Results of the reign of Nicholas II (statistics of D.I. Mendeleev and others). Historical portrait of Nicholas II National policy Nicholas 2 pros and cons

NICHOLAY II Alexandrovich, the last Russian emperor (1894-1917), eldest son of Emperor Alexander III Alexandrovich and Empress Maria Feodorovna, honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1876).

His reign coincided with the rapid industrial and economic development of the country. Under Nicholas II, Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, which was one of the reasons for the Revolution of 1905-1907, during which the Manifesto of October 17, 1905 was adopted, which allowed the creation of political parties and established the State Duma; The Stolypin agrarian reform began to be implemented. In 1907, Russia became a member of the Entente, as part of which it entered the First World War. Since August (September 5), 1915, Supreme Commander-in-Chief. During the February Revolution of 1917, on March 2 (15), he abdicated the throne. Shot along with his family. In 2000 he was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Childhood. Education

Nikolai's regular homework began when he was 8 years old. The curriculum included an eight-year general education course and a five-year course in higher sciences. It was based on a modified classical gymnasium program; Instead of Latin and Greek, mineralogy, botany, zoology, anatomy and physiology were studied. Courses in history, Russian literature and foreign languages were expanded. The cycle of higher education included political economy, law and military affairs (military jurisprudence, strategy, military geography, service of the General Staff). Classes in vaulting, fencing, drawing, and music were also conducted. Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna themselves selected teachers and mentors. Among them were scientists, statesmen and military figures: K. P. Pobedonostsev, N. Kh. Bunge, M. I. Dragomirov, N. N. Obruchev, A. R. Drenteln, N. K. Girs.

Carier start

From an early age, Nikolai felt a craving for military affairs: he knew the traditions of the officer environment and military regulations perfectly, in relation to the soldiers he felt like a patron-mentor and did not shy away from communicating with them, and resignedly endured the inconveniences of army everyday life at camp gatherings or maneuvers.

Immediately after his birth, he was enrolled in the lists of several guards regiments and appointed chief of the 65th Moscow Infantry Regiment. At the age of five he was appointed chief of the Life Guards of the Reserve Infantry Regiment, and in 1875 he was enlisted in the Erivan Life Guards Regiment. In December 1875 he received his first military rank - ensign, and in 1880 he was promoted to second lieutenant, and 4 years later he became a lieutenant.

In 1884, Nikolai entered active military service, in July 1887 he began regular military service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment and was promoted to staff captain; in 1891 Nikolai received the rank of captain, and a year later - colonel.

On the throne

On October 20, 1894, at the age of 26, he accepted the crown in Moscow under the name of Nicholas II. On May 18, 1896, during the coronation celebrations, tragic events occurred on Khodynskoye Field (in the northwestern part of Moscow, at the beginning of modern Leningradsky Prospekt) during the distribution of royal gifts on the occasion of the coronation of Nicholas II. Due to the negligence of the authorities, a stampede occurred; According to official data, 1,389 people were killed and 1,300 were maimed.

His reign occurred during a period of sharp aggravation of the political struggle in the country, as well as the foreign policy situation (Russian-Japanese War of 1904-05; Bloody Sunday; Revolution of 1905-07 in Russia; World War I; February Revolution of 1917).

During the reign of Nicholas, Russia turned into an agrarian-industrial country, cities grew, railways and industrial enterprises were built. Nicholas supported decisions aimed at the economic and social modernization of the country: the introduction of gold circulation of the ruble, Stolypin's agrarian reform, laws on workers' insurance, universal primary education, and religious tolerance.

Not being a reformer by nature, Nikolai was forced to make important decisions that did not correspond to his inner convictions. He believed that in Russia the time had not yet come for a constitution, freedom of speech, and universal suffrage. However, when a strong social movement in favor of political change arose, he signed the Manifesto on October 17, 1905, proclaiming democratic freedoms.

In 1906, the State Duma, established by the Tsar's manifesto, began to work. For the first time in Russian history, the emperor began to rule with a representative body elected by the population. Russia gradually began to transform into a constitutional monarchy. But, despite this, the emperor still had enormous power functions: he had the right to issue laws (in the form of decrees); appoint a prime minister and ministers accountable only to him; determine the course of foreign policy; was the head of the army, court and earthly patron of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Personality of Nicholas II

The personality of Nicholas II, the main traits of his character, advantages and disadvantages caused conflicting assessments of his contemporaries. Many noted “weak will” as the dominant feature of his personality, although there is a lot of evidence that the tsar was distinguished by a persistent desire to implement his intentions, often reaching the point of stubbornness (only once was someone else’s will imposed on him - Manifesto of October 17, 1905). Unlike his father Alexander III, Nicholas did not give the impression of a strong personality. At the same time, according to the reviews of people who knew him closely, he had exceptional self-control, which was sometimes perceived as indifference to the fate of the country and people (for example, he met the news of the fall of Port Arthur or the defeats of the Russian army during the First World War with composure, striking the royal entourage). In dealing with state affairs, the tsar showed “extraordinary perseverance” and accuracy (he, for example, never had a personal secretary and himself stamped letters), although in general the rule of a huge empire was a “heavy burden” for him. Contemporaries noted that Nikolai had a tenacious memory, keen powers of observation, and was a modest, friendly and sensitive person. At the same time, most of all he valued his peace, habits, health and especially the well-being of his family.

Emperor's family

Nicholas's support was his family. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (nee Princess Alice of Hesse-Darmstadt) was not only a wife for the Tsar, but also a friend and adviser. The habits, ideas and cultural interests of the spouses largely coincided. They got married on November 14, 1894. They had five children: Olga (1895-1918), Tatiana (1897-1918), Maria (1899-1918), Anastasia (1901-1918), Alexey (1904-1918).

