-
Grigori Rasputin's death
In 1906, Rasputin began acting as a healer for the Tsar's son Alexei. On the 30th December 1916, Rasputin was murdered by a group of noblemen who opposed his influence over the Tsar. First, he was given cakes and wine laced with cyanide. When he failed to react to the poison, they shot him. However, he revived and attempted to escape from the palace grounds, where his assailants shot him again. Finally, they chained Rasputin, still miraculously alive, tossing him into a freezing river. -
Period: to
1917
-
Russian Worker's Strike
On 9 January, 30,000 Moscow workers went on strike in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of Bloody Sunday the failed 1905 revolution’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ (when hundreds were gunned down by the Czarist state), with 145,000 taking action in Petrograd. A one-day strike also took place in Baku, Nizhi Novgorod, Novocherkassk, Voronezh, Kharkov, Rostov-on-Don, the Donbass and other cities. -
The February Revolution begins
The February Revolution begins. The tsarist government announces food rationing, leading to panic buying in cities, where food availability is already critically low. -
Duma dissolved and innocent protesters shot
The tsar orders troops to fire on unruly protesters, dozens are killed. He also orders the Duma to be permanently dissolved, however this is ignored. -
Mutiny
On the 27th February an estimated 200,000 workers were on strike. Nicholas II, who was at Army Headquarters in Mogilev, ordered the commander of the Petrograd garrison to suppress "all the disorders on the streets of the capital". The following day troops fire on demonstrators in different parts of the city, however 2 garrisons of soldiers in Petrograd shoot their officers rather than obey orders to fire on civilians. -
The Provisional Government
On March the 1st the leaders of France and Britain saw the Provisional Government as the official government of Russia -
Abdication
The Duma's Provisional Government comitee met Nicholas II and demanded he abdicate. Nicholas, after consulting with his generals, agrees to abdicates in favour of his brother Michael. However, Nicholas’ brother refuses the throne unless it is offered to him by a constituent assembly elected by the people. This ends more than 300 years of Romanov rule. -
House Arrest
Nicholas II and his family are detained under house arrest -
Vladimir Lenin Returns
Lenin after the outbreak of the February Revolution, German authorities allowed Lenin and his lieutenants to cross Germany in a sealed railway car. Berlin hoped that the return of the anti-war Socialists to Russia would undermine the Russian war effort, which was continuing under the Provincial Government. On arrival he delivers a speech at Finland Station, which forms the basis of the April Theses.He publishes the 'April Theses', offering people: 'Peace, bread, land'. -
Russian casualties after offensive against Austro-Hungarians
On Kerensky’s orders, Russian forces begin a massive military offensive against the Austro-Hungarians in Galicia. The offensive fails, leading to 400,000 Russian casualties. -
Kornilov Affair
The affair began with Kerensky requesting that Kornilov move forces loyal to the Provisional Government into Petrograd to counter the threat of the Petrograd army garrison. Kornilov then marched on Petrograd intent on 'purging' the Provisional Government of revolutionary elements. Kerensky countered Kornilov by arming the Bolshevik-influenced Soviets, with the result that Kornilov and his closest advisers were imprisoned, and the Bolsheviks permanently armed and empowered.