Nicholas 2 - the last Emperor Russian Empire (May 18, 1868 - July 17, 1918). Received an excellent education, owned several foreign languages in perfection, rose to the rank of colonel in the Russian army, as well as admiral of the fleet and field marshal of the British army. He became emperor after the sudden death of his father - the accession to the throne of Nicholas 2, when Nicholas was only 26.

Brief biography of Nicholas 2

From childhood, Nikolai was trained as a future ruler - he was engaged in a deep study of economics, geography, politics and languages. He achieved great success in military affairs, to which he had a penchant. In 1894, just a month after the death of his father, he married the German princess Alice of Hesse (Alexandra Feodorovna). Two years later (May 26, 1896) the official coronation of Nicholas 2 and his wife took place. The coronation took place in an atmosphere of mourning, in addition, due to the huge number of people wishing to attend the ceremony, many people died in the stampede.

Children of Nicholas 2: daughters Olga (November 3, 1895), Tatyana (May 29, 1897), Maria (June 14, 1899) and Anastasia (June 5, 1901), as well as son Alexei (August 2, 1904) .). Despite the fact that the boy was diagnosed with a serious illness - hemophilia (blood incoagulability) - he was prepared for the reign as the sole heir.

Russia under Nicholas 2 was in the stage of economic recovery, despite this, the political situation worsened. The failure of Nicholas as a politician led to the fact that internal tensions grew in the country. As a result, after January 9, 1905, a rally of workers marching to the tsar was brutally dispersed (the event was called "Bloody Sunday"), the first Russian revolution of 1905-1907 flared up in the Russian Empire. The result of the revolution was the manifesto "On the improvement of the state order", which limited the power of the king and gave the people civil liberties. Because of all the events that took place during his reign, the king was nicknamed Nicholas 2 the Bloody.

In 1914, the First World War began, which negatively affected the state of the Russian Empire and only aggravated internal political tension. The failures of Nicholas 2 in the war led to the fact that in 1917 an uprising broke out in Petrograd, as a result of which the tsar voluntarily abdicated. The date of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne is March 2, 1917.

The years of the reign of Nicholas 2 - 1896 - 1917.

In March 1917, the entire royal family was arrested and later sent into exile. The execution of Nicholas 2 and his family took place on the night of July 16-17.

In 1980, members of the royal family were canonized by the Church Abroad, and then, in 2000, by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Politics of Nicholas 2

Under Nicholas, many reforms were made. The main reforms of Nicholas 2:

• Agricultural. Assignment of land not to the community, but to private peasant proprietors;
• Military. Army reform after defeat in the Russo-Japanese War;
• Management. The State Duma was created, the people received civil rights.

The results of the reign of Nicholas 2

• The growth of agriculture, the deliverance of the country from hunger;
• Growth of economy, industry and culture;
• Growing tensions in domestic politics, which led to a revolution and a change in the state system.

With the death of Nicholas 2 came the end of the Russian Empire and the monarchy in Russia.

Nicholas 2nd (May 18, 1868 - July 17, 1918) - the last Russian emperor, son of Alexander 3rd. He received an excellent education (studied history, literature, economics, jurisprudence, military affairs, perfectly mastered three languages: French, German, English) and ascended the throne early (at 26) due to the death of his father.

Let's supplement short biography Nicholas 2 with the history of his family. On November 14, 1894, the German princess Alice of Hesse (Alexandra Fedorovna) became the wife of Nicholas 2nd. Soon their first daughter Olga was born (November 3, 1895). Total in royal family had five children. Daughters were born one after another: Tatyana (May 29, 1897), Maria (June 14, 1899) and Anastasia (June 5, 1901). Everyone expected an heir who was to take the throne after his father. On August 12, 1904, the long-awaited son was born to Nikolai, they named him Alexei. At the age of three, doctors diagnosed him with a severe hereditary disease - hemophilia (blood incoagulability). Nevertheless, he was the only heir and was preparing to rule.

On May 26, 1896, the coronation of Nicholas II and his wife took place. During the holidays, a terrible event took place, called Khodynka, as a result of which 1282 people died in a stampede.

During the reign of Nicholas II in Russia there was a rapid economic recovery. The agricultural sector has strengthened - the country has become the main exporter of agricultural products in Europe, a stable gold currency has been introduced. The industry was actively developing: cities grew, enterprises and railways were built. Nicholas 2nd was a reformer, he introduced a standardized day for workers, provided them with insurance, and carried out reforms in the army and navy. The emperor supported the development of culture and science in Russia.

But, despite significant improvements, there were popular unrest in the country. In January 1905, an event took place, the stimulus for which was. As a result, October 17, 1905 was adopted. It talked about civil liberties. A parliament was created, which included the State Duma and the State Council. On June 3 (16), 1907, the Third-June coup took place, which changed the rules for elections to the Duma.

In 1914, it began, as a result of which the state inside the country worsened. Failures in battles undermined the authority of Tsar Nicholas II. In February 1917, an uprising broke out in Petrograd, reaching grandiose proportions. March 2, 1917, fearing mass bloodshed, Nicholas II signed the act of abdication.

On March 9, 1917, the Provisional Government arrested all of them and sent them to Tsarskoye Selo. In August they were transported to Tobolsk, and in April 1918 - to their last destination - Yekaterinburg. On the night of July 16-17, the Romanovs were taken to the basement, the death sentence was read out and the execution was carried out. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that none of the royal family managed to escape.

They say that if a person does not know the history of his native state, then he does not know his roots. On the one hand, what do we, who are living today, care about the fate of the rulers who ruled several hundred years ago? But practice shows that historical experience does not lose its relevance in any era. The reign of Nicholas 2 was the final chord in the reign of the Romanov dynasty, but it also turned out to be the most striking and turning point in the history of our country. In the article below, you will get acquainted with the royal family, learn about what Nicholas 2 was like. His time, reforms and features of his reign will be of interest to everyone.

