Physical Activities and Sport in life of the Tsar’s Dynasty of Romanovs (from Court’s Games to the Olympic Games)

Abstract

The 300-year reign of the Romanov dynasty allowed Russia to become an empire of international importance. The phenomenon of the Romanovs’ authoritarian rule which had its origins in autocracy has been the subject of comprehensive research all around the world. Part of this research also considered the question of free time management and the different forms of leisure and physical activity of the Romanov family. It is beyond doubt that the Russian monarchs were not much different in this respect from other ruling families in Europe. In many cases the Romanovs were even ahead of the representatives of other ruling dynasties in terms of taking care of their physical fitness. However, because of the archaic state structure and the existing social relations, their potential as role models and the positive influence they could have had on their subjects in this respect was generally limited to the narrow circles of Russian aristocracy. The developments that were taking place at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century were interrupted by the whirlwind of revolutionary changes and the fall of the Romanov dynasty together with Imperial Russia.