• Murder Paul I.
• Promises of reform
• Peace with Napoleon
• Speransky
• Patriotic War
• Emperor-mystic
• Sacred Soyuz
• Arakcheevchyna
• Epoch Pushkin
• Birth of the opposition
• Fedor Kuzmich

1. The murder of Paul I and the Edema for the throne

In a nutshell: The elite hated Emperor Paul I, and his son Alexander became the natural center of attraction of conspirators. Alexander gave convincing himself that his father would be lowered by a peaceful way; Without preventing the conspiracy, he actually sanctioned the coup ended by the rearness. At the end of the throne, Alexander promised that everything would be like with her grandmother - Catherine II.

Alexander was born in 1777, he was the eldest son Paul and since childhood was preparing for the Board of Russia. He was early taken from his father early, all the upbringing was fully conducted by Grandma - Catherine II. Relations between Catherine and Paul were tense, and this created a specific expectation that the Empress would want to transfer the throne to the grandson bypassing the Son - rumors had rumors about the existence of such a testament. However, modern historians, many and specially engaged in this issue, are inclined to believe that such a testa has never existed.

Portrait of Paul I with family. Picture of Gerard Background Kyugelchen. 1800 year Alexander Pavlovich - first left.

State Museum-Reserve "Pavlovsk"

When Paul finally became the emperor, there was a conflict between him and the noble elite. This led to the fact that Alexander began to be perceived as a natural opposition center. Paul was not at all a tyrant: he was a man very hot-tempered, but he was leaving and did not keep evil. In the seizures of rage, he could insult people, humiliate them, take wild decisions, but at it he was not cruel and bloodthirsty. This is a very bad combination for the ruler: he was not afraid enough, but because of rudeness and absolute unpredictability hated. There was a general dislike and politics of Paul. Among his solutions there were many unpopular: there was a review of the famous hike to Persia; There were sharp fluctuations between anti-Napoleon and Prosapoleov policies; There was a constant struggle with the noble privileges.

But the palace coup, which there were many in the XVIII century, was impossible until the conspirators have enlisted the consent of the heir to the throne. Alexander at least did not interfere with the conspiracy. He considered himself a more suitable monarch than his father, and on the other hand, was afraid to take on the sin of the fatherland. He really wanted to believe that it would get to force Paul to renounce and avoid bloodshed, and Alexander gave him to conspirators to convince them. His grandmother killed his own husband and did not experience any concerns about this, but he was hard for him: he was differently brought up.

Murder Paul I. engraving from the book "La France et Les Français à Travers Les Siècles". Around 1882.

Wikimedia Commons

Having learned that Paul did not bother the throne at all, and was killed, Alexander fell into fainting. Under the walls of the palace, according to rumors, soldiers gathered and said that the emperor, and the heir were killed the nobles. The moment was completely critical: the widowing Empress Maria Fedorovna went along the corridors of the palace and spoke in German: "I want to reign." In the end, Alexander went to the balcony and said: "Batyushka died by an apoplexy. With me everything will be like in a grandmother, "left the balcony and fainted again.

Giving consent to the conspiracy, Alexander believed that capital reforms were needed for Russia. His accessory was met by universal flashes - and Alexander, feeling it instantly began to act. All Paul exiled were amnestied; A secret office was disbanded; The colleges that existed from Petrovsky times were replaced by the ministries - on the French sample. For the posts of Ministers, Alexander put old venels of Ekaterininsky time, and their deputies made their young approximations, which was going to reform the country.

Illumination at the Cathedral Square in honor of the coronation of Alexander I. Picture of Fyodor Alekseeva. 1802 year

Wikimedia Commons

2. Promises of reforms

In a nutshell: In the theory, Alexander was for the abolition of serfdom, restriction of autocracy and even the transformation of Russia to the republic. However, all reforms were constantly postponed for later and did not come to indigenous changes.

To call the beginning of the board of Alexander Liberal, it is not worth it: the word "liberal" is used in hundreds of various meanings and a little intentional.

Nevertheless, the emperor really triggered the plans of monumental reforms. The fact is that Alexander, like all Russian monarchs, with the exception of Paul, was the unconditional and firm opponent of serfdom. The creation of state institutions that could limit the power of the emperor were actively discussed. But Alexander immediately fell into the standard trap of any Russian monarch-reformer - on the one hand, it is necessary to limit its own power, but if you restrict it, how to conduct reforms?

Frederick Cesar Lagarp. Picture of Jacques Augusten Fraja. 1803 year

Musée Historique de Lausanne

The teacher of Alexander was the Swiss thinker Frederick Cesar Lagarp, who was by convictions was a Republican. Already becoming an emperor, Alexander constantly said that his ideal is the Swiss Republic, that he wants to make Russia a republic, and then leave his wife somewhere on Rhine and there to live out his days. At the same time, Alexander never forgot that he is the Lord, and when he could not agree with the closest surroundings, said: "I am an autocratic monarch, I so want!" It was one of the many of his inner contradictions.

The Alexandrovsky reign was two reformists: the first is associated with the establishment of a unclean committee and the State Council (the period from the top of the throne to 1805-1806), the second - with the activities of the Speransky after the Tilzite world in 1807. The task of the first stage was the creation of sustainable institutions state power, forms of the class representative, as well as "indispensable laws", that is, the limitation of the arbitrariness: the monarch should be under the rule of law, at least they are created.

At the same time, the reforms were moved all the time for later: this was the Alexandrovsky political style. Transformations were to be ambitious - but someday later, and not now. Indicative example - Decree on free blades, a temporary measure, with the help of which Alexander planned to teach public opinion to the fact that the serfdom will ultimately be canceled. The decree allowed the landowners to release the peasants to the will, concluding contracts with them and giving them a piece of land. Prior to the abolition of serfdom, a few more than one percent of Russia's peasant population took advantage of the decree on free blades. At the same time, the decree remained the only real step towards the decision of the peasant issue undertaken on the territory of the Velikosor part of the Empire, until 1861.

Another example is the creation of ministries. It was assumed that the Minister should contract the Imperial Decree: on any decree, in addition to the Imperial, the Minister's signature should be. It is natural that the formation of the Cabinet of Ministers was completely prerogative of the emperor, he could change anyone who would not want to smoke one or another decree. But at the same time, it was still a restriction for the adoption of spontaneous, arbitrary solutionscharacteristic of the reign of his father.

Of course, the political climate has been changed, but serious institutional changes require time. The problem of political style Alexander was that he created a huge inertia uncontrolled expectations and constantly postponed the real steps to implement them. People have been waiting for something all the time, and expectations, naturally, have a property to bring disappointment.

3. Relationship with Napoleon

Battle with Austerlice. Picture of Francois Gerard. 1810 year

Wikimedia Commons

In a nutshell: In the first years of reign, Alexander fought with Napoleon; The first mass propaganda campaign was carried out in the history of Russia: Napoleon was declared an aggressor and an antichrist. Conservatives were joined: during the war, Alexander was not up to the "liberal" sentiment. Conclusion Alexander and Napoleon of the Tilzite world in 1807 became a shock for the elite and for the people: the official position of the country was replaced by Profitęzus.

In 1804, Russia concludes an alliance with Austria and joins the third anti-drug coalition, which also participates in England and Sweden. The campaign ends with a monstrous lesion near Austerlitz in 1805. In the conditions of war and military defeat, it is very difficult to carry out some reforms - and the first wave of reformist activity Alexander comes an end. In 1806, a new war begins (this time Russia is in alliance with England, Prussia, Saxony, Sweden), Napoleon is celebrating a victory again and concludes a relatively peace treaty with Alexander. Russia unexpectedly changes the anti-brass politics on the sharp progenzuz.

Farewell to Napoleon with Alexander I in Tilsit. Picture of joacino seed. 1810 year

Wikimedia Commons

The Tilzite world designated a breather for both Russia and France. Napoleon understood that Russia is a huge country, to break it difficult. He considered England with his main opponent, and after defeat in the Trafalgar battle Trafalgar battle - Sea battle between English and French-Spanish sea forces. It happened on October 21, 1805 at Cape Trafalgar on the Atlantic Coast of Spain near the city of Cadiz. During the battle, France and Spain lost 22 ships, while England - not one. He could not count on a military invasion of the island and its main weapon was the economic blockade of England, the so-called continental blockade. According to the results of the world, Russia officially pledged to join it - however, subsequently systematically violated this obligation. In exchange, Napoleon actually presented Alexander Finland: he guaranteed his neutrality in the war with Sweden. Interestingly, the addition of Finland is the first in the history of Russia a conquering campaign that has not been approved by public opinion. Perhaps because everyone understood that it was by agreement with Napoleon, it was a feeling that we took someone else's.

The world with Napoleon was shock not only for the elite, but also for the whole country. The fact is that the active anti-Napoleon campaign of 1806 is the first example of national political mobilization in the history of Russia. Then the militia was created, the peasants in the royal manifestes were told that Napoleon was an antichrist, and in a year it turns out that this antichrist is our friend and an ally with whom the emperor hugs on the raft in the middle of the Nemman River.

Napoleon and Alexander. French medallion. Around 1810. On the reverse side, the tent is depicted on the Neman River, in which the emperors meets.

Wikimedia Commons

Lotman often quoted anecdote: two men talk to each other, and one says: But what about our father king, the Orthodox with the antichrist hugging? And the second says: Uh, you did not understand anything! He also concluded the world on the river. So he, he says, first dubbed, and then signed the world.

National mobilization of 1806 is a very important plot for an understanding of the era. The fact is that the ideology of the uniform nation, the national organism has a German origin. In Germany, the idea was considered liberal and was directed against all the then monarchies (twenty-one) and for the unity of the German people. Moreover, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe Unified People assumed the destruction of the estate barriers or at least their mitigation: we are all united, so we all have the same rights. In Russia, everything was the opposite: we are a single people, so the peasants should have a father of the landowner, and the landlords are the king.

In 1806, the conservatives were very longworthy, felt that for the first time under Alexander, they were in Favor: Finally, they are removing dubious liberals, people who compare themselves with Jacobins. As suddenly in 1807, together with the Tilzite world, there is a complete change of politics: the conservatives again rushing somewhere, the Speransky appears instead. Moreover, it is obvious that Alexandra did not have illusions about the world with Napoleon and that is why he invited Speransky: they needed a person who quickly and effectively prepare the country to a new big war.

But Russia supported France. Therefore, a very powerful opposition was formed within the country. Conservatives gathered at home at Derzhavin in 1811, six months before the war; Admiral Shishkov spoke out there with a speech of love for Fatherland, while the guests actively criticized the world with France. It was the first case of an open informal ideological campaign. As soon as Alexander realized that the war would happen very soon, he first assigned to Speransky and appointed Shishkova in his place. It was a strong ideological gesture addressed to public opinion.

After the Tilzite world, Napoleon continued to expand his empire. In 1809, he finally defeated Austria and began to prepare for the decisive war with England, but before that she was going to force Russia to fulfill the Tilzit arrangements. Napoleon was not going to conquer Russia: he believed that he would quickly break the Russian army and Alexander would be forced to sign another peace treaty with him. It was a monstrous strategic miscalculation.

Mikhail Barclay de Tolly. Picture of George Dow. 1829 year

State Hermitage

In Russia, the military minister was Barclay de Tolly, who was instructed to develop a plan of action russian army In case of war with Napoleon. And Barclay, being a very educated person, developed a campaign plan on the basis of wars of Scythians against Persians. The strategy required the presence of two armies: at the same time retreating and lubricating the enemy into the depths of the country applying the tactics of the scorched land. Back in 1807, Barclay met the famous historian of Antiquity Nibur and began to consult him about the Scythians, not knowing that Nikur is a Bonapartist. He was a stupid man, he guessed, why the Barclay asks him, and told him General Dumas, the Father of the writer, so that the French General Staff would take into account the reflection of the Russian General Staff. But this story did not pay attention.

4. Speransky: Elevation and opal

Mikhail Speransky. Miniature Pavel Ivanova. 1806 year

State Hermitage

In a nutshell: Mikhail Speransky was a man number two in the country and Person Napoleonic Relax: he had a plan for the transformation of all parties to the state of the state. But he has acquired a lot of enemies, and Alexander had to pass his assistant to strengthen his own reputation before the war of 1812.

Mikhail Speransky was Popovich, the son of a rural priest, studied in a provincial spiritual seminary, then in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The capable seminarians were a personnel reserve for the bureaucracy: nobles wanted to go only on military or diplomatic service, and not on civilian. As a result, the Speranssky drew attention to: he becomes secretary of Prince Kurakina, then begins to serve in the office of Prince Kochubey, a member of the Slash Committee, and very quickly becomes his trustee; Finally, he is recommended by Alexander. After the Tilzite world, Alexander quickly makes it a state secretary, in fact the nearest assistant, man number two in the state. Alexander, as any autocrat, needed to establish all unpopular decisions, in particular an increase in taxes for the sake of stabilization of the financial system.

The Speransky was the only system plan for uniform transformations in Russia. It was not clear whether this plan was feasible, it is important that one person could cover the country's policies in general - an external, internal, financial, administrative, class. He has existed a draft phased cancellation of serfdom, a phased transition to a constitutional monarchy through the creation of the State Council, first as a deliberative body, then as an organ restricting self-demand. Speransky considered it necessary to create a unified set of laws: it would protect the country from administrative arbitrariness. In personal conversations with Speransky, Alexander, this project supported. The State Council was created, but never received large powers. Krylova Krylov Basve is written on the convocation of the State Council, and its meaning is completely distinted: the decisions should take one person - the sovereign himself.

