Emperor-peacemaker Alexander III: The most Russian Tsar or an ascetic martinet? Emperor Alexander III. Tsar-Peacemaker

Who received the appropriate upbringing.

Childhood, education and upbringing

In May 1883, Alexander III proclaimed a course called “counter-reforms” in historical-materialist literature, and “adjustment of reforms” in liberal-historical literature. He expressed himself as follows.

In 1889, to strengthen supervision over the peasants, the positions of zemstvo chiefs with broad rights were introduced. They were appointed from local noble landowners. Clerks and small traders, as well as other low-income strata of the city, lost their right to vote. Judicial reform has undergone changes. In the new regulations on zemstvos of 1890, class and noble representation was strengthened. In 1882-1884. Many publications were closed, and the autonomy of universities was abolished. Primary schools were transferred to the church department - the Synod.

These events revealed the idea of ​​the “official nationality” of the times of Nicholas I - the slogan “Orthodoxy. Autocracy. The spirit of humility" was in tune with the slogans of a bygone era. New official ideologists K. P. Pobedonostsev (Chief Prosecutor of the Synod), M. N. Katkov (editor of the Moskovskie Vedomosti), Prince V. Meshchersky (publisher of the newspaper Citizen) omitted from the old formula “Orthodoxy, autocracy and the people” the word “people” as “dangerous”; they preached the humility of his spirit before the autocracy and the church. In practice, the new policy resulted in an attempt to strengthen the state by relying on the noble class traditionally loyal to the throne. Administrative measures were supported by economic support for landowners.

On October 20, 1894, in Crimea, 49-year-old Alexander III suddenly died of acute kidney inflammation. Nicholas II ascended the imperial throne.

In January 1895, at the first meeting of representatives of the nobles, the top of zemstvos, cities and Cossack troops with the new Tsar, Nicholas II declared his readiness to “protect the principles of autocracy as firmly and steadily as his father did.” During these years, representatives of the royal family, which by the beginning of the 20th century numbered up to 60 members, often intervened in government administration. Most of the Grand Dukes occupied important administrative and military posts. The Tsar's uncles, the brothers of Alexander III - Grand Dukes Vladimir, Alexei, Sergei and cousins ​​Nikolai Nikolaevich, Alexander Mikhailovich, had a particularly great influence on politics.

Domestic policy

His departure was a real escape. On the day he was supposed to leave, four imperial trains stood ready at four different stations in St. Petersburg, and while they were waiting, the emperor left with a train that was standing on a siding.

Nothing, not even the need for coronation, could force the tsar to leave the Gatchina palace - for two years he ruled uncrowned. Fear of the “People's Will” and hesitation in choosing a political course determined this time for the emperor.

Economic poverty was accompanied by a delay in the mental and legal development of the mass of the population; education under Alexander III was again put under the blinders from which it had escaped after the abolition of serfdom. Alexander III expressed the attitude of tsarism to education in a litter on a report that literacy was very low in the Tobolsk province: “And thank God!”

Alexander III encouraged unprecedented persecution of Jews in the 80s and 90s. They were evicted to the Pale of Settlement (20 thousand Jews were evicted from Moscow alone), a percentage norm was established for them in secondary and then higher educational institutions (within the Pale of Settlement - 10%, outside the Pale - 5, in the capitals - 3%) .

The new period in the history of Russia, which began with the reforms of the 1860s, ended by the end of the 19th century with counter-reforms. For thirteen years, Alexander III, in the words of G.V. Plekhanov, “sowed the wind.” His successor, Nicholas II, had to reap the storm.

For thirteen years Alexander III the wind sowed. Nicholas II will have to prevent the storm broke out. Will he succeed?

Professor S. S. Oldenburg, in his scientific work on the history of the reign of Emperor Nicholas II, touching on the internal policies of his father, testified that during the reign of Emperor Alexander III, among others, the following main tendency of power appeared: the desire to give Russia more internal unity by asserting primacy Russian elements of the country.

