NICHOLAY II Alexandrovich, the last Russian emperor (1894-1917), the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III Alexandrovich and Empress Maria Feodorovna, 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 authorized the creation political parties and established the State Duma; The Stolypin agrarian reform began to be implemented. In 1907, Russia became a member of the Entente, as part of which it entered the 1st World War. Since August (September 5), 1915, Supreme Commander-in-Chief. During the February Revolution of 1917, on March 2 (15), he abdicated the throne. Shot along 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 classical gymnasium program; Instead of Latin and Greek, mineralogy, botany, zoology, anatomy and physiology were studied. Courses in history, Russian literature and foreign languages were expanded. Cycle higher education included political economy, law and military affairs (military jurisprudence, strategy, military geography, service of the General Staff). Classes in vaulting, fencing, drawing, and music were also conducted. Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna 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.

Start of a career

WITH early years Nikolai felt a passion for military affairs: he knew the traditions of the officer environment and military regulations perfectly, in relation to the soldiers he felt like a patron-mentor and did not shy away from communicating with them, and resignedly endured the inconveniences of army everyday life at camp training sessions or maneuvers.

Immediately after his birth, he was enlisted in several guards regiments and 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 Erivan Life Guards Regiment. In December 1875 he received his first military rank - ensign, and in 1880 he was promoted to second lieutenant, and 4 years later he became a lieutenant.

In 1884, Nikolai entered active military service, in July 1887 he began regular 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 occurred on the Khodynka Field (see "Khodynka"). His reign occurred during a period of sharp aggravation of the political struggle in the country, as well as the foreign policy situation ( Russo-Japanese War 1904-05; Bloody Sunday; Revolution of 1905-07 in Russia; First world war; February Revolution 1917).

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

Not being a reformer by nature, Nikolai 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 in favor of political change arose, 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 with a representative body elected by 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); appoint a prime minister and ministers accountable only to him; set 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 traits 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 persistent desire to implement his intentions, often reaching the point of stubbornness (only once was someone else’s will imposed on him - Manifesto of October 17, 1905). Unlike his father Alexander III, Nicholas did not give the impression of a 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 defeats of the Russian army during the First World War with composure, striking the royal entourage). In dealing with state affairs, the tsar showed “extraordinary perseverance” and accuracy (he, for example, never had a personal secretary and himself stamped 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, friendly 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

Nicholas's support was his 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), Alexey (1904-1918).

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

First World War

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

In August (September 5) 1915, during a period of military failures, Nicholas took over military command [previously this position was held by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (Junior)]. Now the tsar visited the capital only occasionally, and spent most of his time at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in Mogilev.

The war exacerbated the country's internal problems. The tsar and his entourage began to bear the main responsibility for military failures and the protracted military campaign. Allegations have spread that “treason is lurking” in the government. At the beginning of 1917, the high military command led by the Tsar (together with 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 of the throne. Execution of the royal family

At the end of February 1917, unrest began in Petrograd, which, without encountering serious opposition from the authorities, a few days later grew into mass protests 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 much bloodshed. Some high-ranking military officials, members of the imperial retinue and political figures convinced the tsar that in order to pacify the country, a change of government was required, it was necessary for him to abdicate the throne. On March 2, 1917, in Pskov, in the lounge carriage of the imperial train, after painful deliberation, Nicholas signed an 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 transported 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, Nicholas, the queen, five of their children and several close associates (11 people in total) were summarily shot.

Canonized together with his family by the Russian Church Abroad.

Nicholas II is a controversial personality, historians speak very negatively about his rule of Russia, most people who know and analyze history are inclined to believe that the last All-Russian Emperor had little interest in politics, did not keep up with the times, slowed down the development of the country, was not a visionary ruler, was able to catch the current in time, did not keep his nose to the wind, and even then, when everything practically went to hell, dissatisfaction was already building not only among the lower classes, but also at the top, and even then Nicholas II was unable to draw any correct conclusions. He did not believe that his removal from governing the country was real; in fact, he was doomed to become the last autocrat in Rus'. But Nicholas II was an excellent family man. He should be, for example, a Grand Duke, not an emperor, and not delve into politics. Five children are no joke; raising them requires a lot of attention and effort. Nicholas II loved his wife for many years, he missed her in separation from her, and did not lose his physical and mental attraction to her even after many years of marriage.