The fatal drama of the royal family was associated with the incurable illness of Alexei's son - hemophilia (incoagulability of blood). The illness led to the appearance in the royal house of Grigory Rasputin, who, even before meeting the crowned kings, became famous for his gift of foresight and healing; he repeatedly helped Alexei overcome attacks of illness.

World War I

The turning point in the fate of Nicholas was 1914 - the beginning of the First World War. The tsar did not want war and until the very last moment tried to avoid a bloody conflict. However, on July 19 (August 1), 1914, Germany declared war on Russia.

In August (September 5) 1915, during a period of military failures, Nicholas took over military command [previously this position was held by Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich (the Younger)]. Now the tsar visited the capital only occasionally, and spent most of his time at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in Mogilev.

The war exacerbated the country's internal problems. The tsar and his entourage began to be held primarily responsible for military failures and the protracted military campaign. Allegations spread that there was “treason in the government.” At the beginning of 1917, the high military command led by the Tsar (together with allies - England and France) prepared a plan for a general offensive, according to which it was planned to end the war by the summer of 1917.

Abdication of the throne. Execution of the royal family

At the end of February 1917, unrest began in Petrograd, which, without encountering serious opposition from the authorities, a few days later grew into mass protests against the government and the dynasty. Initially, the tsar intended to restore order in Petrograd by force, but when the scale of the unrest became clear, he abandoned this idea, fearing much bloodshed. Some high-ranking military officials, members of the imperial retinue and political figures convinced the king that in order to pacify the country, a change in government was required, his abdication of the throne was necessary. On March 2, 1917, in Pskov, in the lounge carriage of the imperial train, after painful deliberation, Nicholas signed an act of abdication, transferring power to his brother Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who did not accept the crown.

On March 9, Nicholas and the royal family were arrested. For the first five months they were under guard in Tsarskoe Selo; in August 1917 they were transported to Tobolsk. In April 1918, the Bolsheviks transferred the Romanovs to Yekaterinburg. On the night of July 17, 1918, in the center of Yekaterinburg, in the basement of the Ipatiev house, where the prisoners were imprisoned, Nicholas, the queen, five of their children and several close associates (11 people in total) were shot without trial or investigation. Canonized together with his family by the Russian Church Abroad.

The growth of agriculture, ridding the country of hunger;
Growth of economy, industry and culture;
Growing tension in domestic politics, which led to revolution and a change in the government system.

With the death of Nicholas 2 came the end of the Russian Empire and the monarchy in Russia.

The aggravation of contradictions within the country and the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War led to a serious political crisis. The authorities were unable to change the situation. Causes of the revolution of 1905 - 1907:

the reluctance of the highest authorities to carry out liberal reforms, the projects of which were prepared by Witte, Svyatopolk-Mirsky and others;
the lack of any rights and the miserable existence of the peasant population, which made up more than 70% of the country's population (agrarian question);
lack of social guarantees and civil rights for the working class, the policy of non-interference by the state in the relationship between entrepreneur and worker (labor issue);
the policy of forced Russification in relation to non-Russian peoples, who at that time made up up to 57% of the country's population (national question);
unsuccessful development of the situation on the Russian-Japanese front.

The first Russian revolution 1905 – 1907 was provoked by the events that took place in early January 1905 in St. Petersburg. Here are the main stages of the revolution.

Winter 1905 – autumn 1905. The shooting of a peaceful demonstration on January 9, 1905, called “Bloody Sunday,” led to the start of worker strikes in almost all regions of the country. There were also unrest in the army and navy. One of the important episodes of the first Russian revolution of 1905 - 1907. There was a mutiny on the cruiser "Prince Potemkin Tauride", which occurred on June 14, 1905. During the same period, the workers' movement intensified, and the peasant movement became more active.
Autumn 1905 This period is the highest point of the revolution. The All-Russian October strike, started by the printers' trade union, was supported by many other trade unions. The Tsar issues a manifesto on the granting of political freedoms and the creation of the State Duma as a legislative body. After Nicholas 2 granted the rights to freedom of assembly, speech, conscience, the press, the Union of October 17 and the Constitutional Democratic Party, as well as the Socialist Revolutionaries and Mensheviks, announced the end of the revolution.
December 1905 The radical wing of the RSDLP supports an armed uprising in Moscow. There are fierce barricade battles on the streets (Presnya). On December 11, the regulations on elections to the 1st State Duma are published.
1906 - first half of 1907 Decline in revolutionary activity. Start of work of the 1st State Duma (with a Cadet majority). In February 1907, the 2nd State Duma was convened (left-wing in its composition), but after 3 months it was dissolved. During this period, strikes and strikes continued, but gradually the government's control over the country was restored.

The result of the revolution of 1905 - 1907, which was bourgeois-democratic in nature, was a number of serious transformations, such as the formation of the State Duma. Political parties received the right to act legally. The situation of the peasants improved, since redemption payments were canceled, and they were also granted the right to free movement and choice of place of residence. But they did not receive ownership of the land. Workers won the right to legally form trade unions, and the working hours in factories were reduced. Some workers received voting rights. National policies have become more lenient. However, the most important significance of the revolution of 1905 - 1907. is to change the worldview of people, which paved the way for further revolutionary changes in the country.

The first semblance of parliament in Russia were legislative bodies - the Boyar Duma of the 16th-17th centuries, the council of associates of Peter I, the “circle of young friends of the emperor” under Alexander I.

As a result of the zemstvo reform of Alexander II, unique provincial parliaments-zemstvos appeared, which had legislative deliberative rights. But the emperor was categorically against the creation of an all-Russian zemstvo, seeing this as a limitation of the principles of autocracy.

However, due to the intensification of terror, Alexander II, who believed that the zemstvos were loyal to state power, issued an order to join the assembly of zemstvo representatives to the State Council.

This meeting was supposed to have only a legislative character, but later it could become a full-fledged parliament. The plans were interrupted by the assassination of Alexander II in March 1881.

The next emperor, Alexander III, pursued a policy of counter-reforms in order to strengthen the autocracy.

