16.02.2017
“Harlequin is accustomed to counterfeelings, in face and in life...” - this is how his contemporary and namesake, Alexander Pushkin, assessed Emperor Alexander Pavlovich. It must be said that Pushkin’s attitude was largely shared by representatives of the military aristocracy and the enlightened nobility. Grandson Great Catherine He was distinguished by a complex, contradictory character, he was thrown from one extreme to another, and with him the entire empire was in a fever. Let's see what interesting facts Our history has preserved from the life of Alexander Pavlovich. What still prevailed in him: a craving for goodness or caution and suspicion?
- Alexander spent his entire childhood under the influence of two people who were in a state of almost open confrontation - the reigning grandmother and the father who hated her. He had to constantly look after himself, alternately using two masks: one for Catherine, the other for Pavel.
- Catherine intended to make Alexander emperor, bypassing her son, for which she invited him to the best teachers. In particular, the Republican La Harpe, who was supposed to instill in the boy the ideals of equality and freedom. She herself took an active part in her upbringing. For example, I read and explained the French Declaration of Human Rights to my grandchildren. But Alexander did not feel much desire to reign. His melancholy character attracted him to a different way of life.
- The accession of Alexander I to the throne was marked by a terrible event - the murder of Paul I. Historians still argue whether Alexander knew about the conspiracy and intended to take the life of his father. One thing is known for certain: Alexandra Maria Feodorovna’s mother, when her son visited her, arranged it so that the newly-crowned emperor had to pass the rooms of his late father when going to his mother. The Dowager Empress knew how to reproach her son without words, did not allow him to erase the “unpleasant episode” from his memory, hinting that she did not consider him completely innocent.
- When the battles with Napoleon were going on in 1805, representatives of the top army decided to award Alexander I with a certain order of the first degree, despite the extremely unsuccessful outcome of the battles. To Alexander’s credit, he did not accept the award, agreeing only to an order of the 4th degree.
- Many do not consider Alexander I a brave man. However, when our army was defeated at Austerlitz, he himself tried to stop the retreating soldiers with the words: “Stop! I'm with you! I am your king!
- The first years of the reign of Alexander I were marked by reforms that took place under the motto “Russia should be governed by law, and not by arbitrariness.” The transformations were planned to be bold and very grandiose.
- Why did Alexander I then curtail his reform activities? Frightened by revolutionary events, as was believed in Soviet times? Disappointed with your supporters? Just tired? The turn to “Arakcheevism” was indeed very sharp. By the way, Alexander knew about the existence secret societies- that is, about the future Decembrists. But even here his reaction turned out to be peculiar. He said that he could not and did not have the right to persecute those whose views he himself had shared for many years. Perhaps, if the emperor had taken some mild measures earlier, things would not have come to the events of December 14, 1825. So many lives and destinies would have been saved...
- Alexander I and his wife Elizabeth were united by marriage due to political considerations. They didn't love each other. He had 11 illegitimate children. She had affairs on the side.
- However, just before the death of Alexander I, the couple became close and became inseparable. Alexander died in Taganrog from typhus. Elizabeth survived her husband by only a year.
Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, of course, was not the ideal sovereign that Catherine dreamed of nurturing from him. In general, fate did not spoil him too much. The troubled situation in the country before his accession to the throne, the monstrous murder that marked the beginning of his reign, bloody Patriotic War- all these events undermined his inner strength, which, apparently, was initially few. He didn't want to reign. He dreamed of leading a quiet, humble life somewhere in the wilderness. But the monarch does not have the right to do this.
Standing at the throne, Alexander I probably understood that he was not in his place, and in the end he was burdened by the realization of this. Perhaps this is why a beautiful legend was born among the people about Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, a monk who voluntarily laid down the royal crown and lived out his days peacefully in Siberia. I just didn’t have the strength to be a king...
Emperor Alexander I was the grandson of Catherine the Great from her only son Pavel Petrovich and the German princess Sophia of Württemberg, in Orthodoxy Maria Feodorovna. He was born in St. Petersburg on December 25, 1777. Named in honor of Alexander Nevsky, the newborn Tsarevich was immediately taken from his parents and raised under the control of the royal grandmother, which greatly influenced Political Views future autocrat.
