After Alexander 3 he ascended the throne. How did Alexander III evaluate his son Nicholas as a future emperor? Foreign policy of the Tsar the Peacemaker
Tsar Alexander III, who ruled Russia from 1881 to 1894, was remembered by descendants for the fact that under him a period of stability and absence of wars began in the country. Having experienced many personal tragedies, the emperor left the empire in a phase of economic and foreign policy upswing, which seemed firm and unshakable - such were the character qualities of the Tsar the Peacemaker. short biography Emperor Alexander 3 will be told to the reader in the article.
Milestones of life's journey
The fate of the Peacemaker Tsar was replete with surprises, but despite all the sharp turns in his life, he behaved with dignity, following the principles he had learned once and for all.
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich was not initially considered by the royal family as the heir to the throne. He was born in 1845, when the country was still ruled by his grandfather, Nicholas I. Another grandson, named after his grandfather, Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich, who was born two years earlier, was to inherit the throne. However, at the age of 19, the heir died of tuberculous meningitis, and the right to the crown passed to the next oldest brother, Alexander.
Without an appropriate education, Alexander still had the opportunity to prepare for his future reign - he was in the status of heir from 1865 to 1881, gradually taking an increasing part in governing the state. During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878, the Grand Duke was with the Danube Army, where he commanded one of the detachments.
Another tragedy that brought Alexander to the throne was the murder of his father by the Narodnaya Volya. Taking the reins of power into his own hands, the new tsar dealt with the terrorists, gradually extinguishing the internal unrest in the country. Alexander ended plans to introduce a constitution, reaffirming his commitment to traditional autocracy.
In 1887, the organizers of the assassination attempt on the Tsar, which never took place, were arrested and hanged (one of the participants in the conspiracy was Alexander Ulyanov, the elder brother of the future revolutionary Vladimir Lenin).
And the next year, the emperor almost lost all members of his family during a train crash near the Borki station in Ukraine. The Tsar personally held the roof of the dining car in which his loved ones were located.
The injury received during this incident marked the beginning of the end of the reign of Emperor Alexander III, which in duration was 2 times less than the reign of his father and grandfather.
In 1894, the Russian autocrat, at the invitation of his cousin, the Queen of Greece, went abroad for treatment for nephritis, but did not arrive and died a month later in the Livadia Palace in Crimea.
Biography of Alexander 3, personal life
Alexander met his future wife, the Danish princess Dagmara, under difficult circumstances. The girl was officially engaged to his older brother Nikolai Alexandrovich, the heir to the throne. Before the wedding, the Grand Duke visited Italy and fell ill there. When it became known that the heir to the throne was dying, Alexander and his brother’s fiancee went to see him in Nice to care for the dying man.
The very next year after his brother’s death, during a trip to Europe, Alexander arrived in Copenhagen to propose his hand in marriage to Princess Minnie (this was Dagmara’s home name).
“I don’t know her feelings for me, and this torments me very much. I am sure that we can be so happy together,” Alexander wrote to his father at that time.
The engagement was completed successfully, and in the fall of 1866 the Grand Duke’s bride, who received the name Maria Fedorovna in baptism, married him. She subsequently outlived her husband by 34 years.
Failed marriages
In addition to the Danish princess Dagmara, her sister, Princess Alexandra, could become the wife of Alexander III. This marriage, which Emperor Alexander II pinned his hopes on, did not take place due to the machinations of the British Queen Victoria, who managed to marry her son, who later became King Edward VII, to the Danish princess.
Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich was for some time in love with Princess Maria Meshcherskaya, his mother's maid of honor. For her sake, he was ready to give up his rights to the throne, but after hesitation he chose Princess Dagmara. Princess Maria died 2 years later - in 1868, and subsequently Alexander III visited her grave in Paris.
Counter-reforms of Alexander III
His heir saw one of the reasons for the rampant terrorism under Emperor Alexander II in the overly liberal orders established during this period. Having ascended the throne, the new king stopped moving towards democratization and focused on strengthening his own power. The institutions created by his father were still in operation, but their powers were significantly curtailed.
- In 1882-1884, the government issued new, stricter regulations regarding the press, libraries and reading rooms.
- In 1889-1890, the role of nobles in zemstvo administration was strengthened.
- Under Alexander III, university autonomy was abolished (1884).
- In 1892, according to the new edition of the City Regulations, clerks, small traders and other poor sections of the urban population were deprived of their voting rights.
- A “circular about cooks’ children” was issued, limiting the rights of commoners to receive an education.