Foreign policy

The reign of Emperor Alexander III brought serious changes in foreign policy. The closeness with Germany and Prussia, so characteristic of the reigns of Catherine the Great, Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, gave way to a noticeable cooling, especially after the resignation of Bismarck, with whom Alexander III signed a special three-year Russian-German treaty on “benevolent neutrality” in in the event of an attack by any third country on Russia or Germany.

N.K. Girs became the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Experienced diplomats of the Gorchakov school remained at the head of many departments of the ministry and in the Russian embassies of the leading countries of the world. The main directions of Alexander III's foreign policy were as follows.

1. Strengthening influence in the Balkans;
2. Search for reliable allies;
3. Supporting peaceful relations with all countries;
4. Establishing borders in the south of Central Asia;
5. Consolidation of Russia in new territories of the Far East.

Russian policy in the Balkans. After the Berlin Congress, Austria-Hungary significantly strengthened its influence in the Balkans. Having occupied Bosnia and Herzegovina, it began to seek to extend its influence to other Balkan countries. Austria-Hungary was supported in its aspirations by Germany. Austria-Hungary began to try to weaken Russia's influence in the Balkans. Bulgaria became the center of the struggle between Austria-Hungary and Russia.

By this time, an uprising against Turkish rule had broken out in Eastern Rumelia (Southern Bulgaria within Turkey). Turkish officials were expelled from Eastern Rumelia. The annexation of Eastern Rumelia to Bulgaria was announced.

The unification of Bulgaria caused an acute Balkan crisis. A war between Bulgaria and Turkey with the involvement of Russia and other countries could break out at any moment. Alexander III was angry. The unification of Bulgaria took place without the knowledge of Russia; this led to complications in Russia’s relations with Turkey and Austria-Hungary. Russia suffered heavy human losses in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. and was not ready for a new war. And Alexander III for the first time retreated from the traditions of solidarity with the Balkan peoples: he advocated strict observance of the articles of the Berlin Treaty. Alexander III invited Bulgaria to solve its foreign policy problems on its own, recalled Russian officers and generals, and did not interfere in Bulgarian-Turkish affairs. Nevertheless, the Russian ambassador to Turkey announced to the Sultan that Russia would not allow a Turkish invasion of Eastern Rumelia.

In the Balkans, Russia has turned from Turkey’s adversary into its de facto ally. Russia's position was undermined in Bulgaria, as well as in Serbia and Romania. In 1886, diplomatic relations between Russia and Bulgaria were severed. In the city, Ferdinand I, Prince of Coburg, who had previously been an officer in the Austrian service, became the new Bulgarian prince. The new Bulgarian prince understood that he was the ruler of an Orthodox country. He tried to take into account the deep Russophile sentiments of the broad masses of the people and even chose the Russian Tsar Nicholas II as godfathers to his heir, son Boris, in 1894. But the former Austrian army officer was never able to overcome “a feeling of insurmountable antipathy and a certain fear” towards Russia. Russia's relations with Bulgaria remained strained.

Search for allies. At the same time in the 80s. Russia's relations with England are becoming more complicated. The clash of interests of two European states is taking place in the Balkans, Turkey, and Central Asia. At the same time, relations between Germany and France are becoming more complicated. Both states were on the brink of war with each other. In this situation, both Germany and France began to seek an alliance with Russia in case of war with each other. In the city, German Chancellor O. Bismarck proposed that Russia and Austria-Hungary renew the “Union of Three Emperors” for six years. The essence of this alliance was that the three states pledged to comply with the decisions of the Berlin Congress, not to change the situation in the Balkans without each other’s consent, and to maintain neutrality towards each other in case of war. It should be noted that the effectiveness of this union for Russia was insignificant. At the same time, O. Bismarck, secretly from Russia, concluded the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy) against Russia and France, which provided for the participating countries to provide military assistance to each other in the event of hostilities with Russia or France. The conclusion of the Triple Alliance did not remain a secret for Alexander III. The Russian Tsar began to look for other allies.

Far Eastern direction. At the end of the 19th century. Japanese expansion rapidly intensified in the Far East. Japan until the 60s XIX century was a feudal country, but in - gg. a bourgeois revolution took place there, and the Japanese economy began to develop dynamically. With the help of Germany, Japan created a modern army, and with the help of England and the United States, it actively built its fleet. At the same time, Japan pursued an aggressive policy in the Far East.

