Nicholas II
Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias
Reign	November 1, 1894 – March 15, 1917
Coronation	26 May [O.S. 14 May] 1896
Born	19 May 1868(1868-05-19)
Birthplace	Tsarskoe Selo, Russian Empire
Died	17 July 1918 (aged 50)
Place of death	Yekaterinburg, Russian SFSR
Predecessor	Alexander III of Russia
Successor	Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich (first abdication document — abdication was later changed so that the throne would pass to Grand Duke Mikhail) (second act of abdication — deferred acceptance of the throne), Georgy Lvov (President of the Russian Provisional Government)
Consort	Alix of Hesse
Issue	Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Grand Duke Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich
Royal House	House of Romanov
Father	Alexander III of Russia
Mother	Dagmar of Denmark

Nicholas II of Russia born Nikolay Alexandrovich Romanov (Russian: Никола́й II, Никола́й Алекса́ндрович Рома́нов) (18 May [O.S. 6 May] 1868 – 17 July [O.S. 4 July] 1918) was the last Tsar of Russia, King of Poland,^[1] and Grand Duke of Finland. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Tsarskoye Selo (Ца́рское Село́ " Tsar 's Village" is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov (Цесаревич Алексей Николаевич full title Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke (Наследник-Цесаревич Matt Kay, Mikhail Aleksandrovich Romanov (Михаи́л Александрович Рома́нов ( St Knyaz (Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich Lvov (Георгий Евгеньевич Львов Georgy Evgenyevich Lvov) ( November 2, 1861 The Russian Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd in 1917 after the February Revolution and the Abdication Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova ( Императрица Александра Фёдоровна Романова) ( 6 June Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia ( Olga Nikolaevna Romanova) (in Russian Великая Княжна Ольга Николаевна &ndash Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia ( Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Великая Княжна Татьяна Николаевна ( May 29 Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia ( Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova) (Великая Княжна Анастасия Николаевна Романова ( – Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov (Цесаревич Алексей Николаевич full title Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke (Наследник-Цесаревич The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917 Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (26 November 1847&ndash13 October 1928 was Empress consort of Russia. Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Poland, or at least its nucleus was ruled at various times either by książęta (Dukes(ca Grand Duke of Finland, or more correctly translated Grand Prince of Finland ( Storfurste av Finland Suomen suuriruhtinas was from around 1580 His official title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias^[2] and he is currently regarded as Saint Nicholas The Passion Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure

Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until his abdication in 1917. Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning renouncing from ab, away from and dicare, to declare to proclaim as not belonging to one He proved unable to manage a country in political turmoil and command its army in World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All His rule ended with the Russian Revolution of 1917 in which he and his family were imprisoned first in the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo, then later the Governor's Mansion in Tobolsk. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them The Alexander Palace (Russian Александровский дворец is primarily remembered as the favourite residence of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II, and his Tsarskoye Selo (Ца́рское Село́ " Tsar 's Village" is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government A mansion is a large dwelling House. The word itself derives (through Old French) from the Latin word mansus (the perfect passive participle Tobolsk (Тобо́льск Tatar: Tubıl) is a historic capital of Siberia, now an ordinary town in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. Finally, at the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, Nicholas and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks on the night of July 16-17, 1918. Ipatiev House (Russian Дом Ипатьева was a merchant's house in Yekaterinburg where the former Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and several members of his Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction This has led to him being labeled a Martyr by various groups within Russia, but most prominently the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. The term martyr ( Greek μάρτυς martys "witness" is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей ru Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey He was also nicknamed Bloody Nicholas because of the tragic events during his coronation, Bloody Sunday and his government's subsequent suppression of dissent. The Khodynka Tragedy was a Mass panic that occurred on May 18, 1896, on Khodynka Field in Moscow during the festivities following For other incidents referred to by this name see Bloody Sunday. He is also the third richest person in history. This list of the richest people ever or the most wealthy historical figures is essentially the list of the richest people in the history of mankind since the dawn of civilization (from

Family background

Nicholas was born in Tsarskoye Selo, the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Maria Fyodorovna of Denmark. Tsarskoye Selo (Ца́рское Село́ " Tsar 's Village" is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (26 November 1847&ndash13 October 1928 was Empress consort of Russia. His paternal grandparents were Alexander II of Russia and his first consort Maria Alexandrovna of Hesse-Darmstadt. Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St Marie of Hesse and by Rhine ( 8 August, 1824 - 8 June, 1880) was a princess of the Grand Duchy of Hesse and as Maria Alexandrovna His maternal grandparents were Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Christian IX ( April 8, 1818 - January 29, 1906) was King of Denmark from November 16, 1863 to January 29 Louise of Hesse (Luise Wilhelmine Friederike Caroline Auguste Julie von Hessen-Kassel Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie ( 7 September 1817, A sensitive child, Nicholas felt jealous by the strength of his father, Alexander III, though Nicholas loved him and would often speak of him nostalgically in letters and diaries after Alexander's death. Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Unlike his relationship with his father, Nicholas and his mother, Maria Fyodorovna, were very close, as can be seen in their letters to one another, which have been published. Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (26 November 1847&ndash13 October 1928 was Empress consort of Russia. Nicholas had three brothers: Alexander (1869-1870), George (1871-1899) and Michael (1878-1918) and two sisters: Xenia (1875-1960) and Olga (1882-1960).

Nicholas Alexandrovich was the first cousin once removed of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich. To distinguish both of them, the Grand Duke was often known within the Imperial Family as "Nicholasha. "

Tsarevich

Nicholas became Tsarevich unexpectedly on 1 March 1881 on the assassination of his grandfather, Alexander II and accession of his father, Alexander III. Tsarevich (Russian Царевич is a Slavic term for the Tsar 's son Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Alexander (Aleksandr II Nikolaevich (Александр II Николаевич ( Moscow, 29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881 in St Alexander III Alexandrovich ( 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894) (Александр III Александрович reigned as Emperor Nicholas, aged twelve, wearing a blue sailor suit, came into the room in the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg where his grandfather lay dying, deathly pale and watched from the end of the bed. See also The movie Russian Ark, an innovative single shot walkthrough with period reenactments spanning three hundred years of court meetings Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River His mother, who had been ice skating, arrived still clutching her skates. Ice skating is Traveling on Ice with skates, narrow (and sometimes parabolic) blade-like devices moulded into special Boots A study At the window looking out stood his father the Heir Apparent, his broad shoulders hunched and shaking, his fists clenching and unclenching. An heir apparent is an Heir who (short of a fundamental change in the situation cannot be displaced from inheriting the term is used in contrast to Heir presumptive "The Emperor is dead," announced the surgeon, letting go of the blood-covered wrist. ^[3]

Nicholas II with his mother (in 1870)

Much has been written about the luxury and opulence of the life led by the Romanovs. The House of Romanov (Рома́нов rʌˈmanəf was the second and last imperial Dynasty of Russia, which ruled the country from 1613 to 1917 Certainly the court was brilliant, but the splendour did not reach the Imperial Nurseries. At the Winter Palace, at Tsarskoe Selo, Gatchina and Peterhof, it was possible as late as 1922, to see the children's quarters. Gatchina (Га́тчина is a city in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located 45 km south of St Peterhof (Петерго́ф Petergof, originally named nl Peterhof, the Dutch for "Peter's Court" is a municipal town within Petrodvortsovy They slept on camp-beds, with one hard flat pillow and a very thin mattress. A modest carpet covered the floor. There were no armchairs or sofas. Bentwood chairs with very straight backs and cane seats, most ordinary tables and whatnots for books and toys, made up the furniture. The only rich detail could be noticed in the so-called 'icon' corner where the face of the Virgin and Child would be surrounded by pearls and other gems. Their food was of the plainest, and since the days of Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II, English customs had been introduced; porridge for breakfast, cold baths, and plenty of fresh air. Marie of Hesse and by Rhine ( 8 August, 1824 - 8 June, 1880) was a princess of the Grand Duchy of Hesse and as Maria Alexandrovna ^[4] At lunch, Nicholas and his siblings joined their parents. There was plenty of food, but as they were served last after all the guests and still had to leave the table when their father rose, they often went hungry. Ravenous, Nicholas once attacked the hollow gold cross filled with beeswax which he had been given at baptism; embedded in the wax was a tiny fragment of the true cross. "Nicky was so hungry that he opened the cross and ate the contents — relic and all", recalled his sister Olga. ^[5]

Nicholas spent most of his childhood at Gatchina Palace, about forty miles west of Saint Petersburg and at no great distance from Tsarskoe Selo. Gatchina had 900 rooms. Alexander III had to keep up Gatchina, Peterhof, two large palaces at Tsarskoe Selo, the Anitchkov and Winter Palace, the Kremlin Palace in Moscow and Livadia Palace in the Crimea. The Grand Kremlin Palace (Большой Кремлёвский дворец Bolshoy Kremlyovskiy Dvorets) also translated Great Kremlin Palace, was built from Livadia Palace (Лівадійський палац Ливадийский дворец Livadiya sarayı was a summer retreat of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II Crimea (kraɪˈmiːə or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Крим Автономна Республіка Крим Avtonomna Respublika Krym; Крым

Nicholas was educated by tutors. There were language tutors, geography tutors and a whiskered dancing tutor who wore white gloves and insisted that a huge pot of fresh flowers always be placed on his accompanist's piano. Of all the tutors, the most important was Constantine Petrovich Pobedonostsev, a philosopher. Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostsev ( Константин Петрович Победоносцев in Russian) ( May 21, 1827 - March Pobesdonostsev has been called 'The High Priest of Social Stagnation' and 'the dominant and most baleful influence of the last reign'. ^[5]

