her and appreciated her. I saw in her the beginnings of a major talent and foresaw her brilliant future.

My son was born, it was early in the morning of June 18, at two o’clock. I was sick for a long time with a high fever, but since I was strong and healthy by nature, I began to get better relatively soon. When I became somewhat stronger after childbirth and my strength was restored a little, I had a difficult conversation with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich. He knew very well that he was not the father of my child, but he loved me so much and was so attached to me that he forgave me and decided, despite everything, to stay with me and protect me as a good friend. He was afraid for my future, for what might await me. I felt guilty before him, because the previous winter, when he was courting a young and beautiful Grand Duchess and there were rumors about a possible wedding, I, having learned about this, asked him to stop courting and thereby put an end to conversations that were unpleasant for me. I adored Andrei so much that I did not realize how guilty I was before Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich.

A difficult question confronted me was what name to give my son. At first I wanted to call him Nikolai, but I couldn’t do that, and I didn’t have the right to do it for many reasons. Then I decided to name him Vladimir, in honor of Father Andrei, who always treated me so cordially. I was sure that he would have nothing against it. He gave his consent. The christening took place in Strelna, in a close family circle, on July 23 of the same year. My sister and our great friend, a colonel who served in Her Majesty’s Life Guards Uhlan Regiment, were godparents. According to custom, I, as a mother, was not present at the christening. On this day, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich presented Vova with a wonderful cross made of Ural dark green stone with a platinum chain. Alas, this precious gift remained in my house in St. Petersburg. In the summer, when I was already up, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich visited me. I was still very weak and received it lying on the couch and holding my baby in my arms in diapers. The Grand Duke knelt before me, touchingly consoled me, stroked my head and caressed me... He knew, he felt and understood what was going on in my soul and how difficult it was for me. For me, his visit was a huge moral support; it gave me a lot of strength and peace of mind.

In my home life I was very happy: I had a son whom I adored, I loved Andrei, and he loved me, my whole life was in them two. Sergei behaved infinitely touchingly, treated the child as his own and continued to spoil me very much. He was always ready to protect me, since he had more opportunities than anyone else, and through him I could always turn to Niki.

For Christmas, I arranged a Christmas tree for Vova and invited Rockefeller’s little granddaughter, who lived in our hotel and often played with Vova, digging in the sand on the seashore. This little Rockefeller gave Vova knitted shoes. Unfortunately, we did not meet her anywhere else and completely lost sight of her.

All my life I have loved to build. Of course, my house in St. Petersburg was the largest and most interesting building in my life, but there were also less significant ones. So, in Strelna, at my dacha, I built a lovely house for my power station with an apartment for the electrical engineer and his family. At that time there was no electricity anywhere in Strelna, not even in the palace, and my dacha was the first and only one with electric lighting. Everyone around me was jealous of me, some asked me to give them some of the current, but I barely had enough station for myself. Electricity was a novelty then and added a lot of charm and comfort to my dacha. Then I built another house in Strelna, in 1911, about which it is worth saying a few words. My son, when he was about twelve years old, often complained that he didn’t see me much at home because of my long rehearsals. As a consolation, I promised him that all the money raised during this season would go to build him a small house in the countryside, in the garden. And so it was done; With the money I earned, I built him a children's house with two rooms, a living room and a dining room, with dishes, silver and linen. Vova was in wild delight when he examined the house, surrounded by a wooden fence with a gate. But I noticed that, having walked around the rooms and the whole house, he was preoccupied with something, as if he was looking for something. Then he asked me where the restroom was. I told him that the dacha was so close that he could run there, but if he really wanted to, I would dance a little more so that I would have enough to build a restroom. This plan did not come true - war broke out.

At this time, my dear admirer was almost still a boy. His sister, the beautiful Irina, later Countess Vorontsova-Dashkova, drove everyone crazy. My acquaintance with Volodya Lazarev, as we all called him, was very funny. It happened at a masquerade at the Maly Theater, where I was invited to sell champagne. That evening I had a very beautiful dress: a black satin fitted skirt, a white chiffon bodice that covered my shoulders and waist with a scarf, a large neckline, and a bright green huge bow with a butterfly at the back. This dress was from Paris, from Burr. On the head there is a Venetian net of artificial pearls, hanging down on the forehead with a bunch of white “paradis” feathers attached to the back. I put on my emerald necklace, and on the corsage a huge diamond brooch with diamond threads hanging down like rain and a large emerald and egg-shaped diamond attached in the middle; I had a chance to please the public.

