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Alexander 3 and his sons. Alexander III - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information. Domestic and foreign policy

All-Russian Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov was born on February 26 (old style) 1845 in St. Petersburg in the Anichkov Palace. His father was a reforming emperor, and his mother was a queen. The boy was the third child in a family that later had five more children. His older brother Nicholas was preparing to become king, and Alexander was destined for the fate of a military man.

As a child, the Tsarevich studied without much zeal, and the teachers were undemanding to him. In the memoirs of his contemporaries, young Alexander was not very smart, but he had a sound mind and the gift of reasoning.

Alexander was kind-hearted and a little shy, although he had a distinguished figure: with a height of 193 cm, his weight reached 120 kg. Despite his stern appearance, the young man loved art. He took painting lessons from Professor Tikhobrazov and studied music. Alexander mastered playing brass and woodwind instruments. Subsequently, he will support Russian art in every possible way and, with sufficient unpretentiousness in everyday life, will collect a good collection of works by Russian artists. And in opera houses, with his light hand, Russian operas and ballets will begin to be staged much more often than European ones.

Tsarevichs Nicholas and Alexander were very close to each other. The younger brother even claimed that there was no one closer and more beloved to him except Nikolai. Therefore, when in 1865, the heir to the throne, while traveling in Italy, suddenly felt ill and died suddenly from spinal tuberculosis, Alexander could not accept this loss for a long time. In addition, it turned out that it was he who became a contender for the throne, for which Alexander was completely unprepared.

The young man’s teachers were horrified for a moment. The young man was urgently assigned a course of special lectures, which were read to him by his mentor Konstantin Pobedonostsev. After his accession to the kingdom, Alexander will make his teacher an adviser and will turn to him for the rest of his life. Nikolai Alexandrovich Kachalov was appointed another assistant to the Tsarevich, with whom the young man traveled around Russia.

Enthronement

In early March 1881, after another assassination attempt, Emperor Alexander II died from his wounds, and his son immediately ascended the throne. Two months later, the new emperor published the “Manifesto on the Inviolability of Autocracy,” which stopped all liberal changes in the structure of the state established by his father.

The sacrament of royal coronation took place later - on May 15, 1883 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. During his reign, the royal family moved to the palace in Gatchina.

Domestic policy of Alexander III

Alexander III adhered to pronounced monarchical and nationalist principles; his actions in domestic politics could be called a counter-reformation. The first thing the emperor did was sign decrees with which he sent liberal ministers to retire. Among them were Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich, M. T. Loris-Melikova, D. A. Milyutin, A. A. Abaza. He made K. P. Pobedonostsev, N. Ignatiev, D. A. Tolstoy, M. N. Katkov the key figures in his circle.

In 1889, a talented politician and financier S. Yu. Witte appeared at court, whom Alexander Alexandrovich soon appointed Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport. Sergei Yulievich did a lot for Great Russia. He introduced the backing of the ruble with the country's gold reserves, which contributed to the strengthening of the Russian currency on the international market. This led to the fact that the flow of foreign capital into the Russian Empire increased, and the economy began to develop at an accelerated pace. In addition, he did a lot for the development and construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is still the only road connecting Vladivostok with Moscow.

Despite the fact that Alexander III tightened the right for peasants to receive education and vote in zemstvo elections, he gave them the opportunity to take out loans at low interest rates in order to expand their farms and strengthen their position on the land. The emperor also introduced restrictions for the nobles. Already in the first year of his reign, he abolished all additional payments from the royal treasury to those close to him, and also did a lot to eradicate corruption.

Alexander III strengthened control over students, set a limit on the number of Jewish students in all educational institutions, and tightened censorship. His slogan was the phrase: “Russia for Russians.” On the outskirts of the Empire, he proclaimed active Russification.

Alexander III did a lot for the metallurgical industry and the development of oil and gas production. Under him, a real boom began in improving the well-being of the people, and terrorist threats completely ceased. The autocrat did a lot for Orthodoxy. Under his reign, the number of dioceses increased, new monasteries and churches were built. In 1883, one of the most majestic buildings was erected - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Alexander III left a country with a strong economy as a legacy after his reign.

Foreign policy of Alexander III

Emperor Alexander III, with his wisdom in foreign policy actions and avoidance of wars, went down in history as the Tsar-Peacemaker. But at the same time, he did not forget to strengthen the power of the army. Under Alexander III, the Russian fleet became third after the flotillas of France and Great Britain.

The emperor managed to maintain calm relations with all his main rivals. He signed peace agreements with Germany and England, and also significantly strengthened Franco-Russian friendship on the world stage.

During his reign, the practice of open negotiations was established, and the rulers of the European powers began to trust the Russian Tsar as a wise arbiter in resolving all controversial issues between states.

Personal life

After the death of his heir Nicholas, he was left with a fiancée, the Danish princess Maria Dagmar. Unexpectedly, it turned out that young Alexander was also in love with her. And even despite the fact that for some time he courted his maid of honor, Princess Maria Meshcherskaya, Alexander, at the age of 21, proposes to Maria Sofia Frederica. Thus, in a short period of time, Alexander’s personal life changed, which he never regretted later.

After the wedding sacrament, which took place in the large church of the Winter Palace, the young couple moved to the Anichkov Palace, where they lived until Alexander ascended the throne.

In the family of Alexander Alexandrovich and his wife Maria Feodorovna, who, like all overseas princesses, converted to Orthodoxy before marriage, six children were born, five of whom lived to adulthood.

The elder Nicholas would become the last Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty. Of the younger children - Alexander, Georgy, Ksenia, Mikhail, Olga - only sisters will live to old age. Alexander will die at the age of one year, Georgy will die in his youth from tuberculosis, and Mikhail will share the fate of his brother - he will be shot by the Bolsheviks.

The emperor raised his children in strictness. Their clothing and food were very simple. The royal offspring engaged in physical exercises and received a good education. Peace and harmony reigned in the family; spouses and children often traveled to Denmark to visit relatives.

Failed assassination attempt

On March 1, 1887, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of the emperor. Participants in the conspiracy were students Vasily Osipanov, Vasily Generalov, Pakhomiy Andreyushkin and Alexander Ulyanov. Despite months of preparation for the terrorist attack under the leadership of Pyotr Shevyrev, the young people were unable to carry out their plan to the end. All four were captured by the police and two months after the trial, they were executed by hanging in the Shlisselburg fortress.

Several members of the revolutionary circle, who were also arrested after the terrorists, were sent into long-term exile.

Death

A year after the assassination attempt, an unpleasant event occurred in the life of the royal family: the train in which Alexander and his relatives were traveling crashed near Kharkov. Part of the train overturned, killing people. The mighty emperor held the roof of the carriage in which the royal persons were located for a long time with his own strength for 30 minutes. With this he saved everyone around him. But such overexertion undermined the king’s health. Alexander Alexandrovich developed kidney disease, which slowly progressed.

In the first winter months of 1894, the emperor caught a bad cold and six months later he felt very ill. A professor of medicine from Germany, Ernst Leiden, was called and diagnosed Alexander Alexandrovich with nephropathy. On the recommendation of a doctor, the emperor was sent to Greece, but on the way he became worse, and his family decided to stop in Livadia in Crimea.

