Felix Yusupov. Possible brides and novels of Felix Yusupov Yusupov and Prince Dmitry

Coco Chanel called Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov "my prince." And he really helped turn her life into a fairy tale. Thanks to him, Coco became a legend in the world of fashion and perfumery.

junior prince

Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov, the youngest of the Grand Dukes of the House of Romanov, was born in 1891 into the family of Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich, the youngest of the brothers of Emperor Alexander III.
Dmitry Pavlovich was the cousin of Nicholas II, the grandson of Alexander II, the great-grandson of Nicholas I on the paternal side and the great-great-grandson on the maternal side (through his grandmother, Queen Olga Konstantinovna of Greece).

Dmitry's mother, the Greek princess Alexandra, died on the sixth day after giving birth, his father was deprived of parental rights due to a morganatic marriage to a divorced woman of low birth. Therefore, Prince Dmitry was brought up in the family of the Moscow governor Sergei Alexandrovich, who was married to the sister of the Empress Elizabeth Feodorovna.

The reputation of Sergei Alexandrovich was ambiguous. There was talk in the world about his non-traditional sexual orientation and that his marriage can hardly be called happy (later, similar rumors circulated about Dmitry Pavlovich, they talked about his “special relationship” with Felix Yusupov).
However, Sergei Alexandrovich was a good guardian. He spoiled his pupils excessively, which caused the jealousy of his wife, who did not like adopted children.

Sportsman

Having matured, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich returned to St. Petersburg and entered the rank of cornet in the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. He was popular in the world. He was slender, handsome, drove a car and was famous as a good rider. Dmitry Pavlovich was even taken to the equestrian Olympic team of the Russian Empire. As part of the Russian team, he took part in the Summer Olympics in Stockholm in 1912. He took 9th place in the individual show jumping and 5th place in the Russian team in the team show jumping.

Warrior

Dmitry Pavlovich asked the highest permission from Emperor Nicholas II to go as a volunteer to Libya back in 1911 - to the Italo-Turkish war, but then he was refused. He entered the First World War with the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. The Grand Duke participated in a campaign in East Prussia and was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th degree. The reason for the award was: “While in the battle on August 6 near Kraupishken, as an orderly at the head of the cavalry detachment, in the midst of the battle, with obvious danger to life, he delivered correct information about the enemy, as a result of which measures were taken that were crowned with complete success.”

Prince and Rasputin

Dmitry Pavlovich went down in history for two actions. One of them is the murder of Grigory Rasputin, committed by him and other conspirators on the night of December 30, 1916. The Grand Duke believed that the murder of the "old man" would give "the opportunity for the sovereign to openly change course." It is not known what course Dmitry Pavlovich was talking about, but it can be argued who, in the opinion of the conspirators, was the main obstacle - the elder and the empress.

Unlike the same Yusupov, Dmitry Pavlovich never spoke about this murder during his subsequent life, did not give interviews and did not discuss it even with people close to him.

Rescue Link

After the assassination of Rasputin, the prince was first arrested, and then exiled to Persia - to the active army. This link, in fact, saved the young prince from death - during the revolution he was already abroad. At first, Dmitry was attached to the corps of General Batorin, then he served in the British Expeditionary Force. Finally, he went to London and then Paris, where he had his fateful meeting with Coco Chanel.

Coco and the "prince"

Koko called Dmitry Pavlovich "my prince." In Biarritz, where many Russian nobility settled, over time, their own mini-court was formed. Dmitry Pavlovich introduced Koko to representatives of the loudest families, including Nicholas II's niece Natalia Paley and his own sister, Grand Duchess Maria Romanova. The princess herself sewed and began to cooperate with Chanel - soon Paris was fascinated by linen shirt dresses with embroidery and long blouses belted with a metal strap.

In the collections of Chanel, a clear “Russian accent” began to be felt: capes, coats with fur inside, shirt dresses with an embroidered collar and a belt, inspired by the traditional Russian shirt, appear. The Chanel palette now has bright, pure colors. She is interested in everything Russian - people, art, culture. And the famous perfume Chanel No. 5 was created by the Russian émigré perfumer Ernest Bo, who was also introduced to Coco by Dmitry Pavlovich.

After Coco

The affair with Koko was productive and stormy, but lasted only a year. After Dmitry Pavlovich, Coco Chanel had a short affair with the poet Pierre Reverdy. Chanel maintained friendly relations with the Russian prince.

In 1926, in Biarritz, Dmitry Pavlovich married a beautiful, rich American woman, Audrey Emery, who converted to Orthodoxy under the name Anna and received the title of Most Serene Princess Romanovskaya-Ilyinskaya from the head of the Russian Imperial House in exile, Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich. In the 1920s, Dmitry was in Europe Pavlovich participated in monarchist and patriotic movements (including playing a significant role in the formation of the Young Russians movement).