Nicholas II, who came to power in 1894, continued his father’s policies.

However, in January-February 1905, the first Russian revolution began in Russia (1905-1907). It demonstrated that the autocratic period in the history of the Russian state is ending and the period of practical constitutionalization and parliamentarization of the country begins.

The first, at first moderate, steps towards parliamentarization were associated with the adoption by Nicholas II of documents dated August 6, 1905: “The Highest Manifesto on the Establishment of the State Duma”, “The Law on the Establishment of the State Duma” and “Regulations on Elections to the State Duma”.

However, these acts established the status of the State Duma as a legislative advisory body under the monarch.

In addition, the documents of August 6, 1905 on the elections contained a lot of restrictions and qualification requirements that prevented wide circles of Russian society from taking part in the work of even such a powerless Duma.

The State Council was supposed to function in tandem with the State Duma. The status of a legislative body under the monarch was given to the State Council at the time of its creation - in 1810. The manifesto of August 6, 1905 only confirmed this status.

The starting point for the formation of parliamentarism in Russia was the Highest Manifesto, signed by Tsar Nicholas II on October 17, 1905, “On the improvement of the state order” and a whole series of acts developing the provisions of the Manifesto and also approved by the emperor’s decrees, issued in 1905-1906: Decree of 11 December 1905 “On amending the Regulations on elections to the State Duma (dated August 6, 1905) and the legislation issued in addition to it,” Manifesto of February 20, 1906 “On amending the establishment of the State Council and revising the establishment of the State Duma” , Decree of February 20, 1906 “Establishment of the State Duma” (new edition), etc.

The Manifesto of October 17, 1905 occupies a special place among these documents. It said: “To establish as an unshakable rule that no law can take effect without the approval of the State Duma, and that those elected by the people are provided with the opportunity to truly participate in monitoring the regularity of the actions of the authorities appointed by us.”

This meant that the State Duma was transformed from a legislative body into a legislative body. The rights in legislative activities of not only the State Duma, but also the State Council were expanded. He, like the State Duma, was also endowed with legislative, rather than advisory, powers.

Under the authoritarian regime that existed in Russia, when all fateful decisions for the country were made exclusively by the emperor, no reforms could be carried out without his consent and approval. In a crisis situation requiring the adoption of quick, energetic and effective measures to save the monarchy and the country, a leader like P. A. Stolypin was needed. A talented, proactive and fairly independent administrator who proposed a comprehensive program of state and economic reforms became no longer needed by the monarch as soon as the situation in Russia stabilized somewhat. Moreover, this stabilization was achieved largely thanks to the efforts of the same P. A. Stolypin.

It’s no longer a secret that the history of Russia is distorted. This especially applies to the great people of our country. Which are presented to us in the image of tyrants, crazy or weak-willed people. One of the most slandered rulers is Nicholas II.

However, if we look at the numbers, we will be convinced that much of what we know about the last king is a lie.

In 1894, at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, Russia had 122 million inhabitants. 20 years later, on the eve of the 1st World War, its population increased by more than 50 million; Thus, in Tsarist Russia the population increased by 2,400,000 per year. If the revolution had not happened in 1917, by 1959 its population would have reached 275,000,000.

Unlike modern democracies, Imperial Russia based its policy not only on deficit-free budgets, but also on the principle of significant accumulation of gold reserves. Despite this, state revenues grew steadily from 1,410,000,000 rubles in 1897, without the slightest increase in the tax burden, while state expenditures remained more or less at the same level.

Over the last 10 years before the First World War, the excess of state revenues over expenses amounted to 2,400,000,000 rubles. This figure seems all the more impressive since during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, railway tariffs were lowered and redemption payments for lands transferred to the peasants from their former landowners in 1861 were abolished, and in 1914, with the outbreak of the war, all types of drinking taxes were abolished.

During the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, by law of 1896, a gold currency was introduced in Russia, and the State Bank was authorized to issue 300,000,000 rubles in credit notes not backed by gold reserves. But the government not only never took advantage of this right, but, on the contrary, ensured paper circulation of gold cash by more than 100%, namely: by the end of July 1914, bank notes were in circulation in the amount of 1,633,000,000 rubles, while the gold reserve in Russia it was equal to 1,604,000,000 rubles, and in foreign banks 141,000,000 rubles.

The stability of monetary circulation was such that even during the Russo-Japanese War, which was accompanied by widespread revolutionary unrest within the country, the exchange of banknotes for gold was not suspended.

In Russia, taxes, before the First World War, were the lowest in the whole world.

The burden of direct taxes in Russia was almost four times less than in France, more than 4 times less than in Germany and 8.5 times less than in England. The burden of indirect taxes in Russia was on average half as much as in Austria, France, Germany and England.

The total amount of taxes per capita in Russia was more than half as much as in Austria, France and Germany and more than four times less than in England.

Between 1890 and 1913 Russian industry quadrupled its productivity. Its income not only almost equaled the income received from agriculture, but goods covered almost 4/5 of the domestic demand for manufactured goods.

Over the last four years before the First World War, the number of newly founded joint-stock companies increased by 132%, and the capital invested in them almost quadrupled.

In 1914, the State Savings Bank had deposits worth 2,236,000,000 rubles.

The amount of deposits and equity capital in small credit institutions (on a cooperative basis) was about 70,000,000 rubles in 1894; in 1913 - about 620,000,000 rubles (an increase of 800%), and by January 1, 1917 - 1,200,000,000 rubles.

On the eve of the revolution, Russian agriculture was in full bloom. During the two decades preceding the 1914-18 war, the grain harvest doubled. In 1913, the harvest of major cereals in Russia was 1/3 higher than that of Argentina, Canada and the United States. States combined.

During the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, Russia was the main breadwinner of Western Europe.

Russia supplied 50% of the world's egg imports.

