Russian Revolution- Conditions Before Revolution:The Tsar And Political Authority

Question 1

🤴🏻The Romanov Family and Their Legacy🤴🏻

Between which periods did the Romonov legacy last for?

Answer 1

1613-1917

Question 2

Who was Tsar Alexander II, which periods did he reign until

Answer 2

1856-1881
He was a REFORMIST and introduces many changes to Russia, but still didn’t satisfy anti-autocracy liberals
He was assassinated by the People’s Will Group

Question 3

Who was Alexander III, and from what period did he reign until?

Answer 3

1881-1894

He opposed reforms unlike his father, and was a supporter of RUSSIAN NATIONALISM, he reaffirmed autocratic power of Tsar

Question 4

Who was Tsar Nicholas II and from what period did he reign until?

Answer 4

1894-1917

He believed in the Divine rights of Kings (a political doctrine in defense of monarchical absolutism)
He was forced to abdicate on March 15th 1917
This marked the end of the Romanov legacy

Question 5

Tsar Nicholas Personality

Answer 5

• he had the MORAL CORRECTNESS of AUTONOMY installed at a young age
  -he never wanted to be tsar yet was determined to fufill his divine calling from God.
• he felt like he needed to keep his ministers weak in order to preserve his own authority
  -he was unwilling to adapt to change and a modernising society.
  “All around me is cowardice and deceit”

Question 6

🤴🏻Public opinion/controversy🤴🏻

What scandal occurred before he was married?

Answer 6

• His relationship with 17 year old Russian Ballerina Mathilde Kschessinka which lasted 3 years and 4 years his married to German Alexandra
• after they ended it he would still watch her shows but not speak to her directly

Question 7

What occurred regarding his touring in Russia?

Answer 7

-while touring an assassination attempt was made on him, Emperor Meijitook attempts to to make up for this but, however this encounter may be the reason for Nicholas harshness in Russo-Japanese War.

Question 8

Which superstitious event also occurred before his coronation?

Answer 8

A large stampede which just under 2000 deaths and 2000 injuries occurred: this was seen as a bad omen for his reign.

Question 9

What were some more controversies in terms with his political reign?

Answer 9

• Him appointing the reactionary (opposing political or social progress or reform) Vyacheslav Plehve as minister of the interior was unpopular with Russians
• His use of the Okhrana and unlimited power it was given to suppress the anti-tsarist behaviour In order to maintain autocracy which was disliked
• handling if revolutionaries and protests and undermining state Duma

Question 10

Rasputin🤢😶‍🌫️

Who was Rasputin?

Answer 10

• Rasputin was born in JANUARY 1869
• At age 18 he converted to a Khlysty (Flagellants) sect within the Russian Orthodox faith, who believed that the only way to reach God was through sinful actions.
• He was a Siberian peasant who travelled to St. Petersburg in 1905

Question 11

What kind of impact did he make?

Answer 11

• he was invited into the court circles and in 1908 was invited to the palace of tsar Nicholas during one of his son (Alexei Romonovs) bleeding episodes (born with haemophilia).
• Rasputin healed the boy and later warned the parents that the destiny of both the child and the dynasty were irrevocably linked to him, sparking interest.

Question 12

Why was he ordered to be killed?

Answer 12

• he was accused by his enemies of religious heresy and rape,
• was suspected of exerting political influence over the tsar,

-was even rumored to be having an affair with the tsarina
His actions helped to discredit the Romanov dynasty…

Question 13

How was he killed?

Answer 13

• in DECEMBER 1916, Prince Felix yusupov planned to assassinate him because of his threat to the empire
• They first laced his food and wine with cyanide but he didn’t die so they shot him at a close range and still alive, threw him into the River Neva

Question 14

What impact did he have in terms of the Russian Revolution?

Answer 14

-he helped to discredit the Tsarist Goverment, thus helping to overthrow the Romonov Dynasty

Question 15

🦾Autocracy🦾

As a result, what was Tsar Nicholson’s able to do?

Answer 15

• There was no legal or constitutional restraints on his power
• could abolish any existing legislation or institution
• could appoint any government ministers or officials

Question 16

Why did this make Russians less hopeful?

