In
the late 19th century the Russian people were ruled by Tsar Nicholas
II. The Tsar (Czar) took the title 'Emperor and Autocrat of all
Russia' and believed in autocratic rule - government by one man. Whereas
most countries in Europe had granted male suffrage the Tsars of Russia
refused to allow parliamentary elections to take place. Instead, the
country was run by the Tsar and his ten man ministerial council. Each
minister was both appointed and dismissed by the Tsar.
In October,
1879, a new illegal political group, the People's
Will was formed. In its first year of existence the group murdered
several government officials. In January, 1880, the group contacted
the Russian government and claimed they would call off the terror
campaign if the Russian people were granted a constitution that provided
free elections and an end to censorship. On 25th February, 1880, Alexander
II announced that he was considering granting the Russian people
a constitution.
A year
later Alexander II had still not published
details of his reforms and the People's Will
therefore decided to carry out their threat and the Tsar was assassinated
by Ignatei Grinevitski on 1st March,
1881.
Alexander
III now became the seventeenth Romanov
tsar. He immediately cancelled his father's plans to introduce a representative
assembly and announced he had no intention of limiting his autocratic
power. He imposed a repressive policy against those seeking political
reform and a large number of Russians were either executed or forced
into exile.
Despite
several assassination attempts Alexander
III died a natural death on 20th October, 1894. He was succeeded
by his son Nicholas II who
attempted
to continue his father's policy of suppressing those advocating political
reform.
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