Changes

*Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (1992-present),<ref>"But most monarchist and monarchist historians consider Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, who lives in Spain and France, to be the legitimate head of the house," Opfell, Olga S., ''[https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=9UFveIUgktIC&dq= Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe]'', 2001, p. 71.<br/>"Maria Vladimirovna is the most widely acknowledged pretender to the throne of Russia." Pruitt, Sarah, "[https://www.history.com/news/romanov-family-tree-descendants-imposters-claims The Romanov Family Tree: Real Descendants and Wannabes]," ''History.com'', March 29, 2019.</ref> daughter of Vladimir.

*Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (1992-present),<ref>"But most monarchist and monarchist historians consider Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, who lives in Spain and France, to be the legitimate head of the house," Opfell, Olga S., ''[https://books.google.com.vn/books?id=9UFveIUgktIC&dq= Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe]'', 2001, p. 71.<br/>"Maria Vladimirovna is the most widely acknowledged pretender to the throne of Russia." Pruitt, Sarah, "[https://www.history.com/news/romanov-family-tree-descendants-imposters-claims The Romanov Family Tree: Real Descendants and Wannabes]," ''History.com'', March 29, 2019.</ref> daughter of Vladimir.

Nicholas II, his wife, and five children were killed at Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, Siberia in July 1918 as the Bolsheviks hunted down the former imperial family.<ref>"[https://www.9news.com.au/world/romanovs-house-3d/27e0c473-7541-4e8d-bfe9-704b96a793db See inside Ipatiev House where the Russian Royals were executed]," nine.com.au, Jul 19, 2017.</ref> Four princes were thrown down a mine shaft alive and then stoned to death.<ref>Opfell, p. 75.</ref> After years of concealment and Bolshevik lies, investigator Nikolai Sokolov revealed the fate of the family in 1924.

Nicholas II, his wife, and five children were killed at Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, Siberia in July 1918 as the Bolsheviks hunted down the former imperial family.<ref>"[https://www.9news.com.au/world/romanovs-house-3d/27e0c473-7541-4e8d-bfe9-704b96a793db See inside Ipatiev House where the Russian Royals were executed]," nine.com.au, Jul 19, 2017.</ref> Four princes were thrown down a mine shaft alive and then stoned to death.<ref>Opfell, p. 75.</ref> After years of concealment and Bolshevik lies, investigator Nikolai Sokolov revealed the fate of the family in 1924.

The murder of Nicholas, his son Alexei Nikolaevich (1904 – 1918), and his brother Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich (1878 – 1918) left Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich (1876 - 1938) as next in line. Many monarchists disliked Kirill or viewed him as a traitor. They refused to treat him as head of the house until Sokolov's report was published. When Kirill died in October 1938, the five most senior Romanovs signed a statement accepting his son Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich (1917 – 1992) as successor.<ref>These were Grand Duke Boris, Grand Duke Andrew, Grand Duke Dmitry, Prince Vsevelod, and Prince Gavriel. See Brien Horan, "[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/russian-imperial-succession The Russian Imperial Succession]."</ref>

The murder of Nicholas, his son Alexei Nikolaevich (1904 – 1918), and his brother Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich (1878 – 1918) left Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich (1876 - 1938) as next in line. Many monarchists disliked Kirill or viewed him as a traitor. They refused to treat him as head of the house until Sokolov's report was published. When Kirill died in October 1938, the five most senior Romanovs signed a statement accepting his son Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich (1917 – 1992) as successor.<ref>These were Grand Duke Boris, Grand Duke Andrew, Grand Duke Dmitry, Prince Vsevelod, and Prince Gavriel. See Brien Horan, "[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/russian-imperial-succession The Russian Imperial Succession]."</ref>

== Equal marriage dispute ==

== Equal marriage dispute ==

The succession law requires that a dynast's marriage be "equal":{{cquote|Children born of a marriage between a person of the Imperial Family and a person not of corresponding dignity, that is not belonging to any royal or sovereign house, have no right of succession to the Throne.<ref>Article 36, ''[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/the-fundamental-laws The Fundamental Laws of the Russian Empire]'', 1906.</ref>}}In 1948, Vladimir married Princess Leonida Bagration-Mukhransky in Lausanne. The House of Bagration is one of the world's oldest families, ruling Georgia from 813 to 1801.<ref>The Japanese Imperial House is the only ruling house that is older than the Bagrations.</ref> Russia and Georgia concluded a treaty affirming the royal status of the house in 1783.<ref>"Treaty of Georgievsk," Russia-Georgia, 1783, ‘Her Imperial Majesty [Catherine II], graciously accept in supreme power and protection over the Kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti, promises in Her name and in the name of Her Heirs… to preserve forever on the Throne of the Kingdoms of Kartli and Kakhety [Georgia] the Serene Tsar Irakly, son of Theimouraz, and his Heirs and Descendants.’ Quoted by Brien Horan in "[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/russian-imperial-succession The Russian Imperial Succession]."</br> "[http://www.imperialhouse.ru/en/dynastyhistory/dinzak3/1117.html Decree of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duke Wladimir Kirillovich, on the Recognition of the Royal Rank of the House of Bagration]," 22 November/5 December 1946.</ref>

