The truth about the life of Nicholas 2. Nicholas the second, the truth about the bloody autocrat

Before the death of Alexander III, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna said about Nicholas: “This little man has an autocrat in every fold of his robe.” Nicholas II, indeed, was an absolutist autocrat to the core. The greatest delusion of the vast majority, not only the people, but also the intelligentsia, was that Nicholas was considered a helpless and weak person. Of course, he is not a man of great caliber, with a very narrow outlook, and little education; but he is a despot by nature, envious and cunning with elementary cunning and double-mindedness. His ministers were insignificant not only because he chose them according to their scale, but also because intelligence, talent and strength inevitably alienated the royal majesty. His hatred of Stolypin, to whom Nikolai undoubtedly owed a lot, is well known. In Black Hundred circles, shortly before Stolypin’s murder, they directly said that he was a complete loser. Nicholas had all the features of an Asian king. Having already signed the resignation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Samarin Synod, he kisses him goodbye. Having already called Polivanov to headquarters, at the station he cheerfully jokes with Sukhomlinov, who supposedly thinks that he is retiring. Nicholas hated Witte primarily because on the eve of October 17, he intimidated him by stamping his feet and acting out a scene of feigned hysteria in the presence of the Empress. One of the officials close to Witte told throughout Petrograd that, having arrived from the tsar with a report, Witte grabbed his head and ran from room to room with the look of a hunted animal. “Deal with him! Oh, to deal with him!” - Witte yelled. Some of those close to him said that Nikolai was kind. Perhaps - to the household servants. In his blue eyes, however, there is neither warmth nor affection. He clung to power with a kind of frenzy and fanatical stubbornness, as if trembling for his life and identifying it with power. His system was a complex system of distrust of everyone. This explains the constant presence of some super-adviser. Such was Klyuev at one time, whom the tsar, contrary to the obvious government, sent out to audit the country. This could have been Demchinsky, the famous “weather predictor,” if Demchinsky had not quickly reduced the whole matter to obtaining a subsidy for his magazine “Climate.” This was Philips, Prince Putyatin, and finally Rasputin. The royal system resembles the administration of the Sultan, where the sultana looks after the vizier, the eunuch looks after the sultana, and the stoker looks after the eunuch, and all of them can one day die at the hands of the bodyguard.
The range of Nicholas’s ideas, as can be judged by his deeds and the “complete collection of speeches” confiscated by shrewd censorship, was extremely limited. Lately, his stubbornness amounted to madness. All over Petrograd there was an appeal to the Tsar from all the great princes and princesses regarding the exile of Dmitry Pavlovich. Even here he remained stubborn, adamant, as if not feeling or understanding that he was plunging into an abyss. In fact, he had hardly been completely normal lately.

Nicholas II and Wilhelm II.
At the very beginning of the war, making a speech to the residents of Berlin from the balcony of the palace, Wilhelm, shaking some paper in the air, said: “Here I have in my hands proof of the treachery of the Russian emperor.” But he did not disclose this paper. He needed to convince his people that he was treacherously involved in the war. But finally discrediting Nicholas II, apparently, was not part of his calculations. He was then confident of an imminent victory and, of course, he would not have wished for a better monarch for defeated Russia and would have supported him with all his might. What kind of paper was this?
Count S.Yu. Witte, who hated Nicholas II, told several people about the following circumstance:
During the Japanese War, when things went wrong from the very beginning, and unrest began inside, Nicholas II worked out, together with Wilhelm II, a defensive-offensive alliance between Russia and Germany, directed against France, drawn up, finally prepared, but not yet formally concluded. Its text was found: written by the hand of the German Emperor - with Nicholas II, and the text written by the hand of Nicholas II - with the German Emperor (as in the text). Once, in moments of despair, Nicholas II showed Witte this text of the union treaty. Witte was horrified and directly screamed:
- Your Majesty! Tear it up, tear it up quickly!
And he managed to convince so much of the horror of this treaty that Nicholas II tore up the text, and Witte destroyed it to shreds.
Here, perhaps, is that mysterious paper that spoke of the treachery of the Russian emperor, which Wilhelm waved, but the contents of which he still did not divulge, so as not to completely destroy his temporary enemy, the past and future loyal almost servant.

Nikolai Romanov and his relatives.

An extremely characteristic feature of the coup: the abdicated emperor had no friends left who were ready to share the further fate of the king. His relatives and close people leave him not out of fear of the revolution, but rather with a sigh of relief.
The key to the solution lies in the very character of Nikolai, secretive, petty, monstrously power-hungry.
Since the nineties, he became close friends with the family of Count D.S. Sheremetyev, with whose two sons he was on first name terms. In June 1894, in the Sheremetyevs near Moscow, a presentation of the Moscow circle of Slavophile nobles to the future tsar took place. In a short speech, Nikolai noted that his ideal was the era of Alexei Mikhailovich, when the Russian people did not know Westernizing hobbies. At the Sheremetyevs, the deposed emperor met with Princess Alice of Hesse, when court etiquette did not allow the tsar to often visit the bride before the wedding; finally, the elderly Count Sergei Dmitrievich conducted all the negotiations about Nicholas’s marriage, being the confidant of the most intimate secrets.
Despite this closeness, Nicholas without hesitation broke with the count's family in 1896 only for a careless word about the tsar's stinginess in relation to those killed at Khodynka. Only 10 years later, reconciliation took place between old friends, but the influence of the Sheremetyevs was no longer revived.
None of those close to him could vouch for tomorrow, with the exception of those in charge of the palace guard, the minister of the court, and the commandant; Nikolai did not have any special sympathy for anyone. Having received news of Stolypin’s agony in Kyiv, he ordered the prime minister’s brother-in-law A.B. Neidgardt to go with him to Chernigov, since Neidgardt did not finish the report on the reserve zemstvo. Having learned about the death of Count I.I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, who enjoyed an exceptional position in court circles, was casually told by the tsar to his retinue: “The old man has healed, his late father loved him.”

Dryness and insincerity are the hallmarks of the abdicated emperor, nicknamed the “Byzantine” by his courtiers. Always outwardly calm, possessing, like all the Romanovs, a rich memory, a passion for slander, he knew how to painfully prick undesirable persons, while maintaining a gentle, welcoming smile. Chief of Police of the Tsarsko-Selo palaces d.s.s. Alexandrov, who began his service under Alexander II, recalls such facts. The Church of the Resurrection on the Blood is consecrated, Metropolitan Anthony wearily reads prayers, the Tsar, turning to Alexandrov, orders him to tell the Bishop that “he does not serve Mrs. Pobedonostseva, who adored in a whisper.” Anthony turned pale, but began to read loudly.

Count S.Yu arrives with a report. Witte shortly after the publication of the manifesto on October 17. The king receives him, surrounded by his retinue, in order to have support in case of contradictions of the prime minister; Witte reports on the need for an external loan in France, which was subject to conditions relating to the internal situation of Russia.
Nikolai interrupts the report with a question: “Is it really, S.Yu., that the palace on Kamennoostrovsky is not enough for you, or are you thinking of buying an estate in Nice with a commission? But please continue.” Witte could not continue; he excused himself by being tired.
The Tsar’s extremely curious relationship with M.V. Rodzianka.
On February 12, two weeks before the revolution, V.G. Shcheglovitov, having returned from Tsarskoye Selo, informed the master of the horse M.E. Nirodu and gene. E.N. Volkov that he had difficulty dissuading the Tsar from receiving the Chairman of the State. Duma. “The Emperor is intimidated; Rodzianko may push him to take an irreparable step.”
In conclusion, it is not superfluous to quote Metropolitan Pitirim’s review of Nicholas II:
“The king is narrow-minded and considers himself the Lord’s messenger on earth. This string is the most sensitive in his character.”
Even people devoted to him spoke this way about the abdicated emperor.

Soon after the murder of Rasputin, the Tsar at headquarters received a report from the commander of the southwestern front, General. Brusilova. Having reported to Nicholas II about the favorable situation at the fronts, Gen. Brusilov noted that rumors related to the death of Grigory Rasputin make an extremely unfavorable impression in the army. The Tsar abruptly interrupted the general with the words: “Think, General, about the front, and do not expand your responsibilities by worrying about rear matters.”
This scene took place in the presence of numerous retinues.

A few months ago, Nikolai wrote to Major General and his personal friend, commander of the Preobrazhensky Regiment von Drenteln, with a request to take command of the troops of the Petrograd Military District, as an assistant commander of the troops with special powers. Drenteln categorically refused, stating that the regiment would prefer to fight to the last drop of blood in the positions rather than perform police duties in the rear. From that moment on, von Drenteln ceased to perform the duties of an aide-de-camp and generally lost his love.

Letter from Nicholas II to Sukhomlinov.

Here is the content of Nicholas II’s letter to General Sukhomlinov, in which he notified him of his resignation: “Dear Vladimir Alexandrovich, it is very difficult for me to inform you that I have come to the conviction that, in the interests of Russia and in order to satisfy the wishes of the army, it is necessary that you left leadership of the War Ministry. After a conversation with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, I was strengthened in this conviction. It’s especially difficult for me to write to you about this.
After the conversation I had with you on the day before my departure, I am pleased to remember that during our long work together there were no misunderstandings between us. History will evaluate your activities, and its judgment may not be as strict as the judgment of your contemporaries. Sincerely respecting you, Nikolai."
And such a letter is written by the sovereign to a man despised by the entire country and accused of a serious crime - treason!..

