The coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and A Dark Day in Russian History

The coronation of a Tsar was a grand and ceremonial event that marked the official ascension to the throne of the Russian Empire. The event was a mixture of religious and secular traditions, symbolizing the monarch’s authority over both the church and the state.

One of the most famous Tsar coronations was that of Nicholas II in 1896. The coronation took place in Moscow’s Uspensky Cathedral and was a spectacular event that lasted for several days. The celebrations began with a procession through the streets of Moscow, during which the new Tsar was presented to the people of the city. This was followed by a banquet, fireworks, and a series of receptions held at the Kremlin.

The coronation ceremony itself was a complex and intricate affair. The Tsar and his family were escorted to the cathedral by a procession of nobles and officials, each of whom carried a symbolic object representing their role in the ceremony. Once inside the cathedral, the Tsar was anointed with holy oil and crowned with a jeweled crown. He was then presented with the imperial regalia, including a scepter, orb, and mantle.

The coronation was not only a religious event but also a political one. The Tsar’s authority over the Russian Empire was reinforced by the elaborate ceremony, which emphasized the monarch’s role as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the military. The coronation also served as an opportunity for the Tsar to make political statements and set the tone for his reign.

The last Tsar coronation took place in 1913, with the ascension of Tsar Nicholas II. However, the Russian Empire was overthrown in the 1917 Revolution, and the monarchy was abolished. Despite this, the coronation of a Tsar remains a fascinating and important historical event that offers a glimpse into the pageantry and symbolism of the Russian Empire.

Today, Russia remains a republic with a president as the head of state. However, the legacy of the Tsars and their coronations lives on in the country’s rich cultural heritage and traditions. The coronation regalia and other imperial artifacts are still on display in museums across Russia, serving as a reminder of the country’s grand and colorful past.

The Khodynka Tragedy: A Dark Day in Russian History

On May 18, 1896, Russia was preparing for the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II. The event was supposed to be a joyous celebration, but instead, it turned into a tragedy that would forever be remembered in Russian history as the Khodynka Tragedy.

A tradition during tsarist coronation was a folk festival, full of attractions, free food, alcohol and all games. A large square of military exercises was designated as a place, the so -called

Chodyńskie field. There was a lot of space, able to accommodate a large crowd, and besides, the location was considered proven, because the celebrations for the people took place there on the occasion of the coronation of Tsar Aleksander III. However, in 1896 the field was full of potholes and surrounded by a ditch on one side, various earthworks were carried out there. In addition, in 1888 an exhibition took place there, after which the mess was not cleaned. The wells dug at that time were not overwhelmed, they were sheltered only with some found on the spot, half rotten boards.

Tsar coronation party

Nicholas II’s coronation was accompanied by numerous attractions and additional celebrations, lasting three weeks. They were to celebrate a great opportunity, and to present the tsar to his people and the whole world. Mikołaj put the crown at the Unemary Council in Moscow (formerly the tsarist couple officially moved in the Kremlin) on Tuesday (14) on May around the ten o’clock thirty o’clock (at nine thirty the service began) 1. It was the first great state and religious event of Russia recorded on film tape. The crown weighed over two kilos, it was made of pure gold at the order of Tsarina Catherine II. It was blown up fifty -eight large and four thousand eight hundred seventy -eight smaller diamonds and crowned with a cross with five diamonds combined with a huge, unwashed ruby (…) and seventy -five pink pearls. This itself testifies to the Byzantine glamor that surrounded the tsar, his court and family. However, it was not without a small slip -up, which was immediately taken for the first bad omen – the chain of the Order of Saint Andrzej Apostle broke up from the tsar’s neck.

The coronation was to take place in Moscow, and thousands of people from all over Russia had gathered in the Khodynka Field to receive beer, food and gifts from the tsar. However, the organizers had not taken into account the huge number of people who had come, and the distribution of the food and gifts quickly turned into chaos. People began to shout that they would not get beer with sausage because it would not be enough. Many people wanted to get an additional portion of beer and did not let others let in. People wanted to handle thousands of beer barrels themselves. Barrels were not protected properly. The barrels were not protected and the battle began when the crowd did not allow to leave with barrels those who managed to get to them. In a desperate attempt to get their hands on the coveted gifts, the crowd surged forward, causing a stampede. People were trampled, suffocated, and crushed in the chaos, and it’s estimated that up to 1,389 people died as a result of the tragedy.

