Russia Before Revolution

Russian Royalty For 300 years – Russian Tzars ruled with absolute power House of Romanov the last dynasty (1613- March 15, 1917) 1917 – House Romanov had 65 members – 47 went into exile … and the other 18?

Russian Royalty 1894 Nicholas II and his wife Alexandria came to the throne Income of $12 million – incredible sum for then!! 15, 000 servants

Nicholas II – Last Tsar of Russia Cousin to George V (England) and Kaiser Wilhelm II (Germany) Grandmother Queen Victoria – more on that soon….

Nicholas II – Last Tsar of Russia Nicholas and Alexandra lived in a rapidly changing time Industry of the early 1900 was increasing rapidly Factories growing and people moving into towns for work Many factories owned by foreigners – Russians not happy

Nicholas II – Last Tsar of Russia 1905 Revolution – forced Nicholas to create a Parliament (Duma) He wasn’t happy he didn’t have absolute control so shut it down But peasants were now able to access ownership of land a little easier than before

Russia and WW1 Russia having internal issues before war broke out – strikes over wages and working conditions 1914 War breaks out – Russia backs Serbia Initial success, then lots of casualties

Russia and WW1 Russian soldiers hungry and have a lack of equipment Shortage of food led to inflation by 700% Industry output fell by 50% as the workers went to war Peasants brought in, but didn’t have the skills

Russia and WW1 Nicholas II made himself “Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces” in 1915 Now responsible for all the defeats Becoming very unpopular … but also for another reason

Rasputin a.k.a. Grigory Efimovich Rasputin

Rasputin and the Royal Family Queen Victoria was a carrier of disease – Haemophilia She passed this down to her children, grandchildren, etc Does not present itself always – can lay dormant Nicholas II ‘s son, Alexei was a haemophiliac

Rasputin and the Royal Family Tzarina Alexandria would do ANYTHING for her son – he was the only male, and the next in line for the throne After a series of treatments that were not working, she was desperate Rasputin was a monk that claimed he could help Alexei

Rasputin and the Royal Family Rasputin held considerable sway over Alexandria People thought it was really he who was running the country He was a sexual deviant, mystic healer, political saboteur and renegade monk

Rasputin and the Royal Family After one treatment for her son’s haemophilia by Rasputin, the bleeding seems to have stopped for awhile Alexandra convinced he was the answer Bleeding probably stopped because Rasputin stopped allowing Royal doctors to give aspirin

Rasputin and the Royal Family Sexual Deviant title He may be a monk, but he frequented the brothels Stories of him being Alexandria’s lover Most likely over exaggerated

Rasputin and the Royal Family Political Sabateur title Nicholas II was off fighting in the war, Alexandra technically in charge Rasputin did have some power as an advisor to Alexandria

Rasputin and the Royal Family Death – Impossible to kill? People were getting angry at his considerable influence Beggar woman stabbed him in the stomach once – bled A LOT, no death

Rasputin and the Royal Family December 30, 1916 – plot to assassinate: Invited to dine – heavy meal with wine, laced with poison – no death Barraded with bullets – no death Thrown out a window – no death Thrown into an icy-river – finally death Autopsy showed no poison, death by single gunshot to head

End of the Romanovs March 15, 1917 Nicholas II abdicates First of two revolutions forced the abdication (talk about that tomorrow) Became Nikolai Alexandrovich – no more Romanov title

End of the Romanovs 1918 – family awoken from their beds – taken to basement told they were being moved somewhere safe Just have to take a photo to prove they didn’t escape – arranged in two rows for “photo” Firing squad comes in – told condemned to death Nicholas shot first several times - chaos

End of the Romanovs Princesses survive initially – had diamonds and jewels sewn into clothing – bayonetted Bodies taken to forest, stripped of clothing and valuables, acid and burn Bodies moved later Today – still unclear who ordered their deaths

Intrigues 1979 – Bodies discovered – though not publically admitted until 1991 Tsar, Tsarina and THREE daughters exhumed and confirmed DNA What about Alexei and Anastasia?

Intrigues For YEARS – people kept calling themselves the lost princess, heiress to the Russian throne In 2007 the grave of Alexei and the final Romanov sister was found and Russian forensic scientists confirmed their identities in April 2008