Russia in Revolution

Tsar and TsarinaTsar and Tsarina

Nicholas II, b. 1868. Autocrat of all Russians, Tsar of Poland, Grand Duke of Finland…

Alexandra, b. 1872. Princess Alix of Hesse (in Germany), grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Tsarina (Empress)

What Nicholas himself What Nicholas himself said:said:

On the day his father died: On the day his father died: “What is going to happen to “What is going to happen to me, to all Russia? I am not me, to all Russia? I am not prepared to be the Tsar. I never prepared to be the Tsar. I never wanted to become one. I know wanted to become one. I know nothing of the business of nothing of the business of ruling. I have no idea of even ruling. I have no idea of even how to talk to ministers.”how to talk to ministers.”

October, 1894.October, 1894.

““Let all know that I shall defend Let all know that I shall defend the principles of autocracy as the principles of autocracy as unswervingly as did my father.”unswervingly as did my father.”

January, 1895.January, 1895.

What Alexandra What Alexandra herself said:herself said:

To Nicholas: “Show your own To Nicholas: “Show your own mind and don’t let others mind and don’t let others forget who you are.”forget who you are.”

1894.1894.

““I don’t understand why I don’t understand why people speak ill of me. I have people speak ill of me. I have always loved Russia from the always loved Russia from the time I first came here. I have time I first came here. I have always sympathised with always sympathised with Russia.”Russia.”

1917.1917.

On the outbreak of World On the outbreak of World War I: “My responsibility to War I: “My responsibility to God and my people was God and my people was enormous, but at least I enormous, but at least I knew what I had to do.”knew what I had to do.”

August, 1914.August, 1914.

““I have lived the life of a I have lived the life of a happy wife and mother in happy wife and mother in Russia. All my heart is Russia. All my heart is bound to this country.”bound to this country.”

““They think I am rather They think I am rather abnormal but they are abnormal but they are wrong. It is just that I am wrong. It is just that I am closer to heaven than to closer to heaven than to earth.”earth.”

What others said of him:What others said of him:

““His ancestors did not bequeath His ancestors did not bequeath him one quality which would him one quality which would have made him capable of have made him capable of governing an empire.”governing an empire.”

Trotsky, 1932.Trotsky, 1932.

““Nicholas II found the daily Nicholas II found the daily routine of a monarch intolerably routine of a monarch intolerably boring.”boring.”

Kerensky, 1966.Kerensky, 1966.

““I got the impression that he I got the impression that he was a kind, simple, frank and was a kind, simple, frank and talkative person.’talkative person.’

Bolshevik guard, c. 1919.Bolshevik guard, c. 1919.

What others said of her:What others said of her:

““Alexandra was ambitious and Alexandra was ambitious and fully conscious of her right to fully conscious of her right to rule.”rule.”

Kerensky, 1966.Kerensky, 1966.

““She craved the society of She craved the society of simpletons.”simpletons.”

Trotsky, 1932.Trotsky, 1932.

““The Tsarina was not at all like The Tsarina was not at all like him. She was severe-looking him. She was severe-looking and had the ways of a haughty, and had the ways of a haughty, grave woman. We decided that grave woman. We decided that she looked exactly like a she looked exactly like a Tsarina.”Tsarina.”

Bolshevik guard, c. 1919Bolshevik guard, c. 1919

What can you get out of this evidence?What can you get out of this evidence?1.1. Choose from this list the words which you think describe: Choose from this list the words which you think describe:

a) the Tsar and b) the Tsarina. You do not have to use all a) the Tsar and b) the Tsarina. You do not have to use all the words if you do not think they fit. the words if you do not think they fit. (most issues we will address this term (most issues we will address this term have already been mentioned)have already been mentioned)

weak; proud; aristocratic; sincere; religious; patriotic; mad; weak; proud; aristocratic; sincere; religious; patriotic; mad; determined; firm; kind; ambitious; privileged; intelligent; determined; firm; kind; ambitious; privileged; intelligent; loving; autocratic; nervous; emotional; condescending.loving; autocratic; nervous; emotional; condescending.

2.2. Which of the ‘other’ writers were most hostile to the Tsar Which of the ‘other’ writers were most hostile to the Tsar and Tsarina? Explain how you decided.and Tsarina? Explain how you decided.