At the evening, I first appeared in a black domino, under a mask with thick lace, so that they would not recognize me. The only thing that was visible through the veil was my teeth and the way I smiled, and I knew how to smile. I chose Volodya Lazarev as the subject of my intrigue, who struck me with his almost childlike appearance and cheerfulness. Knowing more or less who he was, I began to arouse his curiosity, and when I saw that he was really intrigued, I disappeared into the crowd and, quietly leaving the hall, went to change into an evening dress. Then I returned to the ball and went straight to my table to sell champagne, pretending that I had just arrived. Volodya Lazarev approached my table without knowing me. He, of course, didn't recognize me. But the trouble was that when I was under the mask, he drew attention to my teeth, which were visible through the veil, and kept repeating: “What teeth... what teeth...” I, of course, was now afraid to smile , serving him wine, but no matter how hard I tried to restrain myself and put on a serious face, I still smiled, and then he instantly recognized me: “What teeth!” - he shouted with joy and laughed heartily. Since then we have become great friends, had fun together, survived the revolution together, fled Russia together and met again in exile as old friends.

In 1911, I celebrated my twentieth anniversary of service on the Imperial stage, and on this occasion they gave me a benefit performance.

During the first intermission, the Director of the Imperial Theaters, Telyakovsky, gave me the Tsar’s gift on the occasion of my anniversary. It was an oblong diamond eagle from Nicholas's times in a platinum frame and on the same chain to be worn around the neck. On the reverse side there was no visible nest of stones, as is usually done, but everything was completely sealed with a platinum plate in the shape of an eagle, and on it was engraved the outline of an eagle and its feathers of remarkably fine and original workmanship. Below the eagle hung a pink sapphire set in diamonds. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich also came during the first intermission and told me that the Emperor told him that he was interested in whether I would wear his gift on stage or not. Of course, after that I immediately put it on and danced the pas de deux in Paquita in it. During the second intermission, that is, after Paquita, with the curtain open, I was honored by a deputation from artists from all the Imperial theaters, that is, ballet, opera, drama and the French Theater.

A long table was installed across the entire width of the stage, on which gifts were displayed in an absolutely incredible quantity, and flower offerings were placed behind the table, forming an entire flower garden. Now I remember all the gifts, let alone count them, except for two or three of the most memorable. In addition to the Tsar's gift, I received:

From Andrey - a marvelous diamond headband with six large sapphires based on the design of the headdress made by Prince Shervashidze for my costume in the ballet “Pharaoh’s Daughter”.

Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich gave me a very valuable thing, namely a mahogany box by Faberge in a gold frame, in which a whole collection of yellow diamonds, ranging from the smallest to the very large, were placed, wrapped in pieces of paper. This was done so that I could order myself a thing according to my taste - I ordered a “plakka” from Faberge to wear on my head, which turned out remarkably beautiful.

In addition, also from the public, a diamond watch in the form of a ball, on a chain of platinum and diamonds. Since more money was collected by subscription than these items were worth, more golden glasses were purchased with the excess at the very last minute as money came in, and quite a lot of them accumulated.

From the Muscovites I received a “surtout de table”, a mirror in a silver frame in the style of Louis XV with a silver vase for flowers on it. Under the vase were engraved the names of all the people who took part in the gift, and it was possible to read all the names in the mirror without lifting the vase.

It seems to me that on this day I also received from Yu.N. Gray crystal sugar bowl in a silver frame by Faberge. This sugar bowl remained in my house in St. Petersburg after the revolution, and I accidentally found it in Kislovodsk in a silver shop. It was apparently stolen from me and sold, and so, passing from hand to hand, it reached Kislovodsk. When I proved to the police that this was my thing, they returned it to me, and I still have it here in Paris.