During the same period of time, sugar consumption per inhabitant increased from 4 to 9 kg. in year.

On the eve of World War I, Russia produced 80% of the world's flax production.

Thanks to extensive irrigation work in Turkestan, undertaken during the reign of Emperor Alexander III, the cotton harvest in 1913 covered all the annual needs of the Russian textile industry. The latter doubled its production between 1894 and 1911.

The railway network in Russia covered 74,000 versts (one verst equals 1,067 km), of which the Great Siberian Road (8,000 versts) was the longest in the world.

In 1916, i.e. at the height of the war, more than 2,000 miles of railways were built, which connected the Arctic Ocean (port of Romanovsk) with the center of Russia.

In Tsarist Russia in the period from 1880 to 1917, i.e. in 37 years, 58,251 km were built. For 38 years of Soviet power, i.e. by the end of 1956, only 36,250 km had been built. expensive

On the eve of the war of 1914-18. the net income of the state railways covered 83% of the annual interest and amortization of the public debt. In other words, the payment of debts, both internal and external, was ensured in a proportion of more than 4/5 by the income alone that the Russian state received from the operation of its railways.

It should be added that Russian railways, compared to others, were the cheapest and most comfortable in the world for passengers.

Industrial development in the Russian Empire was naturally accompanied by a significant increase in the number of factory workers, whose economic well-being, as well as the protection of their lives and health, were the subject of special concerns of the Imperial Government.

It should be noted that it was in Imperial Russia, and moreover in the 18th century, during the reign of Empress Catherine II (1762-1796), for the first time in the whole world, laws were issued regarding working conditions: the work of women and children in factories was prohibited a 10-hour working day was established, etc. It is characteristic that the code of Empress Catherine, which regulated child and female labor, printed in French and Latin, was prohibited from publication in France and England as “seditious.”

During the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, before the convening of the 1st State Duma, special laws were issued to ensure the safety of workers in the mining industry, on railways and in enterprises that were especially dangerous to the life and health of workers.

Child labor under 12 years of age was prohibited, and minors and females could not be hired for factory work between 9 pm and 5 am.

The amount of penalty deductions could not exceed one third of wages, and each fine had to be approved by a factory inspector. The fine money went into a special fund intended to meet the needs of the workers themselves.

In 1882, a special law regulated the work of children from 12 to 15 years old. In 1903, worker elders were introduced, elected by factory workers of the relevant workshops. The existence of workers' unions was recognized by law in 1906.

At that time, Imperial social legislation was undoubtedly the most progressive in the world. This forced Taft, then President of the Union. States, two years before the 1st World War, publicly declare, in the presence of several Russian dignitaries: “Your Emperor created such perfect labor legislation that no democratic state can boast of.”

During the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, public education achieved extraordinary development. In less than 20 years, loans allocated to the Ministry of Public Education, from 25.2 mil. rubles increased to 161.2 mil. This did not include the budgets of schools that received their loans from other sources (military, technical schools), or those maintained by local self-government bodies (zemstvos, cities), whose loans for public education increased from 70,000,000 rubles. in 1894 up to 300,000,000 rubles. in 1913

At the beginning of 1913, the total budget for public education in Russia reached a colossal figure at that time, namely 1/2 billion rubles in gold.

Initial training was free by law, and from 1908 it became compulsory. Since this year, about 10,000 schools have been opened annually. In 1913 their number exceeded 130,000.

In the 20th century, Russia ranked first in Europe, if not in the whole world, in terms of the number of women studying in higher educational institutions.

The reign of Nicholas II was a period of the highest rates of economic growth in Russian history. For 1880-1910 The growth rate of Russian industrial output exceeded 9% per year. According to this indicator, Russia has taken first place in the world, ahead of even the rapidly developing United States of America (although it should be noted that on this issue different economists give different estimates, some put the Russian Empire in first place, others - the United States, but the fact that the pace growth were comparable - an indisputable fact). Russia has taken first place in the world in the production of the main agricultural crops, growing more than half of the world's rye, more than a quarter of wheat, oats and barley, and more than a third of potatoes. Russia has become the main exporter of agricultural products, the first “granary of Europe”. Its share accounted for 2/5 of all world exports of peasant products.

Successes in agricultural production were the result of historical events: the abolition of serfdom in 1861 by Alexander II and the Stolypin land reform during the reign of Nicholas II, as a result of which more than 80% of arable land ended up in the hands of peasants, and almost all of it in the Asian part. The area of landowners' lands was steadily declining. Granting peasants the right to freely dispose of their land and the abolition of communities had enormous national significance, the benefits of which, first of all, the peasants themselves were aware of.

The autocratic form of government did not impede Russia's economic progress. According to the manifesto of October 17, 1905, the population of Russia received the right to personal integrity, freedom of speech, press, assembly, and unions. Political parties grew in the country, and thousands of periodicals were published. The Parliament - the State Duma - was elected by free will. Russia was becoming a rule of law state - the judiciary was practically separated from the executive.

The rapid development of the level of industrial and agricultural production and a positive trade balance allowed Russia to have a stable gold convertible currency. The Emperor attached great importance to the development of railways. Even in his youth, he participated in the laying of the famous Siberian road.

During the reign of Nicholas II, the best labor legislation for those times was created in Russia, providing for the regulation of working hours, the choice of worker elders, remuneration for industrial accidents, compulsory insurance of workers against illness, disability and old age. The Emperor actively promoted the development of Russian culture, art, science, and reforms of the army and navy.

All these achievements of the economic and social development of Russia are the result of the natural historical process of development of Russia and are objectively related to the 300th anniversary of the reign of the House of Romanov.

The French economist Théry wrote: “Not a single European nation has achieved such results.”

The myth is that workers lived very poorly.
1. Workers. The average salary of a worker in Russia was 37.5 rubles. Let us multiply this amount by 1282.29 (the ratio of the Tsarist ruble exchange rate to the modern one) and get an amount of 48,085 thousand rubles in modern terms.

