The name of Nicholas 2. The family of Nicholas II: the truth about the last emperor of Russia

Nicholas II and his family

“They died martyrs for humanity. Their true greatness did not stem from their royal dignity, but from that amazing moral height to which they gradually rose. They have become the perfect force. And in their very humiliation, they were a striking manifestation of that amazing clarity of the soul, against which all violence and all rage are powerless, and which triumphs in death itself ”(Tsarevich Alexei’s teacher Pierre Gilliard).

NicholasII Aleksandrovich Romanov

Nicholas II

Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov (Nicholas II) was born on May 6 (18), 1868 in Tsarskoye Selo. He was the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna. He received a strict, almost harsh upbringing under the guidance of his father. "I need normal healthy Russian children," - such a requirement was put forward by Emperor Alexander III to the educators of his children.

The future emperor Nicholas II received a good education at home: he knew several languages, studied Russian and world history, was deeply versed in military affairs, and was a widely erudite person.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich and Princess Alice

Princess Alice Victoria Helena Louise Beatrice was born on May 25 (June 7), 1872 in Darmstadt, the capital of a small German duchy, already forcibly included by that time in the German Empire. Alice's father was Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, and her mother was Princess Alice of England, the third daughter of Queen Victoria. As a child, Princess Alice (Alyx, as her family called her) was a cheerful, lively child, for which she was nicknamed "Sunny" (Sunny). There were seven children in the family, all of them were brought up in patriarchal traditions. Mother set strict rules for them: not a single minute of idleness! The clothes and food of the children were very simple. The girls themselves cleaned their rooms, performed some household chores. But her mother died of diphtheria at the age of thirty-five. After the tragedy she experienced (and she was only 6 years old), little Alix became withdrawn, aloof, and began to shun strangers; she calmed down only in the family circle. After the death of her daughter, Queen Victoria transferred her love to her children, especially to the youngest, Alix. Her upbringing and education were under the control of her grandmother.

marriage

The first meeting of the sixteen-year-old heir to Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich and the very young Princess Alice took place in 1884, and in 1889, having reached the age of majority, Nikolai turned to his parents with a request to bless him for marriage with Princess Alice, but his father refused, citing his youth as the reason for the refusal. I had to come to terms with my father's will. But usually soft and even timid in dealing with his father, Nicholas showed perseverance and determination - Alexander III gives his blessing to the marriage. But the joy of mutual love was overshadowed by a sharp deterioration in the health of Emperor Alexander III, who died on October 20, 1894 in the Crimea. The next day, in the palace church of the Livadia Palace, Princess Alice was converted to Orthodoxy, was anointed, receiving the name of Alexandra Feodorovna.

Despite the mourning for the father, they decided not to postpone the marriage, but to hold it in the most modest atmosphere on November 14, 1894. So for Nicholas II, family life and the management of the Russian Empire began at the same time, he was 26 years old.

He had a lively mind - he always quickly grasped the essence of the issues reported to him, an excellent memory, especially for faces, the nobility of the way of thinking. But Nikolai Alexandrovich, with his gentleness, tact in addressing, and modest manners, gave the impression to many of a man who did not inherit strong will his father, who left him the following political testament: I bequeath to you to love everything that serves the good, honor and dignity of Russia. Protect autocracy, remembering that you are responsible for the fate of your subjects before the Throne of the Most High. Faith in God and the holiness of your royal duty be the foundation of your life for you. Be firm and courageous, never show weakness. Listen to everyone, there is nothing shameful in this, but listen to yourself and your conscience.

Beginning of the reign

From the very beginning of his reign, Emperor Nicholas II treated the duties of the monarch as a sacred duty. He deeply believed that even for the 100-million Russian people, tsarist power was and remains sacred.

Coronation of Nicholas II

1896 is the year of coronation celebrations in Moscow. The sacrament of chrismation was performed over the royal couple - as a sign that, just as there is no higher, there is no harder on earth royal power, there is no burden heavier than royal service. But the coronation celebrations in Moscow were overshadowed by the disaster at the Khodynka field: a stampede occurred in the crowd waiting for the royal gifts, in which many people died. According to official figures, 1389 people died and 1300 were seriously injured, according to unofficial data - 4000. But the events on the occasion of the coronation were not canceled in connection with this tragedy, but continued according to the program: in the evening of the same day, a ball was held at the French ambassador. The sovereign was present at all planned events, including the ball, which was perceived ambiguously in society. The tragedy at Khodynka was perceived by many as a gloomy omen for the reign of Nicholas II, and when the question of his canonization arose in 2000, it was cited as an argument against it.

Family

On November 3, 1895, the first daughter was born in the family of Emperor Nicholas II - Olga; she was born Tatyana(May 29, 1897), Maria(June 14, 1899) and Anastasia(June 5, 1901). But the family was waiting for the heir.

Olga

Olga

From childhood, she grew up very kind and sympathetic, deeply worried about other people's misfortunes and always tried to help. She was the only one of the four sisters who could openly object to her father and mother and was very reluctant to submit to her parents' will if circumstances required it.

Olga loved to read more than other sisters, later she began to write poetry. The French teacher and friend of the imperial family, Pierre Gilliard, noted that Olga learned the material of the lessons better and faster than the sisters. It was easy for her, that's why she was sometimes lazy. " Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna was a typical good Russian girl with a big soul. She made an impression on those around her with her tenderness, her charming sweet treatment of everyone. She behaved with everyone evenly, calmly and amazingly simply and naturally. She did not like housekeeping, but she loved solitude and books. She was developed and very well-read; She had an aptitude for the arts: she played the piano, sang, and studied singing in Petrograd, drawing well. She was very modest and did not like luxury.”(From the memoirs of M. Dieterikhs).

There was an unfulfilled plan for Olga's marriage to a Romanian prince (future Carol II). Olga Nikolaevna categorically refused to leave her homeland, to live in a foreign country, she said that she was Russian and wanted to remain so.

Tatyana

As a child, her favorite activities were: serso (playing hoop), riding a pony and a bulky bicycle - tandem - paired with Olga, leisurely picking flowers and berries. From quiet home entertainment, she preferred drawing, picture books, confused children's embroidery - knitting and a "doll's house".

Of the Grand Duchesses, she was the closest to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, she always tried to surround her mother with care and peace, to listen and understand her. Many considered her the most beautiful of all the sisters. P. Gilliard recalled: “ Tatyana Nikolaevna was by nature rather restrained, had a will, but was less frank and direct than her older sister. She was also less gifted, but atoned for this shortcoming by great consistency and evenness of character. She was very beautiful, although she did not have the charms of Olga Nikolaevna. If only the Empress made a difference between the Daughters, then Tatyana Nikolaevna was Her favorite. Not that Her sisters loved Mother less than Her, but Tatyana Nikolaevna knew how to surround Her with constant care and never allowed herself to show that She was out of sorts. With her beauty and natural ability to keep herself in society, She overshadowed her sister, who was less concerned with Her special and somehow faded into the background. Nevertheless, these two sisters dearly loved each other, there was only a year and a half difference between them, which, naturally, brought them closer. They were called "big", while Maria Nikolaevna and Anastasia Nikolaevna continued to be called "small".

Maria

Contemporaries describe Maria as a lively, cheerful girl, too large for her age, with light blond hair and large dark blue eyes, which the family affectionately called "Masha's Saucers".

Her French teacher, Pierre Gilliard, said that Maria was tall, with a good physique and rosy cheeks.

General M. Dieterikhs recalled: “Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna was the most beautiful, typically Russian, good-natured, cheerful, even-tempered, friendly girl. She knew how and loved to talk with everyone, especially with common man. During walks in the park, she always used to start conversations with the soldiers of the guard, questioned them and perfectly remembered who had what to call his wife, how many children, how much land, etc. She always found many common topics for conversations with them. For her simplicity, she received the nickname "Mashka" in the family; that was the name of her sisters and Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich.

Maria had a talent for drawing, she was good at sketching, using her left hand for this, but she had no interest in schoolwork. Many noticed that this young girl was 170 cm tall and by force went to her grandfather, Emperor Alexander III. General M. K. Diterichs recalled that when the sick Tsarevich Alexei needed to get somewhere, and he himself was unable to walk, he called: “Masha, carry me!”

They remember that little Mary was especially attached to her father. As soon as she started walking, she constantly tried to sneak out of the nursery with a cry of “I want to go to daddy!” The nanny had to almost lock her up so that the baby would not interrupt the next reception or work with the ministers.

Like the rest of the sisters, Maria loved animals, she had a Siamese kitten, then she was given a white mouse, which settled comfortably in the sisters' room.

According to the recollections of the surviving close associates, the Red Army soldiers guarding the Ipatiev house sometimes showed tactlessness and rudeness towards the prisoners. However, here, too, Maria managed to inspire respect for the guards; so, there are stories about the case when the guards, in the presence of two sisters, allowed themselves to let off a couple of greasy jokes, after which Tatyana “white as death” jumped out, Maria scolded the soldiers in a stern voice, stating that in this way they could only arouse hostility relation. Here, in the Ipatiev house, Maria celebrated her 19th birthday.

