Tsar Alexander III doubts the ability of his son and heir-apparent, Nicholas, to inherit the Russian throne. The young tsarevich is similarly apprehensive. Despite his longstanding affair with St Petersburg ballerina Mathilde Kschessinska and the disapproval of his mother over his marriage choice, he is resolved to marry Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, seemingly the suitable match. Traveling to Germany, Nicholas II is supported in this by his relatives, including his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm and Alix’s grandmother, the ageing Queen Victoria of Great Britain. Meanwhile, the autocratic conservatism of the Imperial Government has resulted in discontent among factory workers, under the ægis of the revolutionary Vladimir Lenin.

Nicholas has now been tsar for nine years and refuses to share his absolute authority with a parliament urged by social reformers. Now married and in London, Lenin is founding his own more radical brand of Marxism and manoeuvres to divide the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party and its publication Iskra from his primary rival Julius Martov. He befriends Leon Trotsky, and despite ill health, at the Second R.S.D.L.P. Congress, Lenin moves to consolidate control. One by one, moderates and liberals are side-lined or expelled, leaving the party split into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. Meeting at the grave of Karl Marx, many former comrades bid him farewell.

Nicholas is preoccupied by strikes and the humiliating war with Japan; the continual unsolicited advice and gifts of his cousin, Wilhelm II; and the health of his only son Alexei, who has hemophilia. A rising tide of discontent among St Petersburg’s working class leads to the assassination of the interior minister Vyacheslav von Plehve. Police attack a demonstration led by police spy and priest Fr Georgy Gapon, killing many. Nicholas, believes that his people are still loyal and resists change. Wilhelm attempts to forge an alliance with Russia. Nicholas, considering Germany’s assistance, is willing to sign, but his ministers insist that they must first show it to France for consideration.

When Grand Duke Sergei is murdered, Nicholas dismisses his police chief and considers Pyotr Rachkovsky as a suitable replacement even though he seems untrustworthy and is rumoured to use agent provocateurs. Both Sergei Witte and Empress Alexandra also have grave concerns about him and his methods but for different reasons. Nevertheless, with unrest fermenting and the memory of Bloody Sunday still fresh, he is appointed after seeking additional authority from the Tsar. Nicholas grants some concessions, including the creation of the Duma, as Rachkovsky begins using his forces in a deadly purge of troublemakers and revolutionaries in St Petersburg and beyond.

Britain’s King Edward VII makes a visit to the Royal Russian yacht to discuss an alliance with Russia. Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Izvolsky, begins intriguing to have the Bosphorus opened to the Black Sea Fleet, preferring access to the Dardanelles over guaranteeing Serbian sovereignty against Austria in the Balkans. He quickly finds himself outplayed by Alois Lexa von Aehrenthal when Austria rapidly annexes the Turkish territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, precipitating the Bosnian crisis. In its wake and with the sting of the loss to Japan still fresh, Russia is again outwitted and embarrassed by diplomatic intrigues and forces beyond its borders.

With the resolve and the morale of the Russian army plummeting, Nicholas decides to leave the capital to take personal command of the army, leaving Alexandra behind as his eyes and ears in Petrograd. His son Alexei soon joins him, but his frail constitution soon leads to another health scare. Alexandra, becoming increasingly unpopular and insecure, has come to rely heavily on the advice and cures of faith healer Grigori Rasputin, who also advises the Empress on which religious people should be in government. As a result, Alexander Protopopov is appointed as a minister, but his ineptitude leads other politicians, such as Mikhail Rodzianko and Alexander Trepov, to scheme for change.

As the war continues, Kaiser Wilhelm, tiring from his responsibilities, allows Ludendorff, Hindenburg, Admiral von Holtzendorff and Bethmann-Hollweg to propose riskier strategies for ‘total victory’ (such as unrestricted submarine warfare against neutral shipping). With Rasputin now dead, Alexander Kerensky incites open revolt in the Duma, who support his insistence on the abdication of the Tsar. The Kaiser, fearful of creating a “Bolshevik nemesis”, reluctantly allows Lenin and his compatriots to travel through Germany from exile in Switzerland. With the help of industrialist Dr Helphand, the Russians finally arrive to a heroic homecoming in St Petersburg.