Life Under His Rule
Nicholas wasn’t the progressive overlord type, he strongly believed in his divine right to rule, and his wife Alexandra shared these views. The Okhrana, his secret police, who were also an organization of dangerous murderers, operated freely.
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As a leader, the tsar saw very few successes. He fought and lost a war with Japan in 1904, and in 1905, he faced a revolution against his monocratic regime. In October 1905, Nicholas reluctantly promised to make the Dima an elected legislative body. But before the first meeting, the tsar limited its powers so that he could hold on to his own leadership and governing power.