FW233 Tsar Nicholas II

When Nicholas Romanov became Tsar of All The Russias in 1894 he inherited a vast but trouble Empire. It stretched from European Russia all the way across the Ural Mountains and into the plains and forests of Siberia and finally on to the Pacific coast port city of Vladivostok.

Its population in the early part of the 20th Century numbered over 175 million and included many different ethnicities... Russians, Tartars, Cossacks, Mongols and Chechens were just a few of the major groups.

Two of the most important symbols that held this huge country together were the Monarchy, in the shape of the Tsar and the Army which brought together all the different races and religions to serve and follow the Tsar through war and peace.

Following the defeat of its forces in the Russo Japanese War of 1905 Russia belatedly began modernising and rearming its soldiers. Some Russian military traditions however still remained... especially in its uniforms.

Although ‘khaki’ had been adopted for many everyday duties throughout the year the more conservative elements in the military hierarchy (and Nicholas himself) enjoyed seeing his troops parade in their summer white tunics and caps… and even on maneuvers.

This second version of our earlier Imperial Russian Infantry are wearing the strikingly white traditional Russian Summer tunics and caps. Weapons and uniforms are typical of the period 1900-1914.

Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov (1968-1918) was the last Emperor of All Russia and ruled from 1894 until his forced abdication in March 1917 and murder in 1918.

An autocratic ruler he was in favour of limited modernization of his country but resisted virtually all political change which in the end was to prove fatal for himself and his family.

Here however we see him in happier times, reviewing his troops and presenting a religious icon before them. Like his men he wears a simple white summer tunic and cap.

Scale 1:30 / 60mm