DNA evidence has conclusively put to rest one of the legends spawned by the Russian revolution, proving once and for all that the entire Romanov family–Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and all of their five children–were killed by members of the Red Guard in 1918. A genetic analysis of bone fragments from a grave discovered in 2007 has revealed the remains to be those of Romanov crown prince Alexei and one of his four sisters, thus ending the romantic speculation that two children survived the execution and fled the country to start a new life.
The gunshot-and-bayonet murders took place in July 1918 in a cellar in the city of Ekaterinburg, central Russia. Since then, about 200 people have claimed to descend from one or other of the Romanovs who had somehow survived the slaughter in the basement of Ipatiev House [Telegraph]. In 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, amateur archaeologist Gely Ryabov revealed the location of a mass grave he had discovered in the 1970s and kept secret. That grave contained the remains of nine bodies.
A genetic analysis revealed that the grave contained the bones of the royal couple and three of their children (as well as the family doctor and three servants), but the fact that two children were still unaccounted for generated more mystique. “Rather than bring closure to the mystery of the fate of the Romanovs, identification of only five of the seven family members continued to fuel speculation that somehow two miraculously escaped the bullets of the executioners and made their way out of Russia” [The Independent], says geneticist Michael Coble, lead author of the new study published in the journal PLoS ONE.
Now, newly analyzed DNA evidence from a second, nearby grave discovered in 2007 proves that the bones are those of two Romanov children…. “There is absolutely no doubt that these are the remains of the Romanov family,” said Peter Sarandinaki, founder of the Scientific Expedition to Account for the Romanov Children, which has been seeking the remains of the family. “The scientific results are, without a doubt, conclusive,” said Sarandinaki, the great-grandson of the White Army general who attempted to rescue the Romanovs before their deaths [Los Angeles Times]. Sarandinaki and Coble plan to present their results to the Russian Orthodox Church in May, in hopes of getting an official burial for what’s left of the royal family. Says Sarandinaki: “Once the church accepts the remains, my duty will be done” [Los Angeles Times].Â
Image: Wikimedia Commons
March 12th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I’m glad to hear this has finally been resolved. I have met two women that claimed to be a Romanov that survived the revolution. The funeral should be a very interesting event to say the least.
March 12th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I mean, how “conclusive” was this? i imagine there was reasonable abundance of “bastard” (the literal) type genetic people around the Tzars at the time..
I only mean it to ask how tight was the dna. “Clearly related closely” or “clearly descendant of both”
March 13th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Russian DNA experts took a 117 year-old blood sample from a shirt that Nicholas II wore when he was wounded in Japan in an assassination attempt and were able to get his DNA. Dr. Michael Coble was able to get DNA from the Tzar’s bones. When copared these two matched exactly. there is no doubt it is the Tzar.
Peter
April 24th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
And since it was the Tsar, that means it was also his children, all five of them. There are no more missing bodies. I hope this finally puts an end to all the silly conspiracy theories and those who cling to claimant fantasies.
September 7th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
It is all well and good the Scientist have proof of all Romanov Royals have been found and proven by DNA matching.
As Czar Nicholas 11 showed a rare mutation as did his brother , but his daughters DNA showed the same DNA genetic make up of their mother and that of Prince Phillip as well a Grand Duchess on the Czarina’s linage. The new findings of the boy and girl remains found last year and DNa Anilized did not show the Czars rare mutaion gene sequence. The czars DNA mutation also showed up at birth as certian visible markers on the Czars head area, as did it show the same on his son Alexie.
As I have photo proof of what I speak of, so I ask this question to the scientist who have repoted all Romanov’s children remains have been found, (what were your findings as to the boys reamains found were they from the mothers DNA or that of the father?).
The question is asked because no one of their scientist who performed their duties to identify the gene sequence of the boy and girl remains found, every specified if the brother and sister (boy or Girl found ) were showing DNA from the Nicholas 11 who had the rare genetic make up with identifying visible markers/marking,s or the mother who had no such visible markers and different DNA .