Abdication of Nicholas II

by Nicholas II of Russia

Headquaters

To the Chief of Staff.

In the days of a great struggle against a foreign enemy, who has been endeavouring for three years to enslave our country, it pleased God to send Russia a further painful trial. Internal troubles threatened to have a fatal effect on the further progress of this obstinate war. The destinies of Russia, the honour of her heroic army, the happiness of the people, and the whole future of our beloved Fatherland demand that the war should be conducted at all costs to a victorious end. The cruel enemy is making his last efforts, and the moment is near -when our valiant army, in consort with our glorious Allies, will finally overthrow the enemy. In these decisive days in the life of Russia we have thought that we owed to our people the close union and organisation of all its forces for the realisation of rapid victory, for which reason, in agreement with the Imperial Duma, we have recognised that it is for the good of the country that we should abdicate the Crown of the Russian State and lay down the supreme power. Not wishing to separate ourself from our beloved son, we bequeath our heritage to our brother, the Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch, with our blessing for the future of the Throne of the Russian State. We bequeath it to our brother to govern in full union with the national representatives sitting in the legislative institutions, and to take his inviolable oath to them. In the name of our well-beloved fatherland, we call upon all faithful sons of the fatherland to fulfil their sacred and patriotic duty in obeying the Czar at the painful moment of national trials, and to aid him, together with the representatives of the nation, to conduct the Russian State in the way of prosperity and glory. May God help Russia.

Pskov.
2 March, 15 h. 5 min. 1917 year.

Nicholas