[GlitteringTiaras]

King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins who led the World to War by Catrine Clay is based on the British documentary, "Three Kings at War." The book chronicles the life of three inept yet powerful men, and the ultimate downfall of two great Empires and one still intact, albeit bruised. However, it is the story of family relationships that is the central point within this book. It is also the story of family strain, and perhaps jealousy, up until the outbreak of World War I and the extreme dysfunction within each family; British, German, and Russian and their interrelationship.

This week we will be covering chapters 1-6 which is the build up to understanding what happened and why. Here are my thoughts in regards to each chapter.

Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Hohenzollern, Willy:

• Eldest of the three Kings.
• Born deformed thanks in part to a botched delivery. The young boy’s left arm was five inches shorter than his right. (5, 10, 11) A damaged ear resulted in some hearing loss and problems later in life.
• May have had ADD, ADHD, or Bipolar, which can be noted in later life and specifically during his reign. (11)
• Strict tutor, Dr. Hinzpeter, with ideals and beliefs about absolute monarchy. Influential on young Willy. (17)
• It is my belief, thanks in part to the underlying tone of the book, that Willy constantly had to prove that he was strong, a militaristic leader, as well as normal despite his deformity. This can be noted throughout the book as well as in other biographies about the late Kaiser. His tutor, Dr. Hinzpeter, pushed young Willy to have confidence (even though he never praised the boy) in himself. He did this by making Willy repeat things over and over again until he got it right no matter what. For example, the horse-riding episode. (16)
• Exposed to constant war as a child. Three critical wars, under Otto von Bismarck, a man with whom Willy admired along with Frederick the Great.
• Loved to play "military" (hence militaristic tendencies) and admired the Prussian style. At age ten received the Order of the Black Eagle.
• Key moments in his young life: Franco-Prussian War, unification of Germany, and the Industrial Revolution, which thrust Germany out into the forefront.
• Conflicted with identity and feelings regarding his British roots.
• Very opinionated intelligent man; gifted almost to a fault.
• KEY pages: 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18,19,20, 21,

George Frederick Ernst Albert, Georgie, the Second Son:

• Frivolous, pitiful, and uneducated parents who did not care about his nor Eddy's education as well as overall development in leadership skills.
• His mother, Alexandra hated Germany. This may have influenced his thinking later in life. Or not.
• Wild and extremely undisciplined.
• Weak inept mother, the Princess of Wales, coddled her children to death.
• Spoiled nervous kid with no strength or confidence. This lack of backbone may be due to his mother, Alexandra. Blame her for some of his problems, and his father wasn't much help either. No wonder the kids turned out so badly.
• At age 12 he was sent, along with his brother Eddy, to join the Royal Navy. There he learned discipline, something his parents never taught him, in this rigorous harsh environment. He cried a lot whilst there.
• Had his parents been a better example to him and his siblings do you believe Georgie would have been more ... stable?
• KEY pages: 25, 27, 28, 29, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40.

Nicholai Alexanderovich Romanov, Nicky, the Third Cousin:

• A changing Russia during his childhood. Fears of rising socialism, wars with the Ottoman Empire (1877), and modernization (67). Dangers in Russia; children were at risk which is something Minny feared... for her son.
• A decent, very insular, childhood compared to that of his cousins, Willy and Georgie. Because he was cut off from the harsh realities of life in Russia at such a young age, his naive and weak attitude could have contributed to his ultimate downfall later in life.
• Kind mother yet weak (I believe despite what the author has to say.)
• Nicky was coddled to death by his mother; almost obsessively.(67)
• KEY pages: 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55, 56, 57

Education:

• Out of the three I believe Willy had the best. Key page (61-62) Excellent memory; studied 14 hours a day (68) Top of his class whilst in Cassel; Typical German schooling which consisted of studying the Classics; Iliad; Art; poetry; German history was his favorite subject. Along with Hinzpeter, Willy had a French tutor as well, Francois Ayme. He noted that Willy was extremely clever and hated to fail -- a foreshadowing into his actions as well as behavior in life. He also spoke "good French". Had a row with Ayme in regards to the Franco-Prussian War when he was a young teen, in which Willy blamed France (63)
• Struggled as a early teen in regards to his loyalty: "Liberal England or belligerent Prussia"; "iron and blood" mentality which stuck with him, I believe, throughout his life. This perhaps haunted him until later in life when he clearly hated England. (63)
• A proud man, Willy that is.
• Attended the University of Bonn in which he studied German literature, social theory, law and philosophy. Serious student. Known as a "lively person" by his Profs. (77)
• Georgie, age 10, received a rather basic education as well under his tutor, Mr. Dalton. (65)
• Nicky began his schooling at the age of seven. Was in a classroom with two other children. Was considered "bright" with a "excellent memory" like Willy. Age 10, he was tutored under General Danilovich, a harsh man with a temper. Nicky referred to him as "Cholera". He learned geography, chemistry and four languages: Russian, English, French, and German. Had another tutor, Mr. Heath, found Nicky to be undisciplined similar to Georgie. I'm seeming an unhealthy pattern here: Their mothers were not too bright, which seems to have been inherited by Nicky and Georgie. Both women spoiled their children whom, in the end, doesn't make for a strong leader or whatever. Overall both kids really didn't have a chance as long as their obsessive mothers were over-doing it with the hugs as well as over-dramatic letters. (70-72) Alexandra, the Queen of Unstable Mothers, was "distraught" over losing her boys (74) "Prince George was crying as they left..." He was 15 years old (Oh come on! what a baby...grow a backbone kid!)
• None of the cousins were extremely bright, except for Willy; in fact, I believe two may have had learning disabilities, frankly. Though one must remember time, place, context and situation: A true education for royal children wasn't all that important.
• KEY pages: 60-63, 65, 67, 68, 69, 72 74

Family Drama:

• Willy’s mood still erratic and seems to have increased after his marriage to Dona.
• Assassination of Tsar Alexander II a shock to all. (83) Nicky was only 12.
• Key pages: 79, 81, 83-86, 89, 90

Key informative, CliffNotes version, in regards to Russia, Alexander II, Alexander II, and Nicky:
The second half of the nineteenth century produced humiliation for Russia. Russia’s loss of the Crimean War in 1855 laid bare the reality that Russia’s military and industry were inadequate for the conduct of a war. Russia dropped from a world power to a second rate power. Worst of all, political instability in the army and among the serfs threatened public order. In response, Alexander II initiated a series of reforms intended to strengthen Russian institutions. The reforms included emancipation of the serfs, reform of local civic administration and establishment of local representative government, including elected town councils. The Russian judicial system and military conscription was to be completely overhauled. There would be reduced government control of universities and curtailment of censorship. In general, the reforms yielded mixed results. The emancipation of the serfs was so watered-down that no one was satisfied. The continued reforms in education and censorship gave the population a taste of Western-style freedom and the tools to organize and communicate, thus creating greater tension between the despotic government and the populace, culminating in Alexander II’s assassination in 1881.

His successor, Alexander III, reacted to the assassination by ruling as a despot. He hated all aspects of liberal tendencies, although it was revolutionaries, not liberal, who murdered his father. Russian society became more repressive, with a corresponding increase in underground revolutionary activities. However, the Imperial Court remained oblivious to the stirrings of revolution.
Upon the premature death of his father, Nicholas II, weak, naïve, and ill prepared for the role he inherited, was crowned in 1894. At the feasts for his coronation, a panic broke out and many people were trampled to death. Nicholas went on with the coronation festivities. The word swept around the country – "Papa Tsar" – did not protect and did not care about his children. The stage was set for the convulsions of the twentieth century.