The last Emperor

Nicholas 2 had many titles and regalia: he was the Emperor of All Russia, the Grand Duke of Finland, the Tsar of Poland. He was appointed a colonel, and the British monarchs awarded him the rank of field marshal of the British army and admiral of the navy. This suggests that among the heads of other states, he enjoyed respect and popularity. He was a man of easy communication, but at the same time he never lost his self-respect. In any situation, the emperor never forgot that he was a person of royal blood. Even in exile, during house arrest and in last days throughout his life he remained a real man.

The reign of Nicholas 2 showed that patriots with good thoughts and glorious deeds for the good of the Fatherland did not disappear on Russian soil. Contemporaries said that Nicholas 2 looked more like a nobleman: a simple-minded, conscientious man, he approached any business responsibly and always sensitively responded to someone else's pain. He was condescending to all people, even ordinary peasants, he could easily talk on an equal footing with any of them. But the sovereign never forgave those who got involved in money scams, cheated and deceived others.

Reforms of Nicholas 2

The emperor ascended the throne in 1896. This is a difficult time for Russia, difficult for the common people and dangerous for the ruling class. The emperor himself firmly adhered to the principles of autocracy and always emphasized that he would strictly preserve his charter and did not intend to carry out any changes. The date of the reign of Nicholas 2 fell on a difficult time for the state, so the revolutionary unrest among the people and their dissatisfaction with the ruling class forced Nicholas 2 to carry out two major reforms. These were: the political reform of 1905-1907. and the agrarian reform of 1907. The history of the reign of Nicholas 2 shows that almost every step of the sovereign was implored and calculated.

Bulygin reform of 1905

The first reform began with a preparatory phase, which took place from February to August 1905. A Special Meeting was created, which was led by the Minister of the Interior A.G. Bulygin. During this time, a manifesto was prepared on the establishment of the State Duma and the Regulations on elections. They were published on August 6, 1905. But because of the uprising of the working class, the legislative council was not convened.

In addition, the All-Russian political strike took place, which forced Emperor Nicholas 2 to make serious political concessions and issue a manifesto on October 17, which endowed the legislative Duma with legislative rights, proclaimed political freedom and significantly expanded the circle of voters.

All the work of the Duma and the principles of its formation were recorded in the Election Regulations of December 11, 1905, in the Decree on the composition and structure of the State Duma of February 20, 1906, and also in the Fundamental Laws of April 23, 1906. Changes in the state structure are formalized by a legislative act. Legislative functions were given to the State Council and the Council of Ministers, which began its work on October 19, 1905, and Yu.V. Witte. The reforms of Nicholas 2 indirectly pushed the state to change power and overthrow the autocracy.

The collapse of the Duma of 1906-1907

The first in Russia was very democratic, but the demands put forward were radical. They believed that political transformations should continue, they demanded that the landowners stop land ownership, they condemned the autocracy, based on total terror. In addition, they expressed distrust of the ruling power. Of course, all these innovations were not acceptable to the ruling class. Therefore, the first and second thoughts of 1906-1907. were dissolved by Emperor Nicholas II.

The political reform of Nicholas 2 ended with the fact that it was created in which the rights of the people were severely limited. New politic system could not work with unresolved socio-economic and political problems.

The reign of Nicholas 2 was a turning point for the political system of the state. The Duma turned into a platform for criticizing the authorities, showing itself as an opposition body. This prompted a new revolutionary uprising and further intensified the crisis in society.

Agrarian "Stolypin" reform

The transformation process began in 1907. P.A. Stolypin. The main goal was to preserve landownership. To achieve this result, it was decided that it was necessary to liquidate the communities and sell the land to the peasants living in the villages through the Peasants' Bank. In order to reduce the lack of peasant land, they began to resettle peasants beyond the Urals. In the hope that all these measures will stop social upheavals in society and it will be possible to modernize agriculture, they launched an agrarian reform.

The rise of the Russian economy

The introduced innovations have brought tangible results in the agricultural sector, the economy of the Russian state has experienced a noticeable rise. Grain yields increased by 2 centners per hectare, the volume of harvested products increased by 20%, grain exported abroad increased 1.5 times in volume. The incomes of the peasants increased markedly and their purchasing power increased. The reign of Nicholas 2 raised agriculture to a new level.

But, despite a noticeable rise in the economy, the ruler could not solve social issues. The form of government remained the same, and dissatisfaction with it among the people gradually increased. So only 25% of the households left the community, 17% of those resettled beyond the Urals returned, and 20% of the peasants who took the land through the Peasants' Bank went bankrupt. As a result, the provision of peasants with allotments of land decreased from 11 acres to 8 acres. It became clear that the second reform of Nicholas 2 ended unsatisfactorily and the agrarian problem had not been resolved.

Summing up the reign of Nicholas 2, it can be argued that by 1913 the Russian Empire had become one of the richest in the world. This did not prevent, after 4 years, the villainous murder of the great king, his entire family and faithful close people.

Features of the education of the future emperor

Nikolai 2 himself was brought up in strictness and in a Spartan way in childhood. He devoted a lot of time to sports, there was simplicity in clothes, and delicacies and sweets were only on holidays. Such an attitude towards children showed that even if they were born into a rich and noble family, then this is not their merit. It was believed that the main thing is what you know and can do and what kind of soul you have. The royal family of Nicholas 2 is an example of a friendly, fruitful union of a husband, wife and their well-bred children.

The future emperor transferred such upbringing to his own family. From childhood, the daughters of the king knew what pain and suffering were, they knew how to help those who needed it. For example, the eldest daughters Olga and Maria, along with their mother, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, worked in military hospitals during the First World War. To do this, they took special medical courses and stood on their feet at the operating table for several hours.

At present, we know that the life of the king and his family is a constant fear for his life, for his family and for everything, above all, great responsibility, care and concern for the whole people. And the "profession" of the tsar is ungrateful and dangerous, which is confirmed by the history of the Russian state. The royal family of Nicholas 2 became the standard of marital fidelity for many years.

