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Alexander II of Russia

Alexander II of RussiaThe Liberator, King of Poland, Grand Prince of Finland

HTY 304a

Elene Galdava

Jaba Shalamberidze

15.11.2010

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Alexander II - 1855-1881

King of Poland and Grand Prince of Finland. Called Alexander the Liberator.

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Biography

• born on April 29 1818, in Moscow;• son of Nicholas I and Alexandra Fyodorovna ;

Nicholas I 1825-1855; Married Nicholas in 1817;

Gendarme of Russia Difficulties to adapt to Russian culture and language;

Died in 1860

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Alexander II married Marie of Hesse and by Rhine – a princess of the Grand Dutchy of Hesse (later named Empress Maria Alexandrovna);

• Maria of Hesse’s origin was questionable;

• However, Future Emperor declared that he will abandon throne rather than live without the Princess Mary. Nicholas I yielded and the couple married in December 1840;

• She was beautiful, devoted to charitable works and despite of her age she showed a good and serious kind of tastes;

• ‘bourgeoisie allemande’ – nickname by Camarilla

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Alexander II’s Education

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• Dual aspect: military and civic aspects. • The tutor in the military aspect was – Captain Merder and

the Tsar Nicholas I; started in 1829; • Civic education stared in 1828 and the tutor was the poet -

Zhukovsky; • Dual aspect of education successfully over in 1837;• Good knowledge of : Russian, French, German, Polish and

English. • The lectures, on the laws of the Russian Empire, were

delivered by statesman and jurist – Speransky;

Seven month tour along Russia

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Visited the huts of the peasants and to listen to their complaints;

Met with several Decembrists and addressed them with kindliness;

The first Russian Tsar, who visited western Siberia; His genuine patriotism was a result of such peregrination;

“With my own eyes….. I have seen our mother Russia, and I have learnt to love and respect her even more. Yes, we may be proud that we belong to Russia and call her out motherland !”

The tour in Europe

• To find a suitable wife for the future Emperor;

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• Meeting with the Marquis de Custine at Ems in 1839;• Emotional state of future Emperor; In love with Marie of

Hesse and by Rhine ;

Character

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• Natural inclination to what was good; • Disposition to vagueness and hesitation when faced to

obstacles or difficulties;• Inclined to disobedience and quarrelsome;• Displayed a certain emotional sensibility and good nature;• Stubbornness; Ex: ; the desire to marry Princess Maria and

also lately to crown his mistress Catherine Dolgoruky, as the Empress of Russia.

Camarilla vs. other dis-privileged nobility

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• Camarilla , called the closest friends of Alexander, consisted of members of the royal families of: Adlebergs, Baranovs, Shuvalovs and Orlovs;

• Personal friend and companion was - Adleberg Junior;• The other dis-privileged nobility criticized clique in

depredations made on the public funds; • Camarilla responded with an attempt to remove Empress

Mary from the influence of Tsar ( found lovers for the Tsar)

Princess Catherine Dolgoruky

• The most long-lasting mistress of Alexander II;

• Morganatic marriage with Alexander II in December of 1880;

• Raised to the rank of Princess Yurievskaya;

• Descendant of St. Vladimir;

• The greatest enemy Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich;

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Assassination

• Narodnaya Volya – Introduction of universal suffrage;

Permanent people’s representation, freedom of speech, press, and assembly, communal self-government, transfer of land to the people, gradual placement of the factories under the control of the workers;

• Seven assassination attempts ;

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• Seven attempt in1881- First bomb thrown by student Ryssakoy and the second bomb thrown by a polish, named Hriniewicki;

Politics

• Emancipation of Serfs;• Local Government;• Education;• Court;

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• Economy;• Foreign Policy;

Emancipation of Serfs

• 1858 - Gentry committees were established in all provinces;• On March 3, 1861 Alexander II signed the emancipation

manifesto;

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Local GovernmentZemstvo

• Established in 1864• Representatives Elected by landowners, urban dwellers,

peasants under a voting system based on property qualification

• Towns were Russians were majority• Doctors, teachers and other professionals

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• Obshchestvennost – educated society (gradual changes opposing the government)

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Education

• Teachers were under difficult conditions (low salary)• In 1905 teachers initiated manifesto demanding abolition of death

penalty, emancipation of the Jews, free universal primary education, elimination of religion at school, freedom to teach and so on

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Universities

• Universities became self-governing corporations• Their finance doubled• Freedom to elect Rectors, deans and professors• Control over student admittance• No women admitted• Limitations for Jews• Compared to other European universities, Russian ones were

relatively democratic

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Censorship Limitation

• Helped obshchestvennost develop themselves• New newspapers and books were published

Reforms in Courts 1864

• Introduction of AdvokaturaS• Public Hearings

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• Jury Trials (Three professional judges and twelve jurors)• Alexander II was directly involved in drafting the reforms of the

court

 "Guilty, but not to be punished"

Foreign PolicyCrimean War Aftermath

• Crimean war ended in 1856• Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck• Germany emerged as a new super power• Russia build navy on the Black sea against the provisions of

the Treaty of Paris• Three Emperors’ League (Austria-Hungary, Germany, Russia)

1873

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Eastern Question

• Russia Attacked Ottomans in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1875

• San Stefanotreaty 1878• Independent Bulgaria occupied by Russian troops for two

years• Serbia, Montenegro and Romania were to be recognized as

independent states• Great Britain opposed fearing for the big Orthodox state

( Bulgaria)

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East and Caucasus

• Fast expansion Eastward• Good commercial gain• Siberian population increasing• Nikolaevskm, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, (1853-60)• Sakhalin and Kurile islands• New Borders with China• Shamil was captured in 1859

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Alaska

sold in 1867 for 7,2 million dollars 2 cents per acre Initiated by  Perry McDonough Collins

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