THE CZAR OF RUSSIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5690, 8 October 1896, Page 4

THE CZAR OF RUSSIA.

♦ ' NICHOLAS 11. The Czar of Russia, Nicholas IT., who is now on a visit to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, at Balmoral, was born on May 18, 1868, and is thus twenty-eight years of age. He is the eldest son of the late Czar Alexander 111., and of Princess Dagmar, of Denmark (sister to tho Princess of Wales) ; succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, Nov. 1, 189 i, and was married Nov. 26, 1894', to Princess Alexandra Alix, of Hesse. The coronation of tho Czar took place with great pomp, at Moscow, in May last. Very little is publicly known of the pers.nality of the Czav. Physically he is not robust, and the seclusion to which the heir to, and later the occupant of, the Russian tbrone, is to a great degree doomed, has afforded the world little .opportunity to understand his character. \\ hat is known of him is favourable. His parental home, was the abode of the domestic virtues, and both his father and his mother gave great care to his early training. His education was strictly modern, and his tutor was a man of strict honour. It is said that the Czar in his scholastic days evinced a preference for French literature aud tho English language. Certain it is that since his accession he has always been credited with a desire to be on. friendly terms with England, a feeling which is doubtless fo;tc:-.-d by tLc Czarina, the Queen's lYwm.iY granddaughter, as the Czar . is her favour-' ite grandson. With the Prince of Wales he is on the most affectionate terms of friendship. The Czar k Kuiclneartedness itself, and his visit <:c Quco? Victoria is regarded with tr.j greatest interest, as tile probable precursor of a better state of things amongst some of the peoples to whom his influence oxtends.