Reasons for Nicholas II’s weakened authority

Question 1

Nicholas’s Personality

Answer 1

• Believed completely in his divine right to rule
• he was stubborn and saw advice as criticism
• he undermined his ministers to stop anyone challenging his authority

Question 2

Nicholas and the State Duma

Answer 2

• forced to allow a State Duma to form in 1906
• the duma held meeting to debate politics and legislation
• He refused to share any real power with the duma, frustrating those who were hoping for a more democratic russia
• this meant that Nicholas remained responsible for russias problems

Question 3

Nicholas and Russias problems

Answer 3

• Nicholas and Alexandra believed there was a religious bond between the Tsar and the people
• Believed russia should put its faith in God and tradition
• He did not actively try to solve russias problems, believing instead that they were in gods hands

Question 4

Alexandra and Rasputin

Answer 4

• Rasputin was a self-styled ‘holy man’ trusted to help the royal couples son Aleksei who suffered for Haemophilia
• Alexandra encouraged Nicholas to listen to rasputin advice - he became more powerful than ministers
• Rasputin had a reputation for sexual promiscuity - rumours between alexandra and rasputin were damaging to nicholas’s authority