Nicholas and the New Czar

Nicholas was a convinced slavofile. He believed in his heart and soul that he was god's chosen ruler of the empire. His role as absolute autocrat had been ordained by god and was not answerable to or divisible with other men. This belief would underlie and ultimately undermine his entire regime. The liberal constitutionalists hoped maybe the son would reassess the policy of the now dead father. In 18 90, he had signed a decree explicitly making centrally appointed governors all powerful in the provinces.