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The Last Courts of Europe
s/t: A Family Album of Royalty at Home & Abroad 1860-1914
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Robert K. Massie
45 books1,648 followersRobert Kinloch Massie was an American historian, writer, winner of a Pulitzer Prize, and a Rhodes Scholar.
Born in Versailles, Kentucky, Massie spent much of his youth there and in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied American history at Yale University and modern European history at Oxford University on his Rhodes Scholarship. Massie went to work as a journalist for Newsweek from 1959 to 1964 and then took a position at the Saturday Evening Post.
After he and his family left America for France, Massie wrote and published his breakthrough book, Nicholas and Alexandra, a biography of the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra of Hesse, and their family and cultural/political milieu. Massie's interest in the Tsar's family was triggered by the birth of his son, the Rev. Robert Kinloch Massie, who suffers from hemophilia, a hereditary disease that also afflicted the last Tsar's son, Alexei. In 1971, the book was the basis of an Academy Award–winning film of the same title. In 1995, in his book The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, Massie updated Nicholas and Alexandra with much newly discovered information.
In 1975, Robert Massie and his then-wife Suzanne chronicled their experiences as the parents of a hemophiliac child and the significant differences between the American and French healthcare systems in their jointly written book, Journey.
Massie won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for Peter the Great: His Life and World. This book inspired a 1986 NBC mini-series that won three Emmy Awards, starring Maximilian Schell, Laurence Olivier and Vanessa Redgrave.
Born in Versailles, Kentucky, Massie spent much of his youth there and in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied American history at Yale University and modern European history at Oxford University on his Rhodes Scholarship. Massie went to work as a journalist for Newsweek from 1959 to 1964 and then took a position at the Saturday Evening Post.
After he and his family left America for France, Massie wrote and published his breakthrough book, Nicholas and Alexandra, a biography of the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra of Hesse, and their family and cultural/political milieu. Massie's interest in the Tsar's family was triggered by the birth of his son, the Rev. Robert Kinloch Massie, who suffers from hemophilia, a hereditary disease that also afflicted the last Tsar's son, Alexei. In 1971, the book was the basis of an Academy Award–winning film of the same title. In 1995, in his book The Romanovs: The Final Chapter, Massie updated Nicholas and Alexandra with much newly discovered information.
In 1975, Robert Massie and his then-wife Suzanne chronicled their experiences as the parents of a hemophiliac child and the significant differences between the American and French healthcare systems in their jointly written book, Journey.
Massie won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for Peter the Great: His Life and World. This book inspired a 1986 NBC mini-series that won three Emmy Awards, starring Maximilian Schell, Laurence Olivier and Vanessa Redgrave.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 7, 2011
Having just reviewed Winder's great book on Germany it suddenly made me realize I had not put up this book onto my shelves. If you are interested in the Royal and Imperial past of Europe, if you are fascinated by gazing at photographs of a long gone social order, if you gain a frisson of sadness or horror at seeing the images of people who you know are to be swept away into exile or even worse brutally murdered, and it has to be said there was quite a lot of blue blood-letting in the years after the carnage of the 'Great War', then this is definitely the book for you.
Robert Massie, whose own book on the fall of the Romanovs is incredible, writes a fascinating introduction covering the years which, in his own words, were ' the golden afternoon of royal majesty; the monarchs of Europe revolved in stately orbit around the indomitable figure of a woman not five feet tall '....that is Queen Victoria if you are interested and not Lady Munchkin. He extends the essay to a defence of monarchical rule making the interesting observation that ' monarchy flourishes most healthily today in those European states which are most strongly democratic '. I am not 100% convinced that the good people of France or Germany would wholeheartedly concur but I can see a litle of what he is saying. The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are all renowned for their democratic credentials and yet all have seemingly very popular constitutional monarchies.