In many respects, the education of Nicholas was excellent. He had an unusual memory and had done well in history. He spoke French and German, and his English was so good that he could have fooled an Oxford professor into mistaking him for an Englishman. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Oxford is currently bidding for the 2010 Wikimania Conference Oxford () is a city, and the County town of Oxfordshire, He rode beautifully, danced gracefully and was an excellent shot. He had been taught to keep a diary and, in the style of innumerable Princes and gentlemen of that era, he faithfully recorded, day after day, the state of the weather, the number of birds he shot and the names of those with whom he walked and dined. The weather is a set of all the phenomena occurring in a given Atmosphere at a given Time. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. ^[6]

In May 1890, a few days before his twenty-second birthday, Nicholas wrote in his diary, "Today I finished definitely and forever my education. "^[6] Most of the time, Nicholas was required to do absolutely nothing. The essential function of a Tsarevich, once he had finished his schooling and reached manhood, was to wait as discreetly as possible until it came his turn to become Tsar. In 1890, Alexander III was only forty-five years old. Expecting that he would continue to occupy the throne for another twenty or thirty years, he dawdled about giving his son the experience to succeed him. Nicholas happily accepted the playboy role to which he had been tacitly assigned. He appeared at meetings of the Imperial Council, but his eyes were fixed on the clock. The State Council ("Государственный Совет" was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia. At the first reasonable opportunity, he bolted. ^[7]

Known as "Nicky" to his close family and friends, Tsarevich Nicholas fell in love with Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, the fourth daughter of Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by the Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, second-eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, in 1884. Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova ( Императрица Александра Фёдоровна Романова) ( 6 June Louis IV (Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Karl ( 12 September 1837 - 13 March 1892) was the fourth Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine, reigning The Princess Alice (Alice Maud Mary 25 April 1843 &ndash 14 December 1878) was a member of the British Royal Family, the third Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland He was sixteen; she was just twelve. They met again in 1889, when he was 21 and she 17. He took her skating on the Neva and tobogganing on hills of ice. A toboggan is a simple Sled used on snow to carry one or more people (often children down a hill or other slope for recreation They saw each other at receptions, balls and suppers. After she left Saint Petersburg, he stated that, if Alix were denied him, he would never marry. ^[8] His parents, however, did not approve of this match, hoping to cement Russia's new alliance with France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. They had hoped that Nicholas would marry Princess Hélène, the daughter of Count Philippe of the House of Orléans. Princess Hélène of Orleans, Duchess of Aosta ( Hélène Louise Henriette) ( 13 June 1871, York House Twickenham - 21 January Louis-Philippe Albert of Orléans Count of Paris ( 24 August, 1838 – 8 September, 1894) was the grandson of Louis Philippe I, Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's royal founder Hugh Capet

As Tsarevich, Nicholas did a considerable amount of traveling. Tsarevich (Russian Царевич is a Slavic term for the Tsar 's son During a trip to the Empire of Japan, a failed assassination attempt by a sword-wielding man left him with a scar on his forehead. The eastern journey of Nicholas II in 1890 &ndash 1891 was a notable round-the-world voyage of Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku The was a failed Assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia (later Tsar Nicholas II) on 11 May 1891 The quick action of his cousin, Prince George of Greece and Denmark, who parried the second blow with his cane, saved his life. Youth From 1883 George lived at the castle of Bernstorff in Copenhagen with Prince Valdemar of Denmark, his father's younger brother The motivation for this attack was that the assailant was offended by a foreigner visiting a very holy temple which had never before admitted a non-believer. The incident had an unfortunate historical effect in that Nicholas detested Japan ever after and supported war with that country all the more readily in 1904-1905, resulting in the disastrous naval Battle of Tsushima. The Russo-Japanese War (日露戦争 Romaji: Nichi-Ro Sensō Русско-японская война Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna;, 10 February 1904 – 5 September The Battle of Tsushima ( Japanese: 対馬海戦 tsushima-kaisen, Цусимское сражение Tsusimskoye srazheniye) commonly known as the

Portrait by L. Tuxen of the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, which took place on 26 May [O.S. 14 May] 1896 at the Uspensky Sobor Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin amongst extraordinary opulence and splendor. A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Old Style (or OS) and New Style (or NS) are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The Cathedral of the Dormition (Успенский Собор Uspensky Sobor) is the Mother church of Muscovite Russia. The Moscow Kremlin ( Russian: Московский Кремль Moskovskiy Kreml) usually referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified Seated upon the dais, from left to right, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, and Tsar Nicholas II

Portrait by Valentin Serov of the anointing of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna at their coronation. Maria Feodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark (26 November 1847&ndash13 October 1928 was Empress consort of Russia. Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova ( Императрица Александра Фёдоровна Романова) ( 6 June Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (Russian Валентин Александрович Серов ( January 19[[ 865]] - December 5[[ 911]] was a Russian To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races 1897

Engagement, marriage, and accession

Nicholas became engaged to Alix of Hesse in April 1894. Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova ( Императрица Александра Фёдоровна Романова) ( 6 June He at first had some trouble convincing her to become his fiancee, because an Empress of Russia was required to convert to Russian Orthodoxy, and Alix was Lutheran. Eventually however, Alix's ardor for Nicholas won over, and they became engaged on April 8 1894. Alix converted to Orthodoxy in November 1894, and took the name Alexandra Fedorovna. ^[8]

Throughout 1894, Alexander III's health unexpectedly and rapidly declined. Expecting he would live for 20 or 30 more years, Alexander had idled in giving his son political training and as a result Nicholas received little grooming for his imperial role. Nicholas was a polite and charming child but lacking in any interest or curiosity in his tutors' lessons. Even when the Tsar did decide to initiate Nicholas into State business, Nicholas lost interest after only about twenty minutes in State Council sessions and left to see friends at cafes. Alexander died at the age of 49 in 1894 of kidney disease after an unexpectedly rapid deterioration of health. Nicholas felt so unprepared for the duties of the crown that he tearfully asked his cousin, "What is going to happen to me and all of Russia?"^[9] He nevertheless decided to maintain the conservative policies favored by his father. While Alexander had concentrated on the formulation of general policy, Nicholas devoted much more attention to the details of administration.

The wedding of Nicholas and Alix, originally planned for the following spring was moved forward at Nicholas's insistence. Staggering under the weight of his new office, he had no intention of allowing the one person who gave him confidence to leave his side. ^[10] The wedding took place on November 26 1894. Alexandra wore the traditional dress of Romanov brides, and Nicholas a Hussar's uniform. Each holding a lighted candle Nicholas and Alexandra faced the Metropolitan. A few minutes before one in the afternoon, they became man and wife. ^[11] The marriage was a life long success. ^[12]

Despite a visit to the United Kingdom before his accession, where he observed the House of Commons in debate and seemed impressed by the machinery of democracy, Nicholas turned his back on any notion of giving away any power to elected representatives in Russia. Shortly after he came to the Throne, a deputation of peasants and workers from various towns' local assemblies (zemstvos) came to the Winter Palace to ask for some constitutional reforms. Although the addresses they had sent in beforehand were couched in mild and loyal terms, Nicholas was angry and ignored advice from an Imperial Family Council by saying to them: ". . . it has come to my knowledge that during the last months there have been heard in some assemblies of the zemstvos the voices of those who have indulged in a senseless dream that the zemstvos be called upon to participate in the government of the country. I want everyone to know that I will devote all my strength to maintain, for the good of the whole nation, the principle of absolute autocracy, as firmly and as strongly as did my late lamented father. "^[13] These words astonished and horrified all who listened and began the destruction of the new Tsar's popularity and hopes for peaceful change in Russia.

Despite these imposing words, Nicholas was timid in the presence of senior members of his family. His brother-in-law Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote, "Nicholas II spent the first ten years of his reign sitting behind a massive desk in the Palace and listening with near-awe to the well-rehearsed bellowing of his towering uncles. Grand Duke Alexander Mihailovich of Russia, Александр Михайлович Aleksandr Mihailovits ( 13 April 1866 - 26 February He dreaded to be left alone with them. . . They always wanted something. "^[14]

Reign

Russo-Japanese War and 1905 Revolution

Main article: Russo-Japanese War

A clash between Russia and Japan was almost inevitable by the turn of the 20th century. The Russo-Japanese War (日露戦争 Romaji: Nichi-Ro Sensō Русско-японская война Russko-Yaponskaya Voyna;, 10 February 1904 – 5 September Russia had expanded in the East, and the growth of her settlement and territorial ambitions, as her southward path to the Balkans was frustrated, conflicted with Japan's own territorial ambitions on the Chinese and Asian mainland. War began in 1904 with a surprise attack on the Russian fleet in Port Arthur, which incapacitated the Russian navy in the East. The Battle of Port Arthur (Japanese 旅順港閉塞作戦 Ryojunkō Heisoku Sakusen, February 8-9 1904 was the starting battle of the Russo-Japanese War The Russian Baltic fleet tried to traverse the world to balance power in the East, but after many misadventures on the way, was annihilated by the Japanese in the Battle of the Tsushima Strait. The Battle of Tsushima ( Japanese: 対馬海戦 tsushima-kaisen, Цусимское сражение Tsusimskoye srazheniye) commonly known as the On land the Russians army was crippled by mismanagement and by the problem of conducting a war, with only the Trans-Siberian Railway as a carrier of supplies from the West. The war ended in total defeat for Russia with the fall of Port Arthur in 1905, and the settlement of both countries' quarrels by the Treaty of Portsmouth.

