The revolution of 1905 occurred due to many different reasons. Arguably the most important of these reasons was the incompetent leadership of the Tsar, Nicholas II, but there were other factors, such as the poverty among the peasants, the frustration at lack of political power in the autocracy, and also the impact of the Russo-Japanese war.
As mentioned, the most important reason for the outbreak of revolution in 1905 was the poor and incompetent rule of Tsar Nicholas II. The Tsar was viewed as a very weak man, only 5’7” tall and shy in character, lacking the physical intimidation of his father and grandfather. The most prominent example of his indecisive leadership can be seen in the handling of the events at his coronation, which later became known as the Khodynka Field Massacre, on 30th May 1896. The celebration was meant to show off the new Tsar and his generosity, with attendees being given free food to mark the occasion. However, as so many people showed up, word spread that there was not enough food to go around, and a stampede ensued, with people clambering over each other to reach the event first. Unfortunately the field where the coronation was being held was full of ditches and ravines, and in the chaos, many people were crushed to death, resulting in 1389 deaths. This tragedy started what was to be an uncomfortable rule for Nicholas, as many people questioned his competence to lead such a vast country as Russia. His incompetence meant that Russia as a country was seen as weak, and many of its inhabitants sought change and modernisation after 300 years of Romanov autocratic rule, leading to the 1905 revolution.
However there were other reasons why revolution broke out in 1905. One of these reasons, for example, was the discontent among the peasantry which mainly resulted from the food shortages that were rife in rural Russia. There were