Head of the Imperial Family

Nicholas 2 himself was the last and it ended the reign of Russia of the House of Romanov. He was the eldest son in the family, and his parents were Emperor Alexander 3 and Maria Feodorovna Romanov. After the tragic death of his grandfather, he became the heir to the Russian throne. Nicholas 2 had a calm character, was distinguished by great religiosity, grew up as a shy and thoughtful boy. However, at the right time, he was always firm and persistent in his intentions and actions.

Empress and mother of the family

wife Russian Emperor Nicholas 2 was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse-Drmstadt Ludwig, and her mother was the princess of England. The future Empress was born on June 7, 1872 in Darmstadt. Her parents named her Alix and gave her a true English upbringing. The girl was born the sixth in a row, but this did not prevent her from becoming a well-mannered and worthy successor to the English family, because her own grandmother was Queen Victoria of England. The future empress had a balanced character and was very shy. Despite her noble birth, she led a spartan lifestyle, taking a cold water bath in the morning and spending the night on a hard bed.

Favorite children of the royal family

The first child in the family of Emperor Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was daughter Olga. She was born in 1895 in the month of November and became the favorite child of her parents. Grand Duchess Romanova was very smart, affable and distinguished by great abilities in the study of all kinds of sciences. She was distinguished by sincerity and generosity, and her Christian soul was pure and fair. The beginning of the reign of Nicholas 2 was marked by the birth of the first child.

The second child of Nicholas 2 was the daughter Tatyana, who was born on June 11, 1897. Outwardly, she resembled her mother, but her character was that of her father. She had a strong sense of duty and liked order in everything. Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaevna Romanova embroidered and sewed well, had common sense and remained herself in all life situations.

The next and, accordingly, the third child of the emperor and empress was another daughter, Maria. She was born on June 27, 1899. The Grand Duchess differed from her sisters in good nature, friendliness and cheerfulness. She had a beautiful appearance and had great vitality. She was very attached to her parents and loved them madly.

The sovereign was looking forward to his son, but the girl Anastasia again became the fourth child in the royal family. The emperor loved her like all his daughters. Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova was born on June 18, 1901 and was very similar in character to a boy. She turned out to be a smart and frisky child, she loved to play pranks and had a cheerful disposition.

On August 12, 1904, the long-awaited heir was born into the imperial family. The boy was named Alexei, in honor of the great great-grandfather Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. The Tsarevich inherited all the best from his father and mother. He dearly loved his parents, and Father Nikolai 2 was a real idol for him, he always tried to imitate him.

Accession to the throne

May 1896 was marked by a major event - the coronation of Nicholas 2 took place in Moscow. This was the last such event: the tsar was the last not only in the Romanov dynasty, but also in the history of the Russian Empire. Ironically, it was this coronation that became the most majestic and luxurious. Thus began the reign of Nicholas 2. On the most important occasion, the city was decorated with colorful illuminations that had just appeared at that time. According to eyewitnesses, there was literally a “sea of ​​fire” at the event.

Representatives of all countries gathered in the capital of the Russian Empire. From heads of state to ordinary people, representatives of every class were at the inauguration ceremony. In order to capture this significant day in colors, venerable artists came to Moscow: Serov, Ryabushkin, Vasnetsov, Repin, Nesterov and others. The coronation of Nicholas 2 was a real holiday for the Russian people.

The last coin of the empire

Numismatics is a truly interesting science. She studies not just coins and banknotes of different states and eras. In the collections of the largest numismatists one can trace the history of the country, its economic, political and social changes. So the chervonets of Nicholas 2 became a legendary coin.

The first time it was issued in 1911, and in the future, the Mint minted chervonets every year in huge circulations. The denomination of the coin was 10 rubles and was made of gold. It would seem, why is this money so attracts the attention of numismatists and historians? The catch is that the number of issued and minted coins was limited. And, therefore, it makes sense to compete for the coveted gold piece. There were far more of them than the mint claimed. But, unfortunately, among a large number fakes and "imposters" it is difficult to find a genuine coin.

Why does the coin have so many “doubles”? There is an opinion that someone was able to take out the stamps of the front and reverse sides from the mint and hand them over to counterfeiters. Historians argue that it could be either Kolchak, who "minted" a lot of gold coins to undermine the country's economy, or the Soviet government, which tried to pay off Western partners with this money. It is known that for a long time the countries of the West did not seriously recognize the new government and continued to pay off Russian gold coins. Also, the mass production of counterfeit coins could be carried out much later, and from low-quality gold.

Foreign policy of Nicholas 2

During the reign of the emperor, there were two major military companies. In the Far East, the Russian state faced an aggressive Japan. In 1904 began Russo-Japanese War, which was supposed to distract the common people from the socio-economic problems of the state. The largest hostilities took place near the fortress of Port Arthur, which surrendered in December 1904. Near Mukend, the Russian army lost the battle in February 1905. And off the island of Tsushima in May 1905, the Russian fleet was defeated and completely sunk. The Russo-Japanese Military Company ended with the signing of peace agreements in Portsmouth in August 1905, according to which Korea and the southern part of Sakhalin Island were ceded to Japan.

World War I

In the city of Sarajevo in Bosnia, the heir to the Austrian throne F. Ferdinand was killed, which was the reason for the start of the First World War in 1914 between the Triple Alliance and the Entente. The states included Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. And the Entente included Russia, England and France.

The main hostilities took place on the Western Front in 1914. On the Eastern Front, Austria-Hungary was defeated by the Russian army and was close to capitulation. But Germany helped Austria-Hungary survive and continue its offensive against Russia.

Again, Germany went against Russia in the spring and summer of 1915, seizing Poland, part of the Baltic states, part of Western Belarus and Ukraine during this offensive. And in 1916, German troops struck the main blow on the Western Front. In turn, the Russian troops broke through the front and defeated the Austrian army, General A.A. led the military operations. Brusilov.

The foreign policy of Nicholas 2 led to the fact that the Russian state was economically exhausted by a long war, political problems were also ripe. The deputies did not hide the fact that they were not satisfied with the policy pursued by the ruling power. has not been resolved yet Patriotic War only made it worse. By signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk on March 5, 1918, Russia ended the war.

Summing up

You can talk about the fate of the rulers for a long time. The results of the reign of Nicholas 2 are as follows: Russia experienced a colossal leap in economic development, as well as increasing political and social contradictions. During the reign of the emperor, there were two revolutions at once, the last of which became decisive. Large-scale transformations in relations with other countries led to the fact that the Russian Empire increased its influence in the east. The reign of Nicholas 2 was extremely controversial. Perhaps that is why it was in those years that events took place that led to a change in the political system.

You can discuss for a long time, the emperor had to do one way or another. Historians still do not agree on who the last emperor of the Russian Empire was - a great autocrat or the death of statehood. The era of the reign of Nicholas 2 is a very difficult time for the Russian Empire, but at the same time remarkable and fateful.

Reign of Nicholas II (briefly)

Reign of Nicholas II (briefly)

Nicholas II, the son of Alexander III, was the last emperor of the Russian Empire and ruled from May 18, 1868 to July 17, 1918. He was able to get an excellent education, was fluent in several foreign languages, and was also able to rise to the rank of colonel in the Russian army, field marshal and admiral of the fleet of the British army. Nicholas had to take the throne after the sudden death of his father. At that time, the young man was twenty-six years old.

From childhood, Nicholas was prepared for the role of the future ruler. In 1894, a month after the death of his father, he marries the German princess Alice of Hesse, later known as Alexandra Feodorovna. Two years later, the official coronation took place, which took place in mourning, because due to the huge crush, many people died who wanted to see the new emperor with their own eyes.

The emperor had five children (four daughters and a son). Despite the fact that doctors discovered hemophilia in Alexei (son), he, like his father, was prepared to rule the Russian Empire.

During the reign of Nicholas II, Russia was in the stage of economic ascension, but the political situation inside the country worsened every day. It was the failure of the emperor as a ruler that led to internal unrest. As a result, after the dispersal of the workers' rally on January 9, 1905 (this event is also known as "Bloody Sunday"), the state was on fire with revolutionary sentiments. The revolution of 1905-1907 took place. The result of these events is the nickname among the people of the king, whom people dubbed Nicholas "Bloody".

In 1914, the First World War began, which had a negative impact on the state of Russia and aggravated the already unstable political situation. The unsuccessful military operations of Nicholas II lead to the fact that in 1917 an uprising begins in Petrograd, the result of which was the abdication of the king from the throne.

In the early spring of 1917, the entire royal family was taken under arrest, and later sent into exile. The execution of the whole family took place on the night of the sixteenth to the seventeenth of July.

Here are the main reforms during the reign of Nicholas II:

· Management: formed the State Duma, and the people received civil rights.

· Military reform, carried out after the defeat in the war with Japan.

· Agrarian reform: land was assigned to private peasants, not to communities.

Professor Sergei Mironenko on the personality and fatal mistakes of the last Russian emperor

In the year of the 100th anniversary of the revolution, talk about Nicholas II and his role in the tragedy of 1917 does not stop: the truth and myths in these conversations are often mixed. Scientific director of the State Archive of the Russian Federation Sergey Mironenko- about Nicholas II as a man, ruler, family man, martyr.

"Nicky, you're just some kind of Muslim!"

Sergei Vladimirovich, in one of your interviews you called Nicholas II "frozen". What did you mean? What was the emperor like as a person, as a person?

Nicholas II loved the theatre, opera and ballet, he loved physical exercise. He had unassuming tastes. He liked to drink a glass or two of vodka. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich recalled that when they were young, he and Nicky once sat on a sofa and pushed with their feet, who would knock someone off the sofa. Or another example - a diary entry during a visit to relatives in Greece about how nicely they left oranges with cousin Georgie. He was already quite an adult young man, but something childish remained in him: leaving oranges, kicking his feet. Absolutely alive person! But still, it seems to me, he was so kind of ... not a daring, not “eh!”. You know, sometimes meat is fresh, and sometimes when it was first frozen, and then thawed, you know? In this sense - "frostbitten".

Sergei Mironenko
Photo: DP28

Restrained? Many noted that he very dryly described the terrible events in his diary: next to him was the shooting of the demonstration, and the lunch menu. Or that the emperor remained absolutely calm when receiving heavy news from the front of the Japanese war. What does this indicate?

In the imperial family, keeping a diary was one of the elements of education. A person was taught to write down what happened to him at the end of the day, and in this way to give an account of how you lived this day. If the diaries of Nicholas II are used for the history of the weather, then this would be a wonderful source. “Morning, so many degrees of frost, got up at so much.” Always! Plus or minus: "sunny, windy" - he always wrote it down.

Similar diaries were kept by his grandfather Emperor Alexander II. The Ministry of War published small commemorative books: each sheet was divided into three days, and so Alexander II managed all day, from the moment he got up to the moment he went to bed, to paint his whole day on such a small sheet. Of course, this was only a record of the formal side of life. Basically, Alexander II wrote down who he received, with whom he dined, with whom he dined, where he was, at a review or somewhere else, etc. Rarely-rarely something emotional breaks through. In 1855, when his father, Emperor Nicholas I, was dying, he wrote: “Such an hour. Last terrible torment. This is a different type of diary! And Nikolai's emotional assessments are extremely rare. In general, he seemed to be an introvert by nature.

- Today you can often see in the press a certain average image of Tsar Nicholas II: a man of noble aspirations, an exemplary family man, but a weak politician. How true is this image?

As for the fact that one image was established - this is wrong. There are diametrically opposed points of view. For example, academician Yuri Sergeevich Pivovarov claims that Nicholas II was a major, successful statesman. Well, you yourself know that there are many monarchists who bow before Nicholas II.

I think that this is just the right image: he really was a very good person, a wonderful family man and, of course, a deeply religious person. But as a politician, he was absolutely out of place, I would say so.

Coronation of Nicholas II

When Nicholas II ascended the throne, he was 26 years old. Why, despite a brilliant education, he was not ready to be king? And there is such evidence that he did not want accession to the throne, was he burdened by this?

