Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia

Career

Grand Duke Michael served as Governor General of Caucasia for twenty years, from 1862 to 1882, based in Tbilisi, where most of his children grew up. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, he was the nominal Commander-in-Chief of Russian troops in the Caucasus.

He was appointed Field Marshal General in April 1878. Four members of his family ruled as Emperors during his lifetime: his father Nicholas I, his brother Alexander II, his nephew Alexander III, and his grand-nephew Nicholas II, whose daughter Grand Duchess Tatiana he was godfather to. He died in Cannes, France, on 18 December 1909, the last surviving legitimate grandchild of Paul I of Russia.

Legacy

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, granddaughter of his eldest brother, recalled Grand Duke Michael in her memoirs as a tall, elegant old gentleman who visited her family. She described his perfect and harmonious gestures, his affability, and his air of a grand seigneur from a vanished epoch. He was the last of the Grand Dukes to use the familiar 'thou' with men, according to the custom of her grandfather's time, and he bowed with touching grace before women as he kissed their hands.