Within a month, the king’s heroic physique faded away before everyone’s eyes and died on November 1, 1894 due to complete kidney failure. Over the past month, his confessor John (Yanyshev), as well as Archpriest John Sergiev, in the future John of Kronstadt, was constantly next to him.

An hour and a half after the death of Alexander III, his son Nicholas swore allegiance to the kingdom. The coffin with the emperor's body was delivered to St. Petersburg and solemnly buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The image of the emperor in art

Not as many books have been written about Alexander III as about other conquering emperors. This happened because of his peacefulness and non-conflict nature. His person is mentioned in some historical books dedicated to the Romanov family.

In documentaries, information about him is presented in several feeds of journalists and. Feature films in which the character of Alexander III was present began to appear in 1925. A total of 5 films were published, including “The Shore of Life,” in which Lev Zolotukhin played the peacemaker emperor, as well as “The Barber of Siberia,” where he played this role.

The last film in which the hero of Alexander III appears was the 2017 film “Matilda”. He played the king in it.

Alexander III Alexandrovich Romanov
Years of life: February 26, 1845, Anichkov Palace, St. Petersburg - October 20, 1894, Livadia Palace, Crimea.

Son of Maria Alexandrovna, recognized daughter of Grand Duke Ludwig II of Hesse and Emperor.

Emperor of All Russia (March 1 (13), 1881 - October 20 (November 1), 1894), Tsar of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from March 1, 1881.

From the Romanov dynasty.

He was awarded a special epithet in pre-revolutionary historiography - Peacemaker.

Biography of Alexander III

He was the 2nd son in the imperial family. Born on February 26 (March 10), 1845 in Tsarskoye Selo, his elder brother was preparing to inherit the throne.

The mentor who had a strong influence on his worldview was K.P. Pobedonostsev.

As crown prince, he became a member of the State Council, commander of guards units and ataman of all Cossack troops.

During the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878. he was the commander of the Separate Rushchuk detachment in Bulgaria. Created the Voluntary Fleet of Russia (since 1878), which became the core of the country's merchant fleet and the reserve of the Russian navy.

After the death of his elder brother Nicholas in 1865, he became heir to the throne.

In 1866, he married the fiancee of his deceased brother, the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Princess Sophia Frederica Dagmar, who took the name Maria Feodorovna in Orthodoxy.

Emperor Alexander 3

Having ascended the throne after the assassination of Alexander II on March 1 (13), 1881. (his father’s legs were blown off by a terrorist bomb, and his son spent the last hours of his life next to him), canceled the draft constitutional reform signed by his father immediately before his death. He stated that Russia would pursue a peaceful policy and deal with internal problems - strengthening the autocracy.

His manifesto on April 29 (May 11), 1881 reflected the program of domestic and foreign policy. The main priorities were: maintaining order and power, strengthening church piety and ensuring the national interests of Russia.

Reforms of Alexander 3

The Tsar created the state Peasant Land Bank to issue loans to peasants to purchase land, and also issued a number of laws that eased the situation of workers.

Alexander 3 pursued a tough policy of Russification, which encountered opposition from some Finns and Poles.
After Bismarck's resignation from the post of Chancellor of Germany in 1893, Alexander III Alexandrovich entered into an alliance with France (French-Russian alliance).

In foreign policy, for years of reign of Alexander 3 Russia has firmly taken a leading position in Europe. Possessing enormous physical strength, the tsar symbolized the power and invincibility of Russia for other states. One day, the Austrian ambassador began to threaten him during lunch, promising to move a couple of army corps to the borders. The king listened silently, then took a fork from the table, tied it in a knot and threw it on the ambassador's plate. “This is what we will do with your couple of buildings,” answered the king.

Domestic policy of Alexander 3

Court etiquette and ceremony became much simpler. He significantly reduced the staff of the Ministry of the Court, the number of servants was reduced and strict control over the expenditure of money was introduced. At the same time, huge amounts of money were spent on purchasing art objects, since the emperor was a passionate collector. Under him, Gatchina Castle turned into a warehouse of priceless treasures, which later became a true national treasure of Russia.

Unlike all his predecessor rulers on the Russian throne, he adhered to strict family morals and was an exemplary family man - a loving husband and a good father. He was one of the most devout Russian sovereigns, firmly adhered to the Orthodox canons, willingly donated to monasteries, to the construction of new churches and the restoration of ancient ones.
He was passionate about hunting and fishing, and boating. The emperor's favorite hunting spot was Belovezhskaya Pushcha. He participated in archaeological excavations and loved to play the trumpet in a brass band.

The family had very warm relations. Every year the wedding date was celebrated. Evenings for children were often organized: circus and puppet shows. Everyone was attentive to each other and gave gifts.

The emperor was very hardworking. And yet, despite a healthy lifestyle, he died young, before reaching the age of 50, completely unexpectedly. In October 1888, the royal train crashed near Kharkov. There were many casualties, but the royal family remained intact. With incredible efforts, Alexander held the collapsed roof of the carriage on his shoulders until help arrived.

But soon after this incident, the emperor began to complain of lower back pain. Doctors came to the conclusion that the terrible concussion from the fall was the onset of kidney disease. At the insistence of Berlin doctors, he was sent to Crimea, to Livadia, but the disease progressed.

On October 20, 1894, the emperor died. He was buried in St. Petersburg, in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.
The death of Emperor Alexander III caused an echo throughout the world, flags were lowered in France, and memorial services were held in all churches in England. Many foreign figures called him a peacemaker.

The Marquis of Salisbury said: “Alexander III saved Europe many times from the horrors of war. From his deeds the rulers of Europe should learn how to govern their people.”

He was married to the daughter of the Danish king Christian IX, Dagmara of Denmark (Maria Feodorovna). They had children:

Nicholas II (May 18, 1868 - July 17, 1918),
Alexander (May 20, 1869 - April 21, 1870),
Georgy Alexandrovich (April 27, 1871 - June 28, 1899),
Ksenia Alexandrovna (April 6, 1875 - April 20, 1960, London), also Romanova by marriage,
Mikhail Alexandrovich (December 5, 1878 - June 13, 1918),
Olga Alexandrovna (June 13, 1882 - November 24, 1960).

He had a military rank - general-of-infantry, general-of-cavalry (Russian Imperial Army). The emperor was distinguished by his enormous height.

In 1883, the so-called “coronation ruble” was issued in honor of the coronation of Alexander III.

Alexander III and his time Tolmachev Evgeniy Petrovich

3. ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ALEXANDER III

3. ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ALEXANDER III

Sickness and death are at the core of our destiny.

Gabriel Honore Marcel

1894 became fatal for Alexander III. No one could imagine that this year would be the last for the ruler of Russia, a man whose appearance resembled an epic hero. It seemed that the mighty head of state was the personification of flourishing health. However, life did not spare him. In his youth, he was deeply shocked by the untimely death of his beloved older brother Nikolai.

At the age of twenty-seven, he suffered from a severe form of typhus, as a result of which he lost half of his thick hair. The bloody months of the Russian-Turkish War and the terrorist orgy against his father in the final period of his reign became a serious test for him. It was suggested that Alexander III especially strained his body due to excessive efforts on October 17, 1888, during a train crash in Borki, when he supported the roof of the carriage with his own hands, in which almost his entire family was located. They said that when the bottom of the carriage fell, “the sovereign received a bruise in the kidneys.” However, “regarding this assumption... Professor Zakharyin expressed skepticism, since, in his opinion, the consequences of such a bruise, if there was one, would have manifested themselves earlier, since the disaster in Borki took place five years before the disease was discovered” (186, p. 662).