I collected many photographs of Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt, daughter of Ludwig IV), their children: daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, son Alexei.

This family loved to be photographed, and the shots turned out very beautiful, spiritual, and bright. Look at the attractive faces of the children of the last Russian Emperor. These girls did not know marriage, never kissed their lovers and could not know the joys and sorrows of love. And they died a martyr's death. Although they were not guilty of anything. Many people died in those days. But this family was the most famous, the highest-ranking, and her death still haunts anyone, a black page in the history of Russia, the brutal murder of the royal family. The fate in store for these beauties was this: girls were born in turbulent times. Many people dream of being born in a palace, with a golden spoon in their mouth: to be princesses, princes, kings, queens, kings and queens. But how often was the life of blue-blooded people difficult? They were caught, killed, poisoned, strangled, and very often their own people, close to the royals, destroyed and occupied the vacant throne, alluring with its limitless possibilities.

Alexander II was blown up by Narodnaya Volya, Paul II was killed by conspirators, Peter III died at mysterious circumstances, Ivan VI was also destroyed, the list of these unfortunates can be continued for a very long time. And those who were not killed did not live long by today’s standards; they would either get sick or undermine their health while running the country. And it was not only in Russia that there was such a high mortality rate for royalty; there are countries where it was even more dangerous for reigning personalities. But all the same, everyone was always so zealous for the throne, and they pushed their children there at any cost. I wanted, although not for long, to live well, beautifully, go down in history, take advantage of all the benefits, live in luxury, be able to order slaves, decide the destinies of people and rule the country.

But Nicholas II never longed to be an emperor, but he understood that being a ruler Russian Empire- this is his duty, his destiny, especially since he was a fatalist in everything.

Today we will not talk about politics, we will just look at photographs.

In this photo you see Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, as the couple dressed for a costume ball.

In this photo, Nicholas II is still very young, his mustache is just emerging.

Nicholas II in childhood.

In this photo, Nicholas II with his long-awaited heir Alexei.

Nicholas II with his mother Maria Fedorovna.

In this photo, Nicholas II with his parents, sisters and brothers.

The future wife of Nicholas II, then Princess Victoria Alice Elena Louise Beatrice of Hesse-Darmstadt.

Sunday, May 19, 2013 02:11 + to quote book

the last Russian emperor.

The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov), the eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, was born on May 19 (May 6, old style) 1868 in Tsarskoye Selo (now the city of Pushkin, Pushkin district of St. Petersburg).

WITH Immediately after his birth, Nikolai was included in the lists of several guards regiments and appointed chief of the 65th Moscow Infantry Regiment.

D The childhood years of the future Tsar of Russia were spent within the walls of the Gatchina Palace. Nikolai's regular homework began when he was eight years old. The curriculum included an eight-year general education course and a five-year course in higher sciences. In a general education course special attention devoted to studying political history, Russian literature, French, German and English languages. The course of higher sciences included political economy, law and military affairs (military jurisprudence, strategy, military geography, service of the General Staff). Classes in vaulting, fencing, drawing, and music were also conducted. Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna themselves selected teachers and mentors. Among them were scientists, statesmen and military figures: Konstantin Pobedonostsev, Nikolai Bunge, Mikhail Dragomirov, Nikolai Obruchev and others.

IN In December 1875, Nikolai received his first military rank - ensign, and in 1880 he was promoted to second lieutenant, and 4 years later he became a lieutenant. In 1884, Nikolai entered active military service, in July 1887 he began regular 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.

D To get acquainted with state affairs, in May 1889, Nikolai began to attend meetings of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers. In October 1890 he undertook sea ​​voyage on Far East. In 9 months he visited Greece, Egypt, India, China, Japan, and then returned to the capital of Russia by land through all of Siberia.

IN April 1894, the engagement of the future emperor to Princess Alice of Darmstadt-Hesse, daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse, granddaughter Queen of England Victoria. After converting to Orthodoxy, she took the name Alexandra Feodorovna.

