Why was Tsesarevich Alexei's hemophilia a state secret?
Upvote:6
There was no shortage of male Romanovs for a succession so even if the Tsesarevich died of his illness the future of the dynasty would not be in jeopardy.
It was a very dangerous time for the Russian Aristocracy - the threat of assassination loomed large. See The Romanovs and others. So it seems quite sensible that Alexei's vulnerability should be kept secret: Assassination is generally not an easy thing to accomplish, but Alexei's disease made him an easy mark - a small cut or bruise could prove fatal:
In 2009 genetic analysis determined specifically that he suffered from Hemophilia B. He had to be careful not to injure himself because he lacked one of the clotting factors necessary to prevent him from bleeding to death. According to his French tutor, Pierre Gilliard, the nature of his illness was kept a state secret. His hemophilia was so severe that trivial injuries such as a bruise, a nosebleed or a cut were potentially life-threatening. Two navy sailors were assigned to him to monitor and supervise him to prevent injuries, which were still unavoidable.
Hemophilia B... In some moderate and most severe cases, bleeding symptoms may occur after a minor injury or spontaneously with no known cause.
Although there were other heirs, Alexei was the heir apparent, which made him a prominent target. Besides, even with other heirs available, the assassination of a crown prince and heir apparent would have been a painful and damaging blow. Why paint a bull's eye on Alexei's back?
Upvote:8
This was kept a secret for the same reason that FDR "was careful never to be seen in [a wheelchair] in public. Great care was also taken to prevent his being portrayed by the press in a way which would highlight his disability" - the severely ill heir subverts trust in government. This is especially true of the Russian monarchy, which claimed divine right.
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