German(-Russian) nobles in period dramas!
This post was originally posted on tumblr in response to another post that asked if anyone knew of various portrayals of German nobles, including those who married into German noble families. Luckily, the Russian royal family starting with the mid-18th century is a goldmine for German nobility; and, luckily too, Russia loves making period dramas about the Romanovs. (For ease, I’m gonna go in chronological order here.)
[Note that there are gifs in this post.]
Anna Petrovna
A daughter of Peter the Great, she married Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. Both Anna and her husband are portrayed in the first and second movies of the Secrets of the Palace Revolutions movie cycle, “The Emperor’s Will” and “The Empresses’ Will.”
Elisabeth Katharina Christine von Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Anna Leopoldovna)
Born the daughter of a German duke, (and later married another German Duke, Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick) she was the mother and regent of Russian Emperor Ivan IV until he was deposed in a coup d’etat. She is portrayed in the final film of the Secrets of the Russian Revolutions cycle, Okhota Na Princessu (Hunting a Princess).
Her husband, Anton Ulrich, is also portrayed in that film, as well as in the tv series Ekaterina.
Karl Peter von Holstein-Gottorp (Peter III Fyodorovich)
The Russian Emperor Peter III was born Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. There are several portrayals of him, the best one (IMO) being the tv series Ekaterina. (His wife, Catherine, was a German princess, but I saw that you already made a gifset of her.)
Also, interestingly (and kind of amazingly) Ekaterina also portrays Peter’s senior chamberlain, Christian August von Brockdorff, a member of a prominent Holstein noble family, who was one of Peter III’s favorites, especially in the mid 1750s.
Wilhelmina Luisa von Hessen-Darmstadt (Natalia Alekseyevna)
Paul I’s first wife was the daughter of Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. She (as well as her two sisters Friederike Luise and Friederike Amalie) are portrayed in the second season of the tv series Ekaterina.
Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg (Maria Fyodorovna)
The second wife of Paul I was also a German princess. She is portrayed in the second season of the tv show Ekaterina, as well as in the tv series Adyutanty Lyubvy (Adjutants of Love) and the movie Bedniy Bedniy Pavel (Poor Poor Paul).
Louise of Baden (Elizaveta Alexeyevna)
Born a German princess, she was the wife of Alexander I of Russia. She is portrayed in the tv series Adyutanty Lyubvy (Adjutants of Love), Severniy Sfinks (Northern Sphinx) and the movie Bedniy Bedniy Pavel (Poor Poor Paul).
Friederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine von Preußen (Alexandra Fyodorovna)
She was the daughter of the Friedrich III (later became Nikolai I’s wife). She is portrayed in a couple of different tv shows, the most prominent of which is Bednaya Nastya (Poor Nastya), as well as in the movie The Captivating Star of Happiness.
Maximiliane Wilhelmine Auguste Sophie Marie von Hessen (Maria Alexandrovna)
She was born a daughter of Ludwig II von Hessen (later married to Alexander II of Russia). She is portrayed in several tv shows, the more prominent of which are Bednaya Nastya (Poor Nastya) and Institut Blagorodnikh Devits (Institute for Noble Maidens).
Victoria Alix Helena Louise Beatrice von Hessen (Alexandra Fyodorovna)
Daughter of Louis IV of Hesse (married to Nikolai II). She is portrayed in a lot of stuff lol, the more well-known/accessible ones are probably: Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Grigoriy R, Rasputin (1996), Rasputin (2011), Mathilde (2017).
[Note that there are gifs in this post.]
Anna Petrovna
A daughter of Peter the Great, she married Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. Both Anna and her husband are portrayed in the first and second movies of the Secrets of the Palace Revolutions movie cycle, “The Emperor’s Will” and “The Empresses’ Will.”
Elisabeth Katharina Christine von Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Anna Leopoldovna)
Born the daughter of a German duke, (and later married another German Duke, Anthony Ulrich of Brunswick) she was the mother and regent of Russian Emperor Ivan IV until he was deposed in a coup d’etat. She is portrayed in the final film of the Secrets of the Russian Revolutions cycle, Okhota Na Princessu (Hunting a Princess).
Her husband, Anton Ulrich, is also portrayed in that film, as well as in the tv series Ekaterina.
Karl Peter von Holstein-Gottorp (Peter III Fyodorovich)
The Russian Emperor Peter III was born Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. There are several portrayals of him, the best one (IMO) being the tv series Ekaterina. (His wife, Catherine, was a German princess, but I saw that you already made a gifset of her.)
Also, interestingly (and kind of amazingly) Ekaterina also portrays Peter’s senior chamberlain, Christian August von Brockdorff, a member of a prominent Holstein noble family, who was one of Peter III’s favorites, especially in the mid 1750s.
Wilhelmina Luisa von Hessen-Darmstadt (Natalia Alekseyevna)
Paul I’s first wife was the daughter of Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt. She (as well as her two sisters Friederike Luise and Friederike Amalie) are portrayed in the second season of the tv series Ekaterina.
Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg (Maria Fyodorovna)
The second wife of Paul I was also a German princess. She is portrayed in the second season of the tv show Ekaterina, as well as in the tv series Adyutanty Lyubvy (Adjutants of Love) and the movie Bedniy Bedniy Pavel (Poor Poor Paul).
Louise of Baden (Elizaveta Alexeyevna)
Born a German princess, she was the wife of Alexander I of Russia. She is portrayed in the tv series Adyutanty Lyubvy (Adjutants of Love), Severniy Sfinks (Northern Sphinx) and the movie Bedniy Bedniy Pavel (Poor Poor Paul).
Friederike Luise Charlotte Wilhelmine von Preußen (Alexandra Fyodorovna)
She was the daughter of the Friedrich III (later became Nikolai I’s wife). She is portrayed in a couple of different tv shows, the most prominent of which is Bednaya Nastya (Poor Nastya), as well as in the movie The Captivating Star of Happiness.
Maximiliane Wilhelmine Auguste Sophie Marie von Hessen (Maria Alexandrovna)
She was born a daughter of Ludwig II von Hessen (later married to Alexander II of Russia). She is portrayed in several tv shows, the more prominent of which are Bednaya Nastya (Poor Nastya) and Institut Blagorodnikh Devits (Institute for Noble Maidens).
Victoria Alix Helena Louise Beatrice von Hessen (Alexandra Fyodorovna)
Daughter of Louis IV of Hesse (married to Nikolai II). She is portrayed in a lot of stuff lol, the more well-known/accessible ones are probably: Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Grigoriy R, Rasputin (1996), Rasputin (2011), Mathilde (2017).