Question 1

Why did Tsar Nicholas II abdicate in 1917?

Accepted Answer

Nicholas II abdicated because the February Revolution made it impossible for him to continue ruling. Massive strikes and protests in Petrograd, caused by food shortages and war fatigue, forced him to abdicate after his generals advised him that the army could no longer be relied upon. He hoped his brother Grand Duke Michael would take over, but Michael refused, ending the Romanov dynasty.

Question 2

What was the role of Rasputin in the fall of the Tsar?

Accepted Answer

Rasputin, a mystic healer, gained enormous influence over Tsarina Alexandra because he seemed to help her haemophiliac son, Alexei. During WWI, when Nicholas was at the front, Rasputin effectively controlled government appointments, leading to corruption and incompetence. His scandalous behaviour and rumoured affair with the Tsarina deeply damaged the monarchy's reputation, making the Tsar appear weak and out of touch.

Question 3

How did World War I cause the Russian Revolution?

Accepted Answer

WWI was the immediate cause of the February Revolution. Russia suffered huge military defeats (e.g., Tannenberg), leading to over 4 million casualties by 1917. The war caused severe food and fuel shortages in cities, hyperinflation, and a breakdown of transport. The Tsar's decision to take personal command of the army in 1915 made him personally blamed for failures, while the Duma and generals lost confidence in him.

Question 4

What was the February Revolution of 1917?

Accepted Answer

The February Revolution was a series of spontaneous protests and strikes in Petrograd (now St Petersburg) from 23–27 February 1917 (according to the old Russian calendar). It began with International Women's Day protests over bread shortages, then grew into a general strike. Soldiers refused to fire on protesters and joined them. The Duma formed a Provisional Government, and on 2 March, Nicholas II abdicated, ending Tsardom.

Question 5

Was the end of Tsardom inevitable?

Accepted Answer

Historians debate this. Some argue that long-term problems like autocracy, social inequality, and the failure of reforms made collapse likely. Others say that without WWI, the Tsar might have survived, as the 1905 Revolution was suppressed. However, Nicholas II's stubborn refusal to share power and his poor leadership during the war made revolution almost certain by 1917. The war acted as a catalyst that accelerated existing tensions.

Question 6

What happened to the Tsar and his family after his abdication?

Accepted Answer

After abdicating, Nicholas II and his family were placed under house arrest by the Provisional Government. They were moved to Tobolsk in Siberia, then to Yekaterinburg. During the Russian Civil War, as anti-Bolshevik forces approached, the Bolsheviks executed the entire family on the night of 16–17 July 1918 to prevent them from becoming a symbol for the Whites. Their deaths marked the final end of the Romanov dynasty.

The end of Tsardom

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