Alexandra

Alexandra Feodorovna (fēô'dərŏv'nə, Rus. fyô'dərəvnə), 1872-1918, last Russian czarina, consort of Nicholas II; she was a Hessian princess and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Neurotic and superstitious, she was easily dominated by Rasputin, who seemingly was able to check the hemophilia of her son. During World War I, when Nicholas took command (Sept., 1915) of the forces at the front, Alexandra Feodorovna assumed control in St. Petersburg and prevailed upon her husband to replace independent and liberal ministers with those favored by Rasputin. Her great unpopularity was increased by widespread suspicions that she was pro-German. With her husband and children, she was shot by the Bolsheviks; the family was canonized by the Russian Orthodox church in 2000.