Nicholas's stance on the war was something that baffled many. Shortly before the Japanese attack on Port Arthur, Nicholas held strong to the belief that there would be no war. He felt that it was his divine power to rule and protect Russia, and that a war with Japan would simply not happen. Despite the onset of the war and the many defeats Russia suffered, Nicholas still believed in, and expected, a final victory. Many people took the Tsar's confidence and stubbornness for indifference; believing him to be completely impervious. As Russia continued to face defeat by the Japanese, the call for peace grew. Nicholas's own mother, as well as his cousin Kaiser William urged Nicholas to open peace negotiations. Despite the efforts for peace, Nicholas remained evasive. It was not until March 27-28 and the annihilation of the Russian fleet by the Japanese, that Nicholas finally decided to pursue peace.

As a result, Russia's self-esteem received a severe blow and the Imperial government collapsed, with the ensuing revolutionary outbreaks of 1905-1906. Many demonstrators were shot in front of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg; the Emperor's Uncle, Grand Duke Sergei, was blown up by a revolutionary's bomb in Moscow as he left the Kremlin.

The Black Sea fleet mutinied, and a railway strike developed into a general strike which paralysed the country. The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the Military; or the Crew of any ship even Nicholas, who was taken by surprise by the events, mixed his anger with bewilderment. He wrote to his mother after months of disorder,

"It makes me sick to read the news! Nothing but strikes in schools and factories, murdered policemen, Cossacks and soldiers, riots, disorder, mutinies. The Cossacks (Каза́ки́ Kazaki; Козаки́ Kozaki; Kozacy are a group of martial people living in the southern Steppe regions of Eastern But the ministers, instead of acting with quick decision, only assemble in council like a lot of frightened hens and cackle about providing united ministerial action . . . ominous quiet days began, quiet indeed because there was complete order in the streets, but at the same time everybody knew that something was going to happen — the troops were waiting for the signal, but the other side would not begin. One had the same feeling, as before a thunderstorm in summer! Everybody was on edge and extremely nervous and of course, that sort of strain could not go on for long . . . . We are in the midst of a revolution with an administrative apparatus entirely disorganized, and in this lies the main danger. "^[15]

Bloody Sunday

On Epiphany Day, Thursday, 19 January 1905, the traditional Blessing of the Waters was held on the Neva River just in front of the Winter Palace. As usual, a dais had been built on the ice for the Tsar, his retinue, and the clergy. Members of the imperial family watched the ceremony from the windows of the palace. A cannon employed in the ceremonial salute fired a live charge which landed near the Tsar and wounded a policeman. ^[16] Another charge hit the Admiralty, A third smashed a window in the palace — a bare few yards away from the Dowager Empress and the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna — and glass splinters went all over their shoes and skirts. Through the broken window they could hear shouts from below. The Emperor stood erectly at attention just as he had at the beginning of the ceremony. Once inside the palace he told his sister Olga, "I knew that somebody was trying to kill me. I just crossed myself. What else could I do?"^[17] The Grand Duchess commented, "It was typical of Nicky. He did not know what fear meant. On the other hand, it seemed as if he was resigned to losing his life. "^[18]

On Saturday, 21 January 1905, a priest named George Gapon informed the government that a march would take place the following day and asked that the Tsar be present to receive a petition. Georgiy Apollonovich Gapon (Георгий Аполлонович Гапон &mdash) was a Russian Orthodox Priest and a popular Working class leader The ministers met hurriedly to consider the problem. There was never any thought that the Tsar, who was at Tsarskoe Selo and had been told of neither the march nor the petition, would actually be asked to meet Gapon. The suggestion that some other member of the Imperial family receive the petition was rejected. Finally informed by the Prefect of Police that he lacked the men to pluck Gapon from among his followers and place him under arrest, the newly appointed Minster of the Interior, Prince Sviatopolk-Mirsky, and his colleagues could think of nothing to do except bring additional troops into the city and hope that matters would not get out of hand. That evening Nicholas learned for the first time from Mirsky what the next day might bring. He wrote in his diary, "Troops have been brought from the outskirts to reinforce the garrison. Up to now the workers have been calm. Their number is estimated at 120,000. At the head of their union is a kind of socialist priest named Gapon. Mirsky came this evening to present his report on the measures taken. "^[19] At Tsarskoe Selo, Nicholas was stunned when he heard what had happened. He wrote in his diary, "A painful day. Serious disorders took place in Petersburg when the workers tried to come to the Winter Palace. The troops have been forced to fire in several parts of the city and there are many killed and wounded. Lord, how painful and sad this is. "^[20] On Sunday, 22nd January 1905, Father Gapon began his march. Locking arms, the workers marched peacefully through the streets in rivers of cheerful, expectant humanity. Some carried crosses, icons and religious banners, others carried national flags and portraits of the Tsar. As they walked they sang religious hymns and the Imperial anthem, 'God Save The Tsar'. At 2PM all of the converging processions were scheduled to arrive at the Winter Palace. There was no single confrontation with the troops. Throughout the city, at bridges on strategic boulevards, the marchers found their way blocked by lines of infantry, backed by Cossacks and Hussars. Uncertain what this meant, still not expecting violence, anxious not to be late to see the Tsar, the processions moved forward. In the moment of horror, the soldiers opened fire. Bullets smacked into the bodies of men, women and children. Crimson blotches stained the snow. The official number of victims was ninety-two dead and several hundred wounded; the actual number was probably several times higher. Gapon vanished and the other leaders of the march were seized. Expelled from the capital, they circulated through the empire, exaggerating the casualties into thousands. That day, which became known as 'Bloody Sunday', was a turning point in Russian history. It shattered the ancient, legendary belief that the Tsar and the people were one. As bullets riddled their icons, their banners and their portraits of Nicholas, the people shrieked, "The Tsar will not help us!"^[21] Outside Russia, the future British Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald attacked the Tsar calling him a "blood-stained creature and a common murderer". James Ramsay MacDonald ( 12 October 1866 &ndash 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United ^[20]

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna wrote, "Nicky had the police report a few days before. That Saturday he telephoned my mother at the Anitchkov and said that she and I were to leave for Gatchina at once. He and Alicky went to Tsarskoe Selo. Insofar as I remember, my Uncles Vladimir and Nicholas were the only members of the family left in St. Petersburg, but there may have been others. I felt at the time that all those arrangements were hideously wrong. Nicky's ministers and the Chief of Police had it all their way. My mother and I wanted him to stay in St. Petersburg and to face the crowd. I am positive that, for all the ugly mood of some of the workmen, Nicky's appearance would have calmed them. They would have presented their petition and gone back to their homes. But that wretched Epiphany incident had left all the senior officials in a state of panic. They kept on telling Nicky that he had no right to run such a risk, that he owed it to the country to leave the capital, that even with the utmost precautions taken there might always be some loophole left. My mother and I did all we could to persuade him that the ministers' advice was wrong, but Nicky preferred to follow it and he was the first to repent when he heard of the tragic outcome. "^[22]

From his hiding place, Father Gapon issued a letter. He stated, "Nicholas Romanov, formerly Tsar and at present soul-murderer of the Russian empire. The innocent blood of workers, their wives and children lies forever between you and the Russian people . . . May all the blood which must be spilled fall upon you, you Hangman. I call upon all the socialist parties of Russia to come to an immediate agreement among themselves and bring an armed uprising against Tsarism. "^[20] Gapon's body was found hanging in an abandoned cottage in Finland in April 1906.

Relationship with the Duma

Silver Coin of Tsar Nicholas II, dated 1898, with the Romanov coat-of-arms on the reverse. The Russian inscription reads: B[ozheyu] M[ilostyu] Nikolay II Imperator i Samoderzhets Vseross[iyskiy]; English: By the grace of God, Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias

Under pressure from the attempted Russian Revolution of 1905, on August 5, 1905 Tsar Nicholas II issued a manifesto about the convocation of the State Duma, initially thought to be an advisory organ. See also Russian Revolution (1917 The 1905 Russian Revolution also known as the Failed Russian Revolution of 1905 was an empire-wide struggle of Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 1905 ( MCMV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Tsar csar and tzar redirect here For other uses see Tsar (disambiguation. State Duma of the Russian Empire was a Legislative assembly in the late Russian Empire. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, younger sister of Nicholas II wrote, "There was such gloom at Tsarskoe Selo. I did not understand anything about politics. I just felt everything was going wrong with the country and all of us. The October Constitution did not seem to satisfy anyone. I went with my mother to the first Duma. I remember the large group of deputies from among peasants and factory people. The peasants looked sullen. But the workmen were worse: they looked as though they hated us. I remember the distress in Alicky's eyes. "^[22] Minister of the Court Count Fredericks commented, "The Deputies, they give one the impression of a gang of criminals who are only waiting for the signal to throw themselves upon the ministers and cut their throats. I will never again set foot among those people. "^[23] The Dowager Empress noticed "incomprehensible hatred. "^[23]

In the October Manifesto, the tsar pledged to introduce basic civil liberties, provide for broad participation in the State Duma, and endow the Duma with legislative and oversight powers. The October Manifesto (Октябрьский Манифест Манифест 17 октября was issued on October 17 1905 ( October 30 in the thumb| |Broken Liberty Istanbul Archaeology Museum Civil liberties are freedoms that protect the Individual from the Government. However, determined to preserve "autocracy" even in the context of reform, he restricted the Duma's authority in many ways—not least of which was an absence of parliamentary control over the appointment or dismissal of cabinet ministers. Nicholas's relations with the Duma were not good. The First Duma, with a majority of Kadets, almost immediately came into conflict with him. State Duma of the Russian Empire was a Legislative assembly in the late Russian Empire. The Constitutional Democratic Party ( Constitutional Democrats, formally Party of Popular Freedom, informally Kadets) was a liberal Political Scarcely had the 524 members sat down at the Tauride Palace when they formulated an 'Address to the Throne'. It demanded universal suffrage, radical land reform, the release of all political prisoners and the dismissal of ministers appointed by the Tsar in favour of ministers acceptable to the Duma. ^[24] Although Nicholas initially had a good relationship with his relatively liberal prime minister, Sergei Witte, Alexandra distrusted him (because he instigated an investigation of Rasputin), and as the political situation deteriorated, Nicholas dissolved the Duma. Count Sergei Yulyevich Witte (Сергей Юльевич Витте Sergey Yul'evich Vitte) ( 29 June, 1849 - 13 March, 1915) also The Duma was populated with radicals, many of whom wished to push through legislation that would abolish private property ownership, among other things. Witte, unable to grasp the seemingly insurmountable problems of reforming Russia and the monarchy, wrote to Nicholas on 14 April 1906 resigning his office (however, other accounts have said that Witte was forced to resign by the Emperor). Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Nicholas was not ungracious to Witte and an Imperial Rescript was published on 22 April creating Witte a Knight of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, with diamonds (the last two words were written in the Emperor's own hand, followed by "I remain unalterably well-disposed to you and sincerely grateful, for ever more Nicholas. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Order of Alexander Nevsky (Орден Александра Невского was first instituted as the Imperial Order of St ").

