Czar Nicholas II was the last Romanov emperor, ruling from 1894 until his forced abdication in March of 1917. The duration of his rule was plagued by periods of political and social unrest. When he succeeded his father—Czar Alexander III—Nicholas II had little experience in government. He was widely seen as a politically weak, indecisive leader.
His poor handling of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, subsequent 1905 uprising of Russian Workers—known as Bloody Sunday—and Russia's involvement in World War I hastened the fall of the Russian Empire.
Czar Nicholas II married Princess Alix of Hesse, a duchy in the German Empire in 1894, shortly after his coronation. Alix, who would later take the name Alexandra Feodorovna, was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Nicholas and Alexandra had four daughters—Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia—and one son, Alexei.
Rasputin's powerful influence on the ruling family infuriated nobles, church leaders and peasants alike. Many saw him as a religious charlatan. Russian nobles, eager to end the cleric's influence, had Rasputin murdered on December 16, 1916.
Czar Nicholas II left Saint Petersburg in 1915 to take command of the failing Russian Army front in World War I. But by 1917, most Russians had lost all faith in the leadership ability of the czar.
Government corruption was rampant and the Russian economy was severely battered by World War I. Moderates joined with radical Bolshevik revolutionaries in calling for an overthrow of the czar. After years of turmoil, Nicholas II finally abdicated the throne on March 15, 1917, putting an end to more than 300 years of Romanov rule.
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The Romanovs
Non-FictionThe Romanov family was the last imperial dynasty to rule Russia. They first came to power in 1613, and over the next 3 centuries, 18 Romanovs took the Russian throne, including Peter the great, Catherine the great, Alexander 1 and Nicholas 2. During...
