Tsar Mikhail II instead of Nicholas II

cra0422 · Jan 25, 2023

I'm currently reading Anthony Beevor's book Russia: Revolution and Civil War 1917-1921, and it mentions the admiration for Grand Duke Mikhail from many politicians and lawyers when he refused to take the crown. It stated that although he may not have been any more intelligent than Nicholas, he did not suffer from that fatal obstinacy. The thought that might have crossed their minds was that things might have turned out differently had he been born before Nicholas.

My question is what if he had been? How would Russian history in the early 20th century had played out with a different Tsar on the throne? Would the 1905 Revolution still be result in Bloody Sunday? The First World War and Russia's participation? Does this butterfly away the Russian Revolution or does it still take place but much less violent or is it even worse than OTL?

Teiresias · Jan 25, 2023

Well, at the very least, Rasputin probably isn't going to get anywhere near power. And if Mikhail doesn't marry Alexandra, then the whole haemophilia thing is probably avoided.

Cudymcar · Jan 25, 2023

cra0422 said:
he may not have been any more intelligent than Nicholas

He was even less intelligent than Nicholas, considerably less educated, very obtuse in his own way, without sense of duty, not interested in the state matters in the least.

spkaca · Jan 25, 2023

Cudymcar said:
He was even less intelligent than Nicholas, considerably less educated, very obtuse in his own way, without sense of duty, not interested in the state matters in the least.

You say that like it's a bad thing. But seriously, if so, surely that would just have made the chief minister the effective head of state - imagine a longer run for Witte, maybe, or Stolypin?

Cudymcar · Jan 25, 2023

spkaca said:
You say that like it's a bad thing. But seriously, if so, surely that would just have made the chief minister the effective head of state - imagine a longer run for Witte, maybe, or Stolypin?

It's for the Tsar to choose a Prime Minister, and Mikhail would choose all the wrong people. He's an easy prey for conmen.

Tupolev0247 · Jan 25, 2023

If Mikhail leaves Witte or Stolypin effectively in charge, I see the Russian Empire avoiding the Russo-Japanese war along with the February and October Revolutions while in WWI crippling the Germans in Poland for most of the war.

Mikestone8 · Jan 25, 2023

Tupolev0247 said:
If Mikhail leaves Witte or Stolypin effectively in charge, I see the Russian Empire avoiding the Russo-Japanese war

Did he say anything abt the RJW at the time?

EdwardRex · Jan 27, 2023

I think it depends quite a bit here on who he marries. It won’t be Alix. The easiest way to get rid of Nicky is to kill him in 1900 when he almost died from a fever (I think it was typhoid). Alix gives birth posthumously to Anastasia and we are left with four daughters (OTMA) who won’t inherit.

Aghasverov · Jan 27, 2023

EdwardRex said:
I think it depends quite a bit here on who he marries. It won’t be Alix. The easiest way to get rid of Nicky is to kill him in 1900 when he almost died from a fever (I think it was typhoid). Alix gives birth posthumously to Anastasia and we are left with four daughters (OTMA) who won’t inherit.

Alternately, that sword-whack to the head that Nicky took while visiting Japan in 1891 could've proven fatal...

Teiresias · Jan 27, 2023

EdwardRex said:
I think it depends quite a bit here on who he marries. It won’t be Alix. The easiest way to get rid of Nicky is to kill him in 1900 when he almost died from a fever (I think it was typhoid). Alix gives birth posthumously to Anastasia and we are left with four daughters (OTMA) who won’t inherit.

If Nicholas dies in 1900, then there's a good chance Michael ends up marrying Princess Beatrice - they met in 1902 and wanted to marry, but Nicholas forbade it because they were first cousins, and that degree of consanguinity was forbidden by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Beatrice was a male-line descendent of Queen Victoria, so AIUI she wouldn't be a carrier for haemophilia (since her father didn't have the disease).

EdwardRex · Jan 27, 2023

Teiresias said:
If Nicholas dies in 1900, then there's a good chance Michael ends up marrying Princess Beatrice - they met in 1902 and wanted to marry, but Nicholas forbade it because they were first cousins, and that degree of consanguinity was forbidden by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Beatrice was a male-line descendent of Queen Victoria, so AIUI she wouldn't be a carrier for haemophilia (since her father didn't have the disease).

It’s probably a better thing in the long run. Moreover, Alix and OTMA probably get out before the Revolution.