Lecture: 'Russian Princesses on European Thrones'

The daughters of Prince Yaroslav the Wise were the first to take thrones across European states. Since then, over the course of eight centuries, women from Russian noble families have been desired wives for European monarchs. In some eras, a significant portion of European royal families were connected by marriage ties with Russian rulers. Young heirs of the Valois, Württemberg, Nassau, Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, and Windsor dynasties were often lulled by Russian lullabies, even though Russia was not their homeland—yet their mothers came from Russia. The fates of many Russian princesses married off to European kings are striking in their stories. These events, created by history itself, resemble melodramas, tragedies, and happy pastorals. This historical spectacle will leave no one indifferent. Let’s together pull back the curtain!