In the first half of January 1894, the monarch caught a cold and felt unwell. His temperature rose and his cough worsened. Life surgeon G.I. Girsh established that it was influenza (influenza), but the onset of pneumonia was also possible.

Summoned on January 15 to the Anichkov Palace. - surgeon N.A. Velyaminov, in whom the royal couple had special confidence, together with Girsh, listened to the patient. Both doctors found a flu-like inflammatory nest in the lung at a very high temperature, which was reported to the Empress and the Minister of the Court Vorontsov. On January 15, the latter secretly summoned from Moscow the authoritative therapist G. A. Zakharyin, who, after examining the patient, confirmed the diagnosis, somewhat exaggerated the seriousness of the situation and prescribed treatment.

With the active control of Zakharyin and Velyaminov, the treatment went quite normally. In order to neutralize the fables and gossip that had spread throughout the city about the sovereign’s illness, it was decided, at Velyaminov’s suggestion, to issue bulletins signed by the Minister of the Household. The illness of the 49-year-old autocrat came as a surprise to his inner circle and a real shock to the royal family. “As reported,” V.N. Lamzdorf wrote in his diary on January 17, “due to the appearance of some alarming symptoms, Count Vorontsov-Dashkov, with the consent of the empress, telegraphed Professor Zakharyin from Moscow. The sovereign's condition turned out to be very serious, and last night the professor compiled a bulletin, published today in the press. Yesterday, at about one o’clock in the afternoon, Grand Duke Vladimir, leaving the sovereign’s room, burst into tears and terribly frightened His Majesty’s children, saying that it was all over and all that remained was to pray for a miracle” (274, p. 24).

According to Velyaminov, from the time the capital learned about the illness of Alexander III, groups of people gathered in front of the Anichkov Palace who wanted to receive information about the emperor’s health, and when a new bulletin appeared at the gate, a crowded crowd grew opposite. As a rule, those passing by piously took off their hats and crossed themselves; some stopped and, turning their faces to the palace, with naked heads, fervently prayed for the health of the popular emperor. By January 25, the crown bearer had recovered, but for a long time he felt weak and weak and began to work in his office, despite the doctors’ requests to give himself rest. Pointing to the sofa, on which piles of folders with cases lay from one arm to the other, he said to Velyaminov: “Look at what has accumulated here over the several days of my illness; all this awaits my consideration and resolutions; If I let things go for a few more days, I will no longer be able to cope with the current work and catch up on what I missed. There can be no rest for me” (390, 1994, v. 5, p. 284). On January 26, the tsar no longer received doctors, Zakharyin was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky and 15 thousand rubles, his assistant Dr. Belyaev received 1.5 thousand rubles, and a little later Velyaminov was awarded the title of honorary life surgeon.

Velyaminov notes that Alexander III, like his brothers Vladimir and Alexey Alexandrovich, was a typical hereditary arthritic with a sharp tendency towards obesity. The tsar led a rather moderate lifestyle and, as many of those around him note, contrary to the memoirs of P. A. Cherevin, he was not fond of alcohol.

The health of the monarch, of course, was not helped by a number of additional factors, such as constant spicy cooking, excessive absorption of liquid in the form of chilled water and kvass, and many years of smoking a large number of cigarettes and strong Havana cigars. From a young age, Alexander was forced to take part in numerous festive tables with the use of champagne and other wines, namesakes of members of the royal family, receptions, receptions and other similar events.

In recent years, struggling with obesity, he overloaded himself with physical labor (sawing and chopping wood). And perhaps, most importantly, mental fatigue from constant hidden excitement and backbreaking work, usually until 2-3 am, was taking its toll. “With all this,” says Velyaminov, “the sovereign was never treated with water and, at least temporarily, with an anti-gout regimen. The fatal illness that struck him in the fall of the same year would not have been a surprise if the general practitioners had not examined the enormous enlargement of the sovereign’s heart (hypertrophy), which was found during the autopsy. This mistake made by Zakharyin, and then by Leiden, is explained by the fact that the sovereign never allowed himself to be thoroughly examined and was irritated if it was delayed, so the professor-therapists always examined him very hastily” (ibid.). Naturally, if the doctors knew about the acute form of heart failure in the monarch, perhaps they “with the help of an appropriate regime” could delay the sad outcome for several months. The illness he suffered dramatically changed the appearance of the king. Describing the ball in the Winter Palace on February 20, Lamzdorf notes in his diary: “As usual, the sovereign approaches the diplomats lined up in order of seniority at the entrance to the Malachite Hall. Our monarch looks thinner, mainly in his face, his skin has become flabby, he has aged a lot” (174, p. 44).

Alexander III himself cared little about his health and often ignored doctors’ orders. However, as Witte notes, “during the time from Easter to my last all-submissive report (which was probably at the end of July or early August), the sovereign’s illness had already become known to everyone” (84, pp. 436-437). During the summer of 1894, the weather in St. Petersburg was damp and cold all the time, which further intensified the sovereign’s illness. Alexander III felt weak and tired quickly. Remembering his wedding day on July 25 in Peterhof with Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote: “We all saw how tired the sovereign looked, but even he himself could not interrupt the tiring wedding dinner before the appointed hour” (50, p. 110) . About the same day, a major official of the Ministry of the Imperial Court, V. S. Krivenko, recalls that those present at the performance in the summer theater, when the autocrat appeared in the box, “were struck by his sickly appearance, the yellowness of his face, and tired eyes. We started talking about jade” (47, op. 2, d. 672, l. 198). S. D. Sheremetev clarifies: “The wedding day of Ksenia Alexandrovna is a difficult day for the sovereign... I stood in the row when it was all over and we were returning through the exit to the inner chambers of the Great Peterhof Palace. The Emperor walked arm in arm with the Empress. He was pale, terribly pale, and seemed to be swaying, stepping out heavily. He looked like complete exhaustion” (354, p. 599).

However, the ruler of Russia strengthened himself and on August 7, when his illness was in full swing, touring the troops in the Krasnoselsky camp, he traveled more than 12 miles.

“On August 7, at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon,” writes N.A. Epanchin, “the sovereign visited our regiment in the camp at Krasnoye Selo... The sovereign’s illness was already known, but when he entered the meeting, it immediately became obvious to us how he felt feeling very unwell. He moved his legs with some difficulty, his eyes were dull, and his eyelids were drooping... You could see with what effort he spoke, trying to be kind and affectionate... When the Emperor left, we exchanged impressions with bitterness and anxiety. The next day, during a conversation with the Tsarevich at the prize shooting, I asked him how the sovereign’s health was, and said that yesterday we all noticed His Majesty’s sickly appearance. To this, the Tsarevich replied that the Emperor had not been feeling well for a long time, but that the doctors did not find anything threatening, but they considered it necessary for the Emperor to go south and do less business. The sovereign’s kidneys are not functioning satisfactorily, and doctors believe that this largely depends on the sedentary life that the sovereign has been leading lately” (172, pp. 163-164). The Tsar’s personal surgeon G.I. Girsh noted signs of chronic kidney damage, as a result of which the Tsar’s usual stay in Krasnoe Selo and maneuvers were shortened.

After Alexander III fell ill from a sharp girdling pain in the lower back, the outstanding clinician-practitioner G. A. Zakharyin was again urgently called from Moscow to St. Petersburg, who arrived on August 9, accompanied by therapist Professor N. F. Golubov. According to Zakharyin, after the study, it was revealed “the constant presence of protein and cylinders, that is, signs of nephritis, a slight increase in the left ventricle of the heart with a weak and rapid pulse, that is, signs of consistent damage to the heart and uremic phenomena (depending on insufficient purification of the blood by the kidneys), insomnia , constantly bad taste, often nausea.” The doctors reported the diagnosis to the Empress and Alexander III, without hiding the fact that “such an illness sometimes goes away, but it is extremely rare” (167, p. 59). As Alexander III’s daughter, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, notes, “the annual trip to Denmark was cancelled. They decided that the forest air of Bialowieza, located in Poland, where the emperor had a hunting palace, would have a beneficial effect on the health of the sovereign...” (112a, p. 225).

In the second half of August the court moved to Belovezh. At first, the emperor, along with everyone else, “went out hunting, but then became indifferent to it. He lost his appetite, stopped going to the dining room, and only occasionally ordered food to be brought to his office.” Rumors about the dangerous illness of the monarch grew and gave rise to a wide variety of absurd stories and fables. “As they say,” Lamzdorf wrote on September 4, 1894, “the palace in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, for the construction of which 700,000 rubles were spent, turned out to be crude” (174, p. 70). Such speculation happens when the population is left without official information. On September 7, the omnipresent A.V. Bogdanovich wrote in her diary: “In Belovezh, while hunting, he caught a cold. A high fever set in. He was prescribed a warm bath at 28 degrees. Sitting in it, he cooled it to 20 degrees by opening a cold water tap. In the bath his throat began to bleed, he fainted there, and his fever increased. The queen was on duty until 3 a.m. at his bedside” (73, pp. 180-181). Maria Feodorovna called Doctor Zakharyin from Moscow. “This famous specialist,” Olga Alexandrovna recalled, “was a small, plump man who wandered around the house all night, complaining that the ticking of the tower clock was preventing him from sleeping. He begged the Pope to order them to be stopped. I don't think there was any point in his arrival. Of course, the father had a low opinion of the doctor, who, apparently, was mainly occupied with his own health” (112a, p. 227).

The patient attributed the deterioration in his health to the climate of Bialowieza and moved to Spala, a hunting ground near Warsaw, where he became even worse. Therapists Zakharyin and Professor Leiden from Berlin, called to Spala, joined in Hirsch’s diagnosis that the ruler of Russia had chronic interstitial inflammation of the kidneys. Alexander III immediately summoned his second son to Spala by telegraph. It is known that he led. book Georgy Alexandrovich fell ill with tuberculosis in 1890 and lived in Abbas-Tuman at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. According to Olga Alexandrovna, “dad wanted to see his son for the last time.” George, who arrived soon, “looked so sick” that the king “sat for hours at night at his son’s bedside” (112a, p. 228).

Meanwhile, on September 17, 1894, an alarming message appeared for the first time in the Government Gazette: “His Majesty’s health has not improved at all since the severe influenza he suffered last January; in the summer, kidney disease (nephritis) was discovered, which requires more successful treatment in cold weather. the time of year of His Majesty's stay in a warm climate. On the advice of professors Zakharyin and Leiden, the sovereign departs for Livadia for a temporary stay there” (388, 1894, September 17). The Greek Queen Olga Konstantinovna immediately offered Alexander III her villa Monrepos on the island of Corfu. Dr. Leyden believed that “staying in a warm climate can have a beneficial effect on the patient.” On September 18, we decided to go to Crimea and stop for a few days in Livadia before sailing to Corfu.

On September 21, the royal family arrived on the Voluntary Fleet steamer "Eagle" in Yalta, from where they proceeded to Livadia. The Emperor stayed in a small palace, where the heir had previously lived. This palace resembled in its appearance a modest villa or cottage. In addition to the Empress, the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Georgy Alexandrovich also stayed here; the younger children lived in another house. The beautiful weather seemed to slightly cheer up the country’s dejected gentleman. On September 25, he even allowed himself to celebrate mass in the court church, after which he went to Ai-Todor to visit his daughter Ksenia. However, the king’s health did not improve. He did not receive anyone and rode with his wife every day in an open carriage along hidden roads, at times to the Uchan-Su waterfall and to Massandra. Only a few knew about his hopeless condition. The Emperor lost a lot of weight. The general's uniform hung on him like on a hanger. There was a sharp swelling of the legs and severe itching of the skin. Days of severe anxiety have arrived.

On an urgent call, on October 1, life surgeon Velyaminov arrived in Livadia, and the next day doctors Leiden, Zakharyin and Girsh arrived. At the same time, the Kharkov professor, surgeon V.F. Grube, was brought into the sovereign’s chambers, wishing to cheer him up. The monarch gladly received Grube, a calm, very balanced old man, whom he met in Kharkov after the train accident on October 17, 1888 in Borki. Grube very convincingly explained to the king that it is possible to recover from kidney inflammation, an example of which he himself can serve. This argument seemed quite convincing to Alexander III, and after Grube’s visit he even became somewhat cheerful.

At the same time, it should be noted that from October 3, when the doctors examined the patient rather superficially, he no longer left his rooms. From that day until his death, Velyaminov became almost permanently on duty with him, day and night. After the doctors visited the Tsar, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Minister of the Court and bulletins were compiled, which from October 4 were sent to the Government Gazette and reprinted in other newspapers. The first telegram, which made all of Russia shudder, reported: “Kidney disease has not improved. The strength has diminished. Doctors hope that the climate of the Crimean coast will have a beneficial effect on the health of the August Patient.” As time has shown, this did not happen.

Realizing the hopelessness of his situation, suffering from swelling of his legs, itching, shortness of breath and nightly insomnia, the king did not lose his presence of mind, did not become capricious, and was equally even-tempered, kind, kind, meek and delicate. He got up every day, got dressed in his dressing room and spent most of his time in the company of his wife and children. Despite the protests of doctors, Alexander III tried to work, sign files for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military orders. He signed the last order the day before his death.

His health was so weakened that he often fell asleep while talking with loved ones. On some days, a serious illness forced him to go to bed and sleep after breakfast.

After the release of the first bulletins about the illness of Alexander III, members of the imperial family and some of the highest persons of the court gradually began to gather in Livadia.

On October 8, Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, the Tsar’s aunt, arrived with the Queen of the Hellenes Olga Konstantinovna, his cousin. The Grand Duchess brought to the dying man Father John of Kronstadt, who during his lifetime had the glory of a national saint and wonderworker. That same evening, the tsar’s two brothers, Sergei and Pavel Alexandrovich, arrived in Livadia.

On Monday, October 10, the Tsarevich's highly-named bride, Princess Alice of Hesse, arrived. The heir to the throne noted this fact in his diary: “At 9 1/2 I went with the village of Sergei to Alushta, where we arrived at one o’clock in the afternoon. Ten minutes later, my beloved Alike and Ella arrived from Simferopol... At each station the Tatars were greeted with bread and salt... The whole carriage was filled with flowers and grapes. I was overcome with terrible excitement when we entered our dear Parents. Dad was weaker today and Alyx’s arrival, in addition to the meeting with Fr. John, they tired him out” (115, p. 41).

