-
1855
Alexander II becomes Tsar. -
1856
Treaty of Paris ends Crimean War. -
1861
Abolition of Serfdom -
1862
Creation of Ministry of Finance and State Bank. Taxation collection reformed. -
1862-1874
Reforms in Navy and Army -
1863
Polish Revolt, Education extended throughout country and to women. Universities given greater freedom. -
1864
Zemstva formed as part of local govt reforms. Judiciary reformed. -
1865
Relaxation of censorship. -
1870
Introduction of the Duma. -
1873
Censorship laws tightened. -
1874
Military Service reformed. Populists begin to 'Go to the People'. -
1877-1878
Russo-Turkish War. -
1881
Assassination of Alexander II. -
1883
Creation of Peasant Land Bank. -
1883
'Emancipation of Labour' founded by Plekhanov. -
1886
Revival of People's Will by students of St Petersburg University. -
1886
Abolition of Poll Tax. -
1887-1892
Ivan Vyshnegradsky Minister of Finance. -
1889
Land Captains introduced. -
1891-1902
Widespread famine. -
1892-1903
Sergei Witte, Minister of Finance, introduces rapid industrialisation programme. -
1894
Death of Alexander III; assassination of Nicholas II. -
1897
Russia adopts Gold Standard. -
1898
Foundation of Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party. -
1901-1905
Economic slump follows world-wide depression and failed harvests;agrarian and industrial unrest. -
1901
Lenin publishes 'What is to be done?' -
1902
Commisson on Agriculture set up. -
1903
Union of Liberation founded by Pyotr Struve. -
1903
Main section of Trans-Siberian Railway completed. -
1903
Witte dismissed in reaction to unrest caused by economic slump. -
1903
Split of Social Democrats at their Brussels Congress into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. -
1904
Struve initiates liberal campaign of political banquets. Minister of the Interior, Plehve, assassinated by Socialist Revolutionaries. -
1904
War breaks out between Russia and Japan over Korea and Northern Manchuria. -
1905
January - 'Bloody Sunday' massacre leads to revolutionary upheavals. -
1905
August - Portsmouth (USA) Peace Treaty w/Japan. -
1905
August - Tsar promises constitution. -
1905
October - St Petersburg Soviet formed; Tsar authorises elections to State Duma. -
1906-1911
Stolypin carries through programme of agrarian reform. -
1907
Second Duma meets and is dissolved after 4 months. Stolypin alters electoral laws. -
1911
November - Stolypin assassinated. -
1912
Lena Gold Fields Massacre - renewed industrial unrest. -
1912
Fourth Duma elected. -
1914
Germany declares war on Russia. -
1914
Russia defeated at the battle of Tannenberg. -
1915
Tsar assumes command of armed forces and suspends Duma. -
1916
June-October - Brusilov Offensive produces some advances. -
1916
Murder of Rasputin. -
1917
January-February - Strikes and civil unrest in Petrograd. -
1917
Formation of Petrograd Soviet. -
1917
International Women's Day March in Petrograd turns into workers' demonstration. -
1917
Troops refuse to fire on demonstrators and join revolutionary movement. -
1917
First Provisional Govt. is formed. -
1917
Tsar abdicates. -
1917
Lenin returns and formulates his April Theses. -
1917
3-4 - Anti-govt demonstrations in Petrograd - 'July Days'. -
1917
27-30 - Kornilov's coup fails and Red Guards are given arms. -
1917
September - Trotsky becomes chairman of Petrograd Soviet; Bolshevik majorities in Petrograd and Moscow soviets. -
1917
24-25 October - Bolsheviks take over key buildings in Petrograd. -
1917
25-27 October - Provisional Govt. members arrested; Bolshevik Coup announced at second Congress of Soviets; Congress adopts decree on peace and decree on land and appoints first Soviet govt. -
1917
December - Establishment of the Cheka. -
1918
January - The Constituent Assembly is forcibly dissolved.