The reign of Alexander 1 was during the years of Napoleon’s military campaign crucial to the whole of Europe. “Alexander” translates as “winner”, and the tsar fully justified his proud name given to him by his crowned grandmother Catherine II.
A few months before the birth of the future emperor Alexander, the most terrible flood of the 18th century occurred in St. Petersburg. Water rose above three meters. Alexander’s mother, the wife of Emperor Pavel Petrovich, was so frightened that everyone feared premature birth, but nothing happened. Alexander 1 himself saw in this flood of 1777 a certain sign, which was given to him from above even before birth.
The upbringing of the heir to the throne was enjoyed by his grandmother, Catherine II. She independently picked up her beloved grandson of teachers, she wrote special instructions in which way it is necessary to conduct education and training. Alexander's father, Emperor Paul 1, also sought to raise his son in accordance with his strict rules and demanded strict submission. This confrontation between father and grandmother left an indelible imprint on the character of young Alexander. He was often at a loss - whom did he listen to, how to behave. Such a situation accustomed the future emperor to isolation and secrecy.
The accession to the throne of Alexander 1 is associated with the tragic events in the palace. His father, Paul 1, was strangled as a result of a conspiracy that Alexander was knowledgeable about. Nevertheless, the news of the death of his father brought Alexander almost to a swoon. For several days he could not come to his senses and in all respects obeyed the conspirators. The reign of Alexander 1 began in 1801, when he was 24 years old. Throughout his subsequent life, the emperor will be tormented with remorse and in all life's troubles see the punishment for aiding in the murder of Paul 1.
The beginning of the reign of Alexander 1 was marked by the abolition of the previous rules and laws that Paul introduced at the time. All disgraced nobles were returned rights and titles. The priests were released from corporal punishment, the Secret Chancellery and the Secret Expedition were closed, and the elections of representatives of the nobility were resumed.
Alexander 1 even took care of the abolition of clothing restrictions that were imposed under Paul 1. The soldiers were relieved to take off their white wigs with braids, and civil servants were again able to wear vests, tailcoats and round hats.
The emperor gradually sent the participants in the conspiracy away from the palace: some to Siberia, some to the Caucasus.
The reign of Alexander 1 began with moderate liberal reforms, the projects of which were developed by the emperor himself and his young friends: Prince Kochubey, Count Novosiltsev, Count Stroganov. They called their activities the Committee for Public Safety. Petty bourgeois and merchants were allowed to receive unpopulated lands, the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum opened, universities were founded in different cities of Russia.
Starting in 1808, Alexander’s closest assistant was State Secretary Speransky, who was also a supporter of active state reforms. In the same year, the emperor appointed A.A. Arakcheev, a former protege of Paul 1, as Minister of War. He believed that Arakcheev was “betrayed without flattery,” and therefore entrusted him to give orders that he had previously given himself.
The reign of Alexander 1 was still not aggressively reformist, therefore, even the most “safe” items were implemented even from Speransky’s draft state reforms. The emperor did not show particular persistence and consistency.
In foreign policy, the same picture was observed. Russia concluded peace treaties immediately with England and France, trying to maneuver between the two countries. However, in 1805, Alexander 1 was forced to join the coalition against France, since a specific threat began to enslave Napoleon's enslavement of all of Europe. In the same year, the troops of the allies (Austria, Russia and Prussia) suffered crushing defeats at Austerlitz and Friedland, which led to the signing of the Peace of Tilsit with Napoleon.
But this world turned out to be very fragile, and in front of Russia the war of 1812 awaited, the devastating fire of Moscow and the fierce turning point near Borodino. The French will be expelled from Russia, and the Russian army will triumphantly pass through the countries of Europe to Paris itself. Alexander 1 was destined to become a liberator and lead a coalition of European countries against France.
The zenith of Alexander's fame was his entry with the army into defeated Paris. The locals, making sure that their city would not be burned, were greeted with enthusiasm and glee by the Russian troops. Therefore, the reign of Alexander 1 for many is associated precisely with the fateful victory over Napoleon's troops in the war of 1812.
Having done away with Bonaparte, the emperor stopped liberal reforms in his country. Speransky was removed from all posts and sent to exile in Nizhny Novgorod. The landowners were again allowed to arbitrarily exile their serfs to Siberia without trial. Universities introduced restrictions on their independence.
At the same time, religious and mystical organizations began to develop actively in St. Petersburg and in Moscow. Masonic lodges, which were banned by Catherine II, revived again. The reign of Alexander 1 entered the track of conservatism and mysticism.
The chairmanship of the Synod was given to the St. Petersburg patriarch, and the sovereign appointed the members of the Synod personally. Officially, the chief prosecutor, friend of Alexander 1, Prince Golitsyn monitored the activities of the Synod . In 1817, he also headed the Ministry of Spiritual Affairs, created by decree of the emperor. The secular life of society was gradually filled with ever greater mysticism and religious exaltation. Numerous spiritualistic sessions, Bible societies, house churches with strange rituals introduced a heretical spirit and created a serious threat to the foundations of the Orthodox faith.
Therefore, the church declared war on mysticism. Monk Photius led this movement. He carefully monitored the meetings of the mystics, what books they published, what statements came out of their midst. He publicly cursed the Masons, burned their editions. Minister of War Arakcheev supported the Orthodox clergy in this struggle, so under general pressure Golitsyn had to resign. However, the echoes of the firmly entrenched mysticism have long been felt in the midst of Russian secular society.
Alexander 1 himself in the 20s of the 19th century increasingly began to visit monasteries and talk about his desire to abdicate. Any denunciations of conspiracies and the creation of secret societies do not touch him anymore. He perceives all events as punishment for the death of his father and for his extramarital affairs. He wants to retire and devote his future life to atonement.
The reign of Alexander 1 ended in 1825 - according to documents, he died in Taganrog, where he left with his wife for treatment. The emperor was transported to St. Petersburg in a closed coffin. Eyewitnesses said that his face has changed very much. According to rumors, at the same time in Taganrog a courier died, very similar in appearance to Alexander. Until now, many people believe that the emperor used that opportunity to leave the throne and leave to wander. Whether it is true or not, there are no historical facts on this score.
The results of the reign of Alexander 1 can be summarized as follows: it was a very inconsistent reign, where the liberal reforms that had begun were replaced by strict conservatism. At the same time, Alexander 1 entered history forever as the liberator of Russia and all of Europe. He was revered and praised, admired and praised, but his own conscience did not give him rest all his life.