Alexander the Third: a short historical essay

On February 26, 1845, the third child and the second son were born to the future Tsarevich Alexander Nikolayevich emperor. The boy was called Alexander.

Alexander 3. Biography

During the first 26 years he was brought up, like other great princes, for a military career, since his elder brother Nikolai was to become heir to the throne. By the age of 18, Alexander the Third was already in the rank of colonel. The future Russian emperor, according to the reviews of his tutors, did not differ greatly in the breadth of his interests. According to the teacher's recollections, Alexander the Third "was always lazy" and began to make up for lost time only when he became heir. An attempt to fill the gaps in education was carried out under the close guidance of Pobedonostsev. At the same time, from sources abandoned by educators, we learn that the boy was distinguished by diligence and diligence in his writing. Naturally, his education was handled by excellent military specialists, professors of the Moscow University. Especially the boy was fond of Russian history, culture, which eventually developed into real Russophilia.

Alexander members of his family sometimes called the slow, sometimes for excessive shyness and clumsiness - "pug", "bulldog". According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, outwardly he did not look like a heavyweight: it is well built, with small antennae, an early-established bald patch. People were attracted to such features of his character as sincerity, honesty, benevolence, lack of excessive ambition and a great sense of responsibility.

The beginning of political career

His serene life ended when, in 1865, the elder brother Nicholas suddenly passed away. Alexander the Third was declared the heir to the throne. These events stunned him. He immediately had to start the duties of the Crown Prince. His father began to involve him in state affairs. He listened to the reports of ministers, got acquainted with official papers, got membership in the State Council and the Council of Ministers. He becomes a Major-General and ataman of all the Cossack troops of Russia. That's when I had to make up the gaps in youth education. Love for Russia and Russian history formed him the course of Professor SM Solovyov. This feeling accompanied him all his life.

Tsesarevich Alexander Third stayed quite a long time - 16 years. During this time he received Combat experience. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 gg, received for this order "St. Vladimir with swords "and" St. George of the 2nd degree ". It was during the war that he became acquainted with people who later became his associates. Later he created the Voluntary Fleet, which in peacetime was transport, and in the military - combat.

In the domestic political life, the czarevich did not adhere to the views of his father Emperor Alexander II, but did not oppose the course of the Great Reforms. His relationship with his parents was complicated by personal circumstances. He could not reconcile himself to the fact that his father, with his wife, settled his favorite EM in the Winter Palace. Dolgoruky and their three children.

The tsarevich himself was an exemplary family man. He married the bride of his deceased brother Princess Louise Sophia Frederick Dagmar, who after the wedding took Orthodoxy and a new name - Maria Feodorovna. They had six children.

A happy family life ended on 1.03.1881, when the terrorist act was committed, as a result of which the father of the prince was killed.

The reforms of Alexander 3 or the necessary transformation for Russia

On the morning of March 2, the new emperor Alexander III was sworn in by members of the State Council and higher officials of the court. He said that he would try to continue the work begun by the father. But the hardest idea of further action for a long time did not appear. Pobedonostsev, an ardent opponent of liberal reforms, wrote to the monarch: "Or now save yourself and Russia, or never!"

Most accurately, the Emperor's political course was set out in the manifesto of April 29, 1881. Historians called him "Manifesto on the Immutability of the Autocracy." It meant a serious adjustment of the Great Reforms of the 1860s-1870s. The primary task of the government was the struggle against the revolution.

The repressive apparatus, the political investigation, the secret search services, etc. were strengthened. To the contemporaries, the governmental policy seemed cruel and punitive. But those who live now, it may seem very modest. But now we will not dwell on this in detail.

The government tightened its policy in the sphere of education: universities were deprived of autonomy, a circular "On cook children" was issued, a special censorship regime was introduced concerning the activities of newspapers and magazines, zemstvo self-government was curtailed. All these transformations were carried out to exclude that spirit of freedom, Who was in post-reform Russia.

The economic policy of Alexander III was more successful. The industrial and financial sphere was aimed at the introduction of gold provision of the ruble, the establishment of a protectionist customs tariff, the construction of railways that created not only the necessary communication routes for the domestic market, but also accelerated the development of local industries.

The second successful area was foreign policy. Alexander the Third received the nickname "emperor peacekeeper". Immediately after the accession to the throne, he sent a dispatch to foreign countries , in which it was announced: the emperor wishes to preserve peace with all the powers and concentrate his special attention on internal affairs. He professed the principles of a strong and national (Russian) autocratic power.

But fate let him for a short time. In 1888, the train, in which the Emperor's family was traveling, suffered a terrible collapse. Alexander Alexandrovich was crushed down by the collapsed ceiling. Having great physical strength, he helped his wife and children and got out himself. But the trauma was felt - he developed kidney disease, complicated after the "influenza" - the flu. 10/29/1984 he passed away before he reached the age of 50. To the wife he said: "I feel the end, be calm, I am absolutely calm."

He did not know what kind of tests his highly beloved Motherland, his widow, his son and the whole family of Romanovs would have to endure.