MM Video: Nicholas II, The Last Tsar

Monarch Profile: Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Part V - The End

Abdication had been mentioned before, even by some in the extended Imperial Family, but Nicholas II had always dismissed such a notion. This was not out of any ambition on his part but rather on his heartfelt view that the position of Tsar was a sacred duty, a responsibility God had entrusted to him and as much as he would have liked to leave government behind and live the life of a private country gentleman he could not shirk that responsibility or put it off on others. This was also why he had opposed things like constitutions and democracy because, even if he gave up his power to others, he could not give up the responsibility. As he saw it, to do so would still have been forsaking his duty and even if he gave up his powers God would still hold him responsible, and no one else, for all that was done in his name. However, when he was overtaken by the revolution, surrounded and his family under threat, Nicholas had no higher priority than his wife and children. When the President of the Duma, supported by the generals, said that only his abdication could prevent a total breakdown of social order, Nicholas did not hesitate. On March 2, 1917 he signed the instrument of abdication for himself and on behalf of his son the Tsarevitch Alexei.

This final act has been the cause of a little controversy in historical arguments. Could he have abdicated for someone else, even his son? If he had signed his own abdication first, how could he have had the legitimate power to do so? With his first signature he lost all power and Alexei automatically became Tsar and no one but he could have signed his position away. Most, however, accepted that as Alexei was a minor, Nicholas II, as his father, could do as he pleased on his behalf. In any event, none of it would ultimately matter anyway and Nicholas only did it because he feared for the life of his beloved (and frail) son. Doctors assured him that were Alexei separated from his family, as he surely would be if he remained in Russia as a figurehead Tsar while the rest were sent into exile, he would surely die. No parent would have allowed that and would have done anything to prevent it. Once the abdications were done, Nicholas was allowed to go to his family and all of them were taken into “protective custody” by the provisional government. Nicholas fully expected that they would be allowed to leave the country and that his cousin and ally King George V of Great Britain would give them sanctuary.

Despite the indignities they suffered in captivity, Nicholas and the rest of his family behaved with stoic courage and made no complaints. Everything was in the hands of God and, like Job on whose day he was born, no trial or hardship would shake his faith in God. His faith in his fellow man, if he had any left, might have been struck a blow though. Whereas Nicholas had been adamant, even in the darkest days of the war, that he would be loyal to the alliance of nations and never make a separate peace, his supposed “allies” quickly deserted him. In France and Great Britain the downfall of the Romanov monarchy was cheered and in the United States the Congress joined in the congratulations as the change made them feel at least a little less hypocritical about entering a war to “make the world safe for democracy”. If the Imperial Family had left immediately they might have been okay but they were delayed by the children coming down with smallpox. By the time they recovered things had changed in Britain. The labor unions had grown increasingly troublesome during the war and Prime Minister Lloyd George feared the consequences of letting the Tsar come to England. He intervened with the King and the offer of sanctuary was withdrawn. The royal houses of Europe were shocked by this. Even Kaiser Wilhelm II had offered safe passage through German waters for any British warship that would rescue his cousin (and enemy) the Tsar from captivity but it was not to be. Fear of the labor unions turning against the British monarchy outweighed all other considerations. The Romanovs were left to their fate.

To his credit, Nicholas II took it all with his usual calm and good nature. In quick order most of the guards and officers were won over by Nicholas and his charming family. The only one to suffer any torment was poor Alexei whom many of the guards seemed to delight in bullying. However, on the whole, everyone who had contact with Nicholas could only marvel at how wrong their previous opinion of him had been. This was also true of Alexandra of whom the very worst lies and slander had been told, yet, when the revolutionaries actually met her and talked to her they realized what a distorted view they had entertained. However, with the October Revolution the radical Bolsheviks seized power in Petrograd away from the provisional government and the situation for the Imperial Family became much worse. There were rumors about civil war breaking out, monarchists sending them support and even of rescue plans but nothing ever came of them. Finally, the Tsar was told to prepare for a trip to Moscow.

Most assumed Nicholas was to be put on trial just as previous gangs of traitors had done to Louis XVI of France and Charles I of Britain, however, that did not concern the Tsar. His greatest fear was that he would be forced to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. This was the treaty the Bolsheviks had signed with the Germans, renouncing vast tracts of the Russian Empire in return for peace. Even in his poor condition, this was what had outraged the Tsar the most. Toward the end, the Russian army had seemed to be on the rebound. Munitions production was up, better weapons were coming out and better-planned offensives had almost knocked Austria-Hungary out of the war. The Tsar had already been betrayed but with Brest-Litovsk, the Bolsheviks had done worse to him; they had betrayed his beloved Russia and it was only then that he confessed to having regretted his abdication. However, it all came to nothing as, before reaching Moscow, Nicholas and his party were turned back to their house-prison at Yekaterinburg (a Bolshevik stronghold in the Urals).

