The Many Deaths of Tsar Nicholas II

by Wendy Slater

How did Nicholas II, Russia’s last Tsar, meet his death? Shot point blank in a bungled execution by radical Bolsheviks in the Urals, Nicholas and his family disappeared from history in the Soviet era. But in the 1970s, a local geologist and a crime fiction writer discovered the location of their clandestine mass grave, and secretly removed three skulls, before reburying them, afraid of the consequences of their find. Yet the history of Nicholas’ execution and the discovery of his remains are not the only stories connected with the death of the last Tsar. This book recounts the horrific details of his death and the thrilling discovery of the bones, and also investigates the alternative narratives that have grown up around these events. Stories include the contention that the Tsar’s killing was a Jewish plot, in which Nicholas’ severed head was taken to Moscow as proof of his death; tales of would-be survivors of the execution, self-confessed children of the Tsar claiming their true identity; and accounts of miracles performed by Nicholas, who was made a saint by the Russian church in 2000. Not least among these alternative narratives is the romanticization of the Romanovs, epitomized by the numerous photographs of the family released from the Russian archives.

Genres: History, Russia, Nonfiction, Romanovs

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember this book as very interesting but mostly its mildly iconoclastic approach to the whole subject of the dead Romanovs which has acquired a coterie of creepy acolytes in the west who believe that Allan Massie is a serious historians and that Nicholas and his wife were very nice people.

[Zosi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There really isn’t much to this book, but it is well written and thoughtfully considered. I didn’t agree with all the points the author made but her argument was well laid out.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit pricey considering it isn’t very long and only contains a few pictures, but it was a pretty decent read. It explores not only the death of Nicholas and his family, but the conspiracy theories that abounded after the murders. It addresses the doubt surrounding the discovery of the remains, the possibility of survivors, pretenders who have come out of the woodwork in subsequent years, the miracles of Romanov icons, and all other variety of conflicting rumors that have thrived over the last 90 years. Slater makes an interesting point in her conclusion, which emphasizes Nicholas’s role as a martyr. Unlike Charles I of England and Louis XVI of France who were tried and executed publicly in the midst of Revolution, Nicholas was secretly shot in the middle of nowhere, there was no evidence of the executions other than the safely guarded testimony of participants, and their remains were not found for decades, leaving vast speculation amongst Russian people and portraying the Bolsheviks in a negative light.

This is a heavy piece of history but contains great sources and a unique perspective. I recommend to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the brutality that took place in Soviet Russia in 1918.

[Ella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hm. Well. The first half of this book is pretty good and is interesting, an extension to Massie's 'The Romanovs: The Final Chapter' in a way. However, the fictionalised account of the executioners strikes me as slightly childish, and not something I would expect from an academic book. Slater uncovers some valuable information regarding pretenders, and summarises the DNA debacle well. However, the last half of the book lets it down. Although the criticism is refreshing in Romanov scholarship, Slater relies too heavily on sources prior to WWI, specifically in relation to Alexei, and therefore does not manage to quite pin down the dynamics well enough. An interesting book, especially the first half which is primarily science and historiographical work, but definitely not worth the £70 price tag.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book was actually pretty good! The first two chapters are fictionalized accounts of the execution of the family and the discovery of the bones. The author then uses this throughout the book to talk about the differences between fact and fiction.

I really enjoyed the pull-no-punches voice of the author, especially when she called the pretender to the throne, Grand Duke George, a "Eurotrash teenager." But the no-nonsense voice works well to point out the romanticized myths that have grown around the imperial family since their deaths.

I don't recommend this for casual readers, but if you're like me and have a couple dozen works already under your belt, you'll find this interesting. Remember it was written before the discovery of the last two bodies of the imperial family- I'd be interested in more works by this author now that more facts are known.