Speransky had giant plans for the upbringing of personnel elite. He blocked automatic promotion on the table of ranks and introduced the exam for the translation into the eighth class (this is relatively high chin), which was supposed to sear the uneducated layer from the highest positions. Eleet educational systems were created, including the Tsarskoye Lyceum. He was a man of fantastic ambitiousness, Napoleonic scope, personal flesh from the flesh of a ranneromantic period. He believed that he could pull the whole country and completely convert it and change it.

There was a narrow layer of people, infinitely trusted in the Speransky (remember the initial love in him Prince Andrew from the "War and Peace"). But the broad elite, of course, hated him terribly. Speransky considered an antichrist, thief, they said that he was in collusion with Napoleon and wants to get the Polish crown. There was no sin that would not hang on him; The asceticism of the life of Speransky was well known, however, they spoke about his millions. He accumulated HATE: Sister of Emperor Ekaterina Pavlovna secretly gave Karamzin to read the Speransky project, and he wrote a fierce referring - "note about ancient and new Russia." Joseph de Mester Joseph de Mester (1753-1821) - Catholic philosopher, writer, politician and diplomat, founder of political conservatism. Bombarded Alexander letters against the Speransky. His resignation in March 1812 became a practically national holiday - as 12 years before the murder of Paul.

In fact, Alexander had to pass the Speransky. He dismissed him without explaining, saying only: "According to the reason you know." Multile letters of Speransky Alexander, in which he tries to understand what is the reason for the disgrace of the sovereign, and at the same time to justify. Speransky went to the link - first to the bottom, then in Perm. About the last conversation Alexander with Speransky went a lot of legends. Allegedly the emperor told him that he had to remove Speransky, because otherwise he would not give money: that it could mean in the conditions of the absolute monarchy - it is difficult to understand. They said that, declaring the Speransky resignation, Alexander hugged him and cry: he was generally easy to tear. One then he told that he was taken away by Speransky and he had to bring the sacrifice. Another - what exposed treason and even intended to shoot a traitor. The third explained that he did not believe the denunciations and, if he had not forced a lack of time before the war, he would spend a year for a detailed examination of the charges.

Most likely, Alexander did not suspect Speransky in betrayal, otherwise he would hardly be returned to the public service and would have done the Penza Governor and the Governor of Siberia. The resignation of Speransky was a political gesture, demonstratively bringing the victim to public opinion, and he strongly strengthened Alexander's popularity in front of the war.

5. Patriotic War, Stamp Hiking and Partisan Myth

Fire of Moscow. Picture A. F. Smirnova. 1810s

Museum-panorama "Borodino battle"

In a nutshell: The "People's" War of 1812 is a myth: in fact, the lubrication of the enemy into the depths of the country was part of the original Barclay plan, implemented by Kutuzov, and the partisans were led by officers. Due to the propaganda of war as "domestic", the phenomenal achievement of the Russian army was forgotten - a campaign to Paris.

In June 1812, France attacked Russia, and by September Napoleon took Moscow. At the same time, this period of hostilities was not the time of defeats, as there were, for example, the first months after the invasion of Hitler. In the "Scythian" plan, Barclay was to tighten the enemy into the territory of the country and deprive its normal supply. It was extremely thoughtful and implemented by the Russian General Staff Military Operation powerful army in the world.

At the same time, of course, there was a massive expectation of a decisive battle: "We have long, silently retreated, / annoyed, the battle was waiting ..." there was a huge psychological pressure on Barclay: according to the majority, he had to give the general battle. Finally, Barclay could not stand and began to prepare for the battle. At this point, Alexander himself, without preparing the same public pressure, removed Barclay and prescribed Kutuzov to his place. Arriving to the army, Kutuzov immediately continued to retreat further.

Portrait of Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov. First quarter of the XIX century

State Hermitage

Kutuzov was in a simpler position than Barclay. He, like a new commander, was a credibility credit, as well as the Russian surname that at that moment it was important. The new commander-in-chief managed to win a few more weeks and several hundred kilometers. A lot argue whether Kutuzov was so great commander, how does National mythology describe him? Maybe the main merit lies on Barclaj, who has developed the right plan? It is difficult to answer, but in any case Kutuzov managed to brilliantly implement the Military Plan.

Folk Lubok "Brave Partizan Denis Vasilyevich Davydov." 1812.

Tver Regional Library. A. M. Gorky

After the end of the war, historiography began to develop the myth of folk massively partisan War. Although the partisan movement was never spontaneous, the officers of the Army operated in the rear were led to the rear in the rear. As shown in the recent book "Russia vs. Napoleon" Dominic Liven, thanks to the same historiographic legend from the national memory, the most incredible achievement of the Russian army is completely erased - a hike to Paris. It did not become part of the myth about the war, which we still call the "War of the Twelfth Year", although the war was 1812-1814. The European campaign did not give the opportunity to play the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "clubs of the People's War": what kind of people, if all this happens in Germany and France?

6. Emperor-mystic

Portrait of Alexander I. Litography of Keese Cymensky from the sculpture of Berker Torvaldsen. 1825 year

State Hermitage

In a nutshell: Alexander was not alien to mysticism at the time. The emperor convinced himself that his father was killed, because it wanted to serve. In the victory over Napoleon, he saw a divine sign that everything in his life was correct. The reforms Alexander did not communicate until the end for mystical reasons: I waited for instructions over.

Mystical hobbies of the emperor began very early. Alexander was a deepest mysticism at least from Edema for the throne, and perhaps before. This determined not only the personal life of the king, the circle of his communication and interests, but also state policy. Perhaps his role was played by the murder of the Father, to whom Alexander did not prevent a minimum. A man is nervous and conscientious, what was the emperor, it was very difficult to live with such a cargo. He needed to find an excuse to his act, but how? The answer is simple: so told providence. Perhaps it is from here that makes the passion for mysticism.

In each incident, Alexander saw some kind of the highest meaning. Here is an episode that the emperor repeatedly retell his approximate. In the church service in 1812, in the most difficult historical moment, he had a bible from his hands - he opened it in the 90th Psalm There are thousands of thousands of you and ten thousand ones with you; But it will not get closer to you: only to watch your eyes will be yours and see the rapidity of the wicked. For you said: "The Lord - Hope My"; Most High elected you by the refuge of yours; evil does not happen, and ulcers will not get closer to your dwelling; For angels are concerned about you about you - to guard you on all your ways: you will carry you on your hands, but you will not boot about the stone of your nag; At aspid and Vasilisk, you will come; Drink you will be lion and dragon (Ps. 9: 7-13).
And I saw that he perfectly went to the current situation. It was then, Alexander realized that Russia would win the war.

According to mystical teachings of that time, in order to read and understand such signs, a person should work on himself. As the moral cleansing, there is an additional wisdom, and on the upper step of this esoteric wisdom itself, the faith becomes obvious. That is, no longer need to believe, because the Divine Truth is open to direct contemplation.

Alexander was not the first mystic in Russia: in the XVIII century, a strong mystical movement existed in Russia. Some Moscow Masons entered the world of the world esoteric elite. The first Russian book, which had world resonance, apparently, were "some features about the inner church" Ivan Lopukhin, one of the main Russian mystics. The treatise initially came out in French, and already in Russian was published. The Speransky, the closest associate Alexander, who was partitioned by the emperor, who collected the mystical library for him, was actively rewritten with Lopukhin. The emperor himself often met and rewritten with many major mystics of his era - both Russians and Western European.

Of course, these glances could not but affect politics. Hence the reluctance of Alexander to finish many reforms and projects: someday the Lord will open me the truth, then he will squeeze me with his sign, and I will spend all the reforms, but while it is better to wait and wait for the right moment.

Alexander all his life was looking for secret signs, and, of course, after the victory over Napoleon, he finally made sure that everything was right: there were terrible tests, defeats, but he believed, waited, and here the Lord was with him, prompted the right solutions, indicated that He is the elected, which will restore peace and order in Europe after Napoleonic wars. The Holy Union and the entire further policy were part of this idea of \u200b\u200bthe coming mystical transformation of the whole world.

7. Holy Union and the purpose of Alexander

Vienna Congress. Figure Jean Batista Isaba. 1815 year

Wikimedia Commons

In a nutshell: After the victory over Napoleon, Alexander believed that his life destination It was realized in the Holy Union: entered into an alliance with Catholic Austria and Protestant Prussia Orthodox Russia as it were created a unified Christian Europe. The task of the Union was to support the world and prevent the overthrow of the legitimate power.

The war was won, the Russian army in Paris, Napoleon in the link - in Vienna the winners decide the fate of Europe. Alexander finds his purpose that after the victory over Napoleon to unite Europe. So the Holy Union is born. The chapter stands three European emperors - the Orthodox Russian King (Alexander I), the Austrian emperor Catholic (Franz II) and the Prussian King Protestant (Friedrich Wilhelm III). For Alexander, this is a mystical analogue of the biblical plot about the worship of the kings.

Alexander believed that he creates a single European Union of Peoples, in this its appointment and it was for the sake of this that there was a gigantic war; For this, he had to send to that light of his own father; For this, all the failed reforms of the first half of his reign were, because its historical role is the role of a person who will create a single Christian Europe. Let not through the formal association in one denomination - it is completely no matter; As Ivan Lopukhin wrote, the church exists inside a person. And inside all Christians it is one. In what church you go to Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox - does not matter. The formal task of the Union is to support the world in Europe, guided by the idea of \u200b\u200bdivine origin and the unconditional legitimacy of the existing power.

Holy Union. Drawing of an unknown artist. 1815 year

Historisches Museum Der Stadt Wien

When the Austrian Foreign Minister of Metternley saw the draft Union Treaty written by Alexander, he was horrified. The mettherny was completely alien to all of this mystical mindset and carefully edited the document so that it was completely odious things to strike, but then it was still advised by the Austrian emperor to sign it, because the alliance with Alexander was too important for Austria. The emperor set the signature - however, under the strictest promise of Alexander not to publish an agreement. Perhaps he was afraid that all of Europe would think that the monarchs were moved by the mind. Alexander gave the appropriate promise - and after a few months published a document.

At first, the Holy Union worked in many ways. One of the most striking examples is the Greek uprising of 1821. Many were confident that Russia would help the Orthodox brothers in their struggle against the Turks. The Russian army stood in Odessa, the expedition building - in other places in the south: they waited for the signal to go to free the one-terrible Greeks. All History and Russia, and the world could go differently, but Alexander, relying on the principles of the Holy Union, refused to conflict with the legitimate Turkish authority, and the dream of the liberated Greece was sacrificed to the ideology of the Holy Union. Alexander said about the Greek uprising that this is the responsibility of Synagogue Satan, who slept in Paris. They allegedly conceived to encourage Russia to violate the rules of the Holy Union, the main affairs of his life, and throw such temptations so that the Russian emperor will come down from its path.

Until 1848, the Holy Union remained a realistic political mechanism. He was useful in the first place of Austria: he helped the state, torn by ethnic and religious contradictions, to hold out 30 years old.

8. Arakcheev and Arakcheevshchyna

Alexey Araksheev. Picture of George Dow. 1824.

State Hermitage

In a nutshell: The reign of Alexander is wrong to describe the opposition "Good Speransky - Bad Arakcheev." The two main assistants of the emperor respected each other, and at the same time pulled all the hatred from him. In addition, Arakcheev is only an effective performer, but not the initiator of the creation of military settlements: it was the idea of \u200b\u200bAlexander.

Arakcheev was from the poor noble family, since childhood he dreamed of artillery service. Artillery officers were a military elite - to get into the appropriate school, it was necessary to have a strong protection. The Arakchacheov family could not afford the formation of the son, they had to be not just accepted into the corps, but also enrolled there for a state-causal cat. And you can imagine what kind of will's power was to have a teenager if he persuaded his father to go to St. Petersburg with him. They together stood at the door of the office of the director of the Artillery Corps of Peter Melissino and did not leave: they did not eat, they did not drink, Mokley in the rain and at each exit Melissino fell into his feet. And in the end, the director broke.

Without having connections and money, Arakcheev became a very large artillery general. He had no outstanding military qualities, apparently he was cowardly, but he became a brilliant organizer and engineer. To the war of 1812, Russian artillery was superior to French. And after the war, Alexander, seeing such a Selfmeid-man in his surroundings, began to trust him very much; Perhaps he decided that he found the second Speransky. In addition, the incredible success of Arakcheev was associated with the fact that the surroundings of Alexander, who who knew about the kingdom, avoided talking to the emperor about the father, and Arakcheev, who was very close to Paul, kept his portrait, constantly started communication with Alexander from a toast "For Health The late emperor! " - And this style of communication gave the emperor the opportunity to believe that a person close to Paul does not suspect his terrible crime.

Alexander had an idea how to preserve the combat-effective army in the context of the Russian economy. The permanent recruit army was a heavy burden for the budget: it was impossible to separately demobilize or it should be kept. And the emperor decided to create military units that would be engaged in combat training during periods of the world, and a part of the time - agriculture. Thus, people would not take off from the ground and at the same time the army would feed themselves. This idea was connected with the mystical sentiments of Alexander: Military settlements are extremely reminiscent of the utopia of Masonic towns.

