Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia (Russian: Георгий Михайлович; 23 August 1863 – 28 January 1919) was a Grand Duke of Russia, first cousin of Emperor Alexander III of Russia and a General in the Russian army.
Born in Tbilisi while his father was the Governor-General of Russian provinces of Transcaucasia, he was the second surviving son of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich of Russia and Princess Cecilie of Baden. His paternal grandparents were Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Princess Charlotte of Prussia. His maternal grandparents were Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden and Princess Sophie of Sweden.
On 27 January 1919, George was moved to Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd, and in the early hours of the following day, he was shot there by a firing squad, along with his brother, Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich, and his cousins Grand Dukes Paul Alexandrovich and Dmitri Constantinovich.
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Family
On 30 April 1900 at Corfu, Grand Duke George married Princess Maria, daughter of King George I of the Hellenes and Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia. Maria was George's paternal first cousin once removed.
Grand Duke George Mikhailovich and his wife Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna had two daughters:
Princess Nina Georgievna of Russia (20 June 1901 – 27 February 1974); married in 1922 Prince Paul Chavchavadze, with whom she had one son, Prince David Chavchavadze.
Princess Xenia Georgievna of Russia (22 August 1903 – 17 September 1965); married, firstly, in 1921, William Bateman Leeds, Jr., son of Princess Anastasia of Greece and Denmark; they divorced in 1930. Married, secondly, in 1946, Herman Jud. Xenia's only daughter, Nancy Leeds (1925–2006), married Edward Judson Wynkoop, Jr.
Honours and awards
The Grand Duke received several Russian and foreign decorations:
Russian
Knight of the Order of St. Andrew
Knight of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
Knight of the Order of St. Anna, 1st Class
Knight of the Order of Saint Stanislaus, 1st Class
Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
Foreign
Württemberg: Grand Cross of the Württemberg Crown, 1880
Grand Duchy of Hesse: Grand Cross of the Ludwig Order, 15 June 1884
Kingdom of Prussia: Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, 16 September 1884
Austria-Hungary: Grand Cross of the Royal Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen, 1884
Baden:
Knight of the House Order of Fidelity, 1885
Knight of the Order of Berthold the First, 1885
Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant, 7 September 1900
Kingdom of Italy: Knight of the Order of the Most Holy Annunciation, 13 July 1902 – during a visit to Russia of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy
Principality of Montenegro: Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I