Who: The people of Russia later joined by troops from the Russian Army and Imperial Guard vs Tsar Nicholas II, Imperial Government Gendarmes and Ministry of Internal Affairs Department (MVD) of Police.
What: Protests and marches that escalated into riots, mutiny and violence.
Where: Petrograd (St Petersburg) Russia’s second largest city.
When: 22 February – 3 March Julian calendar (8 – 16 March 1917 Gregorian calendar – adopted by Russia in 1918).
Part of: Took place during the First World War.
Result: Abdication of the Tsar and the end of nearly 500 years of autocratic rule in Russia. Provisional Government established and reforms introduced. Russia continues to fight in the First World War.
The February Revolution was the first of two revolutions that took place in Russia in 1917.
At the time of the revolution Russia was an autocracy, with Tsar Nicholas II holding absolute power over his people. Its political, social and economic structures were extremely backward in comparison to other countries in Europe. Food shortages and military failures at the start of the twentieth century had caused strikes and riots that were often brutally suppressed. The 1905 Revolution had led to some reforms, including the establishment of a State Duma (legislative assembly), but there was still no real democracy in Russia.
