Russian Tsars Family Tree | Ivan the Terrible to Nicholas II 

"epileptic seizure while playing with a knife" ah, yes, the good ol' slip and fall (on top of a knife)

Romanovs getting the throne wasn't quite the start from scratch that it may have looked like since Filaret was Rurikid on his mother's side.

Why didn't you mention the fact that Alexander II was assassinated? That was partially why his successor Alexander III rolled back reforms.

Another great video! Thanks and greetings from Russia! One thing you didn't mention when talking about how it went wrong, it's that Alexander II was killed by revolutionary terrorists. He was reforming the state, but they wanted immediate radical change and were ready to kill for it. So his son, seeing that, believed that any kind of change is wrong and reforms are bad. He turned the country back, and this only made a revolution more likely.

Anyone who’s read “War and Peace” will know that the book primarily takes place during the reign of Alexander I, although the epilogue does cover the rise of the Decembrists, and Tolstoy’s whole motive for writing the book in the first place was because he wanted to tell the story of the return of the surviving Decembrists from exile (which I believe took place in the 1850s)...but in order to tell that story, he also had to tell the story of the Decembrists...but in order to tell that story, he also had to tell the story of how the Napoleonic Wars (and the French occupation of Moscow in 1812) led to the policies that led to the rise of the Decembrists in the first place. By the time he finishes telling his story, he ends up giving the world one epic story and he only remembers to mention the Decembrists at the very end (although it is implied that either Pierre or his son, I can’t remember which one off the top of my head, ends up becoming one of the Decembrists).

I think that you might have mentioned that Alexander II was blown to pieces by an assassin's bomb. This heavily influenced his son and grandson who therefore saw liberalism as a dangerous weakness. Their reactionary attitude partially led to the eventual revolution.

The story of Ivan V makes me so sad. My son is mentally and physically disabled and the idea that a bunch of people in this young man's family just used him and manipulated him, then ignored him after he served their purposes, until he died, infuriates and saddens me. Apparently though, his wife was very kind and loving to him, which is nice to know.

I just had a PowerPoint about the history of Russia 🇷🇺 this would have been so useful

As much as Nicholas and George look a like, that want enough motivation for King George to keep his word and rescue the family and bring them back to England

FUN FACT - my History teacher in the early 1980s actually looked like Rasputin and we all called him by that name 😂 He was a really good teacher though. I'm in the UK

There lived a certain man, in Russia long ago He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow Most people looked at him with terror and with fear But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear He could preach the Bible like a preacher Full of ecstasy and fire But he also was the kind of teacher Women would desire Ra, Ra, Rasputin Lover of the Russian Queen There was a cat that really was gone Ra, Ra, Rasputin Russia's greatest love machine It was a shame how he carried on

It's interesting to see just how Germanized the Romanovs became . The last czar Nicholas II was 1.5% Russian at best in terms of ancestry . His children 0.7% . They were basically German by this point.

Fun fact: Paul I thought that his mother was going to pass the crown to his son, Alexander I. Which is why he sought for the succession documents. Another fun fact: Paul I visited a “holy man” that “predicted” his family’s future. He then wrote a letter only to be opened and read 100 years later. It was Nicholas II that opened and read it with his wife. Nicholas and his wife were both somewhat excited to read it entering, only to be depressed when they left. The letter Paul wrote, spoke of what Paul listened to the holy man said, speaking of a tragedy befalling their dynasty and the empire. Including the Great War. And an addendum to Jack’s mention of Alexander III: Alexander III pushed back against his father’s reforms because he had several assassination attempts on him (Alexander II). Even during his visit to Paris, lucky enough the gun of the would-be assassin did not fire. Alexander II was killed by a second bomb after surviving the initial blast while checking on his retinue and the people that were hit. Alexander III concluded from this that the liberal reform policies implemented by his father were the cause of his demise. Interesting to know: Alexander was told that he would face a number of assassination attempts by a “holy man” (iirc). He might have concluded that the initial blast was the last attempt. It was Alexander II’s several assassination attempts and death that ended any walks outside without guards or retinue. His carriage was a bomb-proof one sent by my nephew, Napoleon III. It was very damaged after the first blast. Lastly, he also often went out on strolls in St. Petersburg without guards or retinue, the people would either normally greet, or just pass. Either way, a stroll. Alexander I might have faked his own death to become a monk, and hid in the far east. A report discovered an old man many years after his ‘death’ matching his description, with general knowledge and some items on the events during his reign, but doesn’t speak much of himself.

