DuetotheTsarsweakpersonality,theRomanovDynastybegantodeteriorateafteraseriesof

politicalandsocialdiscontents.ManyofthefactorsimpactedNicholasdirectlyastheycaused
himtoreactpersonallyandaggressivelytothechallengeshefaced,whichinturnresultedin
furtherinternalandexternalcomplications.Themajorcomponentsleadingtothedeclineandfall
oftheRomanovDynastyincluded:the1905revolutionpoliticalpolarisationofRussiansociety
theimpactofWW1RasputinsinfluenceovertheimperialfamilyandtheMarch1917revolution.
ThesemajoreventsaccumulatedthechallengesfacingNicholasII,whichultimatelyledtothe
abdicationoftheTsarandtheeradicationofamonarchduetohisweakandindifferentattitudes
towardstheproblems.
DuetotheTsarsineffectiveresponsetochallengesfacinghim,the1905revolutionconcludedin
abloodyend,hencebeingcalledBloodySunday.AccordingtoAlexanderkerenskysmemoir,
therecamerowuponrowoforderlyandsolemnfacedworkersalldressedintheirbestclothes
andwenttothepalacewithoutanyevilintent.Theauthoritiesrespondedtothisbyopeningfire.
Thefirstvolleywasfiredintheair,butthesecondwasaimedatthecrowd.Thismemoirisnot
veryreliableasitisbasedonKerenskysmemorywhichmayhaveleftoutimportantaspectsof
theevent.ItisusefulthoughasitgivesaninsightintoKerenskyspointofviewofthesituation.
However,formerUSambassadorRobertMcCormickstatesinajuxtaposingrecountofthe
event,inwhichthecrowdwasjeeringatthetroops,hustlingtheofficersandusinglanguageto
them,Someevenwithrevolvers.Theauthoritiesseemedtodoanythingintheirpowerto
persuadethepeopletodispersepeaceably.Althoughambassadorsrecountisveryusefulasit
giveshispoliticalstancetowardtheevent,itisunreliableasitisverybiasedduetohispolitical
positionasUSambassadortoRussia.Theofficialtoll,basedonDennettandDixonsaccount
wasninetytwodeadandseveralhundredwounded.This,alongwithpoorcoordination,ledto
thetarnishingoftheTsarsimagefromLittleFathertoNicholasthebloody.Therefore,itcanbe
seenthattheeventsof1905underminedtheTsarsimageasauthoritiesopenedonthepeaceful
protestors,demonstratingtheinefficiencyandineffectivenessofTsaristrule.
Thepoliticalramificationsofthe1905revolutionfurtherexemplifiesNicholasweakpersonality.
Theaftermathofthe1905revolutionledtothesigningoftheOctoberManifesto,whichgranteda
limitedfreedomandconstitutiontotheRussianpopulation.TheTsarhoweverretainedabsolute
powerwhichdeemedtheDumapowerless,accordingtoTsarNicholassdecisiontoestablish
asanunbreakablerulethatnolawshallgointoforcewithoutitsconfirmationbythestateDuma.
AsLeonTrotskyscommentinformsus,aconstitutionisgiven,buttheautocracyremains.The
reliabilityofL.Trotskyscommentcanbequestionedasitisabiasedandpersonalviewofthe
constitution.Itisveryuseful,however,asitstatesLeonTrotskysattitudetowardsthenew
constitution.TheDuma,accordingtohistoriansDennettandDixon,metfortenweeks,from
MayuntilJune1906,afterwhichitwasdissolvedbytheTsar.TheTsaralteredtheelectorallaw
beforethethirdDumamet,toensuretherepresentationofthemasseswasdrasticallyreduced.
Thislastedfortwoterms,from1907to1917.Thispoliticalpolarisationcausedrevolutionary
partiestorise,provingfurtherthatthatdeclineoftheempirewasduetotheTsarsweak
personalityastheeventunderminedhisauthority,contributingtothedeclineoftheTsarsimage
andpoliticaljurisdiction.
