In
1904, only 31 years old, Alix was one of the most prominent figures
in history. She was the Empress of a land so vast that surely no
one person could see it all in their lifetime. She stood lovingly
beside her husband, her arm wrapped delicately in his. Peering out
from behind their parents stood four little girls, Alicky's pride
and joy. Yet they were the constant reminder that she had yet to
fulfill her one and only duty to her husband and country. This was
a burden that by now was weighing heavily on her mind.
Alexandra's obsession with bearing a son was heightened
during her 1900 pregnancy. Her husband was terribly ill and seemed
near death at times, and there was no one to carry on his legacy.
The thought of Nicky's youngest brother, Mikhail, ruling Russia
was not one Alix wished to contemplate. She expected to be named
regent of Russia until her baby was born, figuring she might have
been carrying a boy. In the end the succession question was of no
consequence, with Alix as his nurse Nicky made a beautiful recovery.
The birth in 1901 produced another daughter and not the Heir that
Nicky, Alix, and all of Russia were praying for.
The next year a great mystery surrounded Alix
and a pregnancy that perhaps never was. She appeared pregnant, and
the doctors were convinced of her condition, but that summer all
of her hopes and prayers ended with nothing. On 17 August it was
confirmed, there was no baby growing inside of her. Perhaps the
whole thing was hysterical. At any rate Alix was back to where she
was last year, with four daughters and no son.
1904 was a year of great joy and great misery.
The year opened with the Imperial Family in St. Petersburg. Nicky
oversaw the Procession adorned in his uniform of the Cavalry Guard.
Alix couldn't make it, the young Empress was battling influenza.
Only 25 days later war was declared on Japan. 19 days after that
Alix received terrible news from her sister. Her four year old nephew,
Prince Henry of Prussia, had died after sustaining an injury to
his head. The news left Alix in tears that she couldn't hide in
church that day.
Less than a month later finally good news would be broken, Alix
was once again expecting. She kept a low key during this pregnancy,
revealing it to family members only when she could no longer hide
a growing waist.
By the middle of July the whole of Russia anxiously
awaited the new addition to the Emperor's family.