Alexander II was the last opportunity for Russia to modernise. Sadly, his son and grandson were bad rulers, if he hadn't been assasinated, he'd probably outlived his son and educated his grandson. One of the reasons why Nicholas was so fearful is because he ended up traumatized after seeing his grandfather dying in the Winter Palace, bleeding to death and with his legs destroyed.

This channel is gold! Thank you for your wonderful work!

Alexander iii harsh reaction was in part due to the fact that his father was assassinated

If you do a reboot of the "who would be Emperor of Russia today" video you should explain all the mess about morganatic and unequal marriages otherwise the viewers can't understand why Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna and Karl Emich of Leiningen think they have a claim.

The map at 8:09 is incorrect if it's supposed to show Peter the Great's expansion since Finland wasn't part of the Russian Empire until 1809.

Thank you this was brilliant as the last few weeks I've been studying Nicholas and Alexandra and their deaths etc

The person your chart is referring to as Anna Carlovna is always called Anna Leopoldovna in Russia

Great video! Also Jack impressed me with his correct pronunciation of name Władysław

That Russia is way too big for Peter the Great. In fact, it looks awfully like the Sowjet Union ...

WONDERFULLY DONE!

Keep up the good work!

I love your videos for the history and entertainment value. My cat loves your videos for the mouse movement. I have an adorable pic of her watching the TV.

In fact, Holstein-Gottrov was a branch of Oldenburg, the then-Denmark-Norway dynasty.

Way better than the original. Much more detail. Good job 👍

Excited for part 3

just a small nit-pick, but since on the chart, the romanian coat-of-arms was so near the russian family tree, I couldn't help but notice that you are using the modern version of it, while the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringens used to put their house crest (a black and white shield) right in the middle of it

It's a really good insight video about the Romanovs but you didn't include the reason why Alexander III turned into autocratic rule once again; his late father was assassinated and in his eyes this was due to his moderate point of view. Ah, and you could have paid a little mention about Maria Feodorovna, Paul's wife and her role as Dowager Emperess during the Napoleonic wars.

Informative!

Grand Duke Constantine is shown as a son of Nicholas I in the video, when it should be labelled as his brother.

Nicholas II was not the final Russian monarch, that would be his brother, the Grand Duke Micheal Alexandrovich, who was Tsar Mikhail II for approximately a day before he released a declaration not renouncing or abdicating the throne, but deferring acceptance of the Crown to the deliberative organs of the Russian Government. Neither the Duma, nor the Provisional Government, the Council of Ministers, the Petrograd Soviet, the All-Russian Constituent Assembly or Red Movement ever addressed this question. Alexander Kolchak, when he became the leader of the White Movement signed an agreement with the Allied Commission in Paris (from WWI) stating that he would under any circumstances restore “the regime that the Revolution had destroyed” ie, the monarchy, but this occurred approximately one year after the Grand Duke’s murder in June 1918. Addendum: Just to clarify, the Grand Duke *never* used the word referendum in his declaration. He stated that the Duma or any legitimately elected Governing body of Russia should determine the form of government, not the people.

So. How do I throw my hat into the ring as a contender? The family lore is that Alex II was my great-grandfather by a Polish maid in the Winter Palace. My Uncles grew up in that house and often told us stories of their former lives. Granddad was half brother to Alex III making my dad the cousin of Nickolas II. Yes, I understand it was a morganatic relationship which started this line but I am a direct male descendant of the former Tzar. Not and offshoot through several marriages. And, like a true Russian Tzar, I don’t speak Russian. LOL.

