Nicholas II, b. 1868, r. 1894-1917executed 17 July 1918

Young Tsarevich, 1868-1894• First born son of Alexander III

and Maria Feodorovna (Princess Dagmar of Denmark)

• Cousin to George V of Britain and Wilhelm II of Germany

• Close to his father, but envied his strength

• Close to his mother• Good family man• Amateur painter• Received a serious, broad

education (but only to age 20): e.g. mastered German, French, and English

Цесаревич Николай Александрович , “Горный пейзаж” Подпись на рисунке: «Ники. 1886. 22 июля»

World tour and assassins• Alex III gave him a ship to

travel the world.• Britain, Austria-Hungary,

Greece, Egypt, India, China and (finally) Japan

• April 1891: Ōtsu incident– Tsuda Sanzo, escort police– Prince George– rickshaw drivers

• Vladivostok: Trans-Siberian Railway

Trans-Siberian Railway, construction 1891-1916

Nicholas and Alexandra, 1894-1918

• Met in 1884• Fell in love• Alexander III refused

engagement without conversion

• April 1894: engaged• Spent long summer at

Livadia, Crimea, with ailing Alexander III

Death of Alexander III, 20 Oct. 1894

“My God, my God, what a day! The Lord took away our beloved, saintly, blessed Papa. My head spins, I do not want to believe it - it seems an implausible, terrible reality. All morning we spent upstairs near him! His breathing was difficult, taking oxygen more often. About 3:30 [pm], he took communion from father Tyne; and soon began light cramps ... and then the end quickly came! Father John for over an hour stood at his bedside and held his head. This was the death of a saint! Lord, help us in these difficult days! Poor dear mother! .. .Evening at 9:30 was a memorial service - in the same bedroom! I felt like the dead. And dear Alix again has sore feet! Gave a night-time confession.”

From Nicholas II’s diary, 20 October 1894 entry

1894: Nicholas II comes to the throne• Nicholas caught unawares

– Insufficient education and time

– No independent political views

• Focused on the wedding:– Orthodox church made an

exception– 21 October: converted, Alice

became Alexandra– 14 November: married

“We sat all evening and responded to the telegrams. Dined at 8 pm, fell asleep early, because she had a severe headache!”

Nicholas II’s political philosophy

January 1895: "... 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 senseless [groundless] dreams 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."

Khodynka Tragedy, 18 May 1896

Nicholas’s diary (18 May 1896): “So far, everything went, thank God, like clockwork, but today a great sin occurred. A crowd spent the night at Khodynskoe field, in anticipation of receiving lunch and mugs... and then there was a terrible crush, and, terribly, about 1300 people were trampled! I learned this at 10:30 am, and the news left a repulsive impression. At 12:30 pm had breakfast and then Alix and I went to Khodynka to be present at this sad “people’s celebration". Actually, there was nothing there; we looked out from the pavilion at the huge crowd that surrounded the stage, where music was being played... We ate at Mama’s at 8 pm. Then we went to the ball at Montebello [French Ambassador]. It was very nicely arranged, but the heat was unbearable.”

•14 May 1896: coronation

•Riot started by rumors of not

enough food

•Police attempted to control crowd

•1400 trampled to death

•Bad omen for new tsar

Children• Olga (3 Nov. 1895)• Tatyana (29 May 1897)• Maria (14 June 1899)• Anastasiya (5 June 1901)• Aleksey (30 July 1904)

– “The Royal Disease”: haemophilia 

– Queen Victoria– Daughter Alice – Daughter Alexandra

Grigori Rasputin, 1869-1916• Born a peasant in western

Siberia• Siblings died when young• Spent time in monastery• Became a strannik (pilgrim) or

starets (holy man)• 1903 came to St. Petersburg• 1905 began “healing” Alexei• “our friend”• Helped to destroy Romanovs’

legitimacy.