During the entire time before his fatal end, Alexander III did not receive anyone, and only between October 14 and 16, feeling better, he wished to see his brothers and grand duchesses Alexandra Iosifovna and Maria Pavlovna.

On the morning of October 17, the patient received Holy Communion. secrets from Father John. Seeing that the sovereign was dying, his legs were swollen, water appeared in the abdominal cavity, therapists Leiden and Zakharyin raised the question of performing a small operation on the suffering monarch, which involved inserting silver tubes (drains) under the skin of his legs through small incisions to drain the fluid. However, surgeon Velyaminov believed that subcutaneous drainage would not bring any benefit, and vigorously opposed such an operation. The surgeon Grube was urgently called from Kharkov, who, after examining the sovereign, supported Velyaminov’s opinion.

On October 18, a family council was held, in which all four brothers of Alexander III and the minister of the court took part. All the doctors were also present. The heir to the throne and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich presided. As a result, opinions regarding the operation were evenly divided. No decision was made. On October 19, the dying monarch again confessed and received communion. Despite the incredible weakness, the august patient got up, got dressed, went into the office to his desk and signed the order for the military department for the last time. Here, for some time, his strength left him and he lost consciousness.

Undoubtedly, this incident emphasizes that Alexander III was a man of strong will, who considered it his duty to fulfill his duty while his heart was still beating in his chest.

The king spent the entire day sitting in a chair, suffering from shortness of breath, which was worsened by pneumonia. At night he tried to sleep, but immediately woke up. Lying down was a great torment for him. At his request, he was placed in a semi-sitting position in bed. He nervously lit a cigarette and threw away one cigarette after another. At about 5 o'clock in the morning the dying man was transferred to a chair.

At 8 o'clock the heir to the throne appeared. The Empress went into the next room to change clothes, but the Tsarevich immediately came to say that the Emperor was calling her. When she entered, she saw her husband in tears.

“I feel my end!” - said the royal sufferer. “For God’s sake, don’t say that, you’ll be healthy!” - Maria Feodorovna exclaimed. “No,” the monarch gloomily confirmed, “this is going on too long, I feel that the end is near!”

The Empress, seeing that breathing was difficult and that her husband was weakening, sent for Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. At the beginning of the 10th hour the entire royal family gathered. Alexander III greeted everyone who entered affectionately and, realizing the proximity of his death, did not express any surprise that the entire imperial family came so early. His self-control was so great that he even congratulated Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna on her birthday.

The dying ruler of Russia was sitting in a chair, the empress and all his loved ones around him were on their knees. At about 12 noon the king said clearly: “I would like to pray!” Archpriest Yanyshev arrived and began to read prayers. A little later, the sovereign said in a rather firm voice: “I would like to join.” When the priest began the sacrament of communion, the sick sovereign clearly repeated after him the words of the prayer: “I believe, Lord, and I confess...” - and was baptized.

After Yanyshev left, the martyr king wanted to see Father John, who at that time was serving mass in Oreanda. Wishing to rest, the autocrat remained with the empress, the crown prince, his bride and children. Everyone else went into the next rooms.

Meanwhile, having finished mass in Oreanda, John of Kronstadt arrived. In the presence of Maria Feodorovna and the children, he prayed and anointed the dying sovereign with oil. As he left, the shepherd said loudly and meaningfully: “Forgive me, king.”

The Empress was kneeling the entire time on her husband’s left side, holding his hands, which were beginning to grow cold.

Since the breathing patient was groaning heavily, Doctor Velyaminov suggested that he lightly massage his swollen legs. Everyone left the room. During a foot massage, the sufferer said to Velyaminov: “Apparently the professors have already left me, and you, Nikolai Alexandrovich, are still messing with me out of your kindness of heart.” For some time the king felt relieved and for a few minutes wished to be alone with the heir to the throne. Apparently, before his death, he blessed his son to reign.

During the last hours, the emperor kissed his wife, but in the end he said: “I can’t even kiss you.”

His head, which was hugged by the kneeling empress, bent to one side and leaned against his wife’s head. The person leaving this life was no longer moaning, but was still breathing shallowly, his eyes were closed, his facial expression was quite calm.

All members of the royal family were on their knees, the clergyman Yanyshev read the funeral service. At 2 hours 15 minutes breathing stopped, the ruler of the most powerful power in the world, Alexander III, died.

On the same day, his son, Nikolai Alexandrovich, who became Emperor Nicholas II, wrote in his diary: “My God, my God, what a day! The Lord called back our adored, dear, beloved Pope. My head is spinning, I don’t want to believe it - the terrible reality seems so implausible... It was the death of a saint! Lord, help us in these difficult days! Poor dear Mom!..” (115, p. 43.)

Doctor Velyaminov, who for the last 17 days was almost constantly near Alexander III, noted in his memoirs: “Now more than forty years have passed that I have been a doctor, I have seen many deaths of people of the most diverse classes and social status, I have seen dying believers, deeply religious , I also saw non-believers, but I have never seen such a death, so to speak, in public, among an entire family, either before or later, only a sincere believer could die like that, a person with a pure soul, like a child’s, with a completely calm conscience . Many were convinced that Emperor Alexander III was a stern and even cruel man, but I will say that a cruel man cannot die like that and in fact never dies” (390, issue V, 1994, p. 308). When relatives, court officials and servants said goodbye to the deceased according to Orthodox custom, Empress Maria Feodorovna continued to kneel completely motionless, hugging the head of her beloved husband, until those present noticed that she was unconscious.

For some time the farewell was interrupted. The Empress was lifted in her arms and laid on the couch. Due to severe mental shock, she was in a deep faint for about an hour.

The news of the death of Alexander III quickly spread across Russia and other countries of the world. Residents of the Crimean outskirts closest to Livadia learned about this from the rare shots one after another from the cruiser “Memory of Mercury”.

The sad news spread throughout St. Petersburg at about five o'clock in the afternoon. The majority of the Russian population, as noted in the newspapers, was deeply saddened by the death of the peacemaker Tsar.

“Even the weather changed,” Nicholas II noted in his diary on October 21, “it was cold and roared in the sea!” On the same day, newspapers published his manifesto on his accession to the throne on the front pages. A few days later, a pathological-anatomical autopsy and embalming of the body of the late emperor was performed. At the same time, as the surgeon Velyaminov noted, “a very significant hypertrophy of the heart and fatty degeneration of it was found in chronic interstitial inflammation of the kidneys... the doctors undoubtedly did not know about such a formidable enlargement of the heart, and yet this was the main cause of death. The changes in the kidneys were relatively minor” (ibid.).

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Education and start of activity

Alexander III (Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov) was born in February 1845. He was the second son of Emperor Alexander II and Empress Maria Alexandrovna.

His older brother Nikolai Alexandrovich was considered the heir to the throne, so the younger Alexander was preparing for a military career. But the premature death of his older brother in 1865 unexpectedly changed the fate of the 20-year-old young man, who faced the need to succeed to the throne. He had to change his intentions and start getting a more fundamental education. Among Alexander Alexandrovich’s teachers were the most famous people of that time: the historian S. M. Solovyov, Y. K. Grot, who taught him the history of literature, M. I. Dragomirov taught him the art of war. But the greatest influence on the future emperor was exerted by the teacher of law K. P. Pobedonostsev, who during the reign of Alexander served as chief prosecutor of the Holy Synod and had great influence on state affairs.