Reforms aimed at improving the plight of peasants and workers
The government of Tsar Alexander 3, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, was aware of the degree of poverty in the post-reform village and sought to improve economic situation peasants In the first years of the reign, redemption payments for land plots were reduced, and a peasant land bank was created, whose responsibility was to issue loans to farmers for the purchase of plots.
The emperor sought to streamline labor relations in the country. Under him, factory work for children was limited, as well as night shifts in factories for women and teenagers.
Foreign policy of the Tsar the Peacemaker
In the field of foreign policy, the main feature of the reign of Emperor Alexander III was the complete absence of wars during this period, thanks to which he received the nickname Tsar-Peacemaker.
At the same time, the king, who had military education, one cannot be accused of lack of proper attention to the army and navy. Under him, 114 warships were launched, making the Russian fleet the third largest in the world after the British and French.
The Emperor rejected the traditional alliance with Germany and Austria, which had not shown its viability, and began to focus on Western European states. Under him, an alliance was concluded with France.
Balkan turn
Alexander III personally took part in the events of the Russian-Turkish War, but the subsequent behavior of the Bulgarian leadership led to a cooling of Russian sympathy for this country.
Bulgaria found itself involved in a war with fellow believer Serbia, which aroused the anger of the Russian Tsar, who did not want a new possible war with Turkey because of the provocative policies of the Bulgarians. In 1886, Russia broke off diplomatic relations with Bulgaria, which succumbed to Austro-Hungarian influence.
European peacemaker
A short biography of Alexander 3 contains information that he delayed the start of the First World War for a couple of decades, which could have broken out back in 1887 as a result of a failed German attack on France. Kaiser Wilhelm I listened to the tsar's voice, and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, harboring a grudge against Russia, provoked customs wars between states. Subsequently, the crisis ended in 1894 with the conclusion of a Russian-German trade agreement beneficial for Russia.
Asian conqueror
Under Alexander III, the annexation of territories into the Central Asia at the expense of lands inhabited by Turkmens. In 1885, this caused a military clash with the army of the Afghan emir on the Kushka River, whose soldiers were led by British officers. It ended in the defeat of the Afghans.
Domestic Policy and Economic Growth
The cabinet of Alexander III managed to achieve financial stabilization and growth in industrial production. The ministers of finance under him were N. Kh. Bunge, I. A. Vyshnegradsky and S. Yu. Witte.
The government compensated for the abolished poll tax, which unduly burdened the poor population, with a variety of indirect taxes and increased customs duties. Excise taxes were imposed on vodka, sugar, oil and tobacco.
Industrial production only benefited from protectionist measures. Under Alexander III, steel and cast iron production, coal and oil production grew at record rates.
Tsar Alexander 3 and his family
The biography shows that Alexander III had relatives on his mother’s side in the German House of Hesse. Subsequently, his son Nikolai Alexandrovich found himself a bride in the same dynasty.
In addition to Nicholas, whom he named after his beloved older brother, Alexander III had five children. His second son, Alexander, died as a child, and his third, George, died at the age of 28 in Georgia. The eldest son Nicholas II and the youngest Mikhail Alexandrovich died after October revolution. And the emperor’s two daughters, Ksenia and Olga, lived until 1960. This year, one of them died in London, and the other in Toronto, Canada.
Sources describe the emperor as an exemplary family man - a quality inherited from him by Nicholas II.
Now you know summary biography of Alexander 3. Finally, I would like to present to your attention several interesting facts:
- Emperor Alexander III was a tall man, and in his youth he could break horseshoes with his hands and bend coins with his fingers.
- In clothing and culinary preferences, the emperor adhered to common folk traditions; at home he wore a Russian patterned shirt, and when it came to food he preferred simple dishes, such as suckling pig with horseradish and pickles. However, he loved to season his food with delicious sauces, and also loved hot chocolate.
- An interesting fact in the biography of Alexander 3 is that he had a passion for collecting. The Tsar collected paintings and other art objects, which later formed the basis of the collection of the Russian Museum.
- The emperor loved to hunt in the forests of Poland and Belarus, and fished in the Finnish skerries. Alexander’s famous phrase: “When the Russian Tsar fishes, Europe can wait.”
- Together with his wife, the emperor periodically visited Denmark during his summer vacation. During the warm months he did not like to be disturbed, but at other times of the year he was completely immersed in business.
- The king could not be denied condescension and a sense of humor. Having learned, for example, about a criminal case against the soldier Oreshkin, who, being drunk in a tavern, said that he wanted to spit on the Emperor, Alexander III ordered the case to be closed and his portraits no longer to be hung in taverns. “Tell Oreshkin that I didn’t give a damn about him either,” he said.
