Embossed postcard of the flag and coins of Russia, with fixed exchange rates for major currencies including Germany, Austria-Hungary, England, the Latin Monetary Union, Netherlands, and the United States of America. The Russian Ruble equaled 100 Kopeks. Tsar Nicholas II is on the obverse of most of the gold and silver coins; Tsar Alexander III is on the 7 1/2 ruble gold piece.
"[Tsar] Nicholas pressed his head between his hands. 'Is it possible,' he asked, 'that for twenty-two years I tried to act for the best and that for twenty-two years it was all a mistake?'The question was astonishing. It was completely beyond the bounds of propriety for Rodzianko to answer, yet, realizing that it had been asked honestly, man to man, he summoned his courage and said, 'Yes, Your Majesty, for twenty-two years you followed a wrong course.'"
Part of an exchange between Russian Tsar Nicholas II and Michael Rodzianko, President of the Russian Duma, on January 20, 1917. In the last day's of the Russian Empire, Nicholas was given numerous warnings his throne was at risk. The assassination of Grigori Rasputin at the end of December 1916 struck at the heart of the royal family. British Ambassador George Buchanan warned the Tsar, on January 12, that most of the Russian army could not be relied on to defend the dynasty. Rodzianko focused on removing the Empress Alexandra, who was widely perceived to be pro-German, from all decisions and sending her to the Tsar's Black Sea estate.
Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie by Robert K. Massie, page 395, copyright © 1967, renewed 1995 by Robert K. Massie, publisher: Random House, publication date: 2011
1917-01-20, 1917, January, Duma, Rodzianko, Nicholas, Tsar Nicholas
