Soft-bodied henpecked and raven hunter: 7 myths about the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Even during his reign, the last Russian emperor Nicholas II, as well as his family, were very popular targets for all sorts of rumors. After the overthrow of the autocracy, the revolutionaries continued to expose the figure of the tsar from a convenient angle, and quite often having absolutely nothing to do with the truth. The result of all this was a lot of myths, most of which have nothing to do with Nicholas II. Seven of the most common of these apparently implausible beliefs are summarized in this material.

Myth 1. The country was ruled not by Nicholas II, but by his wife

Despite the fact that many researchers openly point to the very significant influence of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna on the state policy pursued by Nicholas II, it is hardly possible to say that she ruled the country instead of her husband. Before the start of World War I, the wife of the Russian emperor was practically not interested in politics.

The rumor among the people that all state power was allegedly concentrated in the hands of Alexandra Feodorovna began to spread after Nikolai assumed the role of commander-in-chief of the Russian army. In 1915-1916. the tsar stayed at his headquarters almost without a break. Then the sovereign wrote to his wife: "You must be my eyes and ears in Petrograd, while I have to sit here." Evil tongues began to spread rumors, among which there was even one that the Empress secretly wanted to overthrow Nicholas.

Ill-wishers reminded of the German origin of Alexandra Feodorovna. Say, after the overthrow of Nicholas II, the empress wants to become regent under Alexei and, having signed peace with Germany, withdraw from the war. Or worse, become an ally of the Germans. Naturally, these were all false rumors.

It is true that the empress took over part of the state affairs. However, of course, there was no complete control over the country. In addition, her husband took into account all the political advice of Alexandra Feodorovna only when they completely coincided with his position.

Myth 2. The king loved to shoot crows

The Russian Tsar Nicholas II was a very reckless hunter. In his personal diaries, he listed all the trophies that he managed to get: from bison and elk, to ducks and partridges. In addition, all killed game in the royal hunting grounds was noted in the register of the imperial hunting administration. The trophies of Nicholas II were also inscribed there. It is referring to these lists, where, in addition to game, hundreds of killed stray dogs, cats and thousands of crows are also indicated, many researchers say that the emperor especially loved to shoot this "light living creature".

In fact, everything was a little different. In those days, the shooting of animals and birds that damaged agricultural areas (ferrets, badgers, hawks, crows), as well as stray cats or dogs, was allowed all year round. Nikolai himself in his notes mentions the personal murder of several almost wild cats and of several dozen crows, which he shot with his own hands. That's all the uar "bloodthirstiness".

Myth 3. Nicholas II fully listened to Rasputin

One of the most mysterious personalities at the court of Nicholas II was, of course, Grigory Rasputin. The monk, who very successfully treated Tsarevich Alexei, who was suffering from hemophilia, really impressed the royal couple. He lived in the palace and used his authority with Alexandra Feodorovna at the request of individual nobles. It has been proven that Rasputin often helped them achieve an audience with the sovereign.

However, all this was done through the empress, who was grateful to the monk for taking care of the health of the crown prince. Alexandra Feodorovna almost completely trusted Grigory Rasputin, calling him nothing more than "my friend." Nicholas II was not so influenced by the elder. In a letter to his wife regarding personnel changes in the Cabinet of Ministers, the emperor asks her "not to interfere with our friend." So it is unlikely that Rasputin was the "gray cardinal" that many of his contemporaries represented him.

Myth 4. The emperor hated Jews

This myth can only be partially called true. The fact is that during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, a number of anti-Semitic laws were in force, according to which, for example, Jews were not allowed to settle deeper into the Russian Empire beyond the "Pale of Settlement." Although during World War I, this law was revised, since most of the cities located before this line were captured by the Germans. And a stream of Jewish refugees poured into Russia.

The claim that Nikolai fiercely hated Jews is based on earlier evidence. Thus, the emperor did not speed up the investigation into the murder of two parliamentarians of the State Duma of Jewish origin - G. Iollos and M. Herzenstein. In addition, the emperor spoke very calmly about the wave of pogroms of Jewish houses and shops after the failed uprising of 1905. The tsar considered these incidents "quite understandable outbursts of anger of the people."

If we fully understand the issue, then it is quite possible to assert that Nicholas treated the Jews with the “national consciousness” inherent in that time. He expressed his contempt for the representatives of this nation, but never initiated any genocide. In addition, the autocrat disliked not only Jews. He was very wary of the Poles and almost openly disgusted with the Belarusians.

Myth 5. Nicholas II suffered from alcoholism

In the investigative materials about the insult of the royal family for 1914-1917. quite often it is mentioned how the sovereign was called "wine drinker", "drunkard" and "corker". Many ordinary people can understand this as a fact that if Nicholas II did not suffer from chronic alcoholism, then he often drank. Although, in fact, the king did not drink more than other nobles at that time - a glass of different wine at dinner or playing cards.

Researchers explain such "alcoholic" nicknames of the tsar at that time by the prohibition of alcohol trade during the war. And since by that time the state had a monopoly on the sale of strong alcohol - this caused dissatisfaction just among those who like to drink "what's hotter". Of course, the tsar, like all mortals, could sometimes “put on a decent load”. However, historians have no evidence that Nicholas II was a drunkard or suffered from alcoholism.

Myth 6. The tsar came up with an appetizer for cognac "Nikolashka"

In Russian archival materials, one can find stories about the alleged invention of the Nikolashka snack by the last emperor. One of them happened in 1912, when the winemaker Nikolai Shustov presented the emperor with a bottle of cognac. According to legend, the king, having drunk a glass, immediately ate it with a slice of lemon, generously sprinkled with sugar and coffee. This story is more likely fiction than true.

An interesting fact is that at the same time there was a cocktail that not only had the same ingredients, but also had a similar name - Nicolaschka ("Nikolashka"). Its recipe was published in 1910 by the German Karl Seutter. The cocktail was a tall glass of cognac, topped with a circle of lemon with a heap of granulated sugar. However, the direct connection of the Russian tsar with the German cocktail is already very controversial.

Myth 7. The last emperor was not a supporter of reforms

As Emperor Nicholas II declared in his first public speech, he will "guard the beginning of autocracy firmly and unswervingly." But this by no means meant that the last autocrat was opposed to reforms in the state. During the tenure of Witte and Stolypin as prime minister, Russia really began to turn into an industrial country.

Pyotr Stolypin tried to carry out an agrarian reform, according to which small peasants would have to turn into real landowners. Thus, becoming a real support for power in an agrarian state. Of course, individual historians assess the results of such reforms differently. However, they all agree that these were truly revolutionary attempts to transform the Russian Empire.

We must not forget about political reforms. Although Nicholas II did not go to most of them without permission, but under the pressure of revolutionary sentiments among the people. And yet we must pay tribute to the king. After all, he never once tried to return everything back by harsh usurpation of power and the abolition of all previously granted indulgences.

The Russian emperor was an extravagant, extraordinary and rather interesting historical figure. Nicholas II will always remain in history as the last Russian emperor. The Emperor, with whom the whole era of the Russian State ended.