Nicholas II

WW1

The Russian involvement in WW1 was not supported at home, and when the Tsar left to oversee the situation on the front, in February, he was overthrown. This became known as the February revolution.

Rasputin

a Siberian mystic who gained significant influence through his close association with the Romanov family. He was seen by the Tsarina as the ultimate and most important person in safe guarding her son's well being. He, however, brought along with him an ill-fated image which would bare an ultimately disastrous consequence on the Romanov dynasty.

his son

Tsesarevich Alexei was his son, who would ultimately succeed his father. However, he was ill and frail due to the fact he was a hemophiliac. Due to his frequenl illnesses Rasputin, a healer, came into contact with the Romanov family.

February Revolution timeline

February 22, 1917 Nicholas II leaves Petrograd to visit troops February 23 International Women's Day demonstration in Petrograd February 24 Massive strikes and demonstrations occur throughout the capital February 25 Unrest continues; Mensheviks meet and set up a "Workers' Soviet" Nicholas II orders military to stop riots February 26 Troops fire on demonstrating crowds Mass mutiny begins in local army regiments Firefights break out between troops and police February 27 More than 80,000 troops mutiny and engage in widespread looting February 28 Duma and Workers' Soviet gather separately and begin making decisions about restoring order and establishing a new state March 2 Nicholas II abdicates the throne; provisional government formed

Sergei Witte

Financial Minister from 1893 onwards. -Growth of railways led to better communication (establishment of the Trans-Siberian railway) -Proctive tariffs introduced to helped Russian economy. As a result foreign investment in Russia trippled. Rouble set on gold standard. As a result of all of these policies, there was 8 percent growth per year in economy

Nicholas II

Tsar from 1894 until 15th March 1917. After the incidents of Bloody Sunday and the chaos that ensued following, he was advised by Witte to reform and thus the October Manifesto came to be. Failure of the Russo-Japanese war was humiliating for Nicholas. Main device for avoiding revolution was land reform.

Land reform under Nicholas II

introduced in 1906, peasants could now leave the Mir and have their own land. This scheme was relatively successful, with half of farmers in European Russia having their own farms.