2. Janitor 18 rubles or 23081 rubles. with modern money

3. Second lieutenant (modern equivalent - lieutenant) 70 rub. or 89,760 rub. with modern money

4. Policeman (ordinary police officer) 20.5 rubles. or 26,287 rub. with modern money

5. Workers (St. Petersburg). It is interesting that the average salary in St. Petersburg was lower and by 1914 amounted to 22 rubles 53 kopecks. Let's multiply this amount by 1282.29 and get 28890 Russian rubles.

6. Cook 5 - 8 r. or 6.5.-10 thousand in modern money

7. Primary school teacher 25 rub. or 32050 rub. with modern money

8. Gymnasium teacher 85 rub. or 108970 rub. with modern money

9.. Senior janitor 40 rub. or 51,297 rub. with modern money

10..District warden (modern analogue - local police officer) 50 rub. or 64,115 in modern money

11. Paramedic 40 rub. or 51280 rub.

12. Colonel 325 rub. or 416,744 rub. with modern money

13. Collegiate assessor (middle class official) 62 rubles. or 79,502 rub. with modern money

14. Privy Councilor (high-class official) 500 or 641,145 in modern money. An army general received the same amount

How much, you ask, did the products cost back then? A pound of meat in 1914 cost 19 kopecks. The Russian pound weighed 0.40951241 grams. This means that a kilogram, if it were then a measure of weight, would cost 46.39 kopecks - 0.359 grams of gold, that is, in today's money, 551 rubles 14 kopecks. Thus, a worker could buy 48.6 kilograms of meat with his salary, if, of course, he wanted.

Wheat flour 0.08 rub. (8 kopecks) = 1 pound (0.4 kg)
Rice pound 0.12 rubles = 1 pound (0.4 kg)
Biscuit RUR 0.60 = 1 lb (0.4 kg)
Milk 0.08 rubles = 1 bottle
Tomatoes 0.22 rub. = 1 pound
Fish (pike perch) 0.25 rub. = 1 pound
Grapes (raisins) 0.16 rubles = 1 pound
Apples 0.03 rub. = 1 pound

A very worthy life!!!

Hence the opportunity to support a large family.

Now let's see how much it cost to rent a house. Renting housing cost 25 in St. Petersburg, and 20 kopecks per square arshin per month in Moscow and Kyiv. These 20 kopecks today amount to 256 rubles, and a square arshin is 0.5058 m². That is, the monthly rent of one square meter cost in 1914 506 today's rubles. Our clerk would rent an apartment of one hundred square arshins in St. Petersburg for 25 rubles a month. But he did not rent such an apartment, but was content with a basement and attic closet, where the area was smaller and the rental rate was lower. Such an apartment was rented, as a rule, by titular advisers who received a salary at the level of an army captain. The bare salary of a titular adviser was 105 rubles per month (134 thousand 640 rubles) per month. Thus, a 50-meter apartment cost him less than a quarter of his salary.

The myth about the weakness of the king's character.

French President Loubet said: “People usually see Emperor Nicholas II as a kind, generous, but weak man. This is a deep mistake. He always has long-thought-out plans, the implementation of which he slowly achieves. Beneath his apparent timidity, the king has a strong soul and a courageous heart, unshakably loyal. He knows where he's going and what he wants."

Tsar's service required strength of character, which Nicholas II possessed. During the Holy Coronation to the Russian Throne on May 27, 1895, Metropolitan Sergius of Moscow in his address to the Sovereign said: “Just as there is no higher, so there is no more difficult on earth royal power, there is no burden heavier than royal service. Through visible anointing may invisible power from above be given to you, acting to exalt your royal virtues..."

A number of arguments refuting this myth are presented in the above-mentioned work by A. Eliseev.

Thus, in particular, S. Oldenburg wrote that the Tsar had an iron hand; many are only deceived by the velvet glove he wore.

The presence of a strong will in Nicholas II is brilliantly confirmed by the events of August 1915, when he assumed the responsibilities of Supreme Commander-in-Chief - against the wishes of the military elite, the Council of Ministers and all “public opinion”. And, I must say, he coped with these responsibilities brilliantly.

The Emperor did a lot to improve the country's defense capability, having learned the hard lessons of the Russo-Japanese War. Perhaps his most significant act was the revival of the Russian fleet, which saved the country at the beginning of the First World War. It happened against the will of military officials. The Emperor was even forced to dismiss Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich. Military historian G. Nekrasov writes: “It must be noted that, despite its overwhelming superiority in forces in the Baltic Sea, the German fleet made no attempts to break into the Gulf of Finland in order to bring Russia to its knees with one blow. Theoretically, this was possible, since most of Russia's military industry was concentrated in St. Petersburg. But in the way of the German fleet stood the Baltic Fleet, ready to fight, with ready-made mine positions. The cost of a breakthrough for the German fleet was becoming unacceptably expensive. Thus, only by the fact that he achieved the reconstruction of the fleet, Emperor Nicholas II saved Russia from imminent defeat. This should not be forgotten!”

We especially note that the Emperor made absolutely all the important decisions contributing to victorious actions himself - without the influence of any “good geniuses”. The opinion that the Russian army was led by Alekseev, and the Tsar was in the post of Commander-in-Chief for the sake of formality, is completely unfounded. This false opinion is refuted by Alekseev’s own telegrams. For example, in one of them, in response to a request to send ammunition and weapons, Alekseev replies: “I cannot resolve this issue without the Highest permission.”

The myth that Russia was a prison of nations.

Russia was a family of peoples thanks to the balanced and thoughtful policies of the Sovereign. The Russian Tsar-Father was considered the monarch of all peoples and tribes living on the territory of the Russian Empire.

He pursued a national policy based on respect for traditional religions - the historical subjects of state building in Russia. And this is not only Orthodoxy, but also Islam. So, in particular, the mullahs were supported by the Russian Empire and received a salary. Many Muslims fought for Russia.

The Russian Tsar honored the feat of all peoples who served the Fatherland. Here is the text of the telegram, which serves as clear confirmation of this:

The Ingush regiment fell on the German iron division like a mountain avalanche. He was immediately supported by the Chechen regiment.

In the history of the Russian Fatherland, including our Preobrazhensky Regiment, there was no case of a cavalry attack on an enemy heavy artillery unit.

4.5 thousand killed, 3.5 thousand captured, 2.5 thousand wounded. In less than 1.5 hours, the iron division, which the best military units of our allies, including those in the Russian army, were afraid to come into contact with, ceased to exist.

Convey on my behalf, on behalf of the royal court and on behalf of the Russian army fraternal heartfelt greetings to the fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and brides of these brave eagles of the Caucasus, who with their immortal feat marked the beginning of the end of the German hordes.

Russia will never forget this feat. Honor and praise to them!

With fraternal greetings, Nicholas II.

The myth that Russia under the Tsar was defeated in the First World War.

S.S. Oldenburg, in his book “The Reign of Emperor Nicholas II,” wrote: “The most difficult and most forgotten feat of Emperor Nicholas II was that, under incredibly difficult conditions, he brought Russia to the threshold of victory: his opponents did not allow her to cross this threshold.”

General N.A. Lokhvitsky wrote: “...It took Peter the Great nine years to turn the Narva vanquished into the Poltava victors.

The last Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, Emperor Nicholas II, did the same great work in a year and a half. But his work was appreciated by his enemies, and between the Sovereign and his Army and victory “there was a revolution.”

A. Eliseev cites the following facts. The Sovereign's military talents were fully revealed at the post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Already the very first decisions of the new commander-in-chief led to a significant improvement in the situation at the front. Thus, he organized the Vilna-Molodechno operation (September 3 - October 2, 1915). The Emperor managed to stop a major German offensive, as a result of which the city of Borisov was captured. He issued a timely directive ordering an end to panic and retreat. As a result, the onslaught of the 10th German Army was stopped, which was forced to retreat - in some places completely disorderly. The 26th Mogilev Infantry Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel Petrov (a total of 8 officers and 359 bayonets) made its way to the German rear and during a surprise attack captured 16 guns. In total, the Russians managed to capture 2,000 prisoners, 39 guns and 45 machine guns. “But most importantly,” notes historian P.V. Multatuli, “the troops regained confidence in their ability to beat the Germans.”

Russia definitely began to win the war. After the failures of 1915, the triumphant 1916 came - the year of the Brusilov breakthrough. During the fighting on the Southwestern Front, the enemy lost one and a half million people killed, wounded and captured. Austria-Hungary was on the verge of defeat.

It was the Emperor who supported Brusilov’s offensive plan, with which many military leaders did not agree. Thus, the plan of the Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief M.V. Alekseev provided for a powerful strike on the enemy by forces of all fronts, with the exception of the Brusilov Front.

The latter believed that his front was also quite capable of an offensive, with which other front commanders disagreed. However, Nicholas II decisively supported Brusilov, and without this support the famous breakthrough would simply have been impossible.

Historian A. Zayonchkovsky wrote that the Russian army achieved “in terms of its numbers and technical supply with everything necessary, the greatest development in the entire war.” More than two hundred combat-ready divisions confronted the enemy. Russia was preparing to crush the enemy. In January 1917, the Russian 12th Army launched an offensive from the Riga bridgehead and took the German 10th Army by surprise, which found itself in a catastrophic situation.

The chief of staff of the German army, General Ludendorff, who cannot be suspected of sympathizing with Nicholas II, wrote about the situation in Germany in 1916 and about the increase in the military power of Russia:

“Russia is expanding its military formations. The reorganization she has undertaken gives a great increase in strength. In its divisions it left only 12 battalions, and in its batteries only 6 guns, and from the battalions and guns liberated in this way it formed new combat units.

The battles of 1916 on the Eastern Front showed an increase in Russian military equipment and an increase in the number of firearms supplies. Russia has moved some of its factories to the Donetsk basin, greatly increasing their productivity.

We understood that the numerical and technical superiority of the Russians in 1917 would be felt even more acutely than in 1916.

Our situation was extremely difficult and there was almost no way out of it. There was no point in thinking about our own offensive - all reserves were needed for defense. Our defeat seemed inevitable... food supply was difficult. The rear was also seriously damaged.

The prospects for the future were extremely bleak."

Moreover, as Oldenburg writes, on the initiative of Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich, in the summer of 1916, a commission was established to prepare a future peace conference in order to determine in advance what Russia’s wishes would be. Russia was to receive Constantinople and the straits, as well as Turkish Armenia.

Poland was to be reunited in a personal union with Russia. The Emperor declared (at the end of December) gr. Wielepolsky that he thinks of a free Poland as a state with a separate constitution, separate chambers and its own army (apparently, he meant something like the situation of the Kingdom of Poland under Alexander I).

Eastern Galicia, Northern Bukovina and Carpathian Rus' were to be included in Russia. The creation of a Czechoslovak kingdom was planned; regiments of captured Czechs and Slovaks were already being formed on Russian territory.

B. Brasol “The reign of Emperor Nicholas II in figures and facts”

The last emperor of Russia went down in history as a negative character. His criticism is not always balanced, but always colorful. Some call him weak, weak-willed, some, on the contrary, call him “bloody.”

We will analyze the figures and specific historical facts of the reign of Nicholas II. Facts, as we know, are stubborn things. Perhaps they will help understand the situation and dispel false myths.

The Empire of Nicholas II is the best in the world

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Let us present data on the indicators by which the empire of Nicholas II surpassed all other countries in the world.

Submarine fleet

Before Nicholas II, the Russian Empire did not have a submarine fleet. Russia's lag in this indicator was significant. The first combat use of a submarine was carried out by the Americans in 1864, and by the end of the 19th century Russia did not even have prototypes.