A second Duma met for the first time in February 1907. The leftist parties including the Social Democrats and the Social Revolutionaries which had boycotted the First Duma, had won two hundred seats in the Second, more than a third of the membership. Again Nicholas waited impatiently to rid himself of the Duma. In two letters to his mother he let his bitterness flow, "A grotesque deputation is coming from England to see liberal members of the Duma. Uncle Bertie informed us that they were very sorry but were unable to take action to stop their coming. Their famous "liberty", of course. How angry they would be if a deputation went from us to the Irish to wish them success in their struggle against their government. "^[25] A little while later Nicholas wrote, "All would be well if everything said in the Duma remained within its walls. Every word spoken, however, comes out in the next day's papers which are avidly read by everyone. In many places the populace is getting restive again. They begin to talk about land once more and are waiting to see what the Duma is going to say on the question. I am getting telgrams from everywhere, petitioning me to order a dissolution, but it is too early for that. One has to let them do something manifestly stupid or mean and then — slap! And they are gone!"^[26]

After the Second Duma resulted in similar problems, the new prime minister Pyotr Stolypin (whom Witte described as 'reactionary') unilaterally dissolved it, and changed the electoral laws to allow for future Dumas to have a more conservative content, and to be dominated by the liberal-conservative Octobrist Party of Alexander Guchkov. State Duma of the Russian Empire was a Legislative assembly in the late Russian Empire. Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin ( Russian Пётр Арка́дьевич Столы́пин () served as Nicholas II 's Chairman of the Council of Ministers—the The Octobrist Party (Russian Октябристы) was a non-revolutionary centrist Russian political party formally called Union of October Alexander Ivanovich Guchkov ( October 14 1862, Moscow – February 14 1936) was a Russian politician Chairman of the Stolypin, a skillful politician, had ambitious plans for reform. These included making loans available to the lower classes to enable them to buy land, with the intent of forming a farming class loyal to the crown. Nevertheless, when the Duma remained hostile, Stolypin had no qualms about invoking Article 87 of the Fundamental Laws, which empowered the Tsar to issue 'urgent and extraordinary' emergency decrees 'during the recess of the State Duma'. Stolypin's most famous legislative act, the change in peasant land tenure, was promulgated under Article 87. ^[26]

The third Duma remained an independent body. This time the members proceeded cautiously. Instead of hurling themselves at the government, opposing parties within the Duma worked to develop the body as a whole. In the classic manner of the British Parliament, the Duma reached for power grasping for the national purse strings. The Duma had the right to question ministers behind closed doors as to their proposed expenditures. These sessions, endorsed by Stolypin, were educational for both sides, and, in time, mutual antagonism was replaced by mutual respect. Even the sensitive area of military expenditure, where the October Manifesto clearly had reserved decisions to the throne, a Duma commission began to operate. Composed of aggressive patriots no less anxious than Nicholas to restore the fallen honour of Russian arms, the Duma commission frequently recommended expenditures even larger than those proposed.

With the passage of time, Nicholas also began to have confidence in the Duma. "This Duma cannot be reproached with an attempt to seize power and there is no need at all to quarrel with it" he said to Stolypin in 1909. ^[27] Unfortunately Stolypin's plans were undercut by conservatives at court. Reactionaries such as Prince Vladimir Orlov never tired of telling the Tsar that the very existence of the Duma was a blot on the autocracy. Stolypin, they whispered, was a traitor and secret revolutionary who was conniving with the Duma to steal the prerogatives assigned the Tsar by God. Witte also engaged in constant intrigue against Stolypin. Although Stolypin had had nothing to do with Witte's fall, Witte blamed him. Stolypin had unwittingly angered the Empress. He had ordered an investigation into Rasputin and presented it to the Tsar. Stolypin, on his own authority, ordered Rasputin to leave St. Petersburg. Alexandra protested vehemently but Nicholas refused to overrule his Prime Minister. ^[28] who had more influence with the Emperor. By the time of Stolypin's assassination by Dmitry Bogrov, a student (and police informant) in a theatre in Kiev on 18 September 1911, Stolypin had grown weary of the burdens of office. Dmitry Grigoriyevich Bogrov (1887 – 1911 ( Дмитрий Григорьевич Богров) was the assassin of the Russian Prime Minister Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year For a man who preferred clear decisive action, working with a sovereign who believed in fatalism and mysticism was frustrating. As an example, Nicholas once returned a document unsigned with the note: "Despite most convincing arguments in favour of adopting a positive decision in this matter, an inner voice keeps on insisting more and more that I do not accept responsibility for it. So far my conscience has not deceived me. Therefore I intend in this case to follow its dictates. I know that you, too, believe that "a Tsar's heart is in God's hands". Let it be so. For all laws established by me I bear a great responsibility before God, and I am ready to answer for my decision at any time. "^[28] Alexandra believing that Stolypin had severed the bonds that her son depended on for life hated the Prime Minister. ^[28] In March 1911, in a fit of anger stating that he no longer commanded the imperial confidence, Stolypin asked to be relived of his office. Two years earlier when Stolypin had casually mentioned resigning to Nicholas he was informed, "This is not a question of confidence or lack of it. It is my will. Remember that we live in Russia, not abroad . . . and therefore I shall not consider the possibility of any resignation. "^[29]

In 1912, a fourth Duma was elected with almost the same membership as the third. "The Duma started too fast. Now it is slower, but better, and more lasting. " stated Nicholas to Sir Bernard Pares. ^[27]

The first World War was a complete and utter disaster for Russia. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All By the autumn of 1916, among the Romanov family desperation reached the point of which Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich, younger brother of Alexander III and the Tsar's only surviving uncle was deputed to beg Nicholas to grant a constitution and a government responsible to the Duma. Nicholas sternly refused, reproaching his uncle for asking him to break his coronation oath to maintain autocratic power intact for his successors. In the Duma on 2 December 1916, Purishkevich, a fervent patriot, monarchist and war worker denounced the dark forces which surrounded the throne in a thunderous two hour speech which was tumultuously applauded. 'Revolution' he warned 'and an obscure peasant shall govern Russia no longer'. ^[30]

Tsarevich Alexei's illness

Further complicating domestic matters was the matter of the succession. Alexandra bore him four daughters, Olga in 1895, Tatiana in 1897, Maria in 1899 and Anastasia in 1901, before their son Alexei was born on August 12, 1904. Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov (Цесаревич Алексей Николаевич full title Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke (Наследник-Цесаревич Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on The young heir proved to be afflicted with haemophilia, a hereditary disease that prevents blood clotting properly, which at that time was untreatable and usually led to an untimely death. Haemophilia (also spelled as hemophilia As a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Alexandra carried the same gene mutation that afflicted several of the major European royal houses such as Spain and Prussia. In biology mutations are changes to the Nucleotide sequence of the Genetic material of an organism Hemophilia therefore became known as "the royal disease". Haemophilia figured prominently in the history of European royalty in the 19th and 20th centuries Alexandra had passed it on to her son. As all of Nicholas and Alexandra's daughters perished with their parents and brother in Ekaterinburg in 1918, it is not known whether any of them inherited the gene as carriers.

Because of the fragility of the autocracy at this time, Nicholas and Alexandra chose not to divulge Alexei's condition to anyone outside the royal household. In fact, there were many in the Imperial household who were unaware of the exact nature of the Tsarevich's illness. They knew that he suffered from some serious malady; however, the exact nature of his suffering was not revealed to all.

At first Alexandra turned to Russian doctors and medics to treat Alexei; however, their treatments generally failed, and Alexandra increasingly turned to mystics and holy men. One of these, Grigori Rasputin, appeared to have some success.

As an absolute ruler (and father of four daughters until the birth of the Tsarevich in 1904) until 1905, Nicholas had the complete power to alter the Pauline Laws of Succession for the Russian Empire in order that his daughters could succeed to the throne. The Pauline Laws had been introduced by Tsar Paul I on the death of his mother, Empress Catherine II. Paul I was the name of a number of rulers Paul I of Constantinople Paul of Greece Paul I of Russia Catherine II, called Catherine the Great (Екатерина II Великая Yekaterina II Velikaya;) reigned as Empress of Russia for 34 years Paul had introduced the laws more as a revenge on his mother than to regulate the succession. These laws prevented a woman becoming ruler of Russia unless all male line dynasts were no more. For reasons that remain unclear, Nicholas chose not to change or abolish the Pauline Laws.