Born on March 10 (February 26, old style) 1845 in St. Petersburg. He was the second son of Emperor Alexander II and Empress Maria Alexandrovna.
He received the traditional military engineering education for grand dukes.
In 1865, after the death of his elder brother, Grand Duke Nicholas, he became crown prince, after which he received more fundamental knowledge. Among Alexander's mentors were Sergei Solovyov (history), Yakov Grot (history of literature), Mikhail Dragomirov (military art). The greatest influence on the Tsarevich was the law teacher Konstantin Pobedonostsev.
In his father’s reforms, he saw, first of all, negative aspects - the growth of government bureaucracy, the difficult financial situation of the people, imitation of Western models. The political ideal of Alexander III was based on ideas about patriarchal-paternal autocratic rule, the inculcation of religious values in society, the strengthening of the class structure, and nationally distinctive social development.
On April 29, 1881, Alexander III issued a manifesto “On the Inviolability of Autocracy” and launched a series of reforms that were aimed at partially curtailing the liberal initiatives of his father-reformer.
The tsar's domestic policy was characterized by increased control central government over all spheres of state life.
To strengthen the role of the police, local and central administration, the “Regulations on measures to protect state security and public peace" (1881). Adopted in 1882, the "Temporary Rules on the Press" clearly outlined the range of topics that could be written about and introduced strict censorship. In addition, a number of "counter-reforms" were carried out, thanks to which it was possible to suppress revolutionary movement, first of all, the activities of the People's Will party.
Alexander III took measures to protect the class rights of noble landowners: he established the Noble Land Bank, adopted a Regulation on hiring for agricultural work that was beneficial for landowners, strengthened administrative guardianship over the peasantry, helped strengthen the communalism of peasants, and the formation of the ideal of a large patriarchal family.
At the same time, in the first half of the 1880s, he took a number of measures to alleviate the financial situation of the people and mitigate social tension in society: the introduction of compulsory redemption and the reduction of redemption payments, the establishment of the Peasant Land Bank, the introduction of factory inspection, and the gradual abolition of the poll tax.
The emperor paid serious attention to increasing the social role of the Orthodox Church: he increased the number of parochial schools and tightened repression against Old Believers and sectarians.
During the reign of Alexander III, the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow was completed (1883), parishes that had been closed during the previous reign were restored, and many new monasteries and churches were built.
Alexander III made a significant contribution to the restructuring of the system of state and public relations. In 1884 he issued the University Charter, which curtailed the autonomy of universities. In 1887, he issued a “circular about cooks’ children,” which limited the entry into gymnasiums of children from the lower classes.
He strengthened the social role of the local nobility: since 1889, peasant self-government was subordinated to zemstvo chiefs - who united judicial and administrative power in their hands to officials from local landowners.
He carried out reforms in the field of urban government: zemstvo and city regulations (1890, 1892) tightened the administration's control over local government and limited the rights of voters from the lower strata of society.
He limited the scope of the jury trial and restored closed proceedings for political trials.
The economic life of Russia during the reign of Alexander III was characterized by economic growth, which was largely due to the policy of increased patronage of domestic industry. The country rearmed its army and navy and became the world's largest exporter of agricultural products. The government of Alexander III encouraged the growth of large capitalist industry, which achieved notable successes (metallurgical production doubled in 1886-1892, the railway network grew by 47%).
Foreign policy Russia under Alexander III was distinguished by pragmatism. The main content was a turn from traditional cooperation with Germany to an alliance with France, which was concluded in 1891-1893. The aggravation of relations with Germany was smoothed out by the “Reinsurance Treaty” (1887).
Alexander III went down in history as the Peacemaker Tsar - during his reign, Russia did not participate in a single serious military-political conflict of that time. The only significant battle - the capture of Kushka - took place in 1885, after which the annexation of Central Asia to Russia was completed.
Alexander III was one of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Historical Society and its first chairman. Established the Historical Museum in Moscow.
He simplified court etiquette and ceremony, in particular, abolished genuflection before the king, reduced the staff of the court ministry and introduced strict supervision over the expenditure of money.
The emperor was pious, distinguished by frugality and modesty, and spent his leisure time in a narrow circle of family and friends. He was interested in music, painting, history. He collected an extensive collection of paintings, objects of decorative and applied art, and sculptures, which after his death was transferred to the Russian Museum founded by Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his father.
The personality of Alexander III is associated with the idea of a real hero with iron health. On October 17, 1888, he was injured in a train accident near the Borki station, 50 km from Kharkov. However, saving the lives of loved ones, the emperor held the collapsed roof of the carriage for about half an hour until help arrived. It is believed that as a result of this excessive stress, his kidney disease began to progress.
