At the same time a promise was made to continue Alexander II's reforms. On 19 May 1866, Alexander II informed his son that Russia had come to an agreement with the parents of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, the fiance of his late elder brother Nicholas. He tightened censorship of the press and sent thousands of revolutionaries to Siberia. His father's liberal ministers resigned, and Alexander established a government composed of people with a more conservative mindset. The efforts of Prince Alexander and afterwards of Stambolov to destroy Russian influence in the principality roused his indignation, but he vetoed all proposals to intervene by force of arms. Alexander III was the Tsar of the Russian Empire from 1881 to his death in 1894. "The Orthodox Church in the Baltic Region and the Policies of Alexander Ill's Government. 1882). On March 13 (March 1, Old Style), 1881, Alexander II was assassinated, and the following day autocratic power passed to his son. His teacher instilled in the young man a zeal for Russian Orthodox thought which would influence many of his decisions once he became the emperor. He died in the arms of his wife in the Black Sea resort of Livadia where he had gone in the hope that there his health might improve. At the same time, the country experienced an economic upturn: preparations were made for a monetary reform and the introduction of the gold-backed rouble, a tax reform was introduced, customs regulations adopted, and the introduction of a government monopoly on the wine trade increased tax revenues. "Alexander III, Tsar of Russia 1881-1889. "[56], On 29 October[O.S. Immediately after ascending the throne, Alexander promulgated a manifesto entitled "On the Inviolability of Autocracy." Publisher: Alpha History He wanted to create a nation that was composed of a single nationality, language, and religion, as well as one form of administration. Navigate St. Petersburgs dining scene and find restaurants to remember. Commemorative Medal for the Golden Wedding of King Christian IX and Queen Louise. Upon taking the throne, Alexander began to undo the liberal reforms which had been enacted over the course of . "[49], Each summer his parents-in-law, King Christian IX and Queen Louise, held family reunions at the Danish royal palaces of Fredensborg and Bernstorff, bringing Alexander, Maria and their children to Denmark. Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich (the future Emperor Alexander III) was the second son of Alexander II and the Empress Maria Alexandrovna. He was known to be highly conservative and a staunch supporter of Russian nationalism. As he passed where I was standing, he raised his head for a second, and to this day I can remember what I felt as our eyes met. Pobedonostsev, who influenced the character of his reign by instilling into his mind hatred for representative government and the belief that zeal for Orthodoxy ought to be cultivated by every tsar. Historians still debate Alexander's role in his father's murder. In later years I came into contact with the Emperor on several occasions, and I felt not the slightest bit timid. Because of his love for maintaining peaceful foreign relations, he earned the moniker, "The Peacemaker". In Central Asian affairs he followed the traditional policy of gradually extending Russian domination without provoking a conflict with Great Britain, and he never allowed bellicose partisans to get out of hand. Bound by duty, he left his lady-love and married Princess Dagmar of Denmark (later known as Maria Feodorovna) in 1866 in the Imperial Chapel of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. [51], Alexander had an extremely poor relationship with his brother Grand Duke Vladimir. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. He also patronized Eastern Orthodoxy and destroyed German, Polish, and Swedish cultural and religious institutions. His youngest half-sister Princess Catherine Alexandrovna Yurievskaya remembered when he would play with her and her siblings: "The Emperor seemed a playful and kind Goliath among all the romping children. However when his brother Nicolas was in his deathbed, he asked Alexander to marry his fiance, Princess Dagmar of Denmark. "[53] This tension was reflected in the rivalry between Maria Feodorovna and Vladimir's wife, Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna.[54]. Authors: Jennifer Llewellyn, Michael McConnell, Steve Thompson [52] When Alexander and his family survived the Borki train disaster in 1888, Alexander joked, "I can imagine how disappointed Vladimir is going to be when he learns that we all stayed alive! Russia's economy was still challenged by the Russian-Turkish war of 18771878, which created a deficit, so he imposed customs duties on imported goods. Alexander III became ill with incurable kidney disease in early 1894 and died on 1 November 1894, at the age 6f 49. This site is created and maintained by Alpha History. An opinion piece in Scientific American by a researcher at Penn (I previously wrote about his study last year): Many Differences Between Liberals and Conservatives May Boil Down to One Belief Conservatives tend to believe that strict divisions are an inherent part of life. His opinions are utterly childish. As tsesarevich, Alexander began to study the principles of law and administration under Konstantin Pobedonostsev, then a professor of civil law at Moscow State University and later (from 1880) chief procurator of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in Russia. He was the recipient of several honors including Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation from the Kingdom of Italy (1865), French Lgion d'Honneur (1865), Order of the Golden Fleece from Spain (1865), Order of the Southern Cross from the Empire of Brazil (1866), and Order of St. Stephen of Hungary (1866). In 1894, Alexander III became ill with terminal kidney disease (nephritis). As heir apparent, Alexander participated in meetings of the State Council and collaborated with various committees as well as continuing his military career, rising eventually to the rank of General of Infantry. Alexander would get married and have a son named Nicholas. Alexander III was not a popular ruler and several assassination attempts were made on his life. He immediately left the carriage and no amount of pleading from his wife could convince him to get back in.