The Last Russian Czar

Born in 1863, Nicholas II was the last of the Romanov Family who had ruled as czars in Russia for hundreds of years. Like most czars, he was an autocratic ruler of an unlimited government and wealthy beyond belief. You may remember him as the guy who was wearing the jeweled hat. Er... crown. With his wife, Alexandria, in their official royal robes. Alexandria’s Coronation robe (minus the jewels) now on display in museum.

Like many European royal couples, Nicholas and Alexandria were distantly related to one another. Royals were only supposed to marry other royals, so cousins marrying cousins was fairly common. But unlike many other royal couples, the Romanovs were said to have been devoted to one another. Official engagement photo. Wedding ceremony 1894.

The Romanovs had four daughters and one son.

The Romanov Family had many palaces scattered around Russia. They moved from one to the other with the seasons or as demanded by the czar’s schedule. Can you name two of these palaces?

Winter Palace But this palace in the city of St. Petersburg was the chief residence of the Romanov Family. It had 1,500 rooms and 117 staircases. Ariel view from the back river entrance. Front Street Entrance Main Entrance View from the Main Gate

Another of the 117 staircases located throughout the palace. Not all were as grand as these. Today, the Winter Palace is used by the Russian government as an office building, but visitors are allowed to tour many of the grand rooms.

Just a few more rooms!

The Romanovs were known for their luxurious lifestyle. Nowhere was this more evident than in their fabulous collection of jeweled eggs which they had made and exchanged with each other at Easter. If it looks like gold – it IS gold! If it looks like a diamond – it IS a diamond! If it looks like a pearl – it IS a pearl!

But Not All That Glitters is Gold Yet despite all their wealth and power, the Romanov Family had their share of trials and tribulations. First and foremost was the health of their son Alexei. Unlike his four older sisters, Alexei was a frail child and had the sad misfortune of being a hemophiliac. Hemophilia was widespread among the royals of Europe where there had been frequent intermarriages between families. This disease prevents blood from clotting so that hemophiliacs are often referred to as free-bleeders. Because of this condition, the slightest cut or bruise might cause the victim to bleed to death. Although there are medications today that can help these victims, no such medicine was available back in the early 1900s and because only a small cut could kill him, the Romanovs lived in constant fear for their only son and heir to the throne’s life. Alexei with family and guardian servant. Hemophilia causes great discomfort to its victims. This pain is often reflected on the face of Alexei in photographs.

But their son’s health wasn’t the Romanov’s only worry in the early 1900s. Czar Nicholas was blamed for the Bloody Sunday Massacre of 1905 and for the defeat the Russians suffered from the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War that same year. Discontented factory workers and peasants began organizing themselves into strong political groups opposing the unlimited Russian government. For the first time in centuries, the czar’s autocratic powers were seriously threatened. Concerned with all the events that were happening and worried as always for her son’s health, the czar’s wife, Alexandria, turned to an unlikely source of help – a peasant mystic who claimed he could see the future and could protect Alexei and the rest of the Romanov Family. His name was Rasputin and Alexandria’s friendship with him did little to ease the tension within the family or with the citizens who mistrusted him and his influence over the royal family. Tensions were high and it was clear that a revolution of some type was near. Political cartoon showing Rasputin’s influence over the royal family.

The End of a Dynasty When the Great War (WWI) broke out in Europe in 1914, Russia entered on the side of the Allies and sent soldiers off to help fight against Germany. But the situation was so bad and tensions were so high back home in Russia, that the government was forced to withdraw from the world war and defend itself against its own people. The Russian Revolution had begun and life as they had known it for centuries was about to change for the Romanov Family. Communism was on its way.

Soldiers returning from the war joined with protesters in the streets calling for a new government and for the czar’s resignation. The army disintegrated and the whole country was plunged into crisis. Members of the czar’s government were arrested and in March of 1917, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate and flee the city with his family. For the first time in nearly 500 years, there was no Romanov czar on the Russian throne. Protestors march demanding a new government and an end to the reign of the czars. The Romanovs leaving the Winter Palace for the last time.

Having signed his resignation and abdicated all rights to the throne, Nicholas was sure the new provisional government would let him and his family leave the country by train and move to Finland. But the new government was not so forgiving. Revolutionary soldiers boarded the train, captured the entire Romanov family, as well as their servants, and sent them to a home in Siberia where they were to live in exile until the new government decided their fate. Romanov family in exile.

The Romanovs were exiled to a large home in the town of Ekaterinburg, where they appealed to distant family members, such as King George of Great Britain, for help. No one came to their aid. On July 16, 1917, the family was awakened in the night and informed there was fighting in the nearby town. Assured they would be safer in a lower room, the czar’s family was told to dress and go downstairs where they were to have a photograph taken while waiting for the fighting to end. The family, along with three servants and Alexei’s doctor complied with the order and waited for the photographer to come take their picture. He never came. Ipatiev House where the Romanovs were exiled. The white arrow on the photo indicates the basement room where they were sent to have a photograph made.

Eleven soldiers entered the room instead. Each one was assigned a target. They opened fired and killed the seven members of the Romanov family, three of their servants and the family doctor. The bodies were carted off to some nearby woods, doused with acid, burned and buried in secret graves. Years later, one of the soldiers reported that the young girls and their mother required more shots to kill than the others. The reason: their clothes were filled with hidden diamonds and jewels which caused the bullets to ricochet. Recreation photograph of the family just before execution. Actual photo of the basement room after the shooting.

Mystery Abounds For decades following the death of the Romanovs, people questioned whether all of the family members had died. The soldier’s story of the girls taking longer to die and another one reporting that the youngest daughter, Anastasia had cried out when thrown into the cart, kept alive stories that at least one of the daughters might have escaped and was living in Europe. For years a woman living in Germany claimed to be Anastasia, and was able to convince many people that she was the true child of Nicholas II. Years later, DNA testing proved that her claim was false. Grand Duchess Anastasia Science would prove this Would Be Anastasia to be a fake.

In 1991, in a wooded area near the house where they had been exiled, the gravesite of the Romanov Family was found, and the bones sent to labs for testing. DNA testing found the bones to be that of the Romanov Family and confirmed that all seven members had indeed been killed that fateful night in Later the remains were laid to rest in proper graves in the cathedral of St. Paul in the city of St. Petersburg. The Romanov Family could now rest in peace. Gravesite of Czar Nicholas II Scientists examining remains. Final Resting Place

The Romanov Family Killed July 16, 1917

The End of an Era With the death of Czar Nicholas II and his family, life changed for everyone in Russia. This was just the beginning of the Russian Revolution that would bring an end to the reign of the powerful czars and nobles. But who or what would take their place? Would Russia be a better place to live? Would the government still have unlimited power? What was next for the people of this great and proud nation?