World War I

Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Gavrilo Princip, a member of the Serb nationalist association known as the Black Hand, in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, Nicholas vacillated as to Russia's course. Franz Ferdinand ( December 18, 1863 &ndash June 28, 1914) was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Gavrilo Princip ( Cyrillic: Гаврило Принцип gaʋ'rilɔ 'prinʦip ( &ndash) was a Bosnian Serb and proclaimed himself to be a Yugoslav Black Hand ( Serbian: Црна рука / Crna Ruka) officially Unification or Death ( Serbian: Уједињење или смрт Ujedinjenje TemplateInfobox City for more fields--> Sarajevo is the Capital city and largest urban center of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul. Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The rising ideas of Pan-Slavism had led Russia to issue treaties of protection to Serbia. Nicholas wanted neither to abandon Serbia to the ultimatum of Austria-Hungary, nor to provoke a general war. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country In a series of letters exchanged with the German Kaiser (the so-called "Willy and Nicky correspondence") the two proclaimed their desire for peace, and each attempted to get the other to back down. The Willy-Nicky Correspondence is a phrase derived from a book by Herman Bernstein in January of 1918 Nicholas took stern measures in this regard, demanding that Russia's mobilization be only against the Austrian border, in the hopes of preventing war with the German Empire. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification

The Russians had no contingency plans for a partial mobilization, and on 31 July 1914 Nicholas took the fateful step of confirming the order for a general mobilization. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Nicholas was strongly counselled against mobilization of the Russian forces but chose to ignore such advice. As Germany and Austria-Hungary had mutual defense treaties in place, this led almost immediately to a German mobilization and declaration of war, and the outbreak of World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All War was a great danger to the stability of the Romanov dynasty. Count Witte told the French Ambassador Paleologue that from Russia's point of view the war was madness, Slav solidarity was simply nonsense and Russia could hope for nothing from the war. ^[31]

Tsar Nicholas II (1915) by Boris Kustodiev. Boris Mikhaylovich Kustodiev (Бори́с Миха́йлович Кусто́диев ( March 7, 1878 &ndash May 28, 1927) was a Russian

The outbreak of war on 1 August 1914 found Russia grossly unprepared. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Russia and her allies placed their faith in her army, the famous 'Russian steamroller'. ^[32] Its pre-war regular strength was 1,400,000; mobilisation added 3,100,000 reserves and millions more stood ready behind them. In every other respect, however, Russia was unprepared for war. Germany had ten times as much railway track per square mile and whereas Russian soldiers travelled an average of 800 miles (1,290 km) to reach the front, German soldiers travelled less than a quarter of that distance. Russian heavy industry was still too small to equip the massive armies the Tsar could raise and her reserves of munitions were pitifully small. With the Baltic Sea barred by German U-boats and the Dardenelles by the guns of her former ally Turkey, Russia could receive help only via Archangel which was frozen solid in winter, or Vladivostock, which was over 4,000 miles from the front line. The Russian High Command was moreover greatly weakened by the mutual contempt between Vladimir Sukhomlinov, the Minister of War, and the redoubtable warrior giant Grand Duke Nicholas Nicolaievich who commanded the armies in the field. Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinov (Владимир Александрович Сухомлинов ( Kaunas – February 2, 1926, Berlin ^[32] In spite of all of this, an immediate attack was ordered against the German province of East Prussia. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part The Germans mobilized there with great efficiency and completely defeated the two Russian armies which had invaded. The Battle of Tannenberg where an entire Russian army was annihilated cast an ominous shadow over the empire's future. The Battle of Tannenberg was a decisive engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I, fought by the The loyal officers lost were the very ones needed to protect the dynasty.

The Russian armies later had considerable success against both the Austro-Hungarian armies and against the forces of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish They never succeeded against the might of the German army.

Gradually a war of attrition set in on the vast Eastern Front, where the Russians were facing the combined forces of the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, and they suffered staggering losses. The Eastern Front was a theatre of war during World War I in Central and primarily Eastern Europe. General Deniken, retreating from Galicia wrote, "The German heavy artillery swept away whole lines of trenches, and their defenders with them. We hardly replied. There was nothing with which we could reply. Our regiments, although completely exhausted, were beating off one attack after another by bayonet . . . . Blood flowed unendingly, the ranks became thinner and thinner and thinner. The number of graves multiplied. ^[33] Total losses for the spring and summer of 1915 amounted to 1,400,000 killed or wounded, while 976,000 had been taken prisoner. On 5 August with the army in retreat, Warsaw fell. Defeat at the front bred disorder at home. At first the targets were German and for three days in June shops, bakeries, factories, private houses and country estates belonging to people with German names were looted and burned. Then the inflamed mobs turned on the government declaring the Empress should be shut up in a convent, the Tsar deposed and Rasputin hanged. Nicholas was by no means deaf to these discontents. An emergency session of the Duma was summoned and a Special Defence Council established, its members drawn from the Duma and the Tsar's ministers.

In July 1915, King Christian X of Denmark, first cousin of the Tsar, sent Hans Niels Andersen to Tsarskoe Selo with an offer to act as a mediator. Christian X (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm ( 26 September 1870 &ndash 20 April 1947) was King of Denmark The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe He made several trips between London, Berlin and Petrograd and in July saw the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna. Maria Feodorovna was the name taken by two distinct Russian empresses of originally German and Danish ethnicity Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg Andersen told her they should conclude peace. Nicholas chose to turn down King Christian's offer of mediation. ^[34]

The energetic and efficient General Polivanov replaced Sukhomlinov as Minister of War. The situation did not improve and the retreat however continued and Nicholas urged on by Alexandra and feeling that it was his duty, and that his personal presence would inspire his troops, decided to lead his army directly yet again against advice given. ^[32] He assumed the role of commander-in-chief after dismissing his cousin from that position, the highly respected and experienced Nikolai Nikolaevich (September 1915) following the loss of the Russian Kingdom of Poland. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland This was a fatal mistake as he was now directly associated as commander-in-chief with all subsequent losses. He was also away at the remote HQ at Mogilev, far from the direct governance of the empire, and when revolution broke out in Petrograd he was unable to prevent it being so cut-off from his government. In reality the move was largely symbolic, since all important military decisions were made by his chief-of-staff General Michael Alexeiev, and Nicholas did little more than review troops, inspect field hospitals, and preside over military luncheons. Mikhail Vasiliyevich Alekseyev (Алексеев Михаил Васильевич ( November 3, 1857 — September 25, 1918) was a Russian ^[35]

His efforts to oversee the war left domestic issues essentially in the hands of Alexandra. As a German she was extremely unpopular. The Duma was constantly calling for political reforms. Political unrest continued throughout the war. Cut off from public opinion, Nicholas refused to see how tired the people were of his dynasty and how much the common people hated his wife. He had been repeatedly warned about the destructive influence of Grigori Rasputin but had failed to remove him. Nicholas had refused to censor the press and wild rumours and accusations about Alexandra and Rasputin appeared almost daily. Alexandra was even brought under allegations of treason due to her German roots. Anger at Nicholas's failure to act and the extreme damage that Rasputin's influence was doing to Russia's war effort and to the monarchy led to his (Rasputin's) murder by a group of nobles, led by Prince Felix Yusupov and Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich, a cousin of the Tsar, on 16 December 1916. Events 755 - An Lushan revolts against Chancellor Yang Guozhong at Fanyang, initiating the An Shi Rebellion Year 1916 ( MCMXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year

End of reign

There was mounting hardship as the government failed to produce supplies, creating massive riots and rebellions. With Nicholas away at the front in 1915, authority appeared to collapse (Empress Alexandra ran the government from Saint Petersburg from 1915 - initially with Rasputin, who was later assassinated), and Saint Petersburg was left in the hands of strikers and mutineering conscript soldiers. Despite efforts by the British Ambassador Sir George Buchanan to warn the Tsar that he should grant constitutional reforms to fend-off revolution, Nicholas continued to bury himself away at the Staff HQ (Stavka) 400 miles (600 km) away at Moghilev, leaving his capital and court open to intrigues and insurrection. Sir George William Buchanan, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, PC (1854 - 1924 was a British diplomat

By the spring of 1917, Russia was on the verge of total collapse. The army had taken 15 million men from the farms and food prices had soared. An egg cost four times what it had in 1914, butter five times as much. The severe winter dealt the railways, overburdened by emergency shipments of coal and supplies, the final blow. Russia began the war with 20,000 locomotives; by 1917 9,000 were in service, while the number of serviceable railway wagons had dwindled from half a million to 170,000. In February 1917, 1,200 locomotives burst their boilers and nearly 60,000 wagons were immobilised. In Petrograd supplies of flour and fuel all but disappeared. ^[36]

The last known photograph of Nicholas II, taken after his abdication in March 1917

