Militza and Anastasia: Montenegrin Princesses, Russian Grand Duchesses

Towards the twilight of the rule of the Romanovs in Russia, two Slavic princesses reigned supreme as the most colorful figures in the Czar’s court. Grand Duchess Militza and Grand Duchess Anastasia were Montegrin princesses who married two brothers from the Imperial Family. They were daughters of King Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro and his wife Milena Vukotić. Their tendencies towards the occult and mysticism made them notorious as “The Black Peril”of the Russian Court.

Grand Duchess Militza and Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia. Image source Wikimedia Commons

Militza was the older sister and was born on July 14, 1866. Two years later, Anastasia was born , on June 4, 1868. Militza, Anastasia, and their younger sister, Elena, future Queen of Italy, were brought to St. Petersburg by Czar Alexander III as "hostages for Montenegro's political submission" where they were educated at Smolny Institute, a Russian school for "noble maids".  Elena, described as "docile, sweet of nature, and pure in mind as well as lovely in person" was destined by Alexander to marry the future Nicholas II. However with Alexander's sudden death, the plan was discarded and Nicholas, now czar of Russia, instead married  Princess Alix of Hesse.  

Princess Milica married Grand Duke Peter Nikolaevich of Russia in Saint Petersburg on July 26, 1889, which was considered to be the greatest victory of the Montenegrin people sans a battle and a bloodbath. After the marriage, the princess became known as Grand Duchess Militza Nikolaevna of Russia. The union produced four children: Princess Marina Petrovna of Russia (1892–1981), Prince Roman Petrovich of Russia (1896–1978),  Princess Nadejda Petrovna of Russia (1898–1988) and Princess Sofia Petrovna of Russia (1898 – 1898).

Princess Anastasia married her first husband, the widowed Duke of Leuchtenberg, Prince George Maximilianovich, at the Palace of Peterhof on August 28, 1889. The union produced two children, Sergei Georgievich, 8th Duke von Leuchtenberg (1890–1974) and Elena Georgievena, Princess Romanovskaja (1892–1971). The was, however, considered “a dull and dissipated man.” Seventeen years in sorrow afterward Anastasia resolved to divorce him. Grand Duke Nicholas reportedly “wooed and won her.”

Holy Synod at first refused to grant the divorce but Anastasia had her hands in the dismissal of the Under-Procurer of the Synod and his successor helped arrange the divorce. The Czar consented the marriage and four months later, Grand Duke Nicholas and Princess Anastasia of Montenegro were married.

Two princesses of a relatively small, backward kingdom are now grand duchesses of the grandest court in Europe.