On April 23 (May 6), 1906, a new version was approved by the emperor"Basic State Laws of the Russian Empire" , which, in anticipation of the conveningState Duma , were a fundamental legislative act regulating the division of powers between the imperial power and the parliament organized according to the Manifesto on October 17, 1905 (the State Council and the State Duma).

In 1914 Russia entered the First World War. Failures at the fronts, the economic devastation generated by the war, the aggravation of the need and disasters of the masses, the growth of anti-war sentiments and general dissatisfaction with the autocracy led to mass demonstrations against the government and the dynasty.

The story of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne is one of the most tragic and bloody moments of the twentieth century. This fateful decision predetermined the course of Russia's development for many decades, as well as the very decline of the monarchical dynasty. It is difficult to say what events would have taken place in our country if, on that very significant date of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne, the emperor would have made a different decision. It is surprising that historians are still arguing about whether this abdication was in fact or whether the document presented to the people was a real forgery, which served as the starting point for everything that Russia experienced over the next century. Let's try to figure out exactly how the events unfolded that led to the birth of citizen Nikolai Romanov instead of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II.

The reign of the last emperor of Russia: features

In order to understand what exactly led to the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne (we will indicate the date of this event a little later), it is necessary to give a brief description of the entire period of his reign.

The young emperor ascended the throne after the death of his father Alexander III. Many historians believe that morally the autocrat was not ready for the events that Russia was approaching with leaps and bounds. Emperor Nicholas II was sure that in order to save the country, it was necessary to strictly adhere to the monarchical foundations that his predecessors had formed. He had difficulty accepting any reformist ideas and underestimated the revolutionary movement that swept many European powers during this period.

In Russia, since the ascension to the throne of Nicholas 2 (October 20, 1894), revolutionary moods have gradually increased. The people demanded reforms from the emperor that would satisfy the interests of all sectors of society. After lengthy deliberation, the autocrat signed several decrees granting freedom of speech and conscience, and editing laws on the division of legislative power in the country.

For some time, these actions put out the flaring revolutionary fire. However, in 1914 the Russian Empire was drawn into the war and the situation changed dramatically.

World War I: influence on the internal political situation in Russia

Many scientists believe that the date of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne simply would not have existed in Russian history, if not for the hostilities, which turned out to be disastrous primarily for the economy of the empire.

Three years of war with Germany and Austria became a real test for the people. Each new defeat at the front caused discontent among ordinary people. The economy was in a deplorable state, which was accompanied by devastation and impoverishment of most of the country's population.

More than once in the cities there were uprisings of workers who paralyzed the activity of factories and plants for several days. However, the emperor himself treated such speeches and manifestations of popular despair as temporary and fleeting discontents. Many historians believe that it was this carelessness that led to the events that culminated on March 2, 1917.

Mogilev: the beginning of the end of the Russian Empire

For many scientists, it is still strange that the Russian monarchy collapsed overnight - in almost a week. This time was enough to lead the people to the revolution, and the emperor to sign the abdication document.

The beginning of the bloody events was the departure of Nicholas 2 to Headquarters, located in the city of Mogilev. The reason to leave Tsarskoye Selo, where the entire imperial family was, was a telegram from General Alekseev. In it, he reported on the need for a personal visit by the emperor, and what caused such urgency, the general did not explain. Surprisingly, historians have not yet figured out the fact that forced Nicholas 2 to leave Tsarskoye Selo and head to Mogilev.

However, on February 22, the imperial train set off under guard to Headquarters; before the trip, the autocrat spoke with the Minister of the Interior, who described the situation in Petrograd as calm.

A day after leaving Tsarskoye Selo, Nicholas II arrived in Mogilev. From that moment began the second act of the bloody historical drama that destroyed the Russian Empire.

February unrest

The morning of February 23 was marked by strikes by workers in Petrograd. About a hundred thousand people took to the streets of the city, the next day their number already exceeded two hundred thousand workers and members of their families.

Interestingly, for the first two days, none of the ministers informed the emperor about the atrocities that were happening. Only on February 25, two telegrams flew to the Headquarters, which, however, did not reveal the true state of affairs. Nicholas 2 reacted to them quite calmly and ordered to immediately resolve the issue with the help of law enforcement forces and weapons.

Every day the wave of popular discontent grew, and by the twenty-sixth of February the State Duma was dissolved in Petrograd. A message was sent to the emperor detailing the horror of the situation in the city. However, Nicholas 2 took this as an exaggeration and did not even answer the telegram.

Armed clashes between workers and military began in Petrograd. The number of wounded and killed grew rapidly, the city was completely paralyzed. But even this did not make the emperor react in any way. Slogans about the overthrow of the monarch began to sound on the streets.

Rebellion of military units

Historians believe that on February 27, the unrest became irreversible. It was no longer possible to solve the problem and calm people down peacefully.

In the morning, military garrisons began to join the striking workers. On the way of the crowd, all obstacles were swept away, the rebels seized weapons depots, opened the doors of prisons and burned state institutions.

The emperor was fully aware of what was happening, but did not issue a single intelligible order. Time was rapidly running out, but at Headquarters they were still waiting for the decision of the autocrat, which would be able to satisfy the rebels.

The emperor's brother informed him of the need to publish a manifesto on the change of power and the publication of several program theses that would calm the people. However, Nicholas 2 announced that he planned to postpone the adoption of an important decision until his arrival in Tsarskoe Selo. On February 28, the imperial train moved out of Headquarters.

Pskov: a fatal stop on the way to Tsarskoye Selo

Due to the fact that the uprising began to grow outside of Petrograd, the imperial train could not reach its destination and, turning around halfway, was forced to stop in Pskov.

On March 1, it was finally clear that the uprising in Petrograd was successful and all infrastructure facilities fell under the control of the rebels. Telegrams were sent to Russian cities describing the events that had taken place. The new government took control of the railroad, carefully guarding the approaches to Petrograd.

Strikes and armed clashes engulfed Moscow and Kronstadt, the emperor was fairly well informed about what was happening, but could not decide on drastic actions that could improve the situation. The autocrat constantly held meetings with ministers and generals, consulting and considering various options for solving the problem.

By the second of March, the emperor had firmly established himself in the idea of ​​abdicating the throne in favor of his son Alexei.

"We, Nicholas II": renunciation

Historians argue that the emperor was primarily concerned about the safety of the royal dynasty. He already understood that he would not be able to keep power in his hands, especially since his associates saw the only way out of this situation in abdication.

It is worth noting that during this period, Nicholas 2 still hoped to calm the rebels with some reforms, but the right time was lost, and only a voluntary renunciation of power in favor of other persons could save the empire.

"We, Nicholas II" - this is how the document that predetermined the fate of Russia began. However, even here historians cannot agree, because many read that the manifesto had no legal force.

Manifesto of Nicholas 2 on the abdication of the throne: versions

It is known that the abdication document was signed twice. The first contained information that the emperor was relinquishing his power in favor of Tsarevich Alexei. Since he could not independently rule the country due to his age, Michael, the brother of the emperor, was to become his regent. The manifesto was signed approximately at four o'clock in the afternoon, at the same time a telegram was sent to General Alekseev announcing the event.

However, at almost twelve o'clock in the morning, Nicholas II changed the text of the document and abdicated for himself and his son. Power was given to Mikhail Romanovich, who, however, signed another abdication document the very next day, deciding not to endanger his life in the face of growing revolutionary sentiment.

Nicholas II: reasons for renunciation of power

The reasons for the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne are still being discussed, but this topic is included in all history textbooks and even occurs when passing the exam. It is officially believed that the following factors prompted the emperor to sign the document:

• unwillingness to shed blood and fear of plunging the country into another war;
• the inability to receive reliable information about the uprising in Petrograd in time;
• confidence in their commanders-in-chief, actively advising to publish the renunciation of power as soon as possible;
• desire to preserve the Romanov dynasty.

In general, any of the above reasons, in itself and all together, could serve to make the autocrat make an important and difficult decision for himself. Be that as it may, but the date of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne was the beginning of the most difficult period in the history of Russia.

Empire after the Emperor's Manifesto: a brief description

The consequences of the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne were catastrophic for Russia. It is difficult to describe them in a nutshell, but it can be said that the country that was considered a great power has ceased to exist.

Over the following years, it was plunged into numerous internal conflicts, devastation and attempts to build a new branch of government. Ultimately, this is what led to the management of the Bolsheviks, who managed to keep a huge country in their hands.

But for the emperor himself and his family, abdication became fatal - in July 1918, the Romanovs were brutally murdered in a dark and damp basement of a house in Yekaterinburg. The empire has ceased to exist.

Abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne

The abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne is perhaps one of the most intricate mysteries of the 20th century.
Its main reason was the weakening of the power of the sovereign, inevitable and unavoidable in the conditions in which the empire was located.
The brewing revolutionary situation, which was gaining momentum and the growing discontent of the population of the country, became the soil on which the collapse of the monarchical system occurred.
After three years, in February 1917, the country was two steps away from victory. Thanks to her, Russia could expect world power and prosperity, but events developed in a different way.
On February 22, the emperor unexpectedly left for Mogilev. His presence at Headquarters was necessary to coordinate the plan for the spring offensive. This act was a turning point in history, as there were only a few days left until the end of royal power.
The next day, Petrograd was engulfed in revolutionary unrest. In addition, 200,000 soldiers were concentrated in the city, waiting to be sent to the front. An interesting fact is that the composition was staffed from different segments of the population, a significant part were factory workers. Dissatisfied with their fate and carefully prepared by propagandists, this mass served as a kind of detonator.
Rumors of bread shortages were spread to organize the riots. A strike of workers was organized, growing with inexorable force. Slogans were shouted everywhere: "Down with the autocracy" and "Down with the war."
For several days, unrest spread throughout the city and its environs. And finally, on February 27, a military riot broke out. The sovereign instructed Adjutant General Ivanov to deal with his suppression
Under the pressure of these events, Nicholas 2 decided to return to Tsarskoye Selo. Leaving the military headquarters, in fact, the center of situation control, was a fatal mistake. Nicholas still hoped for the loyalty and honesty of his subjects. The headquarters remained under the control of General Alekseev and the connection between the emperor and the army was actually interrupted.

But the emperor's train was stopped on the night of March 1, only 150 miles from Petrograd. Because of this, Nikolai had to go to Pskov, where the headquarters of Ruzsky was located, under whose command the northern front was located.

Nikolay 2 talked about the current situation with Ruzsky. The emperor now began to feel with all clarity that a well-organized situation of rebellion, combined with a loss of confidence in the army in the royal power, could end in failure not only for the monarchical system, but also for the royal family itself. The king realized that, in fact, cut off from any of his allies, he must make concessions. He agrees with the idea of ​​a Responsible Ministry, which would include party representatives capable of calming the population and taking measures to prevent an acute situation. On the morning of March 2, Ruzsky, by his order, stops the suppression of the rebellion and informs Rodzianko, chairman of the provisional government, of the emperor's consent to a responsible ministry, to which Rodzianko responds with disagreement with such a decision. He made it clear that it was impossible to correct the situation with little bloodshed, and the abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne should take place, one way or another. The demands of the revolutionaries have gone far beyond the transfer of part of the power to the Responsible Ministry, and conservative, restraining measures will be absolutely useless. It was necessary to show that the country could and would develop along a different political path, and for this the autocrat had to leave the throne. Having learned about this state of affairs, the chief of staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, General Alekseev, organizes, in fact, a conspiracy. He sends out telegrams to all military commanders, in which he asks each of them to convince the emperor of his failure and surrender to the mercy of the revolutionary forces.

Under the influence of the general will, on the afternoon of March 2, the emperor decides to abdicate in favor of his son Alexei with the guardianship of Prince Michael. But the unexpected news of the court physician about the incurability of hemophilia in the heir forced Nikolai to abandon this idea. He understood that immediately after the renunciation, he would be expelled and deprived of the opportunity to be near his son. Thus, paternal feelings overpowering the sense of duty to the country became a decisive factor.

On March 3, the emperor decided for himself and his son to abdicate in favor of brother Michael. Such a decision was absolutely unlawful, but they did not challenge it, since no one doubted Michael's subsequent abdication, which happened a little later. Driven into a corner by circumstances, the Grand Duke, without realizing it, with his signature destroyed even the slightest possibility of restoring the monarchy.

The abdication of Nicholas 2 from the throne did not bring relief to the Russian people. Revolutions rarely bring happiness to ordinary people. World War I ended humiliating for Russia, and soon bloody inside the country began.