Why were there two Russian Revolutions in 1917 and when did the Bolsheviks and Lenin seize power?

IT is a common assumption that the Russian revolution swept away the Tsarist monarchy and immediately ushered in the communist dictatorship in one bloody coup.

But in fact, the events leading up to the October Revolution of 1917 are mired in political intrigue and civil unrest — and shows just how close the Bolsheviks came to missing their chance to seize power and change the course of history.

Why were there two Russian Revolutions in 1917?

The two revolutions that saw the Bolsheviks take power in Russia took place over the space of a single tumultuous year.

In 1917, a deeply impoverished Russian empire was embroiled in the bitter conflict of WW1 — sending hundreds of thousands of its men to die on the harsh eastern front to fend off the advancing Germans.

Already vastly behind its European counterparts in terms of industrialisation and modernity, Russia at that time was crippled by economic problems and a disenfranchised populous.

And as more and more rural workers poured into crowded cities to find work in dangerous factories, the setting was right to gain devoted followers to the communist cause.

The February Revolution — which actually began on March 7 according to Western Gregorian calendars — saw workers in the then-capital Petrograd (now modern St Petersberg) rise up to carry out strikes and demonstrations.

The number of workers pouring out onto the streets demanding bread and more civil rights grew within hours.

By 10 March the entire city ground to a halt as virtually every industry and commercial enterprise was starved of its striking workforce.

Soon white collar workers and students joined in with the unrest.

But what stoked these mass demonstrations into a full blown revolution was the mutiny of soldiers against the Tsar.

Tsar Nicolas II, already aware of his precarious grip on power after years of similar demonstrations, ordered the 180,000 troops in the city to quell the riots by force.

The disenchanted soldiers declined to follow the orders - especially given the number of women in the crowds - and instead joined in the mass movement.

The panicking Tsar stripped the Duma parliament of its power, but liberal members continued to try to organise a means to quell the unrest and bring about a peaceful solution.

Socialist parties walked out and set up their own committees, or Soviets, to represent and organise the workers.

On March 14 the Tsar's royal train was stopped by revolutionaries on its way to Petrograd.

The next day he was brought to meet Duma deputies and the head of the army, who advised he step down. He did so on 15 March.

He tried and failed to pass his crown to his brother, who turned it down, and was later placed under house arrest by the newly formed Provisional Government.

When did the Bolsheviks and Lenin finally seize power?

The Provisional Government was formed out of the liberal parties who wished to install democratic rule.

But their authority was challenged by the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' Deputies — who claimed to represent the workers.

After months of brooding and planning, the more extreme Bolshevik wing of the Soviets led by Lenin steadily began undermining the work of the Provisional Government and stirred up anger among the population.

Key to public dissatisfaction with the Government was its continued commitment to keeping Russia in the war.

The revolt of the radical Krondstat sailors sparked greater unrest in what became known as the July Days.

But this forced Lenin to flee and prominent Bolsheviks like Leon Trotsky, in many ways Lenin's number two, were arrested.

However, the publicity surrounding the failed coup helped increase Bolshevik membership from 17,000 in February to 200,000 by September.

Lenin returned to Petrograd after his spell in Finland as revolutionary zeal in the city reached fever-pitch.

The Bolshevik Central Committe, headed by Lenin, voted on whether to organise the overthrow of the Provisional Government. It passed 10-2, and the October Revolution began.

Lenin and other key Bolsheviks like the tactical genius Leon Trotsky oversaw the process of the revolt.

Beginning on 7 November (Western date, 25 October Russian date), the Bolshevik Red army stormed the Winter Palace and overthrew the Provisional Government.

Later, the Red Army would consolidate its grip across the country against Monarchist, Liberal, Far-Right and some Foreign powers organised under the White Army in a series of battles known as the Russian Civil War.