Was the Tsar family already in serious danger after leaving Tsarkoe Selo?

[drronnie]

I was just wondering as some associates and "friends" were already running away when the Tsar family was send to Tobolsk, were they already in serious danger and how did the "runaways" know about it.

[Sarushka]

The mood in Petrograd was heavily against the imperial family from the beginning of the revolution. For example, after the abdication people regularly stood at the gates of the palace to gawk at the tsar shoveling snow, and it wasn't uncommon for them to shout abuse. Nicholas was soon asked not to shovel near the fence. In June or July the Bolsheviks were expected to make armed demonstrations in the street. By midsummer, Kerensky knew it was only a matter of time until his own power would be threatened, so he began arranging for the IF's departure.

Anyone who read the papers or walked the streets would have known about the public's attitude to the tsar; it was probably very uncomfortable for anyone who was known to be loyal to the tsar.

In a very real sense, the most dangerous part of the IF's journey into exile was getting past Petrograd. That's why the train was ordered for the middle of the night, and why the departure was postponed again and again throughout the night of 31 July/1 August.

[drronnie]

I reckon that the population was very radical in Petrograd however in the rest of Russia the people were more tolerant and loyal to the Tsar. Is it correct to assume that the majority people wanted reforms however not to harm the Tsar?

[nena]

Sarushka is correct, and you are too, Drronie.

IF waited for train 6 hours, finally, Kerensky ordered it leave at midnight. So, not many people knew for Tsar's travel to Siberia.

In Peterograd, since February of 1917, thing went bad, people was afraid, but some of them beieved in Tsar.

[James_Davidov]

"in the rest of Russia the people were more tolerant and loyal to the Tsar"

indeed Drronie, although the many cities located within these rural areas has citizens who harboured animosity towards the Tsarist regime… for those 'town and city Russians' who weren’t dependent on the land, the war and economic conditions had made their lives a living hell, and travel for the IF, really anywhere in the Empire was risky (as the trains past through numerous small cities and towns), and this was a contrast the IF witnessed on their journey to Siberia.

[Michael HR]

I have always thought that the revolution was mainly St Petersberg and Moscow but that the rest of the country was in the main loyal to the Tsar and the dynasty. If control had been kept on these two cities the revolution would not perhaps have taken off in the way it did. The problem with law and order was that most of the troops loyal to the Tsar lay dead in the battle fields and those who took their place were not as loyal and were willing to question what was taking place. Once you lose the loyalty of the troops and or the Police all is lost as you cannot impose your will. So many were dead by the time the Tsar abdicated that loyalty was something that was rare with those who had managed not to be slaughtered on the fields of Europe in WW1.

Therefore I feel the Tsar was in great danger in 1917 and to get him out of St P was urgent at the time. Tobolsk seems to have been a good choice as he was out of the way and safe from events in the main cities.

[Joyann1]

Therefore I feel the Tsar was in great danger in 1917 and to get him out of St P was urgent at the time. Tobolsk seems to have been a good choice as he was out of the way and safe from events in the main cities.

I completly agree with you.

i always tought they were lucky that the didnt stormerd towards the AP like they did in the french revoution.

but well that were diffrent times.

[enik31]

tobolsk is a good choice - nothing more

[rosieposie]

The Imperial family were well aware of how dangerous their situation was.  No matter when they were on the throne or not especially looking at their ancestors. 
Such as Nicholas' grandfather who was killed by an expolsive's device.    One time back when Olga A (Nicky's sister) was 5 or 6 she was on  the Imperial train had a bomb thrown at it expolding the back carriages.  The story goes that little Olga Alexandrovna was in such hysterics that she screamed "Oh my god they are trying to kill us."  It took her weeks to get over the incident.  Remember she was only just a baby and she knew very well that the family was always going to be in danger.

Nicholas also had an assination attempt in Japan.

But this was a new thing for the IF to experience as they didn't know what fate had installed for them.  As the new goverment had a control over the family once they left Tsarkoe Selo.