The Pets of the Last Tsar of Russia

Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, had not only a large family but also many pets at his court. In fact, three of his five children shared the long days at the palace with an animal. Princess Tatiana had a French bulldog named Ortipo. Princess Anastasia spent her time with Jimmy. And the only male member of 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 the Royal Family of the Last Tsar of Russia

After being dethroned, the royal family went into exile, but this was not enough to stop the growing revolutionary wave. For their safety, the provisional government decided to move the royal family to a different residence. It transferred Nicholas, his wife Alexandra, and their daughter Maria to Yekaterinburg. Meanwhile, little Alexei, who was very ill and could not risk traveling, remained in Tobolsk with his two sisters. 

The situation did not improve, and the persistent threat of death hanging over the royal family grew. This forced them to make decisions. They would all move to the house of a merchant in the Ural Mountains. Thus, the entire family gathered at Ipatiev House, with their ARISTOPETS included. The family’s lives were increasingly in danger.

The situation was unstable, and the Bolsheviks showed no signs of compassion. It was only a matter of time before they found them. On July 17, 1918, a group of Bolsheviks stormed their home and shot each of the seven members of the Romanov family. The fate of the tsarist dynasty was merciless. And although legends claim that both Anastasia and Alexandra managed to escape, Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of the biography The Romanovs,  disproved them. The terrible wars of the first decade of the 20th century claimed many lives, and they met no different fate.

What Happened to the ARISTOPETS?

It is known that when the family went into exile in the Urals, three of their faithful pets had the opportunity to accompany them. They were the dogs: Ortipo, Jimmy, and Joy. Nothing was ever learned about the feline Kotka.

During their stay at Ipatiev House, the ARISTODOGS enjoyed freedom and relative autonomy. For this reason, Joy survived when the Bolsheviks entered the house. Apparently, he was outside in the street and was not inside the residence. After the brutal event, one of the royal family’s executioners found Joy and decided to take him with him to Yekaterinburg.

Shortly afterward, the city was taken by “the Whites.” Amid 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 as an affectionate gesture.

Nothing has been learned 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 after being left alone in the palace, the little ARISTODOG could not stop crying. It may have been his cries that alerted the Bolsheviks that there was still life in the place… and they came back for him. Fortunately, not all their fates were equally tragic.

The White troops withdrew, 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 they traveled together to England. Joy lived out the rest of his days at the palace, and after his natural death, he was buried in the royal dog cemetery at Windsor Castle. 

If you found this interesting and would like to discover more about the dynasty of the tsars of Russia, we recommend this documentary.