Having come to power, Nicholas II decides to eliminate Russia's lag and signs a decree on the creation of a submarine fleet.

Already in 1901, the first series of domestic submarines was tested. In 15 years, Nicholas II managed to create the most powerful submarine fleet in the world from scratch.

1915 Submarines of the Bars project

By 1914, we had at our disposal 78 submarines, some of which participated in both the First World War and the Great Patriotic War. The last submarine from the time of Nicholas II was decommissioned only in 1955! (We are talking about the Panther submarine, Bars project)

However, Soviet textbooks will not tell you about this. Read more about the submarine fleet of Nicholas II.

The submarine "Panther" during service in the Red Army, after the Second World War

Aviation

It was only in 1911 that the first experiment in creating an armed aircraft was carried out in Russia, but by the beginning of the First World War (1914), the Imperial Air Force was the largest in the world and consisted of 263 aircraft.

Until 1917, over 20 aircraft factories were opened in the Russian Empire and 5,600 aircraft were produced.

ATTENTION!!! 5,600 aircraft in 6 years, despite the fact that we had never had any aircraft before. Even Stalin’s industrialization did not know such records. Moreover, we were the first not only in quantity, but also in quality.

For example, the Ilya Muromets aircraft, which appeared in 1913, became the world's first bomber. This aircraft set world records for carrying capacity, number of passengers, time and maximum flight altitude.

Airplane "Ilya Muromets"

The chief designer of Ilya Muromets, Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky, is also famous for the creation of the four-engine Russian Vityaz bomber.

Airplane Russian Knight

After the revolution, the brilliant designer migrated to the USA, where he organized a helicopter factory. Sikorsky helicopters are still part of the US armed forces.

Modern helicopter CH-53 from Sikorsky US Air Force

Imperial aviation is famous for its ace pilots. During the First World War, numerous cases of skill of Russian pilots are known. Particularly famous are: Captain E.N. Kruten, Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Kazakov, Captain P.V. Argeev, who shot down about 20 enemy aircraft each.

It was the Russian aviation of Nicholas II that laid the foundation for aerobatics.

In 1913, for the first time in the history of aviation, a “loop” was performed. The aerobatic maneuver was performed over the Syretsky field, not far from Kyiv, by staff captain Nesterov.

The brilliant pilot was a combat ace who, for the first time in history, used an aerial ram, shooting down a heavy German fighter. He died at the age of 27, defending his homeland, in an air battle.

Aircraft carriers

Before Nicholas II, the Russian Empire had no aviation, much less aircraft carriers.

Nicholas II paid great attention to advanced military technologies. With it, the first seaplane carriers appeared, as well as “flying boats” - sea-based aircraft capable of taking off and landing both from aircraft carriers and from the water surface.

Between 1913 and 1917, in just 5 years, Nicholas II introduced 12 aircraft carriers into the army, equipped with M-5 and M-9 flying boats.

Naval aviation of Nicholas II was created from scratch, but became the best in the world. However, Soviet history is also silent about this.

First machine

A year before the First World War, a Russian designer, later Lieutenant General Fedorov, invents the world's first machine gun.

Fedorov assault rifle

Unfortunately, it was not possible to implement mass production during the war, but individual military units of the imperial army nevertheless received this advanced weapon at their disposal. In 1916, several regiments of the Romanian Front were equipped with Fedorov assault rifles.

Shortly before the revolution, the Sestroretsk Arms Plant received an order for the mass production of these machine guns. However, the Bolsheviks seized power and the machine gun never entered the imperial troops en masse, but later it was used by the Red Army soldiers and was used, in particular, in the fight against the white movement.

Later, Soviet designers (Degtyarev, Shpitalny) developed a whole family of standardized small arms based on the machine gun, including light and tank machine guns, coaxial and triple aircraft machine gun mounts.

Economic and industrial development

In addition to world-leading military developments, the Russian Empire enjoyed impressive economic growth.

Chart of relative growth in metallurgy development (100% - 1880)

Shares of the St. Petersburg Stock Exchange were valued significantly higher than shares of the New York Stock Exchange.

Stock Growth, US Dollars, 1865–1917

The number of international companies grew rapidly.

It is widely known, among other things, that in 1914 we were the absolute world leader in bread exports.

At the beginning of the First World War, Russia's gold reserves were the largest in the world and amounted to 1 billion 695 million rubles (1311 tons of gold, more than 60 billion dollars at the exchange rate of the 2000s).

The best time in Russian history

In addition to the absolute world records of imperial Russia of its time, the empire of Nicholas II also achieved those indicators that we are still not able to exceed.

Railways, contrary to Soviet myths, were not Russia’s misfortune, but its asset. In terms of length of railways, by 1917, we ranked second in the world, second only to the United States. The pace of construction had to close the gap. There has never been such a speed in the construction of railways since the reign of Nicholas II.

Schedule for increasing the length of railways in the Russian Empire, the USSR and the Russian Federation

The problem of oppressed workers declared by the Bolsheviks, in comparison with today's reality, cannot be taken seriously.

The problem of bureaucracy, so relevant today, was also absent.

The Gold Reserve of the Russian Empire was not only the largest in the world at that time, but also the largest in the history of Russia from the moment of the collapse of the empire, right up to the present day.

1917 – 1,311 tons
1991 – 290 tons
2010 – 790 tons
2013 - 1,014 tons

Not only economic indicators are changing, but also the lifestyle of the population.

For the first time, the man became an important buyer: kerosene lamps, sewing machines, separators, tin, galoshes, umbrellas, tortoiseshell combs, calico. Ordinary students travel quietly around Europe.
The statistics reflect the state of society quite impressively:

In addition, it is necessary to say about the rapid population growth. During the reign of Nicholas II, the population of the Russian Empire increased by almost 50,000,000 people, that is, by 40%. And natural population growth increased to 3,000,000 people per year.

