Tsar Nicholas II

The problem with having a semi-obscure historical hero is that most people look at you like a crazed lunatic when you express your love for said hero. Actually, most people look at you like that when you say your hero is someone that's been dead for ages. Apparently I missed the memo that history isn't cool.

Anyway, one of my greatest heroes in History is the Tsar Nicholas II. And if you're scratching your head or zooming off to Wikipedia, I'll save you the bother - He was the last Tsar of Russia. He's the cause of Bloody Sunday (the 1905 one). He's the one who employed Rasputin (well, technically that was his wife). He's also the father of the famous Anastasia Romanov. But most importantly, he has one of the most beautiful love stories of all time.

In his journal, when he went to see his second cousin Alix, he wrote that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen and he loved her. There were issues, of course. She was German, and her religion was wrong, and Nicholas' father (whose a very impressive man on his own!) wanted his son to be married to someone incredibly powerful.

After dating a Russian ballerina for a while (to the utter disgrace of his parents), he finally ran back into his beloved. In order to get married, Alix had to change her country, her religion and even her name. BUT! Alix and Nicholas were married. They had 5 lovely children and lived happily ever after. Until the Russian revolution and they were thrown into poverty and basically prison and then executed.

There's soooo much to go into, but I'll save you the trouble. Both of them kept extensive diaries. If you're interested, there's an AMAZING book called Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie. The book goes through Nicholas' entire life, and contains lots of diary entries from many people involved in this incredible story. Seriously, it'll make you laugh and cry. Love it.

Or, you know, you could just watch Anastasia.

"And I kick her, sir!"

Song of the day - Once Upon a December