EntranceThe tragedy of the family of Alexander III. Emperor Alexander III
All-Russian Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov was born on February 26 (old style) 1845 in St. Petersburg in the Anichkov Palace. His father was a reforming emperor, and his mother was a queen. The boy was the third child in a family that later had five more children. His older brother Nicholas was preparing to become king, and Alexander was destined for the fate of a military man.
As a child, the Tsarevich studied without much zeal, and the teachers were undemanding to him. In the memoirs of his contemporaries, young Alexander was not very smart, but he had a sound mind and the gift of reasoning.
Alexander was kind-hearted and a little shy, although he had a distinguished figure: with a height of 193 cm, his weight reached 120 kg. Despite its harsh appearance, the young man loved art. He took painting lessons from Professor Tikhobrazov and studied music. Alexander mastered playing brass and woodwind instruments. Subsequently, he will support Russian art in every possible way and, with sufficient unpretentiousness in everyday life, will collect a good collection of works by Russian artists. And in opera houses, with his light hand, Russian operas and ballets will begin to be staged much more often than European ones.
Tsesarevich Nicholas and Alexander were very close to each other. The younger brother even claimed that there was no one closer and more beloved to him except Nikolai. Therefore, when in 1865, the heir to the throne, while traveling in Italy, suddenly felt ill and died suddenly from spinal tuberculosis, Alexander could not accept this loss for a long time. In addition, it turned out that it was he who became a contender for the throne, for which Alexander was completely unprepared.
The young man’s teachers were horrified for a moment. The young man was urgently assigned a course of special lectures, which were read to him by his mentor Konstantin Pobedonostsev. After his accession to the kingdom, Alexander made his teacher an adviser and would turn to him for the rest of his life. Nikolai Alexandrovich Kachalov was appointed another assistant to the Tsarevich, with whom the young man traveled around Russia.
Enthronement
In early March 1881, after another assassination attempt, Emperor Alexander II died from his wounds, and his son immediately ascended the throne. Two months later, the new emperor published the “Manifesto on the Inviolability of Autocracy,” which stopped all liberal changes in the structure of the state established by his father.
The sacrament of royal coronation took place later - on May 15, 1883 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. During the reign royal family moved to the palace in Gatchina.
Domestic policy of Alexander III
Alexander III adhered to pronounced monarchical and nationalist principles, his actions in domestic politics could be called a counter-reformation. The first thing the emperor did was sign decrees with which he sent liberal ministers to retire. Among them were Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich, M. T. Loris-Melikova, D. A. Milyutin, A. A. Abaza. He made K. P. Pobedonostsev, N. Ignatiev, D. A. Tolstoy, M. N. Katkov the key figures in his circle.
In 1889, a talented politician and financier S. Yu. Witte appeared at court, whom Alexander Alexandrovich soon appointed Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport. Sergei Yulievich did a lot for Great Russia. He introduced the backing of the ruble with the country's gold reserves, which contributed to the strengthening of the Russian currency by international market. This led to the fact that the flow of foreign capital into the Russian Empire increased, and the economy began to develop at an accelerated pace. In addition, he did a lot for the development and construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is still the only road connecting Vladivostok with Moscow.
Despite the fact that Alexander III tightened the right for peasants to receive education and vote in zemstvo elections, he gave them the opportunity to take out loans at low interest rates in order to expand their farms and strengthen their position on the land. The emperor also introduced restrictions for the nobles. Already in the first year of his reign, he canceled all additional payments from the royal treasury to those close to him, and also did a lot to eradicate corruption.
Alexander III strengthened control over students, set a limit on the number of Jewish students in all educational institutions, and tightened censorship. His slogan was the phrase: “Russia for Russians.” On the outskirts of the Empire, he proclaimed active Russification.
Alexander III did a lot for the metallurgical industry and the development of oil and gas production. Under him, a real boom began in improving the well-being of the people, and terrorist threats completely ceased. The autocrat did a lot for Orthodoxy. Under his reign, the number of dioceses increased, new monasteries and churches were built. In 1883, one of the most majestic buildings was erected - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
Alexander III left a country with a strong economy as a legacy after his reign.
Foreign policy of Alexander III
Emperor Alexander III, with his wisdom in foreign policy actions and avoidance of wars, went down in history as the Tsar-Peacemaker. But at the same time, he did not forget to strengthen the power of the army. Under Alexander III, the Russian fleet became third after the flotillas of France and Great Britain.
