Anecdotes

Following his abdication, he intended to live in exile in the UK with his family. King George V (who was the first cousin of both he and Tsarina Alexandra), however, wanted nothing to do with him and personally forced his government to withdraw its offer of asylum.

Bore such a strong physical resemblance to his first cousin King George V that when they were in the same room, people had a great deal of trouble telling the two apart.

Proposed the First Hague Conference of 1899 with the view that the major powers should limit the armaments race. This was partly because Austria-Hungary was making modern artillery that Russia could not match, and because railroad financier Ivan Bliokh had convinced him of the terrible losses that could be expected from a modern war. However, the Russian proposals were rejected at the conference.

He intended to bring in further constitutional reforms but believed World War I had to be won first.

It's often been erroneously stated that he was shot in the head at his execution. However, an analysis of his skeletal remains showed that there were no bullet wounds to his skull.

The US could not enter World War I until after his abdication, as it meant that the Allies were now all democracies fighting against the absolute monarchies of the Central Powers.

Like his father, he was very anti-Semitic. During his reign the Russian Empire had a number of policies persecuting Jews, although it is unknown whether Nicholas was personally responsible for this. He did, however, approve of efforts to prevent anti-Semitic pogroms following the assassination of Prime Minister Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin by Jewish revolutionary Dmitry Bogrov in 1911.

Vladimir Lenin referred to him as "Nicholas the Bloody" and "Nicholas the Hangman" in his early pamphlets.

Blamed Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany for encouraging war between Russia and Japan in 1904. Wilhelm wanted war in the Far East to distract Russia's attention from Europe and the Middle East.

Second cousin of Grand Duchess Maria Kirillovna of Russia (1907 - 1951), Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia (1909 - 1967), Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia (1917-1992), Prince Vladimir Romanovsky-Krasinsky (1902 - 1974), Princess Olga of Greece and Denmark (1903-1997), Princess Elizabeth of Greece and Denmark (1904-1955), Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark (1906-1968), Countess Elizabeta Alexeevna Belevskya-Zhukovskya (1896 - 1975), Countess Alexandra Alexeevna Belevskya-Zhukovskya (1899 - 1995), Countess Mariya Alexeevna Belevskya-Zhukovskya (1901 - 1996), Count Sergei Alexeevich Belevsky-Zhukovsky (1903 - 1956), King Carol II (1893-1953), Elisabeth of Romania (1894-1956), Maria of Yugoslavia (1900 - 1961), Prince Nicholas of Romania (1903-1978), Princess Ileana of Romania (1909 - 1991), Prince Mircea of Romania (1913-1916).

5th cousins of Princess Cécilia of Leiningen (born 1988), Princess Theresa of Leiningen (b. 1992), Prince Emich of Leiningen (b. 2010), Carl Friedrich, Hereditary Prince of Prussia (b. 2013), Prince Louis Ferdinand (b. 2013), Princess Emma Marie (b. 2015), Prince Heinrich (b. 2016).

Eldest son of Czar Aleksandr III (1845-1894) and Czarina Maria Fyodorovna (formerly Princess Dagmar of Denmark) (1847-1928).

Older brother of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia (1869-70), Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia (1871-99), Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia (1875-1960), Grand Duke Michael (1878-1918) and Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia (1882-1960).

Father of Grand Duchess Olga (b. 1895), Grand Duchess Tatiana (b. 1897), Grand Duchess Maria (b. 1899), Grand Duchess Anastasia (b. 1901) and Tsarevitch Aleksey Nikolaeyvitch Romanov (b. 1904).

Grandson of Tsar Alexander II (1818-1881) Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse) (1824-1880), Christian IX (1818-1906) and Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1817-1898).

Portrayed by Michael Jayston in Nicolas et Alexandra (1971), and Sir Ian McKellen in Rasputin (1996).