Childhood and adolescence
Alexander’s entire childhood was spent under the control of the reigning grandmother; he had almost no contact with his parents, however, despite this, he, like his father Pavel, loved and was well versed in military affairs. The Tsarevich served in active service in Gatchina, and at the age of 19 he was promoted to colonel.
The Tsarevich had insight, quickly grasped new knowledge and studied with pleasure. It was in him, and not in her son Paul, that Catherine the Great saw the future Russian emperor, but she could not place him on the throne, bypassing his father.
At the age of 20, he became the Governor-General of St. Petersburg and the chief of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment. A year later, he begins to sit in the Senate.
Alexander was critical of the policies pursued by his father, Emperor Paul, so he became involved in a conspiracy, the purpose of which was to remove the emperor from the throne and the accession of Alexander. However, the Tsarevich’s condition was to preserve the life of his father, therefore violent death The latter brought the Tsarevich a feeling of guilt for the rest of his life.
Married life
The personal life of Alexander I was very eventful. The crown prince's marriage relationship began early - at the age of 16 he was married to the fourteen-year-old Baden princess Louise Maria Augusta, who changed her name in Orthodoxy, becoming Elizaveta Alekseevna. The newlyweds were very suitable for each other, for which they received the nicknames Cupid and Psyche among the courtiers. In the first years of marriage, the relationship between the spouses was very tender and touching; the Grand Duchess was very loved and respected at court by everyone except her mother-in-law, Maria Fedorovna. However, warm relations in the family soon gave way to cool ones - the newlyweds had too much different characters, besides, Alexander Pavlovich often cheated on his wife.
The wife of Alexander I was modest, did not like luxury, was involved in charity work, and preferred walking and reading books to balls and social events.
Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna
For almost six years, the Grand Duke’s marriage did not bear fruit, and only in 1799 did Alexander I have children. The Grand Duchess gave birth to a daughter, Maria Alexandrovna. The birth of the baby led to an intra-family scandal in the imperial family. Alexander's mother hinted that the child was born not from the Tsarevich, but from Prince Czartoryski, with whom she suspected her daughter-in-law of having an affair. In addition, the girl was born a brunette, and both parents were blondes. Emperor Paul also hinted at his daughter-in-law’s betrayal. Tsarevich Alexander himself recognized his daughter and never spoke out about the possible betrayal of his wife. The happiness of fatherhood was short-lived; Grand Duchess Maria lived for little more than a year and died in 1800. The death of their daughter briefly reconciled and brought the spouses closer.
Grand Duchess Elizaveta Alexandrovna
Numerous novels increasingly alienated the crowned spouses; Alexander, without hiding, cohabited with Maria Naryshkina, and Empress Elizabeth began an affair with Alexy Okhotnikov in 1803. In 1806, the wife of Alexander I gave birth to a daughter, Grand Duchess Elizabeth, despite the fact that the couple had not lived together for several years, the emperor recognized his daughter as his own, which made the girl first in line to the Russian throne. The children of Alexander I did not please him for long. The second daughter died at the age of 18 months. After the death of Princess Elizabeth, the couple's relationship became even cooler.
Love affair with Maria Naryshkina
Married life did not work out in many ways due to Alexander’s fifteen-year relationship with the daughter of a Polish aristocrat M. Naryshkina, before Chetvertinskaya’s marriage. Alexander did not hide this connection, his family and all the courtiers knew about it, moreover, Maria Naryshkina herself tried to prick the emperor’s wife at every opportunity, hinting at an affair with Alexander. Over the years of the love affair, Alexander was credited with the paternity of five of Naryshkina’s six children:
- Elizaveta Dmitrievna, born in 1803,
- Elizaveta Dmitrievna, born in 1804,
- Sofya Dmitrievna, born in 1808,
- Zinaida Dmitrievna, born in 1810,
- Emmanuil Dmitrievich, born in 1813.