Behind me are the diaries of Nicholas II, which we published: if you read them, everything becomes clear. He was actually a very responsible person, he understood all the burden of responsibility that fell on his shoulders. But, of course, he did not think that his father, Emperor Alexander III, would die at 49, he thought that he still had some time to spare. Nicholas was weighed down by the ministers' reports. Although one can treat Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich differently, I think he was absolutely right when he wrote about the features characteristic of Nicholas II. For example, he said that Nikolai was right in the one who came to him last. Various issues are being discussed, and Nikolai takes the point of view of the one who came into his office last. Maybe it was not always like this, but this is a certain vector that Alexander Mikhailovich speaks about.

Another trait of his is fatalism. Nicholas believed that since he was born on May 6, the day of Job the Long-suffering, he was destined to suffer. Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich told him about this: “Niki (that was the name of Nicholas in the family) you're just some kind of muslim! We have the Orthodox faith, it gives free will, and your life depends on you, there is no such fatalistic destiny in our faith.” But Nicholas was sure that he was destined to suffer.

In one of your lectures, you said that he really had a lot of suffering. Do you think that this was somehow connected with his warehouse, mood?

You see, each person makes his own destiny. If you think from the very beginning that you are created to suffer, in the end, so it will be in life!

The most important misfortune, of course, is that they had a terminally ill child. This cannot be discounted. And it turned out literally immediately after birth: the umbilical cord of the Tsarevich was bleeding ... This, of course, frightened the family, they hid for a very long time that their child was sick with hemophilia. For example, the sister of Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Xenia, found out about this almost 8 years after the birth of the heir!

Then, difficult situations in politics - Nicholas was not ready to manage the vast Russian Empire in such a difficult period of time.

On the birth of Tsarevich Alexei

The summer of 1904 was marked by a joyful event, the birth of the unfortunate crown prince. Russia has been waiting for an heir for so long, and how many times has this hope turned into disappointment that his birth was greeted with enthusiasm, but the joy did not last long. Even in our house there was despondency. Uncle and aunt no doubt knew that the child was born with hemophilia, a disease that bleeds due to the inability of the blood to clot quickly. Of course, the parents quickly learned about the nature of their son's illness. One can imagine what a terrible blow this was to them; from that moment on, the character of the empress began to change, from painful experiences and constant anxiety, her health, both physical and mental, was shaken.

- But after all, he was prepared for this from childhood, like any heir!

You see, cook - don't cook, and you can't discount a person's personal qualities. If you read his correspondence with his bride, who later became Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, you will see that he writes to her how he rode twenty miles and feels good, and she told him about how she was in church, how she prayed. Their correspondence shows everything from the very beginning! Do you know what he called her? He called her "owl", and she called him "calf". Even this detail gives a clear idea of ​​their relationship.

Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna

Initially, the family was against his marriage to the princess of Hesse. Can we say that Nicholas II showed character here, some strong-willed qualities, insisting on his own?

They didn't really mind. They wanted to marry him to a French princess - because of the turn that emerged in the early 90s of the XIX century foreign policy Russian Empire from an alliance with Germany, Austria-Hungary to an alliance with France. Alexander III also wanted to strengthen family ties with the French, but Nicholas categorically refused. A little-known fact - Alexander III and his wife Maria Feodorovna, when Alexander was still only the heir to the throne, became the godparents of Alice of Hesse - the future Empress Alexandra Feodorovna: they were the godmother and father of the young! So there were still connections. Yes, and Nikolai wanted to marry at all costs.

- But he was still a follower?

Of course there was. You see, it is necessary to distinguish between stubbornness and will. Very often, weak-willed people are stubborn. I think that in a certain sense Nikolai was like that too. There are wonderful moments in their correspondence with Alexandra Fedorovna. Especially during the war, when she writes to him: “Be Peter the Great, be Ivan the Terrible!”, and then adds: “I see how you smile.” She writes to him “be”, but she herself perfectly understands that he cannot be, according to his temperament, the way his father was.

For Nikolai, his father has always been an example. He wanted, of course, to be like him, but he could not.

Dependence on Rasputin led Russia to destruction

- And how strong was the influence of Alexandra Feodorovna on the emperor?

Alexandra Fedorovna had a huge influence on him. And through Alexandra Fedorovna - Rasputin. And, by the way, relations with Rasputin became one of the rather strong catalysts for the revolutionary movement, general dissatisfaction with Nicholas. Even not so much the figure of Rasputin caused discontent, but the image of a dissolute old man created by the press, which influences political decision-making. Add to this the suspicion that Rasputin is a German agent, which was fueled by the fact that he was against the war with Germany. Rumors spread that Alexandra Feodorovna was also a German spy. In general, everything rolled along the well-known road, which led, in the end, to renunciation ...

Caricature of Rasputin

Pyotr Stolypin

- What other political mistakes have become fatal?

There were many. One of them is distrust of prominent statesmen. Nicholas could not save them, could not! The example of Stolypin is very indicative in this sense. Stolypin is truly an outstanding person. Outstanding not only and not so much because he uttered in the Duma those words that everyone is now repeating: "You need great upheavals, but we need a great Russia."

That's not why! But because he understood: the main brake in a peasant country is the community. And he firmly pursued a line of destruction of the community, and this was contrary to the interests of a fairly wide range of people. After all, when Stolypin arrived in Kyiv in 1911 as prime minister, he was already a lame duck. The issue of his resignation was resolved. He was killed, but the end of his political career came earlier.

There is no subjunctive mood in history, as you know. But I really want to dream. But what if Stolypin had been at the head of the government longer, if he had not been killed, if the situation had turned out differently, what would have happened? Would Russia have entered the war with Germany so recklessly, was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand worth getting involved in this world war?..

1908 Royal Village. Rasputin with the Empress, five children and a governess

However, I really want to use the subjunctive mood. The events taking place in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century seem so spontaneous, irreversible - the absolute monarchy has outlived its usefulness, and sooner or later what happened would happen, the personality of the tsar did not play a decisive role. This is wrong?

You know, this question, from my point of view, is useless, because the task of history is not to guess what would have happened if, but to explain why it happened this way and not otherwise. It has already happened. But why did it happen? After all, history has many paths, but for some reason it chooses one out of many, why?