Shortly after my birthday, on August 27, Andrei went to Kyiv to attend large maneuvers in which the regiment, whose chief he was, took part. Chairman of the Council of Ministers P.A. arrived in Kyiv for this occasion. Stolypin, Minister of Finance Count V.N. Kokovtsov and a significant part of the Sovereign's Retinue. In the first days, maneuvers took place in the outskirts of the city and inspection of the historical places of Kyiv. A parade performance was scheduled for September 3 at the city theater. In the morning, alarming information was received from the police that terrorists had arrived in Kyiv and there was a danger of assassination attempt if they were not arrested in time. All police searches were in vain, and anxiety increased among the Tsar’s guards. The police considered the Tsar's passage from the palace to the theater to be the most dangerous moment, since the path was known to everyone, but everyone arrived safely. During the second intermission, the Tsar was served tea in the antechamber. The Empress did not come to the theater; only the senior Grand Duchesses were there. At that moment, a terrible crash was heard from the auditorium, and then frantic screams. Not knowing what was the matter, the Emperor said: “Is it really the box that has failed?” - the noise and crackling were incomprehensible. But when everyone rushed back, they saw that very close to the Royal box, in the first row of the stalls, standing at his full height, in a white summer frock coat, P.A. Stolypin, holding his chest with his hand, from which blood flowed through his fingers. Seeing the Tsar, Stolypin raised his hand, making a gesture for the Tsar to leave the box, and began to baptize him. Stolypin was surrounded by nearby people to support him, as he began to quickly weaken, his face became deathly pale, and he fell unconscious on a chair. Then, according to Andrei, it was difficult to make out what was happening. Everyone was screaming, some were running somewhere, officers with swords drawn were chasing someone and in the passage, almost at the exit from the hall, they caught him and wanted to stab him.

It turned out later that Stolypin’s killer Bogrov was caught in the passage and severely beaten. It was he who let the police know about the arrival of terrorists in Kyiv, since he had previously served as an informant in the police, was removed and received again just before the Kyiv celebrations. The police searched in vain all day for the terrorist, not knowing that it was he in front of her. He asked to be allowed into the theater under the pretext that he knew the terrorists by sight and if any of them entered the theater, he would indicate him to the security agents. The police allowed him as their agent into the theater hall, where no one paid attention to him, and he completely unhindered and calmly approached Stolypin and shot him point-blank and just as calmly began to move away when he was grabbed.

P.A. Stolypin was immediately taken to a private clinic, where after examining the wound, doctors expressed fear that he would not survive, since his liver was affected. Stolypin struggled with his almost hopeless condition for five days and died on September 8 (21).

The news of the assassination attempt on Stolypin reached us in St. Petersburg the next morning, and I couldn’t help but think about how tragically unlucky my poor Nicky was. He suffered blow after blow: he lost his father so early, he got married in such sad, mournful days, the coronation was overshadowed by the disaster on Khodynka, he lost his best Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Lobanov-Rostovsky, who died shortly after his appointment, and now he is losing his best his Minister, who suppressed the revolutionary outbreak of 1905.

We could not even imagine what awaited him in the future and how horribly his fate would end. When the revolution of 1917 broke out, many thought that if Stolypin had been alive, he might have been able to stop it.

Maria-Matilda Adamovna-Feliksovna-Valerievna Kshesinskaya was born on August 31, 1872 into a creative family. Father - Russian Pole Felix Kshesinsky, discharged from Poland by Nicholas I as the best performer of his favorite mazurka, mother - Yulia Dominskaya, the rich widow of the ballet dancer Lede.

From the age of 8, the girl studied at ballet school, entered the Imperial Theater School and graduated from it in 1890. The entire royal family was present at the graduation ceremony, and at the gala dinner Kshesinskaya sat next to the heir to the throne, Nicholas. Then Alexander III, watching Matilda’s movements with delight, utters the fateful words: “Mademoiselle! Be the decoration and glory of our ballet!”

Matilda is accepted into the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater, on whose imperial stage Kshesinskaya danced until 1917.

In 1896, Kshesinskaya was awarded the status of “prima ballerina of the imperial theaters,” despite the objections of the chief choreographer Petipa. According to some reports, it was her connections at court that helped her quickly advance to the very top of the ballet hierarchy.

She became the first Russian ballerina to perform 32 fouettés in a row on stage.

In 1904, Matilda Kshesinskaya resigned from the Mariinsky Theater of her own free will and, after a benefit performance, switched to performing on a contract basis. She earned 500 rubles for each appearance on stage, and subsequently the payment increased to 750 rubles.

Intrigue

Still from the film “Matilda” by Alexei Uchitel.

Screenshot from the official trailer

Matilda Kshesinskaya strongly opposed the invitation of foreign ballerinas to the troupe. She tried in every way to prove that Russian ballerinas were worthy of leading roles, while most of them were given to foreign artists.

Because of Matilda’s influence, the director of the Imperial Theaters, Prince Volkonsky, himself could not stand it, leaving the theater after refusing to restore the ancient ballet “Katarina, the Robber’s Daughter.” The ballerina herself named the reason for the dispute with Volkonsky over the fittings of the costume for Russian dance from the ballet “Camargo”.

