The government course of the emperor who came to the throne was greatly influenced by the Decembrist uprising. The main directions of the domestic policy of Nicholas 1 for the most part were the fight against any manifestations of popular discontent.
Having embarked on the reorganization of the state management system, the emperor attached great importance to the Chancellery formed by him. Created by Alexander 1 to consider petitions, it was significantly expanded by the new ruler. Thus, the internal policy of Nicholas 1 began with the creation of the highest body in public administration. The office was later divided into five branches. The secret police (third division) has gained particular importance. It was led by Count Benckendorf.
The domestic policy of Nicholas 1 also touched on legislation, the regulation of which was entrusted to the Second Department of the Chancellery, and then it was headed by M. M. Speransky. In 1830, the emperor was presented with a complete 45-volume collection of all laws published in the Russian Empire, starting in 1649. After three years, a 15-volume Code of Laws was published in Russia. It was sent to all government agencies, and also went on sale. The emperor assumed that now everyone could be guided by the law in their activities.
In Russia, during the reign of Nicholas 1 , railways were laid. So, the first (Tsarskoye Selo) between Tsarskoye Selo and Petersburg was opened in 1837. Between Moscow and St. Petersburg, the first railway (Nikolaevskaya) appeared in 1851.
The domestic policy of Nicholas 1 also affected the peasant question. Starting his reign, the emperor more than once thought about the liberation of the peasants. However, he later came to the conclusion that for Russia the abolition of serfdom could be a great evil. During the reign, ten secret committees were created to deal with the issue of serfs. Government decisions have eased the position of the landlord peasants. However, most was done for 9 million state peasants.
The domestic policy of Nicholas 1 in the field of religion, the press and education was quite conservative. In 1826, a censorship charter was adopted by government decree, which strictly had to monitor compliance with moral principles, as well as religious traditions. The year 1828 was marked by the reform of secondary specialized and lower educational institutions. In 1832, S. S. Uvarov became Minister of Education. He belongs to the famous formula "autocracy, nationality and Orthodoxy", created in opposition to revolutionary French sentiments, which were based on the principles of equality, freedom and brotherhood.
The Russian Empire began to play a leading role in European affairs after the defeat of Napoleon's army. It should be noted that until the 50s of the 19th century, the Russian power maintained peaceful relations with all European countries. However, in the southeastern region, on the border with the Ottoman Empire, the situation gradually worsened.
In general, the foreign and domestic policies of Nicholas 1, according to some historians, did not differ in successful transformations. Towards the end of his reign, the emperor experienced difficulties in governing the state. Despite his unlimited power, he could not cope with the incompetence of officials and corruption. Moreover, the bureaucratic apparatus was not dependent on society, control from above was ineffective, despite all the efforts of the emperor. Of great importance were the military failures of the king. After his death, the question arose of overcoming the lag of the Russian Empire from leading states. This could only be achieved with the help of reforms updating the country.