In 1928 their son Pavel was born. Soon after his birth, the couple separated, but the divorce was officially issued only in 1937. Dmitry Pavlovich lived in the Norman castle of Beaumenil, which he bought in 1927, then moved to Switzerland for health reasons. Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich died in 1942.

The son of Dmitry Pavlovich, Pavel, or Paul Ilyinsky, who survived to this day, was a respected politician of a regional scale in the United States - he was repeatedly elected mayor of Palm Beach, Florida, one of the richest and most prosperous cities in America.

Quite recently, I decided to read the memoirs of Felix Yusupov, knowing full well that a fascinating digression into history awaits me, bloody and sad, but at the same time great and alluring - this happens sometimes. It was in the era of shocks, revolutions, world wars that Prince Felix Felixovich Sumarokov happened to live Elston Jr. - by his father, Yusupov - by his mother. Charming and direct, scandalous and outrageous, kind and unpredictable. For me, it symbolizes the Russia that was lost forever. A refined bisexual and at the same time a courageous gentleman combined in him organically. He was never afraid to be himself and did not hide what he thought. As befits a true Russian prince, he did not take French citizenship, remaining stateless until the end of his life, keeping a Russian passport. He so wanted to return to his native Russia. It wasn't meant to be. However, it may be better that Russia remained in his memoirs as he loved her forever and which he would never have found like that. My story is about a man who to some extent predetermined the course of Russian history in the pre-revolutionary period.

Felix was born on March 24, 1887 in the St. Petersburg house of the Yusupov family on the Moika. Felix was the fourth boy, the youngest child in a family where two died in infancy. Felix and his older brother Nikolai survived to adulthood, who would later die in a duel at the age of 25. Seeing the newborn Felix, 5-year-old Nikolai blurted out: "Throw him out the window." However, later the brothers became very close to each other. From the earliest years, Felix became close to his mother, Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova, the last in the Yusupov family, one of the richest heirs of Russia. She really expected a girl, but Felix was born. Zinaida Nikolaevna dressed him like a girl, allowed him to play with her magnificent outfits and, in general, allowed everything that is permissible only for a girl. Felix was glad to try. He looked at his mother like a goddess. She was indeed one of the most beautiful women of her time and one of the smartest, it should be noted. Felix learned kindness from her.

Felix's father was Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston, Adjutant General. He was a man of action - devoted to the interests of the Empire. With Felix, they always had a difficult relationship. He wanted to see his continuation in him, but this did not happen and could not happen - the father and son were very different, therefore the distance was between them throughout their lives. Since 1891, the husband of Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova, by imperial decree, became known as Count Sumarokov-Elston, Prince Yusupov. The same title was worn by their son - Felix. His parents were very different people. The princess was very secular, fond of nature, who adored art, played music and sang beautifully. Felix Jr. inherited all these virtues of hers. He danced beautifully and loved ballet. He was very friendly with the great ballerina Anna Pavlova. This family has always been surrounded by people of art, science, and Felix Sumarokov Elston Sr. was a man of a different stock. At times this weighed on him and he sought solitude. And yet it was a happy family.

Felix Jr. was impressed by his reputation as a rebel and a rather eccentric youth. His trips to restaurants in the form of a woman, then performances in a cabaret, where, with a soprano given to him by God, he, dressed up as a woman, amused the audience. That was his nature. To shock, to surprise - was his lot. Of course, the father knew about the antics of his son, and the princess understood that this was the fault of her upbringing, but her son never reproached her, he idolized her. Student Yusupov did not differ in diligence and perseverance, but he was very lively and direct and quickly grasped on the fly, however, only what interested him. This quality of his - to prioritize in the future was very useful to him.

In addition to his mother and brother, in his youth and in subsequent years, Grand Duchess Eliaveta Feodorovna, the sister of Empress Alexandra of the Russian Empire, was a close friend of Felix. The Grand Duchess was a close friend of Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova. Felix considered her his second mother. She knew about all his adventures and considered him a man of a pure soul, and whether the flesh was sinful - it was not important for her - a pious and very intelligent woman who considered love and compassion for others the most important postulates of life. It was she who inspired Felix that he is responsible for his great family and how much good he can do to people. And he did. He helped with the sick in the hospital under the patronage of the Grand Duchess, cared for the wounded during the First World War. By that time, his brother Nikolai was no longer alive. In 1908, after the death of his older brother Nikolai Felix in a duel, he becomes the sole heir to the richest Yusupov family fortune. Nicholas was killed in a duel by Count Manteuffel, with whose wife, Maria Heiden, Nicholas had a relationship. This grief rallied the Yusupov family even more, but Zinaida Nikolaevna never recovered from this tragedy until the end of her days. Felix was also depressed. This was, in fact, the first tragedy in his life. At this time, the family, as always, was very supported by the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna. Felix considered her a Saint.