Anastasia

Anastasia

Like other children of the emperor, Anastasia was educated at home. Education began at the age of eight, the program included French, English and German languages, history, geography, the Law of God, natural sciences, drawing, grammar, arithmetic, as well as dance and music. Anastasia did not differ in diligence in her studies, she could not stand grammar, she wrote with terrifying mistakes, and called arithmetic with childish immediacy "swinishness". English teacher Sydney Gibbs recalled that once she tried to bribe him with a bouquet of flowers to increase her grade, and after he refused, she gave these flowers to a Russian teacher, Pyotr Vasilyevich Petrov.

During the war, the empress gave many of the palace rooms for hospital premises. The older sisters Olga and Tatyana, together with their mother, became sisters of mercy; Maria and Anastasia, being too young for such hard work, became patronesses of the hospital. Both sisters gave their own money to buy medicines, read aloud to the wounded, knitted things for them, played cards and checkers, wrote letters home under their dictation, and entertained them in the evenings. telephone conversations, sewed linen, prepared bandages and lint.

According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Anastasia was small and dense, with blond hair with a reddish tint, with large blue eyes inherited from her father.

The figure of Anastasia was quite dense, like her sister Maria. She inherited wide hips, a slender waist and a good bust from her mother. Anastasia was short, strongly built, but at the same time seemed somewhat airy. Her face and physique were rustic, yielding to the stately Olga and the fragile Tatyana. Anastasia was the only one who inherited the shape of her face from her father - slightly elongated, with protruding cheekbones and a wide forehead. She was very much like her father. Large facial features - big eyes, a large nose, soft lips made Anastasia look like a young Maria Fedorovna - her grandmother.

The girl was distinguished by a light and cheerful character, she loved to play bast shoes, forfeits, in serso, she could tirelessly rush around the palace for hours, playing hide and seek. She easily climbed trees and often, out of sheer mischief, refused to descend to the ground. She was inexhaustible in inventions. With her light hand, it became fashionable to weave flowers and ribbons into her hair, which little Anastasia was very proud of. She was inseparable from her older sister Maria, adored her brother and could entertain him for hours when another illness put Alexei to bed. Anna Vyrubova recalled that "Anastasia was as if made of mercury, and not of flesh and blood."

Alexei

On July 30 (August 12), 1904, the fifth child and the only, long-awaited son, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolayevich, appeared in Peterhof. The royal couple attended the glorification of Seraphim of Sarov on July 18, 1903 in Sarov, where the emperor and empress prayed for the granting of an heir. Named at birth Alexey- in honor of St. Alexis of Moscow. On the mother's side, Alexei inherited hemophilia, which was carried by some of the daughters and granddaughters of the English Queen Victoria. The disease became apparent in the Tsarevich already in the autumn of 1904, when a two-month-old baby began to bleed heavily. In 1912, while resting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, the Tsarevich unsuccessfully jumped into a boat and severely injured his thigh: the hematoma that arose did not resolve for a long time, the child’s health was very difficult, and bulletins were officially published about him. There was a real threat of death.

The appearance of Alexei combined the best features of his father and mother. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Alexei was handsome boy, with a clean, open face.

His character was complaisant, he adored his parents and sisters, and those souls doted on the young Tsarevich, especially the Grand Duchess Maria. Aleksey was capable in studies, like the sisters, he made progress in learning languages. From the memoirs of N.A. Sokolov, author of the book "The Murder of the Royal Family: “The heir to Tsarevich Alexei Nikolayevich was a boy of 14 years old, smart, observant, receptive, affectionate, cheerful. He was lazy and did not particularly like books. He combined the features of his father and mother: he inherited the simplicity of his father, was alien to arrogance, arrogance, but had his own will and obeyed only his father. His mother wanted to, but could not be strict with him. His teacher Bitner says of him: "He had a great will and would never submit to any woman." He was very disciplined, withdrawn and very patient. Undoubtedly, the disease left its mark on him and developed these traits in him. He did not like court etiquette, he liked to be with the soldiers and learned their language, using in his diary purely folk expressions he had overheard. His stinginess reminded him of his mother: he did not like to spend his money and collected various abandoned things: nails, lead paper, ropes, etc. ”

The Tsarevich was very fond of his army and was in awe of the Russian warrior, respect for whom was passed on to him from his father and from all his sovereign ancestors, who always taught to love simple soldier. The prince's favorite food was "shchi and porridge and black bread, which all my soldiers eat," as he always said. Every day they brought him samples of cabbage soup and porridge from the soldiers' kitchen of the Free Regiment; Alexey ate everything and licked the spoon, saying: “This is delicious, not like our lunch.”

During the First World War, Alexei, who was the chief of several regiments and chieftain of all Cossack troops, visited the active army with his father, awarded distinguished fighters. He was awarded the silver St. George medal of the 4th degree.

Raising children in the royal family

The life of the family was not luxurious for the purpose of education - the parents were afraid that wealth and bliss would spoil the character of the children. The imperial daughters lived two by two in a room - on one side of the corridor there was a "big couple" (eldest daughters Olga and Tatiana), on the other - a "small" couple (younger daughters Maria and Anastasia).

Family of Nicholas II

In the younger sisters' room, the walls were painted in grey colour, the ceiling is painted with butterflies, the furniture is designed in white and green tones, simple and artless. The girls slept on folding army beds, each labeled with the owner's name, under thick monogrammed blue blankets. This tradition came from the time of Catherine the Great (she introduced such an order for the first time for her grandson Alexander). The beds could easily be moved to be closer to the warmth in winter, or even in my brother's room, next to the Christmas tree, and closer to the open windows in summer. Here, everyone had a small bedside table and sofas with small embroidered little thoughts. The walls were decorated with icons and photographs; the girls loved to take pictures themselves - a huge number of pictures have still been preserved, taken mainly in the Livadia Palace - a favorite vacation spot for the family. Parents tried to keep the children constantly busy with something useful, girls were taught to needlework.

As in simple poor families, the younger ones often had to wear out the things that the older ones grew out of. They also relied on pocket money, which could be used to buy each other small gifts.

The education of children usually began when they reached the age of 8. The first subjects were reading, calligraphy, arithmetic, the Law of God. Later, languages ​​\u200b\u200bare added to this - Russian, English, French, and even later - German. Dancing, playing the piano, good manners, natural sciences and grammar were also taught to the imperial daughters.

Imperial daughters were ordered to get up at 8 o'clock in the morning, take a cold bath. Breakfast at 9 o'clock, second breakfast - at one or half past one on Sundays. At 5 pm - tea, at 8 - common dinner.

Everyone who knew the family life of the emperor noted the amazing simplicity, mutual love and the consent of all family members. Aleksey Nikolayevich was its center; all attachments, all hopes were concentrated on him. In relation to the mother, the children were full of respect and courtesy. When the empress was unwell, the daughters arranged alternate duty with their mother, and the one who was on duty that day remained hopelessly with her. The relationship of the children with the sovereign was touching - for them he was at the same time king, father and comrade; their feelings for their father went from almost religious worship to complete gullibility and the most cordial friendship. A very important memory of the spiritual state of the royal family was left by the priest Afanasy Belyaev, who confessed the children before their departure to Tobolsk: “The impression from the confession turned out like this: grant, Lord, that all children be morally as high as the children of the former king. Such kindness, humility, obedience to parental will, unconditional devotion to the will of God, purity in thoughts and complete ignorance of earthly dirt - passionate and sinful - led me to amazement, and I was decidedly perplexed: should I, as a confessor, be reminded of sins, maybe they unknown, and how to dispose to repentance for the sins known to me.

Rasputin

A circumstance that constantly darkened the life of the imperial family was the incurable illness of the heir. Frequent attacks of hemophilia, during which the child experienced severe suffering, made everyone suffer, especially the mother. But the nature of the disease was a state secret, and parents often had to hide their feelings while participating in the normal routine of palace life. The Empress was well aware that medicine was powerless here. But, being a deep believer, she indulged in fervent prayer in anticipation of a miraculous healing. She was ready to believe anyone who was able to help her grief, somehow alleviate the suffering of her son: the illness of the Tsarevich opened the doors to the palace to those people who were recommended to the royal family as healers and prayer books. Among them, the peasant Grigory Rasputin appears in the palace, who was destined to play his role in the life of the royal family and in the fate of the whole country - but he had no right to claim this role.

Rasputin was presented as a kind holy old man helping Alexei. Under the influence of their mother, all four girls had complete confidence in him and shared all their simple secrets. Rasputin's friendship with the imperial children was evident from their correspondence. Those who sincerely loved the royal family tried to somehow limit the influence of Rasputin, but the empress resisted this very much, since the “holy old man” somehow knew how to alleviate the plight of Tsarevich Alexei.

World War I

Russia was at that time at the pinnacle of glory and power: industry developed at an unprecedented pace, the army and navy became more and more powerful, and agrarian reform was successfully implemented. It seemed that all internal problems would be safely resolved in the near future.

But this was not destined to come true: the First World War. Using as a pretext the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by a terrorist, Austria attacked Serbia. Emperor Nicholas II considered it his Christian duty to stand up for the Orthodox Serbian brothers...

