Nicholas II

1868 – 1918

Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, reigning from 1894 until his abdication during the February Revolution of 1917. His government's troops massacred peaceful petitioners on Bloody Sunday in 1905, his unwillingness to share political authority with an elected Duma helped fuel two revolutions, and his disastrous decision to take personal command of Russian forces in the First World War accelerated the collapse of his regime. He, his wife, and his five children were executed by Bolshevik guards in a basement at Yekaterinburg in July 1918.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM