Thursday, March 07, 2013

400 Years Ago

After more than a decade of near anarchy on 21 February (OS) / March 6 (NS) 1613 an assembly of the Russian nobles offered the crown to sixteen year old Michael Romanov who became Czar Michael I and the first of the House of Romanov to rule Russia. Solemn ceremonies marked the anniversary throughout Russia yesterday including a hierarchical liturgy in the Imperial Crypt in the Fortress of Peter & Paul in St. Petersburg and the ringing of the bells in the Kremlin Cathedrals.

Czar Michael I the first Romanov Czar

H.I.H. Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna de jure Czarina and Empress of All Russia

God Save Her Imperial Majesty!

2 comments:

off2 said...

I got the impression that none of the Imperial Family met the de jure requirements. She is certainly the only pretender pushing it.

Bill, tGf

James said...

It is interesting that Michael Romanov was, in effect, elected. So, inheritance is not the sole determinate of who occupies the Russian throne. In fact most monarchies, including the British, have been subject to some form of election at times of hiatus. Presumably, in Russia the ultimate decision today as to who should be Tsar would lie with the State Duma.