What caused Czar Nicholas II to abdicate on March 15, 1917?

Answer 1

There was mounting hardship as the government failed to produce supplies, creating massive riots and rebellions. With Nicholas away at the front in 1915, authority appeared to collapse (Empress Alexandra ran the government from Saint Petersburg from 1915 - initially with Rasputin, who was later assassinated), and St. Petersburg was left in the hands of strikers and mutineering conscript soldiers. Despite efforts by the British Ambassador Sir George Buchanan to warn the Tsar that he should grant constitutional reforms to fend-off revolution, Nicholas continued to bury himself away at the Staff HQ (Stavka) 400 miles (600 km) away at Moghilev, leaving his capital and court open to intrigues and insurrection.


The last known photograph of Nicholas II, taken after his abdication in March 1917In February 1917 in Petrograd (as the capital had been renamed) a combination of very severe cold weather allied with acute food shortages caused people to start to break shop windows to get bread and other necessaries. Police started to shoot at the populace from rooftops which incited riots. The troops in the capital were poorly-motivated and their officers had no reason to be loyal to the regime. They were angry and full of revolutionary fervor and sided with the populace. Order broke down and members of the Parliament (Duma) formed a Provisional Government to try to restore order but it was impossible to turn the tide of revolutionary change. At the end of the "February Revolution" of 1917 (February in the Old Russian Calendar), on 2 March (Julian Calendar)/ 15 March (Gregorian Calendar), 1917, Nicholas II was forced to abdicate. He firstly abdicated in favour of Tsarevich Alexis, but swiftly changed his mind after advice from doctors that the heir would not live long apart from his parents who would be forced into exile.

Answer 2

Haha, looks like it got explained for me!! Animal farm, great book. The humans obviously are symbolic of the royal family, Mr. Jonas being Czar Nicholas II, the raven was Rasputin, Boxer was the common people (I think, I read it 5 years ago). The dogs were the kremlin. The building of the wind mill, was what? The 5 year project? I can't remember what the event was called that was instituted by the Soviet Union. Anyway, great symbolism, loved the book so much.

Answer 3

Hey Jon. How old are you? Old enough to read right? I strongly suggest you go to the library and take out "Nicholas and Alexandra" by Michael Massey. A superb book detailing the lives of the Tsar and Tasrina and the entire Romanov Family. Its a superb read and believe it or not it isn't written to be terribly complicated. It'll give you all the details of how the Tsar was really such a weak and spineless ruler and his eventual abdication and murder of he and his entire family and staff.

Answer 4

The business end of a rifle.