He was lucky to become related to one of the most powerful royal families. He became an unhappy person, since from now on his freedom was strictly limited by his title.
Kings can do anything. Monarchs are especially adept at mutilating the fate of their relatives by unceremoniously invading their personal lives. Our hero became a victim of intrigue in a country far from his home, at the court, where he was treated like a poor relative. Would his biography be different if he had stayed in Germany? There are doubts on this score.
Childhood
In July 1823, the Grand Duchess of Hesse Wilhelmina gave birth to a child. Everyone knew that she had a quarrel with her husband Ludwig II several years ago, and the father of the baby Alexander is the chamberlain of the crowned person. The relatives of the woman in labor managed to convince the duke to recognize her son, hiding the shame of the family and preventing rumors of her own male powerlessness. The lecher and the fruit of her illegal passion were saved from rumor, but they no longer wanted to see them in the capital.
The boy grew up on his mother's estate in Heiligenberg. When he was one year old, he had a sister, Maria. The impudent Wilhelmina again forced her faithful to endow the illegitimate child with all the privileges of a person of royal blood. For the sake of the children, she was not ready for everything, but not everything was in her power. The Duchess was glad that her son prefers quiet fun, was carried away by numismatics and did not dream of a career at court.
Youth
From an early age, the sister of our hero was fascinated by musical creativity. She herself played musical instruments and did not miss a single opera premiere. In 1838 she announced that she had met a charming Russian Tsarevich at the theater and would marry him. The girl vowed to take her brother from the provinces to the brilliant St. Petersburg. This happened in 1840.
The future Alexander II wanted to emphasize that he was not interested in dirty gossip about the origin of his wife, therefore he was very merciful to her relatives. He made his namesake captain in the regiment of cavalry guards. Our hero settled in Tsarskoe Selo and quickly got to know the local nobility. Russian aristocrats were delighted with his good manners and education. They were especially surprised by their modesty of this young man. When, in 1844, the emperor decided to transfer Prince Alexander from the guard to the hussars, he was not indignant. The next year he went to Tiflis, where he joined the troops who fought with the mountaineers.
Marry for love
Returning to the capital, the young officer began to attend balls. According to many ladies, he was different for the better from most of their contemporaries. Prince Alexander fell in love with the daughter of Chief Marshal Andrei Shuvalov, Sophia, and was about to marry her when the sovereign himself intervened in amorous affairs. Nicholas I did not want the elevation of his courtier. In 1850, he forbade the couple to marry. Relationships outside of marriage did not suit the lovers, so the couple broke up.
Prince Alexander of Hesse-Darmstadt was very upset. One of the ladies-in-waiting Julia Gauke undertook to console him. It cost nothing to seduce the unfortunate man. The only drawback that the charming woman possessed was her daddy's contribution to the Polish uprising against Russian rule. Our hero adhered to old traditions, so he again trudged to a powerful family to ask permission for marriage. The emperor perceived this German demure as a noteworthy loser, he again refused his relative's request. What was the surprise of Nikolai Pavlovich when in the fall of 1851, against his will, Alexander took Julia to Breslau and married her.
Newlyweds
The rebel had to be severely punished for disobedience. Nicholas I was afraid of a scandal, therefore he summoned Alexander to himself and, with threats, forced him to independently ask for resignation and leave Russia. The sweet couple could not go to Germany. The elder brother of our hero ruled there, who had already heard rumors about the trick of Wilhelmina's illegitimate son. The only way for the exile to provide for a family was to seek military service abroad.
The resignation of the empress's brother was perceived negatively by the Russian officers. During the Caucasian campaign, this young man showed himself to be a competent specialist, able to work in the headquarters. With such a reputation, it was not difficult for Alexander to enlist in the army in Austria-Hungary. Having received in 1855 the news of the death of his persecutor, the prince hastened to return to St. Petersburg. He was graciously received by his sister's husband and appointed chief of the Novomirgorod uhlan regiment.
Homecoming
Our hero led the troops that Russia sent to help France in 1859. For his courage he was awarded George. In 1866, Alexander II recommended the prince's candidacy for the post of commander-in-chief of the united army of the German principalities in the war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The prince became famous and respected, but he remained a poor relative of the Russian emperor. The aristocrat did not want to grow old in a strange house.
In 1858 Alexander decided to travel with his family to Darmstadt. The court gossips prepared all sorts of intrigues for Julia, who was reputed to be a dissolute and illiterate person. To their surprise, the prince introduced the nobles to a modest and virtuous mother of five children. Moved by Ludwig III, he bestowed the title of von Battenberg on his nephews. In 1880 the whole family moved to Alexander's native land. He died in December 1888 in Darmstadt.
