imperial-russia: Empress Elizaveta Alexeievna in mourning for her husband Alexander I His [Alexander
imperial-russia:Empress Elizaveta Alexeievna in mourning for her husband Alexander IHis [Alexander I] widow never saw the tomb. Originally Elizabeth had intended to accompany the funeral procession northwards. The shock of Alexander´s death weakened her own condition and it was clear by the beginning of January she could not journey across the Russian steppes in the depth of winter. She therefore paid her last homage to Alexander on the day the conrtége set out from Taganrog. With a doctor in attendance and Roxane Stourdza (Countess Edling) assisting her ladies-in-waiting, she remained in Taganrog until the snows melted and the warmth of spring came to southern Russia. Then, at last, she prepared to go back to the heart of the Empire, planning to settle near Kaluga, and perhaps later go to Germany if she recovered her strength. She had no with to return to St Petersburg.At ninein the morning of 4 May she prayed alone in the Greek church shilch held so many memories for her, and set out slowly towards Kharkov, travelling no more than fifty miles a day. On the evening of 15 May she reached the small town of Belev, eighty miles north of Orel. She went to bed, anticipating a visit next day from [her mother-in-law] Marie Feodorovna, the first meeting with a member of the Imperial family since Alexander´s death. Possibly the anticipated strain of the encounter was too much for her. At five o´clock in the mornong of 16 May Elizabeth´s heart stopped beating: and her soul was free to follow “the angel” she had lost twenty-four weeks before. Alan Palmer: Alexander I, Tsar of War and Peace -- source link
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