Family

FAMILY BACKGROUND

//**Notable Tsars: **//

**Peter the Great I** was arguably the most famous tsar of the Romanov family, ruling from 1682-1725. Peter had many good qualities as he was more open to progress than the rest of his family. He was interested in industrializing as well as expanding Russia’s territory in order to strengthen their political position within Europe. As well, he ridded the Russian government of corruption by forming a senate and appointing people based on merit rather than their family’s name. However, he also promoted //serfdom// and did not allow anyone to oppose his ideas. Also, under Peter’s rule Russia was involved in wars which improved their armies but also greatly raised their taxes.



**Catherine the Great** (ruled from 1762 to 1796) was also known for her success in expanding Russia’s empire. Catherine was well known for her promotion of modernization and westernization. She had many liberal ideas and encouraged the education of women; however she did little to promote basic human rights. Serfdom was still in place and a revolt by the peasants had been stopped in its tracks.



Evidently, even the tsars that could be considered "successful" did not satisfy the majority of the public. Citizens prioritized human rights and social change over imperialism, whereas tsars felt the opposite way. Their inability to relate to their people and understand the fundamental problems of society is what eventually led to their downfall.

//**Nicolas II's Family: **//

**Emperor Alexander III** was Nicolas II’s father, a man that Nicolas II respected, but was also intimidated by. He was generally disliked as he governed to help the aristocrats rather than the peasants, who were the majority of the population. Alexander III made sure that the //aristocrats// had plenty of property and also gave them power over the peasants. As well, he reduced the power of the local self-governments. He was almost killed along with his family when an assassination attempt was made by Russian university students, however everyone survived and the revolutionaries were tried and hung. At forty-nine he died suddenly of nephritis.



**Emperor Alexander II** was Nicolas II’s grandfather. Alexander II was not extremely unreasonable like some of his predecessors and saw that change was needed in Russia. He set serfs free and began some reforms in education, press, and local government. However, this was not enough for many revolutionaries who were impatient for radical change. Some wished for socialism while others demanded a constitution and a republic. People would not be satisfied until major changes were made. During his reign a revolt was attempted as well as many assassination plots. In 1855 revolutionaries finally succeeded in their schemes by assassinating Alexander II with a bomb.



Nicolas II married **Alix of Hesse** in November 1894 a few days after the funeral of Nicolas’ father. She was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Alix (or Alexandra) was not well-liked by Russians as she was very shy and consequently came off as cold and indifferent. As well, for years she was unable to produce a son which furthered their hatred. In the end, Nicholas and Alexandra had four daughters and one son together.



//**The Last Tsar: **// **Nicolas II** became the last tsar of Russia 1894 at the age of twenty-six. He was born in St. Petersburg on May 18th. 1868. Nicolas II had never shown particular interest in becoming tsar as he had watched multiple assassination attempts be carried out on his father and grandfather. However, after his father’s sudden death he was forced into the role. He was not at all prepared to be the leader of Russia and many have described him as being immature and paranoid. It was Nicolas II's goal to rule with a firm hand as his father had done; however, he was a much weaker man and did not possess the same strength as Alexander III. Nicolas II also chose to live in blissful ignorance, ignoring the starving peasants or the deadly factory conditions while living a luxurious life with his fellow aristocrats. Nicolas II believed in sudba, a Russian idea that misfortune was unavoidable. Therefore, he did not feel at all responsible for any of the misery in Russia. In his mind, God would decide the fate of Russia. This was one of the many qualities the Russians detested in Nicolas II.