On November 1 (October 20, old style), 1894, the emperor died in Livadia (Crimea) from the consequences of nephritis. The body was taken to St. Petersburg and buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
Alexander III's wife was the Danish princess Louise Sophia Frederica Dagmara (in Orthodoxy - Maria Fedorovna) (1847-1928), whom he married in 1866. The emperor and his wife had five children: Nicholas (later - Russian Emperor Nicholas II), George, Ksenia, Mikhail and Olga.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
View of the Gatchina Palace from the station. Porcelain layer. 1870s The family of Emperor Alexander III occupied premises in the Arsenal Square. For personal apartments, rooms on the mezzanine floor were chosen, small and low, similar to cabins. Maria Feodorovna repeatedly noted their comfort and... “lack of embarrassment.” From now on, the Gatchina Palace became a favorite family home for its owners. During my stay in Gatchina there were training sessions children, which were spent in the morning and after an afternoon walk. In addition to taking courses in various sciences, they danced, played various instruments, and attended gymnastics lessons. Free time They also spent their time usefully: cooking, carpentry, making puppets for their theater, sewing costumes for them. Toy soldiers were glued together for toy military battles. In addition to boyish hobbies, the youngest son Mikhail enjoyed playing with dolls with his sisters. At the Arsenal they played billiards, tag, and shuttlecock; They rode bicycles along the corridors of the huge palace. In the rooms of the grand dukes there was a stereoscope - a “magic lantern”, with the help of which one could visit distant mysterious countries and again remember the places of past travels. In the evenings, together with Maria Fedorovna, we played four hands on the piano. Parents often organized evenings for children: circus performances, puppet shows. Children's plays, often foreign languages- German or French, prepared by the younger inhabitants of the palace themselves.Theatrical performances in Gatchina were given mainly in December before Christmas and in the spring after Easter. Guests were invited according to a list, up to 260 people - that’s how much the palace theater could accommodate. Most often they showed comedies from Russian and French troupes, sometimes they showed classics (“ Dead Souls"Gogol).
Social life took place in the Arsenal Hall, which was located on the first floor of the Arsenal Square. There were a lot of interesting things here: a Demidov magnet, an organ, a children's slide with a sleigh, a swing in the shape of a boat, billiards, a small stage for home performances. The walls were decorated with stuffed animals and birds, equipped with signs indicating the place and time when they were killed, and most importantly, the author of the shot. Often the inhabitants of the Gatchina Palace listened by telephone to musical works performed in theaters in St. Petersburg. In addition to the obligatory large receptions and balls, entertainment was also organized for a narrow circle of people, where both professional musicians and amateurs - adults and very young - were invited. Balalaika players and a gypsy choir, string orchestras and small violinists performed in front of the crowned and always friendly music connoisseurs.
Among family holidays, every year in Gatchina the birthdays of children were celebrated: March 25 - Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, April 27 - Grand Duke Georgy Alexandrovich, May 6 - heir to Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, November 22 - Mikhail Alexandrovich; as well as Christmas, Palm Sunday, Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna with children on a boat in Gatchina. [Early 1880s]. Photo studio “Kudryavtsev and Co.” Easter and the day of transfer of Maltese shrines to Gatchina.
Moments of communication with nature among the closest people were always very important and valued in the family of Alexander III. The emperor and his children could be himself, relax, and simply show his qualities as a hardy, skillful person, a successful fisherman and a sharp shooter. Children and their friends, who came on weekends, trusted him with their secrets, read humorous poems and shared with the emperor the pranks they played on each other. A special attraction was walking through the underground passage from the Echo grotto to the palace and climbing the tower.
Unlike his father, Alexander II, Alexander III, according to the recollections of contemporaries, was not an inveterate hunter, but loved nature, a simple hunting environment and “hunting farming” - breeding game, dogs, strict adherence to hunting laws. In Gatchina and its environs they hunted a variety of animals: bears, wolves, deer, fallow deer, foxes, hares. The birds most often killed were black grouse, pheasants, wood grouse, and less often ducks. Children with early years learned marksmanship and later became participants in hunts near Gatchina; The heir, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, was a particularly good hunter.
Alexander III was passionate about fishing, and this hobby was passed on to his wife and children. He preferred fishing at night to various methods of fishing. A catch of several dozen fish was considered unsuccessful for him (pike were counted separately); On average, he caught up to two hundred, going fishing after ten o'clock in the evening, and upon returning he worked until the morning. Maria Fedorovna also became an avid fisherman. The expansive Ksenia often envied her successes: “Mom and I went to the Admiralty, where we first fed the ducks, and then, taking the sailor and fishing rods, we went to the “Moya” (the “Moya-my” boat) under the large bridge near the Menagerie, where we landed and began to fish! Extremely exciting! Mom caught all the perches, and I caught roaches, and I caught a lot, which offended me!”
In addition to fishing and hunting, there were numerous other entertainments in Gatchina Park. In winter, we organized sleigh rides with guests invited from St. Petersburg, and stopped by the Farm to drink coffee and tea. The park's terraces were adapted into mountains for sledding. The sovereign himself took part in snow battles with great pleasure. In front of the palace they “rolled a blockhead” (snow woman), so big that it took several days to sculpt it. The whole family worked in the park - clearing snow, cutting down trees, lighting fires, baking apples and potatoes. There was a skating rink on the lakes - the biggest fan of skating was Empress Maria Feodorovna.
In the summer we rode around the park in strollers, on bicycles, and on horseback. In the spring, closer to Palm Sunday, they performed a ritual - they planted willows on the islands. They went out to the lakes in boats, kayaks and in dinghies with sailors, often rowing themselves. The children also had at their disposal an “aqua-ped” - a prototype of a modern pedal boat. In 1882, at the beginning of the “electric” boom, a boat with an electric engine even appeared in Gatchina.
For picnics we went to the Gatchina Mill and the Farm, where milk was served with fresh black bread. In Yegerskaya Sloboda you could look at various animals, feed bears and ride donkeys.
When members of Alexander III's family had to part with each other, they were desperately bored, sending frequent letters and telegrams. “Our weather is lovely; living in Gatchina is bliss; It’s just a pity that you’re not here” (Nikolai); “I expect you on the 30th or 1st. Everything is in place in your rooms. Sometimes I walk there and it seems to me that you live in them” (Mikhail).
Being away from home, they imagined all the details of a family idyll: “You are terribly missed here, but I think that you are very happy to be in Gatchina, where it is now so good” (Ksenia from Abas-Tuman); “Now you probably enjoy long walks and rides on the lake in lovely Gatchina!” (Nikolai from the Yellow Sea). After the death of his father, Emperor Nicholas II settled in Tsarskoe Selo, but neither Maria Feodorovna nor the other children left Gatchina. Ksenia Alexandrovna and Alexander Mikhailovich brought their children here, and for Mikhail and Olga, all the ups and downs of their personal lives were connected with Gatchina.
On June 27, 1901, the wedding of Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna and Prince Peter of Oldenburg took place in the Gatchina Palace Church. The Emperor ordered everyone to gather in Gatchina by two o'clock. Emergency trains were provided to those arriving, and a direct connection was established from Peterhof via Krasnoe Selo and Strelna. Among those invited were all Olga Alexandrovna’s teachers. The celebrations opened at eight o'clock in the morning with five cannon shots in St. Petersburg and Gatchina, which were festively decorated and illuminated that day.
On the occasion of the wedding, gold items were brought from the Hermitage to “dress the head” of the newlywed before the wedding. According to the ceremony, the bride wore a crown and an ermine robe of crimson velvet, worn over her dress; her train was carried by four chamberlains. When Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna passed into the palace church, 21 cannon shots were fired. The emperor led the wedding couple to the lectern; with the beginning of the chant “We praise you, God,” 101 cannon shots sounded. The bride's groomsmen were Grand Dukes Mikhail Alexandrovich, Kirill, Boris and Andrei Vladimirovich, who held the royal crowns; The groom's best men are Grand Dukes Dmitry Konstantinovich, Sergei Mikhailovich, Prince Andrei of Greece, Prince Alexander Georgievich of Leuchtenberg.
In the White Hall they set the “highest” table for forty-seven people and two separate round tables for ten people. There were four similar tables on the balcony, three in the dining room, and eight in the Chesme gallery. A total of 217 people attended the dinner. The cup was presented to Olga Alexandrovna by Count Sergei Dmitrievich Sheremetev. The marriage did not bring joy to the Grand Duchess; the marriage was fictitious due to the fault of the Prince of Oldenburg. Women's happiness came later, when she met in Gatchina the officer of the Cuirassier Regiment Nikolai Kulikovsky, who in 1916 became her husband and friend until the end of her days.
Mikhail also found his destiny in his favorite childhood city. His chosen one was Natalya Wulfert, who lived with her husband in Gatchina. The marriage between the Grand Duke and the former wife of an officer of the Cuirassier Regiment was not recognized by the royal family for a long time. Being forced to live abroad for some time due to his morganatic marriage, he climbed the Eiffel Tower and wrote on a postcard: “From this height you can see Gatchina.” Returning to Russia in 1914, Mikhail again settled with his wife and children in Gatchina and spent his last years before arrest, exile and death...
After the October Revolution, the imperial palace in 1918 became a museum, where up to the Great Patriotic War Both the ceremonial and private apartments of all its crowned owners were preserved. In the Gatchina Palace, one of the few, one could see children's rooms: furnishings and children's toys, swings and a slide, desks, numerous collections of trinkets dear to the heart. All this invariably aroused increased interest among visitors.
Unfortunately, the years of hard times destroyed the unique image of the world of childhood that existed for a century and a half in the Gatchina Palace. However, some things that belonged to the great princes and princesses have survived to this day. Thanks to this, it became possible to recreate the intimate world royal family, for whom “dear Gatchina” was her favorite Home, where she always wanted to return.
©Fotodom.ru/REX
“Science will give the Sovereign Emperor his rightful place not only in the history of Russia and all of Europe, but also in Russian historiography, it will say that he won a victory in the area where it was most difficult to achieve victory, defeated the prejudice of peoples and thereby contributed to their rapprochement, conquered the public conscience in the name of peace and truth, increased the amount of good in the moral circulation of humanity, sharpened and raised Russian historical thought, Russian national consciousness, and did all this so quietly and silently that only now, when he was no longer there, Europe understood what he was for her.” .
Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky
During the sacrament of confirmation, held on October 12, 1866 in the Great Cathedral of the Savior Not Made by Hands (Great Church) of the Winter Palace, the Danish princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar received a new name - Maria Feodorovna and a new title - Grand Duchess. “There is intelligence and character in facial expression,” wrote a contemporary of the future Russian empress. - Wonderful poems from the book. Vyazemsky is a match for that dear Dagmar, whose name he rightly calls a sweet word.” He is echoed by Ivan Sergeevich Aksakov: “The image of Dagmara, a 16-year-old girl combining tenderness and energy, appeared especially graceful and attractive. She absolutely captivated everyone with her childlike simplicity of heart and the naturalness of all her emotional movements.” Alas, the clever and beautiful woman outlived all four of her sons.
The thirteen and a half years of the reign of Alexander III were unusually calm. Russia has not waged wars. For this, the sovereign received the official nickname Tsar-Peacemaker. Although under his reign, 114 new military vessels were launched, including 17 battleships and 10 armored cruisers. After the terrorist rampage under his father Alexander II and before the revolutionary turmoil that swept away his son Nicholas II, the reign of Alexander Alexandrovich seemed to be lost in the annals of history. Although it was he who became one of the initiators of the creation of the Imperial Russian Historical Society in May 1866 and its honorary chairman. The last public execution of the “People's Will” and terrorists who carried out the assassination attempt on Alexander II took place under Alexander III. His family consisted of 4 sons and 2 daughters.
Alexander Alexandrovich - Russian Grand Duke, second child and son, did not live even a year. He died in April 1870, 10 days after the birth of Volodya Ulyanov in Simbirsk. It is unlikely that the fate of “angel Alexander” would have turned out happier than that of his elder brother Nikolai Alexandrovich. Grand Duke Georgy Alexandrovich, the third child and son, died of tuberculosis at the age of 28 in the summer of 1899. In the Memoirs of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov, when it comes to the three sons (Nicholas, George and Mikhail) of Alexander III, it is written: “George was the most gifted of all three, but died too young to have time to develop his brilliant abilities.”
The most tragic is the fate of the eldest Emperor Alexander in the family, the last Russian Tsar Nikolai Alexandrovich. The fate of his entire family is tragic and the fate of all of Russia is tragic.
Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov recalled that the youngest son of Alexander III, Mikhail Alexandrovich, “charmed everyone with the captivating simplicity of his manners. A favorite of his relatives, fellow officers and countless friends, he had a methodical mind and would have advanced to any position if he had not entered into his morganatic marriage. This happened when Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich had already reached maturity, and put the Sovereign in a very difficult position. The Emperor wished his brother complete happiness, but, as Head Imperial Family, had to follow the requirements of the Basic Laws. Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich married Mrs. Wulfert (the divorced wife of Captain Wulfert) in Vienna and settled in London. Thus, for many years preceding the war, Mikhail Alexandrovich was separated from his brother and, because of this, had nothing to do with government affairs.” Shot in 1918
Protopresbyter Georgy Shavelsky left the following note about the last Grand Duchess and the youngest in the Tsar’s family: “Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, among all the persons of the imperial family, was distinguished by her extraordinary simplicity, accessibility, and democracy. On his estate in Voronezh province. she completely grew up: she walked around the village huts, nursed peasant children, etc. In St. Petersburg, she often walked on foot, rode in simple cabs, and really loved to talk with the latter.” She died the same year as her older sister Ksenia.