In addition, everything went according to plan – the coronation took place, then the coronation manifesto was issued, foreign delegations were adopted. All this glow, however, was overshadowed by the tragedy of Chodynka – a bad omen, who was to haunt the tsar until the end of his days.

The authorities of Moscow, and more specifically, the Special Committee for the Coronation Organization of the People’s Day, including General I. Berem, was responsible for security and organization. architect Władymir Nikol, Col. (soon general) Ivanowicz, titular ruler Pietrov. The host of the whole event was the Grand Duke Sergius, the brother -in -law of Tsar.

Preparations began early, in the winter of 1895/1896, when the first stalls were built. In the spring it was already visible that the area was not suitable for use, but no one took care of it. In plans
Refreshments and gifts were: beer with sausages, wrapped in a colorful gifts’ scarf: half a pound of sausage, weighing a pound of a longitudinal roll, so -called Sajka, sweets, nuts, gingerbread, special enameled cups with painted gold -plated tsar monographs and separately for volunteers “People’s Day. “. The enamelled vessels were people in itself, especially since they were brought from abroad, at a price of ten kopies from each of the four hundred thousand pieces. In addition, thousands of barrels of beer and drinking honey. All this is completely free, for anyone who comes to welcome the new ruler. The ruler who had, together with his wife Aleksandra, appear at 2pm and wave to the crowd with a specially built tsarist pavilion. People pulled from all sides to take part in such a wonderful holiday.

Stalls, circus tents, shops, kiosks, pavilions were built – about one hundred and fifty booths in total. All this was placed on the holes of the military training ground.
Nobody thought about falling on numerous pits, properly adjusting movement, securing and get out of the buffins. The gifts were to be distributed from 10am – but the queues set up
It’s been from the north, and the first guests appeared even two days earlier. All night over 100,000 were caught up in the field, and they came with every moment. The crowd began to overflow from the field, tight streets. The squeeze began. The weather took its toll.
Hot, stuffy and what is important, a moonless night. There was total darkness, people squeezed more and more, they started to faint. Perhaps then the first victims were falling, inflicted on death with people.

It really started to do badly in the morning, when it became clear how many people pulled on Chodynka and that it was much more than expected. And nobody wanted to leave without a gift.

The disaster hung in the air. The crowd murmured. He pushed the confused Cossacks to the Sotnia, which, by the way, was definitely not enough to maintain control. Then the rumor was pounding – gifts and alcohol will not be enough for everyone. People – sleepless, finished, murdered and probably already drunk – they decided that they could not be allowed and they were not going to leave with nothing. It has ceased to be mentioned by any queue. One began to push one on another without any organization and any order. The squeeze increased. Some sellers started working much earlier than it should, in fear of lyrics or threw presents at the crowd, instead of spending them.

Those who were in the front saw the reinforcement if it were too late. The assault on the barracks began. The boards covering the ditches burst under too much weight and people lost their balance, falling under the footbridges. The crowd pushed on, trampling those who lay. Policmajster Moscow, a ownership colonel, even asked for additional support, preferably military, but the Grand Duke Sergius said that the army is needed to protect and escort the tsar, and the police should provide order by itself. What’s more, it should be noted that the POLCMYMAJSTER did not know about the pits and at all, he did not know anything about the area he would protect. He and other order officers then explained that (…) they did not visit the area before. What’s even worse, architect Nikolin later said that it was intentionally covered with preparing the pressure of crowds at these buffets.

holiday over the corpses

All this panic lasted a maximum of ten, fifteen minutes. A furious, panicked crowd did not even notice that he was hoping for dying and corpses. The children, filled by their parents, tried to save themselves, running away on their heads and shoulders. Apparently, the dead, whose one of the policemen pulled out of the crowd in the crowd still stood as they live. Report of one of the inhabitants of Moscow:

Returning home, I saw covered carts with the killed. It was said that it was impossible to control the crowd. In the field it was full of boiler, and the police were not able to stop the masses of people flowing from all sides. (…) over two thousand (…) were inflicted to death.