The Grand Duchess and her husband, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, did not have children of their own. They raised Sergei Alexandrovich's native nephews - orphans: Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, Jr. and Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. Dmitry Pavlovich was destined to leave an indelible mark on the life and soul of Felix Feliksovich Yusupov. The scandalous reputation of Felix Dmitry did not frighten at all - on the contrary, he liked that Felix was special, artistic, sincere, very lively. And Felix was comfortable with the Grand Duke. He was an authority for Dmitry Pavlovich. Neither one nor the other ever said how close they were, but the famous writer Nina Berberova, who knew Felix closely, claimed that they were more than friendly. And she's not alone. Dmitry Pavlovich was the favorite of the royal couple, and the sovereign and the empress did not like the friendship between their favorite and the scandalous handsome Yusupov. The Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna had a different opinion - they were completely different from their sister (Empress Alexandra Feodorovna), their views on life and character were also very different. They didn't get along, frankly. Neither before nor after. Dmitry was little worried about rumors about the relationship of his uncle Sergei Alexandrovich with Felix. The General-Governor of Moscow in the Romanov family had a reputation as a "black sheep". Only now in his nephews, two orphans Dmitry and Maria, he did not look for souls. Be that as it may, together with Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, they went down in history as one of the main organizers and executors of the murder of Rasputin.

From 1909 to 1912, Felix Yusupov studied at Oxford, where he founded the Russian Society of Oxford University. He fell in love with England, he liked authentic Oxford. In addition, in England he made a lot of friends, with some of whom he remained friends until the end of his days. Felix liked simplicity and cordiality in people. He did not like pomposity and hypocrisy, hypocrisy and pretense. He parted with many, was disappointed in others, but he loved people and tried to see the best in them. He liked being in England, but he missed home. And being at home, he was drawn to Oxford. Having inherited the Tatar genes of his ancestors, he often admitted that he adopted nomadism from them. He was drawn to adventures and all kinds of adventures, which, however, did not prevent him from becoming one of the most educated young people of the Russian Empire. With Dmitry Pavlovich, he did not stop communicating. Too much connected them. Over time, however, their paths diverged. There was a reason for that.

This reason was her highness, the princess of imperial blood - Irina Alexandrovna Romanova - the native niece of Nicholas II, the daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna - the sister of the last Russian emperor. Felix had known her since she was young. The crowned Romanov family was not against intermarrying with the richest family in Russia. Felix and Irina sympathized with each other. And when her father, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, came to Zinaida Nikolaevna to discuss Irina's proposed marriage with Felix, Felix was happy. Irina had a reputation as one of the most beautiful brides of the Romanovs. She was very modest and shy. Before the engagement, Felix told her everything, without hiding his relationship with men, explained what shocked him in women and why he was more attracted to male society. Far from embarrassed, Irina Aleksandrovna understood him and accepted him. Having 6 brothers and being the eldest child in the family, she, fortunately for Felix, was deprived of those feminine qualities that annoyed him. She was a very smart person. And both realized that they were looking in the same direction. But Felix did not know that Dmitry Pavlovich also wanted to marry her. True, earlier they wanted to marry him to the daughter of Emperor Nicholas II, Olga, but the all-powerful at that time, Rasputin, told the Empress about his connections with men. Dmitry held a grudge. Felix and Dmitry agreed not to interfere with Irina to decide whom she wants to marry. But Irina Alexandrovna immediately declared that she would marry only Felix and no one else. However, not everything went so smoothly. Felix was slandered in front of Irina's parents, and those whom he trusted. Shortly before the marriage, Irina's father announces a break in the engagement. Felix manages to convince the future father-in-law of the fallacy and haste of his decision. Irina showed firmness and once again emphasized - either Felix or nobody. The fate of the young was to be decided by Irina's grandmother - Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna - nee Princess Dagmar Frederica Glucksburg, daughter of the Danish King Christian - mother of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II. This was an outstanding personality. Irina was her favorite granddaughter. Felix and Irina, accompanied by Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, went to Copenhagen, where Maria Feodorovna was visiting her relatives. After a conversation with Felix, she said: "Do not be afraid, I am with you." On February 22, 1914, the wedding of Prince Felix and the princess of imperial blood, Irina Alexandrovna Romanova, took place in St. Petersburg.