In 1813, the emperor broke up with Naryshkina because he suspected her of having an affair with another man. The emperor suspected that Emmanuel Naryshkin was not his son. After the breakup, friendly relations remained between the former lovers. Of all the children of Maria and Alexander I, Sofia Naryshkina lived the longest. She died at 16, on the eve of her wedding.
Illegitimate children of Alexander I
In addition to children from Maria Naryshkina, Emperor Alexander also had children from other favorites.
- Nikolai Lukash, born in 1796 from Sofia Meshcherskaya;
- Maria, born in 1819 from Maria Turkestanova;
- Maria Alexandrovna Paris (1814), mother Margarita Josephine Weimer;
- Alexandrova Wilhelmina Alexandrina Paulina, born in 1816, mother unknown;
- (1818), mother Helena Rautenstrauch;
- Nikolai Isakov (1821), mother - Karacharova Maria.
The paternity of the last four children remains controversial among researchers of the emperor's biography. Some historians even doubt whether Alexander I had children.
Domestic policy 1801 -1815
Having ascended the throne in March 1801, Alexander I Pavlovich proclaimed that he would continue the policies of his grandmother Catherine the Great. In addition to the title of Russian Emperor, Alexander was titled Tsar of Poland from 1815, Grand Duke of Finland from 1801, and Protector of the Order of Malta from 1801.
Alexander I began his reign (from 1801 to 1825) with the development of radical reforms. The Emperor abolished the Secret Expedition, prohibited the use of torture against prisoners, allowed the import of books from abroad and the opening of private printing houses in the country.
Alexander took the first step towards the abolition of serfdom by issuing a decree “On Free Plowmen” and introducing a ban on the sale of peasants without land, but these measures did not make any significant changes.
Reforms in the education system
Alexander's reforms in the education system were more fruitful. A clear gradation was introduced educational institutions according to level educational programs, this is how district and parish schools, provincial gymnasiums and colleges, and universities appeared. During 1804-1810. Kazan and Kharkov universities were opened, a pedagogical institute and a privileged Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum were opened in St. Petersburg, and the Academy of Sciences was restored in the capital.
From the first days of his reign, the emperor surrounded himself with young people educated people with progressive views. One of these was the jurist Speransky, it was under his leadership that the Peter’s Collegiums in the Ministry were reformed. Speransky also began developing a project to restructure the empire, which provided for the separation of powers and the creation of an elected representative body. Thus, the monarchy would have been transformed into a constitutional one, but the reform met with opposition from the political and aristocratic elite, so it was not carried out.
Reforms 1815-1825
Under the reign of Alexander I, the history of Russia changed dramatically. The Emperor was active in domestic politics at the beginning of his reign, but after 1815 they began to decline. In addition, each of his reforms met fierce resistance from the Russian nobility. Since this time, significant transformations in Russian Empire didn't happen. In 1821-1822, a secret police was established in the army, secret organizations and Masonic lodges were banned.
The exceptions were the western provinces of the empire. In 1815, Alexander 1 granted the Kingdom of Poland a constitution, according to which Poland became a hereditary monarchy within Russia. In Poland, the bicameral Sejm was retained, which, together with the king, was the legislative body. The Constitution was liberal in nature and in many ways resembled the French Charter and the English Constitution. Also in Finland, the implementation of the constitutional law of 1772 was guaranteed, and the Baltic peasants were freed from serfdom.
Military reform
After the victory over Napoleon, Alexander saw that the country needed military reform, so from 1815, Minister of War Arakcheev was entrusted with developing its project. It implied the creation of military settlements as a new military-agricultural class that would staff the army on a permanent basis. The first such settlements were introduced in the Kherson and Novgorod provinces.
Foreign policy
The reign of Alexander I left its mark on foreign policy. In the first year of his reign, he concluded peace treaties with England and France, and in 1805-1807 he joined forces against the Emperor of France Napoleon. The defeat at Austerlitz worsened Russia's position, which led to the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit with Napoleon in June 1807, which implied the creation of a defensive alliance between France and Russia.