Ksenia Alexandrovna was her mother’s favorite, and in appearance she resembled her “dear Mom.” Prince Felix Feliksovich Yusupov later wrote about Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna: “She inherited her greatest advantage - personal charm - from her mother, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The look of her wondrous eyes penetrated the soul, her grace, kindness and modesty conquered everyone.”
The name of Emperor Alexander III, one of the greatest statesmen of Russia, was consigned to desecration and oblivion for many years. And only in recent decades, when the opportunity arose to speak unbiasedly and freely about the past, evaluate the present and think about the future, the public service of Emperor Alexander III arouses great interest of all who are interested in the history of their country.
Emperor Alexander III was not destined to reign by birth. Being the second son of Alexander II, he became the heir to the Russian throne only after the premature death of his older brother Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich in 1865. At the same time, on April 12, 1865, the Highest Manifesto announced to Russia the proclamation of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich as the heir-Tsarevich, and a year later the Tsarevich married the Danish princess Dagmara, who was named Maria Feodorovna in marriage.
On the anniversary of his brother’s death on April 12, 1866, he wrote in his diary: “I will never forget this day... the first funeral service over the body of a dear friend... I thought in those minutes that I would not survive my brother, that I would constantly cry at just one thought that I no longer have a brother and friend. But God strengthened me and gave me strength to take on my new assignment. Perhaps I often forgot my purpose in the eyes of others, but in my soul there was always this feeling that I should not live for myself, but for others; heavy and difficult duty. But: “Thy will be done, O God”. I repeat these words constantly, and they always console and support me, because everything that happens to us is all the will of God, and therefore I am calm and trust in the Lord!” The awareness of the gravity of obligations and responsibility for the future of the state, entrusted to him from above, did not leave the new emperor throughout his short life.
The educators of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich were Adjutant General, Count V.A. Perovsky, a man of strict moral rules, appointed by his grandfather Emperor Nicholas I. The education of the future emperor was supervised by the famous economist, professor at Moscow University A.I. Chivilev. Academician Y.K. Grot taught Alexander history, geography, Russian and German languages; prominent military theorist M.I. Dragomirov - tactics and military history, CM. Soloviev - Russian history. The future emperor studied political and legal sciences, as well as Russian legislation, from K.P. Pobedonostsev, who had a particularly great influence on Alexander. After graduation, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich traveled throughout Russia several times. It was these trips that laid in him not only love and the foundations of deep interest in the fate of the Motherland, but also formed an understanding of the problems facing Russia.
As heir to the throne, the Tsarevich participated in meetings of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers, was chancellor of the University of Helsingfors, ataman Cossack troops, commander of the guards units in St. Petersburg. In 1868, when Russia suffered a severe famine, he became the head of a commission formed to provide assistance to the victims. During Russo-Turkish War 1877-1878 he commanded the Rushchuk detachment, which played an important and difficult role tactically: it held back the Turks from the east, facilitating the actions of the Russian army, which was besieging Plevna. Understanding the need to strengthen Russian fleet, The Tsarevich made an ardent appeal to the people for donations to the Russian fleet. In a short time the money was collected. The Volunteer Fleet ships were built on them. It was then that the heir to the throne became convinced that Russia had only two friends: its army and navy.
He was interested in music fine arts and history, was one of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Historical Society and its chairman, was engaged in collecting collections of antiquities and restoring historical monuments.
 |
The government, formed with the participation of the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod K.P. Pobedonostsev, concentrated his attention on strengthening the “traditionalist” principles in politics, economics and culture Russian Empire. In the 80s - mid 90s. a series of legislative acts appeared that limited the nature and actions of those reforms of the 60-70s, which, according to the emperor, did not correspond to the historical purpose of Russia. Trying to prevent the destructive force of the opposition movement, the emperor introduced restrictions on zemstvo and city self-government. The elective principle in the magistrate court was reduced, and in the counties the execution of judicial duties was transferred to the newly established zemstvo chiefs.
At the same time, steps were taken aimed at developing the state's economy, strengthening finances and carrying out military reforms, and resolving agrarian-peasant and national-religious issues. The young emperor also paid attention to the development of the material well-being of his subjects: he founded the Ministry of Agriculture to improve agriculture, established noble and peasant land banks, with the assistance of which nobles and peasants could acquire land property, patronized domestic industry (by increasing customs duties on foreign goods ), and by constructing new canals and railways, including through Belarus, contributed to the revival of the economy and trade.
 |
Public policy in Belarus was dictated, first of all, by the reluctance of the “forcible disruption of the historically established system of life” of the local population, the “forceful eradication of languages” and the desire to ensure that “foreigners become modern sons, and not remain eternal adopted children of the country.” It was at this time that general imperial legislation, administrative and political management and the education system were finally established on the Belarusian lands. At the same time, the authority of the Orthodox Church rose.
