Thirteen Years at the Russian Court

What it is

This book was written by Pierre Gilliard, who served as tutor to the Tsarevich Alexei and lived closely with the imperial family until 1918. Published in 1921, it is a personal account of the last years of Tsar Nicholas II and his family, including their time under arrest.

Why it matters

Because Gilliard lived in the household for years and stayed with the family through their imprisonment, his memoir is one of the few detailed firsthand portraits of Nicholas as a father and private man, not only as a ruler. It also reflects how eyewitnesses tried to shape the historical memory of the Romanovs' final years after the revolution.

Look closer

• Why might a tutor's memoir show a different side of Nicholas than official documents or photographs?
• What personal closeness to the family might affect what Gilliard chose to include or leave out?
• How might a memoir written a few years after the events differ from one written at the time?