edwardslovelyelizabeth: On this day in history, 28th of September 1793, wedding of grand duke Alexan
edwardslovelyelizabeth:On this day in history, 28th of September 1793, wedding of grand duke Alexander Pavlovich (future tsar Alexander I of Russia) and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alexeievna (Princess Louise of Baden).Princess Louise Maria Auguste of Baden was born in Karlruhe, Baden (Germany) on January 24, 1779. Her parents were Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden and Princess Amelia Frederica of Hesse-Darmstadt. Empress Catherine II (the Great) was considering candidates for the bride of her eldest grandson Alexander and was favorably impressed by Louise, who was 12 years old at the time. Louise, along with her younger sister Frederica, went to St. Petersburg, Russia in the fall of 1792. Empress Catherine was enchanted with the young princess and Louise was attracted to the tall, handsome Alexander.It was said that there could be no more beautiful and charming princess in the world. Although Alexander was initially shy and didn’t know how to treat her, he eventually warmed up to her, and later admitted that he liked her. After a few weeks, Alexander proposed to her. Empress Catherine was overjoyed and Louise was received in the Orthodox Church and was baptized as Elizabeth Alexeievna, Grand Duchess of Russia. The couple was formally betrothed in May, 1793 with Catherine the Great being the one excanging their bethroval rings and the wedding occurred on September 28, 1793. Elizabeth Alexeievna looked resplendent with the diamond-studded Order of St. Andrei on her silver brocade gown. Catherine the Great compared them to Amor and Psyche. The bride was fourteen and the groom was fifteen. The wedding festivities lasted for two weeks.Pictured: Portrait of Grand Duke Alexander Pavlovich by Jean-Louis Voille (1792), Portrait of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alexeievna with roses by anonymous (1795) -- source link
#history#19th century