Alexandra Fedorovna, Empress (1798-1860)

Categories / Capital/Personalia
ALEXANDRA FEDOROVNA (1798-1860, Tsarskoe Selo), Empress (from 1825). Nee the Prussian Princess Frederika Louise Charlotte Wilhelmina. Wife (from 1817) of Emperor Nicholas I and mother of Emperor Alexander II. Being a sickly and infantile woman, Alexandra Fedorovna was not interested in state affairs and charitable institutions. Following the death of her mother in law, Empress Maria Fedorovna, she led an active society life. Emperor Nicholas I surrounded Alexandra Fedorovna with attention and love, and created a true cult of the "white lady" (Alexandra Fedorovna's symbol was the white rose). V.A. Zhukovsky devoted the phrase "the genius of pure beauty" to her, which was later repeated by Alexander Pushkin. Alexandra Fedorovna was a patroness of the Imperial Women's Patriotic Society and the Elizaveta Institute. The palace park ensemble Alexandria in Peterhof was created for her (which is why Alexandra Fedorovna called herself the Peterhof Landlady). After the death of her husband, Alexandra Fedorovna inherited the Anichkov Palace and Alexandria, and owned the Ropsha, Kipen, Dudergofka and Znamenka granges. She was buried in the SS. Peter&Paul Cathedral. The Alexandrinsky Theatre was named after her.

References: Божерянов И. Н. Жизнеописание императрицы Александры Федоровны, супруги Николая I: В 2 вып. СПб., 1898-1900; Мир русской императрицы: Александра Федоровна: [Кат. выст.]. СПб., 1997; Выскочков Л. В. Имп. Николай I: Человек и государь. СПб., 2001. С. 179-186, 459-476.

Y. A. Kuzmin. Alexander II, Emperor
Alexandra Fedorovna, Empress
Maria Fedorovna, Empress
Nicholas I, Emperor
Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich
Zhukovsky Vasily Andreevich
Выскочков Л. В. Император Николай I: Человек и государь. СПб., 2001
Божерянов И. Н. Жизнеописание императрицы Александры Феодоровны, супруги императора Николая I: В 2 вып. СПб., 1898-1900
Мир русской императрицы: Александра Федоровна: [Кат. выст.]. СПб., 1997 Anichkov Palace
SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral
Alexandrinsky Theatre