In 1909, he left the service to the Duke of Leuchtenberg to focus more time to his duties for the Imperial family. By that time Marie and Anastasia had joined his session. In that year Gilliard began to travel with the family. This is due to the fact that the Grand-Duchesses would forget his teachings after an extended period on vacation. In 1912 he became the French tutor of the Heir of Russia as well. It was in the following year that he was informed of the boy’s hemophilia and its accidental death tendencies. This is a very important factor in the Imperial family’s lives, because of the big impact it has on their public and private lifestyles.
Pierre provides some information on Rasputin’s ascent in the Russian Court and how it came to be. He is not able to comment on the character of the Siberian peasant, because he had little to no interaction with the monk. Rasputin, as said by the author, was seen by the Tsar and Tsarina as the savior of Russia. The miraculous repetitive recoveries of Alexis when he was around fermented that belief for them. He explains that negative comments and accusations against the monk were considered normality. It was not unheard of for a personal servant to the Royal family to be scrutinized unjustly. Gilliard goes on to put in plain words the strategy Rasputin used to always portray himself in a good light.
Later on he explains the events leading up to Russia’s mobilization of forces and imminent involvement in the WWI. The relationship that Wilhelm II has with his relative the Tsarina is exposed as a personal reason for war. The coming events of Tsar Nicholas’s takeover of the military after multiple defeats are detailed. He writes that Tsar went to the front lines to maintain his ideal that as Tsar he should be involved in the war effort with his people. The Tsarina’s consequent activity as a stand-in for Nicholas II in court is also talked about. The rest of the book until 1916 gives detail of the Tsar and his son’s travels on the front.
The book goes on to say that the struggles that Nicholas II had trying to keep his monarchy were a plot by the Germans to sink Russia. Since Russia had stuck to her allies without any sign of discontent there was only one thing for them to do. That was to dethrone the monarchy. Tsar Nicholas II was the glue that kept different government factions together, and without him it would ultimately fall on its knees. They started attacking any angle they could with rumors and falsehoods. The favorite and most effective were attacks against the Tsarina. The two things that counted in opposition to her is the relationship between herself and Rasputin, and the fact that she was German, a foreigner. Thus, making her look like an untrustworthy traitorous woman. It did not help matters that the relationship between the Duma and its Tsar was on thin ice at present. Then the staretz, Rasputin is murdered and his body is found December 31st and the whole family is devastated, especially the Tsarina.
The revolution and following abdication of the Tsar is next. Gilliard tells the reader about the inner struggle that Nicholas II had in his decision to leave Tsarskoïe- Selo, which was the Imperial family’s favorite residence, the front again. On the return trip, insurgents capture the train and do not allow him to leave. The Tsar calls in to see if there is anything he could do to stem the revolution. He is told it is too late. So afterwards he makes a phone call to see if his son’s disease is incurable. The answer at the time was yes. Nicholas II abdicates the throne in favor of his son, because of the fact that Alexis won’t be able to truly rule unless his condition got better anyway. Therefore he abdicates to put Grand-Duke Michael on the throne, but it doesn’t work out.
The memoirs end follows through the family’s imprisonment at Tsarskoïe- Selo. The turmoil that the Tsarina went through when the Tsar left to help the Duma is expressed vividly. Pierre Gilliard is shown to a trusted insert in the Imperial family, because he is the one assigned to explain to Alexis, by the Tsarina’s own plea, the decision by his father to abdicate the throne. The life of the family changed after that and they had to get used to not having status. The book divulges on the moving of the family and servants to Tobolsk. The experiences there are recounted in a positive light in regards to family. The story ends with a recounting tale of the ordeal at Ekaterinberg, eventhough the author was removed for the ex-Imperial party when they arrived there. From then on he goes to describe the event that occurred at the Ipatief’s house through testimonies he has heard and the evidence that was gathered there. The investigation of the murders by the Bolshevik troops, are included. The Epilogue details his job to denounce Romanov pretenders and his personal feelings over the fate that the royal family had befallen.
The author, Pierre Gilliard, paints a positive picture of the Russian royal family. They are shown to be simple people that are misread due to their want of privacy. It is hard not to feel for the family after reading this. The Tsar Nicholas II wasn’t the tyrant everyone said he was. He was a man that had a great love of his country and tried to serve it well. The Tsarina Alexandra was not a traitorous German, but an individual that took the Russian culture as her own body and soul. She may not have been born there, but her actions would have made you think so. The children have their own personalities that are not so unlike the common child. The love and caring they show for their mother and father is beautiful.
Evaluation
This book is a very good pick for some light historical non-fiction reading or for research purposes. Pierre Gilliard writes his memoirs in a style that is informational, but still appears as a personal record. The book is written as if Pierre Gilliard is sitting with you and talking to you himself. Thus, providing a feeling that you are a long lost fried that is getting caught up with the events in your friend Gilliard’s life. The familiarity makes the book flow so well that you forget you’re actually reading. To provide better understanding for the reader he mentions the background information to most events that take place during his time of service. Since he was so close to the Tsar and his family, it is imperative that for the retelling of the events at Ekaterinberg he used only the most trusted sources. Gilliard is very convincing in his tale of misunderstood monarchs. However, his relationship that he had with his charges and their parents is a double-edged sword, because it would leave some doubt that the narrative is bias. That is not the case here. Pierre Gilliard, in his intro, denounces any say of hearsay in his publication. The work, he states, was and has been written with a cool and calm mind and is a straight retelling of his experiences in the Russian court. The memoir provides a brilliant understanding to the questions of “why” when it comes to the decisions of the Tsar. Before this work was written the answers were unattainable, because of the Imperial family’s strict sense of privacy. Much effort that was obviously put into this account is well received.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to middle school age students and up, if it is to be used for research purposes. The book’s easy-reading style and author notes make it understandable at the age of 11 or 12 at the least. Otherwise this memoir should be read if the individual has an interest in the last Tsar and his family’s fall to ruin or Russian history in general. I would advocate this book to the occasional reader as well, because they will not be able to help being captivated by the record’s warm familiar nature. Basically this book is for anyone that wants a good quick read.