In 1866, Alexander married the Danish princess Dagmara (in Orthodoxy - Maria Fedorovna). Their children: Nicholas (later Russian Emperor Nicholas II), George, Ksenia, Mikhail, Olga. The last family photograph taken in Livadia shows, from left to right: Tsarevich Nicholas, Grand Duke George, Empress Maria Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duke Michael, Grand Duchess Xenia and Emperor Alexander III.

The last family photo of Alexander III

Before ascending the throne, Alexander Alexandrovich was the appointed ataman of all Cossack troops, and was the commander of the troops of the St. Petersburg Military District and the Guards Corps. Since 1868 he was a member of the State Council and the Committee of Ministers. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, commanded the Rushchuk detachment in Bulgaria. After the war, he participated in the creation of the Voluntary Fleet, a joint-stock shipping company (together with Pobedonostsev), which was supposed to promote the government’s foreign economic policy.

Emperor's personality

S.K. Zaryanko "Portrait of Grand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich in a retinue frock coat"

Alexander III was not like his father, neither in appearance, nor in character, nor in habits, nor in his mentality. He was distinguished by his very large height (193 cm) and strength. In his youth, he could bend a coin with his fingers and break a horseshoe. Contemporaries note that he was devoid of external aristocracy: he preferred unpretentiousness in clothing, modesty, was not inclined to comfort, liked to spend his leisure time in a narrow family or friendly circle, was thrifty, and adhered to strict moral rules. S.Yu. Witte described the emperor this way: “He made an impression with his impressiveness, the calmness of his manners and, on the one hand, extreme firmness, and on the other hand, the complacency in his face... in appearance, he looked like a big Russian peasant from the central provinces, he was most approached a suit: short fur coat, jacket and bast shoes; and yet, with his appearance, which reflected his enormous character, beautiful heart, complacency, justice and at the same time firmness, he undoubtedly impressed, and, as I said above, if they had not known that he was an emperor, he would entered the room in any suit - undoubtedly, everyone would pay attention to him.”

He had a negative attitude towards the reforms of his father, Emperor Alexander II, as he saw their unfavorable consequences: the growth of bureaucracy, the plight of the people, imitation of the West, corruption in the government. He had a dislike for liberalism and the intelligentsia. His political ideal: patriarchal-paternal autocratic rule, religious values, strengthening of the class structure, nationally distinctive social development.

The emperor and his family lived mainly in Gatchina due to the threat of terrorism. But he lived for a long time in both Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo. He didn't really like the Winter Palace.

Alexander III simplified court etiquette and ceremony, reduced the staff of the Ministry of the Court, significantly reduced the number of servants, and introduced strict control over the spending of money. He replaced expensive foreign wines at court with Crimean and Caucasian wines, and limited the number of balls per year to four.

At the same time, the emperor did not spare money to purchase objects of art, which he knew how to appreciate, since in his youth he studied drawing with professor of painting N.I. Tikhobrazov. Later, Alexander Alexandrovich resumed his studies together with his wife Maria Fedorovna under the guidance of academician A.P. Bogolyubov. During his reign, Alexander III, due to his workload, left this occupation, but retained his love for art throughout his life: the emperor collected an extensive collection of paintings, graphics, objects of decorative and applied art, sculptures, which after his death was transferred to the foundation founded by the Russian Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his father, Russian Museum.

The emperor was fond of hunting and fishing. Belovezhskaya Pushcha became his favorite hunting spot.

On October 17, 1888, the royal train in which the emperor was traveling crashed near Kharkov. There were casualties among the servants in the seven wrecked carriages, but the royal family remained intact. During the crash, the roof of the dining car collapsed; as is known from eyewitness accounts, Alexander held the roof on his shoulders until his children and wife got out of the carriage and help arrived.

But soon after this, the emperor began to feel pain in his lower back - the concussion from the fall damaged his kidneys. The disease gradually developed. The Emperor began to feel unwell more and more often: his appetite disappeared and heart problems began. Doctors diagnosed him with nephritis. In the winter of 1894, he caught a cold, and the disease quickly began to progress. Alexander III was sent for treatment to Crimea (Livadia), where he died on October 20, 1894.

On the day of the emperor’s death and in the previous last days of his life, Archpriest John of Kronstadt was next to him, who laid his hands on the head of the dying man at his request.

The emperor's body was taken to St. Petersburg and buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

Domestic policy

Alexander II intended to continue his reforms. The Loris-Melikov project (called the “constitution”) received the highest approval, but on March 1, 1881, the emperor was killed by terrorists, and his successor curtailed the reforms. Alexander III, as mentioned above, did not support the policies of his father; moreover, K. P. Pobedonostsev, who was the leader of the conservative party in the government of the new tsar, had a strong influence on the new emperor.

This is what he wrote to the emperor in the first days after his accession to the throne: “... it’s a terrible hour and time is running out. Either save Russia and yourself now, or never. If they sing the old siren songs to you about how you need to calm down, you need to continue in the liberal direction, you need to give in to so-called public opinion - oh, for God’s sake, don’t believe it, Your Majesty, don’t listen. This will be death, the death of Russia and yours: this is clear to me as day.<…>The insane villains who destroyed your Parent will not be satisfied with any concession and will only become furious. They can be appeased, the evil seed can be torn out only by fighting them to the death and to the stomach, with iron and blood. It is not difficult to win: until now everyone wanted to avoid the fight and deceived the late Emperor, you, themselves, everyone and everything in the world, because they were not people of reason, strength and heart, but flabby eunuchs and magicians.<…>do not leave Count Loris-Melikov. I don't believe him. He is a magician and can also play doubles.<…>The new policy must be announced immediately and decisively. It is necessary to end at once, right now, all talk about freedom of the press, about the willfulness of meetings, about a representative assembly<…>».

After the death of Alexander II, a struggle developed between liberals and conservatives in the government; at a meeting of the Committee of Ministers, the new emperor, after some hesitation, nevertheless accepted the project drawn up by Pobedonostsev, which is known as the Manifesto on the Inviolability of Autocracy. This was a departure from the previous liberal course: liberal-minded ministers and dignitaries (Loris-Melikov, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, Dmitry Milyutin) resigned; Ignatiev (Slavophile) became the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; he issued a circular that read: “... the great and broadly conceived transformations of the past Reign did not bring all the benefits that the Tsar-Liberator had the right to expect from them. The Manifesto of April 29 indicates to us that the Supreme Power has measured the enormity of the evil from which our Fatherland is suffering and has decided to begin to eradicate it...”

The government of Alexander III pursued a policy of counter-reforms that limited the liberal reforms of the 1860s and 70s. A new University Charter was issued in 1884, which abolished the autonomy of higher education. The entry into gymnasiums of children of the lower classes was limited (“circular about cooks’ children,” 1887). Since 1889, peasant self-government began to be subordinate to zemstvo chiefs from local landowners, who combined administrative and judicial power in their hands. Zemstvo (1890) and city (1892) regulations tightened the administration's control over local self-government and limited the rights of voters from the lower strata of the population.

