End of Imperial Russia
During World War One, the 304 year Romanov Dynasty ruling Russia ended with the abdication of Nicolas II and the massacre of the Imperial Family.
The Russian Imperial Dynasty was the richest in the world and ruled the large Russian homeland, stretching from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. The Russian Aristocrats and upper class held all the nations wealth and the poor just kept getting poorer. Over the years the Russian Imperial Family didn't know of the needs of their people and what atrocities were occurring. Many didn't like the Emperor (Nicholas II) as many saw him as a weak ruler who didn't have the intelligence and strength to rule.
The February Revolution of 1917 resulted in the abdication of Nicholas II in favour of Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich. The latter declined the Imperial authority and gave power to a Provisional Government pending a future referendum. After the February Revolution, Nicholas II and his family were imprisoned in the Alexander Palace while many other members of the Imperial Family made good relations with the interim government and fled during the October Revolution. Many went to the Crimea and stayed at their country residences.
On July 17th 1918, Bolshevik authorities acting on orders from Yakov Sverdlov in Moscow and locally by Filip Goloschekin and Yakov Yurosky shot Nicholas II, his immediate family and four servants in the cellar of Ipatiev House in Yekaterinberg, Russia. The family believed they were being photographed to prove they were alive but were shot by a line of gunmen. The girls didn't die at first as jewels were sown into their clothing which caused the bullets to rebound. The girls couldn't be stabbed because of the jewels and were eventually shot in the head at close range.
The next day Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich of Russia, Prince Ioann Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Igor Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Vladimir Pavlovich of Russia, Grand Duke Sergei's secretary Varvara Yakovleva, and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna were also executed by the Bolsheviks. In January 1919, Prince Dmitriy Konstantinovich, Prince Nikolai Mikailovich, Prince Pavel Aleksandrovich and Prince Georgiy Mikhailovich were also executed at the prison of Sts. Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd.
Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna escaped death when she travelled to the Crimea with other members of the Romanov Family where she stayed at one of her residences. Born Dagmar of Denmark, The Dowager Empress wouldn't leave Russia, her people and her family, believing that her son was not dead but was exiled and hidden by the Bolsheviks. But in 1919 after the constant nagging of her sister Dowager Queen Alexandra, The Dowager Empress decided to leave the Crimea. King George V sent HMS Marlborough to collect his aunt and the rest of the Romanov family with her. As the Dowager Empress sailed off into the Black Sea, Imperial soldiers recognised her and sang the Imperialist anthem.
Many members settled in London and Paris, with the Dowager Empress first going to London living at Marlborough House and Sandringham Houae and then living in Denmark firstly at Amalienborg Palace and then at Hvidore. She died after Dowager Queen Alexandra on 28th October 1928 never believing her son was killed.
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (The Grand Duchess Vladimir) was the last to escape revolutionary Russia. She stayed longer as she hoped her son Kirill Vladimirovich would be made Tsar. When she left for Venice on 13th February 1920 and kept up a high class style of splendour. She died later on the 6th September at her villa in France surrounded by her children. Her famous jewel collection which was smuggled out of Russia was split between her children and all of it was sold so they could survive financially.
The Romanov properties in Russia were confiscated by the Russian state and all major jewels and artworks were sold to fund the bankrupt communist regime. Only the Imperial Crown Jewels survived (with the exception of the Empress' crown) along with artworks deemed crucial by the state for culture. After the dissolution of the U.S.S.R and end of Russian communist domination of politics, the government tried to retrieve many pieces of art and antiques lost during the revolution.
In 1998, scientists proved that bodies found were of Nicholas and his family (except Alexei and one daughter). 80 years after their execution they were interned in the St Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
In 2000, Emperor Nicholas II and his immediate family were canonised as passion bearers in the Russian Orthodox religion. This caused controversy as many believed Nicholas was a cause of the Bolshevik uprising and his weakness caused the February and October Revolutions.
The Russian Imperial Dynasty was the richest in the world and ruled the large Russian homeland, stretching from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. The Russian Aristocrats and upper class held all the nations wealth and the poor just kept getting poorer. Over the years the Russian Imperial Family didn't know of the needs of their people and what atrocities were occurring. Many didn't like the Emperor (Nicholas II) as many saw him as a weak ruler who didn't have the intelligence and strength to rule.
The February Revolution of 1917 resulted in the abdication of Nicholas II in favour of Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich. The latter declined the Imperial authority and gave power to a Provisional Government pending a future referendum. After the February Revolution, Nicholas II and his family were imprisoned in the Alexander Palace while many other members of the Imperial Family made good relations with the interim government and fled during the October Revolution. Many went to the Crimea and stayed at their country residences.
On July 17th 1918, Bolshevik authorities acting on orders from Yakov Sverdlov in Moscow and locally by Filip Goloschekin and Yakov Yurosky shot Nicholas II, his immediate family and four servants in the cellar of Ipatiev House in Yekaterinberg, Russia. The family believed they were being photographed to prove they were alive but were shot by a line of gunmen. The girls didn't die at first as jewels were sown into their clothing which caused the bullets to rebound. The girls couldn't be stabbed because of the jewels and were eventually shot in the head at close range.
The next day Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich of Russia, Prince Ioann Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Igor Konstantinovich of Russia, Prince Vladimir Pavlovich of Russia, Grand Duke Sergei's secretary Varvara Yakovleva, and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna were also executed by the Bolsheviks. In January 1919, Prince Dmitriy Konstantinovich, Prince Nikolai Mikailovich, Prince Pavel Aleksandrovich and Prince Georgiy Mikhailovich were also executed at the prison of Sts. Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd.
Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna escaped death when she travelled to the Crimea with other members of the Romanov Family where she stayed at one of her residences. Born Dagmar of Denmark, The Dowager Empress wouldn't leave Russia, her people and her family, believing that her son was not dead but was exiled and hidden by the Bolsheviks. But in 1919 after the constant nagging of her sister Dowager Queen Alexandra, The Dowager Empress decided to leave the Crimea. King George V sent HMS Marlborough to collect his aunt and the rest of the Romanov family with her. As the Dowager Empress sailed off into the Black Sea, Imperial soldiers recognised her and sang the Imperialist anthem.
Many members settled in London and Paris, with the Dowager Empress first going to London living at Marlborough House and Sandringham Houae and then living in Denmark firstly at Amalienborg Palace and then at Hvidore. She died after Dowager Queen Alexandra on 28th October 1928 never believing her son was killed.
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (The Grand Duchess Vladimir) was the last to escape revolutionary Russia. She stayed longer as she hoped her son Kirill Vladimirovich would be made Tsar. When she left for Venice on 13th February 1920 and kept up a high class style of splendour. She died later on the 6th September at her villa in France surrounded by her children. Her famous jewel collection which was smuggled out of Russia was split between her children and all of it was sold so they could survive financially.
The Romanov properties in Russia were confiscated by the Russian state and all major jewels and artworks were sold to fund the bankrupt communist regime. Only the Imperial Crown Jewels survived (with the exception of the Empress' crown) along with artworks deemed crucial by the state for culture. After the dissolution of the U.S.S.R and end of Russian communist domination of politics, the government tried to retrieve many pieces of art and antiques lost during the revolution.
In 1998, scientists proved that bodies found were of Nicholas and his family (except Alexei and one daughter). 80 years after their execution they were interned in the St Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
In 2000, Emperor Nicholas II and his immediate family were canonised as passion bearers in the Russian Orthodox religion. This caused controversy as many believed Nicholas was a cause of the Bolshevik uprising and his weakness caused the February and October Revolutions.