▁Alex e iev na ▁loved ▁her ▁husband , ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁in ▁many ▁personal ▁and ▁political ▁cr ises , ▁Alexander ▁neglect ed ▁her . ▁Their ▁relationship ▁was ▁harm on ious , ▁but ▁em otion ally ▁distant , ▁with ▁each ▁eng aging ▁in ▁love ▁affairs ▁outside ▁their ▁marriage . ▁ ▁Russian ▁Em press ▁The ▁ecc ent ric ities ▁of ▁Ts ar ▁Paul ▁I ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁plot ▁to ▁over throw ▁him ▁and ▁place ▁Alexander ▁on ▁the ▁Russian ▁throne . ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁well ▁aware ▁of ▁this ▁scheme ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁Paul ' s ▁assass ination , ▁she ▁was ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁giving ▁him ▁support . ▁ ▁Once ▁Alexander ▁I ▁became ▁Emperor , ▁Elizabeth ▁Alex e iev na ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁leave ▁behind ▁the ▁tra uma ▁of ▁Paul ▁I ' s ▁murder ▁and ▁dedic ate ▁himself ▁to ▁serve ▁Russia . ▁As ▁Em press ▁Cons ort , ▁she ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁Court ▁life ▁and ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁representation , ▁but ▁the ▁first ▁female ▁rank ▁in ▁the ▁Empire ▁was ▁reserved ▁for ▁her ▁mother - in - law ▁Em press ▁Maria ▁Fe odor ov na . ▁During ▁official ▁events , ▁Em press ▁Marie ▁Fe odor ov na ▁walked ▁next ▁to ▁the ▁Emperor , ▁while ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁walk ▁alone ▁behind ▁them . ▁ ▁Alexander ▁I ▁treated ▁his ▁wife ▁ind iffer ently , ▁he ▁was ▁pol ite ▁toward ▁her ▁in ▁public ▁cer emon ies ▁and ▁made ▁an ▁effort ▁to ▁have ▁his ▁me als ▁in ▁her ▁company . ▁Elizabeth ▁was ▁too ▁soft ▁and ▁pla cid ▁to