The fateful moment came in the early pre-dawn hours of July 17, 1918. The Imperial Family, Dr. Eugene Botkin, a maid and two male servants, the only attendants left, had been told not to go to sleep that night and were later ordered to assemble in a room in the half-basement of the house. Nicholas carried Alexei who could no longer walk and seated himself next to his wife while the others stood behind or sat on the floor. A squad of Bolsheviks led by Jacob Yurovsky then entered the room, read out a short order from the local Soviet (though the instructions had originated at the highest levels in Moscow) and then, in a monstrous display of the very worst depths humanity can sink to, the troops leveled their pistols and opened fire. Tsar Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, their five children, doctor, two servants and the family dog were all killed. The bodies were later doused with acid and thrown down a mine shaft. At first the Bolsheviks admitted only to the murder of the Tsar, not of his wife and children but later there was no denying the truth. Less than a month later monarchist forces of the White Russian army occupied the area, too late to rescue the Tsar.

Trotsky himself later wrote that the massacre was necessary saying, “The severity of this summary justice showed the world that we would continue to fight on mercilessly, stopping at nothing. The execution of the Tsar’s family was needed not only in order to frighten, horrify and dishearten the enemy, but also in order to shake up our own ranks to show that there was no turning back,”. To the last, Nicholas II had behaved with dignity and gentility. The inhumane murder of the Tsar and his entire family set the tone for the civil war that followed and that should be kept in mind when any talk of the many atrocities of the Russian Civil War. The atrocities started at Yekaterinburg with the Romanovs. The suffering of Russia was only beginning but for Nicholas II and his family, their sorrows had finally come to an end. In 1981 the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia formally canonized Tsar Nicholas II as a saint and martyr, along with his family. In 2000 the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church also recognized their saintly status but as “Passion Bearers”, as people who died in a Christ-like way.

 Aside from these religious issues though, Tsar Nicholas II will always be known by loyal monarchists as a martyr for the cause of traditional authority, as the living embodiment of the grand and glorious Russian Empire that was killed just as dead as he was on that day in 1918. Those who still persist in criticizing the Tsar do so thoughtlessly. He was as upright a man as could be hoped for, he was a monarch who felt intensely the weight and severity of his position and the responsibility that rested on his shoulders. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and a man who always cared more for his country than for himself. If, even with all of this, he is still held to blame for the problems Russia suffered it is as good as saying that one good man cannot make a difference, that morality does not matter and that loyalty, faith and righteousness count for nothing. If a man with such strength of heart and character as Nicholas II cannot make an effective ruler then we had best give up the idea of any government completely. He was not flawless to be sure, but he was beset by the blind hatred and vicious cruelty of the revolutionaries who took advantage of every opportunity to destroy their country and their Tsar. Nicholas II did not fail Russia, he did not fail his people. However, certainly as it concerns the revolutionaries, there were a great many who failed him.

Monarch Profile: Tsar Nicholas II, Part IV -The Revolution

The Russian war effort took their enemies by surprise. The Germans had expected much more time to conclude combat in the west before Russia moved against them in the east but the Russian offensive came almost immediately. There were early successes against the Austro-Hungarians but terrible defeats at the hands of the Germans and this pattern was to repeat itself again and again. The days when the great mass of Russian manpower could prevail against any enemy against whom it was brought to bear was over. Industrial warfare meant that technology was more powerful than bravery and the Germans had more machine guns, better artillery, a vastly superior system of logistics and a greater industrial base to support their war effort. Russian troops were cut down in the hundreds of thousands, provisions were scarce, medical care scarcer still and many men went into battle without rifles. The strain of the conflict and inefficient management also brought privation on the home front and by 1915 opposition was mounting. Nicholas had to act.

The Tsar sacked a number of ministers and his army commander and decided to take command of the war effort himself. His wife and daughters worked as nurses and civilians formed organizations to help sustain and support the troops. Leftists gained more power in government and the Tsar dissolved the Duma, not out of any desire for oppression, but to put aside political squabbling to devote the entire strength of the nation to winning the war. He had nothing but pride in his brave soldiers, knowing what difficulties and deficiencies they had to overcome and Nicholas was nothing if not a loyal friend and ally. Even when things were going very badly for Russia he refused any suggestion of a separate peace. After all his army and people had suffered he was committed to fighting on and to settle for nothing less than total victory over the Central Powers. However, even as the situation at the front grew worse and worse with German forces overrunning Poland and the Austrians retaking the territory lost to them earlier on, the “progressive” leftist elements in Russia continued to put their own ambition ahead of the nation.