In February 1917 in Petrograd (as the capital had been renamed) a combination of very severe cold weather allied with acute food shortages caused people to start to break shop windows to get bread and other necessaries. In the streets red banners appeared and the crowds chanted 'Down with the German woman!' Down with Protopopov! Down with the war!'^[36] Police started to shoot at the populace from rooftops which incited riots. The troops in the capital were poorly-motivated and their officers had no reason to be loyal to the regime. They were angry and full of revolutionary fervor and sided with the populace. The Tsar's Cabinet begged Nicholas to return to the capital and offered to resign completely. Five hundred miles away the Tsar, misinformed by Protopopov that the situation was under control, ordered that firm steps be taken against the demonstrators. For this task the Petrograd garrison was quite unsuitable. The cream of the old regular army lay in their graves in Poland and Galicia. In Petrograd 170,000 recruits, country boys or older men from the working-class suburbs of the capital itself, remained to keep control under the command of wounded officers invalided from the front, and cadets from the miliary academies. Many units, lacking both officers and rifles, had never undergone formal training. General Khabalov attempted to put the Tsar's instructions into effect on the morning of Sunday, 11 March 1917. Despite huge posters ordering people to keep off the streets, vast crowds gathered and were only dispersed after some 200 had been shot dead, though a company of the Volinsky Regiment fired into the air rather than into the mob, and a company of the Pavlovsky Life Guards shot the officer who gave the command to open fire. Nicholas informed of the situation by Rodzianko ordered reinforcements to the capital and suspended the Duma. ^[37] It was all too late. On 12 March the Volinsky regiment mutinied and was quickly followed by the Semonovsky, the Ismailovsky, the Litovsky and even the legendary Preobrajensky Guard, the oldest and staunchest regiment founded by Peter the Great. The arsenal was pillaged, the Ministry of the Interior, Military Government building, police headquarters, the Law Courts and a score of police buildings were put to the torch. By noon the fortress of Peter and Paul with its heavy artillery was in the hands of the insurgents. By nightfall 60,000 soldiers had joined the revolution. ^[37] Order broke down and members of the Parliament (Duma) formed a Provisional Government to try to restore order but it was impossible to turn the tide of revolutionary change. The Russian Provisional Government was formed in Petrograd in 1917 after the February Revolution and the Abdication Already the Duma and the Soviet had formed the nucleus of a Provisional Government and decided that Nicholas must abdicate. Faced with this demand, which was echoed by his generals, deprived of loyal troops, with his family firmly in the hands of the Provisional Government and fearful of unleashing civil war and opening the way for German conquest, Nicholas had no choice but to submit. At the end of the "February Revolution" of 1917 (February in the Old Russian Calendar), on 2 March (Julian Calendar)/ 15 March (Gregorian Calendar), 1917, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate. The February Revolution (Февральская революция in 1917 in Russia was the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good The Julian calendar, a reform of the Roman calendar, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC and came into force in 45 BC (709 Ab urbe condita Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio, disowning renouncing from ab, away from and dicare, to declare to proclaim as not belonging to one He firstly abdicated in favour of Tsarevich Alexei, but swiftly changed his mind after advice from doctors that the heir would not live long apart from his parents who would be forced into exile. Nicholas drew up a new manifesto naming his brother, Grand Duke Michael, as the next Emperor of all the Russias. He issued the following statement (which was suppressed by the Provisional Government):

Grand Duke Mikhail declined to accept the throne until the people were allowed to vote through a Constituent Assembly for the continuance of the monarchy or a republic. Matt Kay, Mikhail Aleksandrovich Romanov (Михаи́л Александрович Рома́нов ( St Contrary to popular belief, Mikhail never abdicated, he deferred taking up power. The abdication of Nicholas II and the subsequent Bolshevik revolution brought three centuries of the Romanov dynasty's rule to an end. It also paved the way for massive destruction of Russian culture with the closure and demolition of many churches and monasteries, the theft of valuables and estates from the former aristocracy and monied classes and the suppression of religious and folk art forms.

The fall of autocratic Tsardom brought joy to Liberals and Socialists in Britain and France and made it possible for the United States of America, the first foreign government to recognise the Provisional government, to enter the war early in April fighting in an alliance of democracies against an alliance of empires. In Russia the announcement of the Tsar's abdication was greeted with many emotions. These included delight, relief, fear, anger and confusion. ^[38]

Exile and execution

Photograph by the Levitsky Company of the last Russian Imperial Family. Clockwise from top: the Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, the Grand Duchess Anastasia, the Tsarevich Alexei, the Grand Duchess Tatiana, Tsar Nicholas II, the Grand Duchess Olga, and the Grand Duchess Maria. Alix of Hesse and by Rhine (later Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova ( Императрица Александра Фёдоровна Романова) ( 6 June Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia ( Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova) (Великая Княжна Анастасия Николаевна Романова ( – Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov (Цесаревич Алексей Николаевич full title Heir Tsarevich and Grand Duke (Наследник-Цесаревич Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia ( Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanova) (In Russian Великая Княжна Татьяна Николаевна ( May 29 Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia ( Olga Nikolaevna Romanova) (in Russian Великая Княжна Ольга Николаевна &ndash Livadia, 1913

On 22 March 1917, Nicholas, no longer a Tsar, referred to contemptuously by the sentries as 'Nicholas Romanov', was reunited with his family at the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo. The Alexander Palace (Russian Александровский дворец is primarily remembered as the favourite residence of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II, and his Tsarskoye Selo (Ца́рское Село́ " Tsar 's Village" is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting ^[39] He was placed under house arrest with his family by the Provisional Government. Surrounded by his guards, confined to their quarters, the Imperial family was rudely inspected on Nicholas's first night back at home. ^[39] The same night a band of soldiers broke into Rasputin's tomb and, lifting the putrefying corpse with sticks, flung it onto a pyre of logs and drenched it with petrol. The body burned for six hours as Rasputin's ashes were scattered by the icy winds. ^[39] The ex-Tsar remained calm and dignified and even insisted on the children resuming their lesson with himself as tutor in history and geography. Through the newspapers he took a keen interest in the progress of the war, but he could not help reading also how the press now gleefully printed lurid stories about Rasputin and the Empress, the 'confessions' of former servants and the private lives of the self-styled 'lovers' of the Tsar's four daughters. ^[40]

In August 1917 the Kerensky government evacuated the Romanovs to Tobolsk in the Urals, allegedly to protect them from the rising tide of revolution. Alexander Fyodorovich Kerensky (Алекса́ндр Фёдорович Ке́ренский Aleksandr Fjëdorovich Kerenskij) ( June 11, 1970) served Tobolsk (Тобо́льск Tatar: Tubıl) is a historic capital of Siberia, now an ordinary town in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. There they lived in the former Governor's Mansion in considerable comfort. Ipatiev House (Russian Дом Ипатьева was a merchant's house in Yekaterinburg where the former Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and several members of his

After the Bolsheviks came to power in October 1917, the conditions of their imprisonment grew stricter and talk of putting Nicholas on trial grew more frequent. The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction Nicholas followed the events in October with interest but as yet no alarm. He continued to underestimate Lenin's importance but already began to feel that his abdication had done Russia more harm than good. In the meantime he and his family occupied themselves with keeping warm. The temperature in December dropped to −68 °F (−55. 6 °C). Soviet domination now meant more spiteful restrictions. The Tsar was forbidden to wear epaulettes and the sentries scrawled lewd drawings on the fence to offend his daughters. On 1 March 1918, the family was placed on soldier's rations, which meant parting with ten devoted servants and giving up butter and coffee as luxuries. What kept the family going was the belief that help was at hand. ^[41] As the counterrevolutionary White movement gathered strength, leading to full-scale civil war by the summer, Nicholas, Alexandra and their daughter Maria were moved in April to Yekaterinburg. The White movement (Beloie Dvijenie Белое движение whose military arm is known as the White Army (Belaia Armia Белая Армия or White Guard Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia Alexis was too ill to accompany his parents and remained with his sisters Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia, not leaving Tobolsk until May 1918. The family was imprisoned with a few remaining retainers in the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg, a militant Bolshevik stronghold. Ipatiev House (Russian Дом Ипатьева was a merchant's house in Yekaterinburg where the former Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and several members of his Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia Nicholas, Alexandra, their children, their physician, and three servants were woken and taken into a basement room and shot at 2:33 A. M. on July 17. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians An official announcement appeared in the national press two days after the killing of the tsar and his family. It informed that the monarch had been executed on the order of the Presidium of the Ural Regional Soviet under pressure posed by the approach of the Czechoslovaks. ^[42] It is now known that Lenin personally ordered the execution of the imperial family. Although official Soviet accounts place the responsibility for the decision with the Ural Regional Soviet, Trotsky in his diary, makes it quite clear that the assassination took place on the authority of Lenin. Trotsky wrote,

"My next visit to Moscow took place after the fall of Ekaterinburg. Talking to Sverdlov I asked in passing, "Oh yes and where is the tsar?" "It's all over," he answered. "He has been shot. " "And where is his family?" "And the family with him. " "All of them?" I asked, apparently with a touch of surprise. "All of them," replied Sverdlov. "What about it?" He was waiting to see my reaction. I made no reply. "And who made the decision?" I asked. "We decided it here. Ilyich [Lenin] believed that we shouldn't leave the Whites a live banner to rally around, especially under the present difficult circumstances. "^[43]

In 1989, the report of Yakov Yurovsky, the chief executioner, was published. Yakov (Yankel Mikhailovich Yurovsky ( in Tomsk, Siberia, Russia &ndash before 2 August 1938 in Moscow) is best known According to the report, the execution took place as units of the Czechoslovak Legion, making their retreat out of Russia, approached Yekaterinburg. Czechoslovak Legions ( Československé legie in Czech and Slovak were Czech and Slovak volunteer armed forces fighting together with the Entente powers Fearing that the Legion would take the town and free him, the Emperor's Bolshevik jailers killed the Imperial Family, arguing that there was "no turning back". The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction ^[44] The telegram giving the order on behalf of the Supreme Soviet in Moscow was signed by Yakov Sverdlov, after whom the town was subsequently renamed, Sverdlovsk. The Supreme Soviet of the USSR (Верхо́вный Сове́т СССР Verkhóvnyj Sovét SSSR) was the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in Yakov Mikhaylovich Sverdlov ( Russian Я́ков Миха́йлович Свердло́в known under pseudonyms "Andrei" "Mikhalych" "Max" Nicholas was the first to die. He was shot with multiple bullets to the head and chest. The last ones to die were Anastasia, Tatiana, Olga, and Maria, who were wearing several pounds (over 1. 3 kilograms) of diamonds within their clothing, thus rendering them bullet-resistant to an extent. ^[45] They were speared with bayonets. ^[46]

Yekaterinburg's "Church on the Blood", built on the spot where the Ipatiev House once stood. For the Church on Blood in St Petersburg see Church of the Saviour on Blood.