After the wedding, the young went on a trip. From the departing train, Felix noticed Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich in the distance on the platform. With whom exactly he came to say goodbye, no one knows, except for the two of them. The wedding was a turning point in their relationship, but not so much that they would be interrupted. Felix wrote: “I have always been outraged by human injustice to those who love differently. You can blame same-sex love, but not the lovers themselves. Normal relationships are contrary to their nature. Are they guilty of being created this way?” Of course, he meant himself. True, it would not be bad for today's domestic figures and representatives of the so-called leading and ruling elite to pay attention to the words of a person who, like no one else, approached this elite. Not only because he was an aristocrat, and not because he believed in God and was Orthodox, but because he was brought up by representatives of the old Russian formation, which knew how to see and accept human features. Among the representatives of his society, such judgments were enough. Maybe the revolution happened, that the representatives of that ruling Russia were tolerant, for the most part, tactful and subtle people. And the representative of the famous Yusupov family, Felix Feliksovich, whose ancestors were Tatars, is by nature nomadic and eccentric, as few people had sobriety of thinking and nobility of thought. It is bitter to realize that others no longer exist, and those are far away. Irina Alexandrovna was his adviser in everything and perfectly understood that this nature cannot be remade and re-educated - she loved him for those qualities for which many loved - the simplicity of the soul, human warmth and deceit of passions that were intertwined in him with a thin thread. On March 21, 1915, Irina and Felix became parents. They had a daughter, Princess Irina Feliksovna Yusupova, named after her mother. The young people were happy. They were not allowed to have any more children.

Felix and Irina, as well as Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, believed that Grigory Rasputin was to attack Russia. Largely because of him, the rest of the Romanovs moved away from the royal couple, with the exception of Grand Duke Konstantin and his family and Grand Duchess Milica Nikolaevna, the wife of Grand Duke Peter Nikolayevich. It was she who introduced the elder Rasputin to the imperial couple. Militsa Nikolaevna was fond of mysticism and introduced Alexandra Feodorovna to this. Rasputin could relieve attacks of hemophilia from Tsarevich Alexei, for which he was perceived by the empress as nothing more than a saint. Rasputin really had hypnotic power, but his influence on the Imperial Court began to grow exorbitantly. Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna was the first to suspect the danger. However, after her conversation with the Empress, she realized that the Empress did not want to hear anything negative about Grigory Efimovich. And she did not come to her again. Elizaveta Feodorovna also spoke to her sister. To no avail.

The empress considered everything to be slander, for saints are always slandered. Rasputin could appoint and dismiss, and then arrange those who were beneficial to him. He had the most power. The emperor silently agreed with all the orders of his wife - for Rasputin is the savior of their son, the future ruler of the Empire. Felix Feliksovich, together with Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, deputy Vladimir Purishkovich and British intelligence officer Oscar Reiner, planned to kill Rasputin. But first, Felix needed to win the trust of the troublemaker of all Russia. Under the pretext of a cure for homosexuality, Felix became close to Rasputin. I will not go into the detailed course of events of that distant murder, I will only note that under the pretext of meeting Irina Alexandrovna, who, of course, was aware of this plan, but was in the Crimea at the time of the murder, Rasputin was invited to the Yusupov Palace, where on the night of December 17 1916 Rasputin was killed by conspirators. The details of this crime are not completely clear. Each of the conspirators confused the investigation with his testimony. Today there is a version that the last fatal shot was fired by Oscar Reiner, a British intelligence agent, a close friend and lover of Felix Yusupov since his studies at Oxford. The murder of Rasputin - Felix considered the deliverance of Russia from evil, which was the troublemaker Grigory Rasputin "The Tsar's friend", as he was called. The murder, no matter how blasphemous it may sound, was met with a storm of delight in all segments of the population. Of course, there were fanatical admirers of the elder, but there were few of them against the general background of cheering. Felix was sent into exile on the estate of his father Rakitino, in the Kursk province. Dmitry Pavlovich was sent to the Persian front. The link there saved him from revolutionary bullets. I must say, at the station late at night, when Dmitry left Petrograd, the head of the train made him understand that he could take the train to a siding, from where it would be easy to escape. Dmitry did not escape and survived - sometimes obviously the worst, becomes the unintended best.