Nicholas II was plagued with a constant string of messages telling of defeats at the front, shortages of every kind and an increasingly hostile political class back in Petrograd (as St Petersburg had been renamed in a wave of anti-German sentiment). As conditions grew worse for the home front many then and now, as always, blamed Nicholas, this time for being at the front rather than personally overseeing political issues. Again, however, this is unfair. There really was not much more the Tsar could have done in person that he could not do from General Headquarters. Even had he been in Petrograd, there is only so much one man could do. At some point the bureaucrats had to carry out the duties assigned to them. There was also the fact that any leader depends on the loyalty and ability of those who must carry out his wishes and the bureaucrats and political class in general failed the Tsar miserably. The real culprit, however, and the one most overlooked each and every time, were the treasonous revolutionaries. This is important and deserves some attention -this point is almost NEVER made but must be considered.

The revolutionaries did not care about the war effort, the people, the country or anything else but taking power for themselves. They had assassinated anyone who showed the slightest promise in making Russia more efficient and productive, their control of the labor unions enabled them, on several occasions, to carry out general strikes that brought virtually all industry in Russia to an absolute stand-still. Think about how that had to effect the country as a whole going forward. The Tsar had even given in to demand after demand but they always wanted more, because what they wanted was total power and whenever they did not get their way they held another strike and what little industry and infrastructure Russia had came to a dead stop. Considering all of this, it is really a wonder Russia held out as long as she did. Even while the war was raging and there were defeats at the front and privation at home the leftists continued to bog down the government by their efforts to take power until the Duma was again prorogued.

The spark that set off the February Revolution was food riots. The food shortage was caused not so much by a total lack of food but a lack of efficient transportation to get the food where it was needed -a problem not helped by things like railroad strikes. When things began to get more out of hand, Nicholas felt he had no choice but to use military force to restore law and order. However, the Bolsheviks had, from the very beginning of the war been infiltrating the Russian army, undermining morale, spreading discontent and treasonous sentiments. Units began to mutiny, officers were killed or intimidated into joining the rebellion. The leftists in the government refused to take action until the Tsar gave them all power. In response, Nicholas ordered the Duma dissolved but disorder spread. More units mutinied and Petrograd fell into anarchy. Anxious over the safety of his family, Nicholas tried to rush to them but his train was blocked by revolutionary soldiers. Disloyal elements of the government met with the Soviets to form a provisional government which then put pressure on the military commanders to demand that the Tsar abdicate.

To be concluded in Part V

Monarch Profile: Tsar Nicholas II, Part III - Domestic Life

Amidst all the problems of his reign, the constant attacks by revolutionaries and assorted political terrorists, Nicholas II had at least two places of refuge: his deep Orthodox faith and his beloved wife and children. In 1895 Alexandra gave birth to their first child, the Grand Duchess Olga who was followed by Grand Duchess Tatiana in 1897, Grand Duchess Maria in 1899 and Grand Duchess Anastasia in 1901. They were healthy and beautiful girls but a son was needed to secure the succession and after four girls some began to despair, particularly Tsarina Alexandra who could only look to God for help. After the Imperial couple sought the intercession of St Seraphim of Sarov the Empress at last gave birth to the long-sought after male heir on July 30, 1904. The new prince was named Alexei, after one of the most famously kind and pious Romanov tsars of the past. It was a fitting name as the handsome little prince became well known for his kind and compassionate nature.

However, the perfect happiness the Imperial Family finally achieved was struck a blow when it was learned that the little Tsarevitch was afflicted with hemophilia. Nicholas called in doctors only to be told there was nothing they could do. This had to be kept a guarded secret since public knowledge of it would have undermined the empire and confidence in the future stability of the country. This was hard for the entire family but especially for the Empress Alexandra who, since the disease is passed by the mother, naturally but unfortunately blamed herself. When the doctors could provide no hope for a cure, she turned to God. As a result, this made Alexandra especially vulnerable to the influence of the self-proclaimed holy man Gregory Rasputin, a degenerate peasant from Siberia who claimed to have visions and the ability to heal the sick. Nicholas was somewhat wary of Rasputin but, through some power that has never been explained, Rasputin was able to help the Tsarevitch.