Why did it happen that the previously very friendly, close-knit Romanov family ( ruling house Romanovs) by 1916 was completely split? Nikolai and his wife were alone, and the whole family - I emphasize, the whole family - was against it! Yes, Rasputin played a role - the family split largely because of him. Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, sister of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, tried to talk to her about Rasputin, it was useless to dissuade her! Nicholas's mother, Empress Dowager Maria Feodorovna, tried to speak, but to no avail.

In the end, it came to the Grand Duke's conspiracy. Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, Nicholas II's favorite cousin, was involved in Rasputin's assassination. Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich wrote to Maria Feodorovna: "The hypnotist has been killed, now it's the turn of the hypnotized, she must disappear."

They all saw that this indecisive policy, this dependence on Rasputin, was leading Russia to destruction, but they could not do anything! They thought that they would kill Rasputin, and things would somehow get better, but they didn’t get better - everything had gone too far. Nikolai believed that relations with Rasputin were a private matter of his family, in which no one had the right to interfere. He did not understand that the emperor could not have private relations with Rasputin, that the matter had taken on a political turn. And he miscalculated cruelly, although one can understand him as a person. Therefore, personality is certainly of great importance!

About Rasputin and his murder
From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna

Everything that happened to Russia due to the direct or indirect influence of Rasputin can, in my opinion, be regarded as a vindictive expression of the dark, terrible, all-consuming hatred that burned for centuries in the soul of the Russian peasant in relation to the upper classes, who did not try to understand him or attract him to your side. Rasputin, in his own way, loved both the empress and the emperor. He felt sorry for them, as children feel sorry for those who have made a mistake through the fault of adults. They both liked his seeming sincerity and kindness. His speeches - they had never heard anything like it before - attracted them with their simple logic and novelty. The emperor himself strove for intimacy with his people. But Rasputin, who had no education and was not accustomed to such an environment, was spoiled by the boundless trust that his high patrons placed in him.

Emperor Nicholas II and Supreme Commander led. Prince Nikolai Nikolaevich during a review of the fortifications of the Przemysl fortress

Is there evidence that Empress Alexandra Feodorovna directly influenced her husband's specific political decisions?

Certainly! At one time there was such a book by Kasvinov “23 steps down”, about the murder of the royal family. So, one of the most serious political mistakes of Nicholas II was the decision to become the most supreme commander in 1915. It was, if you like, the first step towards renunciation!

- And only Alexandra Feodorovna supported this decision?

She convinced him! Alexandra Fedorovna was a very strong-willed, very smart and very cunning woman. What did she fight for? For the future of their son. She was afraid that Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich (commander-in-chief Russian army in 1914-1915 - ed.), who was very popular in the army, will deprive Nike of the throne and become emperor himself. Let us leave aside the question of whether this was actually the case.

But, believing in the desire of Nikolai Nikolaevich to take the Russian throne, the empress began to intrigue. “In this difficult time of trials, only you can lead the army, you must do it, this is your duty,” she persuaded her husband. And Nikolai succumbed to her persuasion, sent his uncle to command the Caucasian front and took command of the Russian army. He did not listen to his mother, who begged him not to take a disastrous step - she just perfectly understood that if he became commander in chief, all the failures at the front would be associated with his name; nor the eight ministers who wrote him a petition; nor State Duma Chairman Rodzianko.

The emperor left the capital, lived for months at headquarters, and as a result could not return to the capital, where a revolution took place in his absence.

Emperor Nicholas II and commanders of the fronts at a meeting of the Headquarters

Nicholas II at the front

Nicholas II with Generals Alekseev and Pustovoitenko at Headquarters

What kind of person was the empress? You said - strong-willed, smart. But at the same time, she gives the impression of a sad, melancholy, cold, closed person ...

I wouldn't say she was cold. Read their letters - after all, in letters a person opens up. She is passionate loving woman. A woman of power who fights for what she sees fit, fighting to ensure that the throne is passed to her son despite his terminal illness. You can understand her, but she, in my opinion, lacked the breadth of her vision.

We will not say why Rasputin acquired such influence over her. I am deeply convinced that the matter is not only in the sick Tsarevich Alexei, whom he helped. The fact is that the Empress herself needed a person who would support her in this hostile world for her. She arrived, shy, embarrassed, in front of her is the rather strong Empress Maria Feodorovna, whom the court loves. Maria Fedorovna loves balls, but Alix does not like balls. Petersburg society is accustomed to dancing, accustomed to, accustomed to having fun, and the new empress is a completely different person.

Nicholas II with his mother Maria Feodorovna

Nicholas II with his wife

Nicholas II with Alexandra Feodorovna

Gradually, the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law gets worse and worse. And in the end it comes to a complete break. Maria Fedorovna, in her last diary before the revolution, in 1916, calls Alexandra Fedorovna only "fury". “This fury” - she can’t even write her name ...

Elements of the great crisis that led to the renunciation

- Nevertheless, Nikolai and Alexandra were a wonderful family, right?

Definitely a wonderful family! They sit, read books to each other, their correspondence is wonderful, tender. They love each other, they are spiritually close, physically close, they have wonderful children. Children are different, some of them are more serious, some, like Anastasia, more mischievous, some secretly smoke.

About the atmosphere in the family of Nikolai II and Alexandra Feodorovna
From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna

The emperor and his wife were always tender in their relations with each other and children, and it was so pleasant to be in an atmosphere of love and family happiness.

At a costume ball. 1903

But after the assassination of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (Governor-General of Moscow, uncle of Nicholas II, husband of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna - ed.) in 1905, the family locks up in Tsarskoe Selo, no more - not a single big ball, the last big ball takes place in 1903, a costume ball, where Nikolai is in the costume of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Alexander is in the costume of the queen. And then they become more and more closed.

Alexandra Fedorovna did not understand much, did not understand the situation in the country. For example, failures in the war... When you are told that Russia almost won the First World War, do not believe it. A serious socio-economic crisis was growing in Russia. First of all, he manifested himself in the inability railways deal with traffic. It was impossible to simultaneously deliver food to large cities and carry military supplies to the front. Despite the railway boom that began under Witte in the 1880s, Russia had a poorly developed railway network compared to European countries.

Groundbreaking ceremony for the Trans-Siberian Railway

- Despite the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, was this not enough for such a large country?

Absolutely! This was not enough, the railways could not cope. Why am I talking about this? When food shortages began in Petrograd, in Moscow, what does Alexandra Fyodorovna write to her husband? "Our Friend advises (Friend - so Alexandra Fedorovna called Rasputin in correspondence. - Ed.): order to attach one or two wagons with food to each echelon that goes to the front. To write this means to be completely unaware of what is happening. It is a search for simple solutions, solutions to the problem, the roots of which do not lie in this at all! What is one or two carriages for the multi-million dollar Petrograd and Moscow?..

Yet it grew!

Prince Felix Yusupov, participant in the conspiracy against Rasputin

Two or three years ago we received the Yusupov archive - Viktor Fedorovich Vekselberg bought it and donated it State archive. This archive contains letters from the teacher Felix Yusupov in the Corps of Pages, who went with Yusupov to Rakitnoye, where he was exiled after participating in the murder of Rasputin. Two weeks before the revolution, he returned to Petrograd. And he writes to Felix, who is still in Rakitnoye: “Can you imagine that I haven’t seen or eaten a piece of meat in two weeks?” There is no meat! The bakeries are closed because there is no flour. And this is not the result of some malicious conspiracy, as they sometimes write about it, which is complete nonsense and nonsense. And evidence of the crisis that has gripped the country.

Milyukov, leader of the Kadet Party, speaks in State Duma- seems to be a wonderful historian, a wonderful person - but what does he say from the Duma rostrum? He throws accusations after accusations against the government, addressing them to Nicholas II, of course, and ends each passage with the words: “What is this? Stupidity or treason? The word "treason" has already been dropped.

It's always easy to blame your failures on someone else. It's not we who fight badly, it's treason! Rumors begin to circulate that from Tsarskoye Selo the empress has a direct gold cable laid to Wilhelm's headquarters, that she is selling state secrets. When she arrives at headquarters, the officers are defiantly silent in her presence. It's like a snowball growing! The economy, the railroad crisis, failures at the front, the political crisis, Rasputin, the family split - all these are elements of a great crisis, which eventually led to the abdication of the emperor and the collapse of the monarchy.

By the way, I am sure that those people who thought about the abdication of Nicholas II, and he himself, did not at all assume that this was the end of the monarchy. Why? Because they had no experience of political struggle, they did not understand that they don’t change horses in the middle! Therefore, the commanders of the fronts, as one, wrote to Nicholas that in order to save the Motherland and continue the war, he must abdicate the throne.

About the situation at the beginning of the war

From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna

In the beginning, the war went well. Every day a crowd of Muscovites staged patriotic demonstrations in the square opposite our house. The people in the front rows held flags and portraits of the emperor and empress. With their heads uncovered, they sang the national anthem, shouted out words of approval and greetings, and calmly dispersed. People took it as entertainment. Enthusiasm took on more and more violent forms, but the authorities did not want to prevent this expression of loyal feelings, people refused to leave the square and disperse. The last gathering turned into rampant drinking and ended with bottles and stones thrown at our windows. The police were called and lined up along the sidewalk to block access to our house. Excited cries and muffled murmurs of the crowd came from the street all night.

About the bomb in the temple and the changing moods

From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna

On Easter Eve, when we were in Tsarskoye Selo, a conspiracy was uncovered. Two members of the terrorist organization, disguised as singers, tried to get into the choir, which sang at services in the palace church. Apparently, they planned to carry bombs under their clothes and detonate them in the church during the Easter service. The emperor, although he knew about the plot, went with his family to church as usual. Many people were arrested that day. Nothing happened, but it was the saddest service I have ever attended.

Abdication of the throne of Emperor Nicholas II.

There are still myths about the renunciation - that it had no legal force, or that the emperor was forced to abdicate ...

This just surprises me! How can you say such nonsense? You see, the renunciation manifesto was published in all the papers, in all! And in the year and a half that Nikolai lived after that, he never said: “No, they forced me, this is not my real renunciation!”

The attitude towards the emperor and empress in society is also “steps down”: from delight and devotion to ridicule and aggression?

When Rasputin was killed, Nicholas II was at headquarters in Mogilev, and the Empress was in the capital. What is she doing? Alexandra Fedorovna summons the Petrograd Chief of Police and orders the arrest of Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich and Yusupov, participants in the murder of Rasputin. This caused an outburst of indignation in the family. Who is she?! What right does she have to order someone to be arrested? This proves 100% who rules with us - not Nikolai, but Alexandra!

Then the family (mother, grand dukes and grand duchesses) turned to Nikolai with a request not to punish Dmitry Pavlovich. Nikolay imposed a resolution on the document: “I am surprised by your appeal to me. No one is allowed to kill!" Decent answer? Of course yes! No one dictated this to him, he himself, from the depths of his soul, wrote it.

In general, Nicholas II as a person can be respected - he was an honest, decent person. But not too smart and without a strong will.

“I don’t feel sorry for myself, but I feel sorry for the people”

Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna

The phrase of Nicholas II is known after the abdication: "I do not feel sorry for myself, but I feel sorry for the people." He really rooted for the people, for the country. How well did he know his people?

I will give you an example from another area. When Maria Fedorovna married Alexander Alexandrovich and when they - then the Tsarevich and Tsesarevna - traveled around Russia, she described such a situation in her diary. She, who grew up in a rather poor but democratic Danish royal court, could not understand why her beloved Sasha did not want to communicate with the people. He does not want to leave the ship on which they traveled, to the people, he does not want to take bread and salt, he is absolutely not interested in all this.

But she arranged it so that he had to get off at one of the points of their route, where they landed. He did everything flawlessly: he received the foremen, bread and salt, charmed everyone. He came back and ... gave her a wild scandal: he stamped his feet, broke the lamp. She was horrified! Her sweet and beloved Sasha, who is throwing a kerosene lamp on the wooden floor, is about to burst into flames! She couldn't understand why? Because the unity of the king and the people was like a theater where everyone played their roles.

