Skip to main content

Secondary sourceBook1928

The Abandoned Imperial Family, 1917-1918

S. Markov · 1928

A 1928 study by a Russian officer tracing the imperial family's captivity from Tsarskoe Selo to their final imprisonment in Ekaterinburg.

A detailed account of Nicholas II's captivity and that of his family, written by a Russian officer who witnessed the period.

Ask Tsar Nicholas II about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
The Abandoned Imperial Family, 1917-1918
S. Markov, The Abandoned Imperial Family, 1917-1918, 1928. Scanned book, Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a book written in 1928 by S. Markov, a Russian officer, describing the captivity of Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their family after the Russian Revolution, from their house arrest at Tsarskoe Selo through exile in Tobolsk to their final imprisonment in Ekaterinburg.

Why it matters

Written by someone close to the events, the book is an important later source for understanding the imperial family's final months and the attitudes of those who remained loyal to them. It shows how witnesses tried to record and make sense of the collapse of the Romanov dynasty.

Look closer

  • Why might a loyal officer's account of the imperial family differ from an official revolutionary account?
  • What does the author say about the difficulty and honesty of writing memories?
  • What biases might shape the author's choice of which names and facts to include?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tsar Nicholas II on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Tsar Nicholas II sources

Meet the AI Tsar Nicholas II →
Scan of a 1905 Russian newspaper page, Vedomosti Sankt-Peterburgskogo Gradonachalstva, dated 18 October, with the Imperial manifesto printed in large type under the headline, signed by Nicholas II.Newspaper article

Primary source

October Manifesto

Nicholas II of Russia · 30 October 1905

Typed Russian document on aged, yellowed paper headed 'Ставка' with the salutation 'Начальнику Штаба'. The body text announces Nicholas II's abdication in favor of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. Dated 2 March 1917 at Pskov, with a handwritten signature at lower right and additional handwritten signatures at lower left.Document

Primary source

Nicholas II of Russia's abdication

Nicholas II of Russia · 2 March 1917 (O.S.) / 15 March 1917 (N.S.)

Handwritten Russian manuscript on yellowed paper, headed with a title in Cyrillic reading 'Рабочая петиция' (Workers' Petition). Dense cursive text in several paragraphs fills the page, addressing the Tsar and describing workers' hardships and demands.Document

Primary source

St. Petersburg Workmen's Petition to the Tsar

Georgy Gapon · January 1905

Document

Primary source

Russian Constitution of 1906

Nicholas II of Russia · 6 May 1906

Dark cover of a book titled 'The Willy-Nicky Correspondence' in red lettering, with smaller red text below naming an author and a foreword writer. The cover is mostly black and the text is faint and hard to read.Letter

Primary source

Willy–Nicky Correspondence

Nicholas II of Russia and Wilhelm II · July–August 1914

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Tsar Nicholas II now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions