Consorts of Russian tsars

[Gampaolo Gandolfo]

    Yes, they had to convert to orthodoxy, but what sounds strange is that
all of them are Fedorovny, as if they were all  daughters of some Fedor.
Which one? Or is this patronimic related to the icon of the Virgin Mary
called Fedorova, considered to be the protection of the Romanov family?
    Any idea or suggestion?
                Giampaolo Gandolfo

----- Original Message -----
From: "St ephanie Sures" <sdsures at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2004 7:01 PM
Subject: [SEELANGS] Consorts of Russian tsars


> When Peter (eventually Tsar Peter III) married the woman who would
> eventually become Catherine (Ekaterina) the Great, Catherine's name was
> originally Sofia. Similarly, when Nicholas II married Alix of Hesse-
> Darmstadt, her name got changed to Alexandra Feodrovna.
> Does this name-changing from non-Russian to Russian names have more to do
> with these consorts' conversion to Orthodoxy (religious aspect), or is it
> a
> political issue, or something else? I know that consorts of future
> tsars/tsaritsas were required to convert to Orthodoxy, but the name issue
> is puzzling.
>
> Thanks, and happy holidays.
> Stephanie.
>
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