On July 19 (August 1), 1914, Germany declared war on Russia, which soon became a pan-European one. In August 1914, Russia launched a hasty offensive in East Prussia to help its ally France, this led to a heavy defeat. By autumn, it became clear that the near end of the war was not in sight. But with the outbreak of war, internal disagreements subsided in the country. Even the most difficult issues became solvable - it was possible to implement a ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages for the entire duration of the war. The sovereign regularly travels to Headquarters, visits the army, dressing stations, military hospitals, rear factories. The Empress, having taken courses as sisters of mercy, together with her eldest daughters Olga and Tatyana, looked after the wounded in her Tsarskoye Selo infirmary for several hours a day.

On August 22, 1915, Nicholas II left for Mogilev to take command of all the armed forces of Russia and from that day on he was constantly at Headquarters, often with him was the heir. About once a month he came to Tsarskoe Selo for a few days. All responsible decisions were made by him, but at the same time he instructed the empress to maintain relations with the ministers and keep him informed of what was happening in the capital. She was the closest person to him, whom he could always rely on. Every day she sent detailed letters-reports to Headquarters, which was well known to the ministers.

The tsar spent January and February 1917 in Tsarskoye Selo. He felt that the political situation was becoming more and more tense, but he continued to hope that the feeling of patriotism would still prevail, he maintained faith in the army, whose situation had improved significantly. This raised hopes for the success of the great spring offensive, which would deal a decisive blow to Germany. But this was well understood by the forces hostile to him.

Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexei

On February 22, Emperor Nicholas left for Headquarters - at that moment the opposition managed to sow panic in the capital because of the impending famine. The next day, unrest began in Petrograd, caused by interruptions in the supply of grain, they soon developed into a strike under the political slogans "Down with the war", "Down with the autocracy." Attempts to disperse the demonstrators were unsuccessful. In the meantime, there were debates in the Duma with sharp criticism of the government - but first of all, these were attacks against the emperor. On February 25, a message was received at Headquarters about unrest in the capital. Having learned about the state of affairs, Nicholas II sends troops to Petrograd to maintain order, and then he himself goes to Tsarskoye Selo. His decision was obviously caused by the desire to be at the center of events to make quick decisions if necessary, and anxiety for the family. This departure from Headquarters turned out to be fatal.. For 150 miles from Petrograd, the royal train was stopped - the next station, Lyuban, was in the hands of the rebels. I had to follow through the Dno station, but even here the path was closed. On the evening of March 1, the emperor arrived in Pskov, at the headquarters of the commander of the Northern Front, General N. V. Ruzsky.

In the capital came complete anarchy. But Nicholas II and the army command believed that the Duma was in control of the situation; in telephone conversations with the chairman of the State Duma, M. V. Rodzianko, the emperor agreed to all concessions if the Duma could restore order in the country. The answer was: it's too late. Was it really so? After all, only Petrograd and its environs were embraced by the revolution, and the tsar's authority among the people and in the army was still great. The answer of the Duma confronted him with a choice: renunciation or an attempt to march on Petrograd with troops loyal to him - the latter meant a civil war, while the external enemy was within Russian borders.

Everyone around the king also convinced him that renunciation was the only way out. This was especially insisted on by the commanders of the fronts, whose demands were supported by the Chief of the General Staff, M. V. Alekseev. And after long and painful reflections, the emperor made a hard-won decision: to abdicate both for himself and for the heir, in view of his incurable illness, in favor of his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. On March 8, the commissars of the Provisional Government, having arrived in Mogilev, announced through General Alekseev that the emperor had been arrested and that he had to proceed to Tsarskoye Selo. AT last time he turned to his troops, calling on them to be loyal to the Provisional Government, the very one that had arrested him, to fulfill their duty to the Motherland until complete victory. The farewell order to the troops, which expressed the nobility of the emperor's soul, his love for the army, faith in it, was hidden from the people by the Provisional Government, which banned its publication.

According to the memoirs of contemporaries, following their mother, all the sisters sobbed bitterly on the day the First World War was declared. During the war, the empress gave many of the palace rooms for hospital premises. The older sisters Olga and Tatyana, together with their mother, became sisters of mercy; Maria and Anastasia became patronesses of the hospital and helped the wounded: they read to them, wrote letters to their relatives, gave their personal money to buy medicines, gave concerts to the wounded and did their best to distract them from their heavy thoughts. They spent their days in the hospital, reluctantly breaking away from work for the sake of lessons.

On the abdication of NicholasII

In the life of Emperor Nicholas II there were two periods of unequal duration and spiritual significance - the time of his reign and the time of his imprisonment.

Nicholas II after abdication

From the moment of renunciation, the inner spiritual state of the emperor attracts the most attention. It seemed to him that he made the only right decision, but, nevertheless, he experienced severe mental anguish. “If I am an obstacle to the happiness of Russia and all the social forces now at the head of it ask me to leave the throne and pass it on to my son and brother, then I am ready to do this, I am ready not only to give my kingdom, but also to give my life for the Motherland. I think no one doubts this from those who know me,- he said to General D.N. Dubensky.

On the very day of his abdication, March 2, the same general recorded the words of the Minister of the Imperial Court, Count V. B. Frederiks: “ The sovereign is deeply sad that he is considered an obstacle to the happiness of Russia, that they found it necessary to ask him to leave the throne. He was worried about the thought of a family that remained alone in Tsarskoye Selo, the children were sick. The sovereign suffers terribly, but he is such a person who will never show his grief in public. Nikolai is also restrained in his personal diary. Only at the very end of the entry for that day does his inner feeling break through: “You need my renunciation. The bottom line is that in the name of saving Russia and keeping the army at the front in peace, you need to decide on this step. I agreed. A draft Manifesto was sent from Headquarters. In the evening, Guchkov and Shulgin arrived from Petrograd, with whom I spoke and handed them the signed and revised Manifesto. At one o'clock in the morning I left Pskov with a heavy feeling of what I had experienced. Around treason and cowardice and deceit!

The Provisional Government announced the arrest of Emperor Nicholas II and his wife and their detention in Tsarskoye Selo. Their arrest did not have the slightest legal basis or reason.

House arrest

According to the memoirs of Yulia Alexandrovna von Den, a close friend of Alexandra Feodorovna, in February 1917, at the very height of the revolution, the children fell ill with measles one by one. Anastasia was the last to fall ill, when the Tsarskoye Selo palace was already surrounded by the insurgent troops. The tsar was at that time at the headquarters of the commander-in-chief in Mogilev, only the empress with her children remained in the palace.

At 9 o'clock on March 2, 1917, they learned about the abdication of the king. On March 8, Count Pave Benckendorff announced that the Provisional Government had decided to subject the imperial family to house arrest in Tsarskoye Selo. It was proposed to draw up a list of people wishing to stay with them. And on March 9, the children were informed about the father's abdication.

Nicholas returned a few days later. Life under house arrest began.

Despite everything, the education of children continued. The whole process was led by Gilliard, a teacher of French; Nicholas himself taught the children geography and history; Baroness Buxhoeveden taught English and music lessons; Mademoiselle Schneider taught arithmetic; Countess Gendrikova - drawing; Dr. Evgeny Sergeevich Botkin - Russian; Alexandra Feodorovna - The Law of God. The eldest, Olga, despite the fact that her education was completed, often attended classes and read a lot, improving in what had already been learned.

At this time, there was still hope for the family of Nicholas II to go abroad; but George V decided not to risk it and preferred to sacrifice the royal family. The provisional government appointed a commission to investigate the activities of the emperor, but, despite all efforts to find at least something discrediting the king, nothing was found. When his innocence was proved and it became obvious that there was no crime behind him, the Provisional Government, instead of releasing the sovereign and his wife, decided to remove the prisoners from Tsarskoye Selo: send the family of the former tsar to Tobolsk. On the last day before departure, they had time to say goodbye to the servants, to visit their favorite places in the park, ponds, islands for the last time. On August 1, 1917, a train flying the flag of the Japanese Red Cross mission departed in the strictest confidence from the siding.

In Tobolsk

Nikolai Romanov with his daughters Olga, Anastasia and Tatyana in Tobolsk in the winter of 1917

On August 26, 1917, the imperial family arrived in Tobolsk on the ship "Rus". The house was not yet completely ready for them, so they spent the first eight days on the ship. Then, under escort, the imperial family was taken to the two-story governor's mansion, where they were to live from now on. The girls were given a corner bedroom on the second floor, where they were placed on the same army bunks brought from home.

But life went on at a measured pace and strictly subject to the discipline of the family: from 9.00 to 11.00 - lessons. Then an hour break for a walk with his father. Again lessons from 12.00 to 13.00. Dinner. From 14.00 to 16.00 walks and simple entertainment like home performances or skiing from a slide built by oneself. Anastasia enthusiastically harvested firewood and sewed. Further on the schedule followed the evening service and going to bed.

