Was Nicholas the last czar of Russia?

Answer 1

Nicholas II was the last Czar. There had been a Nicholas I before him. Your question did not specify which Nicholas was being referred to.

There is some theory that either Michael Romanov, Nicholas II's brother, or Alexei Romanov, Nicholas II's son, was the actual last Czar but this is non-sense.

The theory that Michael was the last Czar is based on the fact that when Nicholas II abdicated the throne, he passed it on to his brother Michael who refused it, was never crowned and never acted as Czar. The then existing Russian Constitution stated that the Czar could not give the crown to anyone he chose, but that it had to go to his eldest son first. The abdication in Michael's favor was therefore illegal and of no effect. Since he was never the Czar he couldn't have been the last one.

The theory that Alexei was the last Czar is also based on the fact that the abdication in favor of Michael was illegal. Since the Constitution stated that the crown fell to the Czar's eldest son, the speculation is that when Nicholas II abdicated, the crown automatically fell to Alexei regardless of the abdication in favor of Michael. The problem with this theory is that Alexei was never crowned Czar and never acted as Czar. Again, since he was never the Czar, he could not have been the last one either.

Answer 2

Quite the opposite. Ivan IV was the first person to be crowned with the title "Czar." Ivan III (the Great) adopted the title before Ivan IV did, but he was not crowned with the title.

The last czar was Nicholas Romanov II.