The book is concerned not so much with the surviving ten monarchies of Europe however as with the oodles that were swept aside by first the republican and egalitarian zeal of post 1918 and then the final hravesting with the cutting down of the remainder by referenda largely organized by the Soviet Union in post 1945.
The photographs are astounding and as a record of a long gone age they are unbeatable. There are a number which are magnificent Cecil be de Mille like expressions of grandeur, totally epic in their proportions; there are others which are poignant and tragic knowing what lies ahead; there are some which scream out history and are wonderfully evocative; then there are the ridiculous and high camp which make the most OTT Ruritanian scenes from Hollywood seem bland and mundane; there are the cute and human scenes of love and familial care and then finally there are some hilarious ones purely because of their unlikely credibility. One of my favourites of this latter strain is number 272. It is listed as being
'Princess Elena of Savoy, Duchess of Aosta serving soup to victims of the Naples earthquake, 1909'
This woman has never more held a ladle of soup than I have given birth to the crown prince of Schleswig-Holstein, (I love that name) and the supposed victims of the earthquake are in top hats for the love of God. It is the most ridiculously posed photo but I suppose no more than so many put out nowadays by politicians or Sepp Blatter.
Number 273 is also a corker and featuring the same Princess Elena. She really ought to have fired her publicist. This one has her on a visit to Africa in 1910. She is standing in an enormous canoe in a line of 9 variously head geared black men who stare back at the camera some in a state of boredom, some in confusion but it is the Princess I find funny. She is standing in profile gazing at the three men to her left and you cannot but help imagine that she is eyeing up her neighbour's headress as the very thing for Cannes 1911 as looking at the photos from the surrounding pages many of these soon to be gone woman wore hats far more weird and wonderful than anything ever dreamed up by the 'milliners' of deepest Africa.
Robert Massie, whose own book on the fall of the Romanovs is incredible, writes a fascinating introduction covering the years which, in his own words, were ' the golden afternoon of royal majesty; the monarchs of Europe revolved in stately orbit around the indomitable figure of a woman not five feet tall '....that is Queen Victoria if you are interested and not Lady Munchkin. He extends the essay to a defence of monarchical rule making the interesting observation that ' monarchy flourishes most healthily today in those European states which are most strongly democratic '. I am not 100% convinced that the good people of France or Germany would wholeheartedly concur but I can see a litle of what he is saying. The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Sweden are all renowned for their democratic credentials and yet all have seemingly very popular constitutional monarchies.
The book is concerned not so much with the surviving ten monarchies of Europe however as with the oodles that were swept aside by first the republican and egalitarian zeal of post 1918 and then the final hravesting with the cutting down of the remainder by referenda largely organized by the Soviet Union in post 1945.
The photographs are astounding and as a record of a long gone age they are unbeatable. There are a number which are magnificent Cecil be de Mille like expressions of grandeur, totally epic in their proportions; there are others which are poignant and tragic knowing what lies ahead; there are some which scream out history and are wonderfully evocative; then there are the ridiculous and high camp which make the most OTT Ruritanian scenes from Hollywood seem bland and mundane; there are the cute and human scenes of love and familial care and then finally there are some hilarious ones purely because of their unlikely credibility. One of my favourites of this latter strain is number 272. It is listed as being
'Princess Elena of Savoy, Duchess of Aosta serving soup to victims of the Naples earthquake, 1909'
This woman has never more held a ladle of soup than I have given birth to the crown prince of Schleswig-Holstein, (I love that name) and the supposed victims of the earthquake are in top hats for the love of God. It is the most ridiculously posed photo but I suppose no more than so many put out nowadays by politicians or Sepp Blatter.
Number 273 is also a corker and featuring the same Princess Elena. She really ought to have fired her publicist. This one has her on a visit to Africa in 1910. She is standing in an enormous canoe in a line of 9 variously head geared black men who stare back at the camera some in a state of boredom, some in confusion but it is the Princess I find funny. She is standing in profile gazing at the three men to her left and you cannot but help imagine that she is eyeing up her neighbour's headress as the very thing for Cannes 1911 as looking at the photos from the surrounding pages many of these soon to be gone woman wore hats far more weird and wonderful than anything ever dreamed up by the 'milliners' of deepest Africa.