Ivan Plotnikov, History Professor at the Ural State University "M. Gorky", has established that the execution squad comprised the following members: Y. M. Yurovsky, G. P. Nikulin, M. A. Medvedev (Kudrin), P. Z. Yermakov, S. P. Vaganov, A. G. Kabanov, P. S. Medvedev, V. N. Netrebin, and Y. M. Tselms. All were Russians with the exception of Tselms, who was Latvian. Three other Latvians refused at the last minute to take part in the execution. ^[47]

The bodies of Nicholas and his family, after being soaked in acid and burned, were long believed to have been disposed of down a mineshaft at a site called the Four Brothers. Initially, this was true — they had indeed been disposed of there on the night of July 17. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians The following morning — when rumours spread in Yekaterinburg regarding the disposal site — Yurovsky removed the bodies and concealed them elsewhere. When the vehicle carrying the bodies broke down on the way to the next chosen site, Yurovsky made new arrangements, and buried most of the bodies in a sealed and concealed pit on Koptyaki Road, a cart track (now abandoned) 12 miles (19 km) north of Yekaterinburg. The remains of all the family and their retainers with the exception of two of the children were later found in 1991 and reburied by the Russian government following a state funeral. The process to identify the remains was exhaustive. Samples were sent to Britain and the United States for DNA testing. The tests concluded that five of the skeletons were members of one family and four were unrelated. Three of the five were determined to be the children of two parents. The mother was linked to the British royal family, as was Alexandra. (Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, grandson of Alexandra's oldest sister Victoria, Marchioness of Milford-Haven, gave a DNA sample which matched with that of the remains) The father was determined to be related to Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, younger brother of Nicholas II. Grand Duke George Alexandrovich Romanov, (In Russian Великий Князь Георгий Александрович Романов ( May 9, 1871 British scientists said they were more than 98. 5% sure that the remains were those of the Emperor, his family and their attendants. ^[48][49] Relics from the Ōtsu Scandal (a failed assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas (future Nicholas II) in Japan) failed to provide sufficient evidence due to contamination. The was a failed Assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia (later Tsar Nicholas II) on 11 May 1891 Nicholas' skeleton was confirmed to be his after its excavation on June 22nd 1992.

A ceremony of Christian burial was held 80 years to the day of their death in 1998. The bodies were laid to rest with state honors in the St. Catherine Chapel in the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul in Saint Petersburg, where all other Russian Emperors since Peter the Great lie. President and Mrs. Yeltsin attended the funeral along with Romanov relations including Prince Michael of Kent. The last Imperial Family of Russia have been made saints not only by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad but also by Patriarch Alexis II of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow.

Sainthood

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia
Emperor Nicholas II.
Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II of Russia Royal Passion-Bearer Tsar Nicholas II of Russia
Born	19 May 1868(1868-05-19), Tsarskoe Selo, Russia
Died	July 17, 1918, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Venerated in	Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
Canonized	1981 and 2000, United States and Russia by Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and the Russian Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Church on Blood, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Feast	July 17
Saints Portal

Main article: Romanov sainthood

In 1981 Nicholas and his immediate family were canonized as saints by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia as martyrs. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Tsarskoye Selo (Ца́рское Село́ " Tsar 's Village" is a former Russian residence of the imperial family and visiting Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбу́рг also romanized Ekaterinburg, formerly Sverdlovsk) is a major city in the central part of Russia Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей ru Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending A shrine, from the Latin scrinium (‘box’ also used as a desk like the French bureau) was originally a container usually made of precious materials used In the Russian Orthodox tradition Church on Blood (храм на крови is a church commemorating the spot of the murder of a member of the royal family The Calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organizing a Liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more Saints Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, his wife Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children Olga, Tatiana, Maria Canonization is the act by which a particular Christian church declares a deceased person to be a Saint and is included in the canon or list of recognized saints A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей ru Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey The term martyr ( Greek μάρτυς martys "witness" is most commonly used today to describe an individual who sacrifices their life (or personal freedom On 14 August 2000 they were canonized by the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church convened to decide an issue of doctrine administration or application See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure They were not named martyrs, since their death did not result immediately from their Christian faith; instead they were canonized as passion bearers. In Orthodox Christianity, a passion bearer ( Russian: strastoterpets, страстотéрпец) is a person who faces his or her Death According to a statement by the Moscow synod, they were glorified as saints for the following reasons:

In the last Orthodox Russian monarch and members of his family we see people who sincerely strove to incarnate in their lives the commands of the Gospel. In the suffering borne by the Royal Family in prison with humility, patience, and meekness, and in their martyrs deaths in Ekaterinburg in the night of 4/17 July 1918 was revealed the light of the faith of Christ that conquers evil.

However, Nicholas' canonization was controversial. The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad was split on the issue back in 1981. Some members suggesting that the emperor was a weak ruler and had failed to prevent the outbreak of Communism in Russia. Although it was pointed out by one priest that martyrdom in the Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to do with the martyr's personal actions but is instead related to why he or she was killed. ^[50] A further criticism was found in that the Orthodox Church outside of Russia seemed to be using Nicholas' murder as propaganda against the Jews. ^[51]

The Russian Orthodox Church inside Russia rejected the family's classification as martyrs because they were not killed because of their religious faith. Religious leaders in both churches also had objections to canonizing the Tsar's family because they perceived him as a weak emperor whose incompetence led to the revolution, the suffering of his people and made him at least partially responsible for his own murder and the murders of his wife and children. For these opponents, the fact that the Tsar was, in private life, a kind man and a good husband and father did not override his poor governance of Russia. ^[50]

Despite the original opposition the Russian Orthodox Church inside Russia ultimately canonized the family as "passion bearers," or people who met their deaths with Christian humility. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure The bodies of Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and three of their daughters were finally interred at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Saint Petersburg on July 17, 1998, eighty years after they were murdered. The Peter and Paul Cathedral is located inside the Peter and Paul Fortress in St Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar)

Missing Tsarevich and Grand Duchess

At the place of the Tsar's death two skeletons were not found — Alexei, his teenage son and heir to the throne; and Maria. Anastasia was determined to be in the grave by forensic facial reconstruction of the skull in question. The three principal investigators of the remains — Alexander Avdonin, Sergei Abramov, and William Maples — are not in agreement concerning the identity of this daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra. William Ross Maples, PhD ( Dallas Texas; August 7, 1937 - Gainesville Florida; February 27, 1997) was a noted In an article in The Sunday Telegraph, 19 April 1998, Avdonin, who found the bones of the rest of the family, stated that the missing bodies were at another site near the main grave. The Sunday Telegraph is a British Broadsheet newspaper, founded in 1961 He claimed that the Bolsheviks experimented with the two bodies (Alexei and his sister) to completely destroy the corpses after burning by crushing the bones to powder. Despite these assertions, the remains of Alexei and his sister are alleged to have been discovered by a search party in August 2007, although conclusive DNA testing has not yet been performed on the remains. ^[52]

The Bolshevik executioners did not have enough time to treat the rest of the bodies in the same way, hence the survival of their remains. Avdonin believes that, as the remains are so fragmentary, "probably only a few bones — possibly only some dust and ash" - they should be left in peace. Anna Anderson received worldwide notoriety before the bodies were even found when rumours spread that she was claiming to be Grand Duchess Anastasia, the alleged sole survivor of the execution. Anastasia Manahan, usually known as Anna Anderson (probably 22 Dec[[ 896]] — 12 February 1984 was the best known of the several women who claimed to be Grand Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia ( Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova) (Великая Княжна Анастасия Николаевна Романова ( – Hollywood has made films based on this. Anna Anderson helped to fuel these rumours and gained a high degree of notoriety through her claims to be Anastasia. Her supporters alleged she knew information about the Romanovs that only an intimate member of the family would know. However, DNA testing on Anna Anderson's remains proved she was an imposter. According to that DNA testing, she was most likely a missing Polish factory worker, Franziska Schanzkowska. Anastasia Manahan, usually known as Anna Anderson (probably 22 Dec[[ 896]] — 12 February 1984 was the best known of the several women who claimed to be Grand

During the interment of the bones in 1998, the remains were referred to by the Russian Orthodox Church as 'Christian victims of the Revolution' rather than as the royal family. See also Eastern Orthodox Church Structure and organization The Slavic Orthodox Church is organized in a hierarchical structure One reason for this dispute was the absence of any mark from the Ōtsu Scandal, an assassination attempt which resulted in a 9 centimeter cut from a saber to Nicholas's forehead during a visit to Japan as the tsarevich. The was a failed Assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia (later Tsar Nicholas II) on 11 May 1891 Tsarevich (Russian Царевич is a Slavic term for the Tsar 's son Tests done by Japanese scientists showed that the blood of Nicholas's nephew Tikhon did not match with the published profile of Nicholas obtained by Dr Gill. A Stanford study done in 2003 suggested contamination. ^[53]

Missing Remains Found

On August 23, 2007, prosecutors acting on standard procedures have reopened the investigation surrounding the deaths of the Imperial Family. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Yekaterinburg researcher Sergei Pogorelov said that "bones found in a burned area of ground near Yekaterinburg belong to a boy and a young woman roughly the ages of Nicholas’ 13-year-old hemophiliac son, Alexei, and a daughter whose remains also never have been found. " A regional forensics scientist, Nikolai Nevolin explained that testing will be conducted on the newly discovered remains. ^[54] On 28 September it was announced by the regional authorities that it was "highly probable" the remains belonged to Alexei and one of his sisters. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. ^[55]

Missing Remains Identified

On April 30, 2008, DNA tests performed by a U. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common S. laboratory have proved that bone fragments exhumed in the Ural Mountains belong to two children (Crown Prince Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria) of Russia's last Tsar,according to Russian news agencies. ^[54] On 30 April it was announced by Russian authorities that the remains of the entire family have now been identified. Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule ^[56]

Ancestors

As can be seen from this family tree, Nicholas was 94% German and 6% Russian.