Felix Feliksovich survived the revolution, but it forever separated him from his homeland and took away his loved ones from him. In Alapaevsk in 1918, the Grand Russian Princess Elizaveta Feodorovna was killed. The Kaiser of Germany would have saved her if she had not been steadfast in her decision not to leave Russia. Felix said goodbye to her shortly. Rasputin - she considered the devil for Russia and Felix made it clear that he had delivered her from the demon. Together with her, princes John, Konstantin and Igor, the sons of Grand Duke Konstantin, were thrown into the mine. Dmitry Pavlovich's half-brother, Vladimir Paley, was also a victim in Alapaevsk. Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich died with them. Felix believed that over time, Elizabeth Feodorovna should be canonized. On July 17, 1918, the royal family was shot in Yekaterinburg. Nicholas II, Alexandra Feodorovna and their children were shot in the Ipatiev House. Felix with Irina and their little daughter were in the Crimea, in their estate Ai-Todor. They remained in the Crimea until April 1919. On April 13, Felix Yusupov and his family boarded the battleship Marlboro, leaving Russia. Led by the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, who lost her sons and grandchildren in the Revolution, and sobbing standing on the bow of the Marlboro. None of them were destined to see Russia again. Then they did not know this and hoped that they would definitely return. Did not happen.

Almost all of the Yusupov family jewelry and jewelry remained in Russia. Only those that Irina Alexandrovna and Zinaida Nikolaevna had with them survived. But in Paris, Felix and Irina forgot about the antique jewels that their familiar jeweler reworked. However, they were later stolen. Felix's friend. Prince Yusupov Jr. unlimitedly believed in people. Felix's car, which he bought more than 5 years ago, was waiting for him in the garage - this greatly simplified the movement of the family. In London, at the Ritz Hotel, Felix knocked. Opening the door on the threshold stood the Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. Irina was away with her father in France. Dmitry and Felix did not part until Dmitry's departure. Dmitry Pavlovich offered to move from London to him in Switzerland, but Felix could not because new refugees from Russia were arriving who needed him. He never refused anyone. I considered it my first duty. Felix's parents with little Irina were in Rome. In Rome, Princess Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova headed the central committee for helping refugees from Russia. In 1920, Felix and Irina moved to Paris. The Yusupovs spent huge sums of money to support the refugees, which they no longer had. From Russia, they were able to take out two original Rembrandts, some jewelry, and there was a house on Lake Geneva. The remaining jewels were pawned to support the refugees and themselves. With the money from the sale of Rembrandt paintings, the Yusupovs bought a small house in Boulogne-sur-Seine. This house became a haven for many Russians who sought support from people of boundless kindness, who were Felix and Irina Yusupov. In our time, there are enough wealthy people, with prosperity, opportunities, but most of them will not even think of helping someone, organizing something, or trying to employ someone. A feeling of mutual assistance and compassion was characteristic of the representatives of the glorious and so tragic Russia that had long gone.

In the mid-20s, Irina and Felix opened the Irfé fashion house, which, however, did not lead them to financial stability. They still did not know how to live within their means and, with their characteristic Russian hospitality and generosity, squandered what little they had. True, in the 30s, Felix won a lawsuit against the Hollywood film company Metro Goldwyn Mayer. A film was released at the studio - "Rasputin and the Empress" from which it followed that Irina Alexandrovna was Rasputin's mistress. What never happened. Irina never knew him. Felix managed to prove in court that this slander had nothing to do with reality. MGM paid the Yusupov family $25,000. Felix was not afraid to start this process and won the case. Irina Feliksovna was raised by Felix's parents. She was close to both parents. November 24, 1939 Zinaida Nikolaevna died. Dying, she held the hand of her son. Throughout her life, he was her support in everything. After the death of his father, she was his main concern. During the Second World War, Felix categorically refused to cooperate with the Nazis, despite the threat of losing the family rarity - the unique oval pearl of Pelegrin from the collection of the Yusupov princes. The Germans audited the safes in the bank where she was and, in return for the return of the pearl, offered Felix cooperation. Prince Yusupov replied: "Neither my wife nor I will agree to this for anything. It's better to lose Pelegrina." Three and a half years later, the pearl was returned to the Yusupovs. In 1942, the Yusupovs had a granddaughter, Ksenia. The hardest blow for Felix was the news of the death of Dmitry Pavlovich in March 1942. With him went youth, tenderness, and what was known only to the two of them. Felix's daughter, Irina, was married to Count Sheremetev and lived in Rome. They were able to see their granddaughter only after the war, in 1946.

