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Nicholas Alexandrovich, Crown Prince of Russia

Tsarskoye Selo, 20 Sep 1843 – Nice, 24 Apr 1865

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 20 Sep 1843

    Born in Tsarskoye Selo

  2. 24 Apr 1865

    Dies in Nice, aged 21

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 3 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Tsarskoye Selo.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1840s · Nicholas is born in Tsarskoye Selo

In the news1848

Cholera and Crop Failures in 1848

In 1848, a major cholera epidemic, coupled with a bad harvest and dry weather that caused widespread town fires, severely disrupted the lives of the agrarian population.

Getting around

Vast network of postal relay stations

The postal system maintained approximately 3,950 relay stations across the empire, utilizing over 50,000 horses to provide fresh teams for travelers and mail couriers.

In Europe1845–1852

The Great Famine in Ireland

Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.

Daily life

Lighting and window materials in peasant homes

Peasant huts were typically illuminated by a torch inserted into the crack of the stove or by simple wicks dipped in oil. Glass was expensive and often replaced by bull bladders in peasant homes, while wealthier villagers began using mica.

What people wore

A single lifetime festive outfit

Peasants often prepared one high-quality outfit in their youth that was kept for their entire lives to be worn only on the most important feast days.

Music

Village musicians and popular instruments

During festival gatherings, village musicians played instruments including the balalaika, violin, horn, and the dudka, a flute-like pipe used primarily by men.

At the table

Staple Foods of Ordinary Russian Families

Ordinary families primarily ate rye bread and various porridges, with cabbage soup known as shchi being a staple dish served year-round. Meat was a rare luxury for the poor, typically reserved for major holidays like Christmas and Easter, while fish and vegetables were more accessible.