Johnson was a key friend and colleague in the life of Grand Duke Michael who from being teenage pals, sharing college and army training, to his gruesome assassination alongside Michael during the summer of 1918 in the Siberian city of Perm.
They were know jovially as `Little and Large` due to the 10” difference in height. The photo here is the last known to be taken shortly before their assassination.
Michael soon realised during those early years of their friendship that Johnson was a very wise counsellor and complemented his `gung ho` and very relaxed spirit. Johnson was careful, thoughtful and considered all options for and on behalf of Michael who soon came to rely on his wisdom and advice. So, in 1912 he invited Johnson his close friend to become his personal secretary. From that point onwards, Michael was free from the turmoil of decision making by and large and, especially as the Romanov dynasty was under attack from several quarters. Johnson was able to steer him in a middle ground thus avoiding challenging conflict within the family and politics. Michael also delegated all administrative duties to Johnson who always acted in the best interest of his master.
Thus, Michaels character of being very likeable, affable and caring, flourished through avoidance of conflict under the background steerage of his close friend Nicholas Johnson.
However, Michael was impetuous and acted from the heart very readily. This case in point was his courtship and subsequent marriage to Natalie Wulfert who was twice divorced, with child. His older brother Tsar Nicholas II was disgusted to hear of Michaels courtship and soon arranged for both to be ostracised in court and society. Regardless, Michaels love for Natalie was deepening even through this barrage of hate aimed at his escort to a point where he had decided to take a secret holiday in Vienna whilst dodging the Russian Secret Service (the Okhrana) who were keeping him under surveillance. There, in 1912 he married in secret. He informed his brother who was outraged and immediately exiled him and his morganatic wife from Russia.
It is not clear if the counsel of Johnson was appointed in the decision to marry, but it seems likely. Johnson being in both their companies over several years would have seen the depth of love he shared with Natalie and no doubt was instrumental in arranging the deception of the Secret Service and the arrangement of the marriage. He would often draft letters and documents for Michael and it would seem credible that his hand was on the announcement letter to Tsar Nicholas.
They soon settled in the UK in 1913 with his entourage, Johnson and his mother Louise. Johnson’s hand in this is very clear as he made pre-inspections of various substantial properties and in choosing Knebworth House in Bedford, formulated an agreed lease and handled all the transactions. The following year he set up a lease for the family in Paddockhurst in Sussex, but this move never transpired as Michael and Johnson were called back to Russia at the outbreak of WWI. Michael was given command of the Savage Cossack Regiment and was acclaimed as a valuable and worthy leader with many successes on the German Eastern front.
In 1917, Nicholas abdicated in favour of Michael. Johnson’s hand was very evident in Michaels written reply. Basically, he was advising Michael that he should accept only on the condition that the government was in full approval and that this mandate was put to the Russian people for approval. This was a very sensitive and intelligent response through Johnson’s counsel and advice as its success depended on full support. If that support were not garnered, then Michael would inevitably face the same difficulties as his brother Tsar Nicholas. However, Johnson’s advice became a self-fulling prophecy as within 12 hours the Russian government had met and blocked the abdication terms, to which Michael and Johnson were no doubt relieved to hear, given the objections.
This is the letter written to Nicholas upon the advice and counsel of Nicholas Johnson.
Inspired, in common with the whole people, by the belief that the welfare of our country must be set above everything else, I have taken the firm decision to assume the supreme power only if and when our great people, having elected by universal suffrage a Constituent Assembly to determine the form of government and lay down the fundamental law of the new Russian State, invest me with such power.
Calling upon them the blessing of God, I therefore request all the citizens of the Russian Empire to submit to the Provisional Government, established and invested with full authority by the Duma, until such time as the Constituent Assembly, elected within the shortest possible time by universal, direct, equal and secret suffrage, shall manifest the will of the people by deciding upon the new form of government.
Russian and world leaders thought that the document was noble and patriotic, thanks to the counsel of Johnson.
Matters worsened for the pair, shortly after the imprisonment of Nicholas and his family Michael and Johnson were also put under house arrest in Petrograd. This state continued well into the following year on and off, as the government changed through revolution and bloodshed in the streets of Russia. Finally, Lenin who was becoming fearful that Michael was attracting attention from The Germans and the British in wanting him to become their puppet through the defeat of Lenin and the Bolshevik Government, decided to exile the pair to Siberia well out of reach of the warring nations.
However, the novel The Two Lives of Grand Duke Michael inserts an interesting adventurous journey whilst they were under house arrest in Gatchina, the birthplace of Michael. It claims that there was a secret mission to extract Michael and Johnson from Russia to travel to the UK and back in a two-week period. The purpose was for the Allied Heads of State and WWI commanders to secure Michaels interests in spearheading the Allied plans for the invasion of Russia in 1918 at Archangel. Michael agreed but upon his return to Russia the pair were arrested and sent to Perm in Siberia. It may have been that there could have been some credibility in this story and Lenin got wind of it, in fear that Michael was becoming a loose cannon and the object of interests to the warring nations, which could spell out the end of the Bolshevik Revolution.
During this journey, you will read of the immense importance of Johnson aiding and guiding Michael through the avenues of political intrigue, to a point where Michael became the master of the destiny of Russia through Johnsons’ intrepid style of negotiating and wording of treaties.
However, whilst under house arrest in Perm during the summer of 1918, it seemed that the White Army was making headway in gaining territory close to the City of Perm where they were under house arrest. It was evident that they could rescue Michael and that would be a disaster for Lenin at that stage as Michael was feted and adored by the people of Russia who would have welcomed him to the Throne.
Lenin (although denied) arranged for the assassination of both Michael and Johnson on 13th. June 1918.
However, a major point of fact arises hear in that after several years of searching this century for their bodies, nothing has been found. The novel of the Two lives of Grand Duke Michael expresses a credible alternative in that Michael was rescued barely alive after the assassination attempt and brought to the UK to live his second life in secrecy under the close supervision of MI6 and his handler, Olga Bystrovia. In the book, Johnson did not survive and was buried at a secret location some miles away by Michaels rescuer, Sidney Reilly the British MI6 `Ace of Spies`. The credibility of this notion can be found clearly and probably in the novel as bodies have not yet been discovered.
Today both have been exonerated from being Enemies of the State and have been rehabilitated in the minds and souls of Russians to a point where both have been canonised as Saints. Memorial plaques have been erected in Perm to recognise the value and love of Grand Duke Michael and Nicholas Johnson….. as seen from the hearts of the Russian people.
To find out more about the novel ‘The Two Lives Of Grand Duke Michael’ visit the rest of the website – https://tsar-michael-romanov.com/