If Alexei would start to bleed, Rasputin would be called and the boy would recover. No one could explain it but this fact meant that Alexandra would not let Rasputin get too far from her. When word of his degenerate behavior began to spread the Tsar was concerned. Alexandra did not believe the stories but the Tsar knew that, true or not, they were hurting the image of the monarchy. Finally, he ordered Rasputin to be sent away. However, not long after Alexei began to bleed again and Rasputin was immediately recalled and once again the Tsarevitch recovered. After that scare, Alexandra would not be without him, no matter what horrible behavior he exhibited outside the palace. This caused a scandal among the people who, of course, knew nothing about the disease that afflicted their Tsarevitch and soon ugly and untrue rumors began to be spread about the Imperial Family themselves in connection to Rasputin. He also tried to influence politics, pushing his own favorites and trying to ruin any who opposed him.

This was a terrible position for the Tsar and his family to be in. It is easy to criticize but not so easy to offer alternatives given their situation. It was for Nicholas who was a good-natured man who, like most such individuals, likes to believe the best about people. At first, Rasputin seemed to represent the devout faith and loyalty he most admired about the Russian peasantry but after he began to interfere in politics the Tsar began to have doubts that the stories might be true. He tried to convince Alexandra of this but to no avail. And who could blame her? Rasputin had succeeded where all others had failed. When her son was injured Rasputin was able to cure him and that was all that mattered to her. What mother would have agreed to dispense with the one person who had proven to have the ability to help their child when all other doctors and healers of every sort had failed? It is possible to exaggerate the influence Rasputin had but, undoubtedly, the Imperial Family suffered a great deal in terms of their public image because of his scandalous behavior and association with them, Alexandra in particular. Rasputin was finally assassinated but, by that time, the damage had been done.

Just how significant this was for Nicholas was partly due to how important his family was to him. They were the central concern of his life. They were a very loving, close-knit family and, for the Tsar, his entire joy in life. For two such devout people as Nicholas and Alexandra, who tried their best to live a Christ-like life, their family was their refuge. Nicholas was not comfortable with the high society life of St Petersburg and Moscow and he disapproved of the immoral behavior of many people and how so many, whether family members or ministers, always seemed to be putting themselves forward in order to gain some reward from his favor. Because of all of that, he preferred to spend time with his family more than anything else. His wife adored him, his children loved him and each other. They were kind, cheerful, playful and very innocent. He was as proud as any father could be and yet, even this has been used by some as a way to criticize Nicholas. He was, and still is, accused of being reclusive, of isolating himself from the everyday life of his country and so on. The truth is nothing so grandiose but perhaps, these days, is hard for people to understand. It is as simple as this: he loved his wife and he loved his children more than anyone else in the world and he wanted to spend his spare time with them.

Nicholas II had a very paternalistic view of the Russian monarchy. Today we are taught to think this was a bad thing but it would be hard to explain exactly why that is. For the peasants who made up the bulk of the population, the Tsar was “the Little Father” and Nicholas returned this affectionate sentiment. That is one reason why the revolutionaries largely stuck with trying to influence the urban workers rather than the peasant farmers -because they knew the peasants had a loyalty to the Tsar and a faith in the Russian Orthodox Church that was too strong to break easily. Nicholas felt the great burden that was on his shoulders as monarch yet, his people were his children and he could not forsake his duty toward them, a duty God had chosen him to carry out. In a way, this mentality also extended beyond the boundaries of Russia as the Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe looked to Russia and thus to the Tsar for protection and justice. It was only natural that they do so and Nicholas became a focus for the growing pan-Slav sentiment that was growing rapidly, especially in Serbia which harbored dreams of uniting themselves with the Slavic peoples of Austria-Hungary to create a “Greater Serbia”.

The Balkan Wars increased pan-Slavic attitudes and Russia, after the fiasco in the Far East, turned again toward Europe and there was widespread outrage by the Russians following the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife when Austria-Hungary demanded far-reaching concessions from their Serbian cousins or face immediate war. Nicholas was persuaded that honor demanded Russia stand beside little Serbia and that the prestige of Imperial Russia could be restored by thwarting Austria and, on the contrary, that allowing Austria-Hungary to defeat Serbia would be a terrible blow to public respect for the autocracy. The French ambassador was equally adamant that the Tsar had to act even though he had grave misgivings about risking such a conflict and, ironically just like the Kaisers in Vienna and Berlin, wanted to stop short of war. Germany warned Russia to stay out of the spat between Serbia and Austria-Hungary and there was the famous exchange of the “Nicky and Willy” telegrams as the two emperors tried to reassure each other that conflict should be avoided.