Private life

The main residence of the emperor (due to the threat of terrorism) became Gatchina. He lived for a long time in Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo, and when he came to St. Petersburg, he stayed in the Anichkov Palace. He didn't like winter.

Court etiquette and ceremony became much simpler under Alexander. He greatly reduced the staff of the Ministry of the Court, reduced the number of servants and introduced strict control over the expenditure of money. Expensive foreign wines were replaced by Crimean and Caucasian ones, and the number of balls was limited to four per year.

At the same time, huge amounts of money were spent on purchasing art objects. The emperor was a passionate collector, second only to Catherine II in this regard. Gatchina Castle literally turned into a warehouse of priceless treasures. Alexander's acquisitions - paintings, art objects, carpets and the like - no longer fit in the galleries of the Winter Palace, Anichkov Palace and other palaces. However, in this hobby the emperor did not show either subtle taste or great understanding. Among his acquisitions were many ordinary things, but there were also many masterpieces that later became a true national treasure of Russia.

Unlike all his predecessors on the Russian throne, Alexander adhered to strict family morality. He was an exemplary family man - a loving husband and a good father, he never had mistresses or connections on the side. At the same time, he was also one of the most pious Russian sovereigns. Alexander's simple and direct soul knew neither religious doubts, nor religious pretense, nor the temptations of mysticism. He firmly adhered to the Orthodox canons, always stood through the service to the end, prayed earnestly and enjoyed church singing. The Emperor willingly donated to monasteries, to the construction of new churches and the restoration of ancient ones. Under him, church life noticeably revived.

Alexander's hobbies were also simple and artless. He was passionate about hunting and fishing. Often in the summer the royal family went to the Finnish skerries. Here, among picturesque semi-wild nature, in the labyrinths of numerous islands and canals, freed from palace etiquette, the august family felt like an ordinary and happy family, devoting most of their time to long walks, fishing and boating. The emperor's favorite hunting spot was Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Sometimes the imperial family, instead of relaxing in the skerries, went to Poland to the Principality of Lović, and there they enthusiastically indulged in hunting fun, especially deer hunting, and most often ended their vacation with a trip to Denmark, to Bernstorff Castle - the ancestral castle of the Dagmars, where they often gathered from all over Europe her crowned relatives.

During the summer holidays, ministers could distract the emperor only in emergency cases. True, throughout the rest of the year, Alexander devoted himself entirely to business. He was a very hardworking sovereign. Every morning I got up at 7 o’clock, washed my face with cold water, made myself a cup of coffee and sat down at my desk. Often the working day ended late at night.

Death

Train crash with the royal family

And yet, despite a relatively healthy lifestyle, Alexander died quite young, not reaching the age of 50, completely unexpectedly for both his relatives and his subjects. In October, a royal train coming from the south crashed at Borki station, 50 kilometers from Kharkov. Seven carriages were smashed to pieces, there were many casualties, but the royal family remained intact. At that moment they were eating pudding in the dining car. During the crash, the roof of the carriage collapsed. With incredible efforts, Alexander held her on his shoulders until help arrived.

However, soon after this incident, the emperor began to complain of lower back pain. Professor Trube, who examined Alexander, came to the conclusion that the terrible concussion from the fall marked the beginning of kidney disease. The disease progressed steadily. The Emperor increasingly felt unwell. His complexion became sallow, his appetite disappeared, and his heart was not working well. In winter he caught a cold, and in September, while hunting in Belovezhye, he felt completely unwell. Berlin professor Leiden, who urgently arrived on call to

It is precisely such kings that today’s monarchists sigh about. Perhaps they are right. Alexander III was truly great. Both a man and an emperor.

“It’s biting me!”

However, some dissidents of that time, including Vladimir Lenin, joked quite wickedly at the emperor. In particular, they nicknamed him “Pineapple”. True, Alexander himself gave the reason for this. In the manifesto “On Our Accession to the Throne” dated April 29, 1881, it was clearly stated: “And entrust the Sacred Duty to Us.” So, when the document was read out, the king inevitably turned into an exotic fruit.

In fact, it is unfair and dishonest. Alexander was distinguished by amazing strength. He could easily break a horseshoe. He could easily bend silver coins in his palms. He could lift a horse on his shoulders. And even force him to sit like a dog - this is recorded in the memoirs of his contemporaries. At a dinner in the Winter Palace, when the Austrian ambassador started talking about how his country was ready to form three corps of soldiers against Russia, he bent and tied a fork. He threw it towards the ambassador. And he said: “This is what I will do with your buildings.”

Heir Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich with his wife Tsarevna and Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, St. Petersburg, late 1860s. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Height - 193 cm. Weight - more than 120 kg. It is not surprising that a peasant, who accidentally saw the emperor at the railway station, exclaimed: “This is the king, the king, damn me!” The wicked man was immediately seized for “uttering indecent words in the presence of the sovereign.” However, Alexander ordered the foul-mouthed man to be released. Moreover, he awarded him a ruble with his own image: “Here’s my portrait for you!”

And his look? Beard? Crown? Remember the cartoon "The Magic Ring"? “I’m drinking tea.” Damn samovar! Each device has three pounds of sieve bread!” It's all about him. He really could eat 3 pounds of sieve bread at tea, that is, about 1.5 kg.

At home he liked to wear a simple Russian shirt. But definitely with sewing on the sleeves. He tucked his pants into his boots, like a soldier. Even at official receptions he allowed himself to wear worn trousers, a jacket or a sheepskin coat.

His phrase is often repeated: “While the Russian Tsar is fishing, Europe can wait.” In reality it was like this. Alexander was very correct. But he really loved fishing and hunting. Therefore, when the German ambassador demanded an immediate meeting, Alexander said: “He’s biting!” It's biting me! Germany can wait. I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”

Right at heart

During his reign, conflicts with Great Britain began. Dr. Watson, the hero of the famous novel about Sherlock Holmes, was wounded in Afghanistan. And, apparently, in a battle with the Russians. There is a documented episode. A Cossack patrol detained a group of Afghan smugglers. They had two Englishmen with them - instructors. The patrol commander, Esaul Pankratov, shot the Afghans. And he ordered the British to be expelled outside the Russian Empire. True, I first flogged them with whips.

In an audience with the British ambassador, Alexander said:

I will not allow attacks on our people and our territory.

The ambassador replied:

This could cause an armed clash with England!

The king calmly remarked:

Well... We'll probably manage.

And he mobilized the Baltic Fleet. It was 5 times smaller than the forces that the British had at sea. And yet the war did not happen. The British calmed down and gave up their positions in Central Asia.

After that English Home Secretary Disraeli called Russia “a huge, monstrous, terrible bear that hangs over Afghanistan and India. And our interests in the world."

One can indeed yearn for such a sovereign. Alexander's older brother Nikolai(he died without ascending the throne) said about the future emperor: “A pure, truthful, crystal soul. There's something wrong with the rest of us, foxes. Alexander alone is truthful and correct in soul.”

In Europe, they talked about his death in much the same way: “We are losing an arbiter who was always guided by the idea of ​​justice.”

The greatest deeds of Alexander III

The emperor is credited, and, apparently, with good reason, with the invention of the flat flask. And not just flat, but bent, the so-called “booter”. Alexander loved to drink, but did not want others to know about his addictions. A flask of this shape is ideal for secret use.

It is he who owns the slogan, for which today one can seriously pay: “Russia is for Russians.” Nevertheless, his nationalism was not aimed at bullying national minorities. In any case, the Jewish deputation headed by Baron Gunzburg expressed to the emperor “infinite gratitude for the measures taken to protect the Jewish population in these difficult times.”

The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway has begun - so far this is almost the only transport artery that somehow connects the whole of Russia. The Emperor also established Railway Worker's Day. Even the Soviet government did not cancel it, despite the fact that Alexander set the date of the holiday on the birthday of his grandfather Nicholas I, during whom the construction of railways began in our country.