Even chronicle footage has been preserved of Nicholas II sailing away from Kostroma in 1913. People go into the water up to their chests, stretch their hands to him, this is the king-father ... and after 4 years these same people sing shameful ditties about both the king and the queen!

- The fact that, for example, his daughters were sisters of mercy, was it also a theater?

No, I think it was sincere. They were still deeply religious people, and, of course, Christianity and mercy are almost synonymous. The girls really were sisters of mercy, Alexandra Fedorovna really assisted in operations. Some of the daughters liked it, some didn't, but they were no exception among the imperial family, among the Romanovs. They gave their palaces for hospitals - there was a hospital in the Winter Palace, and not only the emperor's family, but also other grand duchesses. The men fought and the women did charity work. So mercy is just not ostentatious.

Princess Tatiana in the hospital

Alexandra Fedorovna - sister of mercy

Princesses with the wounded in the infirmary of Tsarskoye Selo, winter 1915-16

But in a sense, any court action, any court ceremony is a theater, with its own scenario, with its own actors and so on.

Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna in the hospital for the wounded

From the memoirs of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna

The Empress, who spoke Russian very well, made her rounds through the wards and talked for a long time with each patient. I walked behind and not so much listened to the words - she said the same thing to everyone - how much I watched the expression on their faces. Despite the sincere sympathy of the empress for the suffering of the wounded, something prevented her from expressing her true feelings and comforting those to whom she addressed. Although she spoke Russian correctly and almost without an accent, people did not understand her: her words did not find a response in their souls. They looked at her with fear when she approached and started a conversation. I visited hospitals with the emperor more than once. His visits looked different. The emperor behaved simply and charmingly. With his appearance, a special atmosphere of joy arose. Despite his small stature, he always seemed taller than everyone present and moved from bed to bed with extraordinary dignity. After a short conversation with him, the expression of anxious expectation in the eyes of the patients was replaced by a joyful animation.

1917 - This year marks the 100th anniversary of the revolution. How, in your opinion, should we talk about it, how should we approach the discussion of this topic? Ipatiev house

How was the decision to canonize them made? "Dug", as you say, weighed. After all, the commission did not immediately declare him a martyr, there were quite big disputes on this score. After all, it was not in vain that he was canonized as a martyr, as one who gave his life for the Orthodox faith. Not because he was an emperor, not because he was an outstanding statesman, but because he did not renounce Orthodoxy. Until their martyr's end, the royal family constantly invited priests who served Mass, even in the Ipatiev House, not to mention Tobolsk. The family of Nicholas II was a deeply religious family.

- But even about canonization there are different opinions.

They were canonized as passion-bearers - what different opinions can there be?

Some insist that the canonization was hasty and politically motivated. What to say to that?

From the report of the Metropolitan of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly,Chairman of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints at the Bishops' Jubilee Council

... Behind the many sufferings endured by the Royal Family over the last 17 months of their lives, which ended with execution in the basement of the Yekaterinburg Ipatiev House on the night of July 17, 1918, we see people who sincerely strived to embody the commandments of the Gospel in their lives. In the suffering endured by the Royal Family in captivity with meekness, patience and humility, in their martyrdom, the light of Christ's faith conquering evil was revealed, just as it shone in the life and death of millions of Orthodox Christians who suffered persecution for Christ in the 20th century. It is in understanding this feat of the Royal Family that the Commission, in complete unanimity and with the approval of the Holy Synod, finds it possible to glorify in the Cathedral of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in the face of the Passion-Bearers Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatyana, Maria and Anastasia.

- How do you generally assess the level of discussions about Nicholas II, about the imperial family, about 1917 today?

What is a discussion? How can you argue with the ignorant? In order to say something, a person must know at least something, if he does not know anything, it is useless to discuss with him. About the royal family and the situation in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century last years there was so much garbage. But what is pleasing is that there are also very serious works, for example, studies by Boris Nikolaevich Mironov, Mikhail Abramovich Davydov, which are engaged in economic history. So Boris Nikolaevich Mironov has a wonderful work, where he analyzed the metric data of people who were called up for military service. When a person was called up for service, his height, weight, and so on were measured. Mironov was able to establish that in the fifty years that have passed since the liberation of the serfs, the growth of conscripts has increased by 6-7 centimeters!

- That is, they began to eat better?

Certainly! Live better! But what did Soviet historiography talk about? "The exacerbation, beyond the ordinary, of the needs and calamities of the oppressed classes," "relative impoverishment," "absolute impoverishment," and so on. In fact, as I understand it, if you believe the works that I named - and I have no reason not to believe them - the revolution did not come about because people began to live worse, but because, paradoxically as it sounds, what is better began to live! But everyone wanted to live even better. The situation of the people even after the reform was extremely difficult, the situation was terrible: the working day was 11 hours, terrible working conditions, but in the countryside they began to eat better, dress better. There was a protest against the slow movement forward, we wanted to go faster.

Sergei Mironenko.
Photo: Alexander Bury / russkiymir.ru

They don't look for good from good, in other words? Sounds menacing...

Why?

Because one involuntarily wants to draw an analogy with our days: over the past 25 years, people have learned that it is possible to live better ...

They don't look for good from good, yes. For example, the Narodnaya Volya revolutionaries who killed Alexander II, the liberator Tsar, were also dissatisfied. Although he is the king-liberator, he is indecisive! He does not want to go further in the reforms - he needs to be pushed. If he doesn't go, he must be killed, those who oppress the people must be killed... You can't fence yourself off from this. We need to understand why this all happened. I do not advise you to draw analogies with today, because analogies are usually erroneous.

Usually today they repeat something else: the words of Klyuchevsky that history is a warden who punishes for ignorance of her lessons; that those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat its mistakes...

Of course, one must know history not only in order not to make the same mistakes. I think the main thing for which you need to know your history is in order to feel like a citizen of your country. Without knowing your own history, you cannot be a citizen, in the truest sense of the word.