During his coronation in 1883, Alexander III announced to the volost elders: “Follow the advice and guidance of your leaders of the nobility.” This meant the protection of the class rights of the noble landowners (the establishment of the Noble Land Bank, the adoption of the Regulations on Hiring for Agricultural Work, which was beneficial for the landowners), strengthening of administrative guardianship over the peasantry, conservation of the community and the large patriarchal family. Attempts were made to increase the social role of the Orthodox Church (the spread of parochial schools), and repressions against Old Believers and sectarians were intensified. On the outskirts, a policy of Russification was carried out, the rights of foreigners (especially Jews) were limited. A percentage norm was established for Jews in secondary and then higher educational institutions (within the Pale of Settlement - 10%, outside the Pale - 5, in the capitals - 3%). A policy of Russification was pursued. In the 1880s. Instruction in Russian was introduced in Polish universities (previously, after the uprising of 1862-1863, it was introduced there in schools). In Poland, Finland, the Baltic states, and Ukraine, the Russian language was introduced in institutions, on railways, on posters, etc.

But the reign of Alexander III was not characterized only by counter-reforms. Redemption payments were lowered, the mandatory redemption of peasant plots was legalized, and a peasant land bank was established to enable peasants to obtain loans to purchase land. In 1886, the poll tax was abolished, and an inheritance and interest tax were introduced. In 1882, restrictions were introduced on factory work by minors, as well as on night work by women and children. At the same time, the police regime and the class privileges of the nobility were strengthened. Already in 1882-1884, new rules were issued on the press, libraries and reading rooms, called temporary, but in force until 1905. This was followed by a number of measures expanding the benefits of the landed nobility - the law on escheat of noble property (1883), the organization long-term loan for noble landowners, in the form of the establishment of a noble land bank (1885), instead of the all-class land bank projected by the Minister of Finance.

I. Repin "Reception of volost elders by Alexander III in the courtyard of the Petrovsky Palace in Moscow"

During the reign of Alexander III, 114 new military vessels were built, including 17 battleships and 10 armored cruisers; The Russian fleet ranked third in the world after England and France. The army and the military department were put in order after their disorganization during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, which was facilitated by the complete trust shown to Minister Vannovsky and the chief of the main staff Obruchev by the emperor, who did not allow outside interference in their activities.

The influence of Orthodoxy in the country increased: the number of church periodicals increased, the circulation of spiritual literature increased; parishes closed during the previous reign were restored, intensive construction of new churches was underway, the number of dioceses within Russia increased from 59 to 64.

During the reign of Alexander III, there was a sharp decrease in protests, in comparison with the second half of the reign of Alexander II, and a decline in the revolutionary movement in the mid-80s. Terrorist activity has also decreased. After the assassination of Alexander II, there was only one successful attempt by Narodnaya Volya (1882) on the Odessa prosecutor Strelnikov and a failed attempt (1887) on Alexander III. After this, there were no more terrorist attacks in the country until the beginning of the 20th century.

Foreign policy

During the reign of Alexander III, Russia did not wage a single war. For this Alexander III received the name Peacemaker.

The main directions of the foreign policy of Alexander III:

Balkan policy: strengthening Russia's position.

Peaceful relations with all countries.

Search for loyal and reliable allies.

Determination of the southern borders of Central Asia.

Politics in the new territories of the Far East.

After the 5-century Turkish yoke as a result of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. Bulgaria gained its statehood in 1879 and became a constitutional monarchy. Russia expected to find an ally in Bulgaria. At first it was like this: the Bulgarian Prince A. Battenberg pursued a friendly policy towards Russia, but then Austrian influence began to prevail, and in May 18881 a coup d’etat took place in Bulgaria, led by Battenberg himself - he abolished the constitution and became an unlimited ruler, pursuing a pro-Austrian policy. The Bulgarian people did not approve of this and did not support Battenberg; Alexander III demanded the restoration of the constitution. In 1886 A. Battenberg abdicated the throne. In order to prevent Turkish influence on Bulgaria again, Alexander III advocated strict compliance with the Berlin Treaty; invited Bulgaria to solve its own problems in foreign policy, recalled the Russian military without interfering in Bulgarian-Turkish affairs. Although the Russian ambassador in Constantinople announced to the Sultan that Russia would not allow a Turkish invasion. In 1886, diplomatic relations were severed between Russia and Bulgaria.

N. Sverchkov "Portrait of Emperor Alexander III in the uniform of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment"

At the same time, Russia's relations with England are becoming more complicated as a result of clashes of interests in Central Asia, the Balkans and Turkey. At the same time, relations between Germany and France were also becoming complicated, so France and Germany began to look for opportunities for rapprochement with Russia in case of war between themselves - it was provided for in the plans of Chancellor Bismarck. But Emperor Alexander III kept William I from attacking France using family ties, and in 1891 a Russian-French alliance was concluded for as long as the Triple Alliance existed. The agreement had a high degree of secrecy: Alexander III warned the French government that if the secret was disclosed, the alliance would be dissolved.

In Central Asia, Kazakhstan, the Kokand Khanate, the Bukhara Emirate, the Khiva Khanate were annexed, and the annexation of the Turkmen tribes continued. During the reign of Alexander III, the territory of the Russian Empire increased by 430 thousand square meters. km. This was the end of the expansion of the borders of the Russian Empire. Russia avoided war with England. In 1885, an agreement was signed on the creation of Russian-British military commissions to determine the final borders of Russia and Afghanistan.

At the same time, Japan's expansion was intensifying, but it was difficult for Russia to conduct military operations in that area due to the lack of roads and Russia's weak military potential. In 1891, construction of the Great Siberian Railway began in Russia - the Chelyabinsk-Omsk-Irkutsk-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok railway line (approx. 7 thousand km). This could dramatically increase Russia's forces in the Far East.

Results of the board

During the 13 years of the reign of Emperor Alexander III (1881–1894), Russia made a strong economic breakthrough, created industry, rearmed the Russian army and navy, and became the world's largest exporter of agricultural products. It is very important that Russia lived in peace throughout the years of Alexander III’s reign.

The years of the reign of Emperor Alexander III are associated with the flourishing of Russian national culture, art, music, literature and theater. He was a wise philanthropist and collector.

During difficult times for him, P.I. Tchaikovsky repeatedly received financial support from the emperor, which is noted in the composer’s letters.

S. Diaghilev believed that for Russian culture Alexander III was the best of the Russian monarchs. It was under him that Russian literature, painting, music and ballet began to flourish. Great art, which later glorified Russia, began under Emperor Alexander III.

He played an outstanding role in the development of historical knowledge in Russia: under him, the Russian Imperial Historical Society, of which he was chairman, began to actively work. The Emperor was the creator and founder of the Historical Museum in Moscow.

On the initiative of Alexander, a patriotic museum was created in Sevastopol, the main exhibition of which was the Panorama of the Sevastopol Defense.

Under Alexander III, the first university was opened in Siberia (Tomsk), a project was prepared for the creation of the Russian Archaeological Institute in Constantinople, the Russian Imperial Palestine Society began to operate, and Orthodox churches were built in many European cities and in the East.

The greatest works of science, culture, art, literature, from the reign of Alexander III are the great achievements of Russia, of which we are still proud.

