In The Irrationals, the first popular and comprehensive book on the subject, Julian Havil tells the story of irrational numbers and the mathematicians who have tackled their challenges, from antiquity to the twenty-first century.
Nicholas realized he was powerless. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne on March 2, (according to the Russian Julian calendar; March 15 according to the western Gregorian calendar), in 1917. He signed an abdication document stepping down from the throne and nominating his brother Michael to succeed him.
In 1906, Rasputin, known by many as the mad monk, arrived in St. Petersburg with a reputation as a mystic and faith healer. Two years later, he was introduced to Russian Czar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, who were seeking help for their sickly son, Alexis.