🇬🇧 Revolution in Petrograd. The First Republic of Armenia

The First Republic of Armenia

Demonstrations in the streets of Petrograd, March 1917

Prerequisites for Abdication

By the beginning of 1917, the Russian Empire was in a deep crisis. World War I had worsened the already severe economic, political, and social problems. The population suffered from food shortages, high prices, and mass mobilization. General dissatisfaction with the government and the emperor personally was growing.

In February (Old Style calendar), mass demonstrations began in Petrograd. Starting as a protest by women against the shortage of bread, the demonstrations quickly escalated into a city-wide strike involving workers, students, and soldiers. On February 27, 1917, an armed uprising began. The Petrograd garrison massively sided with the rebels. The autocracy rapidly lost control.

The Abdication of Nicholas II

The Act of Abdication by Nicholas II, March 15, 1917

On March 2 (Old Style) / March 15 (New Style), 1917, while on a train near Pskov, Nicholas II signed the act of abdication. In the document, he stated:

“In agreement with the State Duma, we deemed it best to abdicate the throne of the Russian Empire and to renounce supreme power.”

Initially, he intended to transfer the throne to his son, heir Alexei, but upon the insistence of doctors and close advisors, he abandoned this idea due to the boy’s poor health. Nicholas then decided to pass the throne to his brother — Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich.

Refusal by Michael Alexandrovich

Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich

On the following day, March 3 (March 16 New Style), Michael Alexandrovich issued an act in which he refused to accept power until the question of the form of government was resolved by the All-Russian Constituent Assembly. The document stated:

“I have resolved to accept supreme power only if such is the will of the great people, expressed through their representatives in the Constituent Assembly.”

This step effectively marked the end of the monarchy in Russia.

Formation of the Provisional Government

Members of the first Provisional Government: Tereshchenko, Milyukov, Lvov, Kerensky, and others

Immediately after Michael Alexandrovich’s refusal, the State Duma formed the Provisional Government. It was headed by Prince Georgy Yevgenyevich Lvov. The government included representatives of liberal and moderate parties such as the Cadets, Octobrists, and Laborists.

The Provisional Government declared its goals:

Immediate cessation of repressions;
Guarantee of civil liberties;
Preparation for elections to the Constituent Assembly;
Continuation of the war until victory (which caused criticism in society).

Thus, power in the country passed from the emperor to a secular civil administration, which was considered a temporary measure until a new state structure was established. The abdication of Nicholas II and the transfer of power to the Provisional Government were key moments in 20th-century Russian history. It marked the end of a centuries-old monarchical system and the beginning of a new era filled with hopes for reform, but also with instability and challenges. These events predetermined the further course of the Russian Revolution and the fate of the country as a whole.