Editing Nicholas and Alexandra (section)

==Plot==
Tsarina [[Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)|Alexandra Feodorovna]], wife of Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia]], gives birth to their fifth child and first son, [[Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia|Alexei]]. Despite pleas from [[Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia (1856–1929)|Grand Duke Nicholas]] and [[Sergei Witte|Count Sergei Witte]], Nicholas refuses to end the [[Russo-Japanese War]] or accept demands for a [[constitutional monarchy]], believing that doing either will make him look weak and put the Romanov dynasty at risk. As the war continues, growing public unrest sees a procession of workers march to the [[Winter Palace]], hoping to present Nicholas with a petition calling for political representation. [[Bloody Sunday (1905)|Soldiers open fire on the approaching crowd, killing hundreds]]. The resulting [[Russian Revolution of 1905|revolution]] forces Nicholas to create the [[Duma]].

At a gala, Alexandra meets [[Grigori Rasputin]], a self-proclaimed holy man, who she later turns to for spiritual guidance after court physicians diagnose Alexei with [[haemophilia]]. As the years pass the close relationship between the royal family and Rasputin, combined with Rasputin's behaviour, leads to public mockery of the royal family. Nicholas eventually dismisses Rasputin from the court despite Alexandra's pleas otherwise.

The [[Romanov Tercentenary]] celebrations occur and a lavish tour across [[Russian Empire|Imperial Russia]] ensues, but resentment amongst the impoverished remains. Amongst the national festivities and celebrations Russian prime minister [[Pyotr Stolypin|Stolypin]] is assassinated. Nicholas responds by executing the assassins, permitting the police to terrorize the peasants, and closes the Duma.

Following a fall at the [[Spała]] Hunting Lodge, Alexei suffers a bleeding attack so severe that it is presumed he will die. Alexandra writes to Rasputin who responds with prayer and instruction for Alexei to be left alone by the doctors. His recovery is attributed to Rasputin's intervention and as a result he is allowed to return to the imperial household.

After the [[Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand|assassination of Franz Ferdinand]], Nicholas orders a mobilization of the [[Imperial Russian Army]] on the European border aimed at Austria-Hungary during the [[July Crisis]]. [[German Empire|Germany]] responds by declaring war, against the assumptions of Nicholas given his familial connection to the Kaiser. Later, with the war going badly for Russia on the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern Front]], Alexandra persuades Nicholas to take personal command of the troops; he leaves for the front, relieving the weary but experienced Grand Duke Nicholas.

Alexandra is left nominally in charge upon Nicholas' absence but a series of poor decisions leaves her seen to be a German agent under the influence of Rasputin, resulting in growing unpopularity amongst the population at large as conditions worse. Nicholas receives a visit from the Dowager Empress, but her requests for him to return to St. Petersburg and remove Rasputin go unheeded. Rasputin's later assassination does little to stop Alexandra's misrule, culminating in revolt by workers and soldiers in St. Petersburg. Nicholas finally attempts to return to [[Tsarskoye Selo]] but is instead [[February Revolution|forced to abdicate]] on his train.

The family, along with a small entourage, are exiled by [[Alexander Kerensky]] and the provisional government to [[Siberia]] after none of Russia's allies agree to grant the former royals sanctuary, fearing that the lingering resentment at their autocratic rule would unleash similar domestic revolts. The provisional government doesn't last however following the [[October Revolution|seizing of power by the Bolsheviks]] and the country's descent into [[Russian Civil War|civil war]]. Fearing that the encroaching pro-monarchist "[[White movement|Whites]]" will attempt to restore the Romanovs, the Bolsheviks in Moscow attempt to have the royal family brought back for trial.

En route back to the capital, the royals and their escort are intercepted by representatives of the local revolutionary government, who seize the royals and bring them to [[Yekaterinburg]]. Under harsh conditions, they are guarded by [[Yakov Yurovsky]], who later receives orders to have the family killed. In the middle of the night the family are awoken by his men and, under the pretense they need to be transferred again, are brought to the cellar [[Murder of the Romanov family|where they are executed]].