The emperor managed to maintain calm relations with all his main rivals. He signed peace agreements with Germany and England, and also significantly strengthened Franco-Russian friendship on the world stage.
During his reign, the practice of open negotiations was established, and the rulers of the European powers began to trust the Russian Tsar as a wise arbiter in resolving all controversial issues between states.
Personal life
After the death of his heir Nicholas, he was left with a fiancée, the Danish princess Maria Dagmar. Unexpectedly, it turned out that young Alexander was also in love with her. And even despite the fact that for some time he courted his maid of honor, Princess Maria Meshcherskaya, Alexander, at the age of 21, proposed to Maria Sofia Frederica. Thus, in a short period of time, Alexander’s personal life changed, which he never regretted later.
After the wedding sacrament, which took place in the large church of the Winter Palace, the young couple moved to the Anichkov Palace, where they lived until Alexander ascended the throne.
In the family of Alexander Alexandrovich and his wife Maria Fedorovna, who, like all overseas princesses, converted to Orthodoxy before marriage, six children were born, five of whom lived to adulthood.
The elder Nicholas would become the last Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty. Of the younger children - Alexander, Georgy, Ksenia, Mikhail, Olga - only sisters will live to old age. Alexander will die at the age of one year, Georgy will die in his youth from tuberculosis, and Mikhail will share the fate of his brother - he will be shot by the Bolsheviks.
The emperor raised his children in strictness. Their clothing and food were very simple. The royal offspring engaged in physical exercise and received a good education. Peace and harmony reigned in the family; spouses and children often traveled to Denmark to visit relatives.
Failed assassination attempt
On March 1, 1887, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of the emperor. Participants in the conspiracy were students Vasily Osipanov, Vasily Generalov, Pakhomiy Andreyushkin and Alexander Ulyanov. Despite months of preparation for the terrorist attack under the leadership of Pyotr Shevyrev, the young people were unable to carry out their plan to the end. All four were captured by the police and two months after the trial, they were executed by hanging in the Shlisselburg fortress.
Several members of the revolutionary circle, who were also arrested after the terrorists, were sent into long-term exile.
Death
A year after the assassination attempt, an unpleasant event occurred in the life of the royal family: the train in which Alexander and his relatives were traveling crashed near Kharkov. Part of the train overturned, killing people. The mighty emperor held the roof of the carriage in which the royal persons were located for a long time with his own strength for 30 minutes. With this he saved everyone around him. But such overexertion undermined the king’s health. Alexander Alexandrovich developed kidney disease, which slowly progressed.
In the first winter months of 1894, the emperor caught a bad cold and six months later he felt very ill. A professor of medicine from Germany, Ernst Leyden, was called and diagnosed Alexander Alexandrovich with nephropathy. On the recommendation of a doctor, the emperor was sent to Greece, but on the way he became worse, and his family decided to stop in Livadia in Crimea.
Within a month, the king’s heroic physique faded away before everyone’s eyes and died on November 1, 1894 due to complete kidney failure. For last month Next to him was constantly his confessor John (Yanyshev), as well as Archpriest John Sergiev, in the future John of Kronstadt.
An hour and a half after the death of Alexander III, his son Nicholas swore allegiance to the kingdom. The coffin with the emperor's body was delivered to St. Petersburg and solemnly buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
The image of the emperor in art
Not as many books have been written about Alexander III as about other conquering emperors. This happened because of his peacefulness and non-conflict nature. His person is mentioned in some historical books dedicated to the Romanov family.
In documentaries, information about him is presented in several feeds of journalists and. Feature films in which the character of Alexander III was present began to appear in 1925. A total of 5 films were published, including “The Shore of Life,” in which Lev Zolotukhin played the peacemaker emperor, as well as “The Barber of Siberia,” where he played this role.
The last film in which the hero of Alexander III appears was the 2017 film “Matilda”. He played the king in it.
Alexander III (1845-1894), Russian Emperor (since 1881).
Born on March 10, 1845 in Tsarskoe Selo. Second son of Emperor Alexander II. After the death of his elder brother Nicholas (1865), he became the heir.
In 1866, Alexander married the fiancee of his deceased brother, the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Princess Sophia Frederica Dagmar (in Orthodoxy, Maria Fedorovna).
