WI Nikolai II flees to Helsinki in 1917?

By 1917 Romanovs were constitutional monarchs of the Grand Duchy of Finland, while Finns were not in love of Nikolai they did consider themselves as loyal subjects and did not in fact secede until the collapse of the imperial government

Imperial family spent several summers in Finland sailing the Gulf of Finland so what if instead of abdicating Nikolai takes an "extended holiday" in Helsinki in 1917? He was not smart enough to do it but lets hand wave that away. It was just a short train ride from St Petersburg. He might retain the support of Finnish right wing and some/most of the Russian troops stationed in Finland preventing an outright Finnish civil war next year.

So what effect would living Nikolai with governable territory make in Russian Revolution in 1918?
 
The Whites would probably keep fighting to restore him (and Alexei, if he lives to reach maturity) back on the Imperial throne.
 
Nicholas would need much body guardians that Finns wouldn't kill him. Nicholas was quiet hated in Finland on this point. Him would be better that he flee from Helsinki to Stockholm so quickly as possible.

And I am not sure if even monarhcists care restore Nicholas to the throne. He was already quiet unpopular. So they might still put Alexei or grand duke Michael to throne.
 
By 1917 Romanovs were constitutional monarchs of the Grand Duchy of Finland, while Finns were not in love of Nikolai they did consider themselves as loyal subjects and did not in fact secede until the collapse of the imperial government

Imperial family spent several summers in Finland sailing the Gulf of Finland so what if instead of abdicating Nikolai takes an "extended holiday" in Helsinki in 1917? He was not smart enough to do it but lets hand wave that away. It was just a short train ride from St Petersburg. He might retain the support of Finnish right wing and some/most of the Russian troops stationed in Finland preventing an outright Finnish civil war next year.

So what effect would living Nikolai with governable territory make in Russian Revolution in 1918?

Or he gathers loyalist troops and flees to Manchuria and rules a remnat imperial Russian-Manchurian state with Japanese blessing .
 
First of all, Nicholas was not popular with Finns of *any* political persuasion because of his interference with Finnish autonomy. (He would be *very* lucky if the Finns merely politely asked him to leave.) Second, by February he wasn't popular with Russians of any political persuasion, either. Not a single White government during the Russian Civil War ever proclaimed restoration of the monarchy as a political objective. As Denikin wrote in 1918, "If I raise the republican flag I will lose one half [of the Volunteers] and if I raise the monarchist flag--the other half will leave me." It was in fact only the murder of Nicholas by the Bolsheviks that turned him into a hero for the Whites.
 
The Whites would probably keep fighting to restore him...
I'm not so sure, if you looking at the leading White generals they nearly all seem to have been rather ambivalent about restoring the monarchy considering how unpopular it was. That's not to say that they didn't make all the propaganda they could out of the Romanovs murders, as martyrs they were much more useful than in life, but in the main they were fighting against the Soviets rather than for the Tsar from what I've read.
 
First of all, Nicholas was not popular with Finns of *any* political persuasion because of his interference with Finnish autonomy. (He would be *very* lucky if the Finns merely politely asked him to leave.)

1917 was a shaky year for Finnish politics, right wing dominated senate was not willing to bring independence declaration to left wing dominated parliament, when Finland was eventually declared monarchy after civil war senate was not exactly picky on who would be the future king. Would Romanovs be loved? Hell no. Tolerated? Mmmmmmayyybe, if they offer something to stabilize the internal situation of Finland, food from Entente perhaps, 1917 was already a famine year for the Finns.
 
1917 was a shaky year for Finnish politics, right wing dominated senate was not willing to bring independence declaration to left wing dominated parliament, when Finland was eventually declared monarchy after civil war senate was not exactly picky on who would be the future king. Would Romanovs be loved? Hell no. Tolerated? Mmmmmmayyybe, if they offer something to stabilize the internal situation of Finland, food from Entente perhaps, 1917 was already a famine year for the Finns.

Actually, the Finnish Royalists were picky about the monarch - one very important reason for inviting a German candidate to the Finnish throne was that this would secure the support of the German Empire to Finland. There is no such reason for choosing an exile Romanov who obviously is bringing very little to the table in term of foreign support for Finland. The only semi-realistic options to a German king would be Scandinavian princes or, possibly, even a British royal.
 
Actually, the Finnish Royalists were picky about the monarch - one very important reason for inviting a German candidate to the Finnish throne was that this would secure the support of the German Empire to Finland. There is no such reason for choosing an exile Romanov who obviously is bringing very little to the table in term of foreign support for Finland. The only semi-realistic options to a German king would be Scandinavian princes or, possibly, even a British royal.

Probably about only option for German prince would be Bernadotte prince. Romanovs are totally out and I am not if Brits would care put Windsor to Finnish throne.
 
... and I am not sure if the British would care to put a Windsor on the Finnish throne.
Well it wouldn't be a brother since Georve V's only one had pre-deceased him, an uncle or a cousin however might not have been out of the question since he already had four healthy sons by that point. From their point of view going from being a Duke, even a Royal one, to being a King might be an attractive proposition. Generally I could only see it going through if the government of the day was okay with it, Finland itself looked stable and not about to collapse, and some other possible considerations.
 
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