More successful was the Russian-Turkish confrontation of 1806-1812, which ended with the signing of the Brest-Litovsk Treaty, according to which Bessarabia went to Russia.
The war with Sweden of 1808-1809 ended in victory for Russia; according to the peace treaty, the empire received Finland and the Åland Islands.
Also during the reign of Alexander, during the Russian-Persian War, Azerbaijan, Imereti, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia were annexed to the empire. The Empire received the right to have its own Caspian fleet. Earlier, in 1801, Georgia became part of Russia, and in 1815 - the Duchy of Warsaw.
However, Alexander's greatest victory was the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812, so it was he who led the years 1813-1814. In March 1814, the Emperor of Russia entered Paris at the head of the coalition armies, and he also became one of the leaders of the Congress of Vienna to establish a new order in Europe. The popularity of the Russian emperor was colossal; in 1819 he became godfather of the future Queen of England Victoria.
Death of the Emperor
According to the official version, Emperor Alexander I Romanov died on November 19, 1825 in Taganrog from complications of brain inflammation. Such a quick death of the emperor gave rise to a lot of rumors and legends.
In 1825, the health of the emperor’s wife deteriorated sharply, doctors advised the southern climate, it was decided to go to Taganrog, the emperor decided to accompany his wife, whose relationship with recent years became very warm.
While in the south, the emperor visited Novocherkassk and Crimea; on the way he caught a severe cold and died. Alexander was in good health and was never sick, so the death of the 48-year-old emperor became suspicious for many, and many considered his unexpected desire to accompany the empress on the trip suspicious too. In addition, the king’s body was not shown to the people before burial; farewell took place with a closed coffin. The imminent death of the emperor's wife gave rise to even more rumors - Elizabeth died six months later.
The Emperor is an Elder
In 1830-1840 the deceased tsar began to be identified with a certain old man Fyodor Kuzmich, whose features resembled the emperor, and also had excellent manners, not characteristic of a simple tramp. There were rumors among the population that the emperor's double was buried, and the tsar himself lived under the name of the elder until 1864, while Empress Elizaveta Alekseevna herself was also identified with the hermit Vera the Silent.
The question of whether Elder Fyodor Kuzmich and Alexander are the same person has still not been clarified; only genetic examination can dot the i’s.
1. Prince Zubov, who rendered a service to Alexander I during his accession, once asked the new monarch to fulfill one of his wishes. I didn’t specify which one exactly. Alexander agreed and heard the request - to reinstate retired Major General Arsenyev in his ranks and positions. This officer was not a victim of Pavlov's tyranny; he was expelled from the army for cowardice. Of course, Alexander did not want to see this man in his army, but a word is a word. Frowning, he signed the paper drawn up in advance by Zubov. However, after a few minutes, the Emperor called the prince and, in turn, asked him for a favor, also without specifying the nature of it. Zubov agreed. And Alexander I asked to tear up the signed decree.
2. In Russia and the West, everyone considered the 23-year-old emperor with blue eyes to be handsome and smart. Napoleon even once remarked: “If he had been a woman, I would probably have fallen in love with him.”
3. In the life of the mystic king, the number 12 had a mystical and fatal meaning. The Emperor was born on December 12, 1777, i.e. on the 12th day of the XII month. The Swedes approached Kronshtat in 1789, when Alexander was 12 years old. The day of Alexander I's accession to the throne fell on March 12, 1801, at the age of 24, which is 2 times 12. The Patriotic War began in 1812 at the 36th year of Alexander I's life, containing 3 times 12. The sovereign died in 1825 at 48 year from the date of birth, which contains 4 times 12. Before his death, he was sick for 12 days. The sovereign reigned for 24 years, containing 2 times 12.
4. In the last years of his life, Alexander I became very devout. In such a religious and mystical mood on the eve of Christmas, the sovereign drove past the postal station. Entering the room, he saw an unfolded Bible. When the Emperor asked the caretaker if he read it, the man replied that he read it every day. Then Alexander sent the caretaker out of the hut, took five hundred-dollar banknotes from his wallet (considerable money in those days), put them between the pages and left. On the way back, at Epiphany, the sovereign again passed through this station. Entering the hut, he saw the Holy Scriptures in the same place and asked the caretaker if he had read it after they parted. The Warden again assured the Emperor that he had read. Alexander leafed through the book. The notes were in the same place. Then he reproached the dumbfounded hypocrite for deception and ordered the money from the book to be distributed to the poor.
