How does the British historian Figes connect the weather of 1890-1891 to the decline of the Russian empire in the 20th century? The weather in 1890-1891 led to the Great Famine of 1891; the czarist government’s reaction damaged the people’s trust in and loyalty to the imperial monarchy. The weather in 1890-1891 led to the Great Famine of 1891; the suppressed news of this famine made people advocate for better education and free speech. The weather in 1890-1891 led to the Great Famine of 1891; the people superstitiously blamed the czar and his strange adviser, Rasputin, for this unfortunate event. The weather in 1890-1891 led to the Great Famine of 1891; the lack of food, in turn, affected the empire’s economy and thus weakened the imperial state.