Answer 16

It means that the notion of a constitutional monarchy impractical and a political absurdity that was doomed to fail. Particularly after his regained it in 1906.

Question 17

Why did this idea of autocracy worry Russians?

Answer 17

It may have meant that he would use his power to collect wealth and abuse the people.

Question 18

🪖1905 Revolution and the impact on Russia🪖🇯🇵

Why did the Russo-Japanese war in terms of imperialism?

Answer 18

Russia benefited from economic expansion into the Far East and increased access to the Pacific coastline.
Japan had become concerned that Russian expansion of the Trans-Siberian Railway into Chinese Manchuria(China was weak)could threaten Korea.
Japan told Russian ministers they wanted to avoid war didn’t listen

Question 19

Why did this occur in terms of Russian morale?

Answer 19

• Tsar Nicholas II was advised by Plehve, the Minister of the Interior, that a national victory would lessen the growing opposition to Tsarist rule.
• It was an opportunity to heighten patriotic fervour and national pride.

Question 20

What occurred at the battle?

Answer 20

On May 1905, the Russian navy was attacked at Tsushima

• 20 Russian ships sank and another 5 was captured.
• only 4 Russian ships managed to reach safety at Vladivostok

Question 21

What was the impact in terms of their reputation?

Answer 21

The embarrassment of defeat to an Asiatic power added to the view that Tsarist government was incompetent.
The Tsar had to agree to a humiliating peace treaty with the Japanese after the destruction of the Baltic Fleet.
Defeat in the war led to a mutiny on board the Potemkin battleship in June 1905.

Question 22

Bloody Sunday (causes)
Who was the leader?

Answer 22

Russian orthodox priest Georgy Gapon

Question 23

Where was Gapon working?

Answer 23

He worked at the legal trade union called the assembly of Russian factory and Mill workers (led by Gapon)

It was set up by minister of interior plehve in order to settle economic discontent

Question 24

What caused Gapon to take action?

Answer 24

n late 1904, four union members at an Iron Working Plant in St Petersburg were dismissed.
Gapon called for industrial action.
Over the coming days over 100 thousand workers in the city went on strike.

Question 25

Bloody Sunday

What occurred?

Answer 25

• On 22 January 1905, Father Gapon led a march to deliver a petition to the Tsar.
• Thousands of workers took part in this peaceful protest.
• Up to 200 people were killed by rifle fire and Cossack charges

Question 26

Did the people blame the Tsar, if not why?

Answer 26

-No
They believed that the Tsar was not aware of their situation and instead blamed tsarist officials and ministers.
The tsar was not present in the palace at the time of the revolution.

Question 27

Duma

What is this?

Answer 27

This was the first representative body of legislative power

Question 28

Why was it created?

Answer 28

• As a result of the 1905 revolution.
• October Manifesto(Sergei witte forced him) (October 30, 1905), which promised that it would be a representative assembly and that it needed to be approved in order to carry out legislation.

Question 29

What was the first Duma made up of?

Answer 29

-most radical left parties,
such as
- the Socialist Revolutionary Party
- moderate Constitutional Democrats (Kadets) with the most deputies

Question 30

The Duma drew in Support by symbolically creating reforms

What actions did they take?

Answer 30

They mainly discussed land distribution

• peasants were declared legal owners of their plots of land
• redemption payments were rid of

Question 31

The Duma was dissolved 42 days later July 21st

Why did it fail in terms of the distrust within the Duma?

Answer 31

There was a split in the Liberals.
The Octobrists were a group that wanted to accept the October Manifesto and saw it as a way forward.
The Kadets wanted a parliament based on the British model – a discussion and legislative chamber, something that Nicholas would not accept.

Question 32

Sergei Witte permitted peasants to leave their village

Why was this an issue?

Answer 32

Witte was spending discontent around Russia

• peasants who went to the cities for work, imported into that city now dissatisfied they were
• Thus, it furthered any discontent against the regime.

Question 33

Why did the FIRST Duma fail in terms of the Tsars personal issues?

Answer 33

• The Tsar and prime minister(Ivan Goremyekin) were unwilling to share power
• the Tsar was afraid of liberalism so he signed the Fundamental laws in 1906