[7]. As a result of the assassination, Alexander III would not consider granting the constitution. His first cousin, Queen Olga of Greece, offered him to stay at her villa Mon Repos, on the island of Corfu, in the hope that it might improve the Tsar's condition. [4], Alexander was extremely strong. Alexander III of Russia is best remembered as a man of peace. Although he promised at the beginning of his reign to continue the work of his father, he ended up following a more conservative course under the influence of his tutor and personal advisor, Konstantin Petrovich Pobedonostsev. [1] Considered Russia's last true autocrat, Alexander III was the epitome of what a Russian Tsar was supposed to be. Upon succeeding the throne on the death of his father, Emperor Alexander II of Russia, he reversed some of the liberal reforms his father had implemented during his reign. He died in the arms of his wife, and in the presence of his physician, Ernst Viktor von Leyden, at Maly Palace in Livadia on the afternoon of 1 November[O.S. On March 1, 1881, on the eve of the signing into law Russia's first constitution, two assassins threw bombs at the Tsar's carriage in St. Petersburg. [48] Even at the end of his life, he considered Nicholas a child and told him, "I can't imagine you as a fianc how strange and unusual! The marriage proved to be a happy one and produced six children of whom five survived to adulthood. 1875), Michael (b. He was a conscientious commander, but he was mortified when most of what Russia had obtained by the Treaty of San Stefano was taken away at the Congress of Berlin under the chairmanship of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. He had one elder brother, Nicolas. His straightforward, abrupt manner savoured sometimes of gruffness, while his direct, unadorned method of expressing himself harmonized well with his rough-hewn, immobile features and somewhat sluggish movements. Title: Tsar Alexander III Then he started studying the principles of law and administration under Konstantin Pobedonostsev. When his father died, Alexander became Tsar. He was known to be highly conservative and a staunch supporter of Russian nationalism. During his autocratic reign Russian absolutism asserted itself for the last time. He was an unsympathetic ruler though it cannot be denied that the industrial development in Russia increased during his reign. Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov or Alexander III ( III ) (March 10, 1845 - November 1, 1894) was the Emperor (Tsar) of Russia from March 14, 1881 until his death on November 1, 1894. Industrial development increased during his reign. Russia's hopes for a constitution also died that day. In October 1888 the Imperial train derailed while the Tsar and his family were eating in the dining car. He also forbade morganatic marriages, as well as those outside of the Orthodoxy.[22]. Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov, Tsar of all the Russia's, died of Nephritis on October 20, 1894 (OS) at the summer palace at Livadia in the Crimea. ", I. Michael Aronson, "The Prospects for the Emancipation of Russian Jewry during the 1880s.". He deprecated undue foreign influence in general and German influence in particular. But what he lacked in style he more than made up for in his conviction of his position, his love for his country, and an understanding of the importance he could play in shaping his country's future. Please send your comments or suggestions on this page to Scott Malsom. [6], Alexander was afraid of horses. How could he preside over such a committee?[47] He was worried that Nicholas had no experiences with women and arranged for the Polish ballerina Mathilde Kschessinskaya to become his son's mistress. In the Gatchina Palace, where the Alexander chose to live, a rich collection of art was amassed, a large portion of which later entered into the Hermitage's collection. Copyright 2023 Bob Atchison. (Pobedonostsev appears as "Toporov" in Tolstoy's novel Resurrection. His policy was eagerly implemented by tsarist officials in the "May Laws" of 1882. One cannot fault Alexander's reaction to his father's death. Alexanders political ideal was a nation containing only one nationality, one language, one religion, and one form of administration, and he did his utmost to prepare for the realization of this ideal by imposing the Russian language and Russian schools on his German, Polish, and Finnish subjects, by fostering Orthodoxy at the expense of other confessions, by persecuting the Jews, and by destroying the remnants of German, Polish, and Swedish institutions in the outlying provinces. The original Welsh Guards Leek Brooch which was . Any liberal proposals in government were quickly dismissed. At first the tsarevich was more Slavophile than the government, but he was disabused of his illusions during the Russo-Turkish War of 187778, when he commanded the left wing of the invading army. He came to power at a critical point in Imperial Russian history. Under the influence of Konstantin Pobedonostsev (18271907), he opposed any reform that limited his autocratic rule. His reign saw no major wars being fought by Russia. His older brother and heir to the throne, Nicholas, died in 1865. The eighth film. Also Known As: Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov, siblings: Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna of Russia, Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia, Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich of Russia, Nicholas Alexandrovich, Tsarevich of Russia, children: Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna of Russia, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich of Russia, Grand Duke George Alexandrovich of Russia, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia, Nicholas II of Russia, See the events in life of Alexander III Of Russia in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQidSbLmRLM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvRHs0X7RCw. At a time when the Russian government should have begun adjusting itself to the changing realities of the 19th Century, Alexander instead clung to and strengthened the autocracy. 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