1. The Mystery of the Romanov’s

2. The Royal Russian Family
Nicholas II was the last tsar of Russia
He and has wife Tsarina Alexandra had five children
Olga
Tatiana
Maria
Anastasia
Alexei

3. Tatiana
Olga
Maria
Anastasia
Alexandra
Nicholas II
Alexei

4. Nicholas & Alexandra
On April 20, 1894, Czarevitch Nicholas II proposed to Princess Alexandra of Hesse. Although
seen by the Russian people as a cold, unhappy German princess
numerous letters document a lifelong love that existed between "Niki" and "Alix."

5. The Romanov Children
The Czar and Czarina Alexandra produced five children.
The first two daughters, known as the "Big Pair," were named Olga and Tatiana.
The next two daughters – the "Little Pair" – were Maria and Anastasia.
Then finally an heir to the throne, Prince Alexei, was born.

11. The Royal Family
Alexei, the only son, destined to be the next tsar, had hemophilia
Virtually untreatable and usually led to untimely death
In desperation, Alexandria began to rely on Rasputin, a mystic, who seemed to be able to help Alexei during bleeding episodes

12. Rasputin healer for the young Alexei
Called upon when doctors couldn’t help him with his hemophilia
Alexandra believed that Rasputin was the only one who could cure Alexei

13. Problems for the Tsar
The mounting pressure of World War I and economic hardship led to massive discontent with the Tsar
In addition Alexandra began to consult Rasputin on domestic policy while the Tsar was absent leading troops in WW I, further alienating the Russian people
The Tsar was forced to abdicate in March, 1917

14. Rasputin’s Death Russian officials decided that Rasputin should die
they fed Rasputin poisoned wine and tea cakes but they did not affect him
Dismayed, they shot him twice but he lived
it was only when they bound his body and threw it into the Neva River that he died.

15. Final Days
Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks took full control of the revolution and sought to govern the land.

16. Final Days Family put under house arrest by the Bolsheviks
Became a problem for Lenin
Many still saw Nicholas as the legitimate ruler of Russia

17. Execution
On the night of July 17th, the family was awoken and told that there was trouble and that they would be safer in the basement
The whole family, the family doctor,and three servants went to the basement. A group of twelve Red Army soldiers appeared in the basement and shot those there.
The legend has it that the princesses had to be finished off with bayonets as they had stuffed jewels in their blouses which had deflected the bullets.
According to the Yurovsky (the man who carried out the execution) the bodies were soaked in acid, burned, and thrown down a mineshaft

18. Execution Room

19. Missing Bodies
The next morning, fearing the discovery of the bodies, Yurovsky ordered the bodies retrieved to be buried elsewhere
However, the vehicle carrying the bodies broke down and they were buried in a pit along a cart track

20. Locating the Remains
In 1979 a grave was discovered and believed to contain the bodies of the Tsar, his family and servants
Authenticity of the remains was questioned
Only nine bodies were found. (Yurovsky explained that two of the bodies were incinerated and not removed from the mineshaft)
Popular rumor that Anastasia had miraculously been survived
In 1995 and the fall of the Soviet Union that permission was given for the bodies to be exhumed and examined

21. Authentication of the Remains
Fingerprints
Dental records
Physical Inspection
Evidence of crushing blows, bayonet thrusts and bullet wounds were apparent and consistent with reports of the execution

22. Authentication of the Remains
Reconstruction of the remains
Nine skeletons were painstakingly reconstructed from 700 bone fragments which were consistent with ages and genders of those known to be executed

23. Authentication of the Remains
Nuclear DNA Fingerprinting
Proved that three young women were the daughters of one of the adult males
Insufficient DNA for complete analysis

24. Authentication of the Remains
Mitochondrial DNA Analysis
Mitochondrial DNA from living and dead (but known relatives) of the Tsar & his family established that the remains were indeed theirs

25. Anna Anderson Emerges

26. Final Mystery
Anna Anderson continued to claim until her death in 1984 that she was the missing princess, Anastasia
A small sample of tissue from Anna Anderson which had been removed during an earlier surgery was tested in 1994
Proved that she was not a member of the royal Romanov family and was born to a middle class family in Poland

27. Anastasia - The Disney Movie
This is the Fictional Movie Version on the story.
The last surviving child of the Russian Royal Family joins two con men to reunite with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, while the undead Rasputin seeks her death.