On October 20, 1894, according to the Julian calendar then used in the Russian Empire, 26-year-old Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov ascends the throne after the death of his father Alexander III in Livadia. The date is November 1 in the Gregorian calendar. Thus, Nicholas II becomes the last Russian emperor.
The new monarch assumes the title of Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland. His accession was announced in a manifesto issued in Livadia. In it, Nicholas II describes the moment as “sorrowful but solemn“ and promises to dedicate his reign to “peaceful progress, might, and glory“ of Russia, as well as the happiness of his subjects.
A young ruler at the head of the empire
Nicholas II inherited a vast state in which autocracy remained the basis of the political order. His preparation for government was limited compared to the scale of the task he took on. After the death of his father, he faced growing social tensions, industrialization, and pressure for political change.
Shortly after his accession, Nicholas II married Princess Alice of Hesse, who took the name Alexandra Feodorovna. They had five children. Their official coronation took place in Moscow on May 26, 1896, according to the new style.
Wars, revolutions, and retreat
The first years of his reign were marked by Russia's attempt to expand its influence in the Far East. The defeat in the war with Japan in 1904–1905 deepened discontent in the empire and contributed to the revolution of 1905.
After mass protests and strikes, Nicholas II signed the October Manifesto, which promised civil liberties and the creation of a representative legislative body – the State Duma. However, the emperor retained significant powers, and relations between the palace and the Duma remained tense.
In 1914, Russia entered World War I. Military defeats, economic difficulties, and food shortages accelerated the crisis of the monarchy. In March 1917, Nicholas II abdicated, ending the Romanov rule that had begun more than three centuries earlier.
The former emperor, his wife, their five children, and part of the servants were moved to Yekaterinburg. There the family was murdered on the night of July 17, 1918. Nicholas II remains in history both as the last ruler of the Russian Empire and as a monarch whose reign ended with a revolutionary collapse and the liquidation of imperial power.
Sources: history.com, encyclopedia.com