WI: Romanovs Survives?

Sian

Sian

What would happen if loyalists manages to sneak the Romanov's out of Bolshevik control (lets say shortly after the abdication of Nicolas II), with them ending up in exile, most probably either in UK (familial ties and as the strongest nation around) or Denmark (primarily due to strong ties that the family, specially Nicolas's mother who were a Danish princess had there, with Denmark having a good case for being the de-facto neutral meeting place for North European royals).

How would the surrounding nations, and the far-flung royal family react to such a change, and how would Bolsheviks react to the fact that they have some pretenders with so much unquestioned legality?
 
Avrorrange

Avrorrange

Sian said:
What would happen if loyalists manages to sneak the Romanov's out of Bolshevik control (lets say shortly after the abdication of Nicolas II), with them ending up in exile, most probably either in UK (familial ties and as the strongest nation around) or Denmark (primarily due to strong ties that the family, specially Nicolas's mother who were a Danish princess had there, with Denmark having a good case for being the de-facto neutral meeting place for North European royals).

How would the surrounding nations, and the far-flung royal family react to such a change, and how would Bolsheviks react to the fact that they have some pretenders with so much unquestioned legality?
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What legality?The Romanovs have squandered them all already.
 

Citycat

They would probably spend the remainder of their lives in exile in some small European country (not the UK, as they ruled this out already) that's willing to take them in. The Communists would make sure they have no chance of returning to power.

Who knows, Nicky and his equally incompetent relative Wilhelm might meet up in the Netherlands and make up with each other.
 

David T

Even Russian conservatives had little use for the Romanovs by 1917-18. In fact, not one of the White leaders proclaimed restoration of the monarchy as a political objective. (Their official line was always that the question of whether Russia would be a monarchy or republic would have to be settled in the future by a Consitutent Assembly. As Denikin wrote in 1918, "If I raise the republican flag I will lose one half [of the Volunteers] and if I raise the monarchist flag--the other half will leave me.") It was precisely the fact of the murder of the Imperial Family by the Bolsheviks that made the Romanovs heroes to the Whites. As I have suggested in some prior posts: If the Bolshevik leaders were smart, they would allow--or rather force--Nicholas to
flee abroad and then claim that he was masterminding every anti-Bolshevik movement in Russia (including Left SRs and Anarchists) and for that matter all oppositionist movements within the Bolshevik party...
 

HIM Dogson

hasdrubal barca said:
I'm curious how the exiled Romanovs would view Nazi invasion of Soviet Union??
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Assuming we have a butterfly net up, the Romanovs would probably, much like most Russians, first greet the Nazis as liberators and quickly change their tune once the sheer extent of Nazi brutality came to the forefront. Hell, I could even see Stalin using them for propaganda, similar to the way he used the Orthodox Church.
 

Blackfox5

Likely minimal impact. They should be able to better unite the White Russian exiles, but that is almost meaningless.

Assuming Grand Duke Michael survives (the Tsar's brother, and the first of the Romanovs to be murdered in June 1918 - but he was put under arrest in August 1917 by the Provisional government and then followed a cycle of being released and then rearrested), he'll likely be the head of the family and the natural leader of the emigres. He was probably the most highly regarded male Romanov. He had a good war record, favored a constitutional monarchy, and seemed to have a level head. Nicholas II actually abdicated in favor of him rather than his hemophiliac son. If he survives, there is a slight chance he could help unite the White Russians during the civil war. However, it is important to know that none of the White Armies were in favor of restoring the monarchy. However, if Michael spoke in favor of land reform or autonomy for the Cossacks, then it might push the White Russians to agree in principal to these policies and do better at winning the loyalty of the people. Perhaps even helping to unite the various anti-Bolshevik factions (Whites, SRs, nationalists). However, I think such a possibility very slim. It would take a very dynamic leader, and I don't see Michael as that despite his good qualities. He could prove an effective leader in exile though - but that has limited benefits.
 

Citycat

HIM Dogson said:
Assuming we have a butterfly net up, the Romanovs would probably, much like most Russians, first greet the Nazis as liberators and quickly change their tune once the sheer extent of Nazi brutality came to the forefront. Hell, I could even see Stalin using them for propaganda, similar to the way he used the Orthodox Church.
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Stalin might have sent agents overseas to assassinate the royal family during the height of his paranoia in the 1930s.

And then still use them as martyrs/propaganda during WWII.
 

mcdnab

The Romanov's were rather a spent force by the time of Nicholas' abdication. Their failure to agree on a solution to the collapsing regime was in part what destroyed their chances. Nicholas himself was rather bitter at his brother's refusal to accept the Imperial crown unless offered by the constituent assembly so he is likely to stay on the sidelines carping at the rest of the family whilst his wife sinks into her health concerns (whether real or imagined).

None of the remaining Romanov's were in agreement and most had lost all patience or tolerance for Alexandra - so the former Imperial couple are probably going to end up rather ignored by the rest of the family with the exception of Nicholas' mother and sisters. (and relations with them wasn't that good with the exception of Olga)

Assuming all the Romanov's escape then the leader is Michael and he has little choice but to distance himself from his brother...and assuming he escapes he has a wife who his mother and sister in law won't receive.

The other Grand Duke's were a mixed bag but none of them have any great shining quality and weren't the sort of people to inspire anyone.

In terms of where they go - well that might not be easy but I suspect initially Sweden for the former Emperor (if they got out quickly then it was the easiest and most obvious) - with German defeat Alexandra may well have wanted to return to Darmstadt and her brother was probably the only one who would have put up with her. If Alexis survives to adulthood he may resent his overprotective parents who denied him his birthright and might make a useful tool for the Nazi's during WWII.

I suspect France for most of the rest of the family initially - many of them had property there - Britain refused entry to all Grand Duke's (it allowed Xenia in with her children and she would remain there for the rest of her life), Christian X was a reluctant host to his Aunt the Dowager Empress, largely because she remained popular in Denmark. (Financially Marie was largely supported by George V, Christian X and Queen Maud of Norway I doubt their generosity would have extended to the former Emperor in quite the same way)
 

thefrecklepuny

There was a possibility of Tsar Nicholas II finding sanctuary in Britain. One issue envisioned at the time by advisors to George V was the fact that a 'popular uprising' had removed a monarch. Proof of any that kings and queens were not invincible.

The last thing the British establishment wanted was for their own 'riff raff' to get any ideas above their station.
 

Zheng He

We've discussed this before, a lot of us came to the conclusion that they would have eventually found their way to the United States where the girls would have married into rich families who like the idea of getting some form of European aristocracy into their families.
 
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