This week marks the 100th anniversary of the execution of the Russian royal family by their Bolshevik captors, one of the most shocking events in 20th century history. Tsar Nicholas II, the Tsarina Alexandra and their five children, along with three servants and the family physician, Dr Yevgeny Botkin, were slain in cold blood in Yekaterinburg on the night of 16 July 1918. The Romanovs had been detained since the February Revolution in Petrograd (now St Petersburg), when the tsar was forced to abdicate on 15 March after losing control of the violent uprising in which bread rioters and industrial strikers fought police and gendarmes loyal to the monarchy, the tide turning definitively when members of the Russian military mutinied. Recommended Why Russia is digging up the remains of the last Tsar Nicholas II Chaos ensued, a republican provisional government was installed under Alexander Kerensky and the royals were taken into custody after an offer of asylum by Britain was withdrawn on the advice of King George V. They were imprisoned first in Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo, then in Tobolsk in Tyumen-Oblast, before finally being moved to Yekaterinburg by train on 30 April 1918. Alexei Romanov, 13, suffered an attack of bleeding as a result of the haemophilia that beset the family at this time and only joined his parents three weeks later, along with his sisters Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia, who were sexually assaulted by their guards in transit. In Yekaterinburg, the prisoners were held inside a fortified mansion with whitewashed windows in the town centre that had once belonged to a local military engineer named Nikolai Nikolayevich Ipatiev. Recommended A history of tense meetings between US and Russian presidents Commandeered by Ural Soviet officials, who had ordered the owner to vacate the premises, the property was sinisterly rechristened “The House of Special Purpose” and served as a prison in which the imperial royal family were held for the final 78 days of their lives. Maxim machine gun nests were trained on the residence while the Popov House across the street served as a makeshift barracks, where the soldiers brought women, drank and played cards off duty. Pleas for news of the Romanovs from concerned members of the European diplomatic community went unanswered. During that time, the family adapted to their circumstances: Nicholas reading and the boisterous grand duchesses Maria and Anastasia befriending their guards to stave off boredom, the former becoming romantically involved with one, Ivan Skorokhodov, and conspiring with him on how the Romanovs might escape. Skorokhodov smuggled a birthday cake into the compound and presented it to Maria on 26 June when she turned 19, but was subsequently removed from duty when his superior, Filipp Goloshchekin, learned of their relationship and tightened security. They were allowed into the garden for exercise but had no view other than the sky and the spire of the Voznesensky Cathedral as a high wooden palisade had been erected around the perimeter of the Ipatiev House to conceal them from the public gaze. The fate of the Romanovs was seemingly undecided until July, when the White Guard – still loyal to the tsar – began to move in on Yekaterinburg and looked certain to capture it. Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei (Ron Cardy/Rex) The Bolsheviks could not afford to have the Romanovs fall into the hands of the Whites, lest they became symbols around which anti-communists could rally or provide foreign governments with an alternative head of state to recognise. Goloshchekin travelled to Moscow to obtain the order for the assassination and is thought to have secured it from Vladimir Lenin himself, although no paper trail exists to confirm the fact, no doubt deliberate on the part of the Bolshevik leader. “Revolutions are meaningless without firing squads,” he famously said. On the night of the killing, the guards entered the bedroom of Dr Botkin shortly after midnight and found him awake at his journal. They ordered him to rouse the sleeping Romanovs and tell them to dress for a long journey. Outside in the street, the engine was started on a Fiat truck, intended to ferry the bodies away, in order to mask the sound of screaming. Having gathered the royals in the basement, Commandant Yakov Yurovsky, charged with organising the execution, read aloud the death sentence from the Ural Executive Committee to the assembled royals and their loyal domestics, still rubbing the sleep from their eyes. Alexei, too sick to stand, was sat in a chair. Grand Duchess Anastasia (Universal History Archive/UIG/Rex) When the firing commenced, the bullets flew wildly, some ricocheting off the Romanov children because they had sewn diamonds into their underclothes to keep the family valuables safe, ensuring they could pay their way in the event that they did escape. The members of the inexperienced death squad, brandishing an assortment of firearms, were themselves hit in the melee. Nicholas