5. Shortly before his death, Alexander often told his loved ones about his intention to abdicate the throne and “retire from the world,” that after his unexpected death from typhoid fever in Taganrog gave rise to the legend of “elder Fyodor Kuzmich.” According to this legend, it was not Alexander who died in Taganrog and was then buried, but his double, while the tsar lived for a long time as an old hermit in Siberia and died in 1864. But no documentary evidence of this legend exists.
Alexander Pavlovich Romanov was born on December 12, 1777 in St. Petersburg. He was the favorite grandson of Catherine II and the eldest son of the heir to the throne, Paul. The child had a strained relationship with his father, so he was raised by his crowned grandmother.
Heir to the throne
At this time, the ideas of enlightenment and humanism were popular. Alexander I was brought up according to them. Brief biography the future monarch contained lessons based on the work of Rousseau. At the same time, the father accustomed the child to military affairs.
In 1793, the young man married a German princess, who received the name Elizaveta Alekseevna at baptism. At the same time, he served in the Gatchina troops, which were created by Paul. With the death of Catherine, her father became emperor, and Alexander became his heir. In order for him to become accustomed to state affairs, Alexander was made a member of the Senate.
Alexander 1, whose short biography was full of ideas of enlightenment, was infinitely far from his father with his views. Paul often argued with his son and even forced him to swear allegiance several times. The emperor was maniacally afraid of conspiracies, which were common in the 18th century.
On March 12, 1801, a group of nobles was organized in St. Petersburg. At the center of it was a group of nobles. Researchers are still arguing whether Alexander knew about the plans of the conspirators. One way or another, it is certain that when Paul was killed, the heir was informed about it. So he became the Emperor of Russia.
Reforms
The first years of his reign, the policy of Alexander 1 was entirely aimed at the internal transformation of the country. The initial step was a broad amnesty. She freed many freethinkers and victims during Paul's reign. Among them was one who lost his freedom for publishing the essay “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow.”
Subsequently, Alexander relied on the opinion of his high-born associates, who formed a secret committee. Among them were friends of the emperor’s youth - Pavel Stroganov, Viktor Kochubey, Adam Czartoryski, etc.
The reforms were aimed at weakening serfdom. In 1803, a decree appeared according to which landowners could now free their peasants along with the land. The patriarchal order of Russia did not allow Alexander to take more decisive steps. The nobles could resist the changes. But the ruler successfully banned serfdom in the Baltic states, where Russian orders were alien.
Also, the reforms of Alexander 1 contributed to the development of education. Additional funding was received by Moscow state university. It was also open (young Alexander Pushkin studied there).
Speransky's projects
Mikhail Speransky became the emperor's closest assistant. He prepared a ministerial reform, which was approved by Alexander 1. A brief biography of the ruler received another successful initiative. New ministries replaced the ineffective colleges of the Petrine era.
In 1809, a project was being prepared on the separation of powers in the state. However, Alexander did not dare to give life to this idea. He was afraid of the grumbling of the aristocracy and the next palace coup. Therefore, Speransky eventually faded into the shadows and was sent into retirement. Another reason why the reforms were curtailed was the war with Napoleon.
Foreign policy
At the end of the 18th century, France experienced the Great Revolution. The monarchical system was destroyed. Instead, first a republic appeared, and then the sole rule of the successful commander Napoleon Bonaparte. France, as a hotbed of revolutionary sentiments, became an opponent of the absolute monarchies of Europe. Both Catherine and Paul fought with Paris.
Emperor Alexander 1 also entered into However, the defeat at Austerlitz in 1805 led to the fact that Russia was on the verge of defeat. Then the policy of Alexander 1 changed: he met with Bonaparte and concluded the Peace of Tilsit with him, according to which neutrality was established, and Russia had the opportunity to annex Finland and Moldova, which was done. It was on the new northern territory that the emperor applied his reforms.
