On Sunday 22nd January 1905 demonstrators led by Father Georgy Gapon marched to the Winter Palace in St Petersburg in Russia. Their aim was to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II, regarding fairer wages and better working conditions.

The march was not really against the Tsar - in fact, the striking workers who were on the march had been singing patriotic songs, such as God Save the Tsar.

However, upon approaching the palace, Cossack soldiers opened fire on the unarmed crowd. estimates range from 96 dead and 333 wounded to over 4,000 dead. The more accurate estimates have about 1,000 dead and/or wounded.

This events was a starting point for the Revolution of 1905 and considered to be a major factor in the Revolution of 1917.

Image: Image: Public Domain via Wikicommons (commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BloodySunday1905b.jpg)