Actively fought corruption. Not in words, but in deeds. Minister of Railways Krivoshein and Minister of Finance Abaza were sent into dishonorable resignation for taking bribes. He did not bypass his relatives either - due to corruption, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich and Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich were deprived of their posts.

On March 10 (February 26, old style), 1845 - exactly 165 years ago - the following message was published in the Gazette of the St. Petersburg City Police: " On February 26, Her Imperial Highness the Empress Tsesarevna and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna was safely delivered of the burden of the Grand Duke, named Alexander. This happy event was announced to the residents of the capital at three o'clock in the afternoon by three hundred and one cannon shots from the bastions of the Peter and Paul Fortress, and in the evening the capital was illuminated". Thus, the second son of Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich, entered into life, who, by the will of fate, was destined to become Emperor of Russia Alexander III.

"In the whole world we have only two true allies - our army and navy. Everyone else, at the first opportunity, will take up arms against us."

"Russia - for Russians and in Russian"

Alexander III

By God's hastening grace, Alexander the Third, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Tauride Chersonis, Tsar of Georgia; Sovereign of Pskov and Grand Duke of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volyn, Podolsk and Finland; Prince of Estland, Livonia, Courland and Semigal, Samogit, Bialystok, Korel, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatka, Bulgarian and others; Sovereign and Grand Duke of Novagorod of the Nizovsky lands, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Beloozersky, Udorsky, Obdorsky, Kondiysky, Vitebsk, Mstislavsky and all Northern countries Ruler and Sovereign of Iversky, Kartalinsky and Kabardinsky lands and Armenian regions, Cherkassy and Mountain Princes and other hereditary Sovereign and Possessor, Sovereign of Turkestan, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstin, Stormarn, Ditmarsen and Oldenburg and so on, and so on, and so on

Later, contemporaries and descendants would call Alexander III Tsar the Peacemaker: this is due to the fact that during his reign Russia did not wage a single war. But this is not his only merit; during the 13 years of his reign, he managed to do a lot for Russia, for which the Russian people were grateful to him and considered him truly one of their own. The enemies of Russia still fear and hate this Russian Tsar.

Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich in childhood

Zaryanko S.K. Portrait of Grand Duke Tsarevich Alexander Alexandrovich 1867
(State Russian Museum)

Family... family from early childhood until the end of his life was the basis for Emperor Alexander III. " If there is anything good, good and honest in Me, then I owe this solely to our dear dear Mother... Thanks to Mom, we, all the brothers and Mary, became and remained true Christians and fell in love with both the faith and the Church...”(from a letter from Emperor Alexander III to his wife Maria Feodorovna). Empress Maria Alexandrovna raised Alexander to be a deeply religious and decent person with strong moral principles. He also owes her love for art, Russian nature, and history. Alexander's education began at the age of eight and lasted twelve years. The required list of lessons was as follows: the Law of God, general history, Russian history, mathematics, geography, Russian language, gymnastics, fencing, languages, etc. The teachers were the best people of Russia: historian Professor S. M. Solovyov, philologist - Slavist Professor F. I. Buslaev, creator of Russian classical orthography Academician Y. K. Grot, General M. I. Dragomirov, Professor K. P. Pobedonostsev. Alexander considered M. Yu. Lermontov to be his favorite poet; he knew German, French and English well, but used only Russian in communication.

Jokers... the famous Romanov pyramid

In the photo: Prince Albert of Altenburg, Grand Duke Alexander, his brother Vladimir and Prince Nicholas of Leuchtenberg

But still, the boy was mainly prepared for a military career and it was not expected that he would rule the state. On his birthday, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich was enlisted by the Highest Order into the Life Guards Hussar, Preobrazhensky and Pavlovsk regiments and appointed chief of the Astrakhan Carabinieri of His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich regiment. But... in April 1865, in Nice, the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, dies of a serious illness and the eternal prince Alexander Alexandrovich, according to the will of Emperor Alexander II, becomes the heir to the throne.

Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna and Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich

Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich Photo 1873

Khudoyarov V.P. Portrait of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich

Unknown artist Portrait of Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna 1880

Mihai Zichy Wedding of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich and Maria Feodorovna

On October 28, 1865, Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich entered into marriage with the former bride of his older brother Nikolai Alexandrovich, the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Dagmara, who took the name Maria Feodorovna in Orthodoxy. This marriage was happy, six children were born in love, although the fate of some was very tragic.

Sverchkov N. Alexander III 1881

(State Palace-Museum Tsarskoe Selo)

Communion of the Holy Mysteries by Sovereign Emperor Alexander III during the coronation 1883

Alexander Alexandrovich ascended the throne on March 14 (March 1, old style) 1881 at the age of 36, after the villainous murder of Alexander II by Narodnaya Volya. The coronation took place on May 28 (May 15, old style) 1883 after the end of mourning for his father. And immediately it was necessary to solve important state affairs, and one of them was one that his father did not have time to complete. The Dane Besgorn, author of the book "Allexandre III et Nicolas II" says: "...Not a single monarch ascended the throne under such circumstances as Emperor Alexander III. Before he had time to recover from the first horror, he immediately had to resolve the most important, most urgent matter - the project presented by Count Loris-Melikov constitution, approved in principle by Emperor Alexander II. At first impression, Emperor Alexander III wanted to fulfill the last will of his parent, but his inherent prudence stopped him".

Kramskoy I. N. Portrait of Alexander III 1886

The reign of Alexander III was tough, but tough on those who wanted to destroy Russia. At the very beginning of the reign of Emperor Alexander III, it was announced: " The Voice of God commands us to stand vigorously in the work of government, trusting in the Divine Thought, with faith in the power and truth of autocratic power, which we are called upon to affirm and protect for the good of the people from any encroachments on it."By the mid-1880s, the government, through repression, managed to suppress the revolutionary movement, primarily the People's Will. At the same time, a number of measures were taken to ease the financial situation of the people and mitigate social tension in society (the introduction of compulsory ransom and the reduction of ransom payments , the establishment of the Peasant Land Bank, the introduction of factory inspection, the gradual abolition of the poll tax, etc.) Under Alexander III, Russia received the right to maintain a fleet on the Black Sea, but the fleet did not exist, it appeared there only after the death of Emperor Alexander III.

Dmitriev-Orenburgsky N. Portrait of Emperor Alexander III 1896

Family of Emperor Alexander III

Alexander III was a connoisseur of art, very well versed in painting and had his own good collection of works of Russian and foreign art. On the initiative of the Emperor, the Russian Museum was opened in St. Petersburg. Officially it was called "Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III". The Tsar transferred his collection, as well as the collection of Russian paintings of the Imperial Hermitage, to the new museum. The Museum of Fine Arts (now the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow) was also named in honor of Emperor Alexander III. Alexander III loved music, played the horn, patronized P. I. Tchaikovsky, and himself participated in home concerts. Under him, the first university in Siberia was opened - in Tomsk, a project was prepared for the creation of the Russian Archaeological Institute in Constantinople, and the famous Historical Museum was founded in Moscow.

Serov V.A. Emperor Alexander III in the uniform of the Royal Danish Life Guards Regiment against the background of the northern facade of Fredensborg Castle 1899

(Meeting of the officer corps of the Royal Danish Life Guards)

As a person, Alexander III was simple, modest and unpretentious in everyday life; he did not like small talk and receptions. He was distinguished by his thriftiness. The Emperor was distinguished by his enormous physical strength. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, the emperor's daughter, recalled: " Father possessed the strength of Hercules, but he never showed it in the presence of strangers. He said that he could bend a horseshoe and tie a spoon in a knot, but he did not dare to do this, so as not to anger his mother. One day in his office he bent and then straightened an iron poker. I remember how he looked at the door, fearing that someone would come in.".

Makarov I.K. Sermon on the Mount 1889

(the painting depicts the family of Alexander III and was painted after the tragedy in Borki)

During the tragic events at the Borki station in the Zmievsky district of the Kharkov province on October 30 (17 old style), 1888, the Emperor held the roof of the carriage on his shoulders while his entire family and other victims climbed out from under the rubble.