In 1953, Felix sold Pelegrina. We needed money. For more than 20 years they lived with Irina Alexandrovna in their house on Pierre Guérin Street. They retained the youth of the soul until the end of their days. Guests were always welcome. Self-esteem, this great couple carried through their entire dramatic life, replete with sharp turns and not without tragedies. They persevered and helped others persevere. On September 27, 1967, at the age of 80, the last of the Yusupov princes, Felix Feliksovich, dies. A whimsical but genuine Russian aristocrat, both by birth and in spirit, which is not always the case, left a memory of himself, first of all, as a man who loved his Fatherland. Yes, he was an exile, but he was not a traitor. His heart remained there, among the birches and memories of the time when he was painted by Valentin Serov, adored by him. Princess of Imperial blood, Her Highness Irina Alexandrovna Yusupova, nee Romanova, died on February 26, 1970. Their alliance with Prince Yusupov was a rare example of like-minded people, patriots - forced to leave their native land and people who are not indifferent to the pain of others. She was buried in the same grave with her mother-in-law - Zinaida Nikolaevna Yusupova. There was no money for another place in the cemetery. Their daughter, Irina Feliksovna, died in August 1983 at the age of 68. She was buried with her parents and grandmother at the famous Parisian cemetery of Saint Genevieve de Bois, where many representatives of old Russia, who made her glory, found their last shelter. Today, the direct descendant of Felix and Irina is their granddaughter Ksenia Sfiri - nee Sheremeteva. She is married. She has a daughter and two grandchildren. Lives in Greece. She visited the homeland of her famous ancestors. And today she is also a citizen of Russia. As a young man in Paris, I met a wonderful man who was already over 90. He spoke Russian with a strong accent. He was a descendant of the noble family of the Muravyovs. One should have seen his eyes filled with tears of happiness from the fact that he was closely acquainted with Felix Feliksovich Yusupov. He was friends with their daughter Irina. Much later, I realized the full power of the charm of a brawler of Tatar blood, who knew how to love and remain forever in people's memory.

The Romanov dynasty is an integral part of the history of Tsarist and Imperial Russia. Her reign was remembered for both unbending patriotism and many secrets, bloody events and strange circumstances. She survived the Time of Troubles and two False Dmitrys.

According to reliable historical data, the Romanov family tree begins with Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla, the boyar of the Moscow prince Simeon Ivanovich.

The reign of the dynasty itself began on February 21, 1613 (according to the Julian calendar) after the conciliar election to the kingdom of Mikhail Fedorovich, the son of Patriarch Filaret, in the world of Fyodor Nikitich. In general, the Romanov family gave the country five kings: Mikhail Fedorovich, his son Alexei Mikhailovich and his three heirs - Fedor Alekseevich, and Peter I.

Mikhail Fedorovich

Having become the first lord of all Russia, he managed to do a lot during his reign:

• concluded the Truce of Deulino in 1618;
• thanks to the appointment of governors and elders, he established a stable centralized authority;
• to determine the exact amount of taxes, he described the estates throughout the country;
• restored the economy and trade after the Time of Troubles;
• reorganized the army.

Alexey Mikhailovich

After the death of Mikhail Fedorovich in 1645, Alexei Mikhailovich took the throne. During his life, he carried out military and monetary reforms, and also united Russia with Ukraine in 1654.

The main point in the military reform was the mass creation of regiments of the latest system: soldiers, dragoons, reiters. They formed the backbone of the king's new army. For this, a large number of European military specialists were hired for service.

The money is considered a failure, and only under Peter I began minting coins that were not inferior in quality to European ones.

Fedor III

The reins of government from Alexei Mikhailovich passed to his son Fyodor III. The young tsar was ill a lot, and for some time power was actually in the hands of Patriarch Joachim, as well as I. Miloslavsky and A. Matveev.

However, after six months, the throne was completely in his hands. Despite the short reign, he managed to initiate important reforms and actions: household taxation by direct taxes, introduction of genealogical books and the abolition of promotion for the merits of ancestors.

His death caused popular unrest, as there were no orders left regarding the succession to the throne. This issue was resolved by the coronation of two rulers at the same time - the minor Peter and Ivan, as well as the regency of their older sister Sophia.

Ivan V and Peter I

Although Ivan was considered the "senior lord", he, in fact, did not take part in state affairs, devoting his life to his family.

His brother, Peter I, at the same time the last tsar and the first emperor, became famous for a large number of innovations. Under him, the Senate was created, the church was subordinate to the state, an administrative-territorial division into provinces was introduced. Peter I carried out reforms in the sphere of culture, economy, education and industry.

For a long time of the existence of the Russian Empire, fourteen rulers sat on the throne.

Nicholas II

The last emperor was Nicholas II Alexandrovich. Under his rule, there was economic development in Russia and, at the same time, an increase in discontent, which resulted in the revolution of 1905-1907 and the February Revolution in 1917.

Nicholas II married the German princess Alice, who gave him four daughters and one son. In addition to his own children, the emperor raised his cousin Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov.

Dmitry Pavlovich

After the death of his mother during childbirth and his father's exile, he lived in the house of his uncle, Sergei Alexandrovich, and his wife Elizaveta Feodorovna. After the tragic death of the prince and the departure of his wife to the monastery, Dmitry Romanov moved to the Alexander Palace to the emperor and stayed there until 1913. Later, he inherited the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace in St. Petersburg from his uncle.