In September, they were allowed to go out to the nearest church for the morning service: the soldiers formed a living corridor right up to the very church doors. The attitude of local residents to the royal family was benevolent. The emperor followed with alarm the events taking place in Russia. He understood that the country was rapidly heading towards destruction. Kornilov invited Kerensky to send troops to Petrograd in order to put an end to the Bolshevik agitation, which was becoming more and more threatening from day to day, but the Provisional Government also rejected this last attempt to save the Motherland. The king was well aware that this was the only way to avoid imminent disaster. He repents of his renunciation. “After all, he made this decision only in the hope that those who wanted him removed would still be able to continue the war with honor and not ruin the cause of saving Russia. He was then afraid that his refusal to sign the renunciation would lead to civil war in the sight of the enemy. The tsar did not want even a drop of Russian blood to be shed because of him ... It was painful for the emperor to now see the futility of his sacrifice and realize that, having in mind then only the good of the motherland, he harmed her by his renunciation, ”- recalls P. Gilliard, a teacher of children.

Yekaterinburg

Nicholas II

In March, it became known that a separate peace was concluded with Germany in Brest. . "This is such a shame for Russia and it is" tantamount to suicide”, - the emperor gave such an assessment of this event. When a rumor spread that the Germans were demanding that the Bolsheviks hand over the royal family to them, the empress said: “I would rather die in Russia than be saved by the Germans”. The first Bolshevik detachment arrived in Tobolsk on Tuesday 22 April. Commissar Yakovlev inspects the house, gets acquainted with the prisoners. A few days later, he announces that he must take the emperor away, assuring him that nothing bad will happen to him. Assuming that they want to send him to Moscow for signing separate peace with Germany, the emperor, who under no circumstances left the high spiritual nobility, firmly said: I'd rather have my hand cut off than sign this shameful treaty."

The heir at that time was sick, and it was impossible to take him. Despite fear for her sick son, the empress decides to follow her husband; Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna also went with them. Only on May 7, family members who remained in Tobolsk received news from Yekaterinburg: the emperor, empress and Maria Nikolaevna were imprisoned in the Ipatiev house. When the prince's health improved, the rest of the family from Tobolsk were also taken to Yekaterinburg and imprisoned in the same house, but most of the people close to the family were not allowed to see them.

There is little evidence of the Yekaterinburg period of imprisonment of the royal family. Almost no letters. This period is mostly known only from short notes in the diary of the emperor and the testimony of witnesses in the case of the murder of the royal family.

Living conditions at home special purpose were much harder than in Tobolsk. The guard consisted of 12 soldiers who lived here and ate with them at the same table. Commissar Avdeev, an inveterate drunkard, daily humiliated the royal family. I had to put up with hardships, endure bullying and obey. The royal couple and daughters slept on the floor, without beds. At dinner, a family of seven was given only five spoons; the guards sitting at the same table smoked, blowing smoke into the faces of the prisoners ...

A walk in the garden was allowed once a day, at first for 15-20 minutes, and then no more than five. Only Dr. Evgeny Botkin remained near the royal family, who surrounded the prisoners with care and acted as an intermediary between them and the commissars, protecting them from the rudeness of the guards. A few faithful servants remained: Anna Demidova, I. S. Kharitonov, A. E. Trupp and the boy Lenya Sednev.

All the prisoners understood the possibility of an early end. Once, Tsarevich Alexei said: “If they kill, if only they don’t torture ...” Almost in complete isolation, they showed nobility and fortitude. In one of her letters, Olga Nikolaevna says: The father asks to convey to all those who remained devoted to him, and to those on whom they can have influence, so that they do not avenge him, since he has forgiven everyone and prays for everyone, and that they do not avenge themselves, and that they remember that the evil that is now in the world will be even stronger, but that it is not evil that will overcome evil, but only love.

Even the rude guards gradually softened - they were surprised by the simplicity of all members of the royal family, their dignity, even Commissar Avdeev softened. Therefore, he was replaced by Yurovsky, and the guards were replaced by Austro-German prisoners and selected people from among the executioners of the "emergency". The life of the inhabitants of the Ipatiev House turned into a continuous martyrdom. But preparations for the execution were made in secret from the prisoners.

Murder

On the night of July 16-17, around the beginning of the third, Yurovsky woke up the royal family and spoke of the need to move to a safe place. When everyone was dressed and gathered, Yurovsky led them to a basement room with one barred window. All were outwardly calm. The sovereign carried Alexei Nikolaevich in his arms, the rest had pillows and other small things in their hands. In the room where they were brought, the empress and Alexei Nikolaevich sat on chairs. The sovereign stood in the center next to the prince. The rest of the family and servants were in different parts room, while the killers were waiting for a signal. Yurovsky approached the emperor and said: "Nikolai Alexandrovich, by order of the Ural Regional Council, you and your family will be shot." These words were unexpected for the king, he turned towards the family, stretched out his hands to them and said: “What? What?" The empress and Olga Nikolaevna wanted to cross themselves, but at that moment Yurovsky shot the tsar from a revolver almost point-blank several times, and he immediately fell. Almost simultaneously, everyone else began to shoot - everyone knew their victim in advance.

Those already lying on the floor were finished off with shots and bayonets. When it was all over, Alexei Nikolaevich suddenly groaned weakly - they shot at him several more times. Eleven bodies lay on the floor in streams of blood. After making sure that their victims were dead, the killers began to remove jewelry from them. Then the dead were carried out into the yard, where a truck was already standing ready - the noise of its engine was supposed to drown out the shots in the basement. Even before sunrise, the bodies were taken to the forest in the vicinity of the village of Koptyaki. For three days, the killers tried to hide their atrocity...

Together with the imperial family, their servants who followed them into exile were also shot: Dr. E. S. Botkin, Empress A. S. Demidov’s room girl, court cook I. M. Kharitonov and lackey A. E. Trupp. In addition, Adjutant General I. L. Tatishchev, Marshal Prince V. A. Dolgorukov, the “uncle” of the heir K. G. Nagorny, the children’s footman I. D. Sednev, the maid of honor were killed in various places and in different months of 1918 Empress A. V. Gendrikova and Goflektress E. A. Schneider.

Temple-on-the-Blood in Yekaterinburg - built on the site of the house of engineer Ipatiev, where Nicholas II and his family were shot on July 17, 1918

On a frosty day on December 16, 1614, in Moscow, at the Serpukhov Gate, a state criminal was executed. The Time of Troubles, going down in history, ended with reprisals against its most active participants, who did not want to recognize the restoration of the rule of law in Russia.

But this execution had little to do with the triumph of the law. The man sentenced to death was not even four years old. Nevertheless, the executioner threw a noose over his small head and hung the unfortunate man.

However, the noose and the gallows were designed for an adult, and not for a frail child's body. As a result, the unfortunate child died for more than three hours, choking, crying and calling for his mother. Perhaps in the end the boy died not even from suffocation, but from the cold.

During the years of the Time of Troubles, Russia got used to atrocities, but the execution on December 16 was out of the ordinary.

was executed Ivan Vorenok sentenced to death "for his evil deeds."

In fact, a three-year-old boy, the massacre of which completed Time of Troubles, was the son of False Dmitry II and Marina Mnishek. In the eyes of the supporters of his parents, the boy was Tsarevich Ivan Dmitrievich, the rightful heir to the Russian throne.

Of course, in fact, the boy had no right to power. However, supporters of the new tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov believed that the little "prince" could become a "banner" for the opponents of the new dynasty.

“You can’t leave them a banner,” the supporters of the Romanovs decided and sent a three-year-old child to the gallows.

Would any of them then have thought that three centuries later the reign of the Romanovs would end the same way it began?

Heir at any cost

Monarchs from the house of the Romanovs, taught by bitter experience, were afraid of dynastic crises like fire. They could only be avoided if the reigning monarch had an heir, and preferably two or three, in order to avoid accidents.

Personal coat of arms of the heir to the Tsarevich and Grand Duke Alexei Nikolaevich. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / B. W. Köhne

Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov, he is Nicholas II, ascended the throne in 1894, 26 years old. At that time, the new monarch was not even married, although marriage to Victoria Alice Helena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt, in the future known as Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, has already been appointed.

The wedding celebrations and the "honeymoon" of the newlyweds were held in the atmosphere of requiems and mourning for the father of Nicholas II, Emperor Alexander III.

But when the grief subsided a little, the representatives ruling circles Russia began to closely observe the Empress. The country needed an heir to the throne, and the sooner the better. Alexandra Feodorovna, a woman with a tough and resolute character, was hardly happy with such attention to her person, but nothing can be done - these are the costs of the life of royal families.

The wife of Nicholas II became pregnant regularly and regularly gave birth to daughters - Olga, Tatyana, Maria, Anastasia ... And with each new girl, the mood at the Russian court became more and more pessimistic.

And yet, in the tenth year of the reign of Nicholas II, on July 30 (August 12, according to the new style), 1904, Alexandra Feodorovna gave her husband an heir.

By the way, the very birth of a son, named Alexei, greatly spoiled the relationship between Nikolai and his wife. The fact is that before the birth, the emperor gave an order to doctors: in case of a threat to the life of the mother and baby, save the baby first. Alexandra, who learned about her husband's order, could not forgive him for this.

fatal name

The long-awaited son was named Alexei, in honor of St. Alexei of Moscow. Both the boy's father and mother were prone to mysticism, so it is not clear why they gave the heir such an unfortunate name.

Before Alexei Nikolaevich, there were already two Tsarevich Alexei in Russia. First, Alexei Alekseevich, son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, died of a sudden illness before the age of 16. Second, Alexei Petrovich, son of Peter the Great, was accused by his father of treason and died in prison.

