Grand Duchess Elizabeth Alexandrovna of Russia was the younger child of Alexander I of Russia and his wife, Elizabeth Alexeievna.
Background
Grand Duchess Elizabeth was born at the Winter Palace in Saint St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire. Her father, Alexander I Pavlovich, was the reigning Russian Emperor. Her mother, Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna, was born Princess Louise of Baden.
Career
This daughter, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna (1799–1800), had died before reaching the age of one. Maria"s death had been a devastating blow to the Empress, who did not have another child for six years. At the time of Elizabeth"s birth, she was rumored to have been the natural daughter of Empress Elizabeth by Alexei Okhotnikov, just as it had been rumored that Maria was the daughter of the Empress by Adam Jerzy Czartoryski, a Polish prince.
Soon after Elizabeth"s birth, the Empress wrote to her mother: "I am well, my good Mama, as is my little Elise, who begs you to forgive her for not being a boy."
In early 1808, Elizabeth started to show signs of an infection.
This infection was blamed on teething. On 12 May 1808, aged &&&&&&&&&&&&05441 year 5 months, Elizabeth died of this infection.
Her mother was inconsolable: she wrote to her mother that "now, is not good for anything in this world, soul has no more strength to recover from this last blow." She also wrote: "I have the illusion of spring in my apartment, the illusion of sunshine, flowers, singing birds, the birds that belong to Lisinka.