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Alexander II becomes Tsar.
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Treaty of Paris ends Crimean War.
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Abolition of Serfdom
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Creation of Ministry of Finance and State Bank. Taxation collection reformed.
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Reforms in Navy and Army
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Polish Revolt, Education extended throughout country and to women. Universities given greater freedom.
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Zemstva formed as part of local govt reforms. Judiciary reformed.
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Relaxation of censorship.
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Introduction of the Duma.
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Censorship laws tightened.
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Military Service reformed. Populists begin to 'Go to the People'.
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Russo-Turkish War.
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Assassination of Alexander II.
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Creation of Peasant Land Bank.
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'Emancipation of Labour' founded by Plekhanov.
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Revival of People's Will by students of St Petersburg University.
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Abolition of Poll Tax.
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Ivan Vyshnegradsky Minister of Finance.
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Land Captains introduced.
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Widespread famine.
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Sergei Witte, Minister of Finance, introduces rapid industrialisation programme.
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Death of Alexander III; assassination of Nicholas II.
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Russia adopts Gold Standard.
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Foundation of Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party.
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Economic slump follows world-wide depression and failed harvests;agrarian and industrial unrest.
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Lenin publishes 'What is to be done?'
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Commisson on Agriculture set up.
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Union of Liberation founded by Pyotr Struve.
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Main section of Trans-Siberian Railway completed.
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Witte dismissed in reaction to unrest caused by economic slump.
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Split of Social Democrats at their Brussels Congress into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks.
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Struve initiates liberal campaign of political banquets. Minister of the Interior, Plehve, assassinated by Socialist Revolutionaries.
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War breaks out between Russia and Japan over Korea and Northern Manchuria.
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January - 'Bloody Sunday' massacre leads to revolutionary upheavals.
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August - Portsmouth (USA) Peace Treaty w/Japan.
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August - Tsar promises constitution.
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October - St Petersburg Soviet formed; Tsar authorises elections to State Duma.
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Stolypin carries through programme of agrarian reform.
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Second Duma meets and is dissolved after 4 months. Stolypin alters electoral laws.
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November - Stolypin assassinated.
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Lena Gold Fields Massacre - renewed industrial unrest.
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Fourth Duma elected.
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Germany declares war on Russia.
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Russia defeated at the battle of Tannenberg.
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Tsar assumes command of armed forces and suspends Duma.
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June-October - Brusilov Offensive produces some advances.
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Murder of Rasputin.
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January-February - Strikes and civil unrest in Petrograd.
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Formation of Petrograd Soviet.
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International Women's Day March in Petrograd turns into workers' demonstration.
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Troops refuse to fire on demonstrators and join revolutionary movement.
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First Provisional Govt. is formed.
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Tsar abdicates.
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Lenin returns and formulates his April Theses.
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3-4 - Anti-govt demonstrations in Petrograd - 'July Days'.
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27-30 - Kornilov's coup fails and Red Guards are given arms.
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September - Trotsky becomes chairman of Petrograd Soviet; Bolshevik majorities in Petrograd and Moscow soviets.
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24-25 October - Bolsheviks take over key buildings in Petrograd.
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25-27 October - Provisional Govt. members arrested; Bolshevik Coup announced at second Congress of Soviets; Congress adopts decree on peace and decree on land and appoints first Soviet govt.
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December - Establishment of the Cheka.
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January - The Constituent Assembly is forcibly dissolved.