Arakcheev, who headed the imperial office, was categorically against - now we know it. But he was a servant of the sovereign and took up this idea with the business grip and efficiency inherent. He was a cruel, powerful, strong and absolutely ruthless man and an iron hand, performed the instruction in which he himself did not believe. And the result exceeded all expectations: military settlements economically justified themselves, and military training did not cease.

Recruited 1816-1825

From the book "The historical description of the clothing and weapons of Russian troops." St. Petersburg., 1857

Military settlements refused only after Alexander's death because of the resistance of both officers and peasants who perceived it as slavery. It's one thing when you shaved you in the soldiers: the recruitment is terrible, but you are at least a soldier. And then you live at home with my wife, and at the same time you go build, we carry out the form, your children are shaped. For Russian peasants, it was the kingdom of Antichrist. One of the first orders of Nikolai was the removal of Arakcheev, who had previously departed from his mistress after the murder of his fasteners of Nastasi Minkina, from all posts and cancellation of military settlements: the new emperor, like everyone else, hated Arakcheev and, in addition, was a pragmatist, not a utopian .

There is a contrast of "Angry Arakcheev - Good Speransky", two persons of the Alexandrovsky reign. But every person who begins to deal deeper in the Alexandrovsk epoch, notes with amazement that these two statesmen were deeply sympathized with each other. They probably felt the affinity of the bright people who made their careers themselves, among the born enviousings. Of course, Speransky considered himself an ideologist, a reformer, partly by Napoleon, and Arakcheev - performer of the sovereign will, but it did not prevent them from respecting each other.

9. The beginning of Russian literature

In a nutshell: According to the romantic concept, the nation to become great, you need a genius that will express the People's Soul. The older generation of poets unanimously appointed to the role of the future genius of young Pushkin, and amazing that he fully justified this confidence.

Russian literature in the form in which we know it, began in the XVIII century - but it reaches maturity to the Alexander reign. The main difference between the literature of the Alexandrovsky period from the literature of the XVIII century is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe National Spirit. A romantic idea appears that the nation, the people are a single organism, a single person. Like each person, this nation has a soul, and her story is like the fate of a person.

The soul of the people is primarily expressed in its poetry. Outflows of these thoughts can be found in Radishchev. In "Traveling from St. Petersburg to Moscow", he says that good legislation can be arranged, based on the warehouse of folk songs: "Who knows the voices of Russian folk songs, he admits that there are something in them, sorrow mental meaning.<…> For the Music Location of the National Ear, able to establish the Brazds of the Board. They will find the education of our people's souls. " Accordingly, before writing laws, go to Kabak, listen to the song.

Nikolay Karamzin. Picture of Vasily Tropinin. 1818 year

State Tretyakov Gallery

Of course, in Alexandrovsky, the literature does not become truly massive, the peasants do not begin to read it. Already in the 1870s, after the abolition of serfdom, Nekrasov will ask: "When a man is not Blucher / and not Milorda stupid - / Belinsky and Gogol / from the bazaar incurred?" Nevertheless, there is a huge growth of the reader audience. The milestone becomes the "History" of Karamzin. It is very important that the position of the court historically appears, which should write the history of the Russian state, and it is equally important that the most famous writer of the country is hired to this position. In 1804, Karamzin was a face of national literature and far exceeded all the rest in terms of glory and recognition. Of course, Derzhavin was, but he was perceived as an old man, and Karamzin was only 38 years old. In addition, the OD, which was famous for Derzhavin, enjoyed popular only in a narrow circle, and Karamzin read every educated person in the country. And all his further life, Karamzin wrote a story, forming a national identity.

Later among the fans of Karamzin, the literary and political circle "Arzamas" arose, one of the goals of which is the formation of reformist ideology and help Alexander in the fight against retrograds. Therefore, "Arzamas", as shown in his recent study by Maria Lvovna Mayofis, was the natural union of the new generation public figures and a new generation of writers who should be the language and the embodiment of this ideology. The circle includes Zhukovsky, who was a literary voice of the Sacred Union, enters Vyazemsky, Batyushkov, and a young Pushkin appears. Nothing is not clear about him, he is very young - but everyone already knows that he is a genius, he becomes more than a child.

Alexander Pushkin. Figure Sergey Chirikova. 1810s

All-Russian Museum A. S. Pushkin

The idea of \u200b\u200ba genius in which the National Spirit is embodied, covers Europe at the beginning of the XIX century. The people are greatly only when the people have great poetexpressing his collective soul - and all countries are engaged in searching or growing their geniuses. We just won Napoleon and took Paris, and we still have no such poet. The uniqueness of Russian experience is that the entire older generation of leading poets is unanimously appoints the same young man to this position. Derzhavin says that Pushkin "still in the lyceum shared all writers"; Zhukovsky writes to him: "The winner of the student from a defeated teacher" after the release of a rather still student poem "Ruslan and Lyudmila"; Batyushkov visits Pushkin's patient in the Lyceum Lazarut. Five years later, Karamzin saves him from reference to Solovki, despite the fact that Pushkin tried to seduce his wife. Pushkin still did not have time to write anything, but they already talk about him: this is our national genius, now he will grow and all will create. It was necessary to have the striking properties of character, so as not to break under the oppression of such responsibility.

If you resort to mystical explanations, it can be said that it was all right, because Pushkin acquitted all the expectations. Here he is 19 years old, he just finished a lyceum, wanted to St. Petersburg, plays cards, goes to the girls and illsize a venereal disease. And he writes: "And the incorruptible voice of my / was the Echo of the Russian people." Of course, in 19 years I will write about yourself anything, but because the whole country believed it - and not in vain!

In this sense, the Aleksandrovsky era is Pushkin Epoch. A rare case when the school definition is absolutely true. With world fame, it turned out worse: for this I had to wait two more generations - to Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, and then Chekhov. Gogol was known in Europe, but he did not reach great glusted glory. It took another person who managed to go to Europe and act as an agent of Russian literature. They were Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, who first explained to the European public with his own works, that Russian writers should be read, and then it turned out that in Russia there are such genius, which Europe and did not dream.

10. Birth of the opposition

In a nutshell: The first opposition to the course of the state in Russia was conservatives, dissatisfied with the reformists of Alexander. Officers were opposed to them, who had just conquered Paris and believed that they could not be not considered with them, were the Decembrist societies.

The idea that there is a society in the country that has the right to be heard and influence the state policy, arises in the XIX century. In the XVIII century there were only loners like Radishchev. He himself considered himself an opposition, but most considered him a madman.

The first intellectual course of the XIX century, which was displeased with the authorities, is the conservatives. At the same time, since these people were "big monarchists than the monarch himself," they could not refuse the absolute support of the autocrat. Criticia Alexander for them was impossible, because he was a positive alternative to Napoleon - the embodiment of world evil. And indeed, all their worldview was based on Alexander. They were dissatisfied with the fact that Alexander is pushing the age-old foundations of the Russian autocracy, but their aggression was redeemed first on the unlawful committee, then in Speransky and never reached the emperor. After the Tilzite world inside the elite, a powerful movement occurs, which turns out to be in opposition not so much the sovereign as its policies. In 1812, on the eve of the war, this grouping enters power: Admiral Shishkov becomes the Secretary of State instead of Speransky. Conservatives hope that after victory they will begin to determine the state policy.

Alexander I and Russian officers. French artist engraving. 1815 year

Brown University Library

In the opposition they turn out to be another focus of freight, arising in the army and even more in the guard. A significant number of freight young officers begin to feel that it is time to carry out those reforms that all 12 years of Alexander government promised. Typically, an important role is to be assigned to the fact that in an overseas campaign they have seen Europe - but as beautiful Europe, it was possible to deduct from books. The most important thing is that these people are very increasing self-esteem: we won Napoleon! In addition, in the war, the commander generally enjoys great independence, and in the Russian army - especially: on the commander of part, even in peacetime, it was entirely entrusted to supply and maintain the combination of the garrison, and his personal responsibility was always huge, colossal. These people are accustomed to bear responsibility and felt that it is no longer impossible not to be considered.

Officers begin to form circles, the initial goal of which is not to give conservatives to consolidate and prevent the sovereign to carry out the reforms that he promised. At first there were few them, for the most part it was guardsmen and the noble elite; Among them are such names like Trubetskaya and Volkonsky, the top of the aristocracy. But there was someone from the bottom. Suppose, the son of the Siberian Governor General, a terrible casnocrad and criminal; Ryleev was from poor nobles.

At the beginning of the XIX century, secret societies were generally in fashion, but the participants of these first secret societies claimed public positions at the current government. "Arzamas" founded large officials, and then there were future Decembrists there. At the same time, Rannedecabric circles and other secret societies that arose and disappeared at that time were associated with Masonic Lodges.

It's hard to say that Alexander thought about it. He is attributed to the phrase "I am not a judge", which was supposedly said when he learned about the Protectioncircraft societies. Also, Nikolai could not forgive his brother that he, knowing the existence of secret societies, was accomplished by the state coup, he did not say anything.

No need to think that under Alexandra there were no censorship and repression: censorship was fierce, there were arrests, was the defeat after the riot in the Semenov regiment The Semenov Life Guard Regiment rebelled in 1820 after the favorite Soldiers and officers of the Potemkin commander of Yakov changed to the famine of Arakcheev Fyodor Schwarz. For this, the guardsmen were put into the fortress, subjected to corporal punishments, the regiment was cut out.. But the pressure was selective, this is Nicholas, the scales of bitter experience of the elder brother, first of all, organized the third office The third branch of his own imperial majesty of the Office is the highest body of political school during the period of the reign of Nicholas I and Alexander II.whose purpose is to keep everything under control. Although those who retrospectively projects on the third branch of their ideas about the NKVD and KGB are mistaken: the department was small, there were few people, the control was not total.

11. Death, Chaos Prestolaution and Myth About Fedor Kuzmich

The funeral procession of Alexander I. Drawing of an unknown artist. Russia, 1826

State Hermitage

In a nutshell: Alexander bequeathed the crown not the second, but by the third brother - Nicholas, but hid the testament so that he was not killed as his father. It turned into chaos of the Swallopolenia and the Decembrist uprising. The version that Alexander did not die, but went into the people under the name of Fyodor Kuzmich, no more than a myth.

In the second half of the 1810s, it becomes finally clear that the children - Alexander's heirs will not be. By decree Paul about the throne, the throne was supposed to go to the next brother in this case, in this case, Konstantin Pavlovich. However, he did not want to reign and actually excluded himself from the throne, marrying the Catholic. Alexander was a manifesto on the transfer of the throne to the Third Brother, Nikolai. This testament was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, Konstantin, Nikolay, Prince Golitsyn, Metropolitan Filaret and no one else knew about his existence.

Why the manifest was not published, for a long time was a mystery: after all, a catastrophe that happened after Alexander's death was largely due to this terrible ambiguity about the throne. Not a historian solved this mystery, and Mathematics - Vladimir Andreevich Uspensky. According to his hypothesis, Alexander remembered well under what conditions he ascended to the throne, and understood that the natural center of crystallization of the conspiracy is always an official heir - without supporting the heir to the heir, the conspiracy is impossible. But Konstantin did not want to reign, and that the throne was tested by Nicholas, no one knew - so Alexander eliminated the possibility of consolidating the opposition.

Death of Alexander I in Taganrog. Lithography 1825-1826

Wikimedia Commons

On November 19, 1825, Alexander died in Taganrog, and began the crisis of the throne with two emperors, who refused to be emperors. The news of death came to St. Petersburg, and before Nikolai got a choice: either to swear Konstantin, who was the Governor-General Warsaw, or declare a planned manifesto. Nikolay decided that the latter was too dangerous (information about a possible conspiracy suddenly fell on him, and ordered everyone to swear to his older brother, hoping that the further transfer of the throne would be soft: Konstantin would come to St. Petersburg and denied from the throne.

Nikolai writes brother: Your Majesty, you sworn, reign - in the hope that he says "I do not want" and will come to renounce. Konstantin comes to horror: he understands well that it is impossible to renounce the position of the emperor if you are not an emperor. Konstantin writes in response: Your Majesty, I congratulate you. That in response: do not want to reign - come to the capital and refuse the throne. He again refuses.

In the end, Nikolay realized that he would not be able to pull his brother from Warsaw. He declared himself the heir and demanded a reciplexing - and this is a completely blatant situation with a living emperor, who has just sworn and who has not renounced. This situation and gave the opportunity to declar the conspirators to explain to soldiers that Nikolai went against the law.

Rumors that Alexander did not die, but went walking in Russia, appeared very later than his death. They developed around Fedor Kuzmich - a strange elder who lived in Tomsk, had a military stepper, spoke French and wrote incomprehensible ciphers. Who Fedor Kuzmich was unknown, but it is obvious that he had nothing to do with Alexander I. Lion Tolstoy, whom the idea of \u200b\u200bflight was very worried, briefly believed in the legend about Alexander and Fyodor Kuzmich and began writing a novel about it. As a man is thin and well who felt this era, he quickly realized that it was complete nonsense.

Fedor Kuzmich. Portrait of a Tomsk artist, made by order of the merchant S. Chromova. Not earlier than 1864

Tomsk Regional Museum

The legend that Alexander did not die, developed as a result of a combination of factors. First, in the last year of the reign, he was in severe depression. Secondly, he was buried in a closed coffin - which is not surprising, because the body from Taganrog was brought to St. Petersburg for about a month. Thirdly, there were all these strange circumstances of the prestiplotia.

