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Empress
Elizabeth
ruled Russia from 1742 to 1761. During her reign, the
death penalty was effectively ended, cultural arts
flourished, and Russia fought with distinction during the
Seven Years' War.
Alexander I
ruled Russia from 1801 to 1825. During that time he
fought two wars with France, wrested Finland from Sweden,
suppressed the secret police, and began to reform the
backward educational system.
Nicholas II
became Czar of Russia upon the death of Alexander III in
1894. His reign was marked by public discontent, war with
Japan, and World War I. Forced to abdicate in 1917, he
and his family were executed by Bolsheviks the following
year.
Gregory Rasputin
gained influence with Czar Nicholas II and his wife
Alexandra by easing the suffering of their son Alexei and
eventually became Alexandra's closest adviser. His
influence over the royal family greatly upset the nobles,
who murdered him while the Czar was away leading his
army.
Vladimir Ilyich
Lenin
was part of the revolution that overthrew the Romanov
Dynasty, and then led the revolution which resulted in
the establishment of the Soviet Union. As the leader of
the Soviet Union, he made the spread of Communism across
the world a primary goal.
Leon Trotsky
was a part of the revolution which gave rise to the
Soviet Union. After the revolution he served as Commissar
of War, in which capacity he organized a new Red Army. In
1927 he was expelled from the Communist Party for
"anti-party activities" and banished from the
country.
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