He ascended the throne on March 13, 1881 in a difficult political and economic situation: the terrorist activities of the Narodnaya Volya reached their climax, the war with Turkey completely upset the finances and monetary system Russian Empire. The murder of Alexander II set the new emperor against the liberals, whom he considered responsible for the death of his father.
Alexander III canceled the draft constitutional reform; his manifesto of May 11, 1881 expressed the program of domestic and foreign policy: maintaining order and the spirit of church piety in the country, strengthening power, protecting national interests. Censorship was strengthened, university autonomy was eliminated, and the gymnasium was prohibited from admitting children of the lower class.
The result of the activities of Alexander III was the conservation of the existing system.
Government policies have contributed further development trade, industry, elimination of the budget deficit, which made it possible to switch to gold circulation and created the preconditions for a powerful economic recovery in the second half of the 90s. XIX century
In 1882, the government established the Peasant Land Bank, which provided loans to peasants to purchase land, which contributed to the creation of private land ownership among peasants.
On March 13, 1887, Narodnaya Volya members made an attempt on the life of the emperor. A week later, on March 20, the participants in the failed murder attempt were hanged.
The thirteen-year reign of Alexander III passed peacefully, without major military clashes, for which he was called the peacemaker king.
The name of Emperor Alexander III, one of the greatest statesmen Russia, for many years it was consigned to desecration and oblivion. And only in recent decades, when the opportunity arose to speak unbiasedly and freely about the past, evaluate the present and think about the future, the public service of Emperor Alexander III arouses great interest of all who are interested in the history of their country.
Emperor Alexander III was not destined to reign by birth. Being the second son of Alexander II, he became the heir to the Russian throne only after the premature death of his older brother Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich in 1865. At the same time, on April 12, 1865, the Highest Manifesto announced to Russia the proclamation of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich as the heir-Tsarevich, and a year later the Tsarevich married the Danish princess Dagmara, who was named Maria Fedorovna in marriage.
On the anniversary of his brother’s death on April 12, 1866, he wrote in his diary: “I will never forget this day... the first funeral service over the body of a dear friend... I thought in those minutes that I would not survive my brother, that I would constantly cry just at the thought that I no longer have a brother and friend. But God strengthened me and gave me strength to take on my new assignment. Perhaps I often forgot my purpose in the eyes of others, but in my soul there was always this feeling that I should not live for myself, but for others; heavy and difficult duty. But: “Thy will be done, O God”. I repeat these words constantly, and they always console and support me, because everything that happens to us is all the will of God, and therefore I am calm and trust in the Lord!” The awareness of the gravity of obligations and responsibility for the future of the state, entrusted to him from above, did not leave the new emperor throughout his short life.
The educators of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich were Adjutant General, Count V.A. Perovsky, a man of strict moral rules, appointed by his grandfather Emperor Nicholas I. The education of the future emperor was supervised by the famous economist, professor at Moscow University A.I. Chivilev. Academician Y.K. Grot taught Alexander history, geography, Russian and German languages; prominent military theorist M.I. Dragomirov - tactics and military history, CM. Soloviev - Russian history. Political and legal sciences, as well as Russian legislation, the future emperor studied from K.P. Pobedonostsev, who had a particularly great influence on Alexander. After graduation, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich traveled throughout Russia several times. It was these trips that laid in him not only a love and the foundations of a deep interest in the fate of the Motherland, but also formed an understanding of the problems facing Russia.
As heir to the throne, the Tsarevich participated in meetings of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers, was the chancellor of the University of Helsingfors, ataman Cossack troops, commander of the guards units in St. Petersburg. In 1868, when Russia suffered a severe famine, he became the head of a commission formed to provide assistance to the victims. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. he commanded the Rushchuk detachment, which played an important and difficult role tactically: it held back the Turks from the east, facilitating the actions of the Russian army, which was besieging Plevna. Understanding the need to strengthen Russian fleet, The Tsarevich made an ardent appeal to the people for donations to the Russian fleet. In a short time the money was collected. The Volunteer Fleet ships were built on them. It was then that the heir to the throne became convinced that Russia had only two friends: its army and navy.
He was interested in music fine arts and history, was one of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Historical Society and its chairman, was engaged in collecting collections of antiquities and restoring historical monuments.