2 November (October 21, old style) 1894 Alexander III died. A few hours before his death, the dying emperor obliged his son to sign the Manifesto on his accession to the throne.

TO The oronation of Nicholas II took place on May 26 (14 old style) 1896. May 30 (18 old style) 1896 during the celebration of the coronation of Nicholas II in Moscow.

Coronation of Nicholas II, 1894

IN The reign of Nicholas II was a period of high rates of economic growth in the country. The Emperor supported decisions aimed at economic and social modernization: the introduction of gold circulation of the ruble, Stolypin's agrarian reform, laws on workers' insurance, universal primary education, and religious tolerance.

C The reign of Nicholas II took place in an atmosphere of growing revolutionary movement and the complication of the foreign policy situation (Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905; Bloody Sunday; revolution of 1905-1907; World War I; February Revolution of 1917).
Under the influence of a strong social movement in favor of political reforms, October 30 (17 old style) 1905, Nicholas II signed the famous manifesto “On the improvement public order": the people were granted freedom of speech, press, personality, conscience, assembly, unions; the State Duma was created as a legislative body.

P The turning point in the fate of Nicholas II was 1914 - the beginning of the First World War. The tsar did not want war and until the very last moment tried to avoid a bloody conflict. On August 1 (July 19, old style), 1914, Germany declared war on Russia. In August 1915, Nicholas II assumed military command (previously held by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich). After this, the tsar spent most of his time at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in Mogilev.

IN At the end of February 1917, unrest began in Petrograd, which grew into mass protests against the government and the dynasty. The February Revolution found Nicholas II at headquarters in Mogilev. Having received news of the uprising in Petrograd, he decided not to make concessions and to restore order in the city by force, but when the scale of the unrest became clear, he abandoned this idea, fearing much bloodshed.

IN midnight on March 15 (2 old style), March 1917, in the lounge carriage of the imperial train, standing on the tracks at the Pskov railway station, Nicholas II signed an act of abdication, transferring power to his brother Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who did not accept the crown.

20 (7 old style) March 1917, the Provisional Government issued an order for the arrest of the Tsar. On March 22 (9 old style), Nicholas II and the royal family were arrested. For the first five months they were under guard in Tsarskoe Selo; in August 1917 they were transported to Tobolsk, where the royal family spent eight months.

IN At the beginning of 1918, the Bolsheviks forced Nikolai to remove his shoulder straps as a colonel (his last military rank), which he perceived as a grave insult.

IN In May 1918, the royal family was transported to Yekaterinburg, where they were placed in the house of mining engineer Nikolai Ipatiev. The regime for keeping the Romanovs was extremely difficult.

IN night from 16 (3 old style) to 17 (4 old style) July 1918 Nicholas II, Tsarina, their five children: daughters - Olga (1895) -22 years old, Tatiana (1897) -21 years old, Maria (1899) -19 years old and Anastasia (1901) -17 years old, son - Tsarevich, heir to the throne Alexei (1904) -13 years old and several close associates (11 people in total), were shot without trial or investigation in small room on the lower floor of the house.

The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II, his wife and five children
in 1981 they were canonized as martyrs of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, and in 2000 they were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, and are currently revered by it as

"Holy Royal Passion-Bearers."

Holy royal passion-bearers, pray to God for us.

October 1, 2008 Presidium of the Supreme Court Russian Federation recognized the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II and members of his family as victims of illegal political repression and rehabilitated them.

Nicholas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov), eldest son of Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna, was born May 18 (May 6, old style) 1868 in Tsarskoe Selo (now the city of Pushkin, Pushkin district of St. Petersburg).

Immediately after his birth, Nikolai was included in the lists of several guards regiments and appointed chief of the 65th Moscow Infantry Regiment. The future tsar spent his childhood within the walls of the Gatchina Palace. Nikolai began regular homework at the age of eight.

In December 1875 He received his first military rank - ensign, in 1880 he was promoted to second lieutenant, and four years later he became a lieutenant. In 1884 Nikolai entered active military service, in July 1887 year began regular 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.

To get acquainted with government affairs since May 1889 he began to attend meetings of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers. IN October 1890 year went on a trip to the Far East. In nine months, Nikolai visited Greece, Egypt, India, China, and Japan.

IN April 1894 The engagement of the future emperor to Princess Alice of Darmstadt-Hesse, daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England, took place. After converting to Orthodoxy, she took the name Alexandra Feodorovna.

November 2 (October 21, old style) 1894 Alexander III died. A few hours before his death, the dying emperor obliged his son to sign the Manifesto on his accession to the throne.

The coronation of Nicholas II took place May 26 (14 old style) 1896. On the thirtieth (18 old style) May 1896, during the celebration of the coronation of Nicholas II in Moscow, a stampede occurred on Khodynka Field in which more than a thousand people died.

The reign of Nicholas II took place in an atmosphere of growing revolutionary movement and complicating foreign policy situation (Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905; Bloody Sunday; revolution of 1905-1907; World War I; February Revolution of 1917).

Influenced by a strong social movement in favor of political change, October 30 (17 old style) 1905 Nicholas II signed the famous manifesto “On the Improvement of the State Order”: the people were granted freedom of speech, press, personality, conscience, meetings, and unions; The State Duma was created as a legislative body.

The turning point in the fate of Nicholas II was 1914- Beginning of the First World War. August 1 (July 19, old style) 1914 Germany declared war on Russia. IN August 1915 year, Nicholas II assumed military command (previously, this position was held by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich). Afterwards, the tsar spent most of his time at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in Mogilev.

At the end of February 1917 Unrest began in Petrograd, which grew into mass protests against the government and the dynasty. The February Revolution found Nicholas II at headquarters in Mogilev. Having received news of the uprising in Petrograd, he decided not to make concessions and to restore order in the city by force, but when the scale of the unrest became clear, he abandoned this idea, fearing much bloodshed.

At midnight March 15 (2 old style) 1917 In the salon carriage of the imperial train, which stood on the tracks at the Pskov railway station, Nicholas II signed an act of abdication, transferring power to his brother Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who did not accept the crown.

March 20 (7 old style) 1917 The Provisional Government issued an order for the arrest of the Tsar. On the twenty-second (9th old style) March 1917, Nicholas II and his family were arrested. For the first five months they were under guard in Tsarskoe Selo, in August 1917 they were transported to Tobolsk, where the Romanovs spent eight months.

At the beginning 1918 The Bolsheviks forced Nicholas to remove his colonel's shoulder straps (his last military rank), which he perceived as a grave insult. In May of this year royal family transported to Yekaterinburg, where she was placed in the house of mining engineer Nikolai Ipatiev.

On the night of July 17 (4 old) 1918 and Nicholas II, Tsarina, their five children: daughters - Olga (1895), Tatiana (1897), Maria (1899) and Anastasia (1901), son - Tsarevich, heir to the throne Alexei (1904) and several close associates (11 people in total) , . The shooting took place in a small room on the lower floor of the house; the victims were taken there under the pretext of evacuation. The Tsar himself was shot at point-blank range by the commandant of the Ipatiev House, Yankel Yurovsky. The bodies of the dead were taken outside the city, doused with kerosene, they tried to burn them, and then buried them.

At the beginning of 1991 The first application was submitted to the city prosecutor's office about the discovery of bodies near Yekaterinburg that showed signs of violent death. After many years of research into the remains discovered near Yekaterinburg, a special commission came to the conclusion that they are indeed the remains of nine Nicholas II and his family. In 1997 They were solemnly buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

In 2000 Nicholas II and members of his family were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

On October 1, 2008, the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II and members of his family as victims of illegal political repression and rehabilitated them.

Biography of Emperor Nicholas 2 Alexandrovich

Nicholas II Alexandrovich (born - May 6 (18), 1868, death - July 17, 1918, Yekaterinburg) - Emperor of All Russia, from the imperial house of Romanov.

Childhood years

The heir to the Russian throne, Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich, grew up in an atmosphere of luxurious imperial court, but in a strict and, one might say, Spartan atmosphere. His father, Emperor Alexander III, and mother, Danish princess Dagmara (Empress Maria Feodorovna) fundamentally did not allow any weaknesses or sentimentality in raising children. A strict daily routine was always established for them, with mandatory daily lessons, visits church services, obligatory visits to relatives, obligatory participation in many official ceremonies. The children slept on simple soldier's beds with hard pillows, took cold baths in the mornings and were given oatmeal for breakfast.

The youth of the future emperor

1887 - Nikolai was promoted to staff captain and assigned to the Life Guards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. There he was listed for two years, first performing the duties of a platoon commander and then a company commander. Then, to join the cavalry service, his father transferred him to the Life Guards Hussar Regiment, where Nikolai took command of the squadron.

Thanks to his modesty and simplicity, the prince was quite popular among his fellow officers. 1890 - his training was completed. The father did not burden the heir to the throne with state affairs. He appeared from time to time at meetings of the State Council, but his gaze was constantly directed at his watch. Like all guard officers, Nikolai devoted a lot of time to social life, often visited the theater: he adored opera and ballet.

Nicholas and Alice of Hesse

Nicholas II in childhood and youth

Apparently women also occupied him. But it is interesting that Nicholas experienced his first serious feelings for Princess Alice of Hesse, who later became his wife. They first met in 1884 in St. Petersburg at the wedding of Ella of Hesse (Alice's older sister) with Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. She was 12 years old, he was 16. 1889 - Alix spent 6 weeks in St. Petersburg.

Nikolai later wrote: “I dream of someday marrying Alix G. I have loved her for a long time, but especially deeply and strongly since 1889... All this for a long time I didn’t believe my feeling, I didn’t believe that my cherished dream could come true.”

In reality, the heir had to overcome many obstacles. Parents offered Nicholas other parties, but he resolutely refused to associate himself with any other princess.

Ascension to the throne

1894, spring - Alexander III and Maria Fedorovna were forced to give in to their son’s wishes. Preparations for the wedding have begun. But before it could be played, Alexander III died on October 20, 1894. For no one was the death of the emperor more significant than for the 26-year-old young man who inherited his throne.

“I saw tears in his eyes,” recalled Grand Duke Alexander. “He took me by the arm and led me downstairs to his room. We hugged and both cried. He couldn't gather his thoughts. He knew that he had now become an emperor, and the severity of this terrible event struck him down... “Sandro, what should I do? - he exclaimed pathetically. - What is going to happen to me, to you... to Alix, to my mother, to all of Russia? I'm not ready to be a king. I never wanted to be him. I don't understand anything about government affairs. I don’t even have a clue how to talk to ministers.’”

The next day, when the palace was draped in black, Alix converted to Orthodoxy and from that day began to be called Grand Duchess Alexandra Fedorovna. On November 7, the solemn burial of the late emperor took place in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, and a week later the wedding of Nicholas and Alexandra took place. On the occasion of mourning there was no ceremonial reception or honeymoon.

Personal life and royal family

1895, spring - Nicholas II moved his wife to Tsarskoe Selo. They settled in the Alexander Palace, which remained the main home of the imperial couple for 22 years. Everything here was arranged according to their tastes and desires, and therefore Tsarskoye always remained their favorite place. Nikolai usually got up at 7, had breakfast and disappeared into his office to start work.

By nature, he was a loner and preferred to do everything himself. At 11 o'clock the king interrupted his classes and went for a walk in the park. When children appeared, they invariably accompanied him on these walks. Lunch in the middle of the day was a formal ceremonial occasion. Although the Empress was usually absent, the Emperor dined with his daughters and members of his retinue. The meal began, according to Russian custom, with prayer.

Neither Nikolai nor Alexandra liked expensive, complex dishes. He received great pleasure from borscht, porridge, and boiled fish with vegetables. But the king’s favorite dish was roasted young pig with horseradish, which he washed down with port wine. After lunch, Nikolai took a horseback ride along the surrounding rural roads in the direction of Krasnoe Selo. At 4 o'clock the family gathered for tea. According to etiquette, introduced back in the day, only crackers, butter and English biscuits were served with tea. Cakes and sweets were not allowed. Sipping tea, Nikolai quickly looked through newspapers and telegrams. Afterwards he returned to his work, receiving a stream of visitors between 17 and 20 hours.

At exactly 20 o'clock all official meetings ended, and Nicholas II could go to dinner. In the evenings, the emperor often sat in the family living room, reading aloud, while his wife and daughters worked on needlework. According to his choice, it could be Tolstoy, Turgenev or his favorite writer Gogol. However, there could have been some kind of fashionable romance. The sovereign's personal librarian selected for him 20 of the most best books per month from all countries of the world. Sometimes, instead of reading, the family spent evenings pasting photographs taken by the court photographer or themselves into green leather albums embossed with the royal monogram in gold.

Nicholas II with his wife

The end of the day came at 11 pm with the serving of evening tea. Before leaving, the emperor wrote notes in his diary, and then took a bath, went to bed and usually immediately fell asleep. They note that, unlike many families of European monarchs, the Russian imperial couple had a shared bed.

1904, July 30 (August 12) - the 5th child was born in the imperial family. To the great joy of the parents it was a boy. The king wrote in his diary: “A great unforgettable day for us, on which the mercy of God so clearly visited us. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon Alix gave birth to a son, who was named Alexei during prayer.”

On the occasion of the appearance of the heir, guns were fired throughout Russia, bells rang and flags fluttered. However, a few weeks later, the imperial couple was shocked by the terrible news - it turned out that their son had hemophilia. Next years passed in a difficult struggle for the life and health of the heir. Any bleeding, any injection could lead to death. The torment of their beloved son tore the hearts of the parents. Alexei's illness had a particularly painful effect on the empress, who over the years began to suffer from hysteria, she became suspicious and extremely religious.

Reign of Nicholas II

Meanwhile, Russia was going through one of the most turbulent stages of its history. Last Japanese war The first revolution began, suppressed with great difficulty. Nicholas II had to agree to the establishment State Duma. The next 7 years were lived in peace and even relative prosperity.

Promoted by the emperor, Stolypin began to carry out his reforms. At one time it seemed that Russia would be able to avoid new social upheavals, but the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 made the revolution inevitable. The crushing defeats of the Russian army in the spring and summer of 1915 forced Nicholas 2 to lead the troops himself.

From that time on, he was on duty in Mogilev and could not delve deeply into state affairs. Alexandra began to help her husband with great zeal, but it seems that she harmed him more than she actually helped. Both senior officials, grand dukes, and foreign diplomats felt the approach of revolution. They tried as best they could to warn the emperor. Repeatedly during these months, Nicholas II was offered to remove Alexandra from affairs and create a government in which the people and the Duma would have confidence. But all these attempts were unsuccessful. The Emperor gave his word, despite everything, to preserve autocracy in Russia and transfer it whole and unshakable to his son; Now, when pressure was exerted on him from all sides, he remained faithful to his oath.

Revolution. Abdication

1917, February 22 - without making a decision on the new government, Nicholas II went to Headquarters. Immediately after his departure, unrest began in Petrograd. On February 27, the alarmed emperor decided to return to the capital. On the way, at one of the stations, he accidentally learned that a temporary committee of the State Duma, headed by Rodzianko, was already operating in Petrograd. Then, after consulting with the generals of his retinue, Nikolai decided to make his way to Pskov. Here, on March 1, Nikolai learned from the commander of the Northern Front, General Ruzsky, the latest amazing news: the entire garrison of Petrograd and Tsarskoe Selo went over to the side of the revolution.

His example was followed by the Guard, the Cossack convoy and the Guards crew with Grand Duke Kirill at their head. The negotiations with the front commanders, undertaken by telegraph, finally defeated the tsar. All the generals were merciless and unanimous: it was no longer possible to stop the revolution by force; to avoid civil war and bloodshed, Emperor Nicholas 2 must abdicate the throne. After painful hesitation, late in the evening of March 2, Nicholas signed his abdication.

Arrest

Nicholas 2 with his wife and children

The next day, he gave the order for his train to go to Headquarters, to Mogilev, as he wanted to say goodbye to the army one last time. Here, on March 8, the emperor was arrested and taken under escort to Tsarskoye Selo. From that day on, a time of constant humiliation began for him. The guard behaved defiantly rudely. It was even more offensive to see the betrayal of those people who were used to being considered the closest. Almost all the servants and most of the ladies-in-waiting abandoned the palace and the empress. Dr. Ostrogradsky refused to go to the sick Alexei, saying that he “finds the road too dirty” for further visits.

Meanwhile, the situation in the country began to deteriorate again. Kerensky, who by that time had become the head of the Provisional Government, decided that for security reasons the royal family should be sent away from the capital. After much hesitation, he gave the order to transport the Romanovs to Tobolsk. The move took place in early August in deep secrecy.

The royal family lived in Tobolsk for 8 months. Her financial situation was very cramped. Alexandra wrote to Anna Vyrubova: “I am knitting socks for little (Alexey). He requires a couple more, since all of his are in holes... I'm doing everything now. Dad’s (the king’s) pants were torn and needed mending, and the girls’ underwear was in rags... I became completely grey...” After the October coup, the situation for the prisoners became even worse.

1918, April - the Romanov family was transported to Yekaterinburg, they were settled in the house of the merchant Ipatiev, which was destined to become their last prison. 12 people lived in the 5 upper rooms of the 2nd floor. Nicholas, Alexandra and Alexey lived in the first, and the Grand Duchesses lived in the second. The rest was divided among the servants. In a new place former emperor and his loved ones felt like real prisoners. Behind the fence and on the street there was an external guard of Red Guards. There were always several people with revolvers in the house.

This internal guard was selected from among the most reliable Bolsheviks and was very hostile. It was commanded by Alexander Avdeev, who called the emperor nothing more than “Nicholas the Bloody.” None of the members of the royal family could have privacy, and even to the toilet the grand duchesses walked accompanied by one of the guards. For breakfast, only black bread and tea were served. Lunch consisted of soup and cutlets. The guards often took pieces from the pan with their hands in front of the diners. The prisoners' clothes were completely shabby.

On July 4, the Ural Soviet removed Avdeev and his people. They were replaced by 10 security officers led by Yurovsky. Despite the fact that he was much more polite than Avdeev, Nikolai felt the threat emanating from him from the first days. In fact, the clouds were gathering over the family of the last Russian emperor. At the end of May, a Czechoslovak rebellion broke out in Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region. The Czechs launched a successful attack on Yekaterinburg. On July 12, the Ural Council received permission from Moscow to decide for itself the fate of the deposed dynasty. The Council decided to shoot all the Romanovs and entrusted the execution to Yurovsky. Later, the White Guards were able to capture several participants in the execution and, from their words, reconstruct in all details the picture of the execution.

Execution of the Romanov family

On July 16, Yurovsky distributed 12 revolvers to the security officers and announced that the execution would take place today. At midnight he woke up all the prisoners, ordered them to quickly get dressed and go downstairs. It was announced that the Czechs and Whites were approaching Yekaterinburg, and the local Council decided that they must leave. Nikolai went down the stairs first, carrying Alexei in his arms. Anastasia held her spaniel Jimmy in her arms. By ground floor Yurovsky led them to a semi-basement room. There he asked to wait until the cars arrived. Nikolai asked for chairs for his son and wife. Yurovsky ordered three chairs to be brought. In addition to the Romanov family, there was Doctor Botkin, footman Trupp, cook Kharitonov and the Empress Demidova's room girl.

When everyone had gathered, Yurovsky re-entered the room, accompanied by the entire Cheka detachment with revolvers in their hands. Coming forward, he quickly said: “Due to the fact that your relatives continue to attack Soviet Russia, the Urals Executive Committee decided to shoot you.”

Nikolai, continuing to support Alexei with his hand, began to rise from the chair. He only managed to say: “What?” and then Yurovsky shot him in the head. At this signal, the security officers began shooting. Alexandra Fedorovna, Olga, Tatyana and Maria were killed on the spot. Botkin, Kharitonov and Trupp were mortally wounded. Demidova remained on her feet. The security officers grabbed their rifles and began to pursue her in order to finish her off with bayonets. Screaming, she rushed from one wall to another and eventually fell, receiving more than 30 wounds. The dog's head was smashed with a rifle butt. When silence reigned in the room, the heavy breathing of the Tsarevich was heard - he was still alive. Yurovsky reloaded the revolver and shot the boy twice in the ear. Just at that moment, Anastasia, who was only unconscious, woke up and screamed. She was finished off with bayonets and rifle butts...