However, the last argument, if you think about it, quite clearly speaks against the hypothesis about the disappeared emperor. After all, then it is necessary to suspect Alexander in fact in the state treason: the only person who can foresee the chaos of the throne, quietly leaves without appointing the heir. In addition, in Taganrog, Alexandra fought in an open coffin and more than 15 people were attended by funeral. His mortal evidence also moved a lot of people; It is difficult to imagine that all these people could be pushed to the whole.

There is a completely indisputable thing. In 1825, the Council of Edling - the former Freillus of the Empress Roxandra Sturdza, who once consisted in a mystical alliance with Alexander. Having learned that the sovereign in Taganrog, she wrote to Empress with a request to allow her to come and express their respect. She replied that he could not allow her without her husband who had left for the troops. Then Alexander returned, and Edling was allowed to come, but when she reached Taganrog, the emperor was already dead. Countess was on the funeral and could not not know Alexander; In her daughter's letter there are words: "His beautiful face was disfigured by the traces of terrible disease." If Alexander planned to escape, it would be much easier for him to refuse her in a visit than to invite a completely outsider and pull into such a unthinkable asphar.

The circumstances of the accession of Alexander I on the Russian throne were dramatic.

St. Petersburg Governor General Palen headed the conspiracy, as a result of which Alexander's father, Emperor Paul I was overthrown and killed by a crowd of drunk officers.

Alexander knew about the conspiracy, as I understood that while the Father is alive, he does not rule. And yet, the news of the death of the father plunged the newly new emperor in shock, from which he brought him down the words all the same Palena: "The sovereign, fully nurse, go to reign."

And Alexander came to his senses, going to the surnames and declaring that everything would be with it, as in her grandmother, i.e. Under Catherine II. However, it took time to understand all the declarativeness of this statement ...

Biography Alexander I.

Already in infant years, Ekaterina II, in fact, took the grandson from his legal parents - Maria Fedorovna and Pavel Petrovich, deciding to raise themselves independently, in the educational spirit. Partially it succeeded, but the lifestyle of the Empress went against her words that Alexander saw, but what was forced to be silent.

So he acquired a lucavia and hypocrisy, which became the basis of his character afterwards. There is a version that Catherine was preparing to transfer the throne to Alexander, through the head of his son - Paul. This was not destined to happen. Nevertheless, the reign of Paul turned out to be short, and in the new century, Russia joined the new emperor - Alexander I.

Lifeling to the innovation of the father and mother, while still the heir to the throne, Alexander took Louise Badenskaya, to which he had always been restrained and even cold. Over the years, religiosity and even the piousness caused by a sense of guilt for the violent death of the Father began to enhance in it. For the same reason, Alexander did not pursue participants in secret societies and refused many liberal reforms.

Internal policy of Alexander I

Soon, at the end of the throne, Alexander was commissioned by M.M.Stransky to head the commission to develop a draft of the Russian Constitution and the abolition of serfdom. However, the Lord senators, in fact, blocked all these undertakings. Everything was limited to the publication of the Law "On Free Bakery", according to which the landowners received the right to free their peasants from the fortress dependence with the Earth.

Some Decembrists did not fail to file a similar example. After the Patriotic War of 1812, the "twisting of nuts" began in domestic politics: Speransky changed Arakcheev, who has aroused military settlements. The speech of the Semenov Regiment was brutally suppressed. The censored persecution of advanced thought intensified.

Alexander I Foreign Policy

Paradoxically, but the successes of Alexander in foreign Policy There were much more merit in converting his own country. Lavra Winner Napoleon went to him. Russia has become one of the organizers of the so-called. Sacred Union. New territories were attached to it: Georgia, Finland, Azerbaijan. Successful military operations Ottoman Empire and Sweden.

• According to a fully believable version, torpedo to the meal of conscience, Alexander I did not died in Taganrog from abdominal typhus, according to the official version, and left the world, became a hermit and before the demise itself in 1864 he lived in Siberia under the name of Elder Fedor Kuzmich.
• A few years ago, the television series "Northern Sphynx" was removed, which is based on exactly this historical version.
• It was for grandchildren, including Alexander's adorable, Ekaterina II wrote the first Russian literary fairy tales - "Tale about Tsarevich Chlorine" and "Fairy Tale about Tsarevich Fivee". Ershov and Pushkin was, whose experience take into account ...

Introduction

Alexander I Blessed (December 12, 1777 - November 19, 1825) - Emperor All-Russian - Rose at the court of Ekaterina Great; Educator - Swiss F.S. Lagarp acquainted him with the principles of humanity Rousseau, Military teacher Nikolai Saltykov - with the traditions of Russian aristocracy, Father Paul I handed him his addiction to the military parade.

At the beginning of the board spent moderately liberal reformsdeveloped by the unlawful committee and M.M. Speransky. In foreign policy lavished between Great Britain and France. In 1805-1807 Participated in anti-armnce coalitions. In 1807-1812 Temporarily became close to France. Successful wars with Turkey (1806-1812), Persia (1804-1813) and Sweden (1808-1809). Under Alexandra I, Eastern Georgia (1801), Finland (1809), Bessarabia (1812), Azerbaijan (1813), Duchy of Warsaw (1815) were attached to Russia. After the Patriotic War, 1812 was headed in 1813-1814. Anti-Manzu coalition of European powers. Was one of the leaders of the Vienna Congress 1814-1815. and organizers of the Holy Union.

In this he was all: all understanding his true addiction and principles, cautious and attentive politicians in the depths of the soul. Involuntarily recall evaluation, data to him memoirists and historians: timid, two-faced, passive, etc. Yes, did it all be said about him? Real life It shows quite different - nature purposeful, powerful, extremely alive capable of feeling and experiences, the mind is clear, turning and cautious, the character is a flexible, capable of self-restriction, to mimicry, taking into account, from what people you have to deal with.

IN last years Life often spoke of the intention to renounce the throne and "to retire from the world" that after his unexpected death in Taganrog gave rise to the legend of "Start Fedor Kuzmich". According to this legend, Alexander died in Taganrog, and his twin, while the king lived for a long time with an older-hermit in Siberia and died in Tomsk in 1864.

The identity of Alexander I.

Alexander I was a personal and controversial personality. With all the variety of reviews of contemporaries about Alexandra, they all coincide in one - recognition of insincerity and secrecy as the main features of the character of the emperor. The origins of this should be sought in the unhealthy atmosphere of the Imperial House.

Catherine II adored her grandson, was read, bypassing Paul, to the heirs of the throne. From her the future emperor inherited the flexibility of the mind, the ability to seduce the interlocutor, the passion for the acting game bordering the dioxide. In this, Alexander hardly surpassed Catherine II. "Surrounding prevail," I wrote about M.M. Speransky Speransky M.M. Projects and notes. - M.: Science, 1961, p. 145.

The need to label between the "large courtyard" of Catherine II in
Petersburg and "Small" - Father Pavel Petrovich in Gatchina taught Alexander "Living on two minds" Klyuchevsky V.O. Works. - M.: Thought, 1989. T. 5, p. 14., I developed incredulity and caution in it. Possessing an outstanding mind, exquisite manners, according to the reviews of contemporaries, "congenital gift of courtesy," he was distinguished by a virtuoso ability to arrange people of various views and beliefs.

Everyone who wrote about Alexandra, noted his softness, modesty, curiousness, greater impressionability and susceptibility, the elegance of thought, a great personal charm, piousness and mysticism at the end of life, and from negative qualities - timidity and passivity, idleness and loss of thought, dislike for Systematic classes, relevant dreaminess, the ability to quickly light up and cool quickly.

The main tutor of the heir was the Swiss Republican F.S. Lagarp. In accordance with his beliefs, he preached the power of the mind, the equality of people, the absurdity of despotism, the vitality of slavery. His influence on Alexander I was hugely Wallotton A. Alexander I. - M.: Progress, 1991, p. 13.

His whole policy was a clear and thoughtful. Alexander I, at the courtyard, called "Mysterious Sphinx". High, slim, handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes. Freely owned three European languages.

In 1793, Alexander married Louise Maria Augustus Badenskaya (who adopted the name Elizabeth Alekseevna in Orthodoxy) (1779-1826). Both of their daughters died in early childhood. Elizabeth Alekseevna always shared the views and alarms of the spouse, supported him, which was confirmed repeatedly, especially in the hardest days for Alexander.

For 15 years, Alexander had practically a second family with Maria Naryshkin. She gave him two daughters and her son and insisted that Alexander Razorg his marriage with Elizabeth Alekseevna and married her. Alexander, despite all his passion for Maria Antonovna, persevened and referred to political motives, realizing that she was someone else's person for him. Researchers also note that Alexander has tied close and very personal relations with his sister Catherine Pavlovna.

Essentially, the involvement of Alexander in a secret plot against Paul began from the mid-90s with the active assistance of Catherine. At the same time, fear and disgust to this terrible intrigue Eidelman N.Ya are growing in it. Brummy. - M.: Exlimbries, 1992, p. 51 ..

Opponents of Paul I already in 1800 offered Alexander to force the Father by force to renounce the throne and take power into their hands, but he refused. Some historians believe that he hesitated and that as the events develop it only gradually bent to support conspirators and entered into direct contacts with them. However, the subsequent events show: no oscillations about Alexander's elimination from power from power; Patched in the conditions of Palace Intrigue, with well-organized ambition, possessing the character, of course, solid, decisive, but extremely secretive, disguised external softness and fasciance, he was concerned about only one - the absolute success of the enterprise and maintaining his political and dynastic situation in the brewing dramatic situation Persons. It was on this that all his efforts were sent in the 1800s - early 1801.

Alexander agreed to eliminate his father from power, even imprisoned him into the fortress, but provided that his life would be safe. The illusion of this "noble" agreement was obvious. Alexander knew perfectly than this kind of coup in Russia ends: his grandfather Peter III He was killed by conspirators, supporters of Catherine II.

Thus, that Catherine could not decide in relation to Paul, and Paul himself towards Alexander himself - to political and, as a result, the physical elimination, the blue-eyed "Angel" decided, soft and intelligent Alexander, which indicates not only for his fear Before his father for his own life, but also on a huge ambition, a firm character, determination, which he will demonstrate not once during the years of his reign.

In early 1801, Paul ordered to arrest more than two dozen visible nobles whom was suspected of opposition sentiments. Then, the emperor began to frankly express threats to his wife Maria Fedorovna and the Elder Son, Alexander. Over 23-year-old Alexander hung a real threat to spend the rest of days in the dungeon. So in these conditions, he had to make a final choice. Suspicious and vengeful, Paul did not consider the Son's son without foundation, and Alexander could be saved, only opposed the Father.

So, Alexander agreed to the deprivation of the father of the Supreme Power, to imprison him to the Petropavlovsk fortress. In half the first night on March 12, 1801, Count P.A. Palen told Alexander on the murder of his father. Already in the first hours, he experienced the full strength of the consciousness of the fatherland. No high goals are expressed, in particular, in his manifesto on the occasion of the end of the throne could not justify it before himself.

The authorities gave rise to Alexander immediately, without training, and for his human personality, the question was whether he would be able to adequately to confront her how he was imagined at the time of his youthful dreams, or she swear him and give him another ready sample The ruler is a cruel, unprincipled, ready for her to hold on everything. He solved this question throughout his life, and not giving him a negative nor positive answer. And this, apparently, consisted of his drama as a person and as a ruler.

The idea of \u200b\u200bthe redemption of terrible sin by the benefitment of the Fatherland will pass through his whole life, until 1825, so Alexander's life should be considered through the prism of his constant efforts to achieve this compliance, which was extremely difficult and in terms of purely human, but especially in terms of state in The then Russia.

As for his purely human qualities, he, despite all the terrifying cruelty of the system in which he lived, all his life fought for finding himself, for returning to himself. This personal, human line, despite the dictates of power, traditions, temptations, he led throughout his life, and sometimes it was able to him, although not without deviations, concessions, weaknesses that gave reason to talk about doublues, the hypocriticalness, Alexander's insincerity.

His almost ascetic lifestyle is striking: an early rise, hard work with papers and people, a very limited environment, single hiking or horse riding, pleasure from visiting the people's pleasant people, the desire to avoid flattery, a soft smooth handicap with servants. And all this remained dominant life for many years, although the provision required the exit to the light, frequent departures; The passion for the army and the paradanism remained and the passion is hardly since childhood.

Even the endless travel of Alexander had some kind of painting. On these trips, he not only attended the balls and dinners, met with the top of the local nobility and merchants, arranged a view of the army parts, but also interested in the life of all the societ layers. So, he got to the "Kyrgyz steppe" and visited the yurts of nomads, visited Zlatoustovsky factories, went down to Miass mines, visited Tatar families in the Crimea, visited the hospital, communicated with the prisoners and references.

His biographers note that on the road he had to face fairly difficulties: poorly eat, test various inconveniences, to fall into unpleasant traffic accidents, for a long time on foot. But he had a personal idea of \u200b\u200bhow Russia lived. And deep disappointments, which have comprehended him at the end of life, probably to a certain extent were caused by this very difficult information, which has dispelled the last remnants of illusions regarding their efforts to the benefit of the Fatherland.

For some reason, numerous cases of the compassion on people, human-lithuage, help, are ignored. So, on the banks of Nemman, the emperor saw the burlack burst burshed rope. Alexander came out of the stroller, helped to raise the poor man, sent for Lekarek and, only making sure that everything possible for him was done, the path continued.

