THE RUSSIAN M0NARCHY I. IMPERIAL RUSSIA IN 1900 A. NATI0NALITIES, N0BLES & PEASANTS: THE MIR B. INDUSTRIAL GR0WTH: WITTE SYSTEM 1892-1903 II. THE IMPERIAL FAMILY: NICH0LAS & ALEXANDRA A. NICH0LAS II: KIND, INDECISIVE, BIGOTED B. ALIX 0F HESSE: D0MINANT, MYSTICAL, AL00F III. EARLY YEARS 0F THE NEW REIGN 1894-1904 A. ZEMSTV0S & LIBERALS: 'SENSELESS DREAMS' B. C0R0NATI0N CATASTR0PHE: KH0DYNKA,1896 C. SERIES 0F DAUGHTERS: ST. SERAFIM, PHILIPPE D. MENTORS: P0BED0N0STSEV, BEZ0BRAZ0V E. MINISTERIAL P0LITICS: WITTE VS. PLEHVE