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The Great Northern War
The Great Northern War, which lasted from 1700-1721, was fought between Russia and Sweden. The war had a distinct number of phases; 1700 to 1706, 1707 to 1709, 1709 to 1714, 1714 to 1718, and 1718 to 1721. In the end, Sweden's supremacy as the leading power in the Baltic region was replaced by Russia. -
Decembrist Revolt
On December 14, 1825, the military forces of Nicholas I was to swear allegiance to the new Czar. Many rebels, including military officials, wanted Russia in a free state, and were determined to let said fact be known. During the ceremony, nearly 3,000 men began open revolt against the Czar. After unsuccessful attempts to calm down the crowd, Nicholas ordered open fire. -
Czar Alexander II Emancipates the Serfs
In 1861, Alexander II abolished serfdom in Russia. HIs reasoning was that he was unable to save Russia from military failure, so he figured that his nation was to have stability and peace at home and be honoured abroad, military and domestic reforms were vitally necessary, and the first step to this was abolishing serfdom. -
The Assassination of Czar Alexander II
Czar Alexander II, the ruler of Russia since 1855, is killed in the streets of St. Petersburg by a bomb thrown by a member of the revolutionary "People's Will" group. -
The Russo-Japanese War
This war, which lasted from February 8, 1904 to September 5, 1905, began with the Japanese naval attack on Port Arthur. It started due to the determination of both countries to spead their influence to the far east, mainly at the expense of China. For Russia this meant the acquisition of an ice-free naval base in the Far East to supplement Vladivostok. -
Bloody Sunday
On January 22, 1905, a group of protesters marched to the czar's winter palace in St. Petersburg to demand the right of free speech. Nicholas II, the czar at the time, gave orders to fire upon the crowd. Killing hundreds, this fateful event earned the czar the nickname "Bloody Nicholas". -
The Revolution of 1905
Sparked by Bloody Sunday, a massive strike began on October 7, 1905, and lasted to October 17, 1905. After returning to Russia from a trip to the United States, the czar (Nicholas II) issued the October Manifest. The manifesto, like the previous constitution, granted basic civil rights and liberties to Russian citizens. -
World War I
Military disasters at the Masurian Lakes and Tannenburg greatly weakened the Russian Army in the initial phases of the war. Russia started supporting Nicholas II. The czar had a vision of leading the military, so he spend most of his time at the Eastern Front. -
The March Revolution
The Duma disobeyed czar Nicholas II. This is considered the first act of the Russian revolution. The Duma decided to form a temporary government (the Provisional Government) to take the place of the czar. -
Czar Nicholas II Abdicates the Russian Throne
Nicholas II was forced to give up the throne after the Russian Revolution of 1905, which the czar diffused only after signing a manifesto promising representative government and basic civil liberties in Russia.
