Romanov/ Nicholas II decline

When was bloody sunday?

22nd of January 1905

Widespread strikes, protests and unrest forced Nicholas to make concessions

When was the October manifesto

17/30th october 1905

What was the october manifesto

• A document that promised political reform

• Created the state duma

• Created civil liberties like freedom of speech, press, assembly, and conscience.

• Expanded suffrage so majority could vote who couldn’t before

When was the first state duma established

May 10th 1906

When was the 1st state duma shut down

July 21st Lasting only 75 days

Why did nicholas shut down the first duma

• Political Power Struggles: The assembly demanded a fully democratic government and rejected the Tsar's handpicked Prime Minister.

• Threat to Imperial Authority: Nicholas II fiercely believed in his absolute autocracy and viewed the Duma's refusal to compromise as an intolerable threat to his divine right to rule.

When was the progressive bloc?

August 1915- Feb 1917

What were the 6 factions/parties in the progressive bloc?

Kadets, Progressists, Left Octobrists, Zemstvo Octobrists, Centrists, and Progressive Nationalists

How many ministers from the progressive bloc occupied the state duma?

occupied 236/442 of state duma.

What was the goal of the Duma during the Progressive Bloc?

• Form a government of confidence

• They wanted Nicholas to appoint ministers who had the support of the Duma so the war could be managed more effectively.

• Protect and expand civil liberties (made in manifesto)

How did Nicholas reject the progressive bloc?

• Nicholas II rejected the Progressive Bloc by suspending the 4th State Duma in September 1915 and taking personal command of the army at the front lines.

•  rejected this as he believed autocracy was his sacred divine right

• By refusing any compromise with the Progressive Bloc, Nicholas alienated moderate elites and the middle class (allies)

When did Nicholas take personal command of the army in WWI

Nicholas personally took control of the military. Sept 5th 1915

How did taking control of the army ruin his reputaiton more 1915

Instead of protecting the monarchy from criticism, he made himself personally responsible for Russia's failures in WWI, instead of blaming generals like he used to

What did Charlotte Alston say about casualties on the war front, and whats the stat?

By taking command, Nicholas became “even more closely”  identified with the human losses and economic disruption of the war (Charlotte Alston)  2 million military deaths from 1915-17

Why was nicholas suspected of treason?

• Nicholas II was originally known for being heavily influenced by his wife, 

• While Nicholas was away with the army, Alexandra became heavily involved in government affairs. Strong anti-german sentiment due to WW1

What was the effect of the closeness rasputin had?

• Alexandras relationship with Rasputin was exaggerated leading to claims he was controlling the government in absence of Nicholas II. Resulted in distrust and propaganda

What is evidence for rasptutin as a controller?

• The “Rasputin the puppet master” - Anti-monarchist pamphlet printed in Moscow 1916

• Rumours damaged the perceived legitimacy and competence of the Romanov government.

Recount the letter proving Rasputins involvement

• November 15th 1915 a letter was sent from Tsarina passing on a recommendation of rasputins to “advance near Riga”. demonstrating his unofficial influence over military affairs and contributing to perceptions that the Tsarist government was incompetent.

What was the result of the 1905 revolution in supproting the build up of opposition?

Following the suppression of the 1905 Revolution, Russia experienced a period of relative political quietism and declining strike activity

When was the lena goldfields massacre 1912?

April 17 1902

What was the lena goldfields massacre?

workers at the Lena Goldfields went on strike over poor conditions after finding rotten meat in the kitchen.

How many people were killed at the lena goldfields massacre?

Government troops fired on the strikers, killing around 200 people.

What was the result of the Lena Goldfields massacre as a catlyst?

It acted as a catalyst, sparking a massive wave of sympathy strikes and protests across the empire, involving over 300,000 workers in April 1912 alone.

How did the lena goldfields massacre cause political party shifts?

• Caused a shift of extremism: Workers increasingly felt that peaceful negotiation was impossible, leading them to turn away from moderate socialist parties (like the Mensheviks) and toward more radical revolutionary groups (Bolsheviks)

• Boost for the Bolsheviks: Vladimir Lenin later noted that the Lena shots "broke the ice" of the counter-revolution, and his radical Bolshevik faction saw a significant surge in popularity and influence among factory workers following the event.

How was minister arrogance noted following the lena goldfields massacre?

Interior Minister's Arrogance: When questioned in the Duma about the tragedy, Interior Minister Alexander Makarov (supporter of autocracy/Nicholas) replied, "So it was, and so it will be!"

Specifically under opposition, what groups offered alternative to tsarist regime

• Groups such as the Kadets, Socialist Revolutionaries and Bolsheviks offered alternatives to Tsarist rule.

• This meant dissatisfaction wasn't simply spontaneous anger; there were increasingly organised political movements challenging the regime.

• The Romanovs were facing opposition from different parts of Russian society and different political ideologies.

How was the progressive bloc key in proof of opposition?

• Nicholas' refusal to cooperate made the government appear unwilling to reform. This pushed more people towards the belief that the existing political system could not solve Russia's problems.

• This shows opposition had become organised and coordinated within the political system, rather than just individual or spontaneous unrest.

How was WWI the main catalyst for the abdication?

WWI was the decisive catalyst because it made Russia's existing political, economic and social problems much worse.

How did military losses influence opinions of Nicholas?

• Around 2 million Russian soldiers had died by early 1917.

• Millions more were wounded, captured or displaced.

• The enormous losses destroyed confidence in the government's ability to win the war.

How did mobilisation effect food production?

• 15 million men were mobalised removing 50% of the working class reducing labour and food production

• Preindustrialised Russia struggled to produce enough food, weapons and other essential goods. (factories and agriculture)

How was petrograd experienceing food shortages?

• Petrograd was receiving only 21 cartloads of grain per day, compared with around 120 required.

• This demonstrates that the problem wasn't simply that food was expensive, the cities were experiencing a serious supply crisis, this directly contributed to protests and strikes.

How did inflation effect workers and quality of life?

Essential goods increased by around 100–500% whilst Workers' wages could no longer keep up with prices, meaning ordinary people experienced a major decline in living standards.

When was the february revolution?

23rd febrary 1917

What influenced the February Revolution

On 23 February, grassroot demonstrations began in Petrograd, initially driven heavily by food shortages and worker dissatisfaction.

How many people were involved in the february revolution?

• The movement rapidly expanded to around 200,000 participants.

• Crucially, soldiers began joining the protesters rather than suppressing them, meaning Nicholas had effectively lost the ability to enforce his authority.

What is a piece of evidence proving the buildup of tension prior to feb rev?

Okhrana Report Oct 1916 refers to “strained nerves” showing public exhaustion

When did Nicholas II abdicate?

2 march 1917

How long was the Romanov Dynasty running for?

The Romanov dynasty therefore collapsed after more than 300 years of rule.

What was the main result of Nicholas’s abdication?

• The Provisional Government was then established.

• The political crisis created by the war led to the transfer of power from the Romanov regime to the Provisional Government.

Who originally led the provisinal goverment? (parties)

Origianlly led by the Kadets (liberals & influenced progressive bloc), but later on assisted by the Socialist Revolutionaries (socialists & largest party)

What was Nicholas’s quote following abdication in his Abdication manifesto?

“We have thought it well to renounce the Throne of the Russian Empire and to lay down the supreme power.” — Nicholas II, Abdication Manifesto