Alexander 2 Liberator: biography, years of reign, historical portrait

Alexander 2 Liberator - quite often you can hear this addition at the mention of the Russian emperor. How did the king get this nickname? The life story of Alexander 2 the Liberator, the reforms carried out by him, and interesting facts will be discussed in the article.

Life Story: Birth and Baptism

The biography of Alexander 2 the Liberator begins on April 17, 1818. He was born in one of the palaces of the Moscow Kremlin, where the imperial family came to meet Easter. Alexander was the eldest son of Emperor Nicholas I. Due to the fact that the brothers Nicholas I did not have sons, Alexander II after birth was perceived as a potential heir to the throne.

In honor of the birth of the successor to the throne in Moscow, a salute of 201 salvos from guns was arranged. In early May, Alexander was baptized and anointed in the Cathedral of the Chudov Monastery. On this occasion, the Empress arranged a gala dinner.

Parenting

The future emperor was educated at home, under the direct supervision of his father, who was very serious about the education and training of his son. The first persons assigned to Alexander at different times were: Adjutant General P.P. Ushakov, H.A. Liven, Colonel K.K. Mederer.

The main mentor of the future tsar and teacher of the Russian language was the great Russian poet, scientist, court adviser V. A. Zhukovsky. He also led the entire process of training and education of Alexander 2 Liberator, compiling and adjusting the curriculum.

Training

The heir studied foreign languages ​​- French, English and German. He studied fencing, art, military and other sciences, among which:

• The law of God, teachers - archpriests Bazhanov V. B., Pavsky G. P.
• Legislation - Secretary of State Speransky M. M.
• History and statistics - academician Arseniev K. I.
• Finance - economist and Minister of Finance Kankrin E.F.
• Foreign policy - diplomat Brunnov F.I.
• Physics and Mathematics - Academician Collins E. D.
• Natural History - Academician Trinius K. B.
• Chemistry and Technology - Academician Hess G.I.

As noted in numerous testimonies, Alexander 2 the Liberator was very impressionable and amorous. Once during his stay in London in 1839, he developed a liking, and then a love for Princess Victoria. An interesting fact is that, becoming monarchs, they felt hostility and hostility, which was mutual.

The beginning of state activity

The day of the 16th anniversary of Alexander fell on Holy Week, in connection with which the festivities on the occasion of adulthood, as well as the oath, were postponed until the Resurrection of Christ. On April 22, 1834, the prince took the oath in the great temple of the Winter Palace.

After that, Emperor Nicholas I introduced him to the Senate, which was the main state institution of the empire, and a year later - to the Holy Governing Synod. Alexander 2 The Liberator in 1841 becomes a member of the Council of State, and a year later - the Committee of Ministers.

Traveling in Russia and Europe

In 1837, the future emperor begins his long journey through Russia, visiting 29 provinces in the Caucasus, the European part of the state and Western Siberia. It is worth noting that he became the first sovereign to visit Siberia. On trips he was accompanied by V.A. Zhukovsky, as well as adjutants A.V. Patkul and I.M. Vielgorsky.

An interesting fact: in Tobolsk, the prince saw several Decembrists exiled, after which he petitioned his father for pardon and release. At the end of a trip to Russia, Alexander goes on a journey through Europe for one year.

Beginning of reign

The years of the reign of Alexander 2 the Liberator lasted from 1855 to 1881. However, before ascending the throne, he served in the military. The emperor in 1836 was already a major general, and after 8 years - a general. Under his command was the guards infantry. In 1849 he became the head of military educational institutions. From 1853 to 1856, during the Crimean War, he commanded all the metropolitan troops.

Nicholas I died on February 18, 1855, on the same day the story of Alexander 2 as emperor began. It was a very difficult period for the state, as it faced a number of difficult external and internal political problems and questions: the Crimean War drained the treasury, problems with Poland and the Balkans, the peasant question, and virtually complete international isolation.

First government decisions

The first, one of the most important steps taken by Alexander II, was the conclusion of the so-called Paris Peace, carried out in March 1856 on those conditions that were not the worst in the current situation. For example, England had intentions to continue the war until the complete defeat and division of the Russian Empire, which Alexander II managed to avoid.

Then he went to Berlin, where he met with his mother’s brother, King of Prussia Friedrich Wilhelm 4, with whom he was able to secretly conclude a “double alliance”, thereby breaking through the foreign policy isolation of the Russian Empire.

In the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral on August 26, 1856, the coronation of Alexander II took place. On this occasion, he issued a manifesto, which granted concessions and benefits to many categories of subjects, for example, the Decembrists, participants in the Polish uprising, Petrashevists. Military settlements were also liquidated and recruitment fees were suspended for three years.

