Was Aleksey Ever Tzar?

[clockworkgirl21]

I read in a book that Nikolai abdicated in favor of Aleksey, and Aleksey was tzar for a few hours until Nikolai learned Aleksey would be raised by someone else, and abdicated for him. Is this true, or did I missread it?

[Baby_Tsarevich]

ya its true, Alexei was Tsar for a couple of hours or so, and at the time he was having a french lesson...lol...

~Anya~

[Laura Mabee]

Really? Wow.. Hmm, interesting. I never heard that before. I thought he abdicated for Alexis at the same time he abdicated himself.  

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

Yeah, he was Tsar for two hours, and yes, in a french lesson.

[Georgiy]

Well, technically speaking, Nicholas could not legally abdicate for Alexei (so far as I know), so legally, at the time of his death, Alexei would have been the Tsar-pretender. If i am wrong about this, please correct me. Like I say, I am pretty sure the Nicholas could only legally abdicate for himself, and if this is the case, then no matter that he then said GD Michael should be Tsar, Alexei was in fact the Emperor of Russia.

[Laura Mabee]

Huh.. that's really interesting! Thanks for letting me know!  

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

I read that Nicholas abdicated in favor of Alexei first
but you are probably right. Letting a weak, and very young boy rule would probably not be a good idea. Thanks for telling me. Now when anyone asks me, I wont misinform than  

[Georgiy]

Whether or not it would be a good idea to let a weak boy be Tsar is a moot point. The fact is that Nicholas could only abdicate for himself, and had no right to abdicate for anyone else. Legally, Alexei must have been Tsar, but I think by that stage no one really cared.

[Ortino]

Alexei could not rule (for real anyway) until he was 16. Before then he would have a Regent. I've heard and read that Nicholas abdicated for Alexei, but I don't know if that was truly legal. A person had to give their consent to abdicate, so technically Alexei would have to do the same. I guess in circumstances such as the ones Nicholas faced, it would be overlooked.

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

Hmmm, good point. So pretty much, if anyone asks (I am giving a presentation to a bunch of seventh graders.)  "Alexei was considered tsar for a while, but it was not exactly legal, and nobody really cared especially because it was for two hours?"

[Georgiy]

No, it was legal! Nicholas' abdicating for Alexei would not be legal.

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

Oh, I understand now. I'm sorry.  When it gets so technical and precise, it gets hard for me to follow.

[lostfan]

I think this also goes along with the ideology that the if the Tsar can make the laws, he can break the laws. Tsar Paul I made a law stating only males could rule in Russia, but if Alexandra had continued having girls, Nicholas could easily have changed this to allow girls to rule and have Olga succeed him. So I think Nicholas had full power to abdicate for himself and for Alexei, but I guess it was not legally permitted, but it didn't matter anyway.

[RissiaSunbeam1918]

Oh, I get it. Thanks, that helps clear it up for me.  
Dana  

[GD Alexandra]

So, Alexei could have been the last Tsar? (I mean, if we don't count Misha)

who was the last tsar???