Finland was annexed as a Grand Duchy with its own Diet and civil rights. And subsequently this province was the freest in the entire state throughout the 19th century.
However, in 1812 Napoleon decided to attack Russia. Thus began the Patriotic War, known to everyone from Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” After the Battle of Borodino, Moscow was surrendered to the French, but this was a fleeting success for Bonaparte. Left without resources, he fled Russia.
At the same time, Alexander 1, whose short biography is full of various events, led the army in the Foreign Campaign. He triumphantly entered Paris and became a hero throughout Europe. The triumphant leader of the Russian delegation at the Congress of Vienna. The fate of the continent was decided at this event. By his decision, Poland was finally annexed to Russia. It was given its own constitution, which Alexander did not dare to introduce throughout the country.
Recent years
The last years of the autocrat's reign were marked by the fading of reforms. The emperor became interested in mysticism and became seriously ill. He died in 1825 in Taganrog. He had no children. The dynastic crisis became the reason for As a result, Alexander's younger brother Nicholas came to power, who became a symbol of reaction and conservatism.
It’s not simple, because he ascended the throne after the murder of his father, and became famous not only for holding the highest position in the state.
Read more about his life and work in the article.
Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich
Childhood, upbringing and education
On December 12, 1777, All-Russian autocrat Alexander Pavlovich Romanov was born in St. Petersburg. From early childhood he was instilled with a love for various sciences and military affairs.
It is noteworthy that his grandmother wanted to see her grandson Alexander on the throne, since she considered her own son Paul not a very good candidate for governing the state.
And this is not surprising, because many of Alexander’s character traits were similar to those of Catherine, who was actively involved in raising her grandson in Tsarskoe Selo.
From his youth, Alexander I showed outstanding mental abilities.
In life he was a man of liberal views.
At the same time, one cannot help but note the fact that he was lazy to engage in serious activities for a long time, requiring perseverance and long-term concentration.
Personal life
On September 17, 1793, the emperor married Elizaveta Alekseevna. After some time, he began to serve in the Gatchina troops and already in 1796 received the rank of colonel of the guard.
A year later, Alexander I became commander of the Capital Division and performed a number of other duties, and already in 1798 he sat in the Senate.
Alexander as heir
Having received a good upbringing and education in childhood, Alexander had his own views and ideas, which were fundamentally different from the worldview of his father, Pavel.
Heated arguments and even quarrels often arose between the son and his parent.
On March 12, 1801, a sharp turn occurred in the biography of Alexander I. On this day, a Palace coup took place in St. Petersburg, in which Paul was killed, and Alexander I became Emperor of Russia.
Reforms of Alexander I
At the very beginning of his reign, Alexander seriously took up political reforms within the state. He signed an amnesty law that freed many freethinkers imprisoned during his father's reign.
In many ways, the autocrat’s goal was the desire to weaken the oppression of serfdom. So, in 1803 he issued a decree on free cultivators. Now the landowners could free their peasants along with their land allotments.
A special merit of Alexander I was the reform concerning the development of education. For example, Moscow State University received good funding, and later the famous Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum was inaugurated.
Speransky's projects
One of the closest assistants to Alexander I was Mikhail Speransky. It was he who developed the ministerial reform, according to which new ministries came to replace ineffective collegiums. This became an important milestone in the biography of Alexander I.
In 1809, a bill on separation of powers was created. However, given the fact that Alexander was afraid of grumbling from the aristocracy, he did not give this project development.
After some time, Speransky was removed from his position.
Alexander's foreign policy
Under Alexander I, Russia joined the anti-French coalition. Over time, the situation changed, and the emperor personally met with him to improve relations.
They concluded the Peace of Tilsit between the countries, according to which neutrality was established between Russia and France.
This allowed the Russian Empire to annex Moldova and Finland to its territories, which ultimately happened.
As a result, the younger brother of Alexander I, Nicholas, ascended the Russian throne.
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