At the end of the nineteenth century, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia reluctantly took command of an empire overflowing with revolutionaries seeking change in response to hardships. His shy personality, coupled with his lack of political education, made him unfit to handle the war-torn chaos that would soon darken Russian skies. Nicholas’ series of unfortunate, unprepared and uninformed decisions began with his marriage and would ultimately lead to the demise of his imperial family’s three-hundred-year dynastic tradition. The turn of the century illuminated Russia as the last remaining European autocracy. It was labeled “backwards” by other European powers. Only recently in the 1860s had the serfs been freed from legal bondage by Alexander II,
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Her upbringing did not allow her to mix well with the high strung Russian society, which led to her dislike by the Russian court and citizens alike. Her strong personality overpowered Nicholas’ and she had great influence over him and his political decisions, which was unfortunate because she knew even less about Russian politics than did Nicholas. She once wrote to a British ambassador that “The Emperor, unfortunately, is weak; but I am not, and I intend to be firm.” Alexandra bore Nicholas four daughters and a son, who was stricken with the “bleeding disease” Hemophilia and whose illness was kept secret from anyone outside the royal family. Hopeless at the lack of treatments for the young tsarevich, Grigori Rasputin, a mysterious peasant from the Russian countryside said to have magical healing powers, was invited into the royal palace to try to heal Alexei. Despite his promiscuous reputation and the horrified reactions of the Russian royal circle, he became an essential party of the royal family when he was able to “heal” the tsarevich a few times. Nicholas was not able to say no to his wife. Although he knew that Rasputin was nothing more than a power-hungry fraud, Nicholas allowed him to remain. When Nicholas was preoccupied during the war, Alexandra began to take over some of the responsibilities at the capitol, often consulting Rasputin about hugely …show more content…
In January 1905, an event called “Bloody Sunday” occurred, during which a peaceful protest was crushed by Russian guards and about a thousand people were killed. The citizens blamed the tsar and the strikes and violent demonstrations continued for several months. In October, in response to the strikes, Nicholas II issued the October Manifesto, which stated he would establish a constitution and parliament, called the Duma. However, Nicholas detested the Duma and did everything in his power to limit their
Her upbringing did not allow her to mix well with the high strung Russian society, which led to her dislike by the Russian court and citizens alike. Her strong personality overpowered Nicholas’ and she had great influence over him and his political decisions, which was unfortunate because she knew even less about Russian politics than did Nicholas. She once wrote to a British ambassador that “The Emperor, unfortunately, is weak; but I am not, and I intend to be firm.” Alexandra bore Nicholas four daughters and a son, who was stricken with the “bleeding disease” Hemophilia and whose illness was kept secret from anyone outside the royal family. Hopeless at the lack of treatments for the young tsarevich, Grigori Rasputin, a mysterious peasant from the Russian countryside said to have magical healing powers, was invited into the royal palace to try to heal Alexei. Despite his promiscuous reputation and the horrified reactions of the Russian royal circle, he became an essential party of the royal family when he was able to “heal” the tsarevich a few times. Nicholas was not able to say no to his wife. Although he knew that Rasputin was nothing more than a power-hungry fraud, Nicholas allowed him to remain. When Nicholas was preoccupied during the war, Alexandra began to take over some of the responsibilities at the capitol, often consulting Rasputin about hugely …show more content…
In January 1905, an event called “Bloody Sunday” occurred, during which a peaceful protest was crushed by Russian guards and about a thousand people were killed. The citizens blamed the tsar and the strikes and violent demonstrations continued for several months. In October, in response to the strikes, Nicholas II issued the October Manifesto, which stated he would establish a constitution and parliament, called the Duma. However, Nicholas detested the Duma and did everything in his power to limit their