Corporal of the Russian Army Alexei Romanov. 1916. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

The fact that a difficult fate awaits the third Alexei became clear already in infancy. He was not even two months old when he suddenly started bleeding from his navel, which was difficult to stop.

Doctors made a terrible diagnosis - hemophilia. Due to a blood clotting disorder, any scratch, any blow was dangerous for Alexei. Internal bleeding, formed due to trifling bruises, caused terrible suffering to the boy and threatened with death.

Hemophilia is a hereditary disease, it affects only men who receive it from their mothers.

For Alexandra Feodorovna, her son's illness became a personal tragedy. In addition, the attitude towards her in Russia, already rather cold, has become even worse. "A German woman who spoiled Russian blood" - this is the popular conclusion about the causes of the prince's illness.

The prince loved "soldier's delicacies"

Except for a serious illness, Tsarevich Alexei was an ordinary boy. Handsome in appearance, kind, adoring parents and sisters, cheerful, he evoked sympathy from everyone. Even at the guards of the "Ipatiev House", where he was to spend his last days ...

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The prince studied well, although not without laziness, which was especially manifested in shirking from reading. The boy really liked everything that was connected with the army.

He preferred to spend time with the soldiers than with the courtiers, and sometimes he typed expressions that his mother was horrified. However, the boy preferred to share his “verbal discoveries” for the most part with his diary.

Alexei adored simple "soldier" food - porridge, cabbage soup, black bread, which was brought to him from the kitchen of the palace guard regiment.

In a word, an ordinary child, unlike many Romanovs, devoid of arrogance, narcissism and pathological cruelty.

But the disease more and more seriously invaded Alexei's life. Any injury turned him practically into an invalid for several weeks, when he could not even move independently.

Renunciation

Once, at the age of 8, the agile prince jumped unsuccessfully into a boat and severely bruised his thigh in the groin area. The consequences were so severe that Alexei's life was in danger.

Children of Alexandra Feodorovna and Nicholas II in Tsarskoye Selo. Grand Duchesses and Tsesarevich: Olga, Alexei, Anastasia and Tatiana. Alexander Park, Tsarskoye Selo. May 1917. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Exhibition "German St. Petersburg"

The suffering of his son turned the soul of both the tsar and Alexandra Feodorovna. It is not surprising that the Siberian man Grigory Rasputin, who knew how to alleviate the suffering of Alexei, soon became one of the most influential people in Russia. But it is precisely this influence of Rasputin that will finally undermine the authority of Nicholas II in the country.

It is clear that the further fate of the son worried the father. Although Alexei's age made it possible to postpone the final decision "for later", Nicholas II consulted with doctors, asking them main question: Will the heir be able to fully fulfill the duties of the monarch in the future?

Doctors shrugged their shoulders: patients with hemophilia can live a long and fulfilling life, but any accident threatens them with the most serious consequences.

Fate decided for the emperor. During the February Revolution, Nicholas II abdicated both for himself and for his son. He considered that Alexei was too young and sick to ascend the throne of a country that had entered an era of great upheavals.

Strangers among their own

Of the entire family of Nicholas II, Alexei, perhaps, was the easiest to endure everything that befell the Romanov family after October 1917. Due to his age and character, he did not feel the threat hanging over them.

The family of the last emperor turned out to be a stranger to everyone in his country. Supporters of the monarchy in Russia in 1918 turned into a real relic of the era - even in the ranks of the White movement, they were a minority. But even among this minority, Nicholas II and his wife had no supporters. Perhaps what both the Reds and the Whites agreed on was their hatred of the deposed imperial couple. They, and not without reason, were considered the culprits of the disasters that befell the country.

Alexei and his sisters were not to blame for anything before Russia, but they became hostages of their origin.

The fate of the Romanov family was largely sealed when England refused to host them. In a country engulfed in civil war, when both sides of the conflict are seized by ever-increasing hatred, belonging to the imperial family becomes a sentence. In this sense, Russia only followed in line with the global trends laid down by the English and French revolutions.

Russian Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, Tsarevich Alexei. 1914. Photo: RIA Novosti

"You can't leave them a banner"

At the beginning of 1918, in Tobolsk, the illness of Tsarevich Alexei again reminded of itself. Ignoring the depressed state of the elders, he continued to arrange fun games. One of them was riding on the steps of the stairs of the house where the Romanovs were placed, in a wooden boat with skids. During one of the races, Alexey received a new bruise, which led to another aggravation of the disease.

Alyosha Romanov did not live less than a month before his 14th birthday. When the members of the Ural Council decided the fate of the family of Nicholas II, everyone understood perfectly well that the boy, exhausted by the disease, like his sisters, had nothing to do with the historical drama that covered Russia.

But… “You can’t leave them banners…”

On the night of July 16-17, 1918, in the basement of the Ipatiev House, Tsarevich Alexei was shot along with his parents and sisters.

Last Russian emperor loved port wine, disarmed the planet, raised his stepson and almost moved the capital to Yalta [photo, video]

Photo: RIA Novosti

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Nicholas II ascended the throne on November 2, 1894. What do we all remember about this king? Basically, school clichés stuck in my head: Nicholas is bloody, weak, was strongly influenced by his wife, is to blame for Khodynka, established the Duma, dispersed the Duma, was shot near Yekaterinburg ... Oh yes, he also conducted the first census of the population of Russia, writing himself "master of the land Russian". Moreover, Rasputin looms on the side with his dubious role in history. In general, the image is such that any student is sure: Nicholas II is almost the most shameful Russian tsar in all eras. And this despite the fact that most of the documents, photographs, letters and diaries remained from Nikolai and his family. There is even a recording of his voice, rather low. His life is thoroughly studied, and at the same time - almost unknown to the general public outside of textbook clichés. Do you know, for example, that:

1) Nicholas took the throne in the Crimea. There, in Livadia, the royal estate near Yalta, his father Alexander III died. Confused, literally crying from the responsibility that fell on him, the young man - this is how the future king then looked. Mother, Empress Maria Feodorovna, did not want to swear allegiance to this son of hers! The younger, Michael - that's who she saw on the throne.

2) And since we are talking about Crimea, it was to Yalta that he dreamed of moving the capital from his unloved Petersburg. The sea, the fleet, trade, the proximity of European borders ... But he did not dare, of course.

3) Nicholas II almost handed over the throne eldest daughter Olga. In 1900, he fell ill with typhus (again, in Yalta, well, just a fateful city for the family of the last Russian emperor). The king was dying. Since the time of Paul I, the law prescribed: the throne is inherited only through the male line. However, bypassing this order, we started talking about Olga, who was then 5 years old. The king, however, got out, recovered. But the idea of ​​arranging a coup in favor of Olga, and then marrying her off to a suitable candidate who would govern the country instead of the unpopular Nikolai - this thought stirred up the royal relatives for a long time and pushed them to intrigues.

4) It is rarely said that Nicholas II became the first global peacemaker. In 1898, at his suggestion, a note on the general limitation of armaments was published and a program for an international peace conference was developed. It took place the following May in The Hague. 20 European states, 4 Asian, 2 American participated. In the minds of the then progressive intelligentsia of Russia, this act of the tsar simply did not fit. How so, because he is a militarist and an imperialist?! Yes, the idea of ​​a prototype of the UN, of conferences on disarmament, originated precisely in Nikolai's head. And long before World War II.

5) It was Nikolai who completed the Siberian railway. It is still the main artery connecting the country, but for some reason it is not customary to put it in the merit of this king. Meanwhile, he ranked the Siberian railway among his main tasks. Nikolai generally foresaw many of the challenges that Russia then had to deal with in the 20th century. He spoke, for example, that the population of China is growing astronomically, and this is a reason to strengthen and develop Siberian cities. (And this at a time when China was called sleeping).

The reforms of Nicholas (monetary, judicial, wine monopoly, the law on the working day) are also mentioned infrequently. It is believed that since the reforms were launched in previous reigns, then the merits of Nicholas II seem to be no special. The king "only" pulled this strap and complained that he "works like a convict." "Only" brought the country to that peak, in 1913, according to which the economy will be reconciled for a long time to come. He only approved two of the most famous reformers in office - Witte and Stolypin. So, 1913: the strongest gold ruble, the income from the export of Vologda oil is higher than from the export of gold, Russia is the world leader in the grain trade.

6) Nicholas was like two drops of water similar to his cousin, the future English King George V. Their mothers are sisters. "Nicky" and "Georgie" were confused even by relatives.

"Nicky" and "Georgie". It looks like even relatives confused them

7) Raised an adopted son and daughter. More precisely, the children of his uncle Pavel Alexandrovich - Dmitry and Maria. Their mother died in childbirth, the father quite soon entered into a new marriage (unequal), and as a result, Nikolai personally raised the two little grand dukes, they called him “dad”, the empress - “mother”. He loved Dmitry like his own son. (This is the same Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, who later, together with Felix Yusupov, will kill Rasputin, for which he will be exiled, survive during the revolution, flee to Europe and even have time to have an affair with Coco Chanel there).

10) He could not stand women's singing. He ran away when his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, or one of her daughters or ladies-in-waiting, sat down at the piano and started romances. The courtiers recall that at such moments the king complained: “Well, howled ...”

