Thirteen years at the Russian court (a personal record of the last years and death of the Czar Nicholas II. and his family)

"Thirteen Years at the Russian Court" by Pierre Gilliard is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work chronicles Gilliard's experiences as the tutor to the Russian Czarevitch, Nicholas II's only son, focusing on the final years of the Romanov dynasty. It presents a vivid portrayal of royal life, detailing the intimate struggles faced by the Imperial family, particularly in relation to the Czarevitch's severe illness and the political turmoil surrounding them at the time. At the start of the narrative, Gilliard reflects on his initial acceptance of the tutor position and recounts his first encounters with the Russian royal family. He provides insights into the daily life at the Imperial court, particularly the profound challenges faced by Czar Nicholas II and the Czarina, Alexandra, as they navigate their son Alexis's health issues linked to hemophilia. The introduction sets the tone for a personal and deeply emotional retelling, highlighting the contrast between the court's opulence and the family's private suffering, particularly stemming from the influences of individuals like Rasputin and the burdens of monarchy during a period of impending revolution. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Pierre Gilliard was a Swiss academic and author, best known as the French language tutor to the five children of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia from 1905 to 1918. In 1921, after the Russian Revolution of 1917, he published a memoir, Thirteen Years at the Russian Court, about his time with the family. In his memoirs, Gilliard described Tsarina Alexandra's torment over her son's hemophilia and her faith in the ability of starets Grigori Rasputin to heal the boy.