Nicholos Ii Essay example

Nicholas II: Nicholas II, Tsar of Russia, is well known to be the last Tsar of Russia. Many historians label him as a "weak ruler" and some believe he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. People who knew him, "found a bright, keen, happy face, plenty of humor and a fresh-air man," (John Hanbury-Williams) and was a family man. He, like many fathers, brothers, sons, loved his family, protected them the way he thought he should, and influenced by his father's actions. After Alexander II's assassination, Alexander III (son of Alexander II and father of Nicholas II), "oversaw a clamp-down on the revolutionary movement," (pg. 307 The Russian Chronicles) that was starting to begin in Russia. Like his father, Nicholas II sought to "clamp-down" revolutionaries who had murdered his grandfather. His vengeful feelings and his want to stay in power seemed to make matters worse. Even though Nicholas II was technically the ruler of Russia, he did not do much himself during his rule. He was away a lot of the time because of WWI and left the country to his wife and his advisers. Alexandra, even though she was German, strongly believed in mysticism and Orthodoxy and believed that Nicholas had a God-given right to have absolute authority. As his wife, "she was certain that it was her holy call to enforce Nicholas' position as a autocratic ruler," (Linda DeLaine). She also had a duty to her family as a mother to five children. After Aleksey was born and diagnosed with Hemophilia, Alexandra was desperate to save her only son's life. This was when Rasputin became involved with the Romanov family. Rasputin was known as a holy man and was introduced to them, the Romanovs, as a healer for Aleksey. "After 1907, when he pulled the young boy out of what seemed to be a fatal decline, the empress [Alexandra] became unshakably convinced of his holy powers," (pg. 341 The Russian Chronicles) and Rasputin became a healer and adviser to the Romanov family. Rasputin had insight to the peasants of Russia, which was of help to Nicholas II, and often gave Nicholas II good advice such as, "the war would be disastrous for Russia and for the royal family," (pg. 341 The Russian Chronicles). Nicholas II usually did not take his advice even though Rasputin's predictions came true. Why should Nicholas II listen to Rasputin when there were rumors that Rasputin's religious meetings often descended into mass orgies? Even if Nicholas II was not influenced by Rasputin, Alexandra was. Some historians believe that even though Alexandra sent Nicholas II countless letters of advice, that were influenced by Rasputin, he was not influenced by them. The masses however believed that Nicholas II was, "under the thumb of his wife,"(pg. 341 The Russian Chronicles). There was a Russian saying that reinforced this rumor: "It's a sad home where the cow instructs the bull," (pg. 341 The Russian Chronicles). After many strikes and protests, which crippled Russia's economy, on Sunday, 9 January 1905, a large group of workers from St. Petersburg assembled in front of the Winter Palace in peaceful protest. They wanted a representative government, amnesty for political prisoners, separation from church and state, and better working conditions, along with better pay. Most people would agree with these protesters if they had seen what conditions they lived in. The people of Russia were starving. Rozwoj Lodzki writes what is happening in the streets, "A twelve-year-old boy, a girl of twenty-one, and an elderly man of fifty-five were picked up in the street completely exhausted from hunger... How many such remained unnoticed, lacking the courage, or perhaps the strength, to go outside?". The people of Russia still believed that the Tzar only wanted what was best for them and that he had been mislead by his advisers. Their demands seemed simple but they would reduce the power that Nicholas II would have over the country. Neither Nicholas II or Alexandra would accept that. The guards open

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