Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia

Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich
Alexei Alexandrovich, c. 1880-90s
Born(1850-01-14)14 January 1850
Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Died14 November 1908(1908-11-14) (aged 58)
Paris, France
Burial
SpouseAlexandra Zhukovskaya
IssueAlexei Alexeevich
HouseHolstein-Gottorp-Romanov
FatherAlexander II of Russia
MotherMarie of Hesse and by Rhine
Lesser coat of arms of the younger sons of the emperor of Russia

Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia (Алексе́й Алекса́ндрович; 14 January [O.S. 2 January] 1850 in St. Petersburg – 14 November 1908 in Paris) was the fifth child and the fourth son of Alexander II of Russia and his first wife Marie of Hesse and by Rhine. Chosen for a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at the age of seven. By the age of 20 he had been appointed lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Navy and had visited all Russia's European military ports. In 1871, he was sent as a goodwill ambassador to the United States and Japan.

In 1883 he was appointed general-admiral. He had a significant contribution in the equipment of the Russian navy with new ships and in modernizing the naval ports. However, after the Russian defeat in the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, he was relieved of his command. He was viewed at the time as an incompetent and corrupt dilettante. He died in Paris in 1908.