The family of Emperor Alexander III and the court retinue after the hunt 1886

Alexander III with his family hunting

Alexander III on the hunt

But the disease did not spare him. Emperor Alexander III did not like to be treated or talk about his illness. In the summer of 1894, hunting in Spala, among the swamps, weakened the Emperor even more. On the advice of doctors, he immediately left from there for Livadia and here he began to quickly fade away, surrounded by the care of the best Russian foreign doctors and closest relatives. Emperor Alexander III died on October 20, 1894, at the age of 50, having reigned for 13 years, 7 months and 19 days... remaining in memory as the most Russian Tsar of Russia.

Mihai Zichy Memorial service for Alexander III in his bedroom in the Small Palace in Livadia 1895

(State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg)

Emperor Alexander III on his deathbed Photo 1894

Brozh K.O. Funeral of Alexander III in the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg 1894

(State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg)

At the grave of Emperor Alexander III

With a soul imbued with love and humility,
With the seal of goodness and peace on the forehead,
He was a God-sent incarnation
Greatness, goodness and truth on earth.
In days of unrest, in dark, joyless times
Rebellious plans, lack of faith and threats
He lifted the burden of the Tsar's power
And with faith to the end he bore God’s burden.
But not by pride and the power of formidable power,
Not with vain glitter, not with blood and sword -
He is lies, and hostility, and flattery, and evil passions
He humbled and conquered only with truth and goodness.
He exalted Rus', his feat was not a single
Without overshadowing with enmity, without demanding praise;
And - a quiet righteous man - before his righteous death,
Like the sun in the sky, it shone over the world!
Human glory is smoke, and earthly life is mortal.
Greatness, noise and brilliance - everything will be silent, everything will pass!
But the glory of God is immortal and incorruptible:
According to native legends, the righteous king will not die.
He is alive - and will live! And to the mountain monastery
Exalted from the throne, before the King of kings
He prays - our King, our bright patron -
For the Son, for the Family, for Rus'... for all people.

A. L. Golenishchev-Kutuzov

P.S. Most of the paintings and photographs are clickable and enlarge to a large size.

Facts from articles used

“In everything, always, everywhere, He was a Christian...” A. Rozhintsev

"Emperor Alexander III. Tsar-Peacemaker" by V.A. Teplov

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 of the 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) was adopted. The “Temporary Rules on the Press,” adopted in 1882, 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 the revolutionary movement, primarily the activities of the Narodnaya Volya 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%).

Russian foreign policy 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

Emperor Alexander III (1845-1894) ascended the throne after the assassination of his father Alexander II by terrorists. Ruled the Russian Empire in 1881-1894. He proved himself to be an extremely tough autocrat, mercilessly fighting any revolutionary manifestations in the country.

On the day of his father’s death, the new ruler of Russia left the Winter Palace and, surrounding himself with heavy security, took refuge in Gatchina. That became his main bet for many years, since the sovereign was afraid of assassination attempts and was especially afraid of being poisoned. He lived extremely secluded, and there were security guards on duty around the clock.

Years of the reign of Alexander III (1881-1894)

Domestic policy

It often happens that a son holds different views than his father. This state of affairs was also typical for the new emperor. Having ascended the throne, he immediately established himself as a consistent opponent of his father’s policies. And by character, the sovereign was not a reformer or thinker.

Here one should take into account the fact that Alexander III was the second son, and the eldest son Nicholas was prepared for government activities from an early age. But he fell ill and died in 1865 at the age of 21. After this, Alexander was considered the heir, but he was no longer a boy, and by that time he had received a rather superficial education.

He came under the influence of his teacher K.P. Pobedonostsev, who was an ardent opponent of reforms along the Western model. Therefore, the new tsar became the enemy of all those institutions that could weaken the autocracy. As soon as the newly-made autocrat ascended the throne, he immediately removed all his father’s ministers from their posts.

He primarily showed his toughness of character in relation to the murderers of Alexander II. Since they committed the crime on March 1, they were called March 1st. All five were sentenced to death by hanging. Many public figures asked the emperor to replace the death penalty with imprisonment, but the new ruler of the Russian Empire upheld the death sentence.

