Tsar Nicholas II Research Paper

After the unexpected death of Tsar Alexander III, his son Nicholas II succeeded him in 1894, at the age of 26. That same year, he married his second cousin, Alexandra Feodorovna, the princess of Prussia. The couple had five children, but only one male descendant, Alexei, who suffered from haemophilia.

There is much cause for speculation as to Nicholas’ suitability as Tsar. Nicholas started his reign with little experience or desire to rule. On the day of his coronation, over 1,000 people were trampled to death in the crowd. He proceeded with the festivities, apparently unconcerned or oblivious to the death of his subjects. He privately admitted to his shortcomings, saying, “I am not prepared to be a tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling.” Do the people of Russia want a Tsar who acknowledged that he is incapable of fulfilling his duty?

Unlike his father, a man of confidence and strength, Nicholas has always seemed weak willed, often doubting himself. However, he reportedly said his rule was sanctioned by God, and that he regards “Russia as one big estate, with the tsar as its owner.” It seems odd that a man who described himself as, “without will and without character,” would declare himself appointed by God as supreme ruler.
In 1904, on what is known as ‘Bloody Sunday’, civilians peacefully protested in St.
Petersburg, demanding improved working conditions. Soldiers killed ninety two innocent civilians, and injured many more, for nothing more than participating in a non violent demonstration. This led to more uprisings in 1905, and rather than try to settle the matter diplomatically, Nicholas sent soldiers to subdue them. This poor management of the situation led to the escalation of the revolutions, and increasing support for the Marxist revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky. Meanwhile, the public opinion of Nicholas II declined even
further.

Due to these protests and insistence from his advisors, Nicholas signed the ‘October Manifesto’. The document required major political upheaval, and the forming of the new advisory committee known as the Duma. However, Nicholas disbanded the Duma one year later, after it made demands contrary to Nicholas’s wishes. Not only did he respond poorly to the previous revolt, he failed to keep the agreed upon conditions in place. This proves him to be a Tsar unworthy of the trust of the Russian people.
After the assassination of his Uncle, the Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, Nicholas became more reclusive. He allowed himself to be controlled by Alexandra, who wrote in a letter that, “The emperor unfortunately is weak, but I am not and I intend to be firm.” Meanwhile, in her desperation to find a cure for her son Alexei, Alexandra became increasingly reliant on the mystic Rasputin, who seemed to be able to help with Alexei’s condition. Though ignored by the king, and denied by the queen, rumours circulate of Rasputin’s relationship with the queen.