July 27, 2013
This oversized book is filled with beautiful sepia-toned photographs of European royal houses in the decades prior to the first world war. Most of the dynasties photographed here were "discontinued" in the post-war clamor for self-government. The ones that remained were eventually stripped of any significant power.
The introductory text by Robert Massie is quite lengthy and gives a detailed description of the following houses during the last decades of their regencies: The Saxe-Colburg-Windsors, The Hohenzollerns, The Romanovs and The Hapsburgs.
The bulk of the book, as the title suggests, are photographs accompanied by text and the monarchs of the following countries are represented in this section: Great Britain, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Prussia, The Lesser German States, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, France, Scandinavbia, Iberia, Italy and The Balkans.
As a folk tale fan, I found the royal families of "the Lesser German states" particularly interesting: suddenly the first sentences of all those fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers make perfect sense -- so many little German kingdoms, so many little German kings, so many royal princesses.
As many of these dynasties were intermarried, the genealogical table at the end of the book is very helpful.
The book provides a fascinating glimpse of 19th century European royal houses during the second half of the 19th century before they were lost to the tumultuous changes of the 20th.
The introductory text by Robert Massie is quite lengthy and gives a detailed description of the following houses during the last decades of their regencies: The Saxe-Colburg-Windsors, The Hohenzollerns, The Romanovs and The Hapsburgs.
The bulk of the book, as the title suggests, are photographs accompanied by text and the monarchs of the following countries are represented in this section: Great Britain, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Prussia, The Lesser German States, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, France, Scandinavbia, Iberia, Italy and The Balkans.
As a folk tale fan, I found the royal families of "the Lesser German states" particularly interesting: suddenly the first sentences of all those fairy tales collected by the Grimm brothers make perfect sense -- so many little German kingdoms, so many little German kings, so many royal princesses.
As many of these dynasties were intermarried, the genealogical table at the end of the book is very helpful.
The book provides a fascinating glimpse of 19th century European royal houses during the second half of the 19th century before they were lost to the tumultuous changes of the 20th.
February 19, 2019
With an introduction by Robert K. Massie (Nicholas & Alexandra), this book has, besides exacting narrative, has extensive photographs of the last courts of the following Royal Houses: The Saxe-Coburg-Windsors; The Hohenzollerns; The Romanovs; The Hapsburgs including a two page spread of the deathbed of Sisi, Empress of Austria, after her assassination in Geneva in 1898; Great Britain; Austria-Hungary; Prussia; The Lesser German States; Belgium, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands; France; Scandinavia; Iberia (Spain); and The Balkans. Photographs have captions identifying each royal and what event such as Nicholas II and Alexandra’s coronation in Moscow on May 23, 1896-the last Russian coronation. This is a view into royal life not usually seen. The information and the photographs continue to amaze me. Third or fourth reading. Rating today- 5 stars!
July 31, 2012
A really fascinating collection of photographs of European royalty, taken from the mid nineteenth century into the early twentieth. More than any other book, this gave an idea of how interconnected the families were: seeing the kings of Greece, Romania, English and Russian dukes, all seated around a breakfast table with their grandparents will do that to you. Photography was still in its early stages, so many of the children's faces are blurred from movement, and even those who stayed painstakingly still are often a bit fuzzy. But overall, this is a lovely collection, well-organized and researched. And even to those not interested in history, the men's mustaches and the women's ruffled dresses will provide hours of amusement.
On a purely superficial note, I must mention that some families bred much prettier rulers than others.
Most attractive: Russian royal family, Nassau family of Luxembourg
ex:
Least attractive: Montenegro, the Netherlands
ex:
On a purely superficial note, I must mention that some families bred much prettier rulers than others.