History has retained a lot of similar examples from Alexander's life, speaking his unimaginable interest in people, philanthropy, tolerance and humility of Sakharov A.N. Alexander I. - M.: Science. 1998, p. 129. At the same time, there are cases of cruel orders of Alexander I regarding the rebels of the Semenov Regiment, the military-seller Mironenko S.V. Autocracy and reforms. Political struggle in Russia at the beginning of the XIX century. - M., 1989. P. 84-85 .. wherever he showed himself as a person, Alexander performed a very humane man, where he showed himself as a representative and leader of the system, he speaking sometimes in the spirit of the principles of unlimited autocracy.

Coronation:
Predecessor:
Successor:	Nikolai I.
Birth:
Dynasty:	Romanovs
	Maria Fedorovna
	Elizabeth Alekseevna (Louise Badenskaya)
	Maria Aleksandrovna (1799-1800) Elizabeth Alexandrovna (1806-1808)
Autograph:
Monogram:

Elevate on the throne

Neglass Committee.

State Council

Holy Synod

Ministerial reform

Financial reform

Education reform

Projects of the liberation of peasants

Military settlements

Opposition forms: excitement in the army, noble secret societies, public opinion

Foreign policy

Franco-Russian Union

Patriotic War of 1812

Expansion of Russia

Personality

Estimates of contemporaries

Interesting Facts

Memory about Alexandra I

Cynovoplocity

Alexander Column

Alexander I (blessed) (Alexander Pavlovich; 12 (23) December 1777, St. Petersburg - November 19 (December 1) 1825, Taganrog) - Emperor All-Russian from 11 (24) March 1801 to 19 November (December 1) 1825, the eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Maria Fodorovna.

At the beginning of the Board, there was moderately liberal reforms developed by the unlawful committee and M. M. Speransky. In foreign policy lavished between Great Britain and France. In 1805-07 he participated in anti-armnce coalitions. In 1807-1812, it was temporarily close to France. Successful war with Turkey (1806-1812), Persia (1804-1813) and Sweden (1808-1809). Under Alexandra I, the territory of Eastern Georgia (1801), Finland (1809), Bessarabia (1812), Azerbaijan (1813), the former Duchy of Warsaw (1815). After the Patriotic War, 1812 was headed in 1813-1814 the anti-Francuz coalition of European powers. He was one of the leaders of the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815 and the organizers of the Holy Union.

In recent years, life often spoke of the intention to renounce the throne and "retire from the world", which after his unexpected death from the abdominal typhus in Taganrog gave rise to the legend of "Start Fedor Kuzmich". According to this legend, he died in Taganrog and was also buried not Alexander, and his double, while the king lived for a long time in Siberia and died in Tomsk in 1864.

Name

The name was given by Grandma Catherine II (who loved him very much), based on the estimated creation of the Greek empire with the capital in Byzantium. One of his grandchildren of Catherine called Konstantin in honor of Konstantin the Great, another - Alexander in honor of Alexander Nevsky - according to Plan, Konstantin was supposed to release Constantinople from the Turks, and Alexander - to become the emperor of the new empire. However, there is information that on the throne of the Greek empire she wanted to see Constantine.

Childhood, education and upbringing

Rose with intellectual yard Catherine Great; Educator - Swiss-Jacobin Frederick Cesar Lagarp acquainted him with the principles of humanity Rousseau, Military teacher Nikolai Saltykov - with the traditions of the Russian aristocracy, the Father handed him his addiction to the military parade and taught him to combine the spiritual love of humanity with practical care about the Middle. Catherine II considered his son Paul unable to occupy the throne and planned to build Alexander to him, bypassing his father.

In 1793 he married the daughter of Marcgraf Badensky Louise Mary Augustus ( Luise Marie Auguste Von Baden) who took the name Elizabeth Alekseevna.

Some time passed military service in the Gatchina troops formed by his father; Here he developed a deafness of the left ear "from the strong hum of guns."

Elevate on the throne

In half the first night on March 12, 1801, Count P. A. Palen informed Alexander on the murder of the Father.

Already in the manifesto of March 12, 1801, the new emperor assumed the obligation to manage the people " according to the laws and to the heart of his grandmother grandmother" In decrees, as in private conversations, the emperor expressed the main rule that he would be guided by: to the place of personal arbitrariness to actively watery strict legitimacy. The emperor has repeatedly pointed to the main disadvantage that the Russian state order suffered. He called this flaw " by the arbitrariness of our board" To eliminate it, it was necessary to develop fundamental laws that were almost not yet in Russia. It was in this direction that the conversion experiences of the first years were conducted.

During the month, Alexander returned to the service of all previously dismissed Paul, he removed the ban on the import of various goods and products to Russia (including books and musical notes), declared the amnesty to fugitives, restored the noble elections, etc. Nobility and cities, eliminated the secret office.

Also, Alexander, a group of "Young Friends" (P. A. Stroganov, B. P. Kochubay, A. A. Chartorovsky, N. N. Novosillese, was rallied around him around him, which since 1801 began to play an extremely important role in government management.

On 5 (17) June 1801 in St. Petersburg, the Russian-British Convention was signed, which completed the interstate crisis, and on May 10, the Russian mission in Vienna was restored. On September 29 (October 8), 1801 was signed a peace treaty with France, on September 29 (October 11) a secret convention was concluded.

September 15 (Art. Art.) 1801 in the Assumption Cathedral of Moscow was crown by the Metropolitan of the Moscow Plato (Left); The same cyanocution of coronation was used as under Pavel I, but the difference was that Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna "when crowded did not become his wife before his wife, and standing on his head of the crown."

Internal policy of Alexander I

Reform of higher governing bodies

Neglass Committee.

From the first days of the new reign of the emperor, people were surrounded by the people he called to help him in conversion work. That were the former members of the Blognya Mug: Count P. A. Stroganov, Count V. P. Kochubey, Prince A. Chartorian and N. N. Novosillese. These people amounted to the so-called "Neglass Committee", which was collected during 1801-1803. In the secluded room of the emperor and together with him the plan of necessary transformations. The task of this committee was to help the emperor " in systematic work on the reform of a formless building of the Empire Management" It was necessary to pre-explore the present position of the empire, then transform separate parts of the administration and these individual reforms to complete " claiming established on the basis of the True People's Spirit" The "Neglass Committee", which operated until November 9, 1803, examined the implementation of the Senate and ministerial reform, the activities of the "indispensable council", the peasant question, the coronation projects of 1801 and a number of foreign policy events.

Started from the central office. The State Council of Empress Ekaterina, which was collected at the personal discretion of Empress, the State Council on March 30 (April 11) was replaced by a permanent establishment called the "indispensable Council", for consideration and discussing public affairs and regulations. It consisted of 12 senior dignitaries without dividing the departments. January 1, 1810 (according to the project M. M. Speransky), the indispensable Council was transformed into the State Council. He consisted of a general meeting and four departments - laws, military, civil and spiritual affairs, state savings (later temporarily existed the 5th - on the affairs of the kingdom of Polish). A state office was established to organize the activities of the State Council, and its state secretary was appointed Speransky. The State Council established the Commission for the preparation of laws and the Commission of the Statues.

The chairman of the State Council was Alexander I one of his members to appoint the emperor. The composition of the State Council included all the ministers, as well as persons from the Higher Sanovnikov, appointed by the emperor. The State Council has not published laws, but served as a deliberative body in the development of laws. His task is to centralize the legislative case, to ensure the uniformity of legal norms, prevent contradictions in the laws.

Senate

On September 8, 1802, a registered decree "On the Rights and Responsibilities of the Senate" was signed, which determined both the organization of the Senate and its attitude to other senior institutions. The Senate was declared the supreme body in the empire, focusing in itself the highest administrative, judicial and controlling power. He was given the right to make ideas about the issued decrees if they contradicted other laws.

By virtue of a number of conditions, these reasonsted Senate could not raise its value. In terms of composition, his Senate remained a meeting of far from the first dynamics of the Empire. The direct relations of the Senate with the Supreme Power were not created, and this predetermined the nature of the Senate relations to the State Council, ministers and the Committee of Ministers.

Holy Synod

Changes were subjected to Holy Synod, members of which were higher spiritual hierarchs - Metropolitans and bishops, but at the head of Synod, a civil official was in the rank of the Ober-Prosecutor. Under Alexander I, representatives of the highest clergy were no longer gathered, but were called to the sessions of the Synod at the choice of the Ober-Prosecutor, whose rights were significantly expanded.

From 1803 to 1824, the position of the Ober-Prosecutor was performed by Prince A. N. Golitsyn, the former since 1816 also and the Minister of Folk Enlightenment.

Ministerial reform

On September 8, 1802, ministerial reform was launched by the manifesto "On the establishment of ministries" - 8 ministries were approved, which were replacing the Petrov collegiums (liquidated Catherine II and Recovered by Pavel I):

• foreign affairs
• military ground forces
• sea \u200b\u200bforces
• internal affairs
• finance,
• justice,
• commerce I.
• folk enlightenment.

Cases were now solved alone the minister reported to the emperor. Each minister had a deputy (Comrade Minister) and the Office. Ministries were divided into departments headed by directors; Departments - at the department headed by heads of departments; Departments - on tables at the chapter with columns. For a joint discussion of cases, the Committee of Ministers established.

On July 12, 1810, M. M. Speransky Manifesto was published "On the division of public affairs on special management", on June 25, 1811 - "General Establishment of Ministries".

This manifesto shared all state affairs " in the order of executive»For five main parts:

• external relations that were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• the external security device, which was instructed by the military and the maritime ministries;
• state savings, which was made by the Ministry of the Interior, Enlightenment, Finance, State Treasurer, the General Directorate of the Audit of State Accounts, the main management of the communication paths;
• the court of civil and criminal court, which was instructed by the Ministry of Justice;
• the internal security device included in the competence of the Ministry of Police.

The manifesto proclaimed the creation of new central bodies of public administration - the Ministry of Police and the General Directorate of Spiritual Affairs of different confessions.

The number of ministries and equivalent major controls thus reached twelve. It began to compile a single state budget.

Program transformations M. M. Speransky and her fate

At the end of 1808, Alexander I instructed Speransk the development of a state-transformation plan of Russia. In October 1809, a project called " Introduction to the deposition of state laws"Was presented to the emperor.

The objective of the Plan is to modernize and Europeanize public administration by introducing bourgeois norms and forms: "In order to strengthen the autocracy and the preservation of the estate system."

Estimia:

1. the nobility has civil and political rights;
2. "The average state" has civil rights (the right to movable and immovable property, freedom of classes and movements, to speak on its behalf in court) - merchants, breasts, state peasants.
3. "People workers" has general civil rights (civil liberty): landlord peasants, workers and home servants.

Separation of powers:

• legislatives:
• The State Duma
• gubernskie Duma
• district Duma
• valid Duma
• executive bodies:
• Ministries
• gubernsky
• district
• volosdom
• judicial authorities:
• Senate
• gubernskie (civil and criminal cases disassemble)
• district (civil and criminal cases).

Elections - four-stage with selective property valuable for voters: landowners - landowners, the tops of the bourgeoisie.

With the emperor, the State Council is created. However, the emperor retains all the completeness of power:

• sessions of the State Duma Emperor could interrupt and even dissolve, appointing new elections. The State Duma was considered as representative organ With the emperor.
• the ministers are prescribed by the emperor.
• the composition of the Senate is prescribed by the emperor.

The project met stubborn opposition of senators, ministers and other senior dignitaries, and Alexander I did not solve it to implement it.

By the beginning of 1811 prepared senata Transformation ProjectAnd in June is submitted to the State Council.

It was proposed to transform the Senate in two institutions:

1. Senate Government Focusing government affairs and the Committee of Ministerial Ministers with their comrades and the supervisors of special (main) parts of the control.
2. Senate judicial Disintegrated into four local branches in accordance with the main courts of the Empire: in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev and Kazan.

The feature of the judicial senate was the duality of its composition: some senators were appointed from the crown, others were chosen by the nobility.

State Council This project criticized sharply, but most voted "for". However, the Speransky himself advised him not to take it.

Thus, only two were transformed from the three sectors of the highest management - legislative, executive and judicial. The third (that is, judicial) the reform did not touch. As for the provincial government, even the reform project was not developed for this sphere.

Financial reform

According to the estimates of 1810, 577 million were considered all of the applements (first Russian paper money); external debt - 100 million. Estimation of revenues for 1810 promised the amount of 127 million; Estimation of expenses required 193 million. foresaw a deficit - 66 million appliances.

It was planned to stop the release of new assignments and to draw gradually old; Next - to raise all taxes (direct and indirect).

Education reform

In 1803, a new regulations on the device of educational institutionsintroducing new principles in the education system:

1. unqualidation of educational institutions;
2. free training on its lowest steps;
3. the continuity of curricula.

Education system levels:

• university
• gymnasium in the provincial city
• county schools
• odd parish school.

The whole education system has led Main Management School. Formed 6 training districts headed trustees. Above the trustees were scientists tips at universities.

Found five universities: in 1802 - Derptsky, in 1803 - Vilensky, in 1804 - Kharkov and Kazan. Opened in 1804, the St. Petersburg Pedagogical Institute was transformed in 1819 to the University.

1804 - University Statute Provided by universities a significant autonomy: the election of the rector and professorship, its own court, the non-interference of the highest administration in universities' affairs, the right of universities to appoint teachers in the gymnasium and schools of their academic district.