The organizer of the Russian Seasons, Sergei Diaghilev, considered Kshesinskaya “his worst enemy.” He invited her to perform in London, which attracted Matilda much more than Paris. For this, the ballerina had to use her connections and “break through” for Diaghilev the opportunity to perform with his enterprise in St. Petersburg and obtain a deferment of military service for Nijinsky, who became liable for military service. “Swan Lake” was chosen for Kshesinskaya’s performance, and not by chance - in this way Diaghilev gained access to the scenery that belonged to her.

The attempt was unsuccessful. Moreover, Diaghilev was so angry at the futility of the petition that his servant Vasily seriously suggested that he poison the ballerina.

Personal life and the Romanovs

It is believed that from 1892 to 1894 she was the mistress of Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich. After meeting, he regularly attends her performances, their relationship develops rapidly, although everyone realizes that the romance does not have a happy ending. In order to maintain decency, a mansion was bought for Kshesinskaya on the Promenade des Anglais, where they met without any interference.

“I fell in love with the Heir from our first meeting. After the summer season in Krasnoye Selo, when I could meet and talk with him, my feeling filled my entire soul, and I could only think about him...” wrote Matilda Kshesinskaya in her diary.

The reason for the break in relations with the future Nicholas II was his engagement to Queen Victoria's granddaughter Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt in April 1894.

Alexandra Feodorovna, née Princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt.

From open sources on the Internet

Matilda Kshesinskaya later had close relationships with the Grand Dukes Sergei Mikhailovich and Andrei Vladimirovich. On October 15, 1911, according to the Highest Decree, the patronymic “Sergeevich” was given to her son Vladimir, who was born on June 18, 1902 in Strelna. In his family he was simply called “Vova”, and his last name was “Krasinsky”.

On January 30, 1921, in Cannes, in the Archangel Michael Church, Matilda Kshesinskaya entered into a morganatic marriage with Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, who adopted her son and gave him his patronymic. In 1925, Matilda converted from Catholicism to Orthodoxy with the name Maria.

On November 30, 1926, Nicholas II's cousin Kirill Vladimirovich assigned her and her descendants the title and surname of Prince Krasinski, and on July 28, 1935 - His Serene Highness Prince Romanovsky-Krasinski.

Emigration

In February 1917, Kshesinskaya and her son were forced to wander around other people’s apartments, having lost their luxurious real estate - a mansion, which turned into the “main headquarters of the Leninists,” and a dacha. She decides to go to Kislovodsk to see Prince Andrei Vladimirovich in the hope of returning home soon.

At the beginning of 1918, “the wave of Bolshevism reached Kislovodsk,” and Kshesinskaya and Vova went to Anapa as refugees by the decision of Andrei’s mother, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna. The year 1919 was spent in relatively calm Kislovodsk, from where the refugees left for Novorossiysk on a train of 2 cars.

In 1929, Matilda opened her own ballet studio in Paris.

Memoirs of Matilda Kshesinskaya were published in 1960 in Paris in French. The work was published in Russian only in 1992.

The outstanding ballerina lived a long life - she died at the age of 99 a few months before her centenary, on December 5, 1971. She was buried in Paris.

In 1890, 18-year-old Matilda Kshesinskaya, a still unknown but promising girl, graduated from the Imperial Theater School. According to custom, after the graduation performance, Matilda and other graduates are presented to the crowned family. Alexander III showed particular favor towards the young talent, enthusiastically watching the dancer’s pirouettes and arabesques. True, Matilda was a visiting student of the school, and such people were not supposed to attend the festive banquet with members of the royal family. However, Alexander, who noticed the absence of the fragile dark-haired girl, ordered her to be immediately brought into the hall, where he uttered the fateful words: “Mademoiselle! Be the decoration and glory of our ballet!”

At the table, Matilda was seated next to Tsarevich Nicholas, who, despite his position and young age (he was then 22 years old), had not been seen by that time in any amorous story where he could demonstrate his ardor and temperament. Fervor and temperament - no, but devotion and tenderness - very much so.

Dreams of marriage

In January 1889, at the invitation of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt, granddaughter of the English Queen Victoria, arrived in St. Petersburg. The girl staying at the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace was introduced to Tsarevich Nicholas (Alexander III was the princess's godfather). During the six weeks that the future Empress of Russia arrived in St. Petersburg, she managed to conquer the meek heart of the future emperor and awaken in him a frantic desire to tie the knot with her. But when rumors reached that Nikolai wanted to marry Alice, he ordered his son to forget about this desire. The fact is that Alexander and his wife Maria Fedorovna hoped to marry their son to the daughter of the pretender to the throne of France Louis-Philippe Louise Henriette, whom the American newspaper The Washington Post even called “the embodiment of women’s health and beauty, an elegant athlete and a charming polyglot.”

