Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia Historical Figure Nationality: Russia (born in the Russian Empire, died in the Russian SFSR) Year of Birth: 1901 Year of Death: 1918 Cause of Death: Execution by firing squad Religion: Russian Orthodox Parents: Nicholas II of Russia (father) Alix of Hesse (mother) Relatives: Mikhail (uncle) House: Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov Fictional Appearances: Shared Universe Story "Last Flight of the Swan of the East" POD: 1878 Type of Appearance: Oblique contemporary reference Date of Birth: 1895 Political Office(s): Czar of Russia

Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia (Russian: Анастасия Николаевна Романова, tr. Anastasíya Nikoláyevna Románova; 18 June [O.S. 5 June] 1901 – 17 July 1918) was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia, and his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. She was the younger sister of Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, and Maria, and was the elder sister of Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia.

Anastasia and her family were imprisoned after the founding of the Soviet Union. Soldiers acting on orders from Council Chairman Vladimir Lenin shot the family in Yekaterinburg on 17 July 1918. Persistent rumors of her possible escape circulated after her death, fueled by the fact that the location of the Romanov family's burial was unknown during Soviet rule. Most of the remains were found in 1991. The remainder were found in 2007. DNA testing conclusively proved that, despite a number of famous pretenders, Anastasia died in 1918.

Anastasia in "Last Flight of the Swan of the East"

Anastasia (b. 1895) became the Czar of Russia in March 1911, after her father, mother, and siblings were murdered by alleged British agents.

In July 1914, Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Duchess Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serb nationalist. Austria-Hungary issued a series of six ultimata against Russia's ally, Serbia. With the backing of Anastasia's government, Serbia accepted five demands, but refused to allow Austrian investigators to come to Serbia to help the investigation. In response, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Russia declared war on Austria-Hungary, and Germany, citing an alliance system with Austria-Hungary, declared war on Russia. France, another Russian ally, declared war on Germany. Japan, concerned by Russia's ambitions in the Pacific Ocean, and still angry over their defeat in 1896, declared war on Russia, initiating the Great War.

Literary comment

Czar Anastasia has been announced as the POV character of some upcoming Leviathans Timeline (LTL) stories. More information will be added to her entry at the Leviathans wiki as it becomes available.

"Last Flight of the Swan of the East" refers to the Czar as "he", a fault which may be traced to an editor rather than Harry Turtledove himself. LTL canon confirms that Anastasia remained the Czar at the story's end in 1915, so any references to a "Czar" in "Last Swan" are placed here.

References

Royal offices (Fictional Work)
Preceded by Nicholas II	Czar of Russia ("Last Flight of the Swan of the East") 1911-19??	Succeeded by Incumbent at story's end, 1915