1804 - the first censorship charter. At universities from professors and masters, censorship committees were created, submitted by the Ministry of Folk Enlightenment.

Preferred averages were founded educational establishments - lyceums: in 1811 - Tsarskoselsky, in 1817 - Richelevsky in Odessa, in 1820 - Nezhinsky.

In 1817, the Ministry of Folk Enlightenment was transformed into Ministry of Spiritual Affairs and Folk Enlightenment.

In 1820, the instructions on the "right" organization of the educational process goes to universities.

In 1821, an inspection of the implementation of the 1820 instruction, which was carried out very rigidly, is not biased, which was especially observed in the Kazan and St. Petersburg universities.

Attempts to solve the peasant question

Upon joining the throne, Alexander I solemnly stated that the distribution of state peasants stopped from now.

December 12, 1801 - Decree on the right of buying land merchants, gentlemen, state and specific peasants outside the cities (landlord peasants get this right only in 1848)

1804-1805 - The first stage of reform in the Baltic States.

March 10, 1809 - Decree canceled the right of landowners to link their peasants to Siberia for uncomfortable misconduct. The rule was confirmed: if the peasant once received freedom, he could not be reinforced by the landowner. Received freedom from captivity or from abroad, as well as taken over the recruit set. The landowner was prescribed to feed the peasants in hungry years. With the permitting of the landowner, the peasants could trade, take bills, to engage in contracts.

Since 1810, the practice of organizing military settlements begins.

For 1810-1811. In connection with the difficult financial situation, the treasury was sold to individuals over 10,000 execution peasants.

In November 1815, Alexander I gave the Constitution to the Kingdom of Polish.

In November 1815, Russian peasants are forbidden to "find liberty".

In 1816, the new rules for organizing military settlements.

In 1816-1819. The peasant reform is completed in the Baltic States.

In 1818, Alexander I instructed the Minister of Justice, Novosilsev to prepare a stately authorized diploma for Russia.

In 1818, several Tsarist Sanovnikov received secret instructions to develop projects for the cancellation of serfdom.

In 1822, the right of landowners was resumed to link peasants to Siberia.

In 1823, the decree confirmed the right of hereditary nobles to own fortress peasants.

Projects of the liberation of peasants

In 1818, Alexander I instructed Admiral Mordvinov, Count Arakschev and Kankrin to develop projects for the cancellation of serfdom.

Project Mordvinov:

• the peasants receive personal freedom, but without land that the whole remains behind the landowners.
• the amount of ransom depends on the age of the peasant: 9-10 years old - 100 rubles; 30-40 years - 2 thousand; 40-50 years old - ...

Project Arakcheev:

• the liberation of peasants to hold under the guidance of the government - to redeem gradually peasants with Earth (two decishers per soul) by agreement with landowners at the prices of this area.

Cankrin project:

• slow redemption of peasant land in landlords in sufficient amount; The program was designed for 60 years, that is, until 1880

Military settlements

At the end of 1815, Alexander I proceeds to discuss the project of military settlements, the first experience of the introduction of which was carried out in 1810-1812 on the reserve battalion of the Yezkoy Musketertiest Regiment, located in the Bobylskaya Starøndwe of the Klimovsky County of Mogilev province.

Development of a settlement plan was charged to Arakcheev.

Project goals:

1. create a new military agricultural estate, which on its own could contain and equip a permanent army without burdening the country's budget; The number of the army would continue at the level of wartime.
2. release the population of the country from a permanent service - to contain an army.
3. cover the western border space.

In August 1816, preparations began to translate troops and residents in the category of military inhabited. In 1817, settlements were introduced in Novgorod, Kherson and Slobodsko-Ukrainian provinces. Up to the end of the reign of Alexander I, an increase in the number of districts of military settlements, gradually surrounding the border of the empire from the Baltics to the Black Sea.

By 1825, 169,828 regular army soldiers and 374,000 state peasants and Cossacks were numbered in military settlements.

In 1857, military settlements were abolished. They already had 800,000 people.

Opposition forms: excitement in the army, noble secret societies, public opinion

The introduction of military settlements met stubborn resistance from the peasants and the Cossacks, traded in the military. In the summer of 1819, an uprising broke out in Chuguev near Kharkov. In 1820, the peasants were excited about Don: 2556 villages were covered by Bunt.

16 Oct. 1820 The head of the Semenian regiment filed a request to cancel the entered hard orders and change the regimental commander. The company was deceived in the playpen, arrested and sent to the caasemates of the Petropavlovsk fortress.

In 1821, the army introduces a secret police.

In 1822, a decree was released on the ban for secret organizations and the Masonic lodges.

Opposition forms: excitement in the army, noble secret societies, public opinion

The introduction of military settlements met stubborn resistance from the peasants and the Cossacks, traded in the military. In the summer of 1819, an uprising broke out in Chugueva near Kharkov. In 1820, the peasants were excited about Don: 2556 villages were covered by Bunlet.

On October 16, 1820, the head company of Semenovsky Regiment filed a request to cancel the entered hard orders and change the regimental commander. The company was deceived in the playpen, arrested and sent to the caasemates of the Petropavlovsk fortress.

For her, the entire regiment was entered. The regiment was surrounded by a military garrison of the capital, and then fully shipped to the Petropavlovsk fortress. The first battalion was devoted to the Military Court who sentenced the instratchors to the defendance through the order, and the rest of the soldiers to the link to the long-range garrisons. Other battalions were distributed on various army regiments.

Under the influence of the Semenov Regiment, fermentation began in other parts of the capital garrison: proclamations were distributed.

In 1821, the Mystery Police is introduced in the army.

In 1822, a decree was released on the prohibition of secret organizations and the Masonic lodges.

Foreign policy

The first wars against the Napoleonic Empire. 1805-1807

In 1805, by the conclusion of a number of treatises, a new anti-brand coalition was actually decorated, and on September 9, 1805 Alexander departed in the existing army. Although the commander was M.I. Kutuzov, in fact, Alexander began to play the main role in decision-making. The Emperor is primarily responsible for the defeat of the Russian-Austrian army at Austerlice, nevertheless, serious measures were taken regarding a number of generals: a gene. A. F. Langeron was dismissed from service, gene. AND I. Prazhibyshevsky and horses are given to the trial, the names of the Novgorod Musketeer Regiment was deprived of the differences. On November 22 (December 4), 1805 was concluded a truce, according to which Russian troops should have left the Austrian territory. 8 (20) June 1806 in Paris was signed by the Russian-French peaceful treatise. In September 1806 Prussia began a war against France, and 16 (28) November 1806 Alexander announced a speech and Russian Empire against France. On March 16, 1807, Alexander left for the army through Riga and Mitava and April 5th arrived at the gene's main apartment. L. L. Bennigsen. This time Alexander is less than in the past campaign, intervened in the affairs of the commander. After the defeat of the Russian army in the war, he was forced to go to peace negotiations with Napoleon.

Russian-Swedish war 1808-1809

The cause of the war was the refusal to King Sweden Gustav IV Adolf on the proposal of Russia to join the Antianglian Coalition.

The Russian troops occupied Helsingfors (Helsinki), besieged Sveaborg, took the Aland Islands and Gotland, the Swedish army is displaced to the North of Finland. Under the pressure of the English fleet had to leave Alands and Gotland. Buxhevden on his own initiative goes to the conclusion of a truce, which was not approved by the emperor.

In December 1808, Buksgeveden replaced O. F. von Knorring. On March 1, the army crossed over the Batnik Bay in three columns, the main commanded P.I. Bagration.

• Finland and the Aland Islands passed to Russia;
• Sweden was obliged to terminate the Union with England and conclude peace with France and Denmark, join the continental blockade.

Franco-Russian Union

June 25 (July 7) 1807 concluded with France Tilzit Mir, under the terms of which acknowledged territorial changes In Europe, it was obliged to conclude a truce with Turkey and bring troops from Moldova and Valahia, to join the continental blockade (rupture of trade relations with England), to provide Napoleon for the war for war in Europe, and also to speak to the mediator between France and the United Kingdom. The British in response to the Tilzite world bombarded Copenhagen and took the Danish fleet. October 25 (November 6) 1807 Alexander announced the rupture of trade connections with England. In 1808-1809, Russian troops successfully held the Russian-Swedish war, attaching Finland to the Russian Empire. 15 (27) September 1808 Alexander I met with Napoleon in Erfurt and September 30 (October 12), 1808 signed a secret convention in which in exchange for Moldova and Valahius, together with France, act against Great Britain. During the Franco-Austrian War, 1809, Russia, as the official ally of France, put forward the corpus gene to the Austrian borders. S.F. Golitsyn, however, he did not learn any active hostilities and limited nothing to meaningless demonstrations. In 1809, there was a breaking of the Union.

War against the Ottoman Empire and Persia

In 1806-1812, Russia led the war against Turkey.

Patriotic War of 1812

12 (24) June 1812, when the Great Army began an invasion of Russia, Alexander was on the ball at the gene. Bennigsen in the estate is firmly under wine. Here he received a message about the beginning of the war. 13 (25) June gave an order for the army:

"From a long time, we were noticed by the hosts of the French emperor who hostile against Russia, but always with the Croes and peace-loving ways were hoping to reject these. Finally, seeing the indifferent resumption of explicit insults, with all our desire to keep silence, we were forced to get out and collect our troops; but then , I still have a reconciliation, remained within our empire, not disturbing the world, and the following Tokmo ready for defense. All these measures of meekness and peacefulness could not keep the tranquility we desired. The French Emperor attacks our troops at Covenet opened the first war. And so Seeing him with any means of adamant to the world, there is nothing else to us, as calling for the aid of the witness and defender of the truth, Almighty Creator of Heaven, put the strength of our counterpart forces. No need to remind the leaders, commander and soldiers to our debt and courage. In them, the blood flows the blood of the Slavs. Warriors! You defend faith, fatherland, freedom. I with you. On the beginning of God. Alexander. "

and published manifesto about the beginning of the war with France, which ended with the words

Then Alexander sent to Napoleon A.D. Balashov with a proposal to start negotiations, provided that the French troops leave the limits of the empire. 13 (25) June departed in Svenzian. Arriving for the current army, he did not declare M. B. Barclay de Tolly, the commander-in-chief and thus accepted command. On the night of July 7 (19) in Polotsk left the army and left for Moscow. Alexander approved the plan of defensive hostilities and forbade conducting peace negotiations until at least one enemy soldier remained in Russian land. December 31, 1812 (January 12, 1813) issued a manifesto, in. which, among other things, it was said:

Foreign hiking of the Russian army. Vienna Congress

Participated in the development of a campaign plan 1813-1814. He was at the headquarters of the main army and was present at the main battles of 1813-1814, heading the anti-Franczo coalition. March 31, 1814 at the head of the Union forces joined Paris. He was one of the leaders of the Vienna Congress, who had established a new European order.

Expansion of Russia

During the reign of Alexander, the territory of the Russian Empire expanded significantly: Eastern and Western Georgia, Mingrelia, Imeretiya, Guria, Finland, Bessarabia, were switched to Russian citizenship, Most Poland (formed Polish kingdom). The Western borders of the Empire were finally established.

Personality

The unusual character of Alexander I is particularly interesting because he is one of the most important characters in the history of the XIX century. His whole policy was quite clear and thoughtful. Aristocrat and Liberal, at the same time mysterious and famous, he seemed to his contemporaries by the secret, which everyone solve in his representation. Napoleon considered him the "inventive Byzantine", Northern Talma, an actor, who is able to play any noticeable role. It is also known that Alexander I, at the courtyard, called "Mysterious Sphynx". High, slim, handsome young man with blond hair and blue eyes. Freely owned three European languages. He had excellent education and brilliant education.

Another element of the character of Alexander I was formed on March 23, 1801, when he climbed the throne after the murder of his father: Mysterious melancholy, ready to go to extravagant behavior at any time. At the beginning, this trait of character did not show anywhere - young, emotional, impressionable, at the same time a benevolent and selfish, Alexander decided to play a great role in the world scene and with youthful diligence began to implement his political ideals. Temporarily leaving for the post of old ministers, who dropped the emperor Paul I, one of its first decrees prescribed t. N. The unlawful committee with the ironic name "Comité du Salut Public" (refers to the French revolutionary "Committee of Public Rescue"), consisting of young and complete enthusiasm of friends: Victor Kochubey, Nikolay Novosillesev, Pavel Stroganov and Adam Chartorovsky. This committee was to develop an internal reform scheme. It is important to note that Liberal Mikhail Speransky became one of the closest advisers of the king and amounted to many reform projects. Their goals based on their admiration for English establishments were far exceeded the possibilities of that time and even after they were erected in the ranks of ministers only a small share of their programs was implemented. Russia was not ready for freedom, and Alexander, a follower of a revolutionary confused Lagara, considered himself a "happy chance" on the throne of the kings. He spoke with regret "The state of the barbarism in which there was a country due to the fortress building."

A family

In 1793, Alexander married Louise Mary Augustus Badenskaya (who adopted the name Elizabeth Alekseevna in Orthodoxy) (1779-1826, Karl Ludwig Badensky's daughter. Both of their daughters died in early childhood:

1. Maria (1799-1800);
2. Elizabeth (1806-1808).

The paternity of both girls in the imperial family was considered doubtful - the first considered born from Chartersky; The father of the second was the Cavalgaard headquarters of Rothmist Alexey Hunters.

