Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the year 7208 in Russia. Peter, Westward-looking as he was, instituted a reform
to date the years from the birth of Christ, as they did in Europe.
Things became complicated again in the 18th century, when most of Europe
abandoned the Julian calendar in favour of the Gregorian calendar and Russia
did not follow suit. By 1917 Russian dates were 13 days out of sync with
European dates, which explains how the October Revolution could have taken
place on 7 November.
Finally, the all-powerful Soviet regime made the necessary leap. The last day
of January 1918 was followed by 14 February 1918, aligning dates from then on
with those in the West.
In this topic we use dates corresponding to the current Gregorian calendar
that is used worldwide. However, even history is not always straightforward, as
other accounts may employ the calendars that were the convention at that time.
Tell
that
to your history professor.
God Save the Tsar
'We, workers and inhabitants of the city of St Petersburg, our wives, children, and
helpless old parents, have come to you, Sovereign, to seek justice and protection.' So
read the petition that a large group of workers intended to present to Tsar Nicholas II
on a Sunday in January 1905.
Nicholas II ascended the throne in 1894, when his iron-
fisted autocratic father, Alexander III, died suddenly. Nich-
olas was of less steely stuff. Most contemporary accounts
agree: he was a good guy and a lousy leader; possessive of
his power to decide, except that he could never make up his
mind. In 1904 Nicholas followed the foolish advice of a
cynical minister, who said that what Russia needed most
was a 'small victorious war' to get peoples' minds off their
St Petersburg's
Top Historic
Sites
Peter and Paul Fort-
ress (Petrograd & Vy-
borg Sides)