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The government, formed with the participation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod K.P. Pobedonostsev, concentrated his attention on strengthening the “traditionalist” principles in politics, economics and culture of the Russian Empire. In the 80s - mid 90s. a series of legislative acts appeared that limited the nature and actions of those reforms of the 60-70s, which, according to the emperor, did not correspond to the historical purpose of Russia. Trying to prevent the destructive force of the opposition movement, the emperor introduced restrictions on zemstvo and city self-government. The elective principle in the magistrate court was reduced, and in the counties the execution of judicial duties was transferred to the newly established zemstvo chiefs.
At the same time, steps were taken aimed at developing the state's economy, strengthening finances and carrying out military reforms, and resolving agrarian-peasant and national-religious issues. The young emperor also paid attention to the development of the material well-being of his subjects: he founded the Ministry of Agriculture to improve agriculture, established noble and peasant land banks, with the assistance of which nobles and peasants could acquire land property, patronized domestic industry (by increasing customs duties on foreign goods ), and by constructing new canals and railways, including through Belarus, contributed to the revival of the economy and trade.
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Public Policy in Belarus was dictated, first of all, by the reluctance to “forcibly break the historically established system of life” of the local population, the “forcible eradication of languages” and the desire to ensure that “foreigners become modern sons, and not remain eternal adopted children of the country.” It was at this time that general imperial legislation, administrative and political management and the education system were finally established in Belarusian lands. At the same time, the authority of the Orthodox Church rose.
In foreign policy affairs, Alexander III tried to avoid military conflicts, which is why he went down in history as the “Tsar-Peacemaker.” The main direction of the new political course was to ensure Russian interests by finding support for “ourselves.” Having become closer to France, with which Russia had no controversial interests, he concluded a peace treaty with her, thereby establishing an important balance between European states. Another extremely important policy direction for Russia was maintaining stability in Central Asia, shortly before the reign of Alexander III, became part of the Russian Empire. The borders of the Russian Empire then advanced to Afghanistan. In this huge space there was laid railway, connecting the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea with the center of Russian Central Asian possessions - Samarkand and the river. Amu Darya. In general, Alexander III persistently strove for complete unification of all border regions with indigenous Russia. To this end, he abolished the Caucasian governorship, destroyed the privileges of the Baltic Germans and prohibited foreigners, including Poles, from acquiring land in Western Russia, including Belarus.
The emperor also worked hard to improve military affairs: the Russian army was significantly enlarged and armed with new weapons; Several fortresses were built on the western border. The navy under him became one of the strongest in Europe.
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An extremely important matter of the era of Alexander III were parochial schools. The Emperor saw the parish school as one of the forms of cooperation between the State and the Church. Orthodox Church, in his opinion, from time immemorial she was an educator and teacher of the people. For centuries, schools at churches were the first and only schools in Rus', including Belaya. Until the mid-60s. In the 19th century, almost exclusively priests and other members of the clergy were tutors in rural schools. On June 13, 1884, the Emperor approved the “Rules on Parish Schools.” Approving them, the emperor wrote in a report about them: “I hope that the parish clergy will be worthy of their high calling in this important matter.” Church and parochial schools began to open in many places in Russia, often in the most remote and remote villages. Often they were the only source of education for the people. At the accession of Emperor Alexander III to the throne, there were only about 4,000 parochial schools in the Russian Empire. In the year of his death there were 31,000 of them and they educated more than a million boys and girls.
Along with the number of schools, their position also strengthened. Initially, these schools were based on church funds, on funds from church fraternities and trustees and individual benefactors. Later, the state treasury came to their aid. To manage all parochial schools, a special school council was formed under the Holy Synod, publishing textbooks and literature necessary for education. While taking care of the parochial school, the emperor realized the importance of combining the fundamentals of education and upbringing in a public school. The emperor saw this education, which protects the people from the harmful influences of the West, in Orthodoxy. Therefore, Alexander III was especially attentive to the parish clergy. Before him, the parish clergy of only a few dioceses received support from the treasury. Under Alexander III, the release of funds from the treasury to provide for the clergy began. This order marked the beginning of improving the life of the Russian parish priest. When the clergy expressed gratitude for this undertaking, he said: “I will be quite happy when I manage to provide for all the rural clergy.”
Emperor Alexander III treated the development of higher and secondary education in Russia with the same care. During his short reign, Tomsk University and a number of industrial schools were opened.
