The Romanov's Third Daughter
As the third daughter, Marie had a hard time gaining acceptance from her siblings. Olga and Tatiana had only eighteen months between them, while Marie was significantly younger, and thus the baby, the odd one out and the butt of Olga and Tatiana's jokes. With her obedience and warm personality, almost angelic in her ways, she was constantly held up as an example to her sisters, and this caused further teasing -- she was declared a stepsister because she was so good, and was often left out of their games. Miss Eagar records a particular incident:
One day Olga and Tatiana made a house with chairs at one end of the nursery and shut out poor Marie, telling her she might be the footman, but that she should stay outside. I made another house at the other end for the baby, then a few months old, and her, but her eyes kept traveling to the other end of the room and the attractive play going on there. Then she suddenly dashed across the room, rushed into the house, dealt each sister a slap in the face, and ran into the next room, coming back dressed in a doll's cloak and hat, and with her hands full of small toys. "I won't be a footman, I'll be the kind, good aunt, who brings presents," she said. She then distributed her gifts, kissed her "nieces," and sat down. The other children looked shamefacedly from one to the other, and then Tatiana said, "We were too cruel to poor little Marie, and she really couldn't help beating us." They had learned their lesson -- from that hour they respected her rights in the family.
Things became better with the birth of the youngest of the Romanov sisters, Anastasia. Though two years younger than Maria, Anastasia had a stronger personality and Marie soon came to be ruled completely by her. Together, they were called the "Little Pair," while Olga and Tatiana were the "Big Pair." Being associated with a girl younger than she caused Marie to take on the habits of a younger child, and she was treated like a baby for much longer than she should have been. However, this did not hinder her sweet spirit from shining through in her devotion to her baby sister.
Latest Articles