Nicholas II abdicates

Revolutionary forces detained leading members of the imperial administration while the Duma committee assumed governmental functions. The source date is 2/28/1917 Old Style.

Sailors at the strategic Baltic naval base mutinied, creating another powerful centre of revolutionary military action. The source date is 2/28/1917 Old Style.

The newspaper of the Petrograd Soviet began publication and provided the new council with a means of communicating with workers and soldiers. The source date is 2/28/1917 Old Style.

Order No. 1 instructed military units to elect soldiers’ committees and subordinated political obedience to the Soviet and elected representatives. The source date is 3/1/1917 Old Style.

The Petrograd Soviet accepted the authority of the emerging Provisional Government while retaining independent power among workers and soldiers. The source date is 3/1/1917 Old Style.

Nicholas II attempted to transfer the crown to his brother Michael, but Michael refused to rule without approval from a future representative assembly. The source date is 3/2/1917 Old Style.

Liberal Duma politicians formed a government headed by Prince Georgy Lvov while the Petrograd Soviet remained an independent centre of power. The source date is 3/2/1917 Old Style.

The Soviet Executive Committee demanded the detention of the former tsar to prevent restoration of imperial authority. The source date is 3/3/1917 Old Style.

The Bolshevik newspaper returned after its suppression under the monarchy and became an important platform in the struggle over the revolution’s direction. The source date is 3/5/1917 Old Style.

A general amnesty freed political prisoners and allowed exiles and underground activists to return openly to political life. The source date is 3/6/1917 Old Style.