Good video!

If you are looking for Latin American themes, I can recommend the quatrocentonas families which are families that have been in the brazilian elite for centuries. Two interesting ones might be the Setúbal family that owns Brazil's largest private bank and the Monjardim family which is the family of Maysa a famous singer that married into the Matarazzos, the richest immigrant family of early 20th century Brazil.

Awesome!

It’s crazy how people are casually deposed by wives or they just take power without actual family ties.

That old epileptic seizure while playing with a knife Chestnut.

Thank you..

Nicholas when his advisors said to not do that because that would upset the people: “People? What People?” proceeds to kill them

Will there ever be a combined huge east north west chart? I would absolutely love/buy that.

8:08 Königsberg became part of Russia in 1945, Peter the Great died 220 years earlier

Another interesting thing to note about the reforms of Peter the Great is that he abolished the Patriarchate of Moscow and replaced it with the "Holy Synod", which essentially functioned as a tool by which the Church could be subjugated to the will of the Tsar. It wasn't until 1917 that Patriarch Saint Tikhon of Moscow was elected at the new Patriarch of Moscow after 200 years.

17:58 Who could've predicted 120ish years ago these two nations would take completely different routes?

Can you do a video on Queen Victoria and how literally every single monarchy was connected to her 😂 I just went down her family line and realised that her great grandchildren were those of the last Tsar, she’s also Prince Philips great grandmother (could be more greats in there but I briefly looked so I didn’t count) and not to mention the current HRH Queen Elizabeth the second. The only person not related is Megan, I bet if we went down Kate Middleton’s line she would be connected somehow too. Such a huge honeycomb of breeding, I’m surprised that history was able to keep such a detailed record of all of them 😵😳

Good job

Next you should do on who would be king of England if Harold Godwinson Won 1066

thnak you!!!

I've always been interested in the Russian royals. Thank you for the video!

could you do a video on how henry viii is related to all of his wives? distantly of course but i saw somewhere that they do all share a common ancestor

Matt and Jack could make a video about if Cromwell accepted the title of King and his descendants still ruled England

uploaded this right as my class started

Please consider doing a video on Monarchs of Sicily, starting with Count Roger I of Hauteville.

8:21 - It's the map of the USSR after 1945, not the Russian Empire in the 17th century.

This is a very good video.

Just to point out that Alexander I onwards they were also grand dukes/princes of finland

Wow. What a powerfull tree. These guys made big hisory.

Nice

Fascinating.🤔

It went out with a bang.

2:02 Dimitry was An Imposter

Oh yes

Perfect that tsars are updated the week after Rurik dynasty

Peter The great founded St Petersburg, but it was not named after him like many think, it was named after Saint Peter, one of Jesus's Twelve Apostles

Another amazing video! 4:10 Imagine if Sigismund III was less of an uncompromising blockhead. History of Europe and the world could have been significantly different. People, including historians, have been downplaying the role of individuals in history for a century or so, as a pushback against the great man theory of history but I think we could consider the merits of an "individual f*uckups" theory of history, as I like to call it. Also, imagine Empress Elisabeth not dying suddenly in 1762 or Catherine the Great dying a few years earlier, leaving the Commonwealth free to fully implement the reforms of the Great Sejm (1788-92) with neither the 1792 Russo-Polish War nor the subsequent Second and Third Partitions happening.

What program do you use to make these family trees/charts? I’d love to use it to make my own family tree.

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich didn't exactly refuse the throne on the death of Alexander I. He had agreed in 1820 to be excluded from the throne as a condition of obtaining permission to marry (morganatically) Polish Countess Joanna Grudzinska. A cousin of mine was her sister-in-law. The Emperor signed the Manifesto two or three years into the marriage, but it was never published to the Imperial Court. Konstantin published it only a few weeks after the Emperor died in 1825.

idk if there is a comment about this, but since there are 336 prior comments and i can't read all of them: Tsar Alexander II was the first son and Grand Duke Constantine was the second son of Tsar Nicholas I, respectively (and thus the ancestor of Prince Phillip and Charles). But otherwise: Love the Channel, Love Matt, Love Jack TTYL

their is a hell of a lot more then just those 10 branches.

