Autonomous but under Russian rule thumb|The assassination of General Governor Nikolay Bobrikov by Eugen Schauman was the culmination of activism of the militant wing of the Fennomans. A Finnish political identity and distinctively Finnish politics first developed under the Russian rule in the country from 1809 to 1917. During the era Finland had an autonomous position within the Russian Empire with its own legislative powers. However, all bills had to be signed into law by the Russian Emperor who was the Grand Duke of Finland. Also, military power was firmly in Russian hands. Previously Finland had been a part of Sweden and did not have any political institutions of its own, rather people of Finnish ethnicity participated in Swedish politics.
Autonomous but under Russian rule thumb|The assassination of General Governor Nikolay Bobrikov by Eugen Schauman was the culmination of activism of the militant wing of the Fennomans. A Finnish political identity and distinctively Finnish politics first developed under the Russian rule in the country from 1809 to 1917. During the era Finland had an autonomous position within the Russian Empire with its own legislative powers. However all bills had to be signed into law by the Russian Emperor who was the Grand Duke of Finland. Also, m,ilitary power was firmly in Russian hands. Previously Finland had been a part of Sweden and did not have any political institutions of its own, rather people of Finnish ethnicity participated in Swedish politics.