He initially abdicated in favor of his son, Tsarevich Aleksey Nikolaeyvitch Romanov, but swiftly changed his mind after advice from his son's doctors that the heir would not live long apart from his parents, who would be forced into exile. Nicholas drew up a new manifesto naming his brother, Grand Duke Michael, as the next Tsar. He issued a statement, which was suppressed by the Provisional Government. Grand Duke Michael deferred taking power until the people were allowed to vote on whether Russia should become a republic or retain the monarchy. Michael was murdered on 13 June 1918, at the age of 39.

Great-uncle of Olga Romanoff.

He became so overwhelmed with the task of trying to run the Russian Empire during a time of war that it took a serious toll on his physical health; it actually improved considerably in the months between his overthrow and his execution.

When a telegram was brought to him announcing the annihilation of the Russian fleet at Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War, he immediately realized the war was lost and sent Count Witte to attend a peace conference brokered by the US government.

Was nine inches shorter than his father, Czar Aleksandr III.

His father, Czar Aleksandr III, thought little of him and didn't bother to teach him how to rule the country. This lack of preparation and guidance undoubtedly played a part in his being overthrown. It was assumed that Alexander III was going to live many more years, but he suddenly became ill and died at age 49.

Had two faithful servants, Ilya Leonidovich Tatishchev (1859 - 1918) and Prince Vasily Alexandrovich Dolgorukov ( 1868 - 1918).

Nephew of King Frederik VIII, Queen Alexandra, King George of Greece, Prinsesse Thyra, Prins Valdemar, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, Duchess Marie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, Princess Elisabeth of Hesse and by Rhine (1864-1918), Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia.

Suffered a coronary occlusion on 11 March 1917, four days before his abdication.

It was disputed whether Nicholas' enforced abdication was actually legal, and whether having already abdicated he had the right to then abdicate on behalf of his son.

First cousin of Grand Duke Alexander Vladimirovich of Russia (1875 - 1877), Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia (1876 - 1938), Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia (1877 - 1943), Grand Duke Andrei Vladimirovich of Russia (1879 - 1956), Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia (1882 - 1957), Aleksey Belevsky-Zhukovsky (1871 - 1931), Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1874 - 1899), Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938), Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1876 - 1936), Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1878 - 1942), Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884 - 1966), Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (1890-1958), Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia (1891-1942), Vladimir Paley (1897 - 1918), Irina Paley (1903 - 1990), Natalia Pavlovna Paley (1905 - 1981), Prince Albert Victor (1864-1892), King George V (1865-1936), Louise, Princess Royal (1867 - 1931), Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom (1868 - 1935), Dronning Maud (1869-1938), Prince Alexander of Wales (1871-1871), Christian X of Denmark (1870-1947), King Haakon VII (1872-1957), Princess Louise of Denmark (1875-1906), Prince Harald of Denmark (1876-1949), Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (1878-1958), Princess Thyra of Denmark (1880-1945), Prince Gustav of Denmark (1887-1944), Princess Dagmar of Denmark(1890-1961).

4th cousin of Princess Melita Elisabeth Bathildis Helene Margarita of Leiningen (b. 1951), Prince Karl Emich of Leiningen (b. 1952), Kira-Marina Liepsner (b. 1977), Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (b. 1976).

Granduncle of Prince Michael of Kent, Edward Windsor and Princess Alexandra.

Great-great uncle of Francis Mathew.

He has German and Danish descent.

First cousin once removed of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia, Grand Duke Constantine Constantinovich, Grand Duke Dmitri Konstantinovich of Russia, Duchess Vera of Württemberg, Grand Duke Nicholas Mikhailovich of Russia, Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia and Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich of Russia.

Great-great-grandson of Paul I of Russia.

Killed by Yakov Yurovsky.

His pets were: Iman (collie), Voron (dog), Popov (bird}, Raven (dog), Borzoi (dog), Norma (horse).

He was a chain smoker.

Had a tattoo of a dragon on his forearm, done during a trip to Japan when he was 22 years old. His cousin King George V had a similar tattoo done by the same artist.