The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1913. THE ROMANOFF TERCENTENARY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5, 10 May 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1913. THE ROMANOFF TERCENTENARY

It is just three hundred years , ago since Russia was first ruled by a Romanoff, the founder of that dynasty which continues unbroken to the present day. In view of this fact it is interesting to delve into the historical records dealing with the incidents which led to the establishment on the throne of a family whose descendant holds a nominally despotic sway over millions of subjects under the autocratic title of “Tsar of all the Russias.’ In 1610, not long after the harsh yoke of Ivan The Terrible had been removed, when the unity established by him in the Moscow State was already ■broken by internal dissension, the city of Moscow was invaded by the Poles, who massacred thousands of the population, and took up a strong position in the Kremlin. They also gained two or three other victories,’and the Polish ruler claimed the throne of Moscow for his son. dust at this juncture there arose a leader of men in the person of one Minin, a butcher of Xizhni—Novgorod, who rallied his fellow-citizens in the name of the Orthodox faith. Thousands flocked to him, and in August, 1912, an army under the joint command of Minin and Prince Dmitri Pozharski appeared before the walls of Moscow. They captured the city and forced the Polish garrison to surrender. It was then resolved to elect a Tsar. ' Representative of all the towns and villages in the Muscovite State met and deliberated. They found their task an extremely difficult and tedious one for there were many claimants. However,

their choice at last settled on Michael Fedorovich Romanoff, a youth of sixteen, being probably influenced not only by the fact that he was very popular as well as that he was a connection of the last reigning line, hut also by the thought that Ins inexperience would make him a pliable instrument in their hands. The young Tsar signed a document limiting his power,

and for many years ruled with the help of National Assemblies, but before the end of Ids life succeeded in completely re-establishing the autocracy. Thus was founded the ruling house*of .Russia, a dynasty which, however, has suffered much in prestige; during the last tew years. For eight years the Imperial Family have not resided in St. Petersburg, and the rigorous police precautions taken on the rare occasions when they do visit the capital are not calculated to arouse popular enthusiasm. During the few days previous to the celebrations a largo number of arrests and raids were made in the city by the police. These measures should, from the point of view of the loyal Monarchist, be simply deplorable. Other more intimate reasons—the illness of the Tsarevich, the continued ill-health of the Empress, the recent disgrace of the Grand Duke Michael—all these facts combined with the prevailing political depression and the bitter memories of the last few years, have created an atmosphere of anxiety and strain that ill-harmonised with the official splendour of the tercentenary celebration, though, of course, much pomp and splendour and outward show would accompany them while the real Russia .looked sullenly on.