Most attractive: Russian royal family, Nassau family of Luxembourg
ex:
Least attractive: Montenegro, the Netherlands
ex:
January 23, 2016
The pictures were fantastic and the little summaries of each family were done well, being concise and informative
August 30, 2020
A must have for every royal fan.
December 12, 2024
Remarkable.
Queen Victoria (granny) and 'the royal mob' at home and in public before WWI swept them mostly all away.
Queen Victoria (granny) and 'the royal mob' at home and in public before WWI swept them mostly all away.
Read
October 25, 2025It is like entering the History tunnel and watch all those families whose names were also their countries names. So much splendor, pomp, all gone, dissappeared with the Great War. Their sense of being something different, their sense of destiny, theirs linked to their countries' and so many of them could not resist war, murders, change.
Extraordinary photographs, most of the book is them. Very enjoyable.
Extraordinary photographs, most of the book is them. Very enjoyable.
January 16, 2025
A photo book of the last courts before World War I in Europe. Beginning with a prologue from Massie that features short biographies of each country to be featured, followed by each court in it's own chapter. There's a good mixture of formal ceremonial pictures and casual private moments. Each photo has a detailed caption that explains the people and their place in the court.
July 20, 2017
Good overview of the European ruling houses. Occassional error or two in the text. And I admit I longed more for formal portrait and family photos rather than crowd scenes. Still, a good book and guidline for anyone interested in the monarchies of Europe.
December 3, 2025
A wonderful look at a historic past long ago.
October 19, 2023
A Robert K. Massie book that isn't on Kindle? I must have it. *sees the used prices* I must borrow it.
This is a cursory exploration of the royal courts of Europe in the post-1848 world. Despite that year of upheaval, royalty seemed to come out of it stronger than ever. While this ultimately led to a slow process (over the next century) of more democratic states with less royal families, monarchies mostly survived and thrived up to World War I.
Massie's introduction focuses primarily on the imperial dynasties: the UK, Germany, and Russia. Victoria is obviously a central focus, given that intermarriage with other royal houses resulted in one of her grandsons being Kaiser Wilhelm II and one of her granddaughters the last tsarina of Russia. There are excerpts of letters that reveal how everything was incredibly charged in her orbit--Victoria would have thrived in breathless stan Twitter--but family dynamics would not always go her way and relatives would not let their blood ties overcome their other ties (to homelands, for example). (The most amusing anecdote was about Edward VII and Wilhelm II despising each other, but being such clotheshorses that they gave each other honorary military titles so they could increase their wardrobes.)
The photos are divided into nations for the "bigger" houses and regions for the "smaller" (Scandinavia, the twenty lesser German houses, the Balkans). There is a short intro to each section, but it still helps to have some knowledge. I sometimes wished for less dry captions for the photos; yes, the trip to Romania was the last time the Russian Imperial family was seen outside their country, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY you could see that all of the Grand Duchesses had sunburned faces in protest of this attempt to arrange a marriage for one of them. Still wonderful to see all these photographs in one place though. I just wish it was longer and more thorough, but then the book might have been too heavy to lift.
This is a cursory exploration of the royal courts of Europe in the post-1848 world. Despite that year of upheaval, royalty seemed to come out of it stronger than ever. While this ultimately led to a slow process (over the next century) of more democratic states with less royal families, monarchies mostly survived and thrived up to World War I.
Massie's introduction focuses primarily on the imperial dynasties: the UK, Germany, and Russia. Victoria is obviously a central focus, given that intermarriage with other royal houses resulted in one of her grandsons being Kaiser Wilhelm II and one of her granddaughters the last tsarina of Russia. There are excerpts of letters that reveal how everything was incredibly charged in her orbit--Victoria would have thrived in breathless stan Twitter--but family dynamics would not always go her way and relatives would not let their blood ties overcome their other ties (to homelands, for example). (The most amusing anecdote was about Edward VII and Wilhelm II despising each other, but being such clotheshorses that they gave each other honorary military titles so they could increase their wardrobes.)