11) I read a lot, especially contemporaries, subscribed to a lot of magazines. Most of all loved Averchenko.

NICHOLAS II ALEXANDROVICH, the last Russian emperor (1894-1917), the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III Alexandrovich and Empress Maria Feodorovna, an honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1876).

His reign coincided with the rapid industrial and economic development of the country. Under Nicholas II, Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, which was one of the reasons for the Revolution of 1905-1907, during which the Manifesto was adopted on October 17, 1905, which allowed the creation of political parties and established the State Duma; Stolypin agrarian reform began to be carried out. In 1907 Russia became a member of the Entente, in which it entered World War I. Since August (September 5), 1915, the Supreme Commander. During the February Revolution of 1917 on March 2 (15), he abdicated the throne. Shot with his family. In 2000 he was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Childhood. Education

Nikolai's regular homework began when he was 8 years old. The curriculum included an eight-year general education course and a five-year course in higher sciences. It was based on a modified program of the classical gymnasium; instead of latin Greek studied mineralogy, botany, zoology, anatomy and physiology. Courses in history, Russian literature and foreign languages have been expanded. Cycle higher education included political economy, law and military affairs (military jurisprudence, strategy, military geography, service of the General Staff). There were also classes in vaulting, fencing, drawing, and music. Alexander III and Maria Fedorovna themselves selected teachers and mentors. Among them were scientists, statesmen and military figures: K. P. Pobedonostsev, N. Kh. Bunge, M. I. Dragomirov, N. N. Obruchev, A. R. Drenteln, N. K. Girs.

Carier start

With early years Nikolai was drawn to military affairs: he knew perfectly the traditions of the officer environment and military regulations, in relation to the soldiers he felt like a patron-mentor and did not shy away from communicating with them, meekly endured the inconvenience of army everyday life at camp gatherings or maneuvers.

Immediately after his birth, he was enrolled in the lists of several guards regiments and was appointed chief of the 65th Moscow Infantry Regiment. At the age of five he was appointed chief of the Life Guards of the Reserve Infantry Regiment, and in 1875 he was enlisted in the Life Guards of the Erivan Regiment. In December 1875 he received his first military rank- an ensign, and in 1880 he was promoted to second lieutenant, after 4 years he became a lieutenant.

In 1884, Nikolai entered active military service, in July 1887 he began regular service. military service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment and was promoted to staff captain; in 1891 Nikolai received the rank of captain, and a year later - colonel.

on the throne

On October 20, 1894, at the age of 26, he accepted the crown in Moscow under the name of Nicholas II. On May 18, 1896, during the coronation celebrations, tragic events took place on the Khodynka field (see "Khodynka"). His reign fell on a period of sharp aggravation of the political struggle in the country, as well as the foreign policy situation (the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05; Bloody Sunday; the Revolution of 1905-07 in Russia; the First World War; the February Revolution of 1917).

During the reign of Nicholas, Russia turned into an agrarian-industrial country, cities grew, railways and industrial enterprises were built. Nikolai supported decisions aimed at the economic and social modernization of the country: the introduction of the gold circulation of the ruble, the Stolypin agrarian reform, laws on workers' insurance, universal primary education, tolerance.

Not being a reformer by nature, Nicholas was forced to make important decisions that did not correspond to his inner convictions. He believed that in Russia the time had not yet come for a constitution, freedom of speech, and universal suffrage. However, when a strong social movement arose in favor of political reforms, he signed the Manifesto on October 17, 1905, proclaiming democratic freedoms.

In 1906, the State Duma, established by the tsar's manifesto, began to work. For the first time in national history the emperor began to rule in the presence of a representative body elected from the population. Russia gradually began to transform into a constitutional monarchy. But despite this, the emperor still had enormous power functions: he had the right to issue laws (in the form of decrees); to appoint the prime minister and ministers accountable only to him; set the course foreign policy; was the head of the army, court and earthly patron of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Personality of Nicholas II

The personality of Nicholas II, the main features of his character, advantages and disadvantages caused conflicting assessments of his contemporaries. Many noted "weak will" as the dominant feature of his personality, although there is a lot of evidence that the tsar was distinguished by a stubborn desire to implement his intentions, often reaching stubbornness (only once was someone else's will imposed on him - Manifesto October 17, 1905). Unlike his father Alexander III, Nicholas did not impress strong personality. At the same time, according to the reviews of people who knew him closely, he had exceptional self-control, which was sometimes perceived as indifference to the fate of the country and people (for example, he met the news of the fall of Port Arthur or the defeat of the Russian army during the First World War with composure, hitting the royal environment). In public affairs, the tsar showed "extraordinary perseverance" and accuracy (for example, he never had a personal secretary and he himself put seals on letters), although in general the rule of a huge empire was a "heavy burden" for him. Contemporaries noted that Nikolai had a tenacious memory, keen powers of observation, and was a modest, affable and sensitive person. At the same time, most of all, he valued his peace, habits, health, and especially the well-being of his family.

Emperor's family

The support of Nicholas was the family. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt) was not only a wife for the tsar, but also a friend and adviser. The habits, ideas and cultural interests of the spouses largely coincided. They got married on November 14, 1894. They had five children: Olga (1895-1918), Tatiana (1897-1918), Maria (1899-1918), Anastasia (1901-1918), Alexei (1904-1918).

The fatal drama of the royal family was associated with the incurable disease of the son of Alexei - hemophilia (blood incoagulability). The disease led to the appearance in the royal house, which, even before meeting with the crowned bearers, became famous for the gift of foresight and healing; he repeatedly helped Alexei overcome bouts of illness.

World War I

The turning point in the fate of Nikolai was 1914 - the beginning of the First World War. The king did not want war and until the very last moment he tried to avoid a bloody clash. However, on July 19 (August 1), 1914, Germany declared war on Russia.

In August (September 5), 1915, during a period of military setbacks, Nikolai assumed military command [previously this position was held by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (the Younger)]. Now the tsar visited the capital only occasionally, but most of the time he spent at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander in Mogilev.

The war exacerbated the internal problems of the country. The king and his entourage began to be blamed for the military failures and the protracted military campaign. Allegations spread that "treason is nesting" in the government. At the beginning of 1917, the high military command headed by the tsar (together with the allies - England and France) prepared a plan for a general offensive, according to which it was planned to end the war by the summer of 1917.

Abdication from the throne. The execution of the royal family

At the end of February 1917, unrest began in Petrograd, which, without meeting serious opposition from the authorities, in a few days grew into mass demonstrations against the government and the dynasty. Initially, the tsar intended to restore order in Petrograd by force, but when the scale of the unrest became clear, he abandoned this idea, fearing great bloodshed. Some high-ranking military officials, members of the imperial retinue and politicians convinced the king that a change of government was required to pacify the country, he needed to abdicate the throne. On March 2, 1917, in Pskov, in the salon car of the imperial train, after painful reflections, Nicholas signed the act of abdication, transferring power to his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who did not accept the crown.

On March 9, Nicholas and the royal family were arrested. For the first five months they were under guard in Tsarskoye Selo, in August 1917 they were transferred to Tobolsk. In April 1918, the Bolsheviks transferred the Romanovs to Yekaterinburg. On the night of July 17, 1918 in the center of Yekaterinburg, in the basement of the Ipatiev house, where the prisoners were imprisoned, Nikolai, the queen, five of their children and several close associates (11 people in total) were shot without trial or investigation.

Canonized together with his family by the Russian Church Abroad.

Titled from birth His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich. After the death of his grandfather, Emperor Alexander II, in 1881 he received the title of Tsarevich's heir.

... neither the figure nor the ability to speak the king did not touch the soldier's soul and did not make the impression that is necessary to raise the spirit and strongly attract hearts to himself. He did what he could, and one cannot blame him in this case, but he did not cause good results in the sense of inspiration.

Childhood, education and upbringing

Nikolai was educated at home as part of a large gymnasium course and in the 1890s, according to a specially written program that connected the course of the state and economic departments of the law faculty of the university with the course of the Academy of the General Staff.

The upbringing and training of the future emperor took place under the personal guidance of Alexander III on a traditional religious basis. The training sessions of Nicholas II were conducted according to a carefully designed program for 13 years. The first eight years were devoted to the subjects of the extended gymnasium course. Particular attention was paid to the study of political history, Russian literature, English, German and French, which Nikolai Alexandrovich mastered to perfection. The next five years were devoted to the study of military affairs, the legal and economic sciences necessary for a statesman. Lectures were given by outstanding Russian scientists-academicians of world renown: N. N. Beketov, N. N. Obruchev, Ts. A. Cui, M. I. Dragomirov, N. Kh. Bunge, K. P. Pobedonostsev and others. I. L. Yanyshev taught the crown prince canon law in connection with the history of the church, the main departments of theology and the history of religion.

Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. 1896

For the first two years, Nikolai served as a junior officer in the ranks of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Two summer season he served in the ranks of the cavalry hussars as a squadron commander, and then camp duty in the ranks of the artillery. On August 6, he was promoted to colonel. At the same time, his father introduces him to the affairs of the country, inviting him to participate in meetings of the State Council and the Cabinet of Ministers. At the suggestion of the Minister of Railways S. Yu. Witte, in 1892 Nikolai was appointed chairman of the committee for the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway to gain experience in public affairs. By the age of 23, Nikolai Romanov was a widely educated person.

