Merenberg, Sofia Nikolaevna

Wedding

Sophia, who inherited the beauty of her grandmother Natalya Goncharova-Pushkina , married Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich , grandson of Emperor Nicholas I , in 1891 . His mother, Grand Duchess Olga Fedorovna , accidentally found out about what had happened while being at the railway station in Kharkov . A blow happened to her, and she soon died. The brother of Mikhail Mikhailovich, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich , wrote in his memoirs:

Mikhailovsky Palace was full of sorrow. Father aimlessly wandered from one room to another ... ... He reproached Mikhail for his marriage, because he saw in her the reason for the aggravation of his mother’s illness, and could not forgive himself for letting her go to Crimea alone.

Emperor Alexander III was so outraged by the cousin’s willfulness that he forbade the grand duke to stay in Russia, practically deleted him from his family lists, deprived him of maintenance and dismissed him from service. He telegraphed the uncle of the bride, Duke Adolf Nassausky : "This marriage, contrary to the laws of our country, requiring my prior consent, will be considered in Russia as invalid and not having a place." The duke did not hesitate to reply: "I condemn to the highest degree the behavior of my brother (the prince agreed to the marriage of his daughter) and completely share the opinion of your Majesty."

Marriage

The emperor’s non-recognition of the marriage of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich and Countess Sofia Merenberg forced the spouses to stay abroad. Young people settled in the south of France and for many years lived in Cannes in a villa with the Caucasian name "Kazbek". Mikhail Mikhailovich was the head of the Russian church.

In 1901, marriage was recognized by Nicholas II :

TO THE MINISTER OF THE IMPERIAL YARD

Having expressed our consent to HIS imperial Highness the marriage of Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich Mikhailovich Countess Sofia Merenberg WE Decree this date to the Governing Senate data, LIVED: to give the wife of Grand Prince Mikhail Mikhailov marriage offspring. At the same time, taking into account that the spouse of Grand Duke MIKHAIL MIKHAILOVICH and offspring descending from a real marriage have no right to belong to the OWNER HOUSE OUR OWN and to any OUR position exclusive to the Court, WE have recognized for the benefit of subordinating them to all conditions the provisions of private persons and the operation of the general rules for the latter, according to their official position, decided.

OUR LOVE, we LOVE you to accept leadership in necessary cases, entrusting you with monitoring the implementation of the rules we specified. This Decree itself should be kept in our OUR Cabinet, together with other acts located there, to the IMPERIAL Surname relating to it, having notified a copy of this to the State Secretary for making this Decree, in due time, in the complete collection of laws.

NIKOLAI

Peterhof
August 17, 1901.

Original text (Russian)

TO THE MINISTER OF THE IMPERIAL YARD

Izyaviv soizvolenіe OUR to brak His Imperial HIGHNESS Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhaflovich Sh Countess Sofіeyu Merenberg WE Ukazom this number to the Senate dannym, POVELѢLI: provide suprugѣ Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhaflovich cited nosimym it nynѣ titulom Countess Torbay rasprostraniv tot same titul and familіyu on downward ot this marriage offspring. Together, we take into account that the spouse of the Great Prince, MIKHAIL MIKHAILOVICH and descendants of this marriage, have no right to belong to the AUGUSTED HOUSE OUR and we give them our utmost conditional condition. the person and action of the general rule for the last ones, according to their official position, decreed.

Such a will is OUR LOVE YOU to accept in necessary cases to the management, entrusting you with monitoring the implementation of the rules specified by US. The Decree itself is to be kept in the Cabinet “OUR OWN” together with other acts located there, related to the IMPERIAL Surname, having communicated a copy to the State Secretary for the introduction of this Decree, at one time, in full collection of the law.

NIKOLAI

Peterhof
August 17, 1901.

- RGIA, Foundation 468, inventory 46, file 41, sheet 2

In 1908 , Mikhail Mikhailovich published an autobiographical novel in London dedicated to his wife, “Never say Die” (English proverb “Cheer up”). In it, he sharply condemned the legalized rules for the marriage of dignitaries, which virtually excluded marriage for love. The novel was banned in Russia.

In 1910 , the couple moved to England and settled in Kenwood - a manor surrounded by a magnificent park. Representatives of the English aristocracy began to visit their house often. They lived in Kenwood until 1917.

Countess de Torbi and her children never visited Russia. Sofia Nikolaevna died on September 14, 1927 at the age of sixty and was buried in London at the Hamstead Cemetery (with her husband). On September 17, 1927 , the obituary Death of Countess Torbi (No. 244) was published in the newspaper Berliner Zeitung am Mittag. Its author, Dr. A. von Wilke, describing Pushkin’s granddaughter, called her “one of the most beautiful women of her time.”

On August 4 (16), 1892, Sophia Nikolaevna received the title of Counts of Torbi for herself and her offspring from the Duke of Nassau. It was invented by Mikhail Mikhailovich himself in memory of the village of Tori in the Borjomi estate of his father, Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich .

In a marriage with Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovich three children were born:

• Anastasia ( 1892 - 1977 ) - since 1917 the wife of Sir Harold Augustus Werner, 3rd Baronet ( 1893 - 1972 ).
• Nadezhda ( 1896 - 1963 ) - since 1916, the wife of Lord George Mountbatten (real name is Prince George Battenberg), 2nd Marquis of Milford-Haven - the nephew of Empress Alexandra Fedorovna .
• Michael ( 1898 - 1959 ). Not married, did not leave offspring.

The family of Counts de Torbi interrupted the death of Count Mikhail Mikhailovich.

•  

  Anastasia

•  

  Hope

• Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich : Book of Memoirs / Preface. and comment. And Vinogradova. - M.: Sovremennik, 1991.
• Grigoryan V.G. Romanovs. Biographical reference book. - M.: AST, 2007.
• Pchelov E.V. Romanovs. The history of the dynasty. - M.: OLMA-PRESS, 2004.
• Rusakov V.M. Stories about the descendants of A.S. Pushkin. - St. Petersburg: Lenizdat, 1992.

• Sophia Merenberg’s diadem may return to Russia (Artyom Tarasov collects donations to buy the diadem). 01/13/2004
• Sophia Merenberg and her diadem. 03/02/2004
• The Romanov diadem could not be bought. 03/31/2004