As you know, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov was involved in the death of Rasputin. Grigory Efimovich was killed on December 17, 1916. Vladimir Purishkevich and Dmitry Romanov were recognized as conspirators. Testimony about the crime was confused and at odds with the evidence found. According to the French diplomat Maurice Palaiologos, Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov - a graceful young man, but rather impulsive and frivolous - got involved in this incident out of grief.

At first he wrote and swore to the emperor about his innocence in the crime, later he admitted in a letter to Yusupov: “For me, this fact will always remain a dark spot on my conscience ... Murder will always be murder and will remain, no matter how hard you try to give it a mystical meaning!”. He was sent into exile in Persia by Nicholas II. There, Grand Duke Dmitry Romanov went to the service of the British, after which he emigrated first to the capital of Great Britain, and then to Paris.

In 1925, in the French city of Biarritz, he married Audrey Emery, who changed her religion and name for him. In 1928 she gave birth to the prince's heir. Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov divorced his wife shortly after the birth of his son.

In the 1930s, he joined the Young Russian party, which imitated the fascists in Italy. After some time, he became disillusioned with the prospects and retired from public life.

In 1939, Dmitry Pavlovich Romanov fell ill with tuberculosis and went to Switzerland for treatment. After recovering from his illness, he again fell ill, this time from uremia. And he hasn't recovered.

But the Romanov family did not end there. The descendants of this great dynasty are alive to this day and are scattered in all corners of the world. Many of them continue social and charitable activities.

In the life of the last of the Yusupov princes, there were both a dazzling brilliance of luxury and scandalous love stories, as well as a brutal murder, emigration to Europe, poverty and a high-profile lawsuit with the famous Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ..

A young man "with an icon-painted face of Byzantine writing"

It can be safely called a representative of the "golden youth" of the early 20th century. The boy, born in the family of Count Felix Sumarokov-Elston and Princess Zinaida Yusupova, was one of the richest heirs in Tsarist Russia. People who knew him noted the beauty, grace and refined manners of the young man.

Sergei Diaghilev liked the portrait of the young prince very much. Photo: Public Domain

When he was 17 years old, the artist Valentin Serov came to the Yusupov estate to paint portraits of members of a respected family. A good friendship was established between him and the teenager. Years later, Felix wrote in his memoirs that they had long conversations that affected his young mind. The portrait of the young prince, in which Felix posed with a French bulldog, was very liked by Sergei Diaghilev, who took the painting to Venice in 1907, where an exhibition of Russian painting was held.

“The picture brought unnecessary fame to me. My father and mother did not like this, and they asked Diaghilev to take her away from the exhibition, ”Felix later recalled.

But Felix could not hide from fame, besides, he constantly threw “burnings into the fire”, arranging daring antics. So, for example, it was no secret to anyone that he liked to dress up in women's dresses. Moreover, the young man “with the iconic face of Byzantine writing,” as Vertinsky spoke of him, was even seen in one of the cabarets, where he played the female role instead of one of the “blue-eyed actresses” of the Aquarium Theater. The family jewels that were worn on the pretty "singer" then helped to recognize Felix.

And Yusupov spoke about his pranks without hiding. By the way, in his memoirs, he described in detail a walk with his cousin, when for the sake of fun they decided to take a walk along Nevsky, dressed in women's dresses.

“We found everything we needed in mother’s closet. We unloaded ourselves, blushed, put on jewelry, wrapped ourselves in velvet coats that were too big for us, went down the far stairs and, waking up my mother's hairdresser, demanded wigs, they say, for a masquerade. In this form we entered the city. On Nevsky, a haven for prostitutes, we were immediately noticed. To get rid of the gentlemen, we answered in French: "We are busy" - and it was important to move on. They fell behind when we entered the chic restaurant "Medved". Right in our fur coats, we went into the hall, sat down at a table and ordered dinner. It was hot, we were suffocating in these velvets. They looked at us with curiosity. The officers sent a note inviting us to have dinner with them in the office. The champagne went to my head…”

In the same book, Felix also wrote about the origins of his unusual addictions. So, according to him, the mother, expecting a child, was sure that a girl would be born. As a result, a pink dowry was prepared. When the boy was born, Zinaida Yusupova, "to console herself, dressed Felix as a girl until she was five."

Zinaida Yusupova, "to console herself, dressed Felix as a girl until she was five." Photo: Public Domain

Marriage with Irina Romanova

Knowing about the scandalous fame of Felix in the world, it is hard to believe that the royal family approved of his union with Irina Romanova, niece of Nicholas II.

