-
Birth of Nicholas II
The future Tsar, Nicholas II is born. He was described as a happy baby, but was smaller and less lively than expected. Though he was healthy many predicted that he would never be able lead as well as his father, Alexander III did. -
Alexander III dies.
Nicholas II's father, Alexander the III dies. Nicholas must now ascend to the throne and rule as Tsar. Alexander is remembered as a great and ferocious leader, who ruled with an iron fist. He is famous for never having fought any wars, partially because of the peaceful climate and partially because people were too afraid to challenge him. -
Tsar Nicholas Marries
Nicholas II and Alexandra of Hesse (In Germany) marry at the Imperial chapel in the Winter Palace. He is crowned the Tsar, and she the Tsarina, which is the Tsar's female counterpart, similar to queen. Many frown on upon the fact that Alexandra is of German heritage, because Germany is a rival to Russia. -
Birth of Princesses
Olga, the first of four consecutive daughters is born. Russians see this as a bad omen, because a female child cannot inherit the throne. Alexandra seeks the help of many monks and holy men, pleading with them to pray for her to have a male child. -
Birth of Alexei
Finally, it seems that Alexandra's prayers have been answered. She is gifted with what appears to be a beautiful baby boy. However, within days of his birth, the child whom they named Alexei, begins to bleed profusely. Doctors are quick to diagnose him with hemophilia, a condition which severely reduces bloods ability to clot and stop bleeding. The conditions is life threatening, and has no cure. The Romanovs decide to keep Alexei's illness a secret from the public, but are desperate for help. -
Meeting Raputin
A relative of Alexandra's introduce's her to a strange monk who had come to St. Petersburg from the depths of Siberia. He claimed to have the ability to heal others through the power of god. She hurriedly brought him to Alexei, whose hemophilia had been acting up at the time. Rasputin uttered some prayers and incantations, and by some miracle, Alexei's bleeding later slowed and eventually stopped. By this act, Rasputin earned the eternal adoration of Alexandra and the rest of the royal family. -
The Russian Empire enters WWI
The Russian Empire enters WWI on the side of the allies. This decision is met with a wave of patriotism across the Empire as millions of men rise up to fight. At this time, the Russian Empire had by far the largest army in the world, so victory seems certain. However, the Russians are torn apart by a more advanced German army. Russia suffers 3 million casualties in the first year, partially because they lack the knowledge of effective trench building. -
Rasputin is Murdered
Rasputin is murdered by a gang of nobles lead by Prince Felix Yussupov. He is invited to Yussupov's palace for dinner, and the poisoned with enough cyanide to kill several men. However the poison appears not to affects Rasputin at all, and only angers him. He leaps at his murderers, and manages to kill one with his bare hands. The others then shoot him in the head three times, and stab him many more. However even this doesn't kill him, so they drown him in the freezing Neva river. -
Petrograd riots
Workers riot in St. Petersburg to protest the Tsarist autocracy. The St. Petersburg garrison of soldiers is called in to supress the riots, but eventually joins the rioters cause. Defenseless, Nicholas II forced to abdicate the the throne, and offers it to his brother, Michael, whom the people prefer. However, Michael declines and with no other rules, over 300 years of Romanov rule ends. -
Petrograd (St. Petersburg) Soviet takes control
A workers council called the Petrograd Soviet takes control of Russia, ousting the Provincial government that took over after the fall of the Autocracy. -
Death of the Romanovs
The entire Romanov family is brutally murdered in the basement of the Ipatiev house in Yekaterinburg, Siberia. Their murderers are Bolshevik revolutionaries, lead by Yakov Yurovsky. The Romanovs, including Anastasia and Alexei who were just children, are shot, beaten, and bayoneted to death right in front of each other. The Bolsheviks are a revolutionary political party that has a strong presence in the Petrograd Soviet. -
Rise of Lenin
Vladimir Lenin, who is a Bolshevik leader, successfully takes control of the Petrograd Soviet, and uses his newfound power to set a new government, the Soviet Union. He makes himself the Premier (leader) of the Soviet Union. One of his first acts as Premier is to enact socialism, which is a form of economy where all assets and wealth are distributed equally, and all industry is owned by the government.