“If Emperor Alexander III had been destined to continue reigning for as many years as he reigned, then his reign would have been one of the greatest reigns of the Russian Empire” (S.Yu. Witte).

Many descriptions of the appearance of Alexander III have reached us. Estimates of his activities in history are very diverse. He was a good family man, a kind person, but the burden of power was not his own. He did not have the qualities that an emperor was supposed to have. Alexander felt this inside and was constantly very critical of himself and his actions. This was the tragedy of the emperor’s personality in the history of Russia.

He reigned for thirteen years. Many argue that if not for the death of the heir to the throne, Nikolai Alexandrovich, then everything could have happened differently. Nicholas was a humane and liberal person, he could have carried out liberal reforms and introduced a constitution, and perhaps Russia would have been able to avoid both revolution and further collapse of the empire.

The entire 19th century Russia was wasted, it was time for transformation, but not a single monarch dared to do anything grandiose. Alexander III was guided in his policy only by good intentions; he believed that by preserving everything liberal, he was preserving the future of the dynasty and the empire as a whole.

Personality of Alexander III

Alexander Alexandrovich grew up in a large family. He was born in February 1845, the third child. The girl Alexandra was born first, then Nikolai, and then Alexander. They had six sons, so there were no problems with heirs. Naturally, all attention was focused on Nikolai Alexandrovich as the heir to the throne. Nikolai and Alexander studied literacy and military affairs together, and were enlisted in the guards regiments from birth. At the age of eighteen, Alexander already bore the title of colonel. Over time, the training of Nicholas and Alexander began to differ; naturally, the teaching of the heir was much broader.

At the age of sixteen, Nicholas reached his legal age and was moved to separate apartments in the Winter Palace. Then Nikolai visited Western Europe, where he underwent treatment because he experienced back pain. In Denmark, he proposed to Princess Dagmara.

When he ended up in Nice, his mother Maria Alexandrovna came to see him, since his health was not improving. In April 1865, the heir became very ill; all his relatives and the bride and mother came to Nice. They only managed to stay with Nikolai for a few days. Alexander, mother Maria Alexandrovna and Nikolai’s fiancée were always at the bedside. The Tsarevich died on April 12, 1865, and Alexander Alexandrovich was proclaimed heir to the throne.

It was clear to everyone in the family that Alexander III was not successful in his government activities. Aunt Elena Pavlovna more than once spoke out that the third brother, Vladimir Alexandrovich, should have become the heir to the throne. Brother Konstantin Nikolaevich spoke about Alexander Alexandrovich’s complete unpreparedness to occupy the imperial throne. The new heir did not like to study, he liked military affairs, and he always preferred playing instead of studying.

Alexander III Alexandrovich

When Alexander was proclaimed heir to the throne, he received the rank of major general and was appointed ataman of the Cossack troops. He was already a mature man, and therefore absolutely unprepared for the new fate that befell him unexpectedly. They began to intensively teach him law, history, and economics. Alexander himself was an honest, sincere, straightforward, clumsy and shy man. In October 1866, the wedding of Alexander and the former bride of his brother Nikolai took place, she received the name Maria Fedorovna. Despite the fact that Alexander had feelings for Princess Meshcherskaya, and Maria Feodorovna for the late Tsarevich, their marriage turned out to be happy.

Alexander was the heir to the throne at the age of 15. His views were right-wing and very nationalistic. and his son had different views on national politics and some other things. Due to the unpopularity of some of the emperor’s decisions, like-minded people soon begin to group around the heir and those who are representatives of other directions begin to listen to Alexander Alexandrovich III, since the future belongs to him.

The Russian-Turkish War was a real event for the heir; he was on the territory of hostilities. Officers noted that Alexander was easy to communicate with and devoted his free time to archaeological excavations.

The heir participated in the creation of the Russian Historical Society. The society was supposed to attract people to study the history of the Fatherland, as well as promote science in Russia. It specialized in studying the history of Russia after the reign.

At the end of the 1870s. Alexander Alexandrovich's responsibilities are expanding. When he leaves St. Petersburg, the heir is engaged in current state affairs. At this time, the state is in a period of crisis. There are more and more attempts by terrorists to change the situation through illegal means. The situation becomes more complicated within the emperor's family. He transports his mistress E. Dolgorukaya to the Winter Palace. The Empress, who had long known about her husband's affair, was very offended. She was sick with consumption and in May 1880 she died in the palace all alone; she was in Tsarskoe Selo with Ekaterina Dolgoruky.

The heir loved his mother very much and adhered to the reading of family ties; he was furious; he did not like his father’s behavior. The hatred especially intensified when the father soon married his mistress. Soon she and their children were transported to Crimea. In order to improve relations with his stepmother, the father often invited his son there. On one visit, everything only got worse, because Alexander saw how his stepmother took over his mother’s rooms there.

Emperor Alexander III

On March 1, 1881, he approved Loris-Melikov’s draft constitution and scheduled a meeting for March 4. But on March 1, as a result of two explosions, he died. When Alexander III took power, he did not make any promises to continue his father’s policies. In the first months, the emperor had to deal with many things: the funeral of his father, accession to the throne, the search for revolutionaries and reprisals against them. It should be noted that the emperor was merciless towards his father’s murderers; they were hanged.

There was also a problem in my father’s second family. In his last letter, he instructed his son to take care of them. Alexander III wanted them to leave St. Petersburg, and conversations about this began with their stepmother. She and her children went to Nice, where she later lived.

In politics, Alexander III chose the path of autocratic power. A meeting on the Loris-Melikov project was held on March 8, and the project did not receive support. Alexander III spoke out that the project would usurp the rights of the monarch, so he recognized Loris-Melikov as a politically unreliable official, which could have had dire consequences for the latter.

Some, despite their fear, spoke out about the timeliness and need to introduce a constitution in Russia and change legislation. But the autocrat showed that he did not intend to establish a rule-of-law state in Russia. Soon the manifesto “On the Inviolability of Autocracy” was created. By 1882, all representatives of “lousy liberalism” were ousted from government ministries, and in their place, the closest associates of the current emperor sat in the offices. During his reign, the role of the State Council declined; it was reduced only to helping the emperor in implementing his intentions; he was always angry if any of his ideas met criticism in the State Council. In politics, Alexander III was similar to his grandfather. They both treated the state as an estate. He fought against bureaucracy, against the extravagance of the royal court, and tried to save money.

The imperial family grew, and the emperor began to reduce its representatives. Only the children and grandchildren of the emperor were grand dukes, and the rest became simply princes with imperial blood, thus their monetary support was reduced.

He also carried out a number of counter-reforms, all of his father’s previously liberal reforms came to naught. The emperor went down in history as the “peacemaker king.” During his reign, Russia did not wage wars. In foreign policy, Russia is moving away from cooperation with Germany and Austria. But he gets closer to France, then to England.

The Emperor admired S.Yu. Witte, future Minister of Finance. He considered him the person who would be able to use and realize the full economic potential of Russia. Witte also said that Alexander would sooner or later come to liberal reforms anyway. But, unfortunately, he did not have enough time for this. In 1894, his nephritis disease worsened, and his health became worse. He became weaker, lost weight, and his memory also began to suffer. He died at the end of 1894 in Crimea. The eldest son Nicholas II took over the country; his father considered him a man not ready for imperial power.