The Pets of Russia's Last Tsar
Nicholas II, Russia's last Tsar, in addition to a large family, had many pets in his court. In fact, three of his five children shared their long days in the palace with an animal. Princess Tatiana had a French bulldog named Ortipo. Princess Anastasia shared her time with Jimmy. And the only male in the family, Alexei, had two inseparable pets: a cocker spaniel, Joy, and a small feline, Kotka, a gift from the palace commander to his heir.
The Story of Russia's Last Tsar's Royal Family
After being dethroned, the royal family was exiled, but it was not enough to stop the growing revolutionary wave. The provisional government decided, for their safety, to change the royal family's residence. Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their daughter Maria were moved to Ekaterinburg. Meanwhile, young Alexei, who was very ill and could not risk traveling, remained with his two sisters in Tobolsk.
The situation did not improve, and the insistent death threat over the royal family grew, forcing them to make decisions. They all moved to a merchant's house in the Ural Mountains. Thus, the entire family reunited in Ipatiev House, with their ARISTOPETS included. The family's life was increasingly in danger.
The situation was unstable, and the Bolsheviks showed no signs of compassion. It was only a matter of time before they were found. On July 17, 1918, a group of Bolsheviks broke into their home and shot every single one of the seven members of the Romanov family. Fate was not kind to the dynasty of the tsars. And although there are legends that claim both Anastasia and Alexandra managed to escape, Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of the biography The Romanovs, debunked them. The terrible wars of the first decade of the 20th century ended many lives, and they were no different.
What happened to the ARISTOPETS?
It is known that when the family was exiled to the Urals, three of their loyal pets had the opportunity to accompany them. These were the dogs: Ortipo, Jimmy, and Joy. Nothing was known about the feline Kotka.
During their stay at Ipatiev House, the ARISTODOGS enjoyed freedom and relative autonomy. For this reason, Joy was saved when the Bolsheviks entered the house. Apparently, he was out on the street and not inside the residence. After the brutal event, one of the royal family's executioners found Joy and decided to take him to Ekaterinburg.
Shortly after, the city was taken by "the Whites". Amidst all the chaos, Colonel Pavel Rodzianko, a good friend of the royal family, found little Joy in the street. He recognized Prince Alexei's ARISTODOG and decided to adopt him, a gesture of affection.
Nothing was known about Ortipo and Jimmy. Apparently, Jimmy was with the royal family at the time of their execution and shared their fate. Legend has it that Ortipo managed to save his life. But left alone in the palace, the little ARISTODOG wouldn't stop crying. It could have been that crying that alerted the Bolsheviks that there was still life in that place... and they came back for him. But not all fates were equally tragic, fortunately.
The White troops retreated, and Colonel Rodzianko emigrated to the United Kingdom, where he was well received at the court of King George V. Joy and he had already become good friends and traveled together to England. Joy lived the rest of his days in the palace, and after his natural death, he was buried in the royal dog cemetery at Windsor Castle.
If you found this interesting and want to discover more about the dynasty of the Tsars of Russia, we suggest this documentary.