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The Romanovs were the most successful dynasty of modern times, ruling a sixth of the world's surface for three centuries. How did one family turn a war-ruined principality into the world's greatest empire? And how did they lose it all? This is the intimate story of twenty tsars and tsarinas, some touched by genius, some by madness, but all inspired by holy autocracy and imperial ambition. Simon Sebag Montefiore's gripping chronicle reveals their secret world of unlimited power and ruthless empire-building, overshadowed by palace conspiracy, family rivalries, sexual decadence and wild extravagance, with a global cast of adventurers, courtesans, revolutionaries and poets, from Ivan the Terrible to Tolstoy and Pushkin, to Bismarck, Lincoln, Queen Victoria and Lenin. To rule Russia was both imperial-sacred mission and poisoned chalice: six of the last twelve tsars were murdered. Peter the Great tortured his own son to death while making Russia an empire, and dominated his court with a dining club notable for compulsory drunkenness, naked dwarfs and fancy dress. Catherine the Great overthrew her own husband (who was murdered soon afterward) , enjoyed affairs with a series of young male favorites, conquered Ukraine and fascinated Europe. Paul I was strangled by courtiers backed by his own son, Alexander I, who in turn faced Napoleon's invasion and the burning of Moscow, then went on to take Paris. Alexander II liberated the serfs, survived five assassination attempts and wrote perhaps the most explicit love letters ever composed by a ruler. The Romanovs climaxes with a fresh, unforgettable portrayal of Nicholas II and Alexandra, the rise and murder of Rasputin, war and revolution - and the harrowing massacre of the entire family.Dazzlingly entertaining and beautifully written from start to finish, The Romanovs brings these monarchs - male and female, great and flawed, their families and courts - blazingly to life. Drawing on new archival research, Montefiore delivers an enthralling epic of triumph and tragedy, love and murder, encompassing the seminal years 1812, 1914 and 1917, that is both a universal study of power and a portrait of empire that helps define Russia today.



About the Author

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Sebag Montefiore is the internationally bestselling author of prize-winning works of history, novels and books for children. His latest book, WRITTEN IN HISTORY: LETTERS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, is a selection of great letters from ancient times to the 21st century, including letters on power, love, art, sex, faith, war. His next book VOICES OF HISTORY: SPEECHES THAT CHANGED THE WORLD is due to be published in September. Montefiore's history titles include: WRITTEN IN HISTORY: LETTERS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, THE ROMANOVS, JERUSALEM: THE BIOGRAPHY, YOUNG STALIN, STALIN: THE COURT OF THE RED TSAR and CATHERINE THE GREAT & POTEMKIN. He is the author of the Moscow Trilogy of novels: SASHENKA, RED SKY AT NOON and ONE NIGHT IN WINTER. Montefiore is also the author of a series of childrens' novels - ROYAL RABBITS OF LONDON - co-written with Santa Montefiore. Montefiore has won prizes for his works, both non-fiction and fiction. His novel, ONE NIGHT IN WINTER won the Best Political Novel of the Year Prize and was longlisted for the Orwell Prize. Among his history books, CATHERINE THE GREAT & POTEMKIN was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson, Duff Cooper, and Marsh Biography Prizes. STALIN: THE COURT OF THE RED TSAR won the History Book of the Year Prize at the British Book Awards. YOUNG STALIN won the Costa Biography Award (UK) , the LA Times Book Prize for Biography (USA) , Le Grand Prix de la Biographie Politique (France) and the Kreisky Prize for Political Literature (Austria) . JERUSALEM: THE BIOGRAPHY was a global number 1 bestseller and won the Wenjin Book of the Year Prize (awarded by the Library of China in People's Republic of China) and the Book of the Year Prize from the Jewish Book Council (USA) . THE ROMANOVS won the Lupicaia del Terriccio Literature Prize (Italy) , was chosen as one of Oprah Winfrey's Books of the Year (USA) and has been a bestseller all over the world, including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Spain and the USA where it was in the New York Times bestseller list for eight weeks. Many of his books are now being developed as TV drama series or movies. Montefiore read history at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge University where he was awarded his Doctorate of Philosophy. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Visiting Professor at the University of Buckingham, Dr Montefiore has written and presented fiver BBC TV series including Jerusalem (2011) ; Rome (2012) and Istanbul/Constantinople - 'Byzantium: a tale of 3 cities' (2013) ; Spain - 'Blood & Gold' (2015) and Vienna (2016) . Follow the author on twitter: @simonmontefiore. For more information: www.simonsebagmontefiore.com



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