died instantly but several members of the family were only injured, writhing in their own blood on the basement floor as caustic gunpowder smoke filled the air. Their leader, Peter Ermakov, was drunk at the time and only managed to hit Maria in the thigh as she tried to run for the doors. Panicking and fearing the cries would be overheard at street level despite the rumble of the truck, the revolutionaries set about them with bayonets, running the tsarina and her children through and firing at their heads. The violence lasted a horrifying 20 minutes, with one of the killers later recalling that the scene was as slippery as the surface of an ice rink, according to historian Simon Sebag Montefiore. Two of the girls were still breathing when the bodies were carried out, a fact that has been cited as the origin point for the myth of Anastasia’s escape.<doc-sep>A century after the killing of Tsar Nicholas II, Russians are disputing the authenticity of his remains as scientists and Orthodox believers diverge over claims of a cover-up and a Jewish ritual murder. The Tsar and his wife, four daughters, son Alexei, and four attendants were shot by Bolsheviks in a cellar in Yekaterinburg in the early hours of July 17, 1918. The grisly story of their demise is known to many: how bullets ricocheted from diamonds sewn into the clothes of the tsar’s family and how the men carrying out the massacre bayoneted the dying children. Sponsored Yet the very facts of the royal family’s death were still being contested yesterday as Patriarch Kirill, the head of the church and an ally of President Putin,<doc-sep>A century on from the death of Russia's last tsar, exhaustive DNA tests on his alleged remains have finally confirmed their authenticity. The genetic tests could be a step towards the Russian Orthodox Church finally recognising the remains and burying them with full rites. According to the Russian Investigative Committee, tsar Nicholas II, his wife, and their five children, who were shot dead by the Bolsheviks 100 years ago today, have finally been identified. Tsar Nicholas II was also cousin of the British monarch, King George V. Scroll down for video Tsar Nicholas II (left) was a grandson of Queen Victoria and cousin of the British monarch, King George V (right). A century on from the death of Russia's last tsar, exhaustive DNA tests on his alleged remains have finally confirmed their authenticity Genetic tests ordered by the Russian Church - which disputed earlier results - 'confirmed the remains found belonged to the former Emperor Nicholas II, his family members and members of their entourage,' said the Investigative Committee, which probes serious crime and has been roped in to resolve the long-running debate. The tests involved exhuming Nicholas's father Alexander III, proving 'they are father and son,' investigators said. The Orthodox Church said it would consider the findings and praised the way the investigation was going. The Bolsheviks shot the abdicated tsar, his German-born wife and their five children along with their servants and doctor on the night from July 16 to 17, 1918, as they were living under guard in the Urals city of Sverdlovsk, now Yekaterinburg. The killers then hastily buried the remains, where they laid untouched until their discovery in 1979. The bones of Nicholas, his wife and three of their children were interred in Saint Petersburg in 1998 but the Orthodox Church refused to give them a full burial service, disputing their authenticity after an investigation under President Boris Yeltsin in which the clergy felt sidelined. Amid popular legend that one of the children may have survived, several pretenders claimed later to be Anastasia, one of the tsar's daughters, but these were never proven. The genetic tests could be a step towards the Russian Orthodox Church recognising the remains and burying them with full rites. Tsar Nicholas II (pictured, left in the carriage) and his entire family were shot dead by the Bolsheviks 100 years ago today The bones of the tsar's only son Alexei and his daughter Maria were found separately in 2007 and have never been buried. The issue touches on sensitive religious issues since the Orthodox Church has canonised the ex-tsar and his family as martyrs, making their bones holy relics. Yet the Church's reluctance puzzles secular figures since previous DNA testing was carried out by international experts. WHO WAS TSAR NICHOLAS II? Tsar Nicholas II was the last monarch of Russia. He ruled from 1 November 1894 to 15 March 1915, when he was forced to leave his position and abdicate. His reign coincided with the demise of the once great powers of the world, resulting in economic and military collapse. Many Soviet historians portray Nicholas as a weak and incompetent leader whose decisions led to military defeats and the deaths of millions of his subjects. An Orthodox icon of Tsar Nicholas II (top row, second from left), his wife (top row, second from right) and his five children in a cathedral built on the exact place where the Bolsheviks executed them in the Urals city of Sverdlovsk, now Yekaterinburg In 1981, Nicholas, his wife, and their children were recognised as martyrs by the Russian Orthodox church. His cousin, King George V of Britain, offered political help to nicholas II following his abdication. Along with his entire family, his wife and his five children, tsar Nicholas II was murdered by the Bolsheviks on the evening of July 16 1917. The killers then hastily buried the remains, where they laid untouched until their discovery in 1979. Advertisement Some had expected the Church to recognise the remains in time for a full burial ahead of the centenary. Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida in a statement said it would study the latest findings 'with attention' and praised the current investigation for its 'atmosphere of openness.' The investigation is still ongoing and will include looking at historic documents. Church leader Patriarch Kirill is to lead thousands in a procession on Monday night from the murder site to a monastery commemorating the victims.<doc-sep>Russia’s last tsar, his wife, and their five children were murdered amid the tumult of the Bolshevik revolution 100 years ago today (July 17). The execution of Emperor Nicholas II and other members of the Romanov family that had ruled for more than 300 years marked the end of imperial Russia. To commemorate the anniversary, the Russian state archive’s #Romanovs100 project has released newly unearthed photos taken by the family members themselves. The Romanovs had several cameras and recorded many of the most meaningful events of their extremely comfortable lives. #Romanovs100/GARF A colorized image of Queen Victoria of England with the Romanov family. King Edward VII of England, who was Nicholas II’s uncle, visited Russia for the first time in 1908 to improve bilateral relations. Edward’s mother was Queen Victoria. #Romanovs100/GARF King Edward with the Romanovs in 1908. The family documented events marking the dynasty’s 300 years of rule in 1913, which were part of an empire-wide celebration. #Romanovs100/GARF 1913 marked 300 years of the Romanov dynasty’s rule. #Romanovs100/GARF A 1913 procession celebrating 300 years of rule. #Romanovs100/GARF Tatiana, Olga, Anastasia and Maria, the daughters of Emperor Nicholas II, aboard a steamer boat. Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man Rasputin befriended Nicholas II’s family—and thus gained significant influence in late imperial Russia. #Romanovs100/GARF Rasputin befriended the family of Nicholas II.<doc-sep>
Monday, July 16 marks the 100th anniversary of the murders of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, his wife Alexandra, and their five children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei. But the execution of the Romanovs didn't wipe out the bloodline entirely; their modern relatives include members of British royal family, including Prince Harry. Queen Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip is related to the Romanovs through both his mother and his father. Philip is the grandnephew of Alexandra Romanov, Nicholas II's wife, and the last Tsarina of Russia. He is also a cousin to the Russian royal family (more on that below). Philip's children and grandchildren, including William and Harry, are therefore related to the Romanovs as well. In fact, when the remains of two children thought to be Maria and Alexei Romanov were found in a field in 2007, it was Prince Philip's DNA that was used to identify them, news which was revealed in 2016. To add another British connection to the Russian Imperial family, the Queen's first cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, is also uniquely related to the Romanovs. He's the grandson of Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, who was a first cousin of Nicholas II. The Queen, Prince Philip, and all of their descendants are also related to the Romanovs through Queen Victoria, as she was Tsarina Alexandra's grandmother. Alexandra's mother was Victoria's second daughter, Princess Alice. Queen Elizabeth is a great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Philip is Victoria's great-great-grandson. In fact, it is Queen Victoria's connection to the Romanov's that links many members of European royal families to the doomed Russian royals. Victoria is known as the grandmother of Europe as her children married into royal families across the continent. Similarly, given that Nicholas II and Alexandra lived during a time when royalty almost exclusively married royalty, Russian royals found their way into a number of ruling families in the 19th century King Constantine II of Greece's great-grandmother was a Romanov grand duchess for example, and so the Greek royals, including Princess Olympia, are all distant relatives of the Romanov family as well. Caroline Hallemann Digital News Director As the digital news director for Town & Country, Caroline Hallemann covers everything from the British royal family to the latest episodes of Outlander, Killing Eve, and The Crown.