First World War.com - Primary Documents - Manifesto of Grand Duke Mikhail, 3 March 1917

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Grand Duke Mikhail Primary Documents: Manifesto of Grand Duke Mikhail, 3 March 1917
Updated - Sunday, 16 June, 2002

With the Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, having abdicated on the previous day in favour of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, the latter published his own manifesto on 16 March 1917 (3 March in the Julian calendar), effectively declining the throne unless it was offered to him by a popularly elected constituent assembly (which was not forthcoming. Reproduced below is the text of Grand Duke Mikhail's brief manifesto.

Manifesto

A heavy burden has been laid on me by my brother's will in transferring to me the imperial throne of All Russia at a time of unprecedented war and unrest among the people.

Inspired by the thought common to the whole nation, that the well-being of our homeland comes above all, I have taken the hard decision to accept supreme power only in the event that it shall be the will of our great people, who in nationwide voting must elect their representatives to a Constituent Assembly, establish a new form of government and new fundamental laws for the Russian State.

Therefore, calling on God's blessing, I ask all citizens of the Russian State to obey the provisional government which has been formed and been invested with complete power on the initiative of the State Duma, until a Constituent Assembly, to be convened in the shortest possible time on the basis of general, direct, equal, secret ballot, expresses the will of the people in its decision on a form of government.

(SIGNED)

MIKHAIL

3/III - 1917, Petrograd.

A "British warm" was a heavy issue greatcoat for officers.