France, however, continued to urge Nicholas to get involved (for their own reasons) and the war hawks assured him that with their massive army with millions of reserves the Germans could never hope to match them. In the end, there was simply no escaping the trap the various ministers of the various nations had set for themselves. Nicholas said resolutely in July 1914 that “in no case would Russia remain indifferent to the fate of Serbia”. But Austria was determined to invade Serbia and that was that. Russia would not permit Serbia to face Austria alone and Germany would not permit Austria to face Serbia and Russia alone. If Russia intervened in the conflict with Austria and Serbia it meant war with Germany. The fate of the world hung on the actions of those men in St Petersburg. A false report (just as a false report had prompted the Austrian Emperor to declare war) caused Nicholas to order mobilization. However, when the truth was learned he countermanded the order. In an effort to keep the fire from spreading, he asked about a partial mobilization against only the Austro-Hungarian frontier but the military experts told the Tsar this was impossible.

On July 30, 1914 a reluctant Tsar Nicholas II, deeply saddened and fully understanding what his actions meant for the world, ordered the Russian army to fully mobilize on all fronts. The next day the Germans demanded that the Russian forces step down within 12 hours or there would be war but there would be no going back by anyone. On August 1, the French mobilized against Germany as well and Germany declared war on Russia. Austria-Hungary and Serbia were almost forgotten as the last dominos tumbled over toward the conflict that would bring ruination to the world. German troops moved to attack France, invading Belgium in the process and the British Empire declared war on Germany. Tsar Nicholas II addressed his people with the words of his predecessor Tsar Alexander I who had rallied the country during the French invasion by Napoleon. There would be no peace so long as a single enemy soldier remained on Russian soil. The crowds cheered and burst into singing “God Save the Tsar”. Like all the other countries, Russia cheerfully and confidently set out on the path to her own ruination.

To be continued in Part IV...

Monarch Profile: Tsar Nicholas II, Part II - The Trouble Begins

With the sad end of the war with Japan, Tsar Nicholas II faced his first great crisis with the rebellions that broke out across the country in 1905 and 1906, later known as the Revolution of 1905. HIH Grand Duke Sergei (the Tsar’s uncle) was assassinated by terrorist bombers in Moscow, railway workers launched a general strike, sailors of the Black Sea Fleet mutinied and riots broke out across the country. However, one of the most evocative tragedies of the time was the shooting at the Winter Palace in St Petersburg known as “Bloody Sunday”. A great deal of misinformation has been spread about this tragic incident and it requires the establishment of a few facts because aside from the tragedy itself was the Tsar being given the unjust and undeserved nickname of “Bloody Nicholas” because of it. Everything started when Father George Gapon, a socialist priest, led an illegal march on the Winter Palace by disgruntled workers. The people carried Orthodox banners and pictures of the Tsar. Father Gapon carried a letter which the people thought was an appeal to the Tsar for protection from the factory owners but, in fact, it was a radical, revolutionary document.

The police made no effort to stop the marchers and they converged on the Winter Palace demanding to see the Tsar. A thin line of nervous soldiers confronted them and someone fired and then the troops opened fire on the crowd, killing hundreds. The Tsar was immediately blamed for refusing to see the protestors and even for ordering the shooting. However, the Tsar was not at the Winter Palace that day, in fact he was not even in St Petersburg but was at his country residence of Tsarkoe Selo. He had no idea about what had happened until it was over and he did meet with a delegation of the workers once he found out about it. However, that made no difference to the revolutionary agitators who had infiltrated the workers unions and who portrayed the Tsar as a callous murderer all in their own pursuit of power. The socialist priest Gapon, of course, survived, went into hiding and revealed his true intentions by blaming the incident he had started totally on the Tsar and calling for the overthrow of the Russian Empire.

In the wake of this crisis the Tsar called a representative assembly for Russia, the Duma, which was initially a purely advisory body but unrest continued. Finally, Nicholas II did concede in allowing a legislative role for the Duma, the granting of civil liberties and so on when he issued the October Manifesto but he still remained firm that he would not break his promise to maintain the autocracy that his father had handed down to him and the authority of the Tsar remained absolute. Nonetheless, for Russia the October Manifesto was a pivotal and unprecedented moment in history. However, the Duma soon caused Nicholas great problems. None of the concessions he had made seemed to satisfy them, they always wanted more, more power for themselves, more democracy, more revolutionaries released from prison and so on. This is important to remember when considering the problems Russia faced during the reign of Nicholas II.

