Alexander Ulyanov, Lenin’s brother, was almost always in the shadow of his more famous relative. But it’s interesting how the course of history would have turned, had it not been for the oath of young Volodya to avenge the executed by Tsar Sasha. It was then that the future leader of the world proletariat said his most famous phrase: "We will go the other way."
Childhood and youth
Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov was born in Nizhny Novgorod on March 31, 1866. When he was 3 years old, the family moved to Simbirsk. Alexander’s father, Ilya Nikolaevich, initially held the post of inspector of public schools, and 5 years later he was promoted and took the place of managing director. Mother, Maria Alexandrovna, was from an intelligent family and knew several foreign languages. It was she who taught her children to read and write. In total, Maria Alexandrovna had 8 children, two of them died as a child.
Sasha learned to read quite early, namely at the age of 4. When he was eight, his home schooling was over, and he entered the Simbirsk gymnasium. Starting from the elementary grades, according to his fellow practitioners, he was very popular at school. This is also evidenced by the fact that the gymnasium graduation, which took place in 1883, was called the Ulyanov class.
It must be said that Alexander Ulyanov was raised in classical Russian literature. He loved to read the works of Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Nekrasov. In addition, even at the gymnasium, he began to get seriously involved in natural science, in particular, zoology. But Sasha's real passion was chemistry. When he was 16 years old, he independently equipped for himself a kind of chemical laboratory, where he spent his free time, often staying for the night.
As you can see, the young Alexander Ulyanov was beyond his years extremely developed, very serious and immersed in the activities of a boy. Proceeding from this, many predicted a great future for him, certainly connected with science.
Student years
Alexander, having graduated from the classical gymnasium and received a gold medal, entered the University of Petersburg with ease in 1883. He becomes a student of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics. By the way, this university at that time was not only one of the best universities, but also the largest scientific center in the Russian Empire.
The first two years of study in the capital, Alexander Ulyanov spent all his time attending lectures and doing scientific research. He was one of the most beloved students of D.I. Mendeleev, so he was a regular in a chemical laboratory, where he could often be seen sitting behind a microscope. At that time he did not even think about politics.
At the end of the second year, he finally decided on the choice of specialization - most of all he was interested in zoology of invertebrates. He conducted a term study, for which he was awarded a gold medal, which widely opened before him the doors to real scientific activity. Then no one doubted that the most talented student Ulyanov would remain at the university and eventually received a professorship.
Revolutionary activity
It was the scientific successes of Alexander that greatly contributed to increasing his popularity among students. Soon he enters the Scientific and Literary Society at St. Petersburg University. At the initiative of Prince Golitsyn, Count Heyden and other reactionary-minded students, this organization acquired the opposite impulse. A huge influence on him began to exert a group of students with pronounced revolutionary views.
Gradually, Alexander began to participate in all illegal student meetings and demonstrations, as well as conduct revolutionary propaganda in the workers' circle. At the end of 1886, together with his comrade Shevyrev, he organized the so-called terrorist faction in the party "Narodnaya Volya".
Attempt
On March 1, 1887, the assassination of Emperor Alexander III was planned. Its organizer was the very terrorist faction. The original plan was to shoot the king, but later he was decisively rejected. Then the idea arose to throw bombs, and Andreyushkin and Gerasimov expressed a desire to do this.
After numerous attempts on the emperor, the authorities began to pay particular attention to those students who constantly participated in illegal demonstrations, and police officers often opened their correspondence. One of these letters spoke of the merciless terror that was to take place in the near future. This message was addressed to a certain Nikitin. Police gradually began to unravel the thread of the plot against the emperor. Thus, the assassination attempt of Alexander Ulyanov and his comrades was uncovered and prevented.
Trial
It is known that from April 15 to 19 court hearings took place, which took place behind closed doors. They were allowed to attend only ministers, their associates, senators, members of the State Council and persons belonging to the highest bureaucracy. Even the relatives and friends of the defendants were not only not allowed into the courtroom, but were not even allowed to see them.
For the attempt on the emperor, several dozen people were arrested, but only 15 of them were brought to trial. Among them was Alexander Ulyanov, the brother of Lenin. Initially, all convicts demanded the death penalty, but a little later than eight defendants, this so harsh sentence was commuted to other punishments. Emperor Alexander III signed the verdict only for five defendants, on the list of which, in addition to Shevyrev, Osipanov, Generalov and Andreyushkin, Alexander Ulyanov was also listed. The rest were assigned different prison terms, as well as a link to Siberia.
Execution of the revolutionaries
As you know, Alexander’s mother wrote a letter to the Russian emperor, where he asked for his permission to visit his son. Historians are inclined to think that, most likely, the convict had the opportunity to petition for clemency, but for some reason this was not done. Therefore, on May 8 (20), the execution of Alexander Ulyanov and his associates took place. They were hanged on the territory of the Shlisselburg fortress.