FROM SPLENDOR TO REVOLUTION

From Splendor to Revolution: The Romanov Women, 1847-1928 by Gelardi, Julia P.



From Splendor to Revolution: the Romanov Women, 1847-1928 by Gelardi, Julia P.

Section 1

A contributor to Publishers Weekly noted that in From Splendor to Revolution, "Gelardi ably weaves in the extended family ties that connected most European rulers." In Kirkus Reviews, a contributor described the book as "a thick, murky exploration of Romanov royalty" that is "likely to interest only die-hard Romanov scholars." "Gelardi has done her homework, drawing on an impressive array of primary and secondary sources," related Mary Ellen Quinn in Booklist. In Library Journal, Lisa Guidarini concluded that From Splendor to Revolution, is a "richly detailed account, sure to captivate."

Section 2

Historically, royal mothers have served a duality. The first and foremost job of the royal mother was to produce the heir to the throne. In that sense, the royal mother was seen as a body, rather than as an individual. The second job of the royal mother was to represent the icon of motherhood.

Expectations of Royal Mothers

The lives of royal mothers have never been entirely private due to the custom of hereditary succession. Queens were expected to produce heirs to continue the line, which in many cases meant male children, and were valued or devalued according to their success in doing so. For example, in seeking a male heir, Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) married six times, had two of his wives executed, and separated the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church because the Catholic Church would not grant him a divorce or annulment of his first marriage. His daughter Elizabeth I never married and had no offspring, two facts that occasioned much comment: she was referred to as the “Virgin Queen.” To take a more recent example, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (1819-1901) was noted for her many offspring: she had nine children and was nicknamed “the grandmother of Europe” because so many of her line occupied royal offices throughout Europe.

In most modern constitutional monarchies, the royal family is more a symbol of the nation than the heir of any real governmental power. For instance, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain has pointedly avoided making political statements and assumed a primarily symbolic role in representing her country. She has also attracted negative public attention through the behavior of her children (particularly Charles, Prince of Wales) and for what was perceived as insufficient recognition of the death of her daughter-in-law, Diana Spencer.

Royal Mothers in History

Queen Mary of Modena was unable to give birth, having lost four children to stillbirth and miscarriage. When she finally gave birth to a son, James, his legitimacy was called into question. Often, the paternity of a royal child was called into question; but in this situation, it was the maternity of the child that was scrutinized. Regardless of the fact that 40 people witnessed the birth of Queen Mary of Modena's son, Protestants questioned his legitimacy, citing her difficulty to conceive and give birth to a ...