Was Nicholas II a good leader?

Answer 1

Sadly, yes. When Nicholas was born, his father was unhappy with such a weak heir. He hardly prepared the young Tsarevich, so that when Nicholas took the throne shortly after his father's death and his marriage to Alexandra Feodorovna, he had very little experience. Nicholas was now the ruler of the largest country in the world, but had only ever attended maybe two or three political confrences. Furthermore, The Tsar hated regulations and rules, and found himself bored by the meetings and dispised being contained behind the palace walls. Nicholas was a fiery blooded man, who loved to fight, and took every chance he could get to get outside and lead his army in person for the sheer thrill. As for his treatment of Russia itself, he and his wife were both stubborn and very set in their old ways, fearful of change. They raised their children outside of the public's eye, and his wife in general rarely went out in public. Many didn't even know her name or what she looked like. Fearful that change would result in losing power, Nicholas fought tooth and nail to adhere to the old ways, never wanting to progress. During his reign, the treatment of the serfs (peasants) was at it's worst, and he was very anti-semetic. A number of pograms ravaged Russia, terrifying Russian Jews. Even as they begged for more liberties, he denied them. The Great War (Now refered to as World War I) had a lot to do with it as well. Tsar Nicholas made the foolish mistake to leave for the warfront, and left the entire empire to his reclusive wife, who often had the mischevious Grigori Rasputin whispering in her ear, whom she trusted with absolute loyalty. On her own, Alexandra was completely incompitent at rule, and Rasputin began giving her advice on running the country. This closeness to the empress made many people disgusted with Rasputin, and many rumors began to spread that Alexandra was having an affair with him. To make matters worse, the war led to food shortages, and ultimately, famine. Constant military defeats shamed the proud Russian people. Then, Vladimir Lenin stepped forward and offered a radical change and the people began to call for the fall of the Tsar. The family was put under house arrestbefore being banished to Siberia, and ultimately shot in the basement of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg.

Answer 2

yes and no... he loved his country but it was far too big for him to handle on his own. He was too much of a family man to rule a country!