Who suggested opening the Minsk front.

As you know, newspapers reported that when Nicholas II learned about the Petrograd events, Voeikov said:
“We need to open the Minsk front so that the Germans can teach the Russian bastard a lesson.”
Voeikov, arrested these days, was sent from Moscow to Petrograd at the disposal of the Provisional Government. The Minister of Justice A.F., returning from Moscow, was traveling on the same train with him. Kerensky. During the journey A.F. Kerensky went into the carriage to Voeikov and showed him the issue of “Morning of Russia,” which reported in detail how Voeikov advised Nikolai Romanov “to open the Minsk front so that the Germans would teach the Russian bastard a lesson.”
“Well,” answered Voeikov, “it was not I who said these words, but Nicholas II; at the time he was in a state of severe intoxication, and therefore one should not attach much importance to them.”
... It seemed to A.F. It is almost unbelievable to Kerensky, but these are the true words of Voeikov. There was such a proposal, and now, after Voeikov’s words, there is no doubt about it.

Advice to Nicholas II.

Among the papers currently in the special commission investigating the Germanophile activities of the “dark forces” of the former court of Nicholas II, the correspondence that was conducted between him and the crowned heads of both allied and neutral countries of Europe is of particular interest. In these letters, Nicholas II was given persistent advice to conclude a “civil peace with the people”, as well as “to change the methods of governing the country in order to save the entire cause of the Allies.”
Particular attention is paid in these letters to the system of appointing persons in charge of foreign policy and defense issues. There were very numerous indications from London that Nicholas II, who ruled a powerful empire and entered into a fight with William, could “earn the blessing of all peoples on earth.” Nicholas II treated these noble reminders very coldly.
Letters from Rome, including from the pope, pointed to a personal promise from Nicholas II, apparently given during a meeting with Raconigi and most likely concerning a change in the course of domestic policy.
Especially a lot of persistent advice was given to Nicholas II of Copenhagen by the Danish dynasty. In these letters, out of a sense of kinship and friendship, Nicholas II was warned that the calculation of internal turmoil in Russia, inevitable under the old regime, formed the basis of the German war plan and the diplomatic game of Wilhelm II. The Danish dynasty did not skimp on advice, which it steadily gave both to Nicholas II and to Constantine, who, according to the correspondent, betrayed the covenants of his dynasty.
These letters were sent not through the usual diplomatic route, but through special personal couriers. It is known that Protopopov once brought two letters. However, at headquarters, during the reception, he did not fail to criticize the freedom-loving views of the Italian king and the selfish, in his words, advice of George V.
By the way, Protopopov allowed himself to make a comparison between both sovereigns of the world's greatest empires, and far from in favor of the English king.

Nicholas II and his family.

A person close to the abdicated king characterizes him and his wife as follows:

Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna
Weak and spineless, easily susceptible to outside influence, the abdicated king was never capable of making a firm and definite decision.
“Yes, yes, you are absolutely right,” he said, for example, at the report, “this needs to be done.”
But then another person arrived, and after talking with him, the king just as easily came to a diametrically opposite conclusion. It didn’t take much effort to convince the king of anything.
Nicholas II was not particularly self-conceited.
“I never thought much about myself,” the king once remarked in a fit of frankness. – I am very easy to convince.
Nikolai treated the opinions of specialists with exceptional respect, however, understanding this term in a unique way: a specialist, in the opinion of the tsar, is someone who, by the will of fate, Alexandra Fedorovna or Rasputin, became the head of one or another branch of the national economy.
The same weakness and spinelessness have affected us in recent days. Persisting in trifles, not wanting to give a responsible ministry even when the troops who had sided with the people were already moving through the streets of Petrograd, Nicholas II relatively easily agreed to extreme concessions - to abdicate the throne, and abdicated both for himself and for Alexei.
Having received an arrest order, he quickly calms down, sleeps peacefully, eats regularly, without violating for a minute the usual etiquette. This is not the toughness of a strong man. Thus, Louis XVI, even on the eve of his arrest and imprisonment, was peacefully playing chess and making jokes with the courtiers.
And if Nicholas II is weak, then the same cannot be said about his wife, powerful, energetic, independent. Alexandra Fedorovna did not consider any obstacles to carrying out what she considered necessary. Not a single minister could receive a portfolio without her pressure. Protopopov, Golitsyn, Dobrovolsky, Voeikov, Raev - these are all creatures of Alexandra Feodorovna and Rasputin.
She had an overwhelming influence on the king. In the presence of Alexandra Fedorovna, Nikolai did not have his own opinion. She spoke for him, and the king silently agreed with everything.
What is the secret of Alexandra Fedorovna’s influence, no one could ever understand. Her own mother, and she more than once threw up her hands in bewilderment.
The young queen was not satisfied with her reign. She sought to manage and did. During the war, she repeatedly went to headquarters. Here, locked up with her closest friend A. Vyrubova, Alexandra Fedorovna was busy with state affairs until late at night. She drafted decrees and manifestos, appointed ministers and governors, appointing some and dismissing others.

The frail, sickly former heir suffers from birth from a terrible disease - hemophilia (bleeding). The slightest injection, the slightest wound threatens the boy with death from loss of blood. There were two cases when it seemed that nothing could save the heir to the Russian throne, that he would bleed to death. Hemophilia is a disease that is inherited exclusively to male offspring.
Did Nicholas II know that there were hemophilitics in the family of Alice of Hesse, but the queen herself, and especially Prince Bismarck, was well aware of this. There is even an assumption that the “iron” chancellor, out of completely understandable calculations, deliberately gave Nicholas, then the heir to the Russian throne, Alice of Hesse, whose blood was infected with this terrible poison.

1. Knew five foreign languages. His brilliant education (higher military and higher legal) was combined with deep religiosity and knowledge of spiritual literature. Served in the army. He had the military rank of colonel. When generals and field marshals persuaded him to grant himself at least the rank of general, he replied: “You, gentlemen, don’t worry about my rank, think about your career.”

2. He was the most athletic Russian Tsar. Since childhood, I regularly did gymnastics, loved to kayak, traveled several tens of kilometers, loved horse racing and participated in such competitions myself. In winter, he enthusiastically played Russian hockey and went skating. He was an excellent swimmer and an avid billiard player. He was fond of tennis.

3. Things and shoes in the royal family were passed from older children to younger ones. The Tsar himself was so modest in his personal life that until his last days he wore his “groom’s” suits.

4. Funds from the London Bank, approximately 4 million rubles (imagine the current equivalent!), left there to him from his father, were spent without a trace on charity.

5. Not a single petition for pardon that reached the Tsar was rejected. During his entire reign, fewer death sentences were handed down and executed than were executed in the USSR per day, until Stalin’s death.

6. The number of prisoners is much less than in the USSR or the Russian Federation. In 1908, per 100,000 people. prisoners - 56 people, in 1940 - 1214 people, in 1949 - 1537 people, in 2011 - 555 people.

7. The number of officials per 100,000 people in 1913 was 163 people. And after a hundred years of life without the Tsar, in 2010 there were 1153 people.

8. In Tobolsk, in prison, the Family did not remain idle for a day; the Emperor chopped wood, cleared snow, and looked after the garden. A peasant soldier, seeing all this, said: “Yes, if you gave him a piece of land, he would earn Russia back for himself with his own hands!”

9. When the temporary workers were preparing an accusation of treason against the Tsar, someone suggested publishing the personal correspondence between Nikolai Alexandrovich and the Empress. To which I received the answer: “It’s impossible, then the people will recognize them as saints!”

10. The Tsar is not to blame for the tragedy on Khodynka. When he found out about this, he immediately provided the dead and injured with great material and moral assistance.

11. In 1905, the revolutionaries themselves began to shoot at the troops. And there were 130 dead, not 5,000, as the Russophobe and God-fighter Lenin said. Even those who were wounded in the return fire were provided with immediate medical assistance, and all the victims were taken to the hospital. But the Tsar was not in the city at all that day. When he found out about this, he provided the dead and injured with great material and moral assistance. From his personal funds he paid compensation of 50,000 rubles to each victim. (huge money at that time). In 1905-1907, the revolution was averted thanks to the strong will of the Sovereign.

12. Created the greatest Empire in terms of strength, power and prosperity, which had no equal either before or after him.

13. The Russian Orthodox Church was the most powerful church in the world. By 1913 alone, there were 67 thousand churches and 1 thousand monasteries in the Republic of Ingushetia, spread throughout the entire territory of the Republic of Ingushetia. The Russian Church had enormous influence in the Holy Land, patronizing Orthodox Christians not only in Europe, but also in Asia, and even in Africa.

14. During the 20 years of his reign, the population of Russia increased by 62 million people.

15. I checked the new infantry equipment system personally, during a march of 40 miles. He didn’t tell anyone except the Minister of the Household and the Palace Commandant about this.

16. Reduced his service in the army to 2 years, in the navy to 5 years.

17. During the First World War (World War I), he constantly went to the front, and often with his son. Thus, he showed how much he loves his people, that he is not afraid to die for them and the Russian land. He showed that he is not the least bit afraid of death or anything else. And then, even in the most difficult time for the Russian army, the Tsar took over the Supreme Command of the troops. While the Emperor led the troops, not an inch of land was given to the enemy. Nicholas's troops did not allow Wilhelm's troops to move further than Galicia - Western Little Russia (Ukraine) and Western Belarus, and military historians believe that without internal unrest (revolution) there was one step left before Russia's victory. The prisoners were treated as sufferers. They retained ranks, awards, and monetary allowances. The length of time spent in captivity was counted towards the length of service. From 2 ml. 417 thousand prisoners during the entire war, no more than 5% died.

18. The share of those mobilized in Russia was the smallest - only 39% of all men aged 15-49 years, while in Germany - 81%, in Austria-Hungary - 74%, in France - 79%, England - 50%, Italy - 72%. At the same time, for every thousand of all inhabitants, Russia lost 11 people, Germany - 31, Austria - 18, France - 34, England - 16. Also, Russia was almost the only one that did not experience problems with food. No one in Russia could have dreamed of German “military bread” of the unimaginable composition of the 1917 model.

19. GKZ Bank issued large loans to peasants; by 1914, peasants owned 100% of arable land in Asian Russia, Siberia and 90% in the European part of the country on ownership and lease rights. In Siberia, state-owned warehouses for agricultural equipment were established, supplying the population with agricultural machines.

20. The amount of taxes per person in 1913 in Russia was 2 times less than in France and Germany and more than 4 times lower than in England. The population was stable and rapidly growing rich. The earnings of Russian workers are higher than European earnings, second (in the world) only to American earnings.

21. Since June 1903, entrepreneurs have been obliged to pay benefits and pensions to the injured worker or his family in the amount of 50-66 percent of the victim’s maintenance. In 1906, workers' trade unions were created in the country. The law of June 23, 1912 introduced compulsory insurance of workers against illnesses and accidents in Russia.

22. The social insurance law was adopted first of all European countries and the United States.

23. The most advanced labor legislation in the world. “Your Emperor has created such perfect labor legislation that no democratic state can boast of.” US President William Taft.

24. Prices for everything are among the lowest in the world, along with taxes.

25. Increase in budget volume by more than 3 times.

26. The ruble, thanks to the monetary reform of 1897, began to be backed by gold. “Russia owes its metallic gold circulation exclusively to Emperor Nicholas II.” S. Yu. Witte

27. In 1908, compulsory primary education was introduced. By 1916, at least 85% of the Empire was literate. On the eve of the war there were already more than a hundred universities with 150,000 students. In terms of their total number, RI ranked 3rd in the world, sharing it with Great Britain. Funding for education has grown over 20 years from 25 million rubles to 161 million rubles. And this does not take into account zemstvo schools, expenses for which increased from 70 million in 1894 to 300 million in 1913. In total, the public education budget increased by 628%. The number of students in secondary educational institutions increased from 224 thousand to 700 thousand. The number of students has doubled in 20 years, the number of schoolchildren has grown from 3 million to 6 million people. By 1913 there were 130 thousand schools in the country. Before the revolution, a law was passed on complete free education, not only education, but also life during education. The seminary was completed at government expense - this government account included all the maintenance and meals of the students.

28. In 1898, free medical care was introduced. In order to receive it, it was enough to simply be a citizen of the Empire. No one would have kicked this person out onto the street, as now, and he would also, after a thorough examination, be told in detail what and how to do for treatment. “The medical organization created by the Russian zemstvo was the greatest achievement of our era in the field of social medicine, since it provided free medical care, open to everyone, and also had deep educational significance” Swiss F. Erisman. In terms of the number of doctors, Russia is in 2nd place in Europe and 3rd in the world.

29. Kindergartens, shelters, maternity hospitals, and shelters for the homeless are being built at an unprecedented pace throughout the Empire.

30. Under Nicholas II, Russian nationalism was the most powerful force in legal politics, firmly defending Russian interests wherever we came into contact with enemies. There were many organizations, some parties and all kinds of patriotic movements, from the Union of the Russian People and the All-Russian National Union to local organizations that covered the whole country with a wide network. Where a Russian person could come and tell about his misfortune, ask for help if someone offends him.

31. Industry grew rapidly. From 1890 to 1913, GDP increased 4 times. Coal production has increased 5 times in 20 years, and pig iron smelting has increased 4 times over the same period. Copper and manganese production increased 5 times. Investments in fixed capital of machine-building plants increased by 80% from 1911 to 1914. In 20 years, the length of railways and telegraph networks doubled. During the same time, the already largest river merchant fleet in the world doubled its tonnage. Industrial mechanization grew rapidly. In 1901, the USA produced 9 million 920 thousand tons, and Russia produced 12 million 120 thousand tons of oil. in the period from 1908 to 1913, the growth of labor productivity in industry outstripped the United States, England and Germany, which had long been considered industrial giants. The result of the Tsar's activities was amazing economic stability. During the global economic crisis of 1911-1912, Russia, on the contrary, was on the rise.

32. Under the Tsar, it was impossible to export crude oil abroad, and the proceeds went to the development of domestic industry.

33. In 1914, at the request of the United States, Tsarist Russia sent about 2,000 Russian engineers to the Americans to create a heavy military industry.

34. The growth rate of national income is 1st in the world. The growth rate of labor productivity is 1st in the world. The level of production concentration is 1st in the world. The world's largest exporter of textile products. One of the world's largest manufacturers of non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy products. One of the world's largest manufacturers of mechanical engineering products. One of the world's largest countries in terms of coal production.

35. The world's largest exporter of grain crops, flax, eggs, milk, butter, meat, sugar, etc. Grain harvests are 1/3 larger than the harvests of Argentina, the USA and Canada combined.

36. Increase in grain production by 2 times. Productivity increased by more than 1.5 times.

37. The number of cattle has increased by 60%. 1st place in the world in the number of horses, cattle, sheep, and one of the first in the number of goats and pigs.

38. Often, without firing a single shot, the following territories joined or became protectorates: Northern Manchuria, Tianjin, Northern Iran, Uriankhai Territory, Galicia, Lvov, Przemysl, Ternopil and Chernivtsi provinces, Western Armenia. Large-scale and rapid development of Siberia, Kazakhstan and the Far East is underway.

39. The sovereign stood outside and above the interests of individual groups and segments of the population. Economic reforms, like the alcohol reforms, were carried out personally by the Tsar. Sometimes even in defiance of the Duma. The author of all the transformations was Nikolai Alexandrovich, despite all existing myths to the contrary.

40. Freedom of the press, freedom of speech; there is as much freedom as there was neither before nor after his reign.

41. The volume of gold reserves is the largest in the world; The Russian gold ruble is the hardest currency in the world, even to this day.

42. One of the highest rates of railway construction in the world (the USSR never came close to them).

43. One of the strongest armies in the world, which, moreover, is developing rapidly. The best Mosin rifles in the world, one of the best Maxim machine guns in the world from 1910, modified by the Russian Empire; and some of the best 76mm field guns in the world.

44. The Russian Air Force, which was born only in 1910, already had 263 aircraft and was the largest aviation fleet in the world. By the autumn of 1917, the number of aircraft had increased to 700.

45. By 1917 the Navy was one of the strongest in the world. The world's best destroyers and some of the world's best battleships, the world's best mines and mine laying tactics.

46. ​​The Great Siberian Railway was built.

47. The Hague International Court is the brainchild of Nicholas II.

48. Alcohol consumption per capita is one of the lowest in the world; in Europe, only Norway drank less.

49. The number of mentally ill people per 100,000 people in 1913 was 187 people. And after a hundred years of life without a Tsar, in 2010 - 5598 people.

50. The number of suicides per 100,000 people in 1912 was 4.4. And after a hundred years of life without the Tsar, in 2009-29.

51. There are no problems with inflation and unemployment, since both are almost completely absent.

52. The crime rate is lower than in the USA and Western European countries. At an international congress of criminologists held in 1913 in Switzerland, the Russian detective police were recognized as the best in the world in solving crimes.

53. An unprecedented flowering of Russian culture. No other country has known such a powerful, dizzying rise of Russian painting, Russian architectural architecture, Russian literature and Russian music. The famous French writer and literary critic Paul Valéry called Russian culture of the early twentieth century “one of the wonders of the world.”

54. The heyday of Russian philosophy and science.

55. Invented for the first time in the world: wireless telegraph, helicopter and bomber, television and television broadcasting, airplane and attack aircraft, the first newsreel, tram, hydroelectric power station, electric plow, submarine, backpack parachute, radio, cathode ray tube, electron microscope, machine gun, powder fire extinguisher, astronomical clock, electromagnetic seismograph and the science of seismology was founded, electric car, electric omnibus, electric cable car, underwater minelayer, seaplane, ship capable of overcoming Arctic ice, one of the first to find a way to take color photographs and the first in the world to learn how to make them of high quality.

