Nicholas and Alexandra

Nicholas and Alexandra

1971

658800 minute

Nicholas II, the last Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, reigned from 1894 to 1917, a period marked by increasing corruption, oppression, and widespread poverty within the Russian Empire. His reign witnessed growing discontent among the peasantry, industrial workers, and intellectuals, fueled by harsh working conditions, land shortages, and a lack of political representation. Nicholas II, a generally weak and indecisive leader, clung to autocratic rule, resisting calls for reform and modernization. His reliance on a corrupt and ineffective bureaucracy further exacerbated the problems. His marriage to Alexandra Feodorovna, a German princess, alienated some segments of the population. Alexandra's strong influence over Nicholas, particularly her reliance on the mystic Grigori Rasputin, further eroded public trust. Bloody Sunday (1905), in which peaceful protesters were shot by the Tsar's troops, marked a turning point, revealing the regime's brutality and fueling revolutionary sentiment. World War I proved catastrophic for the Romanov dynasty. Military defeats, coupled with food shortages and economic collapse, intensified public anger. The February Revolution of 1917 forced Nicholas II to abdicate, ending centuries of Romanov rule. He and his family were subsequently imprisoned and executed by the Bolsheviks in July 1918.