Many, then and now, like to pretend that political ideologies are the answer to everything. The socialists and communists, for instance, argued that if they were given total power and could implement their ideology Russia would be peaceful, prosperous and ideal. The more moderates said the same and many still look at the problems Russia was going through and blame the principle of autocracy or the person of Tsar Nicholas II himself. However, this thinking totally removes the human element from the equation. No system is perfect and any system will fail if the people, certain people or enough people do wrong and behave wickedly. It is worth considering how many concessions the Tsars had made by that time. Serfdom had been abolished, there were elections, political parties, labor unions, civil rights and so on. Yet, none of this mattered because the revolutionary elements who did not really care about the people but who wanted power for themselves continued to foment discontent and rebellion against the Romanov monarchy. Nicholas II was a very good man, he was not cruel or oppressive or in any way malicious in the least, yet nothing he could have done would have changed the actions of the revolutionary agitators.

This was proven when the first Duma, which had been nothing but trouble, was dismissed and a second Duma was elected which was even worse and the Tsar closed it as well. Both produced nothing but confusion, discontent and agitation. Finally, after some common-sense electoral reforms, another Duma was called which was led by Pyotr Stolypin as prime minister, a moderate conservative. Nicholas II was pleased with this Duma and it is no wonder, it actually focused on reform and improvement rather than trying to destroy and tear down the Russian Empire. One of the real problems Stolypin tackled was food shortages. The old communal farms, for all their number, lagged behind the agricultural output of vastly smaller nations where farmers had an incentive to produce. So, he came up with a number of reforms to create a prosperous class of middle class farmers who could get out of the communal system and build up their own large, consolidated farms. This increased production and gave more people a real stake in the future of Russia. Stolypin estimated that it would take 20 years to reach full effect. However, he would not have that long as, due to his very success, revolutionary terrorists assassinated him at the Kiev Opera House in 1911.

A great opportunity had been lost, again, not because of anything bad that the government was doing, but because of its effectiveness. Nicholas II was a little troubled by some of the proposed changes and conservatives could justly argue that the Duma had not been essential in bringing about the changes that were enacted. However, the revolutionaries, power-mad fanatics that they were, wanted to tear down, not build up. They were opposed to anything that would be of benefit to the Russian Empire because that would ensure the survival of the monarchy. They specifically targeted those ministers who were most effective, whose policies worked or had the best chances of success. However, there was a period of calm and much credit for this goes to the Tsar. His crackdown on the revolutionary groups after their numerous assassinations left them weakened, disorganized and divided -often fighting amongst themselves. In 1913 there was also an upsurge in patriotic sentiment as the Tsar inaugurated the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. He also encouraged the emergence of the “Union of the Russian People”, a movement started in 1905 to encourage support for the monarchy. As 1914 approached, there were problems, but also considerable reason for hope.

To be continued in Part III

Monarch Profile: Tsar Nicholas II, Part I - The Begining

The last Romanov to rule Russia and a martyr for sacred monarchy and the Orthodox faith, was born Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov on May 18, 1868 to Their Majesties Tsar Alexander III and Tsarina Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) at Tsarskoye Selo in St Petersburg. According to the Julian calendar then in use in Russia his birthday fell on the Day of Job, something which the future Tsar was to remark on quite a bit in his time of trouble. Like the Biblical story of Job, Nicholas was a man of impeccable character, honest, upright, devoted, God fearing and everything a good man is supposed to be, yet, he was to endure immeasurable suffering in the course of his life, trials and tribulations that he was the least to have ever deserved. His birth though was a moment for happiness, as it is any time a healthy male heir is born. He spent his childhood mostly at the Anichkov Palace with his two brothers (George and Michael) and two sisters (Xenia and Olga).

Despite what many think the Romanov children in Imperial Russia did not live a life of extravagance or indulgence. They slept on camp beds, had no hot water and were up at six every morning to begin their lessons. Nicholas had a Scandinavian governess and as a boy was energetic, innocent and a bit naïve. His introduction to the harsh world of Russian politics came when he was only 13 and watched the mutilated body of his grandfather, Tsar Alexander II, the victim of bomb-throwing revolutionaries, breath its last painful gasps of life. It was a scene Nicholas would never forget, not the least because of his admiration for the care and concern Alexander II had shown for his people, even the least of his subjects. Nicholas was given a harsh look at how good men were rewarded by terrorists. This was to have a lasting impact on Nicholas though it in no way diminished his desire to care for his people which grew out naturally from his own kind-hearted nature and paternal view of the Russian autocracy.

