Narrated by the mother of Russia’s last tsar, this vivid, historically authentic novel brings to life the courageous story of Maria Feodorovna, one of Imperial Russia’s most compelling women, who witnessed the splendor and tragic downfall of the Romanovs as she fought to save her dynasty in the final years of its long reign.īarely nineteen, Minnie knows that her station in life as a Danish princess is to leave her family and enter into a royal marriage-as her older sister Alix has done, moving to England to wed Queen Victoria’s eldest son. One year later the pearl, in its new setting, was offered at Christie’s in Geneva, before returning to Christie’s for a third time in November 2005, selling for $2.5 million.Support Your Independent Bookseller at IndieBoundĮven from behind the throne, a woman can rule. How it found its way from Moscow remains something of a mystery. The trove was discovered in 1925, and 62 years later, La Régente appeared at Christie’s New York.

These they hid under the stairs of their Moscow palace, with the jewels of the Grand Duchess Xenia. In 1919 the Youssoupovs went into exile, abandoning gems too difficult to transport. La Régente went to a dealer called Rossel, apparently bidding for Russian prince Nikolai Youssoupov. Finally, in 1887, most of the collection was auctioned at the Louvre. The Third Republic was proclaimed, leaving the future of the state treasure uncertain.

When the French Empire fell in 1870, La Régente and the other Crown Jewels were left in Paris. Emperor Napoleon acquired the gem from Nitot, the jeweller, mounting it in a diadem worn by his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise. The pearls were passed down through Marie’s descendants for over three centuries, before their sale at Christie’s in Geneva in 1969. It was perhaps from Anne that Marie received two enormous pear-shaped pearls weighing approximately 200 grains each. Even while pushing her out, Anne showed Marie great generosity. When leaving France, she took an important collection of jewellery and gems with her. Marie later married the Italian Prince Colonna, abandoning Louis XIV for good. Read the bookįind out more about the magnificent jewels sold at Christie’s since 1766 in Vincent Meylan’s authoritative history, Christie's: The Jewellery Archives Revealed This was all he could offer the woman he had wished to give his crown. Weeks before, Louis bought a string of pearls from his aunt, the Queen of England, who was living in exile in Paris. Louis and Marie fought to pursue their love, but in 1659 Marie was forced into exile. Her son’s marriage was political the ideal fiancée was the Infanta Maria Theresa of Spain, which had long been at war with France. Anne of Austria, Queen Mother of France, violently opposed the romance.

The romanov empress book