Romanov Dynasty: Tsarist Russia

• Prior to the Romanovs, Russia was politically fragmented, economically and culturally undeveloped, with chaotic internal disorder and foreign invaders.
• The house of Romanov reigned over Russia from 1613 to 1917.
• The Romanovs established the world’s largest and most powerful empire, expanding Russia’s geographic boundaries significantly.
• The Tsar's system of governance was an autocracy, where the Tsar had no legal restrictions on power.
• The Tsar maintained control through censorship, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Okhrana (secret police), and serfdom.
• Censorship included strict control of information, education, and banning western ideas.
• The Russian Orthodox Church was closely linked to the government, encouraging affirmation of the Tsar and autocracy.
• The Okhrana was the secret police used to check on opponents of Tsarist ideologies.
• Serfdom was a social system where people were the property of nobles or the Tsar, lacking personal freedom.
• Russia lagged behind the western world, and modernization became an increasing issue with each Tsar.
• Nicholas II became Tsar after Alexander III, inheriting a nation of political oppression and initially continuing similar policies.
• Russia was a vast nation encompassing a wide range of races, cultures, languages, and religions, with only half of the population being Russian.
• Cultural aspirations of non-Russian national groups were not accepted, and strict Russification was the norm, with all national groups forced to learn and operate in the Russian language.
• Russia remained a prominent agricultural society and was well behind the West in development.
• Discontent was evident in overcrowded cities.
• Russia had abundant natural resources but failed to utilize them effectively.
• More literate people began to be exposed to new ideas through the liberal press in cities.
• Russia shared borders with multiple countries and had varying relationships with other countries during the Romanov dynasty.
• Each leader dealt with foreign powers differently but clung to traditional Russian notions.
• Russia’s territorial control extended to Asia, and invested in strong economic projects such as the Trans-Siberian Railway and relations with Asian regions, which would lead to future military conflict with Japan.
• France became Russia’s main ally to protect themselves from the German empire.
• Russia and France signed the Triple Entente pact with Great Britain as ‘enemies’ of Germany, which was a leading conflict of WW1.
• Most countries disagreed with Russia’s system of government.

The Khodynka Tragedy

• During Nicholas II’s coronation, over half a million people gathered, resulting in over 1,300 deaths and thousands of injuries due to poor planning and overcrowding.
• Nicholas II’s response, continuing with the event and attending a ball, further damaged his image and led to growing public disillusionment.
• Discontent among the Russian people was widespread, with nearly every social group miserable under Nicholas II due to economic, political, and social problems.

Russian Social Hierarchy

• Ruling class: The Tsar and the monarch, members of the government, made up 0.05% of the population.
• Upper class: Nobles, wealthy landowners, church leaders, and high ranks within the army, protected from the harsh realities of Russian life.