▁great ▁wealth ▁Eugen ia ▁had ▁inherited ▁from ▁her ▁grand father ▁Nicholas ▁I . ▁Alexander ▁was ▁also ▁second - in - line ▁to ▁the ▁throne ▁of ▁Old enburg , ▁as ▁Frederick ▁August us ▁II , ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁of ▁Old enburg ▁had ▁only ▁one ▁young ▁son , ▁Her edit ary ▁Grand ▁Duke ▁Nikol aus ; ▁were ▁he ▁to ▁die ▁before ▁his ▁father , ▁Alexander ▁would ▁have ▁become ▁he ir ▁pres um pt ive . ▁ ▁Th r one ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁Alexander , ▁Prince ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁ab dic ated ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁leading ▁to ▁various ▁candidates ▁being ▁advoc ated ▁by ▁interested ▁nearby ▁nations ; ▁the ▁two ▁most ▁concerned ▁were ▁Russia ▁and ▁Germany ▁under ▁the ▁respective ▁govern ments ▁of ▁Emperor ▁Alexander ▁III ▁and ▁German ▁Chan cell or ▁Otto ▁von ▁B ism ar ck . ▁Duke ▁Alexander ▁was ▁subsequently ▁recommended , ▁at ▁the ▁Russian ▁government ' s ▁suggestion , ▁for ▁the ▁Bulgar ian ▁throne . ▁Not ▁only ▁was ▁he ▁married ▁to ▁a ▁Russian ▁prin cess , ▁and ▁was ▁himself ▁the ▁grand son ▁of ▁a ▁Russian ▁grand ▁duch ess , ▁but ▁he ▁also ▁held ▁the ▁positions ▁of ▁Ad j ut ant - General ▁to ▁Emperor ▁Alexander , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁Command ing ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Guard . ▁In ▁several ▁des perate ▁attempts ▁to ▁prevent ▁Russia ▁from ▁gain ing ▁control ▁of ▁Bulg aria ▁however , ▁the ▁throne ▁was ▁offered ▁to ▁candidates ▁who ▁lack ed ▁Russian ▁t ies , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁prince ▁of ▁Den mark ▁or ▁even ▁the ▁king ▁of