by Sergei BAZAMOV, Dr. Sc. (History), RAS Institute of Russian History (Moscow) In the early 20th century the House of Romanovs numbered more than 60 men. Each of them, conscious of their duty and mission, served Motherland: men mainly in the army, and women engaged in charity activities or working as nurses in hospitals and hospital trains in the wartime. Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich Junior (1856-1929) appointed Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army in the years of World War I (the centenary of which will be marked in 2014) was one of the outstanding representatives of the reigning dynasty. стр. 88 Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich Junior. Photo of 1914. The grand duke as a personality full of merits and imperfections was very expressively characterized by Georgy Shavelsky, his contemporary, religious writer, author of memoirs and archpriest (chaplain-general) of the military and marine clergy. He recalled: "For the years of the last reign in Russia there was no person whose name was so glorified and who enjoyed more repute and popularity in the whole country and especially in the lower sections of the population than this grand duke. His popularity was legendary... Recollections of his close friends, former fellow workers and subordinates testify that in the years of his youth and prior to his marriage, the grand duke was distinguished for his short temper, impetuousness and sometimes rudeness and even cruelty... But after the marriage... his impetuous or, as many people would say, even furious temper remained in the past to be replaced by his quick and decisive actions when necessary... What he considered useful for the state and agreeable to his conscience, he carried out decisively, sternly and sometimes even mercilessly. But he stayed calm even when it was very difficult to do so... Indeed, he was more daring than others to tell the truth to the tzar, to punish or to pardon, to accept responsibility... ... Читать далее