Following the fall of the Russian Empire, the region formally known as Livonia declared independence and formed the Republic of Latvia. Despite this, the newly declared Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis has shown compassion to the recently deposed Romanov family, and has granted them residence-in-exile on the shore of the Baltic. From Tsar Nicholas’ smoking room overlooking this bleak patch of water, we discuss the events that led his family’s downfall.

The former monarch is remarkably relaxed. Resigned to his fate, his dons a smoking jacket and takes a large swig of something clear and strong. After years of decadent detachment from everyday affairs of the common man, one wonders if he sees this next stage of his life as an entertaining distraction. Nevertheless, he is happy to answer my questions.

Where do you think things started to go wrong for Russia?

“When have things gone right for Russia? We are a hard people, suffering is a part of life for us.”

This correspondent glances around the comfortably appointed mansion that the Tsar and his family now occupy, with a well stocked drinks cabinet and finely tailored clothes. He continues –

“But you mean the war of course. The Austrians are to blame.” He spits in anger, as if to wash his mouth after uttering the name. “I trusted them, I even deluded myself into thinking that the three of us had a solid ‘triple entente’.”

You mean yourselves, Austria and the Ottomans?

“Of course. Once we were vulnerable from both sides it was game over.”

Is there anything you would have done differently, if given the chance?

The duke ponders the question for a long moment, gazing out to a passing ship drifting lazily across the Baltic.

“I’m not sure. We would not have gotten very far, had I not made the alliances I did, so I was totally reliant on them. Perhaps I should have headed north to Scandinavia, taken the fight more to the English and not let them claim Sweden so easily. The advice given to me was that I should focus our military efforts on only one front, but if I had taken the Scandinavian countries in the early parts of the war then perhaps my forces would have had a safe zone to fall back to.”

Is there anything you are particularly proud of?

The Tsar lets out a hearty laugh.

“Stealing Kiel from out under the Kaiser’s nose! That was fun.”

I leave the king to his retirement. All things considered his family has done well to escape unscathed, although the same cannot be said for the countless Russian dead in the battles against Germany and Austria. This correspondent imagines that the Tsar is unfazed by this, however.