The emperor's education program included travels to various provinces of Russia, which he made with his father. To complete his education, his father gave him a cruiser to travel to the Far East. For nine months, he and his retinue visited Austria-Hungary, Greece, Egypt, India, China, Japan, and later returned by land through all of Siberia to the capital of Russia. In Japan, an assassination attempt was made on Nicholas (see the Otsu Incident). The blood-stained shirt is kept in the Hermitage.

He combined education with deep religiosity and mysticism. “The sovereign, like his ancestor, Alexander I, was always mystical,” recalled Anna Vyrubova.

The ideal ruler for Nicholas II was Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich the Quietest.

Lifestyle, habits

Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich Mountain landscape. 1886 Watercolor on paper Caption on the drawing: “Niki. 1886. July 22 "The drawing is pasted on a passe-partout

Most of the time, Nicholas II lived with his family in the Alexander Palace. In the summer, he rested in the Crimea in the Livadia Palace. For recreation, he also annually made two-week trips around the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea on the Shtandart yacht. He read both light entertainment literature and serious scientific works, often on historical topics. He smoked cigarettes, the tobacco for which was grown in Turkey and was sent to him as a gift from the Turkish Sultan. Nicholas II was fond of photography, he also liked to watch movies. All of his children were also photographed. Nikolai began to keep a diary from the age of 9. The archive contains 50 voluminous notebooks - the original diary for 1882-1918. Some of them have been published.

Nicholas and Alexandra

The first meeting of the Tsarevich with his future wife took place in 1884, and in 1889 Nikolai asked his father for his blessing to marry her, but was refused.

All correspondence between Alexandra Feodorovna and Nicholas II has been preserved. Only one letter from Alexandra Feodorovna has been lost; all her letters are numbered by the Empress herself.

Contemporaries assessed the empress differently.

Coronation

Accession to the throne and beginning of reign

Letter from Emperor Nicholas II to Empress Maria Feodorovna. January 14, 1906 Autograph. "Trepov is an indispensable secretary for me, a kind of secretary. He is experienced, smart and cautious in advice. I give him thick notes from Witte to read and then he reports them to me quickly and clearly. This is of course a secret from everyone!"

The coronation of Nicholas II took place on May 14 (26) of the year (for the victims of the coronation celebrations in Moscow, see Khodynka). In the same year, the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition was held in Nizhny Novgorod, which he attended. In 1896, Nicholas II also made a big trip to Europe, meeting with Franz Joseph, Wilhelm II, Queen Victoria (Alexandra Feodorovna's grandmother). The trip ended with the arrival of Nicholas II in Paris, the capital of allied France. One of the first personnel decisions of Nicholas II was the dismissal of I. V. Gurko from the post of Governor-General of the Kingdom of Poland and the appointment of A. B. Lobanov-Rostovsky to the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs after the death of N. K. Girs. The first of Nicholas II's major international actions was the Triple Intervention.

Economic policy

In 1900, Nicholas II sent Russian troops to suppress the Ihetuan uprising together with the troops of other European powers, Japan and the United States.

The revolutionary newspaper Osvobozhdenie, published abroad, made no secret of its misgivings: If the Russian troops defeat the Japanese... then freedom will be calmly strangled to the cries of cheers and the bell ringing of the triumphant Empire» .

The plight of the tsarist government Russo-Japanese War prompted German diplomacy to make another attempt in July 1905 to tear Russia away from France and conclude a Russian-German alliance. Wilhelm II invited Nicholas II to meet in July 1905 in the Finnish skerries, near the island of Björke. Nikolay agreed, and at the meeting he signed the contract. But when he returned to St. Petersburg, he refused it, since peace with Japan had already been signed.

The American researcher of the era T. Dennett wrote in 1925:

Few people now believe that Japan was deprived of the fruits of the upcoming victories. The opposite opinion prevails. Many believe that Japan was already exhausted by the end of May and that only the conclusion of peace saved her from collapse or total defeat in a clash with Russia.

Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War (the first in half a century) and the subsequent brutal suppression of the revolution of 1905-1907. (subsequently aggravated by the appearance at the court of Rasputin) led to a fall in the authority of the emperor in the circles of the intelligentsia and the nobility, so much so that even among the monarchists there were ideas about replacing Nicholas II with another Romanov.

The German journalist G. Ganz, who lived in St. Petersburg during the war, noted a different position of the nobility and intelligentsia in relation to the war: “ The common secret prayer not only of liberals, but also of many moderate conservatives at that time was: "God help us to be broken."» .

Revolution of 1905-1907

With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, Nicholas II tried to unite society against an external enemy, making significant concessions to the opposition. So after the murder of the Minister of Internal Affairs V.K. On December 12, 1904, a decree was issued “On plans for the improvement state order”, which promised the expansion of the rights of zemstvos, insurance of workers, the emancipation of foreigners and non-believers, and the elimination of censorship. At the same time, the sovereign declared: “I will never, in any case, agree to a representative form of government, for I consider it harmful to the people entrusted to me by God.”

... Russia has outgrown the form of the existing system. It is striving for a legal system based on civil freedom... It is very important to reform the State Council on the basis of the prominent participation of an elected element in it...

The opposition parties took advantage of the expansion of freedoms to intensify attacks on the tsarist government. On January 9, 1905, a large workers' demonstration took place in St. Petersburg, turning to the tsar with political and socio-economic demands. Demonstrators clashed with troops, resulting in big number dead. These events became known as Bloody Sunday, the victims of which, according to V. Nevsky, were no more than 100-200 people. A wave of strikes swept across the country, the national outskirts were agitated. In Courland, the Forest Brothers began to massacre local German landowners, and the Armenian-Tatar massacre began in the Caucasus. Revolutionaries and separatists received support in money and weapons from England and Japan. So, in the summer of 1905, the English steamer John Grafton, which had run aground, carrying several thousand rifles for Finnish separatists and revolutionary militants, was detained in the Baltic Sea. There were several uprisings in the fleet and in various cities. The largest was the December uprising in Moscow. At the same time, the Socialist-Revolutionary and anarchist individual terror gained a large scope. In just a couple of years, thousands of officials, officers and policemen were killed by revolutionaries - in 1906 alone, 768 were killed and 820 representatives and agents of power were wounded.

The second half of 1905 was marked by numerous unrest in universities and even in theological seminaries: due to the riots, almost 50 secondary theological educational institutions were closed. The adoption on August 27 of a provisional law on the autonomy of universities caused a general strike of students and stirred up teachers at universities and theological academies.

The ideas of the highest dignitaries about the current situation and ways out of the crisis were clearly manifested during four secret meetings under the leadership of the emperor, held in 1905-1906. Nicholas II was forced to liberalize, moving to constitutional rule, while suppressing armed uprisings. From a letter from Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna dated October 19, 1905:

Another way is to provide civil rights to the population - freedom of speech, press, assembly and association and inviolability of the person;…. Witte ardently defended this path, saying that although it is risky, it is nevertheless the only one at the moment ...

On August 6, 1905, the manifesto on the establishment of the State Duma, the law on the State Duma, and the regulation on elections to the Duma were published. But the revolution, which was gaining strength, easily stepped over the acts of August 6, in October an all-Russian political strike began, more than 2 million people went on strike. On the evening of October 17, Nikolai signed a manifesto promising: “1. To grant the population the unshakable foundations of civil freedom on the basis of real inviolability of the person, freedom of conscience, speech, assembly and associations. On April 23, 1906, the Basic State Laws of the Russian Empire were approved.

Three weeks after the manifesto, the government granted amnesty to political prisoners, except for those convicted of terrorism, and a little over a month later lifted prior censorship.

From a letter from Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna on October 27:

The people were indignant at the arrogance and audacity of the revolutionaries and socialists ... hence the Jewish pogroms. It is amazing with what unanimity and at once this happened in all the cities of Russia and Siberia. In England, of course, they write that these riots were organized by the police, as always - an old, familiar fable! .. The cases in Tomsk, Simferopol, Tver and Odessa clearly showed how far a furious crowd can go when it surrounded houses in which revolutionaries locked themselves in, and set fire to them, killing anyone who came out.

During the revolution, in 1906, Konstantin Balmont wrote the poem "Our Tsar", dedicated to Nicholas II, which turned out to be prophetic:

Our king is Mukden, our king is Tsushima,
Our king is a bloodstain
The stench of gunpowder and smoke
In which the mind is dark. Our king is blind squalor,
Prison and whip, jurisdiction, execution,
The king is a hangman, the lower is twice,
What he promised, but did not dare to give. He's a coward, he feels stuttering
But it will be, the hour of reckoning awaits.
Who began to reign - Khodynka,
He will finish - standing on the scaffold.

Decade between two revolutions

On August 18 (31), 1907, an agreement was signed with Great Britain on the delimitation of spheres of influence in China, Afghanistan and Iran. This was an important step in the formation of the Entente. On June 17, 1910, after lengthy disputes, a law was passed that limited the rights of the Seimas of the Grand Duchy of Finland (see Russification of Finland). In 1912, Mongolia became a de facto protectorate of Russia, having gained independence from China as a result of the revolution that took place there.