For 15 years, Alexander had practically the second family with Maria Naryshkina (in the Fourthist's Major). She gave him two daughters and her son and insisted that Alexander Razorg his marriage with Elizabeth Alekseevna and married her. Researchers also note that Alexander has tied close and very personal relations with his sister Catherine Pavlovna.

Historians have 11 of its extramarital children (see a list of extramarital children of Russian emperors # Alexander I).

Estimates of contemporaries

The complexity and inconsistency of his personality cannot be discounted. With all the variety of reviews of contemporaries about Alexandra, they all coincide in one - recognition of insincerity and secrecy as the main features of the character of the emperor. The origins of this should be sought in the unhealthy atmosphere of the Imperial House.

Ekaterina II adored her grandson, called him "Mr. Alexander", was read, bypassing Paul, to the heirs of the throne. The August grandmother actually selected the child from the parents, setting only the days of the datas, herself was engaged in raising her grandson. She composed fairy tales (one of them, Tsarevich Chlorine, reached us), believing that literature for children is not at the proper level; Massed "Babushkina Azbuka", a kind of instruction, a set of rules for the upbringing of the heirs of the throne, which is based on the ideas and views of the English rationist John Locke.

From his grandmother, the future emperor inherited the flexibility of the mind, the ability to seduce the interlocutor, the passion for the acting game bordering the dioxide. In this, Alexander almost surpassed Catherine II. "Be a man with a stone heart, and he will not stand against the appeal of the sovereign, this is a decent pre-career," the associate of Alexander M. M. Speransky wrote.

The great princes - Alexander Brothers and Konstantin Pavlovichi - were brought up in Spartan: got up early, slept on the rigid, ate simple, healthy food. The unpretentiousness of life helped subsequently transfer military life. The main teacher of the heir was the Swiss Republican Federic Cesar Lagarp. In accordance with his beliefs, he preached the power of the mind, the equality of people, the absurdity of despotism, the vitality of slavery. His influence on Alexander I was huge. In 1812, the emperor admitted: "If there were no Lagarpa, there would be no Alexander."

Recent years of the reign of Alexander I

Alexander argued that with Pavel "Three thousand peasants were distributed as a bag of diamonds. If civilization was more developed, I would stop serfdom, even if I had a head. " Solving the question of the magnitude corruption, he remained without the people faithful to him, and the filling of government positions by the Germans and other foreigners only led to the greater resistance to his reforms from the "old Russians". So, the board of Alexander, started by the greatest possible improvement, ended with the weighting chains on the necks of Russian people. It happened to a lesser extent due to corruption and conservatism of Russian life and in more - due to the personal qualities of the king. His love for freedom, despite its cordiality, was not based on reality. He stoled himself, introducing peace as a letter, but his theoretical liberalism was associated with aristocratic detention, not tolerating objections. "You always want to teach me! - He objected to the Derzhavin, the Minister of Justice, - but I am the emperor and I wish this and nothing else! " "He was ready to agree," said Prince Charter, - that everyone can be free if they freely did what he wanted. " Moreover, this patronage temperament combined with the usual of weak characters to grab in for any opportunity to postpone the use of the principles that he publicly supported. Under Alexander I, Masonry became an almost state organization, however, it was prohibited by a special imperial decree in 1822. At that time, the largest Masonic Lodge of the Russian Empire, "Pont Evksinsky", was in Odessa, which the emperor visited in 1820. Sovereign himself, to his passion to Orthodoxy , patronized Masons and in their views was the larger Republican than radical liberals of Western Europe.

In recent years, Alexander I reigns a special influence in the country acquired A. A. Arakcheev. The manifestation of conservatism in the politics of Alexander was the establishment of military settlements (since 1815), as well as the defeat of the professorial frames of many universities.

On August 16, 1823, Alexander published a secret manifesto, in which he took the renunciation of Brother Konstantin from the Preconsession and appointed the younger brother, Nikolai Pavlovich by a legitimate heir.

Death

The emperor died on November 19, 1825 in Taganrog from the heart with inflammation of the brain. A. Pushkin wrote Epitaph: " I spent my whole life on the road, heated and died in Taganrog».

The sustainable death death of the emperor gave rise to a mass of rumors (N. K. Schilder in his biography of the emperor leads 51 opinion, which arose for several weeks after the death of Alexander). One of the rumors reported that " the sovereign ran under hidden in Kiev and there will live about Christ with the soul and will give advice necessary to the present sovereign Nikolay Pavlovich for better state management" Later in 30-40 years XIX The century appeared a legend that Alexander, exhausted by remorse of conscience (as an accomplice of the murder of his father), staged his death away from the capital and started a wallen, hernate life under the name of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich (died on January 20 (February 1) of 1864 in Tomsk).

This legend has already appeared during the life of the Siberian elder and gained widespread in the second half of the XIX century. In the 20th century, an inaccurate evidence of the fact that when opening the tomb of Alexander I in the Petropavlovsky Cathedral, held in 1921, it was discovered that it was empty. Also in the Russian emigrant press in the 1920s, the story of I. I. Balinsky on the history of autopsy in 1864, the Tomb of Alexander I, which turned out to be empty. In her, allegedly in the presence of Emperor Alexander II and the Minister of the courtyard of Adalberg, the body of a long-breeding elder was laid.

The question of the identity of Fyodor Kuzmich and Emperor Alexander, historians are definitely not defined. It is finally answered to the question whether an old man Feodor had any attitude towards the Emperor Alexander, only a genetic examination could, the possibility of which the specialists of the Russian Center for Judicial Examination did not exclude. Archbishop Tomsk Rostislav spoke about the possibility of holding such an examination (the power of the Siberian elder is kept in his diocese).

In the middle of the XIX century, similar legends also appeared against the spouses of Alexander Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna, who died after her husband in 1826. She began to identify with the ladder of the monastery of the monastery faith with the silence, which appeared for the first time in 1834 in the vicinity of Tikhvina.

• Alexander I was the shaft father of the future Queen of Victoria (Kamchassna in honor of Tsar Alexandrina Victoria) and the architect of Vitberg (Kresthenoyy Alexander Lavrentievich), built for the Emperor the Church of Christ the Savior.
• December 13, 1805 Cavalier Duma Orden St. George turned to Alexander with a request to impose on the marks of the Order of the 1st degree, but Alexander refused, stating that "he did not command the troops" and accepted only the 4th degree. Considering that it was done after the terrible defeat of the Russian army at Austerlice, and Alexander's de facto commanded commanded that the emperor's modesty was still not phenomenal. Nevertheless, in battle under Austerlitz, he himself tried to stop the running soldiers with the words: "Stop! I'm with you!!! Your king with you !!! "

Memory about Alexandra I

• Palace Square ensemble.
• Arch of the General Staff.
• Alexanderplatz (him. Alexanderplatz, Alexander Square) - one of the most famous areas of Berlin, until 1945 - the main square of the city.
• Monument to Alexander in Taganrog.
• The place of his prayer in Starocherkassk.

Under Alexander I, the Patriotic War of 1812 ended victoriously, and many monuments devoted to the victory in that war were somehow connected with Alexander.

• In Yekaterinburg, in honor of visiting the city of Alexander I (Emperor visited the city in 1824), Alexander Avenue was named (since 1919 the Street of the Decembrists) and the Tsarist Bridge (on the same street across the Iset River, since 1824 wooden, since 1890, Stone, preserved still.)

Cynovoplocity

• Mikhail Nazvanov (ships storm bastions, 1953).
• Viktor Murganov (War and Peace, 1967; Bagration, 1985).
• Boris Dubensky (star of captivating happiness, 1975).
• Andrei Tolubeev (Russia, England, 1986).
• Leonid Kuravlev (Levsh, 1986).
• Alexander Domogarov (ACCA, 1987).
• Boris Carpenters (Sheremetyeva Countess, 1994).
• Vasily Lanovova ("invisible traveler", 1998)
• Toby Stevens (Napoleon, 2002).
• Vladimir Simonov (Northern Sphinx, 2003).
• Alexey Barabash ("Poor, Poor Paul", 2003)
• Alexander Efimov (Adjutants of Love, 2005).
• Igor Kostolovsky (War and Peace, 2007).

Alexander Column

Alexandrovskaya Column - Mengir, one of the most famous monuments of St. Petersburg.

Embossed in the ampir style in 1834 in the center of the Palace Square by architect Auguste Monferran by the decree of the younger brother of Emperor Alexander I Nicholas I in memory of the victory over Napoleon.

The column is a monolithic obelisk, which stands on the decorated bas-relief pedestal with dedication inscription "Alexander I Grateful Russia". Upstairs columns - an angel sculpture of Boris Orlovsky. Angel's face is granted by Alexander I.

In his left hand, the angel holds the four-pin Latin cross, and the right attitude towards the sky. The head of an angel is tilted, his gaze is fixed on the ground.

The column is facing the facade side to the Winter Palace.

It is not only an outstanding architectural monument, but also a large engineering achievement of his era.

Alexander I became the Russian emperor as a result of a palace coup and zarubideism on March 11, 1801

In the early years of the Board, he believed that the country needs indigenous reforms and a serious update. For reforms, he created a unlawful committee to discuss transformation projects. The unlawful committee made the idea of \u200b\u200brestriction of autocracy, but at first it was decided to conduct reforms in the field of management. In 1802, the reform of senior government bodies began, the ministry was established, the Committee of Ministers was established. In 1803, a decree on "free blades" was issued, according to which the landowners could be released for the redemption of their serfs on the will with land puts. After the appeal of the landlords of the Baltic States approved the law on the complete abolition of serfdom in Estlandia (1811).

In 1809, the State Secretary of the Emperor M. Speransky presented to the king of the project of fundamental reform of public administration - a project to create a constitutional monarchy in Russia. Having met the active resistance of the nobles, Alexander I refused the project.

In 1816-1822 In Russia, noble secret societies arose - "Union of salvation". Union of prosperity South Society, Northern Society - with the aim of introducing a republican constitution or constitutional monarchy in Russia. By the end of his reign, Alexander I, experiencing pressure from the nobility and fearing folk speeches, refused all liberal ideas and serious reforms.

In 1812, Russia experienced the invasion of Napoleon's army, whose defeat was completed by the entry of Russian troops to Paris. In the foreign policy of Russia there were cardinal changes. Unlike Paul I, who supported Napoleon, Alexander, on the contrary, spoke out against France, and with England resumed trade and political relations.

In 1801, Russia and England concluded the Anti-Manzu Convention "On Mutual Friendship", and then, in 1804, Russia joined the Third Antifrangesz Coalition. After the defeat under Austerlitz in 1805, the coalition broke up. In 1807, a forced Tilzite world with Napoleon was signed. Subsequently, Russia with the allies caused a decisive defeat of Napoleon's army in the "Battle of Peoples" under Leipzig in 1813

In 1804-1813. Russia won the war with Iran, seriously expanded and strengthened his southern borders. In 1806-1812 There was a protracted Russian-Turkish war. As a result of the war with Sweden in 1808-1809. In Russia, Finland was included, later Poland (1814).

In 1814, Russia participated in the work of the Vienna Congress to address the issues of the post-war device of Europe and creating a sacred union to ensure peace in Europe, which includes Russia and almost all European countries.

The beginning of the reign of Alexander I

Nevertheless, the first years of the reign of Alexander I left the best memories of contemporaries, "Alexandrov's days an excellent start" - so I designated these years by A.S. Pushkin. There was a short period of enlightened absolutism. " Universities, lyceums, gymnasiums opened. Measures were taken to facilitate the position of the peasants. Alexander stopped the distribution of state peasants to own landowners. In 1803, a decree on "free blades" was adopted. According to the Decree, the landowner could free his peasants, having gone their land and receiving a redemption from them. But the landowners were in no hurry to take advantage of this decree. During the reign of Alexander I, only 47 thousand male shower was released. But the ideas laid down in the decree of 1803, subsequently lay down in the foundation of the reform of 1861.

In the unclean committee, a proposal to sell serfs without land was expressed. Trafficking in persons was carried out in Russia in unacted, cynical forms. Ads for the sale of fortress printed in newspapers. In the Makarev Fair they were sold along with other goods, separated families. Sometimes the Russian peasant bought at the fair went to the distant eastern countries, where he lived on the rest of his days on the position of the slave-stranger.

Alexander I wanted to stop such shameful phenomena, but the proposal to prohibit peasants without land came across the resistance of the highest dignitaries. They believed that it undermines the serfdom. Without showing persistence, the young emperor retreated. It was forbidden only to publish ads for the sale of people.

TO beginning of XIX. in. The administrative system of the state was in a state of obvious collapse. The introduced collegial form of central control clearly did not justify itself. In the colleges reigned a circular irresponsibility, covering bribery and treblery. Local authorities, using the weakness of the central administration, created lawlessness.

At first, Alexander I hoped to restore order and strengthen the state by introducing the ministerial system of central control, based on the principle of unity. In 1802, 8 ministries were created instead of the previous 12 colleges: military, marine, foreign affairs, internal affairs, commerce, finance, folk education and justice. This measure has strengthened central Governance. But the decisive victory in the fight against abuse was not achieved. The new ministries settled old vices. Running, they rose to the upper floors of state power. Alexander was known to the senators who were anti-bribes. The desire to endure them struggled in it with fear to drop the prestige of the Senate. It became obvious that one permutations in the bureaucratic car cannot solve the task of creating such a system of state power, which would actively contribute to the development of the country's productive forces, and did not devour its resources. A fundamentally new approach to solving the problem was required.