56. Invented for the first time in Russia: a car, a motorcycle, a double-decker carriage, an airship.

57. The automobile industry was at the German level, the aviation industry was at the American level, some of the best steam locomotives in the world. The Russo-Balt series of cars, produced since 1909, was world class, both in design and performance. They were distinguished by their durability and reliability, as evidenced by their success in rallies and long-distance runs, in particular at the international rallies of Monte Carlo and San Sebastian.

58. Two of the five founders of Hollywood came from Russia. The famous fragrance “Chanel No. 5” was not invented by Coco Chanel, but by the Russian emigrant perfumer Verigin. The engines for Daimler were developed by Russian engineer Boris Lutskoy. The racing Mercedes 120PS (1906) was equipped with an in-line six-cylinder engine, also invented by Lutsky.

59. All this was done and achieved without: terror, dispossession (plunder) of peasants, slave camps, tens of millions of exterminated Russian people.

60. He never abdicated the throne, even despite the colossal betrayal of everyone and everything. As he himself wrote: “There is treason and cowardice and deception all around!” As a result, he was ritually killed along with his family. (Without leaving his homeland. Although he could easily go abroad and live happily).
The conspirators drew up a fake manifesto, supposedly his renunciation, which is a complete fake. In the archives of the Russian Federation there is not a single document confirming the correctness of the myth of renunciation. There is a printed piece of paper, signed in pencil, composed incomprehensibly. There is not a single other document that Nikolai signed in pencil. The handwriting was also examined, which absolutely does not correspond to the handwriting of the Sovereign. There are still too many other troubles.

Nicholas II was the last Russian emperor, a representative of the House of Romanov. He ruled the country from 1894 to 1917. During this time, Russia experienced rapid economic growth, but at the same time this was accompanied by the growth of the revolutionary movement. The expansion in the Far East was unsuccessful, which turned into a war with Japan. And in 1914, Russia found itself drawn into the First World War.

During the February Revolution, Nicholas abdicated the throne and was under house arrest. In July 1918, in Yekaterinburg, Nicholas II and his family were shot by the Bolsheviks. The Russian Orthodox Church elevated the Tsar to the rank of martyr and saint. His figure, like Stalin, is one of the most controversial in Russian history. Today they even erect monuments to Nicholas II.

However, historians do not have such a clear opinion about this king. People are content with myths, which create a highly spiritual, idealized figure from a living person, with his advantages and disadvantages. What was Emperor Nicholas II like? Is everything they say about him and his deeds true? And what was Russia like under him?

Nikolai received an excellent education and knew five foreign languages. They say that the emperor had a higher military and higher legal education. However, he studied at home, receiving a program that was slightly more expanded compared to the gymnasium in terms of the humanities, and narrowed in relation to the natural sciences. There was indeed an emphasis on foreign languages. At the same time, there was no talk of any kind of testing of the acquired knowledge, which is traditional for such persons of this rank. Nikolai spoke and wrote competently, loved to read, but his intellectual level did not even reach that of a university graduate. And the tsar knew four languages, not five: English, French, German, and worse than the rest, Danish.

The tsar served in the army, receiving the rank of colonel. In fact, Nikolai never really served. In his youth, he was considered an active officer for a couple of years, but was relieved of his real duties. But he remained a colonel, since he held that rank at the time of his father’s death. Tsars usually did not dare to assign new titles to themselves.

Nicholas was the most athletic king. The emperor really loved gymnastics, swam in a kayak, and hiked tens of kilometers. He took part in horse racing, skated, played hockey, billiards, tennis, and swam a lot. The tsar loved healthy rest, but this did not have any special consequences for the country. Nikolai did not create or implement any special sports program for the people.

The king was modest in terms of clothing. It is believed that things and shoes of the Romanovs were often inherited. Nikolai himself supposedly wore his groom’s suits until his last days. However, from numerous photographs it is clear that the tsar mainly appeared in public in military uniform. And he had a huge number of uniforms. Many of them are on display in Tsarskoye Selo. And the empress and her daughters constantly pose in different outfits in photographs. Girls of different ages and different sizes posed in identical costumes, which makes you forget about clothes “by inheritance.” And millions were spent on maintaining the royal family; saving on clothes against this background would have looked stupid. The tsar's expenses on clothing ranged from 3 to 16 thousand rubles a year, the empress's wardrobe cost the country 40 thousand rubles.

Nikolai spent the inheritance of 4 million rubles from his father on charity. It is believed that this amount was in a London bank account. The royal family had a huge fortune in securities and money. But charity accounted for less than one percent of spending. Empress Alexandra Feodorovna spent the most; in the 1910s, she donated up to 90 thousand rubles a year.

Nicholas granted all petitions for pardon that reached him. In general, he opposed death sentences. It is said that during the reign of this emperor, fewer death sentences were handed down than in one average day in the USSR under Stalin. In fact, there were groups of people whom the king pardoned entirely. For example, he forgave the Black Hundreds who carried out pogroms against Jews in 1906. But revolutionaries and criminals did not have to wait for mercy. Before 1905, there were few death sentences, but in 1905-1913 the authorities executed more than 6 thousand people. This is clearly more than the average day under Stalin. So Nicholas was not such a saint in this regard.

They did not want to publish the correspondence between the king and his wife, fearing that the people would recognize them as saints. It is believed that the issue of publishing the tsar’s correspondence arose when he was being charged with treason. In fact, no criminal case was ever opened against Nikolai; he was detained without any charges; he was neither under investigation nor accused. And that correspondence was published a long time ago, back in the USSR in the 1920s. And for some reason this did not lead to the canonization of the couple. Everyone learned that Nikolai and his wife loved each other and their children very much, they were attached to family joys and relaxation. As private individuals, they were a likeable couple, if flawed. Nothing that would suggest the holiness of these people was found in the correspondence.

The tsar is not to blame for the Khodynka tragedy; he provided all the victims with the necessary financial assistance. Who, if not the first person in the country, should be blamed for such an incident with numerous victims? And no mourning was declared; Nicholas continued to celebrate his accession to the throne. And the family of each victim received assistance in the amount of 1,000 rubles. Families that lost their breadwinner were given his average earnings for 5-7 years. By putting this money in the bank you could count on only 50 rubles a year.

The Tsar paid 50 thousand rubles to the victims of Bloody Sunday. During those events, only 119 people officially died. But the allocated amount actually could not have been so large - the ministers received 20-25 thousand a year. The king allocated 50 thousand to help all the victims.

Thanks to the wise actions of Nicholas, it was possible to prevent the further development of the 1905 revolution. In fact, there is no need to talk about any reforms. The king was able to suppress the uprising at the cost of sacrifices and concessions. The country changed, becoming a constitutional monarchy with an elected legislature. There is no need to talk about Nikolai’s strong will during this period. His advisers note confusion and hesitation, dependence on other people's opinions. The Ministers of Internal Affairs Durnovo and Stolypin behaved truly firmly and ensured the suppression of the revolution.

Nicholas created a great empire. If power must be compared by the size of the army, then Russia really had no equal. But its population was also the largest in Europe. But this entire huge army could not cope with part of the forces of Austria-Hungary and Germany. Mighty Russia survived only 2.5 years of war. The Russian economy was the second in the world, inferior to the American one by 1.85 times. At the same time, a significant part of the GDP belonged to the non-commodity sector - peasants consumed what they themselves grew. In terms of GDP per capita, Russia lagged behind almost all European countries. And what kind of empire did Nicholas create if he inherited it ready-made? But the war in the Far East deprived Russia of its territories, in particular, half of Sakhalin. Until 1903, the country continued the economic course begun by Alexander III. Once the inertia ended, economic and political difficulties began in 1900-1907. It was only in 1909 that Russia experienced a rise again, which was associated with a new generation of politicians. But this period turned out to be short, being crossed out by the World War.

Under Nicholas, the Orthodox Church became the most powerful in the world. They say that by 1913 there were about 54 thousand churches in the church, with parishes in both Asia and Africa. The Orthodox enjoyed authority in the Holy Land as well. But the largest church in the world was, as it is now, the Catholic. If there were about 90 million Orthodox Christians, then there were 212 million Catholics. In Asia and Africa there were small spiritual missions that did not manifest themselves in any way.

Under Nicholas, Russia experienced a demographic boom. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the country actually experienced a high rate of population growth. However, the high birth rate was accompanied by high mortality. Such parameters are typical for undeveloped countries. Europe has already experienced a demographic change; the population has not grown so quickly. So the rapid population growth can only be explained by poverty. This is hardly something to be proud of.

One day, the tsar personally tested new infantry equipment, marching with it 40 miles. This story really happened, no one knew about it. But that check didn’t particularly help - the infantry entered the war without helmets, which were important during shelling. The soldiers did not even have hand grenades. True, all participating countries had unsatisfactory equipment for trench warfare.

Under Nicholas, the length of service in the army was reduced to 2 years, and in the navy - to 5 years. Since 1906, soldiers served in the infantry and foot artillery for 3 years, and in other branches - 4 years. The reason for the reduction in service life was revolutionary events. The king wanted to appease the army, which could suppress popular unrest. The soldiers began to be given sheets, blankets and pillows, as well as tea.

During the First World War, the Tsar constantly went to the front. And even moreover, Nikolai took his son with him. But he did not advance beyond the zone of destruction of enemy shells and aircraft, unlike the monarchs of Germany and England. One day, during a review, an enemy plane appeared on the horizon. For this “courage” the tsar received the Order of St. George, IV degree.