TheeventsofthefirstWorldWarandNicholaspoorqualityascommanderinchiefcontributed
greatlytothedeclineandfalloftheRomanovDynasty.Whenwarwasdeclared,itseemedthe
Dynastywouldbesavednotdestroyed.Allpoliticaldifferenceswereputasideasthecountry
united.However,theGermansinflictedheavydamagetotheRussiansatTannenberginAugust

1914.Manyprisoners,storesandgunswerecapturedwhichledtoRussiancommander
Samsonovssuicide.ThisloweredthemoraleofboththeRussianpopulationandsoldiers
dramatically.Russiahadnotyetindustrialisedforamodernwar.Productionofammunition,
clothingandsupplieswereinsufficientandmanoeuvreswereplannedusingmapsasoldas
eighteenyears,aswellasareductioninexportsduetoGermanblockades.Russiahadsuffered
3.5millioncasualties.Theshortageofmenledtotheuseofchildsoldiers,asevidentina
photographicsourceofcapturedRussianchildsoldierstitledRussianboysoldiersguardedby
GermantroopsaftercaptureatthebattleofTannenberg.Thissourceisreliableasitwastaken
duringthetimeoftheeventandusefulasitprovedthatchildsoldierswereused.Discontent
grewintheformofstrikesasaresult.AccordingtohistoriansDennettandDixon,therewere
268strikesinJanuaryandFebruary1917,resultingin403295lostworkingdays.Thisledtoa
majorblowtotheTsarsprestige,reinforcingthestatementthedeclineandfalloftheRomanov
Dynastywascausedbyhisweakpersonalityashehadineffectivelyandinefficientlyresponded
tothethreatscausedbytheGermansandtheeconomy.
ThemajorinfluenceRasputinhadontheroyalfamilyreinforcestheperceptionofNicholasweak
personalityasitplayedanimportantroleinboththedeclineandfalloftheRomanovDynastyand
theeventsoftheMarch1917revolution.RomanovwasbroughttotheattentionofNicholasand
AlexanderinNovember1905asawanderingholyman.Hispowersasahealergainedhimthe
definitesupportoftheTsarinaduetotheirson,Alexishaemophilia,resultinginhernamefor
Rasputinasourfriend.HeopenlybraggedIcangetanythingandeverythingfromher.Asfor
him,hesasimplesoul(BucklowandRussel1987,p.115),supportingthenotionNicholaswas
weakashelistenedtothedemandsofothers.Rasputinalsobeganinterferinginpoliticaland
militaryaffairswhenNicholasbecamecommanderinchief,indicatingNicholasweakcharacter
judgmentofRasputin.Russiawentthroughfiveinteriorministersandthreeforeignministersin
tenmonths.AlexandrabecameknownastheGermanwomanasaBolshevikpropagandist
cartooncaricatureindicatesRasputindominatingtheroyalfamily.Thisisanunreliablesourceas
itisanoppositionviewofRasputinbutveryusefulasitpresentstheBolshevikviewsofRasputin
andtheroyalfamily.By12Marchover10000troopshadmutiniedandsomeministryand
governmentbuildingswereoccupiedbyrevolutionaryforces.Hisgeneralsdesertedhimandhe
receivedmessagesinsistingheabdicate.Atfirstheintendedtoabdicateinfavourofhissonbut
laterincludedAlexisinthedocumentduetohisseriousillness,whichwassignedonthursday,
15March.Aftertheabdicationofhisbrother,Michael,Russiabecamearepublic.Theinfluence
RasputinhadovertheroyalfamilyandtheeventsoftheMarchrevolution,aswellashisweak
andindifferentresponsestowarnings,culminatedtothedeclineandfalloftheRomanov
Dynasty.
Overall,thedeclineandfalloftheRomanovDynastywasaresultofTsarNicholasweak
personalitytowardsexternalandinternalthreats,leadingtotheabdicationandexecutionof
NicholasIIandhisfamilyshortlyaftertheMarch1917revolution.Manyfactorsalsocontributedto
theDynastysdeteriorationwhichincludethe1905revolutionanditsaftermath,thepolitical
polarisationofRussiansociety,worldwarone,RasputinandtheMarch1917revolution.His
abdicationledRussiabecomingarepublicforthefirsttimeinhistory.