Alexander I: Tsar of Russia
Aleksandr Pavolovich Romanov, or Alexander I (The Blessed), was born on December 28th, 1777 to parents the then Grand Duke Paul Petrovich and wife Maria Fedorovna. He reigned in Russia from 1801 to his death in 1825, and became one of the most powerful and influential figures in Russia in the 19th century.
Aleksandr Pavolovich Romanov, or Alexander I (The Blessed) was born on December 28th, 1777 to parents the then Grand Duke Paul Petrovich and wife Maria Fedorovna. He reigned in Russia from 1801 to his death in1825, and became one of the most powerful and influential figures in Russia in the 19th century.
Ascending the throne in March 1801 after his father, then the Tsar Paul Petrovich was assassinated, he was to rule Russia for a further 24 years till his death in 1825. He is an interesting figure in history, often described by others as highly religious and also a mystic. He was known, not for his domestic policies, but his involvement in foreign affairs, especially in affairs concerning Napoleon.
Although Alexander I did not show much focus in domestic affairs, he still contributed substantially to it. He tended to support liberal views, such as early during his reign, he abolished the secret police, expanded the administration of Russia, permitted Russian nobles to travel abroad, and also the publication of foreign books within Russia herself. This impacted the people greatly, as they had more open views, as they had a chance to interact and read about people from other foreign lands.
However, he did not achieve much significant reform, being preoccupied with the French threat in the shape of Napoleon Bonaparte during his later ruling years. He did however, allow landowners to emancipate serfs, but it was optional, as many nobles did not support this, less than 40,000 serfs were freed in total. He, also interested in religion and mysticism, allowed for more freedom of cults, sects, and other religions. Alexander also revamped the education system, establishing primary, secondary schools based on western schools, and built three universities, to help combat the rising illiteracy rate in Russia. We can see that this set the basis for education in Russia, as over 97% of the population are literate today.
After the humiliating defeat in Friedland in 1807, Alexander was forced to sue for peace, signing the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807, he became Napoleon’s ally. Russia did not lose much territory from this treaty, and Alexander I, to the contrary, used his alliance with Napoleon to further benefit Russia by expanding it. He took over the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809, and acquired Bessarabia from Turkey in 1812.
However relations with Napoleon began to deteriorate, with Napoleon invading Russia and capturing Moscow, Russia’s capital. However, the heavy Russian winter drove Napoleon’s army back to France, with heavy casualties, with over 90% of his troops dead.
Alexander also formed alliances with other countries, such as the Quadruple Alliance of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Britain, and the Holy Alliance. Revolutionary ideas also manifested in Russia during that time, as officers in Alexander’s army, when chasing after Napoleon’s French army, gained new revolutionary ideas in Western Europe and brought them back to Russia.
References:
- http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_I_of_Russia
- http://www.russiansabroad.com/russian_history_34.html?topic=Russian%20Visa%20Russian%20Caviar
- www.napoleonguide.com/leaders_alex1.htm
- www.russiansabroad.com/russian_history_34.html
- Cummings, Philip. Russia 1800-1914. Vol. 1. New South Wales: Hodder Education, 1996. 1-230.
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