Dagmar of Denmark

Princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar (November 26, 1847 – October 13, 1928), who was known as Maria Fyodorovna (in Russian Мария Фёдоровна) after her marriage to Tsar Alexander III was the mother of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II of the Romanov Dynasty. She was baptized Dagmar Marie. Her father Christian IX, who, because of the brilliant marriages of his children, was known as the "Father-in-law of Europe," was the king of Denmark (1863–1906).

She was a younger sister of Alexandra, Queen Consort of King Edward VII and mother of George V of the United Kingdom. This helps to explains why there is such a striking resemblance between Nicholas II and George V of the United Kingdom.

She was married to Alexander III. Pretty and popular, Maria Fyodorovna rarely interfered with politics, preferring to devote her time and energies to her family, to her charities, and to the more social side of her position. Her one exception to this "hands off" policy was her militant dislike of Germany.

Despite the overthrow of the monarchy (1917), the Empress Maria at first refused to leave Russia: it was only in 1919, at the urging of her sister Alexandra, that she grudgingly departed. After a brief visit to London, she returned to her native Denmark, choosing as her home Hvidøre, her former holiday villa near Copenhagen. There she remained until her death in 1928; following services in Copenhagen's Orthodox church, she was interred at Roskilde Cathedral. As of this writing (May, 2005), following years of negotiations between the Danish and Russian governments, permission has been granted for the Empress's remains to be returned to St. Petersburg, where seventy-seven years after her death, she will finally be interred next to her beloved husband.

Plays and films aside, Maria Fedorovna never met any of the Anastasia claimants; indeed, to the end of her life, she refused to acknowledge that the massacre of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren had ever taken place.

The children of Tsar Alexander III and Maria Fedorovna:

• Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia (June 7, 1867 – May 2, 1870).
• Tsar Nikolai II (May 6, 1868 – July 17, 1918).
• Grand Duke Georgi of Russia (May 6, 1871 – August 9, 1899).
• Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (April 6, 1875 – April 20, 1960).
• Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich (November 28, 1878 – c. June 12, 1918).
• Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia (June 13, 1882 – November 24, 1960).