The tsar's family life was impeccable. From his diary, which he kept daily when he was his heir, one can study the daily life of an Orthodox person no worse than from the famous book by Ivan Shmelev “The Summer of the Lord.” Alexander III received true pleasure from church hymns and sacred music, which he valued much higher than secular music.
Emperor Alexander reigned for thirteen years and seven months. Constant worries and intensive studies early on broke his strong nature: he began to feel increasingly unwell. Before the death of Alexander III, St. confessed and received communion. John of Kronstadt. Not for a minute did the king’s consciousness leave him; Having said goodbye to his family, he said to his wife: “I feel the end. Be calm. “I am completely at peace”... “About half past 3 he took communion,” the new Emperor Nicholas II wrote in his diary on the evening of October 20, 1894, “slight convulsions soon began, ... and the end quickly came!” Father John stood at the head of the bed for more than an hour and held his head. It was the death of a saint!” Alexander III died in his Livadia Palace (in Crimea) before reaching his fiftieth birthday.
The personality of the emperor and his significance for the history of Russia are rightly expressed in the following verses:
In the hour of turmoil and struggle, having ascended under the shadow of the throne,
He extended his powerful hand.
And the noisy sedition around them froze.
Like a dying fire.
He understood the spirit of Rus' and believed in its strength,
Loved its space and breadth,
He lived like a Russian Tsar, and he went to his grave,
Like a true Russian hero.
After the assassination of Alexander 2, his son Emperor Alexander 3 began to rule Russia. This ruler took over the rule of the country at the age of 20. Since childhood, this young man had a passion for military sciences, which he studied more willingly than others.
The death of his father made a strong impression on Alexander 3. He felt the danger revolutionaries could pose. As a result, Emperor Alexander 3 vowed that he would do everything possible to destroy the beginnings of the revolution in Russia. March 2, 1881 Russian government swore allegiance to the new emperor. In his speech, the emperor emphasized that he intended to continue his father's course and maintain peace with all countries of the world in order to focus on internal problems.
The abolition of serfdom did not solve all the problems of the peasants. Therefore, the new emperor paid great attention to solving the peasant issue. He believed that, at all costs, it was necessary to preserve peasant communities in Russia, which were supposed to preserve the coexistence of peasants and save them from poverty. Wanting to strengthen this legislatively, Emperor Alexander 3 in 1893 issued a law that extremely limited the possibility of leaving the community.
During the reign of Alexander 3 in Russia, great attention began to be paid to the working conditions of workers. In 1882, a law was passed that prohibited the labor of children under 12 years of age. Therefore, by law, children aged 12 to 15 years old were required to work no more than 8 hours a day. In 1885, a law was passed prohibiting night work for children and women. In 1886, a law was passed defining the relationship between entrepreneur and worker. Thus, Russia became the first country in Europe to legally control the working conditions of workers in factories and factories.
Defining foreign policy state, Emperor Alexander 3 made the only correct conclusion in the current situation. Russia took a position of neutrality. Alexander 3 did not want to interfere in the bloody European conflicts, which for a century had been stopped only by the Russian army. The Emperor said that Russia has no friends, there are only state interests that must be followed. A similar opinion was expressed much later by the British Prime Minister Churchill, who, speaking about England, noted that England has no permanent friends, only permanent interests. As for Alexander 3, he said that Russia has only 2 friends: its army and its fleet.
An exception to the policy of neutrality was made only for the Balkans, since Emperor Alexander 3 wanted to strengthen Russia's influence in this region, primarily at the expense of Bulgaria, which was grateful to Russia for its independence. But everything happened differently. At the end of 1885, an uprising broke out in eastern Rumelia, which led to the separation of the province from Turkey and its entry into Bulgaria. This contradicted the provisions of the Berlin Treaty and was a pretext for a new war in the Balkans. The Emperor was angry with the Bulgarians, who accepted Rumelia into their fold without consulting Russia. As a result, not wanting to get involved in the war that was about to begin between Bulgaria and Turkey, the Russian emperor recalled all officials from Bulgaria, as well as all Russian officers. Austria took advantage of this and elevated its ruler to the Bulgarian throne.
Subsequently the ruler Russian Empire and continued to adhere to a policy of neutrality, as a result of which Russia had no allies, but also no enemies. The reign of Alexander 3 lasted until 1894. On October 20, 1894, Emperor Alexander 3 died.