The photos are divided into nations for the "bigger" houses and regions for the "smaller" (Scandinavia, the twenty lesser German houses, the Balkans). There is a short intro to each section, but it still helps to have some knowledge. I sometimes wished for less dry captions for the photos; yes, the trip to Romania was the last time the Russian Imperial family was seen outside their country, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY you could see that all of the Grand Duchesses had sunburned faces in protest of this attempt to arrange a marriage for one of them. Still wonderful to see all these photographs in one place though. I just wish it was longer and more thorough, but then the book might have been too heavy to lift.
April 21, 2014
Love this book! I pull it out and go through it again every few years, just for fun. These marvelous black and white photos show European royal families in the decades before WWI wiped most of them out. Some great tidbits are in here--pictures of Chulalonghorn, King of Siam, visiting Czar Nicholas II in Russia, royal weddings, adorable baby pics, gorgeous (and not-so-gorgeous) women in full court dress, military reviews--anything the royals photographed is included.
The genealogy chart at the back is a must for keeping track of how everyone is related--Queen Victoria's grandchildren ruled huge swaths of the world and were related by marriage to practically every other royal house. Their marriages into the royal families of Prussia, Denmark, Russia, Rumania, and Spain meant WWI was not just an international conflict, but a bloody, prolonged family fight.
The genealogy chart at the back is a must for keeping track of how everyone is related--Queen Victoria's grandchildren ruled huge swaths of the world and were related by marriage to practically every other royal house. Their marriages into the royal families of Prussia, Denmark, Russia, Rumania, and Spain meant WWI was not just an international conflict, but a bloody, prolonged family fight.
January 29, 2010
This book is so wonderful. The photographs are extremely rare, in great detail, and, most importantly, of all royal families in Europe pre-World War I. I had seen some of the pictures from the royal houses of England, Russia, Austria and Prussia before, but most of the photographs are invaluable, especially the ones from the Balkan countries and the minor German states.
The book also has an introduction on the main royal houses (Hanover/Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Romanov, Hohenzollern, Habsburg), written by Robert K. Massie, who is, as always, fantastic.
It did take me six years to find a good deal online - and buy good I mean to actually find it, and for less than $100. I got it for $10 (!!!!). One of my best deals ever, my advice is to keep looking...
The book also has an introduction on the main royal houses (Hanover/Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Romanov, Hohenzollern, Habsburg), written by Robert K. Massie, who is, as always, fantastic.
It did take me six years to find a good deal online - and buy good I mean to actually find it, and for less than $100. I got it for $10 (!!!!). One of my best deals ever, my advice is to keep looking...
January 11, 2021
I loved this book. However, I would not recommend this book if one does not have familiarity with the various courts of Europe that Massie writes about in the initial essay and that make up the photos carefully curated throughout the massive book. Gazing at all of these pictures having read countless books about the British monarchy and several about the about the other monarchies as well as having visited museums in the home countries of these monarchies, many of them only last summer, made this "album" even more meaningful.
December 27, 2009
Wonderful book full of rare photos of all of the major European royal families. My only wish is that it had been printed on better quality paper but it is still a must have for any royalty buff's library.
March 14, 2016
This is an incredible collection of photographs of the last imperial families of Europe. It's not a literary book so much as it is a pictorial retelling of the people who lived (and died) during the great war. If you like to see how the royals lived, you will love this book.
May 8, 2008
A must for historians of European monarchy.
March 24, 2013
I love this book. I refer to it many times. I like to look up characters from fiction that often resemble these Royals. Best reference book if you love English history.
October 30, 2014
Fancy "houses" women's hat attire at an all time fabulousnes- those hats were the political satire statement...ugly family relations for a start?
Wow
Wow
November 1, 2015
What a wonderful book.
September 3, 2015
Great photographs. Where did all those diamonds and pearls go?
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews