Emperor Nicholas II By Катя Соловьева May 18, 1868 Birth May 26, 1896 Coronation of Nicholas II 1897 Monetary reform: the introduction of a gold base for coins. Period: 1897 to 1901 Construction of the China Eastern Railway Period: 1904 to 1905 Russian-Japanese War. Defeat of Russia. Period: 1905 to 1907 The first Russian revolution. Period: Jul 16, 1918 to Jul 17, 1918 Murder in Yekaterinburg of Nicholas II.