Czar Alexander III – ruled 1881-94. Instituted a reactionary policy of "Russification, orthodoxy, and autocracy"

Vladimir Lenin – in 1903 made a split in the Marxist party into the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks, of which he was head. In 1917, during the October Revolution (November by the Western calendar) he won support with the cry "Peace, Land, Bread!" The Bolsheviks established their government October 6-7, 1917.

Czar Nicholas II – 1905, commissioned Father Gapon to organize a conservative union to counteract the radical Marxists. Later, he issued the October Manifesto, promising a constitution, civil liberties, and a Duma.

Father Gapon – organized a peaceful protest march of workers and their families at the Winter Palace on January 22, 1905 (Bloody Sunday)

Peter Stolypin – Czar Nicholas’ new prime minister. He instituted reforms: strengthened the Zemstvos, abolished peasant debt for their emancipation. Assassinated 1911.

Rasputin – "the mad monk;" held influence over Czarina Alexandra after he supposedly cured their only son of hemophilia.

Prince Lvov – headed the provisional government with Kerensky but later turned over the government to him.

Alexander Kerensky – moderate member of the Petrograd Soviet; headed the provisional government.

Leon Trotsky – foreign minister of the Bolsheviks; pushed for a world-wide revolution. Lenin recommended Trotsky as his successor, but he was forced to flee to Mexico and was later assassinated.

Josef Stalin – in 1927, became second leader of the Communists. Former secretary of the party. Wanted to strengthen Russia by industrialization before undertaking a world-wide revolution. In 1928 he began the first Five-Year Plan, the second in 1933. He collectivized small farms into Communes in 1930. Stalin believed of plots within the party to unseat him, leading to the purge trials of 1936-7, where many original Bolsheviks were executed.