By the time he met Kshesinskaya, Nikolai already intended to marry Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

It was only later, in 1894, when the emperor’s health began to deteriorate sharply, and Nicholas, with unusual vehemence, continued to insist on his own, the attitude changed - fortunately, Alice’s sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, contributed not only to the rapprochement of the heir to the throne and the princess, helping in the correspondence of lovers, but also influenced Alexander using hidden methods. As a result of all these reasons, in the spring of 1894, a manifesto appeared in which they announced the engagement of the Tsarevich and Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt. But that was after.

“Baby” Kshesinskaya and Nikki

And in 1890, when Nikolai could only correspond with his Alice, he was unexpectedly introduced to Matilda Kshesinskaya - according to some historians, the cunning Alexander decided that it was necessary to distract Nikolai from his love and direct his energy in a different direction. The emperor’s project was a success: already in the summer, the Tsarevich wrote in his diary: “Little Kshesinskaya positively fascinates me...” - and regularly attends her performances.

Matilda Kshesinskaya fell in love with the future emperor at first sight. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

“Little” Kshesinskaya understood perfectly well what game she was entering into, but she could hardly realize how far she would advance in relations with members of the royal family. When there was a shift in communication with Nikolai, Matilda announced to her father, a famous Polish dancer who performed on the Mariinsky stage, that she had become Nikolai’s lover. The father listened to his daughter and asked only one question: does she realize that the affair with the future emperor will not end in anything? To this question, which she asked herself, Matilda replied that she wanted to drink the cup of love to the bottom.

The romance between the temperamental and flamboyant ballerina and the future emperor of Russia, who was not used to demonstrating his feelings, lasted exactly two years. Kshesinskaya had really strong feelings for Nikolai and even considered her relationship with him a sign of fate: both he and she were “marked” with the number two: he was supposed to become Nicholas II, and she was called Kshesinskaya-2 on stage: the eldest also worked in the theater Matilda's sister Julia. When their relationship had just begun, Kshesinskaya enthusiastically wrote in her diary: “I fell in love with the Heir from our first meeting. After the summer season in Krasnoye Selo, when I could meet and talk with him, my feeling filled my entire soul, and I could only think about him...”

The lovers most often met in the house of the Kshesinsky family and did not particularly hide: at court no secrets were possible, and the emperor himself turned a blind eye to his son’s affair. There was even a case when the mayor came to the house, hastening to inform that the sovereign was urgently demanding his son to come to the Anichkov Palace. However, to maintain decency, a mansion was bought for Kshesinskaya on the Promenade des Anglais, where lovers could see each other without any interference.

End of story

The relationship ended in 1894. Matilda, ready from the very beginning for such an outcome, did not fight in hysterics, did not cry: when saying goodbye to Nicholas with restraint, she behaved with dignity befitting a queen, but not an abandoned mistress.

The ballerina took the news of the separation calmly. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org It is impossible to say that this was a deliberate calculation, but Kshesinskaya’s behavior led to a positive result: Nikolai always remembered his friend with warmth, and in parting he asked her to always address him as “you”, to still call him by his home nickname “Nikki” and in In case of trouble, always turn to him. Kshesinskaya would indeed later resort to the help of Nikolai, but only for professional purposes relating to behind-the-scenes theatrical intrigues.

At this point, their relationship was completely broken. Matilda continued to dance and soared above the stage with special inspiration when she saw her former lover in the royal box. And Nicholas, who put on the crown, completely immersed himself in state concerns that fell on him after the death of Alexander III, and in the quiet whirlpool of family life with the desired Alix, as he affectionately called the former princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt.

When the engagement first took place, Nikolai honestly spoke about his connection with the ballerina, to which she replied: “What is past is past and will never return. We are all surrounded by temptations in this world, and when we are young, we cannot always fight to resist the temptation... I love you even more since you told me this story. Your trust touches me so deeply... Will I be able to be worthy of it?..”

P.S.

A few years later, Nicholas faced terrible upheavals and a terrible end: the Russo-Japanese War, Bloody Sunday, a series of murders of high-ranking officials, the First World War, popular discontent that grew into a revolution, humiliating exile for him and his entire family, and finally, execution in the basement of Ipatievsky Houses.

Matilda Kshesinskaya with her son. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

A different fate awaited Kshesinskaya - fame as one of the richest women in the Empire, a love affair with Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, from whom she would give birth to a son, emigration to Europe, an affair with Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich, who would give the child his patronymic, and fame as one of the best ballerinas of her time and one of the most attractive women of the era, who turned the head of Emperor Nicholas himself.