This also grew out of the example of his father, a kind man and a man of simple tastes but one who would not tolerate any threats to the Orthodox autocracy on which the Russian monarchy was based; he was a man Nicholas always viewed with awe and respect. When the time came for his formal education to begin, as was customary, Nicholas was taught in the palace by private tutors such as General Gregory Danilovich who made sure the future Tsar was self-disciplined, hard working and devoted to those ideals of a monarch responsible to God. There was also the Englishman Charles Heath by whose influence Nicholas came to speak and write English fluently. As a boy his many instructors commented on his diligence, respectfulness and perfect behavior. When he was 18 he began his military service as the commander of a squadron of Hussars. Having no role in government, he was often bored but enjoyed the company of his brother officers. However, he was a conscientious officer, always careful in his duties, never overlooking the smallest task and he won the affection of his men by taking an interest in them and was always willing to help them with any problem. He also chaired the committee on the establishment of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a job which, despite a lack of faith in him, he performed well.

In the romantic sphere, Nicholas was guided into a relationship with a ballerina but finally set his heart on marrying the English-educated German Princess Alix of Hesse. His parents disapproved of the choice, preferring him to marry a Scandinavian bride, but Nicholas was adamant that he would have no other. Princess Alix resisted at first, being a very devout Lutheran and hesitant to change her religion, however, she loved Nicholas and at last agreed, becoming a zealous and faithful Russian Orthodox. Nicholas confessed his relationship with the ballerina, which he promptly broke off, and Alix only admired him all the more for his honesty and courage to admit a mistake. The two were deeply in love and would remain so for the rest of their lives, as deeply attached to each other as they were from the very start. However, their happiness together was interrupted by the death of Tsar Alexander III at which time Nicholas was reluctantly thrust into the duty of being Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias. It was November 1, 1894 and although there were the usual worries that go with any change, there was also reason to hope. Russia was industrializing rapidly, the new Tsar Nicholas II was upright, honest and committed as well as personally charming and from the outset adopted a policy of stability, keeping on the ministers who had served his father.

On November 26, 1894 Nicholas and Alix, who had taken the name Alexandra Fedorovna, were married. Finally, on May 14, 1896 the couple had their formal coronation as Emperor and Empress of Russia at Uspensky Cathedral in the Kremlin in Moscow. From the beginning Tsar Nicholas II stated his priorities as being the defense of the Orthodox autocracy, maintaining the alliance with France, seeking greater access to the sea and looking out for the Slavic peoples of eastern Europe. He also showed himself a man of peace by promoting the Hague Conference to stop the increasing arms races across the continent, however, he did not shirk from confrontation either. With no real hope for a warm water port in Europe, Russia expanded in the Far East but the Russians were met and blocked by the growing expansion of the rapidly modernizing Empire of Japan. In 1904 competition over Korea and Manchuria resulted in war when the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a surprise attack on the Russians at Port Arthur.

Nicholas II encouraged the war with determination and a clear conscience. He had always adored his fighting men and when new kit and uniforms were introduced, went on a cross-country hike in full gear to test for himself what his soldiers would be using. At one point, he expressed his desire to go to Siberia to take personal command of the Russian forces fighting the Japanese, but was dissuaded. It would have been only natural for him to have had a little bit of prejudice against the Japanese. When he was heir to the throne he had toured the Far East, was warmly welcomed in Siam, greatly celebrated in Vietnam when he visited Saigon but in Japan a fanatic had tried to assassinate him with a samurai sword. Yet, he had hoped war could be avoided but when it came he pursued it to the last. Japan seemed to be no match for Russia, but appearances were deceiving. Japan was close to the action whereas all Russian men and supplies had to cross the largest continent in the world to get to the front. Japanese ships were technologically superior to the Russians and the Japanese were fighting not just for territory but to prove something to the world. After a series of stunning defeats Nicholas II accepted an offer to mediate peace from the United States in 1905 and the war ended with the appearance of Japan triumphant and Russia humiliated. This quickly led to the first major outbreak of rebellion Nicholas II had to face against his authority and the Romanov autocracy as it had always existed.

To be continued in Part II...

A Tragic Anniversary

It was on this day in 1918 that Their Imperial Majesties Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, their children and family doctor were brutally murdered by the Bolshevik captors on orders from the communist dictator Vladimir Lenin. This was one of the most unspeakable crimes in history and is made all the more painful by virtue of the fact that, unlike other royal martyrs, we have a great deal of information about every family member, we have photos of them and even a few moving pictures. We are able to more greatly feel like we know them. They also endured their suffering and death as a family. There simply are not words for me to express what an unspeakable horror this was and is one of the few historical events that never fails to make me emotional. May all of them rest in peace.

MM Video: The Last Czar and His Family

For the non-Russian speaking viewers let me assure you that the music is NOT the Soviet national anthem. The tune is the same but the version sung is the modern Russian national anthem. Today many symbols of Russia's imperial past have returned; hopefully paving the way for the restoration of the Romanovs and a return to the greatness of Imperial Russia that will finally put the ghosts of the USSR to rest.

