The Decline and Fall of the Romanov Dynasty

Origins of the Russian Empire

• The Russian Empire started in the 1500s with a leader named Ivan the Terrible.

• In 1613, the Romanov family became the rulers of Russia and stayed in power for over 300 years.

• A leader named Peter the Great in the late 1600s worked to make Russia more modern and built a new capital city called St. Petersburg.

Nature of the Russian Empire

• The Tsars (Russian kings) had total control over everything in the country.

• Russia became a huge empire that covered a lot of land and had many different kinds of people.

• Most people in Russia were poor farmers called serfs, who worked for landowners.

Relationships with foreign powers - Expansion

• Russia fought wars and took land from other countries nearby, like the Ottoman Empire and Sweden.

• A ruler named Catherine the Great added even more land to the empire.

Relationships with foreign powers - Diplomacy

• Russia made alliances (friendships) with other countries, especially during wars like the Napoleonic Wars (when Napoleon from France tried to take over Europe).

• Russia also interacted with countries like China, Persia, and Japan.

Relationships with foreign powers - Decline in Relations

By the 1800s and early 1900s, other countries didn’t like how Russia was ruled, and there was tension.
Russia lost a war against Japan in 1904-1905 (Russo-Japanese War), which hurt its reputation.

The Romanov empire at the time of Nicholas II - Political grievances

• Autocratic rule (no parliament or democracy)
  
  

• Lack of political reform, repression of opposition (e.g. secret police)

The Romanov empire at the time of Nicholas II - Political grievances - Economic grievances

• Widespread poverty, especially among peasants
  
  

• Poor working conditions and low wages for industrial workers
  
  

• Unequal land distribution

The Romanov empire at the time of Nicholas II - Political grievances - Social grievances

• Huge gap between rich and poor
  
  

• Peasant hardships and urban overcrowding
  
  

• Ethnic minorities faced discrimination

The role of Nicholas II as autocrat

• Held absolute power (no limits on authority)
  
  

• Weak, indecisive leadership
  
  

• Resisted reform and change
  
  

• Poor handling of crises (e.g. 1905 Revolution, WWI, Russo Jap. War)