Patrilineal descent

Nicholas's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Sofie Frederikke af Mecklenburg-Schwerin ( 24 August 1758 &mdash 29 November 1794) was a Princess

Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations — which means that if Nicholas II were to have chosen an historically accurate house name it would have been Oldenburg, as all his male-line ancestors were of that house. Patrilineality (aka agnatic kinship) is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage it generally involves the Inheritance of property names or titles The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe 's most influential Royal Houses It first became royal when Count Christian I

House of Oldenburg

1. Egilmar I of Lerigau, dates unknown
2. Egilmar II of Lerigau, d. 1142
3. Christian I of Oldenburg, d. 1167
4. Moritz of Oldenburg, d. 1209
5. Christian II of Oldenburg, d. 1233
6. John I, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1275
7. Christian III, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1285
8. John II, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1314
9. Conrad I, Count of Oldenburg, 1300 - 1347
10. Christian V, Count of Oldenburg, 1340 - 1423
11. Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg, 1398 - 1440
12. Christian I of Denmark, 1426 - 1481
13. Frederick I of Denmark, 1471 - 1533
14. Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1526 - 1586
15. John Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1575 - 1616
16. Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1597 - 1659
17. Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1641 - 1695
18. Frederick IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1671 - 1702
19. Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, 1700 - 1739
20. Peter III of Russia, 1728 - 1762
21. Paul I of Russia, 1754 - 1801, putative father of
22. Nicholas I of Russia, 1796 - 1855
23. Alexander II of Russia, 1818 - 1881
24. Alexander III of Russia, 1845 - 1894
25. Nicholas II of Russia, 1868 - 1918

Issue

The children of Nicholas II and empress Alexandra as follows:

See also

• Tsars of Russia family tree

References

Books, letters and articles

• The Sokolov Report, in Victor Alexandrov, "The End of The Romanovs", London: 1966
• Boris Antonov, Russian Tsars, St. Petersburg, Ivan Fiodorov Art Publishers (ISBN 5-93893-109-6)
• Paul Grabbe, "The Private World of the Last Tsar" New York: 1985
• Ferro, Marc, Nicholas II: Last of the Tsars. New York: Oxford University Press (USA), 1993 (hardcover, ISBN 0-19-508192-7); 1995 (paperback, ISBN 0-19-509382-8)
• Genrikh Ioffe, Revoliutsiia i sud'ba Romanovykh Moscow: Respublika, 1992 (Russian)
• Coryne Hall & John Van der Kiste, Once A Grand Duchess : Xenia, Sister of Nicholas II, Phoenix Mill, Sutton Publishing Ltd. John Van der Kiste, author was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire in 1954 son of Wing Commander Guy Van der Kiste (1912-99 , 2002 (hardcover, ISBN 0-7509-2749-6)
• Greg King, The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power and Pageantry in the Reign of Nicholas II 2006
• Greg King and Penny Wilson, "The Fate of the Romanovs" 2003
• Dominic Lieven, Nicholas II: Emperor of All the Russias. Greg King (born 1964 is the author of several biographies mainly concerning noble and royal subjects some in conjunction with Penny Wilson Greg King (born 1964 is the author of several biographies mainly concerning noble and royal subjects some in conjunction with Penny Wilson 1993.
• Andrei Maylunas and Sergei Mironenko, A Lifelong Passion: Nicholas & Alexandra 1999
• Marvin Lyons, Nicholas II The Last Tsar, London, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1974 (hardcover, ISBN 0 7100 7802 1)
• Shay McNeal, "The Secret Plot to Save the Tsar" 2001
• Robert K. Massie, Nicholas and Alexandra 1967
• Robert K. Massie, The Romanovs. The Final Chapter 1995, ISBN-10 0394580486
• Bernard Pares, "The Fall of the Russian Monarchy" London: 1939, reprint London: 1988
• John Perry and Konstantin Pleshakov, The Flight of the Romanovs. Sir Bernard Pares (1867-1949 was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College Cambridge where he graduated in Classics taking a third John Perry can refer to John Perry (engineer (1850 &ndash 1920 an Irish engineer John Perry (musician (b 1999.
• Edvard Radzinsky, The Last Tsar: The Life and Death of Nicholas II (1992) ISBN 0-385-42371-3
• Mark D. Edvard Radzinsky (Эдвард Станиславович Радзинский (b Steinberg and Vladimir M. Khrustalev, The Fall of the Romanovs: Political Dreams and Personal Struggles in a Time of Revolution, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995.
• Anthony Summers and Tom Mangold, The File on the Tsar. Anthony Bruce Summers ( 3 December, 1942) is an author producer and journalist in the United Kingdom 1976.
• Richard Tames, Last of the Tsars, London, Pan Books Ltd, 1972
• Andrew M. Verner, The Crisis of the Russian Autocracy: Nicholas II and the 1905 Revolution 1990
• Ian Vorres, The Last Grand Duchess, London, Finedawn Publishers, 1985 (hardcover)
• Richard Wortman, Scenarios of Power: Myth and Ceremony in Russian Monarchy, vol. 2 2000
• Prince Felix Yusupov, Lost Splendour
• Elisabeth Heresch, "Nikolaus II. Feigheit, Lüge und Verrat". F. A. Herbig Verlagsbuchhandlung, München, 1992
• The Complete Wartime Correspondence of Tsar Nicholas II and the Empress Alexandra, April 1914 – March 1917. Edited by Joseph T. Furhmann Fuhrmann. Westport, Conn. and London: 1999
• Letters of Tsar Nicholas and Empress Marie Ed. Edward J. Bing. London: 1937
• Letters of the Tsar to the Tsaritsa, 1914–1917 Trans. from Russian translations from the original English. E. L. Hynes. London and New York: 1929.
• Nicky-Sunny Letters: correspondence of the Tsar and Tsaritsa, 1914–1917. Hattiesburg, Miss: 1970.
• The Secret Letters of the Last Tsar: Being the Confidential Correspondence between Nicholas II and his Mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. Ed. Edward J. Bing. New York and Toronto: 1938
• Willy-Nicky Correspondence: Being the Secret and Intimate Telegrams Exchanged Between the Kaiser and the Tsar. Ed. Herman Bernstein. New York: 1917.
• Paul Benckendorff, Last Days at Tsarskoe Selo. London: 1927
• Sophie Buxhoeveden, The Life and Tragedy of Alexandra Fedorovna, Empress of Russia: A Biography London: 1928
• Pierre Gilliard, Thirteen Years at the Russian Court New York: 1921
• A. Baroness Sophie Buxhoeveden also known as Sophia Karlovna Buxhoeveden (Russian София Карловна Буксгевден September 6, 1883 Pierre Gilliard (1879 - May 30, 1962) a Swiss citizen was the French tutor for the five children of Tsar Nicholas II from 1905 A. Mossolov (Mosolov), At the Court of the Last Tsar London: 1935
• Anna Vyrubova, Memories of the Russian Court London: 1923
• A. Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova, née Taneyeva (Анна Александровна Вырубова Танеева ( 16 July, 1884 — 20 July Yarmolinsky, editor, "The Memoirs of Count Witte" New York & Toronto: 1921
• Sir George Buchanan (British Ambassador) My Mission to Russia & Other Diplomatic Memories (2 vols, Cassell, 1923)
• Meriel Buchanan, Dissolution of an Empire, Cassell, 1932

Gleb Botkin, The Real Romanovs, Fleming H. George Buchanan (February 1506 - September 28, 1582) was a Scottish Historian and humanist scholar Gleb Evgenievich Botkin, (1900 – December 1969 was the son of Dr Revell Co, 1931

• Mark D. Steinberg and Vladimir M. Khrustalev, The Fall of the Romanovs: Political Dreams and Personal Struggles in a Time of Revolution. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1995

External links

• Nicholas_II at the Open Directory Project
• The Execution of Tsar Nicholas II, 1918, EyeWitness to History. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory
• Letters of Nicholas II.
• Tsar at Stavka.
• Letters of the Tsar to the Tsaritsa 1914–17.
• Letters of Tsaritsa to the Tsar 1914–17.
• Letters of Nicholas II written from the exile.
• At the Court of the Last Tsar — the memoirs of Mossolov, head of Nicholas's Court Chancellery from 1900–16.
• Last Days at Tsarskoe Selo by Count Paul Beckendorff.
• Thirteen Years at the Russian Court by Pierre Gilliard.
• Six Years at the Russian Court by Margaret Eager.
• Memories of the Russian Court by Anna Vyrubova.
• Marriage Ceremony of Nicholas and Alexandra.
• Nicholas and Alexandra Exhibition
• Frozentears.org A Media Library to Nicholas II and his Family.
• Yakov Yurovsky's account of the Execution of the Imperial Family.
• Scientists Reopen Tsar Mystery
• Ipatiev House — Romanov Memorial An immensely detailed site on the historical context, circumstances and drama surrounding the Romanov's execution.
• The Murder of Russia's Imperial Family, Nicolay Sokolov. Investigation of execution of the Romanov Imperial Family in 1918 (Russian).
• Nikolai II — Life and Death, Edvard Radzinski. Later published in English as The Last Tsar: the Life and Death of Nicholas II (Russian).
• New Russian Martyrs. Tsar Nicholas and His Family. A story of life, canonization. Photoalbum
• Russian History Magazine Articles about the Romanovs from Atlantis magazine.
• 'Rescuing the Czar', Two authentic Diaries arranged and translated by James P. Smythe