At first, even several thousand killed were talked, but the final number of victims was 1389 people. The dead were brought to the morgue, hospitals, police circus, and the news of their fate finally reached the tsar. And then, at first, the tsar made a wise decision – he wanted to cancel participation in the planned ball at the Marquis Ludwik de Montebello, the French ambassador.

A moment later, however, he made a less wise decision – he was convinced to his advisers that the gesture of friendship towards the French is more important than over a thousand corpses of people who came to greet him and wish their happiness in rule.
The tsar went to the Chodyńskie field an hour later than planned, where the cheers of the expected subjects were still waiting for him, and the battlefield was more roughly cleaned – at least around the tsarist pavilion. But a few hundred meters away there were many bodies. So it was a “holiday over the corpses”.

For his unnecessary blood transfer, but the city authorities were blamed. Mikołaj deserved the condemnation of his people by the fact that despite the tragedy he went to the ball in the evening. Professor Jan Sobczak, however, points out that Mikołaj II went there, because he understood the need to fulfill his duties towards an ally and that he stopped for just one dance.

However, it is difficult to explain the wide smile of Prince Sergius, who was somehow responsible for this whole disaster.

It was for the first time for the tsar of Mikołaj II that the nickname “Blood” adhered to. Ludwik Basylow writes: The terrible impression also made the fact that the tsar in the evening of the same day took part in the solemn party at the French ambassador. The Chodyinian disaster deepened the gap between the tsar and the people, although even then all illusions related to the monarch and the system presented could not have passed – it was only in 1905.
Mikołaj began with a tragedy, which everyone considered a bad divination. The tsar could play the whole event much better, but he made a number of erroneous decisions that permanently discouraged the subjects. The tragedy of Chodynka was a preview of what was to happen later – a revolution, abdication and finally the murder of hated Mikołaj and his whole family.

Source: Panika na Chodyńskim Polu

The news of the Khodynka Tragedy spread quickly throughout Russia and beyond, causing shock and outrage. The tsar was criticized for not doing enough to prevent the disaster, and the government was accused of negligence and incompetence. The tragedy also marked the beginning of Nicholas II’s reign with a dark cloud hanging over it.

In an attempt to show that he cared for the victims and their families, the tsar visited the injured in the hospital and attended the funerals of those who had died. However, his actions were seen by many as too little, too late.

The Khodynka Tragedy was a stark reminder of the social and political problems that plagued Russia at the time. It highlighted the deep divide between the ruling elite and the common people, as well as the government’s lack of concern for the safety and well-being of its citizens.

Today, the Khodynka Field remains a site of remembrance and reflection for the people of Russia. The tragedy serves as a reminder of the importance of proper planning and safety measures, and of the need for government officials to prioritize the well-being of their citizens above all else.

Read also: Coronations in the UK, The coronation of Qeen Elisabeth II

Tsar Nicholas II rules

Tsar Nicholas II was the last emperor of Russia, ruling from 1894 until his abdication in 1917. His reign was marked by numerous social, political, and economic problems that ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of communism.

Nicholas II came to power after the sudden death of his father, Alexander III. He was not prepared for the role of emperor and lacked the political savvy needed to navigate the complex political landscape of Russia. He was known for his autocratic rule and his tendency to rely on his advisors rather than making decisions himself.

One of the major issues during Nicholas II’s reign was the social and economic unrest in Russia. The country was experiencing rapid industrialization, but this led to poor working conditions and low wages for the labor force. This, combined with food shortages and rising inflation, led to widespread strikes and protests throughout the country.

Nicholas II’s response to the social unrest was often heavy-handed, with the use of force to suppress protests and strikes. He was also criticized for his handling of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904-1905, which ended in a humiliating defeat for Russia.

Another major problem during Nicholas II’s reign was the influence of Rasputin, a controversial holy man who gained a strong influence over the royal family. Rasputin’s actions were seen as scandalous and contributed to the public’s growing distrust of the monarchy.

In 1917, the February Revolution broke out in Russia, leading to the abdication of Nicholas II and the end of the Romanov dynasty. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, came to power and established the first communist state in the world.

Nicholas II’s rule is often criticized for his autocratic and ineffective leadership, as well as his inability to address the social, political, and economic problems facing Russia at the time. His reign was marked by political turmoil and social unrest, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Russian monarchy and the rise of communism.

Last Updated on January 18, 2024