Meredith Tuttle Stukey

B.A. - Eureka College, 2012

M.A. - Purdue University, 2018

Ph.D. - Purdue University, 2023

Specialization

Russian History, British History, European History, American Diplomatic History.

My manuscript, The Romanovs on a World Stage, centers on Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Romanov dynasty in Russia and how it was perceived abroad in 1896, 1905, 1913, 1914, and 1917. Each of these years formed decisive events in the reign of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, and these moments shaped how Russians and the rest of the world saw him. Most importantly, these events shaped the views of Nicholas’ court by the future allies of Russia in World War I: Great Britain, France, and the United States. At some times, they hoped that he would turn Russia towards democracy and at others, they saw Russia and the Romanov dynasty as an exotic, cultural other that was far too backwards to tame. Nicholas’ projections of his power on the world stage were meant to impress both the allies and his enemies and I argue that until 1917, they worked. For the most part, Great Britain and France bought into his performance and the United States did so to a lesser degree. The allies believed in the illusion of Russian power and prestige that the Romanovs created and even though these illusions were constantly shifting, France and Great Britain agreed to treaties with Russia. Nicholas’ displays of power often inspired hope among the allies that resulted in disappointment and this constant theme of optimism and disillusionment repeated throughout his reign. Thus, Nicholas and the Romanov dynasty revealed intense political and social tensions between Russia and the future allies of the First World War. Employing political papers, diplomatic correspondence, diaries, and letters from archives in the US, UK, and France as well as hundreds of newspapers and magazines, my manuscript examines the successes and failures of the Romanov dynasty in the twilight of the Russian Empire.