#june 1914

[mote-historie]

Evening gown by Lucile aka Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon, Les Modes Paris, June 1914

[ohsoromanov]

The Imperial Russian family visiting the Romanian Royal family in Constanța on June 14 (June 1), 1914. This would be the last official visit by the Romanovs before the outbreak of WWI a month later.

Nicholas II's visit to Romania in June 1914 was a significant diplomatic endeavor, occurring at a critical juncture in European history. This royal visit was aimed at strengthening Russia's alliances and influence in the Balkans, a region of strategic importance and political volatility. Romania, with its strategic position on the Black Sea, was a key player in the complex web of European politics, and Russia sought to cultivate closer ties with the Romanian monarchy.

The visit also had a personal dimension, as there were family connections between the Russian and Romanian royal houses. Queen Elisabeth of Romania, known by her pen name Carmen Sylva, was a distant relative of Nicholas II. Such royal visits were common practice among European monarchs, serving not only diplomatic purposes but also reinforcing the personal relationships between royal families.

Some historians suggest that one of the underlying motives for this visit might have been to explore the possibility of a marriage between Nicholas' daughter Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and Crown Prince Carol of Romania. This potential match was seen as a way to further cement Russian-Romanian relations.

However, the timing of this visit proved to be particularly significant. It took place just weeks before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, an event that would trigger World War I. In retrospect, this diplomatic journey can be seen as one of the last major peacetime engagements for Nicholas II before Europe plunged into conflict.

Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna noted in her diary:

“At about 10 a.m. we arrived at the pier in Constanta. We paid a visit to the King and Queen and went with them to the Cathedral. So many people! After returning, Papa and the King went somewhere and then to the “Cahul”. Breakfast with the Queen in the pier pavilion with the whole family… At 6 o’clock we went to the parade for the troops. All the handsome! Mama didn’t go. At 8 o’clock with Papa, Mama, Romanians and z of us went to the Palace for a state dinner. Illumination, fireworks…”

In the evening, the Romanian Royal Family held a State Banquet for Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna at the Royal Palace of Constanța.

“The Empress was wearing a classic, flowing dress. Her hair was decorated with a diamond ribbon. Queen Elizabeth forgot her orders, and then the Empress took off her own to be on an equal footing with her. Crown Princess Marie was the only one who wore her orders, and this was her only decoration, except for a large diamond cross on a long chain…”

The Russian and Romanian Royal Families tried to engineer a marriage between Crown Prince Carol and Grand Duchess Olga during the visit:

‘In the summer of 1914, just prior to the outbreak of the First World War, the Romanov family boarded their imperial yacht “The Standart” and sailed to Constantza, Romania.The idea was to continue to pursue the idea of a diplomatic marriage between the royal houses of Russia and Romania. Grand Duchess Olga, Tsar Nicholas II’s eldest daughter, had reached marriageable age and would have made a good match for Carol, the eldest son of the Crown Prince and Princess of Romania. Earlier, the Romanian royal family visited the Romanovs at Tsarskoe Selo for several days, but no engagement between the couple was announced at the time. The of the 1914 state visit was to give it another try. However, Grand Duchess Olga was not interested in the Romanian prince, she insisted that she did not wish to leave her beloved Russia or change her nationality, as she would be forced to do if she married Carol. The idea of the Romanian marriage was abandoned with Russia’s embarkation on World War I, and Grand Duchess Olga remained unmarried.’ Carol did not find Olga’s high cheek-boned face and her curt and sensitive mannerism appealing as Olga was known to be rather independent and opinionated (one might say that Olga was ahead of her time) but also very compassionate and sensitive. And to make sure that Carol would not try to make any advancements on Tatiana (17), Maria (15), or Anastasia (13), all four of them spent time tanning before going on this voyage and as a result the Romanian nobles where put off by the Romanov daughters appearance (as darker skin was not considered the standard of beauty for Princesses at the time).

