Individuals

Question 1

Tsar Nicholas II

Answer 1

• Became known as Nicholas the Bloody after Bloody Sunday
• Fundamental Laws gave him ‘Supreme Autocratic power’
• Sept 1915: became Commander-in-Chief of Army and left Tsarina in charge
• “He is utterly, utterly useless.” (Sebestyen)
• “He was a man who shouldn’t have been tsar. He wasn’t suited to the onerous task of monarch.” (Rappaport)

Question 2

Tsarina Alexandra

Answer 2

• 1905: convinced that Rasputin could cure her hemophiliac son, Alexis
• 1915: Left in charge after Tsar becomes Commander-in-Chief
• 1915-16: appointed 4 Prime Ministers and 6 Ministers of Interior
• She was German
• Rumours that she was having an affair with Rasputin
• “She was very entrenched in the concept of autocracy and their divine right.” (Rappaport)

Question 3

Count Witte

Answer 3

• 1893-1903: Minister of finance
• 1905: drew up the October Manifesto
• Great Spurt
• R-J War

Question 4

Stolypin

Answer 4

• 1906: became Prime Minister
• Land reforms
• Repression of uprisings using violence
• Public hangings of political peasant enemies (Stolypin’s Neckties)
• Approx. 3000 killed this way between 1906-1911 (Colley)
• Sept 1911: assassinated by an SR member

Question 5

Rasputin

Answer 5

• 1905: convinced that Rasputin could cure her hemophiliac son, Alexis
• Led a dissolute lifestyle- drinking and promiscuity
• Rumours about his corrupting influence on the Tsarina
• Rumours he was having an affair with the Tsarina
• Dec 1916: murdered by Prince Yusupov

Question 6

Kerenksy

Answer 6

• 1905: joined SR’s
• 1912: elected into Duma
• Member of the Petrograd Soviet and the Provisional Government
• May 1917: appointed minister of War
• June Offensive
• Kornilov Affair

Question 7

Lenin

Answer 7

• 1900: Lenin founded the Bolshevik newspaper Iskra (The Spark)
• 1902: published What is to be Done?
  Pravda
• 1903: SDs split
• 1905: not there (in exile)
  Return and April Theses
• October Revolution

Question 8

Trotsky

Answer 8

• 1903: sides with Mens.
• 1905: elected leader of the St. Petersburg Soviet
• May 1917: leader of Mens.
• Arrested for the July Days
• 1917: Joins Bols.
• Sept 1917: Chairman of Petrograd Soviet
• October Revolution