The Romanovs: “Tyrants and Martyrs of Imperial Russia”Special Interest Day

Special Interest Day 24th February 2023

The Romanovs: “Tyrants and Martyrs of Imperial Russia”

Despite late changes to the arrangements of this special occasion, it was very well attended, perhaps because of the heightened interest in Russia at present or perhaps the attraction of a Russian themed lunch.

I suspect to most westerners Russia is an enigma. Geographically vast and nuclear armed, it’s a country that commands respect and puzzlement. The fortunate few who have visited Russia have generally confined themselves to St Petersburg and its fabulous architecture and Art collections or perhaps a visit to Moscow. Beyond that it remains for most the great unknown.

In this series of three lectures, Douglas Skeggs recounted how the successive phases of the brutal and tragic Romanov dynasty steered Russia from an essentially feudal agricultural country to an awakening industrial and military power. From Peter the Great in the seventeenth century to Nicholas in the early twentieth century, their enormous task of ruling a huge landmass and myriad ethnicities whilst forcing modernisation was a challenge that was nigh impossible.

With plentiful illustrations and anecdotes, Douglas was able to capture our imagination and steer us through all the problems faced by the successive Tsars. Peter the Great was the first of the Romanov autocrats to use brute force on his subjects in an effort to modernise the country, emulate the Europeans and found the first Russian navy.

Hitherto, Russia had been a totally land based power but now aspired to expand beyond what was still a colossal territory. Thus, the stage was set for centuries of warfare either internally or externally.

His successors Elizabeth and Catherine the Great continued this mission as well as dealing with constant internal feuds. After the attempts by the later emperors Alexander the Second and Third to reform, the country politically came to nought and Russia was on the verge of economic collapse.

Under the final Tsar, Russia’s entry into WW1 was an unmitigated disaster. Successive military defeats led to mutiny and military collapse, a perfect scenario for revolution. By no means the first, the 1917 revolution succeeded where previous ones had failed. Although tiny numerically, the Bolsheviks gained power through mayhem and murder, the royal family were exiled and subsequently murdered. We still live today with the legacy of that bloody act and the rise of communism. This extraordinary epoch in global history was presented with extreme skill by Douglas and the audience were riveted.

If that was not enough, the Russian themed lunch was truly beyond praise and a complete revelation. Like the presentation, it was award winning and we must be grateful that we have committee members who were both willing and able to give us all an unforgettable day.