Michael II of Russia (A Free Russia)

Michael II (Russian: Михаи́л Александрович; 4 December [O.S. 22 November] 1878 – 6 December 1926) was the Emperor of Russia from 1905 until 1926, being the first constitutional monarch of Russia. He was also the last King of Poland and the last Grand Duke of Finland. He is best known as a political liberal whose reign was marked by economic and social reforms, birth of Russian democracy, military reform, successful administrative policies, a new democratic government, and a period of peace in which Russian was not involved in any major war.

At the time of his birth, his paternal grandfather Alexander II was still the reigning Emperor of All the Russias. Michael was fourth-in-line to the throne after his father and elder brothers Nicholas and George. After the assassination of his grandfather in 1881, he became third-in-line and, in 1894 after the death of his father, second-in-line. George died in 1899, leaving Michael as heir presumptive. The birth of Nicholas's son Alexei in 1904 moved Michael back to second-in-line, but Alexei inherited the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and was not expected to live. In 1905, Russia was plagued by revolution and the monarchy was nearly overthrown. Nicholas abdicated in favor of Michael, who asked revolutionary Viktor Chernov to form a new government. Under this new government, the Russian nation got the reforms it so desperately needed to survive. Wages increased and working conditions improved, Russia began to trade with the west and sought to modernize its industry, agriculture and infrastructure. The Russian government took a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict in Western Europe that would evolve into World War I.

The resulting reforms and Michael's promise to get involved into politics recovered the popularity of the monarchy and Michael became beloved by the Russian people. However, parts of the Russian population still sought to overthrow the monarchy. In 1926, Michael and his son, George, was assassinated by a follower of Leon Trotsky. The nation mourned his passing and he was succeed by his sister Xenia.