Catherine the Great - - - - - - Seabiscuit

My uncle was working on a family tree unfortunately passed away before he could finish one thing he came across was my family who was related to a tzar Stanislaw POTINSKI Zygmunt POTINSKI. I’m trying myself to finish the tree !

Dmitry was The Imposter.

Day 1 of asking you to do the Lithuanian leaders family tree

0:46 The time of Troubles. Sounds nice.

I still think Michael Alexandrovitch was the actual last legal Tsar

I love how these are put together but this one was a little to dry and very confusing to follow 🤯

False Dimitry was the Impostor 0 impostors remain

Ertugul family tree next please

🔥

So Hey there When do we get a House of Flanders and House of Reginar / House of Brabant Video?

Reminder: From Peter III onward, all of the emperors or czars of Russia were from the house of Holstein-Gottorp which is a branch of the Danish house of Oldenburg

8:20 It is not Russian Empire on the map. This is USSR in 1946-borders plus Finland. Many territories that are showing here as russian were independent or belonged to other states in XVIII century, some of them became russian only after WW2.

My favourite one is Ekaterina or Catherine the Great

Nicolas II children didn't deserve that terrible fate.

I could have lived to see the Romanovs in action today.

Video suggestion! Who would be king of England is oliver cromwell accepted the invitation to become king!

Your map at 8:09 does not represent the extent of the empire at the time voiceover talks about. Finland would remain with Sweden after the Great Northern War until 1809.

Ok, I just found some info I had been given from my father! It states that my family are descendants from Charlemagne, my dad’s grandfather was elected the new czar by the Boliars so it was czar Kharlomovs! Duchess of the Romonovs around WW1 From the Bolshevicks! Eugene Kharlomov Alexandervich, Wecheskav, Eugenevich Alexander wetcheslavavich the little empress! My mom was a French Queen from her heritage! This is some info that I was given from my father! They elected my family and were just about to make it more public than it already was and then all heck broke loose, apparently some very negative thinking people at that time period, felt that my family should be killed as well so they fled along with everyone else that fled and changed their name and grandma burned my grandpas papers without him knowing she was going to do it and then he died later...she died also...There is still my father & his sister, my aunt Natalea and she’s in New Jersey, my Grandparents lived in New Jersey! I was born in Virginia, I was given a gift from the Russian Embassy when I was born to my dad and mom and I still have it right now! It’s a Russian barrel and I have a Russian horse that was given to my brother.

2:01 SUS

The video you mentioned at the end is not uploaded? Was it taken down?

The mother of Ivan VI is called "Anna Leopoldovna" in Russian tradition, not "Anna Carlovna"

but daughter of Catherine Ioannovna/Ivanovna in Othrodoxy was named as Anna Leopoldovna, not Carlovna

Thoughts I just had: If Feodor I and Irene had A child, and said child got married to a Romanov person (It'd be the House of Rurik-Romanov, I assume) If Nicholas II wasn't killed in 1918 and if the Russian Revolution never happened at all. UsfelCharts makes these into videos

When is Italy family tree(savoy, bourbon, Anjou, Medici, Habsburg, este

Im interested in the first monarchs in europe and where did they come from originally? Where was the first castle built? Which nation had the 'first king queen' in Europe?

3:30 You mention that Vasily Shuyski was "not a member of the main branch". I don't think this is exactly accurate as he was actually a *relatively* close kinsman, a descendant of Alexander Nevsky's brother Andrey. A lot of the other Rurikid branches, especially the ones that ruled the formerly independent principalities (Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Rostov) are a lot more distant.

Ah the Romanovs. I'm sure the dynasty won't end tragically. 😉😉😉

Was gonna make a funni-clockman-Blessed-Tsar-Alexei-is-still-alive joke from TNO but neverminddd.

What app do you use for this?