▁Si ber ia ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁thirty ▁years . ▁They ▁were ▁only ▁allowed ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁European ▁Russia ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Nicholas ▁I , ▁having ▁received ▁a ▁p ardon ▁from ▁his ▁son , ▁Alexander ▁II . ▁Maria ' s ▁courage , ▁and ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁Dec em br ist ▁w ives , ▁was ▁rom antic ized ▁by ▁N ek ras ov ▁in ▁the ▁poem ▁" Russ ian ▁Women ". ▁ ▁R ae v sky ▁died ▁at ▁Bol ty sh ka ▁four ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁Dec em br ist ▁Revol t , ▁a ▁broken ▁and ▁em bit tered ▁man , ▁of ▁p neum onia ▁contract ed ▁while ▁trav elling ▁to ▁pet ition ▁the ▁Emperor ▁for ▁len iency ▁on ▁his ▁daughter ' s ▁beh alf . ▁As ▁he ▁lay ▁dying , ▁he ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁looked ▁at ▁a ▁portrait ▁of ▁his ▁daughter ▁Maria ▁and ▁whisper ed : ▁" That ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁remarkable ▁woman ▁I ▁have ▁ever ▁known ▁in ▁my ▁life ." ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁ ▁Article ▁in ▁the ▁Dictionary ▁of ▁Russian ▁Gener als ▁ ▁References ▁S uther land , ▁Christ ine . ▁The ▁Princess ▁of ▁Si ber ia : ▁The ▁Story ▁of ▁Maria ▁Volk ons ky , ▁New ▁York : ▁F arr ar , ▁Stra us ▁& ▁Gir oux , ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁▁ ▁Category : Russ ian ▁nob ility ▁Category : Im per ial ▁Russian ▁Army ▁gener als ▁Category : Russ ian ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars ▁Category : M embers ▁of ▁the ▁State