Russian Timeline

Alexander II was the King of Poland and the Grand Prince of Finland, his greatest act was the Emancipation of serfs in 1861. He came to the throne in 1855 during the Crimean War, his reign shows the pattern of reform that was left behind from his father and grandfather. The Crimean war had just begun after Russia tried to over take the Ottoman lands then Britian and France stepped in to help the Ottomans, The war ended with Russia on the loosing end and revealed that the country needed to be reformed. After receiving multiple complaints, Alexander II finally agreed to reform Russia, in 1861 he decreed the emancipation, the freedom brought problems but in the end the reform was a turning point for Russia.

After the Crimean War, reforms were made. He made that act that wherever there was serfdom, emancipation committees would be placed.

Alexander II sold Alaska to the United States for $7 million dollars, which is equal to about $200 million today.

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian communist revolutionary, politician and political theorist. As the leader of the Bolshevik faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, he took a senior role in orchestrating the October Revolution in 1917, which led to the overthrow of the Russian Provisional Government and the establishment of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, the world's first constitutionally socialist state. He believed that only revolution could spark change. But in 1895, he was exiled.

Known historically as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Prince of Finland. He changed some reforms that were created by his father. He wanted to remain true to Russian Orthodox.

After the reform was made, socialists went to work amoung pesants, who did not understand the socialists and turned them to the police. Ultimately the caused anger amoung the radicals and on March 31, 1881, terrorists assaninated Alexander II.

Nicholas was the last Emperor of Russia. While he was in rule, Russia was defeated in the Russo-Japanese War and Russia joined World War I, which killed 3.3 million Russians. He was abdicated in the February 1917 Revolutions, which led him and his family to imprisonment. As WWI continued, so did Nicholas’ reign. It slowly spiraled down, leading to his abdication.

After Alexander II was assaninated, his son Alexander III took over, he revived the strict methods of Nicholas I and wiped out liberals and revolutionaries and increased power in other areas. After Alexander III’s changes were made Russia finally entered the industrial age. But soon after political and social problems increased as a result of industrialization.

A young orthodox priest organized a peaceful march and the tsar, fearing the marchers, fled the palace and called in soldiers who approached the people killed many by open gunfire.

Strikes multiplied, so Nicholas was forced to announce reforms which he then agreed to summon a duma, or an elected national legislator. No law went into affect until ran by the duma.