Nicholas II
The Last Tsar
Nicholas, the eldest son of Alexander III, was born on May 6, 1968. He succeeded his father as emperor in 1894, and 23 years later brought an end to the Romanov dynasty, and to tsarism in Russia, with his abdication.
The general perception of Nicholas was that he was a man of intelligence and good nature, but too weak and inconsistent for the demands of leadership. He turned his back on any notion of representative government and instead pursued autocracy so stubbornly that resentment against his conservatism build steadily throughout his reign. Nicholas was heavily influenced by his wife, Alexandra, who he married a year into his reign. As a German, she was a further target of resentment from the Russian people, and her deference to the hated Rasputin late in Nicholas' reign sowed further seeds of discord. Biographies of Nicholas II Maria Aprelenko, Prominent Russians: Nicholas II (Russiapedia) Bob Atchison, The Last Tsar of Russia (Alexander Palace Time Machine) Rupert Colley, Tsar Nicholas II - a Summary (The Russian Revolution: History in an Hour) Videos Last of the Czars, Part 1 - Nicky and Alix (1996) Last of the Czars, Part 2 - The Shadow of Rasputin (1996) Last of the Czars, Part 3 - Death of the Dynasty (1996) |
Quotes
Source A
“What is going to happen to me and all of Russia? I am not prepared to be a Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling.”
Nicholas II, 1894
Source B
“Be more autocratic than Peter the Great and sterner than Ivan the Terrible.”
Tsarina Alexandra to her husband, 1895
Source C
“I will preserve the principle of Autocracy as firmly and unflinchingly as my late father.”
Nicholas II, 1894
Source D
“I pity the Tsar. I pity Russia. He is a poor and unhappy sovereign. What did he inherit and what will he leave? He is obviously a good and quite intelligent man, but he lacks will power, and it is from that character that his state defects developed, that is, his defects as a ruler, especially an autocratic and absolute ruler.”
Sergei Witte, 1896
Source E
“I am fully convinced that great and beautiful times are coming for your reign and Russia…we must give a strong country to Baby and dare not be weak for his sake…Don’t let things slip through your fingers and leave it to him to build all over again. Be firm…How I wish I could pour my will into your veins.”
Tsarina Alexandra to her husband, 1905
Source F
“I shall never, under any circumstances, agree to a representative form of government because I consider it harmful to the people whom God has entrusted to my care.”
Nicholas II, 1905
“What is going to happen to me and all of Russia? I am not prepared to be a Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of ruling.”
Nicholas II, 1894
Source B
“Be more autocratic than Peter the Great and sterner than Ivan the Terrible.”
Tsarina Alexandra to her husband, 1895
Source C
“I will preserve the principle of Autocracy as firmly and unflinchingly as my late father.”
Nicholas II, 1894
Source D
“I pity the Tsar. I pity Russia. He is a poor and unhappy sovereign. What did he inherit and what will he leave? He is obviously a good and quite intelligent man, but he lacks will power, and it is from that character that his state defects developed, that is, his defects as a ruler, especially an autocratic and absolute ruler.”
Sergei Witte, 1896
Source E
“I am fully convinced that great and beautiful times are coming for your reign and Russia…we must give a strong country to Baby and dare not be weak for his sake…Don’t let things slip through your fingers and leave it to him to build all over again. Be firm…How I wish I could pour my will into your veins.”
Tsarina Alexandra to her husband, 1905
Source F
“I shall never, under any circumstances, agree to a representative form of government because I consider it harmful to the people whom God has entrusted to my care.”
Nicholas II, 1905
References for this Page
Aprelenko, M. (n.d.). Prominent Russians: Nicholas II. Retrieved from http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-romanov-dynasty/nicholas-ii/
Atchison, B. (n.d.). The Last Tsar of Russia. Retrieved from http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/AlexPalaceNRbio.html
Lynch, M. (1992). Access to History: Reaction and Revolution: Russia 1894-1924 Fourth Edition. London: Hodder & Stoughton Educational.
Massie, R. (1967). Nicholas and Alexandra: the Last Tsar and his Family. London: Head of Zeus Ltd.
Proctor, H. (1995). Ruling Russia: From Nicholas II to Stalin. Melbourne: Longman.
Aprelenko, M. (n.d.). Prominent Russians: Nicholas II. Retrieved from http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-romanov-dynasty/nicholas-ii/
Atchison, B. (n.d.). The Last Tsar of Russia. Retrieved from http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/AlexPalaceNRbio.html
Lynch, M. (1992). Access to History: Reaction and Revolution: Russia 1894-1924 Fourth Edition. London: Hodder & Stoughton Educational.
Massie, R. (1967). Nicholas and Alexandra: the Last Tsar and his Family. London: Head of Zeus Ltd.
Proctor, H. (1995). Ruling Russia: From Nicholas II to Stalin. Melbourne: Longman.