Board of Alexander 1

The reign of Alexander 1 was for the years of Napoleon's military campaign, fatal for the whole of Europe. "Alexander" is translated as "the winner", and the king fully justified his proud name, which was given to him by his crowned grandmother Catherine II.

A few months before the birth of the future Emperor Alexander in St. Petersburg, the worst flood of the 18th century occurred. The water rose above three meters. Alexander's mother, the wife of Emperor Pavel Petrovich, was so terrified that everyone was afraid of premature birth, but everything turned out. Alexander 1 himself saw in this flood of 1777 a certain sign that was given to him from before birth.

The upbringing of the heir to the throne with pleasure was engaged in his grandmother, Catherine II. She independently selected her beloved grandson of teachers, she wrote special instructions, in what way it is necessary to lead education and training. Alexander's father, Emperor Paul 1, also strove to educate his son in accordance with his strict rules and demanded strict obedience. This confrontation between father and grandmother left an indelible imprint on the character of young Alexander. He often was at a loss - who could he listen to, how to behave. This situation accustomed the future emperor to secrecy and secrecy.

Ascent to the throne of Alexander 1 is associated with the tragic events in the palace. His father, Paul 1, was strangled as a result of the conspiracy, of which Alexander was well informed. But nevertheless, the news of his father's death brought Alexander almost to a state of fainting. For several days he could not come to his senses and listened to the conspirators in everything. The reign of Alexander 1 began in 1801, when he was 24 years old. Throughout his later life, the Emperor will suffer with remorse and in all life's troubles see punishment for aiding in the murder of Paul.

The beginning of the reign of Alexander 1 was marked by the abolition of the old rules and laws that Paul introduced at his time. All disgraced nobles were returned rights and titles. The priests were freed from corporal punishment, the Secret Chancery and the Secret Expedition were closed, and the election of representatives of the nobility resumed.

Alexander 1 even took care of the abolition of restrictions in clothing, which were introduced under Paul 1. The soldiers relieved to remove white wigs with braids, and civil officials again were able to wear vests, coats and round hats.

The emperor gradually sent conspirators away from the palace: some to Siberia, some to the Caucasus.

The reign of Alexander 1 began with moderately liberal reforms, whose projects were developed by the sovereign himself and his young friends: Prince Kochubey, Earl Novosiltsev, Count Stroganov. They called their activity "Committee of Public Salvation". The townspeople and merchants were allowed to receive unsettled lands, the Tsarskoe Selo Lyceum was opened, universities were founded in different cities of Russia.

The closest assistant to Alexander since 1808 is the State Secretary Speransky, who was also a supporter of active state reforms. In the same year, the emperor appointed the military minister AA Arakcheev, the former protégé of Paul I. He believed that Arakcheev "betrayed without flattery," therefore entrusted him to give orders that he himself gave himself.

Alexander's reign was still not aggressively reformist, so even Speransky's state reform project implemented only the most "safe" items. The Emperor did not show special perseverance and consistency.

In foreign policy, the same picture was observed. Russia concluded peace treaties immediately with England and France, trying to maneuver between the two countries. However, in 1805, Alexander 1 was forced to join the coalition against France, as the concrete threat of enslaving Napoleon throughout Europe began to emerge. In the same year, Allied forces (Austria, Russia and Prussia) suffered devastating defeats at Austerlitz and Friedland, which led to the signing of the Peace of Tilsit with Napoleon.

But this world turned out to be very fragile, and ahead of Russia the war of 1812, the destructive fire of Moscow and the cruellest fighting battle near Borodino awaited. The French will be expelled from Russia, and the Russian army will triumphantly over the countries of Europe to Paris itself. Alexander 1 was destined to become a liberator and lead a coalition of European countries against France.

The zenith of Alexander's glory was his entry with the army into defeated Paris. Local residents, making sure that their city would not be burned, was greeted with enthusiasm and jubilation by Russian troops. Therefore, the reign of Alexander 1 in many is associated with the fateful victory over the troops of Napoleon in the war of 1812.

Having finished with Bonaparte, the emperor stopped liberal reforms in his country. Speransky was removed from all posts and sent to exile in Nizhny Novgorod. The landlords were again allowed to arbitrarily exile their serfs to Siberia without trial and effect. The universities have imposed restrictions on their autonomy.

At the same time, religious and mystical organizations began to develop actively in St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Masonic lodges, which were banned by Catherine II, revived again. The reign of Alexander 1 was included in the rut of conservatism and mysticism.

The chairmanship in the Synod was given to the St. Petersburg patriarch, and the Tsar appointed the members of the Synod personally. Officially, the Chief Procurator, Alexander's friend, Prince Golitsyn , followed the work of the Synod . In 1817, he also headed the Ministry of Spiritual Affairs, created by the decree of the emperor. The secular life of the society was gradually filled with ever greater mysticism and religious exaltation. Numerous spiritualistic sessions, Biblical societies, house churches with strange rituals introduced a spirit of heretics and created a serious threat to the foundations of the Orthodox faith.

Therefore, the church declared war on mysticism. The monk Photius led this movement. He closely followed the meetings of the mystics, which books they publish, what statements come out of their midst. He publicly cursed Freemasons, burned their publications. The military minister Arakcheev supported the Orthodox clergy in this struggle, so under general pressure Golitsyn had to resign. However, the echoes of firmly entrenched mysticism for a long time made themselves felt in the midst of Russian secular society.

Alexander himself 1 in the 20-ies of the 19 century increasingly began to visit the monasteries and talk about his desire to abdicate. Any denunciations about conspiracies and the creation of secret societies do not touch him any more. All events he perceives as punishment for the death of his father and for his extramarital affairs. He wants to retire and devote a further life to the redemption of sins.

The reign of Alexander 1 was completed in 1825 - according to documents he died in Taganrog, where he went with his wife for treatment. The Emperor was transported to St. Petersburg in a closed coffin. Eyewitnesses said that his face had changed very much. According to rumors, at the same time in Taganrog died a courier, very similar in appearance to Alexander. Until now, many people believe that the emperor used the occasion to leave the throne and go to wander. So it is or not - there are no historical facts on this score.

The results of the reign of Alexander 1 can be summed up as follows: it was a very inconsistent board, where the liberal reforms that had begun were replaced by a strict conservatism. At the same time, Alexander 1 forever went down in history as the liberator of Russia and all of Europe. He was honored and praised, admired and praised, but his own conscience did not give him rest all his life.