Nicholas wrote in his diary of the entire day (the imperial visit only lasted 14 hours):

June 1st. Sunday. At night, there was a slight rocking from the old swell. From 8 o'clock, we reduced speed as we approached within sight of Constanta, where we were scheduled to arrive at 10 o'clock. The weather was excellent and hot from the morning. The reception in Romania was ceremonial and very cordial, the day's program was full and busy, so we were on our feet all the time. The King is quite vigorous, the Queen less mobile, remarkably gracious; I hadn't seen her since the funeral of old Emperor Wilhelm in 1888. After mutual visits, we went to the cathedral, where a prayer service was held. From the yacht, the King took me on a rowing boat to inspect the port, which is broadly conceived. I visited the "Kagul" with him. We had a family lunch in the Queen's pavilion. There was a pleasant sea breeze there. We returned to the yacht around 3:30. I received a delegation of our Skoptsy, the chairman of the Council of Ministers Brătianu, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. By this time, the Romanians invited for tea started to gather. There was a family tea on the poop deck. At 6 o'clock, I went with the King to the parade of troops of the 5th Army Corps. He rode at their head. I liked the appearance of the people, their faces remind me of our southerners. The ceremonial march lasted an hour. After changing clothes at my quarters, we went at 8 o'clock to the palace in the city for a grand dinner with speeches. This took place in a hall specially built at the palace. The conversations were brief. We returned to the pier to the Queen's pavilion... At 11 o'clock, we said goodbye to the hospitable Romanian family and those seeing us off, and at 11:25 we departed from the pier. The night was marvelous and moonlit.

Full video [x]

[visionsofour-past]

• Niño Soldado (Child Soldier).

Artist: Agustín Víctor Casasola (Mexican, 1874–1938)

Date: June 1914

Medium: Gelatin silver print

[ohsoromanov]

The Romanov Family in Constanta, Romania. June 1914.

[mote-historie]

Charles Martin, Carrosse Automobile de Grand Gala (Grand Gala Car Hire), La Gazette du Bon Ton, June 1914.

[today-in-wwi]

Martial Law in Sarajevo

June 30 saw the first day of relative calm in Sarajevo since the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.  Martial law was declared the previous evening by Austrian military governor Oskar Potiorek, putting an end to the anti-Serb riots that had targeted Serbian-owned businesses and residences in the Bosnian capital.

[wittyhistorian]

100 Years Ago Today

100 years ago it was 27 June 1914. It was a Saturday. Europe was still clinging to the Gilded Age of Edwardian style. The United States was still isolationist, although Stretching her legs after the Spanish American War. The Russian Royal family was taking a cruise on their royal steamer the Standart. It was just another June day kept in the pockets of History. Nothing significant. Nothing noteworthy.  But Remember that today marks the 100th anniversary of when peace in Europe and throughout the world disappeared in the evening sunset. Tomorrow will mark 100 years since the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia. While the battles and advances on the Eastern and Western front didn't start till August, the shot that started it all had not yet been fired 100 year ago today. There were whispers of a possible conflict, but it was far from the horizon. 100 years ago today, there was still a future and a world of possibilities for the 9 million that would die on the battlefield, or the millions more that would suffer the after affects of war. 100 years ago today millions throughout the British Empire that would later be called away across the sea to answer for king and country, were tucked in their own corner of the empire, living their lives with their families, never dreaming they'd find themselves in a foxhole in France. We will have 4 years to mark the centennial of the war, but we just have today to take that quiet moment and remember the last day of opportunity, of possibility and of peace that rose with the sun on 27 June 1914.

[biggreenwrecker-blog]

There are days of deepest sorrow In the season of our life; There are wild despairing moments That overtake us in the strife; There are hours of stony anguish, When the tears refuse to fall; But the waiting time, my brother, Is the hardest time of all Youth and love are oft impatient, Seeking things beyond their reach; And the heart grows faint with hoping Ere it learns what life can teach; But before the fruit be gathered, We must see the blossoms fall; And the waiting time, my brother, Is the hardest time of all. When our faith has grasped the promise of the rapture yet afar, While the blissful vision tarries, Oh, how long the season are. Ere the morn of glory dawneth, Night must spread her darkest pall, But the waiting time, my brother, Is the hardest time of all. But at last we learn the lesson That God knoweth what is best, And a silent resignation Makes the spirit calm and blest. For we know the days are coming, When our hearts will thank Him meekly That He taught us how to wait.

June 1914 page of a gospel magazine that had never seen the light til we opened up a nearly 200 year old bible (I had posted pics of it before) and it was folded up in the psalms about good will and happiness. This is what is said. It's very good advice... even if you aren't religious. I'm not and I find it very inspiring.