Russian emperor’s tough parental love that got his only son killed made this day in Russian history.
Peter the Great’s son begs for political asylum
On this day in 1716, the elder son of Emperor Peter the Great – Prince Alexey – asked Austria for political asylum. He had very tense relations with the father and was not happy with his policies.
After he had secretly escaped Russia, Peter wrote him a letter asking to return. Alexey refused and was brought back by force. Later he was accused of confederacy with Austrian authorities and admitted his guilt.
Alexey died in prison waiting for the sentence.
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Revolutionary’s wife follows husband to exile
He husband Prince Trubetskoy was one of the participants of the Decembrist uprising. Five of the Decembrists were hanged, others banished to Siberia.
Among their wives, Ekaterina Trubetskaya was the first who decided to go with her convicted husband.
Only 15 years later her husband was set free. They continued to live in Irkutsk and had nine children.