![]() “The incarnation of modesty elevated by suffering,” as Maria was described during the last weeks of her life, she was able to maintain her kindness and optimism, even in the midst of violence and degradation. Maria’s gentle character belied her incredible courage, which emerged in the darkest hours of her brief life. The Grand Duchess was much more than a pretty princess wearing white dresses in hundreds of faded sepia photographs Maria’s surviving diaries and letters offer a fascinating insight into the private life of a loving family-from festivals and faith, to Rasputin and the coming Revolution it is clear why this middle child ultimately became a pillar of strength and hope for them all. In Maria Romanov: Third Daughter of the Last Tsar, Diaries and Letters, 1908–1918, by translator and researcher Helen Azar with George Hawkins, Mashka’s voice is heard again through her intimate writings, presented for the first time in English. Often overshadowed by her two older sisters, Olga and Tatiana, and later, her brother Alexei and younger sister Anastasia, Maria ultimately proved to have a uniquely strong and solid personality. Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna-known to her family and friends simply as “Mashka”-grew into an empathetic, down-to-earth girl, unaffected by her imperial status. In the twilight of the nineteenth century, a third daughter was born to Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra. ![]()
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