Brasova Collection

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0369 BRS
Held at	: School of Slavonic and East European Studies   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/archives/ ›
Full title	: Brasova Collection
Date(s)	: 1897-1922, mainly 1909-1913
Level of description	: Collection (Fonds)
Extent	: 14 photograph albums and a few papers
Name of creator(s)	: Cheremtevskaia Natalia Sergeevna | 1888-1952 | Countess Brasova x Brasova | Countess
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Countess Brasova (1888-1952) was born Natalia Sergeevna Cheremtevskaia, the daughter of a Moscow lawyer. Before she was twenty she had married twice, to Sergei Manmontoff, with whom she had a daughter and after their divorce to Liolucha Wulfurt, an army captain. Shortly after her marriage to Wulfurt, Chermemtevskaia met and began an affair with the Colonel in Chief of her husband's regiment, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, the younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II. In 1910 their son was born, Cheremtevskaia later obtained a divorce from Wulfurt and in 1911 she married the Grand Duke. As a result of their morganatic marriage the couple were banished from Russia by the Tsar and. spent two years in exile. They lived in England and travelled around Europe before the First World War began and the couple were allowed to return to Russia.
Eventually the Tsar recognised their marriage and gave Cheremtevskaia the title of Countess Brasova. As she was not of royal blood Countess Brasova was not entitled to hold any imperial title. In March 1917 as the Russian Revolution began, Tsar Nicholas II abdicated in favour of Grand Duke Michael. The Grand Duke held the throne for only two days before he too abdicated, ending imperial rule in Russia. The Grand Duke and Countess Brasova were imprisoned by the new Bolshevik Government. Countess Brasova was released and left Russia with her children in 1919. Grand Duke Michael disappeared, later it was learnt that he had been executed in June 1918. Countess Brasova settled first in England and later in Paris where she lived in increasing poverty until her death in 1952.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Photograph albums of Natalia Sergeevna Cheremtevskaia (later Countess Brasova), depicting her life with Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich during the early years of their life together 1909-1913. Most of the albums date from before their marriage in 1912 and contain informal photographs of the Grand Duke and Brasova and their family and friends. Some of the photographs were taken during the couple's European travels.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
French and Russian (photograph captions) English and Russian (papers)

System of arrangement:

Chronological

Conditions governing access:

Unrestricted access. Researchers wishing to consult the archives or seeking further information should contact UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies Library, 16 Taviton Street, London, WC1H 0BW.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Librarian.

Finding aids:

Online catalogue available on the UCL Archives website.

Archival Information

Archival history:

It is evident from the numbering on the covers of the photograph albums that some volumes in the series are missing.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

Leeds Russian Archive, Brotherton Library, University of Leeds has a larger collection of Brasova photographs and papers

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Revised by Alan Kucia as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description ISAD(G), 2nd edition 2000 and National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Revised Feb 2002