The House Of Romanov
The House of Romanov or the Romanov Dynasty, once the richest and the strongest family in the world, was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule Russia for over 300 years.
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The House of Romanov reigned from 1613 until the bloody incidents and social disruptions that swept Russia in the early 20th century, which led to the downfall and abdication of the last emperor of the Romanov Dynasty, Tsar Nicholas II, in 1917.
Tsar Nicholas II Of Russia
“I am not prepared to be Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling. I even have no idea how to talk to the ministers.”
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov was the last Tsar of Russia, whose reign began in 1894. His reign started sooner than expected due to the unexpected death of his father, Tsar Alexander III.
Soon after his father’s death, he married Princess Alexandra, a favorite granddaughter of England’s Queen Victoria. They had four daughters and a hemophiliac son. Nicholas II was said to be a kind man but strictly upheld his father’s policies despite the need to reform and modernize Russia.
Nicholas II’s reign was marked by political turmoil, social unrest, and economic challenges that led to the untimely downfall of the Romanov dynasty.
Khodynka Field Tragedy
Nicholas II’s coronation was marked by the tragic event known as the Khodynka field tragedy.
It was announced to the general public that free gifts and food would be given during the Tsar's coronation in Khodynka field. Following the announcement, thousands of people gathered to celebrate the event, and a stampede occurred in which over a thousand people were killed and many were injured.
Instead of confronting and comforting the distressed public, the royal couple attended a lavish ball later that evening.
Russo-Japanese War(1904-1905)
This war played a significant role in the downfall of the Romanov family. The Tsar was advised not to continue the war with Japan due to Japan’s strong military force and modern war techniques, but Russia did otherwise, which revealed the country’s military weakness and added to public discontent.
Bloody Sunday
In 1905, unarmed demonstrators protested in St. Petersburg, angered by poor working conditions, an economic sink, and the ongoing war with Japan. Instead of listening to their pleas, the royal family fled from the scene, and the Tsar's soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters with violent repression.
This day has gone down in history as ‘Bloody Sunday’. It sparked widespread riots and strikes across the nation.
Rasputin’s Influence
Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man. Since the only son of the Tsar and the Tsarina had inherited the dangerous hemophilic disease, the future of the heir was bleak.
Thus, Tsarina turned to Rasputin to ease their son’s pain, believing Rasputin was the only one who could cure him. He gained great powers over the royal couple and was also said to interfere in political matters by becoming the healer of the Tsarina’s only son.
This damaged the monarchy’s reputation and raised questions over the Tsar's governing abilities.
World War I
Russia supported its allies in World War I, which resulted in exhausting the country’s resources and contributed to economic slump and hardships. All this added to the public’s discontent, which marked the abdication of the Romanov family by the provisional government in 1917.
The Romanov family was held captive, but in 1918, the Bolsheviks allegedly killed the entire family, leaving no one of royal blood behind. It was said that no one could have survived that execution. This was the end of the Romanov dynasty and the beginning of a new era.
Final Words
Tsar Nicholas II was not suited to be an emperor. He was not strong-headed and could easily be overpowered by others. The Tsarina had a great influence on him, though she also blindly believed in Rasputin.
The Tsar was constantly burdened by the growing unrest in the country. As one of the historians, Dr. Pablo De Orellano, said: “Nicholas felt enormous pressure to continue the dynasty and expand the empire.”
It was his actions driven by this pressure and the accompanying fear that forced the Tsar to lay the foundations for his own demise.
Written By - Surbhi Gole
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