The Russian Imperial family in 1913, four years before the abdication of Czar Nicholas II.

My new monthly column in Smithsonian Magazine discusses the events that led to the Russian Revolutions of 1917: the abdication of Czar Nicholas II in March and the Bolshevik seizure of power in November. One hundred years later, the events of 1917 continue to have a profound impact on Russia and the world. The column discusses events in Russia as they unfolded month by month 100 years ago.

Click here to read the first article in the series: “What You Need to Know First to Understand the Russian Revolution”