I requested and received an eARC of The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport via NetGalley. When I saw this title, my mind immediately focused on the words “Romanov” and “Saxe-Coburg” and I knew that I wanted to read this. In 1795, Catherine the Great went in search of a bride for her grandson, Constantine. She selected Julie of Saxe-Coburg — aunt to the future Queen Victoria — a young, German princess like she had been before marrying into the Russian Imperial family. Julie found herself thrown into a court dominated by rumors and rivalries and paired with a volatile husband who could be sweet in one moment and violent in the next. Eventually, she would be granted permission by Tsar Alexander to leave the court, leaving behind a husband and life she despised. During her lifetime she gave birth to multiple illegitimate children, which she was forced into giving up for adoption. In The Rebel Romanov, Rappaport explores her life and circumstances which have largely been forgotten by history.

In the introduction to the text, Rappaport positions the Saxe-Coburg family in the middle of 19th century, as several siblings married into high stations, some in close proximity to thrones in Europe. With such well-connected relations, how did Julie sort of disappear into history, a sacrifice to the Russian Imperial throne and the success of her family? This definitely made me excited to dive further into the book and tempered how I viewed Julie throughout my reading. The journey to Russia must have been an eye-opening experience for Julie and her sisters, but that would only be the tip of the iceberg. Rappaport describes Constantine’s bizarre and cruel behavior and it really unsettled me. I cannot imagine how difficult this must have been for the young bride.

Julie’s life was certainly a unique one and The Rebel Romanov does a tremendous job of imparting her tale. She was, as Rappaport shows, little more than a sacrificial lamb to the Romanov dynasty for the betterment of her own family. Parts of Julie’s life necessarily remain an enigma due to lack of sources. The author points out certain possibilities, such as who she may have had an affair with, what may have caused her bouts of illness, who may have fathered her children, but does not make any claims that cannot be supported. It’s a shame so many letters and first hand accounts of her life were destroyed, but as Julie herself participated in this erasure it is difficult to begrudge her this act of agency in a life fraught with limitations. Even with this mystery, Rappaport manages to puzzle together a compelling portrait of a woman who it is difficult not to develop sympathy for despite two hundred or so years of separation. Julie seemed to retain a certain charm that really appealed to people until the end of her life, despite her mother describing her as very affected by her time in Russia and her marriage. This was a terrific and very enjoyable read.