In Memory of the Romanovs

Today is the official memorial for the martyred family of the last Czar of Russia in the Russian Orthodox Church. It was on this day that Czar Nicholas II, Czarina Alexandra, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and the Czarevich Alexi were massacred on orders from Vladimir Lenin by the Communist Red Guards. It was, however, more than the brutal, mass-murder of a beautiful family; it was the attempted murder of an idea. It had to be so because, by 1918 especially, the Imperial Family was no threat to anyone. The demonic forces of the revolution had prevailed. Like a nest of termites they had been eating away at the autocracy for years and had finally overcome it thanks to the added stress of World War I. The Imperial Family was guilty of nothing, were not cruel or malicious but on the contrary were the ideal family. There was never a better example of true soul mates than Nicholas and Alexandra and there were never two parents more devoted to their children. It was truthfully said that there was no one the Czar would prefer to spend time with more than his own wife and children.

By 1918 Nicholas II had abdicated, the Romanov monarchy was gone and the Imperial Family were helpless prisoners. As such, there was no reason for their brutal massacre other than the fanatical communist determination to erase all remnants and all reminders of the once proud Russian Empire. They wanted to destroy the very foundations of all that had been Russian greatness and all memory of what had been the basis of the Romanov monarchy; authority "by the grace of God". Had not the world already been punch-drunk from the horrendous suffering of World War I the massacre of the Romanovs would have undoubtedly caused a greater uproar. However, the loss would be felt across the globe in the years to come with the rise of the Soviet Union, the spread of revolutionary communism, the start of the Cold War and brutal, murderous, Bolshevik client-regimes around the world from Cuba to North Korea. The deaths of the Romanovs meant misery for Russia and misery for countless others across the globe and the massacre of tens of millions to an extent even the most barbaric eras in history could not match for cruelty. The Romanovs were the first victims but by no means the last.

Consort Profile: Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna

Czarina Alexandra Feodorovna could not, in practical terms, be considered a very successful royal consort, yet this is only because of the injustice of her popular image. She was, in fact, an amazing woman who was good and gentle, yet strong and courageous. There was no more devoted wife and mother in the world than Alexandra and although in secular terms she might not be regarded as a success, her life is sufficiently inspirational for her to be regarded as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church today.

Born a Hessian princess in Darmstadt and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of Britain she married the Czar Nicholas II of Russia in 1894 and became Czarina on that day (Alexander III had died during their engagement). Unlike other royal matches Nicholas and Alexandra loved each other intensely and remained so for the rest of their lives. Alexandra had to give up her Lutheran faith in favor of Russian Orthodoxy with her marriage but it was no mere conversion of convenience as she became a most devout and zealous Orthodox Christian. Her love of God ran as deep as her love for her husband and despite the anti-German prejudice of many in Russia she loved her new homeland and her Russian people as well.

She gave Nicholas II 5 children, 4 daughters and 1 son but despite her best efforts she remained unpopular with many in Russia, mostly owing to her German origins as it is clear there is nothing she could do to please those who railed against her, there was no act of goodwill or charity which they could not twist to cast her in a negative light. She retreated into her own little world with her family where she was totally devoted to her husband and children and as a result they were an extremely close-knit and loving family. Sadly, her son Alexei was afflicted with hemophilia and it was this that led to her poisonous association with Rasputin who inexplicably seemed able to heal the boy and as a result, no matter how horrid the lurid tales were of the man the Czarina would never believe it. He helped her son and that was all that mattered to her. God and family were first and foremost in all that she did and her life revolved around those twin pillars.

Things became even worse for her during World War I with the rise of more anti-German prejudice which was pointed at Alexandra. As usual, it was a complete injustice as the German Kaiser Wilhelm II was one of the few people Alexandra truly despised. Nonetheless, she did her best to ignore the criticism and work to support her husband and the war effort but it was all to no avail against the horrific forces of the revolution that swept away the ancient Romanov monarchy in 1917. Everyone knows the sad story, how the Czar was forced to abdicate rather than risk the break up of his family, how they were held in cruel captivity by the communists and finally taken to Ekaterinburg and kept under arrest and constantly harassed and tormented by the Red guards. Alexandra spent most of her time in a wheelchair, reading her Bible. On July 17, 1918 on direct orders from the dictator Vladimir Lenin himself, Czarina Alexandra and her entire family were shot to death in the basement of Ekatrinburg for no other "crime" than being Romanovs. Eventually they were all declared martyrs and saints by the Orthodox Church and Russia descended into a nightmare of Bolshevik tyranny, taking much of the world with it in the process.