Yusupov romantically described his first acquaintance with the only daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna in his biography. According to him, he immediately realized that this girl was his destiny:

Irina was the only daughter of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna. Photo: Public Domain

“Shyness made her silent, which increased her charm and surrounded her with mystery. Overwhelmed by a new feeling, I understood the poverty of my past adventures. Finally, I also found that perfect harmony, which is the basis for all true love.

At that time, Felix was the only heir to the Yusupov family fortune: in 1908, his older brother Nikolai died in a duel with Count Arvid Manteuffel.

Knowing about the fabulous condition of the groom, Irina's relatives did not want to believe the rumors that Felix, for example, had a love relationship with Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich. As a result, the wedding took place in February 1914 in the church of the Anichkov Palace. The imperial family even attended the magnificent ceremony.

“The sovereign asked me through my future father-in-law what to give me for my wedding. He wanted to offer me a position at court, but I replied that the best wedding gift from His Majesty would be to allow me to sit in the theater in the imperial box. When my answer was conveyed to the emperor, he laughed and agreed. We were flooded with gifts. Unpretentious peasant gifts lay next to luxurious diamonds, ”wrote Felix Yusupov.

The following year - in March 1915 - a daughter, Irina, was born to young people. True, the new marital status and the birth of the first child did not change the reputation of the prince, who still remained the main character of secular gossip.

Murder of Rasputin

The name of Felix Yusupov also went down in history thanks to the high-profile murder that took place in St. Petersburg in 1916.

On December 17, the corpse of Grigory Rasputin, an "old man" who had a huge influence on the royal family, was discovered in the Neva.

The conclusion of the forensic expert said that the “tsar's friend” was brutally killed: “The entire right side of the head was crushed, flattened due to bruising of the corpse when falling from the bridge. Death followed from profuse bleeding due to a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The corpse also had a gunshot wound in the back, in the region of the spine, with crushing of the right kidney, and another wound point-blank, in the forehead, probably already dying or dead.

The absence of water in the lungs indicated that Rasputin was thrown into the water when he was already dead.

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, Felix Yusupov and the monarchist Vladimir Purishkevich were involved in the crime. It is still not known for certain what happened in the Yusupov Palace on the Moika on the night of December 17, since the participants changed their testimony several times.

It is generally accepted that the conspirators lured Rasputin to the palace, where they treated him to wine and a pie poisoned with potassium cyanide. After that, Yusupov shot at Grigory Rasputin, but he attacked the offender, trying to strangle him. After that, the attackers fired several more bullets at the "old man". Nevertheless, the wounded Rasputin tried to hide from the killers, but they caught him, tied him up and threw him into the Neva near Kamenny Island.

Years later, in his book The End of Rasputin, Felix Yusupov wrote: “His body was thrown into the icy water of the Neva, trying to overcome both the poison and the bullet until the last minute. The Siberian vagabond, who ventured into too risky business, could not have died otherwise; only there, in his homeland, in the waves of the Tobol or Tura, hardly anyone would be looking for the corpse of the murdered horse thief Grishka Rasputin.

Describing his acquaintance with Rasputin, the young prince emphasized his unpleasant repulsive "peasant" appearance. Photo credit: creative commons

Describing his acquaintance with Rasputin, the young prince emphasized his unpleasant repulsive "peasant" appearance, but at the same time - charisma and an unusual frightening look. At the same time, according to Yusupov, he managed to win the trust of this voluptuous "horse thief":

“We sometimes talked for a long time with him. Considering me his friend, who unshakably believed in his divine mission, counting on my assistance and support in everything, Rasputin did not find it necessary to hide in front of me and gradually revealed all his cards to me. He was so convinced of the power of his influence on people that he did not even allow the thought that I might not be in his power.

You know, dear, - he once said to me, - you are painfully smart, and it is easy to talk with you, you understand everything at once. If you want, I’ll even make you a minister, just agree.”

There is one version that Yusupov turned to Rasputin with a request to cure him of the "sodomy sin", but during the hypnosis treatment session, on the contrary, he tried to seduce the young man.

It is worth noting that in 1932 the film "Rasputin and the Empress" was released, in which the creators showed that Yusupov's wife was in an intimate relationship with Rasputin. The Yusupov couple, who at that moment lived in Paris, were outraged by this fact, and they sued the Hollywood company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The law was on their side, and MGM paid them huge monetary compensation for defamation. It is believed that after this story, there was a rule to indicate at the beginning of the film that all the events shown on the screen are nothing more than fiction.

MGM paid the Yusupov couple a huge monetary compensation. Photo: Public Domain

Felix Yusupov died in France at the age of 80. His body rests in the Russian cemetery at Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois.