Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna, Duchess of Leuchtenberg
| Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna of Russia | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Leuchtenberg (1839–1854) | |
Photograph by Sergei Lvovich Levitsky
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| Born |
18 August 1819 Krasnoye Selo, Saint Petersburg, Empire of Russia |
| Died | 21 February 1876 (aged 56) St Petersburg |
| Burial | Grand Ducal Mausoleum, Peter and Paul Fortress, Saint Petersburg, Russia |
| Spouse |
Maximilian de Beauharnais, 3rd Duke of Leuchtenberg (m. 1839–1852; his death) Count Grigori Stroganov (m. 1854–1876; her death) |
| Issue | Princess Alexandra Maximilianova of Leuchtenberg Princess Maria Maximilianovna Prince Nicholas, 4th Duke of Leuchtenberg Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna Prince Eugen, 5th Duke of Leuchtenberg Prince Sergei of Leuchtenberg Prince George Maximilianovich, 6th Duke of Leuchtenberg Prince Grigori Grigorievich Stroganov Princess Elena Grigorievna Stroganova |
| House | Romanov |
| Father | Nicholas I of Russia |
| Mother | Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia) |
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna of Russia (Russian: Мария Николаевна) (18 August 1819 – 21 February 1876) was a daughter of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia, and sister of Alexander II. In 1839 she married Maximilian, Duke of Leuchtenberg. She was an art collector and President of the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg.
Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaievna was born on 18 August [O.S. 6 August] 1819 in Krasnoye Selo in Saint Petersburg. She was the second of seven surviving children and the eldest daughter. Her parents, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, born Princess Charlotte of Prussia, were devoted to each other and to their children. They were warm and affectionate parents, but avoided overindulging them. In the evenings, Alexandra Feodorovna played games with her children, including riddles and charades. The Tsar liked to sing chorus music with them. The siblings grew up in a close knit family, remaining on good terms all their lives.
Maria Nikolaievna was raised in the company of her sisters Olga and Alexandra. Their rooms, located on the ground floor of the Winter Palace, were unpretentious and void of luxury. The girls were prescribed fresh air in all seasons, and doctors controlled their diet. Classes began at 8:00 AM. Maria’s education was placed under the supervision of the liberal privy Counselor and poet Vasily Zhukovsky, who had previously been Alexandra Feodorovna’s Russian teacher. Zhukovsky remained in close terms with his royal wards until his death. Maria and her sisters received dancing, music and drawing lessons. Her childhood sketchbook (1826–1830) has survived and it is in the hands of her descendants living in the United States. Grand Duchess Maria, who painted fairly well, later made watercolors. She never lost her love for the arts, becoming a benefactress and art collector. Artistically gifted, she showed an early interest in interior design, decorating her rooms with her personal style. She would later make her Palace in St Petersburg one of the most beautiful in the city. All three sisters had musical abilities and were involved in charitable work. From 1835, Grand Duchess Maria was an active member of the patriots' society, which had been founded by Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna. The society occasionally met in session in Maria’s room at the Winter Palace.
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