The tsar took command of the troops during the most difficult period of the war, without giving up an inch of land to the enemy. Nicholas took command at the end of August 1915. At that time, the retreat of the Russian army ended, during which Galicia and Poland were lost. The German army was exhausted after 5 months of attacks, its communications were stretched. The Russians reduced the front line and gathered their strength. The front stabilized, remaining that way almost until the summer of 1917. However, it is difficult to attribute this success to the king. He commanded only nominally, without participating in the planning of military operations. The tsar simply liked the military environment, and his presence at the front had a positive influence on the soldiers. But there was also a second side to this story - Nikolai lost contact with the government and abandoned politics.

Even during the war years, Russia did not experience food problems. Obviously, Russia, being one of the largest food exporters on the market during peacetime, was better supplied with food than other warring countries. However, by 1917 problems had accumulated. The authorities began to experiment with surplus appropriation; prices were fixed, which led to goods going to the black market. In the spring of 1917 it was planned to introduce a card system. True, the real famine in Germany turned out to be much worse. But, despite all the margin of safety that existed in the economy, the country experienced a revolution that destroyed the tsarist regime.

Russia had low taxes, so workers received more than their European counterparts. The Russian authorities were forced to collect few taxes due to the poverty of their subjects. Economists pointed out that it was the country’s weak economy that did not provide profitability to the budget. And it is wrong to talk about the prosperity of Russian workers. In 1913, a factory worker in England received an average of 440 rubles a year. At the same time, the country stood out among developed countries for its low earnings. In Germany, the salary was 540 rubles, and in America - generally about 1000. In 1914, Henry Ford raised his workers' wages to 5 dollars a day. This corresponded to 2,700 rubles per year. Domestic workers could not even dream of such earnings. In Russian industry, the average salary was 264 rubles.

Under Nicholas, a law on social insurance appeared, for the first time in the world. One should not think that Russia in 1912 overtook the whole world in this regard. Similar laws in Germany and Austria-Hungary have been in effect for 25 years. Other countries had voluntary insurance, but it was much more developed than Russian.

The American president praised Nicholas for creating the most advanced labor legislation in the world. This myth first appeared in emigrant literature. American sources are silent about this phrase from President William Taft. Compared to Germany, a leader in terms of social legislation, domestic efforts looked pale. In Europe, general insurance for old age and illness was already planned, which did not exist in Russia at all.

Prices in Russia under Nicholas were among the lowest in the world. Beginning in the mid-19th century, Russia protected its market with high tariffs. This was supposed to help develop domestic industry. Nevertheless, manufacturers kept prices at the maximum level, that is, at the level of imported prices, which were still subject to a 35% duty. So it turns out that industrial products in the country were more expensive than in Europe, by about 30%. But in terms of agricultural products, the country, being an exporter, maintained relatively low prices.

Thanks to Nicholas, the ruble began to be backed by gold. And although the monetary reform took place in 1897, the country began to prepare for it under Alexander III and his ministers. The reform was forced - Europe switched to gold money circulation, and Russia, which traded almost exclusively with it, found it difficult to remain with credit money. So external circumstances influenced such a step. And one should not attribute credit for the reform to the emperor. He himself understood little in matters of monetary circulation, completely trusting Minister Witte. With a negative trade balance, gold had to leave the country. The issue was resolved by constant borrowing on foreign markets. By 1914, the country owed 6.5 billion rubles, with a total gold reserve of 1.6 billion.

Under Nicholas II there was a breakthrough in education. They say that compulsory primary education appeared in Russia in 1908. And by 1916, the country had 85% of literate people. Funding for educational institutions increased. In fact, since 1908, funds began to be paid to zemstvos to draw up a project for a school network with primary education. According to plans, the program was supposed to be launched in the European part of the country in 1925-1926, and in Central Asia they didn’t even imagine when. In 1913, only 20,000 of 1.3 million boys received a high school diploma. For girls the picture was even worse. On the eve of the war, there were 100 universities in the country, of which the state recognized diplomas from only 65. And of these, 9 were theological, and 8 were military. There were institutes where only dozens of students studied. There is no need to talk about literacy at 85% - this figure applies to young men in large cities. The national average for all ages in 1913 was 21%.

Under Nicholas, free medical care was introduced in the country. Zemstvo and government medical care have never been free. True, the services were provided at a symbolic price. Zemstvos charged 20 kopecks for a doctor’s appointment and visit, and in cities residents paid a hospital fee of a ruble per year. And although medicine was open to everyone, overload of doctors and hospitals limited their capabilities. The state did not spend enough money; large enterprises even maintained their own hospitals.

Under Nicholas, Russian nationalism became a powerful force, defending the interests of citizens. The Union of the Russian People was indeed a strong political organization. However, in addition to supporting the current government, the Black Hundreds carried out active anti-Semitic activities. What could ordinary citizens ask them for? And after 1906, these organizations did not really do anything at all, imitating patriotic activities and wasting government funds. The All-Russian National Union was a political party and was active in the Duma. Private petitioners did not reach them.

Nikolai was able to increase GDP by 4 times and revive industry. Russian industry developed rapidly in 1890-1900. Then, for three years, a severe crisis came to metallurgy, mechanical engineering and coal mining. In 1904-1907, due to the war and revolution, it was inappropriate to talk about industrial growth. And in 1909, rapid growth began again. The overall rates exceeded those of developed countries. However, one should not combine industrial growth and general economic growth. In the structure of the country's GDP, industry occupied only a quarter. The country's most high-tech industry, metal processing, contributed only 2.7% of GDP in 1913. The high rate of coal production was explained by the fact that the base was initially low. But even in 1913, Russia produced 14 times less coal than the United States. But oil production fell from 1901 to 1913, while in America it was developing at a breakneck pace.

In 1914, the Emperor sent 2,000 Russian engineers to America to create a heavy military industry. In fact, we are talking about the bloated staff of the Purchasing Commissions. Military department employees arrived in America to accept products manufactured under Russian military orders. If these people had anything to do with production, they only talked about Russian standards. The Americans, who were already an advanced industrial power, had nothing to teach.

Under Nicholas, Russia became the world's largest exporter of agricultural products. If we talk about grains, then this was indeed the case. Russia had no equal in the supply of eggs and butter. But Russia sold only 1% of the market volume of sugar, and meat imports even exceeded exports. But at the beginning of the 20th century, food trade occupied a small part of the total volume, no more than 3%. So Russia was poorly involved in global world trade.

Under Nicholas, Russia bloodlessly annexed many territories and began to develop Siberia and the Far East. In 1900, Russian troops occupied northern Manchuria, helping to suppress the Boxer Rebellion. But in 1902, in violation of the agreements, the army was not withdrawn. This became one of the main reasons for the Russo-Japanese War. The occupation of Manchuria was formal - the Chinese administration remained there, taxes went to China. The country's aggressive policy in the Far East was the personal initiative of Nicholas, who listened to the Bezobrazov clique. The country did not receive any dividends from this, because there simply was no strength to defend the occupied territories. After defeat in the war with Japan, Russia left Manchuria. In 1902, the city of Tianjing was returned to China. The Uriankhai region (now Tuva) in 1914 began to be considered a protectorate of Russia, like Bukhara and Khiva. But this sparsely populated territory was of no interest to anyone. In Persia, despite its difficult situation, it was not possible to annex the territory. And the lands in the west (Galicia, Lviv, Chernigov) were captured during the First World War and required significant sacrifices. In addition, the Austrians recaptured most of the lands in 1915.

The Emperor personally carried out all the reforms, sometimes in defiance of the Duma. The amount of control that lay with Nicholas did not allow him not only to develop and carry out all the reforms, but even to delve into their details. In Russia, there was a tradition according to which the tsar was the coordinator of the apparatus’s actions. He appointed senior officials and resolved major disagreements between ministries. The tsar did not draw up any bills. He rarely appeared at meetings; he usually spoke with ministers individually. Nikolai announced his decisions briefly, without bothering to explain anything in detail. It is not clear from his notes how decisions were born and made. Rather, he simply chose from ready-made options offered to him.

Nicholas II gave the people unprecedented freedom of speech. Before 1905 there was no need to talk about this. Books and periodicals were strictly censored. Journalists and editors were tried and exiled. After 1905, the situation eased, but the authorities continued to arrest people. Konstantin Balmont was forced to leave the country for the phrase “our tsar is a squalor.” It was impossible to gather legally to discuss politics. Public meetings were coordinated with the authorities, and a supervising police officer was always present there.

Under Nicholas, the Russian gold ruble became the most reliable currency in the world, and the gold reserve was the largest in the world. Money circulation is based on trust. The higher it is in relation to the country's economy, the lower the percentage of gold coverage is required. In England in the 1910s, only 20-25% of the banknotes were enough for gold. But in poor Russia, with an unstable financial system, there was no need to talk about trust, so we had to provide 100% support in gold. The government reserved the right to issue only 300 million unsecured rubles, using it during the 1905 revolution. The world's largest gold reserve was explained not so much by the volume of money, but by a low level of trust. However, these funds were withdrawn from the economy, and partially and completely borrowed abroad.