In foreign policy affairs, Alexander III tried to avoid military conflicts, which is why he went down in history as the “Tsar-Peacemaker.” The main direction of the new political course was to ensure Russian interests by finding support for “ourselves.” Having become closer to France, with which Russia had no controversial interests, he concluded a peace treaty with her, thereby establishing an important balance between European states. Another extremely important policy direction for Russia was maintaining stability in Central Asia, which shortly before the reign of Alexander III became part of the Russian Empire. The borders of the Russian Empire then advanced to Afghanistan. In this huge space there was laid Railway, connecting the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea with the center of Russian Central Asian possessions - Samarkand and the river. Amu Darya. In general, Alexander III persistently strove for complete unification of all border regions with indigenous Russia. To this end, he abolished the Caucasian governorship, destroyed the privileges of the Baltic Germans and prohibited foreigners, including Poles, from acquiring land in Western Russia, including Belarus.
The emperor also worked hard to improve military affairs: the Russian army was significantly enlarged and armed with new weapons; Several fortresses were built on the western border. The navy under him became one of the strongest in Europe.
 |
An extremely important matter of the era of Alexander III were parochial schools. The Emperor saw the parish school as one of the forms of cooperation between the State and the Church. Orthodox Church, in his opinion, from time immemorial she was an educator and teacher of the people. For centuries, schools at churches were the first and only schools in Rus', including Belaya. Until the mid-60s. of the 19th century, almost exclusively priests and other members of the clergy were mentors in rural schools. On June 13, 1884, the Emperor approved the “Rules on Parish Schools.” Approving them, the emperor wrote in a report about them: “I hope that the parish clergy will be worthy of their high calling in this important matter.” Church and parochial schools began to open in many places in Russia, often in the most remote and remote villages. Often they were the only source of education for the people. At the accession of Emperor Alexander III to the throne, there were only about 4,000 parochial schools in the Russian Empire. In the year of his death there were 31,000 of them and they educated more than a million boys and girls.
Along with the number of schools, their position also strengthened. Initially, these schools were based on church funds, on funds from church fraternities and trustees and individual benefactors. Later, the state treasury came to their aid. To manage all parochial schools, a special school council was formed under the Holy Synod, publishing textbooks and literature necessary for education. While taking care of the parochial school, the emperor realized the importance of combining the fundamentals of education and upbringing in a public school. The emperor saw this education, which protects the people from the harmful influences of the West, in Orthodoxy. Therefore, Alexander III was especially attentive to the parish clergy. Before him, the parish clergy of only a few dioceses received support from the treasury. Under Alexander III, the release of funds from the treasury to provide for the clergy began. This order marked the beginning of improving the life of the Russian parish priest. When the clergy expressed gratitude for this undertaking, he said: “I will be quite happy when I manage to provide for all the rural clergy.”
Emperor Alexander III treated the development of higher and secondary education in Russia with the same care. During his short reign they discovered Tomsk University and a number of industrial schools.
It was distinguished by its impeccability family life king From his diary, which he kept daily when he was his heir, one can study the everyday life of an Orthodox person no worse than from famous book Ivan Shmelev “The Summer of the Lord.” Alexander III received true pleasure from church hymns and sacred music, which he valued much higher than secular music.
Emperor Alexander reigned for thirteen years and seven months. Constant worries and intensive studies early on broke his strong nature: he began to feel increasingly unwell. Before the death of Alexander III, St. confessed and received communion. John of Kronstadt. Not for a minute did the king’s consciousness leave him; Having said goodbye to his family, he said to his wife: “I feel the end. Be calm. “I am completely calm”... “About half past 3 he took communion,” the new Emperor Nicholas II wrote in his diary on the evening of October 20, 1894, “slight convulsions soon began, ... and the end quickly came!” Father John stood at the head of the bed for more than an hour and held his head. It was the death of a saint!” Alexander III died in his Livadia Palace (in Crimea) before reaching his fiftieth birthday.
The personality of the emperor and his significance for the history of Russia are rightly expressed in the following verses:
In the hour of turmoil and struggle, having ascended under the shadow of the throne,
He extended his powerful hand.
And the noisy sedition around them froze.
Like a dying fire.
He understood the spirit of Rus' and believed in its strength,
Loved its space and breadth,
He lived like a Russian Tsar, and he went to his grave,
Like a true Russian hero.