Peasant Reform

Why is Alexander 2 called the Liberator? First of all, thanks to its reforms, one of which is “Peasant”, also known as the abolition of serfdom in 1861. The main provisions of the peasant reform were as follows:

1. Peasants ceased to be considered slaves and became "temporarily liable."
2. They received full civil and legal freedom (“free rural inhabitants”), as well as the right to own land.
3. Peasant houses and buildings, movable and other property recognized as property of the peasant.
4. Peasants were given the opportunity to choose self-government. Economic (lower) - rural society, administrative (higher) - volost.
5. The landlords retained ownership of all their lands, but they were obliged to provide the peasants with a field allotment, an adjoining plot ("manor settlement"). The size of the allotment was regulated by law.
6. For the use of field allotments, the peasants were obliged to serve corvee or pay rent, and also had no right to abandon land for 49 years.
7. Rural societies had the right to redeem manor plots, as well as field plots. After the ransom, the peasants had no obligations to the landowners and were called the "peasant-owner."
8. The state provided landowners on preferential terms a financial guarantee upon receipt of a redemption payment, after which the peasant paid a redemption payment to the state.

It was thanks, first of all, to this revolutionary reform that Emperor Alexander 2 was called the Liberator. He also carried out a series of unprecedented transformations, which later became known as the great ones.

Other reforms of Alexander 2. Table

The main reforms of the Tsar-liberator include: financial, military, judicial and zemstvo, educational, reform of urban governance.

The reform table of Alexander 2 is presented below.

It can be argued that the historical portrait of Alexander 2 the Liberator shows the emperor as a great and competent reformer. However, it should be noted that, for example, the abolition of serfdom created a lot of problems for the peasants themselves. Nevertheless, the transformations embodied in the life of the emperor, solved a number of acute social and economic problems in the state.

Assassination attempts

In total, there were 8 assassination attempts against Emperor Alexander II.

In April 1866, D.V. Karakozov shot him, but the bullet flew above his head due to the fact that Osip Komissarov (peasant) who was nearby pushed him.

In May 1867, an emigrant from Poland A. Berezovsky shot, but a bullet hit a horse.

In April 1879, A.K. Soloviev fired 5 times, 4 shots in the direction of Alexander II. The shooter was captured and later executed.

In November 1879, an attempt was made in the Moscow region to undermine the train of the emperor. However, by chance, Alexander II rode on another train.

In February 1880, S. N. Khalturin made an explosion on the ground floor in the Winter Palace. By coincidence, the emperor arrived at the palace later, so he was not injured. The explosion killed 11 guards.

During a walk on the embankment of the Catherine’s Canal in St. Petersburg, a people's commander I. Grinevitsky threw a bomb under the feet of the emperor. From injuries received Alexander 2 Liberator died in the Winter Palace. It is an interesting fact that it was on this day that the sovereign had to approve a new constitutional draft created by MT T. Loris-Melikov. Alexander II was buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Board Results

Emperor Alexander II left a significant mark in the life of the state. He entered the annals of history as a liberator and a reformer. The emperor abolished serfdom, introduced universal military service, carried out judicial, educational and military reforms. Under his rule, censorship was limited and a number of rights and freedoms were given.

During the reign of Alexander II, the Russian Empire significantly expanded its territories. For example, the Far East and the North Caucasus were annexed during his reign. Under him was a real flowering of Russian literature, the fame of which spread throughout the world.

However, the state of the economy has worsened. The industry was in a depressed state, there was a massive famine in the villages. The external debt of the empire reached six billion rubles, which at that rate was a very impressive amount. There was a split in society, the most acute contradictions of a social nature were noted.

Other negative results of his reign include the results of the Berlin Congress, which was unprofitable for the empire, as well as large expenses in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, a huge number of peasant uprisings in 1861-1863 (more than 1 thousand); large-scale uprisings of nationalists in the Polish kingdom, in the North-West of the Empire.

Conclusion

It is easy to evaluate reforms after many years and criticize the actions of the emperor. However, it is necessary to follow the realities of that time in order to understand the whole picture of what is happening as a whole. Today you can hear a lot of negative assessments of the results of the emperor. But do not forget about the positive achievements that occurred during his reign.

On the whole, Alexander 2 did a lot for the development and prosperity of the state, although some reforms were not fully implemented. The emperor deservedly entered the history of Russia as the Liberator. In gratitude, the descendants erected a monument to Tsar Alexander 2 the Liberator in Moscow. Also, monuments were erected in St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don. It should be noted that the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which is located in St. Petersburg, was built on the site of the death of the emperor.