Nicholas II created a powerful army in Russia. The creators of this myth say as proof that Russia was armed with the best Mosin rifles and Maxim machine guns in the world, and the 76-mm field guns had no equal. Light weapons in the Russian army were really decent. But by the time the First World War began, the rifle had already become a reliable weapon in all armies, and machine guns, although new, were also quite functional tools. German rifles were not inferior in their characteristics to Russian ones, and our light and fast-firing 76-mm gun turned out to be suitable only for mobile battles. She was powerless against an entrenched enemy. The same Germans had 4 times more heavy artillery.

The Tsar built a powerful air force in the country. In 1910, Russia actually had 263 aircraft, which was the largest aviation fleet in the world. By the fall of 1917, the number of aircraft had grown to 700. It was only with the outbreak of hostilities that all the warring countries rushed to produce aircraft. As a result, by 1918 France already had 3,300 aircraft. Russia was also very dependent in this regard on its allies; from them it received both the aircraft themselves and aircraft engines.

The Tsar built a powerful navy in the country. At the end of the war, the British had 33 modern battleships and another 17 obsolete ones in service. In Germany, the ratio was 18 and 22. In Russia, by the beginning of the First World War, there were only 9 obsolete battleships and 8 more were built. Thus, the domestic fleet was approximately comparable in power to the French and American, but was much inferior to the German and English.

Nicholas II built the Great Siberian Railway. In fact, this construction was initiated by Alexander III. It was under him that the Trans-Siberian Railway was laid in 1891. Then Nikolai was present at the ceremony, while still being the heir. His personal contribution was still considerable - he was the chairman of the Siberian Railway Committee in 1892-1903, and was keenly interested in the process. The effect of its construction was not only positive. On the one hand, Siberia began to develop rapidly, connecting with the European part of the country. On the other hand, one of the sections of the road passed through Chinese territory. As a result, this turned into expansion and the Russo-Japanese War. And even before 1905, there was a gap in the Trans-Siberian Railway, as a result of which cargo had to be delivered through Baikal. And only in 1916 the road, which lies entirely on Russian territory, reached Vladivostok.

Nicholas II created the Hague International Court. In 1899 and 1907, with the active participation of Nicholas, two Hague peace conferences were held. As a result, many declarations and agreements were adopted aimed at peaceful resolution of conflicts. The Permanent Court of Arbitration was also created. However, this did not give any serious results. The Chamber did not prevent the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, the Balkan Wars, or the First World War. And even Russia, in its crisis with Japan, did not even try to appeal to The Hague. The peace initiative was buried by the creators themselves. True, some of the Hague Conventions for the protection of prisoners of war and civilians allowed humanity to be shown during the First World War. And although the Russian emperor was the initiator of the First Peace Conference, he was not the author of all its resolutions. Regarding the rules of warfare, established international practices were simply consolidated.

Under Nikolai, alcohol consumption sharply decreased. At the very end of the 19th century, a wine monopoly was introduced in the country. It was the state that began to control the sale of cheap vodka. And this brought a lot of income to the country - a quarter of all budget revenues in the 1910s. Consumption of pure alcohol per capita actually amounted to 3.4 liters per capita, which was 5 times lower than in France and 3 times lower than in Germany. Today, the country drinks an average of 15 liters. They drank more in the cities than in the countryside. The price was such that it reduced consumption, but did not allow the development of underground moonshine. It must be said that under Nicholas they drank about the same as in the 19th century. The monopoly itself and low prices have become the subject of criticism. They said that the authorities were making the people drunk. Many advocated the introduction of Prohibition. It appeared with the outbreak of the First World War. However, Prohibition led to the creation of social tension, contributing to the formation of a revolutionary situation. That is, the tsarist government first created a smart system for selling alcohol, and then destroyed it.

Nicholas II was able to tame inflation and unemployment. With the established gold-based monetary system, inflation was impossible. But due to the increase in the number of households, demand has exceeded supply. This led to a 59% increase in retail prices from 1897 to 1913. This primarily concerned food and consumer goods. There was practically no unemployment in the city; many city dwellers simply still had a close connection with the village. If the demand for hired labor decreased, then people simply returned to their villages. In essence, the authorities have driven unemployment into the villages. The area of ​​cultivated land there hardly grew, and as a result the plots decreased. Up to half of the labor spent on rural farms was useless. The people believed that the problem was with the landowners, which led to unrest in 1903-1904. Economists see actual unemployment as the cause of this crisis.

Nicholas II never abdicated the throne. The issue of Nicholas II's abdication is quite controversial. On its basis this myth was born. The renunciation took place in the presence of a group of people differing in their political orientation and social status. Nicholas II signed the document in his train carriage. It is difficult to imagine the collusion of a large number of different people. Eyewitnesses had no reason to doubt that the document was falsified. And Nikolai himself, in his correspondence with his mother and communication with his interlocutors, directly says that he signed the act and renounced. Supporters of the myth point to an indistinct signature made in pencil. However, this, on the contrary, indicates the authenticity of the document. The fact is that Nikolai always signed with a soft pencil, and then the document was certified in ink by the minister or the adjutant general. The revolution actually overthrew the Tsar. It is difficult to imagine that those who gathered in the carriage on this occasion on March 2, if they refused to sign the document, would simply leave, leaving power to Nicholas. He would have been arrested and deposed by force. And how could it be that the forgery of the king’s signature brought down a three-hundred-year dynasty?

The order to execute Nikolai and his family came from Moscow. This story has haunted historians for several decades. Who gave the order to kill the king and his family? Today there is no doubt that the decision to execute the Romanovs was adopted by the executive committee of the Ural Regional Council of Workers', Soldiers' and Peasants' Deputies. But there was no order coming from Moscow, from Lenin or Sverdlov. But there is indirect evidence that this could not happen. Shortly before the execution, in a telephone conversation, Lenin directly instructed the commander of the North Ural military group to protect the royal family and not allow any violence. Most likely, responsibility should be placed on the local authorities; at that time, arbitrariness was commonplace. The White Guards were advancing on Yekaterinburg. True, the king and his son, who announced their abdication, could no longer lay claim to the throne.

Not a single name in the history of Russia has been slandered as much as the name of the Tsar-Martyr and his family. Streams of the most vile slander against the Royal Family fell from the enemies of Russia long before the revolution, sowing confusion and distrust of the Throne among the people. After the abdication of the Sovereign, the new government needed at least partial evidence of what the slanderers were talking about. The Provisional Government even appointed an investigative commission, which tormented the Tsar and Tsarina with searches and interrogations. But she did not find a single fact incriminating them of any anti-state acts. When one of the commission members asked why their correspondence had not yet been published, he was told: “If we publish it, the people will worship them like saints.”

In all subsequent years, everything connected with the Royal Family was consigned to oblivion, and on the surface lay only ideological cliches showing the weakness, mediocrity and bloodthirstiness of the Tsar, which ultimately, according to Soviet ideologists, led to the revolution. The set of charges is known: Khodynka; the “Far Eastern adventure”, which ended in the inglorious Russo-Japanese War; "Bloody Sunday"; Lena execution; entry into world war.

Even now, after the canonization of the Royal Family as saints, not the whole truth about the last Russian kingdom has been fully accepted by our people.

One often hears the opinion that the Royal Family was canonized only for patiently enduring sorrows before their martyrdom. And the facts say that their whole life was a genuine Christian feat worthy of imitation. They say that Nicholas II was a bad monarch. But if we trace the path of Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, we will see that this is not so. Russia was developing rapidly. In the twentieth year of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, the Russian economy reached its highest point of prosperity. The grain harvest doubled compared to the beginning of the reign; the population grew by fifty million people. From being illiterate, Russia quickly became literate. European economists predicted in 1913 that by the middle of this century Russia would dominate Europe politically, economically and financially. They say that Nicholas II was canonized not as a Tsar, but as a person. But fanatical Satanists killed him and his entire family precisely as a Russian Orthodox Autocrat, the bearer of supreme power. Hence the ritual nature of the murder, when even the bodies were completely destroyed.

If we clear the image of the last Russian Emperor and his family from malicious slander, false definitions and crafty omissions, then we must say with confidence: the Holy Tsar-Martyr was a genuine Russian Orthodox Autocrat, whose rule was a blessing for the great Empire and the Russian people. As an Autocrat, he fully fulfilled what was entrusted to him by God.

KHODYNSKAYA DISASTER
The tragedy on the Khodynskoye Field is usually used as proof of the myth about the “callousness of the Sovereign, his indifference to his people.” As you know, in May 1896, celebrations took place in Moscow on the occasion of the coronation of Their Imperial Majesties. On the Khodynka field during the distribution of royal gifts, a terrible stampede arose, in which over a thousand people died and several hundred were injured. A terrible tragedy marred the holiday.

What is the young Emperor doing in connection with this tragedy? An investigation was ordered. For poor organization of order and lack of foresight, the chief police chief was removed from office and the law enforcement officers subordinate to him were punished. The families of the dead and injured were given cash benefits. The dead were buried at public expense, and their children were sent to an orphanage. Moreover, the Tsar and Empress personally attended the memorial service for the dead and visited the wounded in hospitals several times.

On the day of the tragedy, the French ambassador was supposed to have a reception and ball. For a head of state, receiving the ambassador of a foreign power is not entertainment, but work. It must be taken into account that Russia and France were just establishing allied relations, and any roughness could be used by hostile states to upset the emerging alliance. And the Emperor found a worthy way out of this difficult situation. He attended the reception, which emphasized Russia’s loyalty to allied relations and interest in their development, but soon left, leaving everyone’s Christian conscience to make a choice whether to have fun on the day of the mournful event.

The enemies of the Autocracy even then sought to use any misfortune to discredit the Emperor. And the main reason for the hype around the Khodynka tragedy was the unfulfilled hope of the Tsar’s enemies that Khodynka would become a reason for the dismissal of the Moscow governor-general, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, whom they hated.

RUSSIAN-JAPANESE WAR
Emperor Nicholas II is usually blamed for the fact that his Far Eastern policy led to the war with Japan, and also for the fact that the war was lost. However, if we strive to soberly and impartially evaluate the past, then we must draw an unequivocal conclusion: Japan provoked and started the war. It was Japan that deliberately aggravated relations and led matters to a military outcome. The Japanese delegation unilaterally interrupted long and difficult negotiations on delimiting spheres of influence in Korea and Manchuria. The Japanese, incited by our old enemy, England, demanded Russia's almost complete withdrawal from the region. The only way to avoid war was the complete surrender of Russia, our withdrawal from the Far East. Thus, the Sovereign had a choice: either national humiliation or war. Nothing else was given.

Who is to blame for the fact that Russia lost the war? It should be noted that Japan started the war in very favorable conditions. The Japanese had the advantage both at sea and on land. With the help of England, the construction of a navy was completed, which was superior both quantitatively and qualitatively to the Russian Pacific squadron. Ground forces in the Far East were few in number and dispersed. The single-track Trans-Siberian Railway could not ensure the rapid transfer of reinforcements to the theater of military operations.

At the first stage of the war, Japan achieved maximum success. The Russian navy was destroyed. Ground forces were thrown back into the depths of Manchuria. Sakhalin was occupied. But by the summer of 1905 it became clear that Japan was not capable of more. Meanwhile, Russian troops were ready to continue hostilities. Who prevented Russia from bringing the war to victory? Allies of Japan.

In the Russo-Japanese War against Russia, Japan, England, American Jewish capital, Russian revolutionaries and liberals, as well as the court camarilla acted as a united front.

The revolutionaries launched a real war against their government. During the war, the Finnish Governor-General N.I. Bobrikov, the Minister of Internal Affairs V.K. Plehve, the Moscow Governor-General Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and other officials loyal to the Tsar and Russia were killed. Liberal-minded figures controlled most of the newspapers and through them shaped public opinion. Lev Tikhomirov wrote in his diary with indignation about the vile act of a group of liberal professors and students at Moscow University, who sent a congratulatory telegram to the Japanese Emperor on the occasion of the Japanese victory over Russian troops. This is who corrupted the spirit of the people and the army!

High society also contributed to Japan's victory. The bureaucratic elite and court circles weaved intrigues against the Tsar and tried to push their proteges into various positions in the apparatus, without caring about the interests of the country.

It was under their pressure that the Tsar was forced to conclude a peace treaty with Japan under conditions unfavorable for Russia. US President T. Roosevelt, German Emperor Wilhelm, and head of the Russian delegation S. Yu. Witte demanded further concessions as an indispensable condition for concluding a peace treaty. But even in this difficult situation, Russia managed to conclude a shameful peace treaty. And the credit for this undoubtedly belongs exclusively to the king. The Emperor declared: “I will never conclude a shameful and unworthy peace for the great Russia.” The Russian delegation at peace negotiations with Japan followed his firm instructions: “Not a penny of indemnity, not an inch of land.”

The most common accusation against the Emperor is, undoubtedly, “Bloody Sunday” on January 9, 1905. Of course: workers with banners, icons, portraits of the monarch went to their Tsar in order to tell him about their difficult situation, and he, hiding behind the soldiers in the Winter Palace, ordered the peaceful workers’ demonstration to be shot. This, or something like this, is how this event is still described in all kinds of textbooks and scientific works.

What really happened? Firstly, it is a lie that the demonstration was peaceful and that the workers went to the Tsar with requests to improve their difficult situation. This is evidenced by the petition carried by the demonstrators. The workers did not ask, but demanded. The words “lead immediately”, “lead and swear to fulfill” do not really look like a request.

So what did the workers demand? Maybe an increase in wages, a reduction in working hours, improved living conditions? Here is a quote from the demonstrators’ petition: “They immediately ordered the convening of representatives of the Russian land [...] They ordered that elections to the Constituent Assembly take place under the condition of universal, secret and equal voting. This is our most important request; everything is based in it and on it; it is the main and only plaster for our wounds.” The workers' wounds, it turns out, were bleeding from... the absence of parliament in the Russian Empire!

In short, under the guise of “fair requests of the oppressed workers,” the petition contained a program of action for radical left parties. The workers were deceived and used as a battering ram against the authorities. Thus, objectively, the events of January 9, 1905 are a political protest against the legitimate government. And we should not forget that there was a war going on! And in wartime conditions, any protest against the supreme power can and should be qualified as betrayal and rebellion.

Of course, the forces of law and order did not act in the best way. But it cannot be said that no preventive measures were taken. Knowing in advance that the demonstrators were going to go with a petition to the Tsar, they decided on Thursday: the Tsar would not be in the city on Sunday. The police should have warned the workers about this in a timely manner, thereby hoping to prevent a demonstration. It was a wise decision. The Emperor made it clear that he did not intend to talk to the workers in this form and in this way. However, the announcement about this was printed in such a small circulation and so ineptly posted around the city (perhaps this was done deliberately) that it had no impact on the events. In the current situation, there was no other way out but to forcefully disperse the demonstration. Judging by the memoirs of many government officials of that time, the leadership of the law enforcement forces understood the seriousness of the situation literally on the eve of the tragic day. What was left to do? Should the Emperor come to St. Petersburg, go out to the crowd and swear to fulfill all their demands? This was the path of complete surrender, and not even to the people, but to the deceived, propagandized crowd.

All approaches to the city center were blocked. The demonstrators were not driven into a dead end. They had a choice - having met law enforcement officers and army units on their way, turn back and disperse. They didn't do this. Despite verbal warnings and warning shots, the demonstrators walked along a chain of soldiers who were forced to open fire. 130 people were killed and several hundred were wounded. Reports of “thousands of victims” disseminated by the liberal and revolutionary press are propaganda fiction.

What measures did the Emperor take after this bloody anti-state uprising of the workers? Officials directly responsible for failing to prevent the demonstration were dismissed from their posts, including such high-ranking officials as the Minister of Internal Affairs and the St. Petersburg mayor.

In order to personally understand the state of affairs, the Emperor received a deputation of St. Petersburg workers on January 19. Addressing them, he said: “You allowed yourself to be drawn into error and deception by traitors and enemies of our Motherland.” Naturally, the press did not say a word about the Sovereign’s reception of the workers’ delegation, as if it had never happened.

Then the Emperor ordered the creation of a commission to examine the actual needs of the workers. By order of the Tsar, 50,000 rubles were allocated from the state treasury for benefits to those affected on January 9. Find similar examples in the history of European countries when the state would allocate money to victims of anti-state protests! And besides, during a difficult and unsuccessful war!!!

Thus, the performance on January 9 must be qualified as nothing other than an anti-state protest against the legitimate government and a political provocation. It is simply amazing to see the patience with which the Emperor, in those conditions, treated the actions of his distraught people. All his actions were aimed at calming society and preventing the destructive play of passions.

The Lena gold mines belonged to the Lenzoloto joint-stock company. In other words, responsibility for what was happening at the enterprise was borne, first of all, by the founders and owners of the controlling stake. The founders of Lenzolot were Jews G. Gunzburg, M. Varshaver, K. Vinberg, M. Meyer and others.

Large dividends for shareholders arose not least from the unscrupulous exploitation of workers. Dissatisfaction is ripe. The distribution of meat unfit for consumption in the shop became the reason for a strike. The Lena mines are a special area, a place of exile and hard labor for criminals. At that moment, there were many people convicted of revolutionary terrorist activities there. It was they who led the workers' uprising. At the same time, these figures cared little about the actual needs of the workers.

On April 4, workers clashed with troops. 250 workers were killed and 270 wounded. As soon as news of the incident reached the capital, a storm of protest arose. Not only the left, but also the right protested. The leader of the far right, N. Markov, emphasized that the mine was owned by Jews. Minister of Internal Affairs A. Makarov added fuel to the fire. Speaking in the Duma, he said: “When a crowd, having lost its mind under the influence of malicious agitation, attacks the troops, then the troops have no choice but to shoot. So it was and so it will be in the future.” This awkward phrase from the minister inflamed passions even more.

The police blamed the workers. The left blamed the police. Right - Jews. What should the Emperor have done? First of all, objectively understand the situation. That's exactly what he did. The investigation was entrusted to the liberal senator Manuchin. In this decision of the Tsar his impartiality is clearly visible. “I know Manukhin well,” said the Emperor, “he is a great liberal, but he is an impeccably honest person and will not bend his soul. If you send some adjutant general, then they will have little faith in his conclusion and will say that he is covering up the local authorities.”