If a dynast marries a spouse of "unequal" rank, the marriage is morganatic, according to the succession law:{{cquote|Children born of a marriage between a person of the Imperial Family and a person not of corresponding dignity, that is not belonging to any royal or sovereign house, have no right of succession to the Throne.<ref>Article 36, ''[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/the-fundamental-laws The Fundamental Laws of the Russian Empire]'', 1906.</ref>}}In 1948, Vladimir married Princess Leonida Bagration-Mukhransky in Lausanne. The House of Bagration is one of the world's oldest families, ruling Georgia from 813 to 1801.<ref>The Japanese Imperial House is the only ruling house that is older than the Bagrations.</ref> Russia and Georgia concluded a treaty affirming the royal status of the house in 1783.<ref>"Treaty of Georgievsk," Russia-Georgia, 1783, ‘Her Imperial Majesty [Catherine II], graciously accept in supreme power and protection over the Kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti, promises in Her name and in the name of Her Heirs… to preserve forever on the Throne of the Kingdoms of Kartli and Kakhety [Georgia] the Serene Tsar Irakly, son of Theimouraz, and his Heirs and Descendants.’ Quoted by Brien Horan in "[https://www.russianlegitimist.org/russian-imperial-succession The Russian Imperial Succession]."<br/> "[http://www.imperialhouse.ru/en/dynastyhistory/dinzak3/1117.html Decree of the Head of the Russian Imperial House, H.I.H. Grand Duke Wladimir Kirillovich, on the Recognition of the Royal Rank of the House of Bagration]," 22 November/5 December 1946.</ref>

In 1969, Vladimir issued a proclamation which stated that his daughter Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (b. 1953) would succeed when he died as all other male dynasts had contracted unequal marriages. The other senior Romanovs protested, arguing that their marriages had equal standing with Vladimir's.<ref name="Massie">Massie, Robert K., ''The Romanovs: The Final Chapter'', 1995, p. 282.</br>"Both sexes have the right of succession to the Throne; but this right belongs by preference to the male sex according to the principle of primogeniture; with the extinction of the last male issue, succession to the Throne passes to the female issue by right of substitution." Article 27, ''The Fundamental Laws of the Russian Empire'' (1906).</ref>

In 1969, Vladimir issued a proclamation which stated that his daughter Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna (b. 23 Dec. 1953) would succeed when he died as all other male dynasts had contracted morganatic marriages. The other senior Romanovs protested, arguing that their marriages had equal standing with Vladimir's.<ref name="Massie">Massie, Robert K., ''The Romanovs: The Final Chapter'', 1995, p. 282.<br/>Despite the succession law's absolute male preference, both sexes may succeed. "Both sexes have the right of succession to the Throne; but this right belongs by preference to the male sex according to the principle of primogeniture; with the extinction of the last male issue, succession to the Throne passes to the female issue by right of substitution." Article 27, ''The Fundamental Laws of the Russian Empire'' (1906).</ref>

In 1979, those who felt slighted by Vladimir's proclamation formed the Romanov Family Association. This association included most of the surviving Romanovs aside from Vladimir and Maria. As the Bagrations had been incorporated into the Russian nobility, Vladimir's own marriage was unequal, the association argued. Maria was thus not eligible to succeed. The association called for the dynasty's rules on equal marriage to be revised.<ref name="Massie"/>

In 1979, those who felt slighted by Vladimir's proclamation formed the Romanov Family Association. This association included most of the surviving Romanovs, aside from Vladimir and Maria. As the Bagrations had been incorporated into the Russian nobility, Vladimir's own marriage was unequal, the association argued. The association called for the dynasty's rules on equal marriage to be revised.<ref name="Massie"/>

When Vladimir died in 1992, Maria claimed the right to succeed as the only child of the last male dynast. Unlike the Romanovs of 1938, those of 1992 were sharply divided.<ref>With succession in dispute, ''Almanach de Gotha'' does not recognize the claims of any current member of the House. It describes Vladimir as, "the last Head of the Imperial House of Russia." James, John. ''Almanach de Gotha,'' 2016.</ref> The refusal of Vladimir and Maria to confirm the marriages of other members of the family has led to a great deal of resentment against them.

When Vladimir died in 1992, Maria claimed the right to succeed as the only child of the last male dynast. Unlike the Romanovs of 1938, those of 1992 were sharply divided.<ref>With succession in dispute, ''Almanach de Gotha'' does not recognize the claims of any current member of the House. It describes Vladimir as, "the last Head of the Imperial House of Russia." James, John. ''Almanach de Gotha,'' 2016.</ref> The refusal of Vladimir and Maria to confirm the marriages of other members of the family has led to a great deal of resentment against them.

== Alternative scenarios ==

=== Alternative scenarios ===

If Vladimir's marriage is treated as morganatic, then he was succeeded by Princess Vera Konstantinovna (1906–2001) in 1992 and by Princess Catherine Ivanovna (1915-2007) in 2001. Catherine died in 2007, which, in this scenario, would leave the head of the house position vacant.

If Vladimir's marriage is treated as morganatic, then he was succeeded by Princess Vera Konstantinovna (1906–2001) in 1992 and by Princess Catherine Ivanovna (1915-2007) in 2001. Catherine died in 2007, which, in this scenario, would leave the head of the house position vacant.

Since 2016, the Romanov Family Association has backed the claim of Prince Andrew Romanoff (b. 21 Jan 1923), a great-great-grandson of Nicholas I, a naturalized American citizen, and a children's author living in California.

Since 2016, the Romanov Family Association has backed the claim of Prince Andrew Romanoff (b. 21 Jan 1923), a great-great-grandson of Nicholas I. He is a naturalized American citizen and a children's author living in California.

== Reference ==

== Reference ==

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