The police regime in the state has noticeably strengthened. It was reinforced by the “Regulation on Enhanced and Emergency Security.” As a result, protests have noticeably decreased, and terrorist activity has sharply declined. There was only one successful attempt on the life of prosecutor Strelnikov in 1882 and one unsuccessful attempt on the emperor in 1887. Despite the fact that the conspirators were just about to kill the sovereign, they were hanged. In total, 5 people were executed, and among them was Lenin’s elder brother Alexander Ulyanov.

At the same time, the situation of the people became easier. Purchase payments decreased, banks began to issue loans to peasants for the purchase of arable land. Poll taxes were abolished, and night factory work for women and teenagers was limited. Emperor Alexander III also signed a decree “On the conservation of forests.” Its implementation was entrusted to the governors general. In 1886, the Russian Empire established a national holiday, Railwayman's Day. The financial system stabilized, and industry began to develop rapidly.

Foreign policy

The years of the reign of Emperor Alexander III were peaceful, so the sovereign was called Peacemaker. He was primarily concerned with finding reliable allies. Relations with Germany did not work out due to trade rivalry, so Russia became closer to France, which was interested in an anti-German alliance. In 1891, the French squadron arrived in Kronstadt on a friendly visit. The Emperor himself met her.

He twice prevented a German attack on France. And the French, as a sign of gratitude, named one of the main bridges over the Seine in honor of the Russian emperor. In addition, Russian influence in the Balkans increased. Clear borders were established in the south of Central Asia, and Russia completely gained a foothold in the Far East.

In general, even the Germans noted that the Emperor of the Russian Empire is a real autocrat. And when enemies say this, it costs a lot.

The Russian emperor was deeply convinced that the royal family should be a role model. Therefore, in his personal relationships he adhered to the principles of decent Christian behavior. In this, apparently, the fact that the sovereign was in love with his wife played an important role. She was the Danish Princess Sophia Frederica Dagmara (1847-1928). After accepting Orthodoxy she became Maria Feodorovna.

At first, the girl was destined to be the wife of the heir to the throne, Nikolai Alexandrovich. The bride came to Russia and met the Romanov family. Alexander fell in love with the Danish woman at first sight, but did not dare to express it in any way, since she was the fiancée of his older brother. However, Nikolai died before the wedding, and Alexander’s hands were untied.

Alexander III with his wife Maria Feodorovna

In the summer of 1866, the new heir to the throne proposed marriage to the girl. Soon the engagement took place, and on October 28, 1866, the young people got married. Maria fit perfectly into the capital's society, and the happy marriage lasted almost 30 years.

Husband and wife separated very rarely. The Empress even accompanied her husband on a bear hunt. When the spouses wrote letters to each other, they were filled with love and care for each other. This marriage produced 6 children. Among them is the future Emperor Nicholas II. Maria Fedorovna, after the start of the revolution, went to her homeland in Denmark, where she died in 1928, having long outlived her beloved husband.

The idyll of family life was almost destroyed by a train accident that occurred on October 17, 1888. The tragedy occurred not far from Kharkov near the Borki station. The royal train was carrying the crowned family from Crimea and was traveling at high speed. As a result, he derailed on a railway embankment. In this case, 21 people were killed and 68 were injured.

As for the royal family, at the time of the tragedy they were having dinner. The dining car fell down an embankment and collapsed. The roof of the carriage fell down, but the Russian Tsar, who had a powerful physique and a height of 1.9 meters, put his shoulders up and held the roof until the whole family got out to a safe place. Such a happy ending was perceived by the people as a sign of God's grace. Everyone began to say that now nothing terrible would happen to the Romanov dynasty.

However, Emperor Alexander III died relatively young. His life was cut short on October 20, 1894 in the Livadia Palace (the royal residence in Crimea) from chronic nephritis. The disease caused complications in the blood vessels and heart, and the sovereign died at the age of 49 (read more in the article Death of Alexander III). Emperor Nicholas II Romanov ascended the Russian throne.

Leonid Druzhnikov