Senator Manukhin, having examined the circumstances of the case, came to the conclusion that the culprits for the events at the mines were: firstly, the board of Lenzoloto, which did not care about improving the living conditions of the workers, and secondly, the police, which at first were inactive and then allowed abuse of power . As a result of the investigation, the board of Lenzolot resigned, and captain Treshchenkov was put on trial. But the court acquitted the captain, because admitted that he ordered the use of weapons in a desperate situation of defense in the face of an angry crowd.

WORLD WAR
Many accuse the Tsar of entering the world war, although participation in it could have been avoided. To this, as a rule, are added lengthy discussions about the Tsar’s mediocre abilities as a commander, which ultimately led to disaster. What really happened?

By the time Emperor Nicholas II ascended the throne, two opposing military-political blocs had already taken shape in general terms: Germany, Austria and Italy, on the one hand, France and Russia (later joined by England) on the other. The struggle between France and Germany was the main confrontation that threatened the world with war. All that remained was to bring a match. Let us remember how the world war began. After the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand, Austria presented an ultimatum to Serbia, fully aware that it was entering into conflict with Russia. A faithful ally of Russia, little Serbia could not independently resist the Austrian dictatorship. The Serbian royal regent Alexander begged for the protection of the All-Russian Emperor: “We cannot defend ourselves. Therefore, we beg Your Majesty to help us as soon as possible.”

The Emperor had no choice. Of course, it was possible to betray an ally and throw Serbia to be torn apart by enemies. This is fully consistent with the norms of behavior of today's rulers. But the Orthodox Russian Tsar could not do this. For he understood power not as domination over people, but as service to God, as the task of protecting Orthodoxy on earth!

In the summer of 1915, during the most difficult time for the Russian army, the Tsar took over the Supreme Command of the troops. He was convinced that only in this case the enemy would be defeated. As soon as the Anointed of God stood at the head of the army, happiness returned to Russian weapons. While the Emperor led the troops, not an inch of land was given to the enemy. By the spring of 1917, the Russian Empire had practically won the First World War. Its active Army consisted of more than 7 million well-armed and equipped soldiers, which was twice the number of the enemy. The number of Russian guns on the German front was 1.5 times greater than the artillery of the enemy army. The Russian military industry made a huge leap during the war years. A huge number of shells were prepared for the spring offensive on the Austro-Hungarian front.

During the entire war, the losses of the Imperial Army in killed and those who died from wounds did not exceed 800,000 people. On the Russian front alone, Austro-German troops lost 2.4 million people - three times more. One Russian soldier killed for every three killed by the enemy. This characterizes the Russian command from the best side.

As a result of the famous offensive of the Southwestern Front, known as the “Brusilovsky breakthrough,” 25 thousand square kilometers of territory lost in 1915 were liberated.

On the Caucasian front, Turkish Armenia was completely liberated and Trebizond was occupied. The troops were moving towards Constantinople, and the Black Sea Fleet under the command of Admiral Kolchak was preparing a landing on the Bosphorus. According to the agreement signed with the allies, Russia, as a result of the war, received power over Constantinople and the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.

Behind these successes were the organizational qualities and selfless work of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II. As General Lokhvitsky said, “... it took Peter nine years to turn the Narva vanquished into the Poltava victors... Nicholas II did the same great work in a year and a half.”

Despite the hardships of the war, the population of Russia increased by more than four million people from 1914 to 1917, reaching 180 million by 1917. The annual income of the peasantry almost doubled from 1914 to 1916 due to state benefits to the families of those mobilized and for the supply of horses and food for military orders. The families of mobilized workers were also paid benefits worth 275 million rubles.

Thus, in the words of Churchill, “even on March 1st the Tsar was on his throne. The Russian Empire and the Russian Army held out, the front was firm and victory was certain... The system led by Nicholas II had by this time won the war for Russia.”

The sovereign in his reign and everyday life adhered to the original Russian Orthodox principles. He had a deep knowledge of Russian history and literature, was a great connoisseur of his native language and did not tolerate the use of foreign words in it. “The Russian language is so rich,” he said, “that it allows you to replace foreign expressions in all cases. Not a single word of non-Slavic origin should disfigure our language.”

The August Family, while imprisoned in Tsarskoe Selo, worked tirelessly. In the spring, the Tsar and the children cleared the park of snow; in the summer they worked in the garden; trees were cut down and cut down. The Tsar’s tirelessness impressed the soldiers so much that one of them said: “After all, if you give him a piece of land and he works on it himself, he will soon earn all of Russia for himself again.”

The issue of canonization of the Royal Family was decided at the Council of Bishops on August 14, 2000. In the hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where the chairman of the Synodal Commission for Canonization, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna, gave a report, only bishops were present. At 17:20 the final decision on canonization was made. In the debate before this, about 60 bishops spoke, who with tears in their eyes spoke about the need to glorify the Tsar-Martyr and his family. The veneration of the Royal Family by the church flock was truly nationwide by that time, and many bishops admitted on the sidelines that they did not know how they would return to their dioceses if there was no positive decision. They voted by standing, and the hall of Church Councils, full of standing bishops, testified better than any words to the holiness of the royal passion-bearers. The decision was made unanimously.

The article uses materials from the historian A. Stepanov and “The Lives of the Holy Royal Martyrs” Moscow. 1999

This is what I understood from the posts of outraged truth experts:

During the reign of Nicholas II, Russia experienced an unprecedented industrial boom and prosperity, Russia began to greatly outstrip the countries of Europe, the population incredibly improved their lives, and everything would have been fine, but the indignant peasants, soldiers, workers, bourgeoisie and intelligentsia, who made revolution.

Nicholas II won the First World War, and Russian troops would have entered Berlin if only the army had not fled, the provisions had not run out, and the front line had not been so far from Berlin and so close to St. Petersburg.

Nicholas II was not personally acquainted with Rasputin, and the queen was not familiar with Rasputin, and in general no one was familiar with Rasputin, Rasputin himself invented fairy tales about his acquaintance with the royal family, and the Bolsheviks spread these fairy tales, and everyone believed in them , including the king and his family. Nicholas 2nd did not act on Rasputin’s orders, everyone simply believed that he acted this way, therefore, when Nicholas 2nd wanted to promote someone, this someone brought money to Rasputin, or his wife went to Rasputin, and then promotions happened because Nikolai wanted them, and these promotions were very reasonable, and not those that Rasputin proposed.

Nicholas II simply could not help but start the Russian-Japanese War; circumstances would not have allowed him; and Russia would have won if Makarov had not been blown up by a mine; but even after that, Russia won, it was just that the Bolsheviks had to discredit Nicholas II, and they wrote that she lost, and everyone believed it, including the Japanese, who therefore took half of Sakhalin from Witte.

Nicholas II was for reforms and the convening of the Duma. It’s just that the wrong deputies were constantly gathering in the Duma, they lacked education, and Nikolai had to disperse them. The educated deputies never gathered, but Nikolai is not to blame for this.

There was no corruption during the time of Nicholas II. This was proven by a commission under Nicholas II, which did not find any cases of corruption.

There was no famine during the reign of Nicholas II. In addition, the starving people were very well cared for by numerous famine relief societies. And Leo Tolstoy, when he wrote about the famine in 1906, had in mind the famine of 1891, but forgot to write about it. And there were no deaths from starvation, because there is a book by Sergeev, which says that there were none.

Nicholas II was a wise ruler and thanks to him Russia prospered. And the lost wars, revolutions, pogroms, famine, repression, corruption and localism and other terrible problems, because of which Russia fell apart, happened due to the fault of ministers and associates who were in the Masonic lodge, and who did not allow Nicholas 2 to do anything , and therefore he did not influence the situation in Russia in any way.

There were no pogroms under Nicholas II; the Jews came up with that. And there would have been no revolution if the Jews had not decided to take revenge for the pogroms that never happened, and had not made a revolution with the hands of the Russian people, who were against the revolution, and they killed the entire Russian people into a civil society, because they were already civil, when the Jews came to power in Russia, of course there were terrible pogroms, and it is right that there were pogroms, because the Jews killed all the Russians.

Everything bad about Russia and Nicholas II is written in the “Short Course on the History of the Party.” All other books have only good things written about him. “A Short Course in the History of the Party” is a very bad book, because it was written by associates of the German agent Vladimir Ulyanov, who overthrew the provisional government of the English agent Alexander Kerensky and seized power in Russian Russia, which had previously been successfully ruled by the Russian Tsar Nicholas Holstein-Gottorp and his wife Victoria Alex von Gessen. If something bad is written about Nicholas II in other books, it is simply because they copied from the “Short Course”, or “The Short Course” was copied from them.

Nicholas II was loved by all the people of Russia. He was overthrown by a handful of English agents close to him, who deceived the people, who all came out for his abdication because they were deceived.

And for dessert:

It’s not for you to talk about the Emperor after yours jumped out from behind the Pale of Settlement and destroyed the country that was the most successful in the world. This is a well-known fact, they even write about it in English, here is the link. Speak your language, not our Russian.

I’m thinking with some fear - is all of the above already written in the school textbook, or is it still a “soviet lie”?