Nicholas II and P. A. Stolypin

The first two State Dumas were unable to conduct regular legislative work - the contradictions between the deputies on the one hand, and the Duma with the emperor on the other - were insurmountable. So, immediately after the opening, in a response address to the throne speech of Nicholas II, the Duma members demanded the liquidation of the State Council (the upper house of parliament), the transfer of appanage (private possessions of the Romanovs), monastic and state lands to the peasants.

Military reform

Diary of Emperor Nicholas II for 1912-1913.

Nicholas II and the Church

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a movement for reforms, during which the church sought to restore the canonical conciliar structure, there were even talks of convening a council and establishing a patriarchate, there were attempts to restore the autocephaly of the Georgian Church in the year.

Nikolai agreed with the idea of ​​an "All-Russian Church Council", but changed his mind and on March 31, at the report Holy Synod about the convening of the council wrote: I acknowledge that it is impossible to...”and established a Special (pre-Council) Presence in the city to resolve issues of church reform and a Pre-Council Meeting in the city of

An analysis of the most famous canonizations of that period - Seraphim of Sarov (), Patriarch Hermogenes (1913) and John Maksimovich (-) allows us to trace the process of a growing and deepening crisis in relations between church and state. Under Nicholas II were canonized:

4 days after the abdication of Nicholas, the Synod published a message with the support of the Provisional Government.

Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod N. D. Zhevakhov recalled:

Our Tsar was one of the greatest ascetics of the Church of recent times, whose exploits were obscured only by his high rank of Monarch. Standing on the last rung of the ladder of human glory, the Sovereign saw above him only the sky, towards which his holy soul was irresistibly striving...

World War I

Along with the creation of special conferences, military-industrial committees began to emerge in 1915 - public organizations of the bourgeoisie, which bore a semi-oppositional character.

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

After such heavy defeats of the army, Nicholas II, not considering it possible for himself to remain aloof from hostilities and considering it necessary to assume full responsibility for the position of the army in these difficult conditions, to establish the necessary agreement between the Headquarters and governments, to put an end to the disastrous isolation of power, standing at the head of the army, from the authorities governing the country, on August 23, 1915, he assumed the title of Supreme Commander-in-Chief. At the same time, some members of the government, the high army command and public circles opposed this decision of the emperor.

Due to the constant relocations of Nicholas II from Headquarters to St. Petersburg, as well as insufficient knowledge of the issues of leadership of the troops, the command of the Russian army was concentrated in the hands of his chief of staff, General M.V. Alekseev and General V.I. Gurko, who replaced him in late and early 1917. The autumn draft of 1916 put 13 million people under arms, and the losses in the war exceeded 2 million.

In 1916, Nicholas II replaced four chairmen of the Council of Ministers (I. L. Goremykin, B. V. Shtyurmer, A. F. Trepov and Prince N. D. Golitsyn), four ministers of the interior (A. N. Khvostov, B. V. Shtyurmer, A. A. Khvostov and A. D. Protopopov), three Ministers of Foreign Affairs (S. D. Sazonov, B. V. Shtyurmer and Pokrovsky, N. N. Pokrovsky), two Ministers of War (A. A. Polivanov, D.S. Shuvaev) and three Ministers of Justice (A.A. Khvostov, A.A. Makarov and N.A. Dobrovolsky).

Probing the world

Nicholas II, hoping for an improvement in the situation in the country in the event of the success of the spring offensive of 1917 (which was agreed upon at the Petrograd Conference), was not going to conclude a separate peace with the enemy - he saw the most important means of consolidating the throne in the victorious end of the war. Hints that Russia might start negotiations on a separate peace were a normal diplomatic game, forced the Entente to recognize the need to establish Russian control over the Mediterranean straits.

February Revolution of 1917

The war struck the system of economic ties - primarily between the city and the countryside. Famine began in the country. The authorities were discredited by a chain of scandals such as the intrigues of Rasputin and his entourage, as the “dark forces” then called them. But it was not the war that gave rise to the agrarian question in Russia, the sharpest social contradictions, conflicts between the bourgeoisie and tsarism and within the ruling camp. Nicholas' adherence to the idea of ​​unlimited autocratic power narrowed to the limit the possibility of social maneuvering, knocked out the support of Nicholas's power.

After the stabilization of the situation at the front in the summer of 1916, the Duma opposition, in alliance with conspirators among the generals, decided to take advantage of the situation to overthrow Nicholas II and replace him with another tsar. The leader of the Cadets P. N. Milyukov subsequently wrote in December 1917:

From February it was clear that Nikolai's abdication could take place any day, the date was February 12-13, it was said that there would be a "great act" - the abdication of the emperor from the throne in favor of the heir to Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, that Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich would be regent.

On February 23, 1917, a strike began in Petrograd, after 3 days it became general. On the morning of February 27, 1917, there was an uprising of soldiers in Petrograd and their connection with the strikers. A similar uprising took place in Moscow. The queen, who did not understand what was happening, wrote soothing letters on February 25

The queues and strikes in the city are more than provocative... This is a "hooligan" movement, young men and women run around screaming that they have no bread, and the workers do not let others work. It would be very cold, they would probably stay at home. But all this will pass and calm down if only the Duma behaves decently.

On February 25, 1917, by the manifesto of Nicholas II, the meetings of the State Duma were stopped, which further inflamed the situation. Chairman of the State Duma M. V. Rodzianko sent a number of telegrams to Emperor Nicholas II about the events in Petrograd. This telegram was received at Headquarters on February 26, 1917 at 22:00. 40 min.

I most humbly convey to Your Majesty that the popular unrest that began in Petrograd is assuming a spontaneous character and menacing proportions. Their foundations are the lack of baked bread and the weak supply of flour, which inspires panic, but mainly a complete distrust of the authorities, unable to lead the country out of a difficult situation.

The civil war has begun and is flaring up. ... There is no hope for the troops of the garrison. The reserve battalions of the guards regiments are in mutiny... Command the cancellation of your royal decree to convene the legislative chambers again... If the movement is transferred to the army... the collapse of Russia, and with it the dynasty, is inevitable.

Renunciation, exile and execution

Abdication of the throne of Emperor Nicholas II. March 2, 1917 Typescript. 35 x 22. In the lower right corner, the signature of Nicholas II in pencil: Nicholas; in the lower left corner, in black ink over a pencil, a confirmation inscription by the hand of V. B. Frederiks: Minister of the Imperial Court, Adjutant General Count Fredericks."

After the start of unrest in the capital, the tsar on the morning of February 26, 1917 ordered General S. S. Khabalov "to stop the unrest, unacceptable in the difficult time of the war." On February 27, sending General N. I. Ivanov to Petrograd

to suppress the uprising, Nicholas II departed for Tsarskoe Selo on the evening of February 28, but could not pass and, having lost contact with Headquarters, arrived in Pskov on March 1, where the headquarters of the armies of the Northern Front, General N.V. about the abdication in favor of his son under the regency of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, in the evening of the same day he announced to the arrivals A.I. Guchkov and V.V. Shulgin about the decision to abdicate for his son. On March 2, at 11:40 p.m., he handed Guchkov a Manifesto of Abdication, in which he wrote: We command our brother to manage the affairs of the state in complete and indestructible unity with the representatives of the people».

The personal property of the Romanov family was looted.

After death

Glory to the saints

Decision of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church of August 20, 2000: “To glorify as martyrs in the host of new martyrs and confessors of Russia the Royal Family: Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexy, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia.” .

The act of canonization was perceived by Russian society ambiguously: opponents of canonization argue that the reckoning of Nicholas II to the saints is political in nature. .

Rehabilitation

Philatelic collection of Nicholas II

In some memoir sources there is evidence that Nicholas II “sinned with postage stamps”, although this passion was not as strong as photography. On February 21, 1913, at a celebration in the Winter Palace in honor of the anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, the head of the Main Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs, Acting State Councilor M. P. Sevastyanov, presented Nicholas II with morocco-bound albums with test proof prints and essays of stamps from a commemorative series published by 300 anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. It was a collection of materials related to the preparation of the series, which was carried out for almost ten years - from 1912 to 1912. Nicholas II greatly valued this gift. It is known that this collection accompanied him among the most valuable family relics in exile, first in Tobolsk, and then in Yekaterinburg, and was with him until his death.

After the death of the royal family, the most valuable part of the collection was stolen, and the surviving half was sold to a certain officer of the English army, who was in Siberia as part of the Entente troops. He then took her to Riga. Here, this part of the collection was acquired by the philatelist Georg Jaeger, who in 1926 put it up for sale at an auction in New York. In 1930, it was again put up for auction in London, - the famous collector of Russian stamps Goss became its owner. Obviously, it was Goss who pretty much replenished it by buying missing materials at auctions and from private individuals. The 1958 auction catalog described the Goss collection as "a magnificent and unique collection of samples, prints and essays ... from the collection of Nicholas II."

By order of Nicholas II, the Female Alekseevskaya Gymnasium was founded in the city of Bobruisk, now the Slavic Gymnasium

see also

• Family of Nicholas II

• E. Radzinsky. Nicholas II: life and death.
• R. Massey. Nicholas and Alexandra.

Illustrations