Duke Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg

Duke Alexander Frederick Constantin of Oldenburg (; , Alexander Petrovich Oldenburgsky; – 6 September 1932) was the second son of Duke Peter of Oldenburg and Princess Therese of Nassau-Weilburg. Like his own family, Eugenia was also an offshoot of the Imperial family, as her mother was Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, eldest daughter of Nicholas I of Russia. She was entitled to the rank Imperial Highness, and was born and raised in St. Petersburg.

The couple had one son, Peter. Eugenia had a long-standing friendship with Empress Maria Feodorovna, and the two helped arrange the marriage of Eugenia's son to Maria's daughter Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna.

Military and professional career Alexander Petrovich of Oldenburg and his wife Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Leuchtenberg. Like his two brothers, Alexander served in the Russian army. He held the position of Adjutant-General to Emperor Alexander III. Emperor Alexander refused his resignation, but gave the duke an eleven-month leave of absence. It was also assumed that although he would lose much of his property if he succeeded to Oldenburg, he would be able to keep his wealth if he became the sovereign of Bulgaria because of Emperor Alexander's support. In the end, Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was chosen, becoming Ferdinand I of Bulgaria.

Philanthropy

Like his father before him, Alexander was well-educated and clever, and concentrated much of his time and energy to philanthropic works throughout Russia. He was president of several schools as well as the St. Petersburg-based Institute of Experimental Medicine. As Alexander was a doctor, he was deeply involved in the management of these hospitals, taking charge of the sick and wounded on their departure from the field hospitals. He also greatly improved the organization of wounded soldiers at the front. The border was switched back in 1917.

In 1902, a mob of peasants burned Alexander's southern Russian estate of Ramon Palace, which had been a gift from Eugenia's uncle Emperor Alexander II upon the couple's marriage. Acting out of labor unrest and what was incorrectly perceived as a fake pronouncement that the Emperor would take back land given to peasants, a mob of angry people traveled throughout southern Russia and caused extensive damage. The estate survived, but fifteen years later, it would be confiscated by the new Bolshevik regime, and turned into a barracks, school, hospital, and housing for a nearby factory. His gentleman-in-waiting and others who were traveling with the duke, either in his car or another driving behind them, were also injured in the crash, as it involved both vehicles. Further reports revealed however that Alexander had been in hiding in Finland ever since the revolution broke out, eventually turning up in Paris.

Gold Sword for Bravery, for the transition through the Balkans, 24 June 1878

Foreign honours

Ancestry