New territories were being developed. Over the course of several years, 4 million peasants moved from European Russia to Siberia. Altai turned into the most important grain growing region, where oil was also produced for export.

Nicholas II “bloody” or not?

Some opponents of Nicholas II call him “bloody.” The nickname Nikolai “Bloody” apparently came from “Bloody Sunday” in 1905.

Let's analyze this event. In all textbooks it is depicted like this: Ostensibly a peaceful demonstration of workers, led by priest Gapon, wanted to submit a petition to Nicholas II, which contained requests for improved working conditions. People carried icons and royal portraits and the action was peaceful, but on the orders of the St. Petersburg Governor-General, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the troops opened fire. About 4,600 people were killed and wounded, and from then on January 9, 1905 began to be called “Bloody Sunday.” This was supposedly a senseless shooting of a peaceful demonstration.

And according to the documents, it follows that the workers were driven from the factories under threats, on the way they robbed the temple, took away icons, and during the procession the “peaceful demonstration” was closed by armed barrage detachments of revolutionaries. And, by the way, the demonstration, in addition to icons, carried red revolutionary flags.

The provocateurs of the “peaceful” march were the first to open fire. The first killed were members of the police. In response, a company of the 93rd Irkutsk Infantry Regiment opened fire on the armed demonstration. There was basically no other way out for the police. They were doing their duty.

The combination that the revolutionaries pulled off to enlist the support of the people was simple. The civilians allegedly brought a petition to the Tsar, and the Tsar, instead of accepting them, allegedly shot them. Conclusion - the king is a bloody tyrant. However, the people did not know that Nicholas II was not in St. Petersburg at that moment, and he, in principle, could not receive the demonstrators, and not everyone saw who first opened fire.

Here is documentary evidence of the provocative nature of “Bloody Sunday”:

The revolutionaries prepared a bloody massacre for the people and the authorities using Japanese money.

Gapon scheduled a procession to the Winter Palace for Sunday. Gapon proposes to stock up on weapons” (from a letter from the Bolshevik S.I. Gusev to V.I. Lenin).

“I thought it would be good to give the whole demonstration a religious character, and immediately sent the workers to the nearest church for banners and images, but they refused to give us them. Then I sent 100 people to take them by force, and after a few minutes they brought them” (Gapon “The Story of My Life”)

“The police officials tried in vain to persuade us not to go to the city. When all the exhortations did not lead to any results, a squadron of the Cavalry Grenadier Regiment was sent... In response to this, fire was opened. The assistant bailiff, Lieutenant Zholtkevich, was seriously wounded, and the police officer was killed" (from the work "The Beginning of the First Russian Revolution").

Gapon’s vile provocation made Nicholas II “bloody” in the eyes of the people. Revolutionary sentiments intensified.

It must be said that this picture is strikingly different from the Bolshevik myth about the shooting of an unarmed crowd by forced soldiers under the command of officers who hated the common people. But with this myth, communists and democrats shaped the popular consciousness for almost 100 years.

It is also significant that the Bolsheviks called Nicholas II “bloody,” who were responsible for hundreds of thousands of murders and senseless repressions.

The real statistics of repressions in the Russian Empire have nothing to do with Soviet myths or cruelty. The comparative rate of repression in the Russian Empire is much lower than even now.

First World War

The First World War also became a cliché, disgracing the last Tsar. The war, along with its heroes, was forgotten and called “imperialist” by the communists.

At the beginning of the article, we showed the military power of the Russian army, which has no analogues in the world: aircraft carriers, airplanes, flying boats, a submarine fleet, the world's first machine guns, cannon armored vehicles and much more were used by Nicholas 2 in this war.

But, to complete the picture, we will also show statistics of those killed and died during the First World War by country.

As you can see, the army of the Russian Empire was the most tenacious!

Let us remember that we came out of the war after Lenin seized power in the country. After the tragic events, Lenin came to the front and surrendered the country to the almost defeated Germany. (A few months after the surrender, the allies of the empire (England and France) nevertheless defeated Germany, defeated by Nicholas 2).

Instead of the triumph of victory, we received the burden of shame.

It needs to be clearly understood. We did not lose this war. Lenin surrendered his position to the Germans, but this was his personal betrayal, and we defeated Germany, and our allies brought its defeat to the end, although without our soldiers.

It is difficult to even imagine what kind of glory our country would have gained if the Bolsheviks had not surrendered Russia in this war, because the power of the Russian Empire would have been increased significantly.

Influence in Europe in the form of control over Germany (which, by the way, would hardly have attacked Russia again in 1941), access to the Mediterranean, the capture of Istanbul during Operation Bosphorus, control in the Balkans... All this was supposed to be ours . True, there would be no need to even think about any revolution, against the backdrop of the triumphant success of the empire. The image of Russia, the monarchy and Nicholas II personally would become deservedly unprecedented.

As we see, the empire of Nicholas II was progressive, the best in the world in many respects and rapidly developing. The population was happy and contented. There could be no talk of any “bloodiness”. Although our neighbors from the west feared our revival like fire.

The leading French economist Edmond Théry wrote:

“If the affairs of European nations go from 1912 to 1950 in the same way as they went from 1900 to 1912, Russia in the middle of this century will dominate Europe, both politically and economically and financially.”

Below are Western caricatures of Russia from the time of Nicholas II:

Unfortunately, the successes of Nicholas II did not stop the revolution. All the achievements did not have time to change the course of history. They simply did not have enough time to take root and change public opinion to the confident patriotism of the citizens of a great power. The Bolsheviks destroyed the country.

Now that there is no more Soviet anti-monarchist propaganda, it is necessary to face the truth:

Nicholas II is the greatest Russian emperor, Nicholas II is the name of Russia, Russia needs a ruler like Nicholas II.

Andrey Borisyuk

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