Balkhanov A.N., Gorinov M.M. History of Russia from early XVIII to end XIX. century, M., 2001

"Russian policy does not exist"

Russian, Russian politics in the reign of Emperor Alexander I can not say. There is a European policy (a hundred years later they would have said "Pan-European"), there is a policy of the Universe - the policy of the Holy Union. And there is a "Russian policy" of foreign cabinets using Russia for their mercenary goals and its king's skillful work of trusted persons who have an unlimited influence on the sovereign (such, for example, Pozzo di Borg and Misho de Boretur - two amazing adjutant generals who fired Russian politics , But for the long-term dejitancy general, not learned to any Russian word).

Here you can trace four phases:

The first era is predominantly english influence. This is "Alexandrov's days a great start." The young sovereign is unofficing in the circle of intimate friends about the "projects of the Constitution of the Russian". England is the ideal and patroness of all liberalism, including Russian. At the head of the English government Pitt Jr. - the Great Son of the Great Father, the deadly enemy of France in general and Bonaparte in particular. They will be launched a wonderful idea of \u200b\u200bthe liberation of Europe from the Tirass of Napoleon (the financial side of England takes over). The result is the war with France, the second French war ... English blood, however, is shed a little, but the Russian river is poured with Austerlice and Pultusk, Eilau and Friedland.

Friedland follows a tilsit that opens the second era - the era of French influence. Genius Napoleon makes a deep impression on Alexandra ... Tilzite banquet, Georgievsky crosses on the breast of the French Grenader ... Erfurt date - Emperor of the West, the emperor of the East ... Russia unleashed hands on the Danube, where she leads war with Turkey, Napoleon gets Freedom of action in Spain. Russia is furiously joins the continental system without considering all the consequences of this step.

Napoleon departed to Spain. In the brilliant Prussian head, the matte was ripe in the meantime, the plan for the release of Germany from Iga Napoleon is a plan based on Russian blood ... from Berlin to St. Petersburg closer than from Madrid to St. Petersburg. Prussian influence begins to push out french. Stein and Pful were arterly, deftly submitting all the greatness of the "salvation of the kings and their peoples to the Russian emperor." At the same time, their accomplices were raised by Napoleon to Russia, in every possible way to insinuate non-compliance with Russia of the continental contract, affecting the sore place of Napoleon, his hatred for the main enemy - England. The relationship between Erfurt allies was finally spoiled and a trifle occasion (skillfully bloated by the efforts of German benevolers) was enough to involve Napoleon and Alexander in a brutal three-year-old war, the expere and ruining their countries - but it turned out to be an extraordinary profitable (as the instigators expected) for Germany at all And for Prussia in particular.

Using until the end, the weaknesses of Alexander I are a passion for posture and mysticism, - Foreign Cabinets Thin Lesties made him believe in his messianism and inspired him to the idea of \u200b\u200ba sacred union, who turned into their skilled union in their skilled union against Russia. Modern, the sad events of the engraving depicts the "oath of three monarchs on the coffin of Friedrich the Great in eternal friendship." An oath for which four Russian generations paid a terrible price. Galicia is selected at the Vienna Congress from Russia, shortly before that it received, and the Duchy of Warsaw is given in exchange, than prudently, the Polish element hostile element is introduced into Russia. On this fourth period, Russian policies are sent over the Metternich pointer.

War 1812 and the passage of the Russian army

Out of 650 thousand soldiers " Great Army"Napoleon returned to their homeland, according to one data, 30 thousand, in other - 40 thousand soldiers. Essentially, the Napoleonic army was not expelled, but exterminated on the endless snow-covered expanses of Russia. On December 21, he brought Alexander: "The war is completed for the complete extermination of the enemy." December 25, the royal manifesto dedicated to Christmas, who heated the end of the war was published. Russia turned out to be the only country in Europe, which is capable of not only to resist the Napoleonic aggression, but also put a crushing strike. The secret of victory was that it was a national liberation, truly domestic, war. But this victory went to the people an expensive price. Twelve provinces that have become a host of hostilities were ruined. The ancient Russian cities Smolensk, Polotsk, Vitebsk, Moscow were burned and destroyed. Direct military losses amounted to over 300 thousand soldiers and officers. More large losses were among the civilian population.

The victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 had a huge impact on all parties to the social, political and cultural life of the country, contributed to the growth of the national self-consciousness, gave a mighty impetus to the development of best public thought in Russia.

But the victorious end of the Patriotic War of 1812 has not yet meant that Russia managed to commit to Napoleon's aggressive plans. He himself openly declared the preparation of a new campaign to Russia, feverishly laid a new army for the campaign of 1813.

Alexander I decided to resolve Napoleon and immediately transfer hostilities outside the country. In pursuance of his will of Kutuzov, in the army order dated December 21, 1812, wrote: "Without stopping among the heroic feats, we now go further. Let's go through the borders and strengthen the defeat of the enemy on their own fields. " And Alexander and Kutuzov, with a full basis, counted on the aid of the peoples conquered by Napoleon, and their calculation was justified.

On January 1, 1813, the Stroysky Russian Army, under the command of Kutuzov, was transferred to Neman and entered into the limits of Poland. February 16 in Kalishe, where Alexander I was located, was concluded between Russia and Prussia an offensive and defensive union. Prussia took over the obligation to supply the Russian army on its territory.

In early March, Russian troops occupied Berlin. By this time, Napoleon formed a 300-thousand army, from the composition of which 160 thousand soldiers moved against the Allied troops. Heavy loss for Russia was the death of Kutuzov on April 16, 1813 in the Silesian city of Bunzlau. The commander-in-chief of the Russian army Alexander I appointed P.h. Wittgenstein. His attempts to keep their own, different from the Kutuzov strategy led to a number of failures. Napoleon, applying in late April - the beginning of May, the defeat of Russian-Prussian troops under Lucene and Bauzesen, threw them to Oder. Alexander I replaced Wittgenstein as commander-in-chief of the Allied troops Barclay de Tolly.

In July - August 1813, England, Sweden and Austria entered the Anti-Napoleon Coalition. At the disposal of the coalition was to half a million soldiers divided into three armies. The Commander-in-Chief of All Army was appointed Austrian Feldmarshal Karl Schwarzenberg, and the general management of military operations against Napoleon was carried out by the Council of the three monarchs - Alexander I, Franz I and Friedrich-Wilhelm III.

At Napoleon, by the beginning of August 1813, there were already 440 thousand soldiers, and on August 15 he won the coalition troops under Dresden. Only the victory of Russian troops three days after the Dresden battle over the Corps of the Napoleonic General D. Vandam under Kulum prevented the collapse of the coalition.

The decisive battle during the campaign of 1813 was deployed under Leipzig on October 4-7. It was the "battle of nations." It participated on both sides more than half a million people. The battle ended with the victory of the Allied Russian-Prussian-Austrian troops.

After the battle near Leipzig, the allies slowly moved to the French border. In two and a half months, almost the entire territory of German states was freed from the French troops, with the exception of some fortresses in which French garrisons were stubbornly defended until the very end of the war.

On January 1, 1814, the Allied forces crossed Rhine and entered into the territory of France. By this time, Denmark joined the anti-Napoleon coalition. Allied troops were continuously replenished with reserves, and by the beginning of 1814 there were already up to 900 thousand soldiers. In two winter months of 1814, Napoleon won 12 battles and two breaths. In the coalition camp again there were oscillations. The Allies offered Napoleon the world on the terms of the return of France to the borders of 1792, Napoleon responded with refusal. At the continuation of the war, Alexander I insisted, striving for the overthrow of Napoleon from the throne. At the same time, Alexander I did not want to restore in the French throne of Bourbon: he offered to leave on the throne of the young son of Napoleon under the regency of his mother Maria-Louise. March 10, Russia, Austria, Prussia and England concluded the Shotonian treatise, which was obliged to not join the separatic negotiations with Napoleon about the world or truce. The three-time superiority of allies in the number of troops by the end of March 1814 led to a victorious ending campaign. At the beginning of March, the victory in battles at Laon and Arsi Sur Oh, the 100,000-thousand allied troops moved to Paris defended by the 45-thousandth garrison. March 19, 1814 Paris capitulated. Napoleon rushed to free the capital, but his marshals refused to fight and forced him on March 25 to sign the renunciation from the throne. According to the peace treaty, signed by 18 (30), 1814 in Paris, France returned to the borders of 1792, Napoleon and his dynasty were deprived of the French throne, on which Burbons were restored. The King of France became Louis XVIII, who returned from Russia, where he was in emigration.

Miscellaneous and Entertainment of the Alexandrovskaya Epoch

The holidays of the dynasty were nationwide holidays and festivities, and every year the entire St. Petersburg, embraced by festive excitement, was waiting for July 22. A few days before the celebrations from the city in Peterhofa, thousands of people rushed: to know in luxury carriages, nobles, citizens, commoner - who will have to. The magazine of the 1820s reports us:

"A few people are crowded on the trembles and willingly tolerate shaking and anxiety; There, in Chukhonskaya Foura, a whole family is placed with large reserves of provisions of all kinds, and they all patiently swallow thick dust ... Moreover, on both sides of the road, many pedestrians go, who have a hunting and the stream of the feet overlaps the ease of the wallet; Perfors of different fruits and berries - and those in a hurry to Peterhof in the hope of barysch and vodka. ... Pier represents a lively picture, here thousands of people are crowded and hurry to get to the steamer. "

Petersburgers spent several days in Peterhof - the parks were opened for everyone. Tens of thousands of people spent the night right on the streets. Warm, short bright night, no one seemed to be tedious. The nobles slept in their carriages, breasts and peasants in carts, hundreds of crews formed real bivouaks. Everywhere you visited the living horses, sleeping in the most picturesque poses. These were peaceful hordes, everything was rarely quiet and chinno, without familiar drunkenness and Mordoboy. After graduating from the holiday, guests also left in St. Petersburg, life was part of her ordinary kola until the next summer ...

In the evening, after dinner and dancing in the Grand Palace, Masquerade began in the Lower Park, where everyone would be allowed. Peterhof Parks by this time were transformed: alleys, fountains, cascades, as in the XVIII century, were decorated with thousands of burning wet and different colored lamps. Orchestras played everywhere, the crowds of guests in masquerade costumes were walked along the alleys of the park, breaking in front of the cavalcades of the elegant riders and the crews of the members of the royal family.

Alexandra, St. Petersburg, especially happily met his first century. In May 1803, continuous festivities were walking in the capital. The audience was seen on the birthday of the city, as a unpelled set of festively dressed people filled all the alleys of the summer garden ... There were boalages, swings and other adaptations for all kinds of people's games in Tsaritsyn meadow. In the evening, the summer garden, the main buildings on the embankment, the fortress and a small Dutch house of Peter the Great ... were perfectly illuminated. On the Neva flotilla from small ships of the imperial squadron, diluted by flags, was also brightly covered, and on the deck of one of these vessels was visible ... the so-called "grandfather of the Russian fleet" - a boot from which the Russian fleet began ...

Anisimov E.V. Imperial Russia. St. Petersburg, 2008

Legends and rumors about the death of Alexander I

What happened there in the south is covered by a secret. It is officially known that Alexander I died on November 19, 1825 in Taganrog. The body of the sovereign hurriedly embarrassed and lucky to St. Petersburg. [...] And since 1836, already under Nicolae I, rumors crawled around the country that a certain wise old man Fedor Kuzmich Kuzmin, the righteous, educated and very similar to the late emperor, lives in the people, alone lives in the country, although it does not apply for an impostor . He walked for a long time in the holy places of Russia, and then donkey in Siberia, where he died in 1864. The fact that the elder was not commoner was clear to everyone who saw him.

But the fierce and unresolved argument broke out further: who is he? Some say that this is once brilliant cavalierry Fedor Uvarov, who mysteriously disappeared from his estate. Others believe that this was the emperor Alexander himself. Of course, among the last many crazy and graphomans, but there are people serious. They pay attention to many strange facts. The cause of the death of a 47-year-old emperor, in a general, healthy, mobile person, is not fully understood. There is some kind of strange confusion in the death counters of the king, and it made it makes it up that the paper is drawn up with a back. When the body was taken to the capital, then at the opening of the coffin, everyone was amazed by the crisal of Mother of the late, Empress Mary Fedorovna at the sight of the dark, "like a maura", persons Alexander: "This is not my son!" They spoke about some kind of mistake when embalmed. And maybe, according to supporters of the king's care, this mistake was not accidental? Just shortly until November 19, Feldgerer crashed in front of the sovereign - the crew suffered a horse. It was put in the coffin, and Alexander himself ...

[...] In recent months, Alexander I has changed very much. It seemed to them owned some important thought, which made him thoughtful and decisive at the same time. [...] Finally, closely recalled, as Alexander often spoke that he was tired and dreaming of leaving the throne. Nikolai I spouse, Empress Alexander Fedorovna, a week before their coronation, on August 15, 1826 recorded in the diary:

"Probably, at the sight of the people, I will think about how the late emperor Alexander, telling us once about his renunciation, added:" How I will rejoice when I see you passing by me, and I will shout you in the crowd! Hooray! ", Swinging with your hat."

Opponents object to this: did it see if it was seen to refuse such power? Yes, and all these conversations of Alexander is only a habitual posture for him, chemistry. And in general, why the king needed to go to the people, which he did not like that. Didn't have any other ways to live without a throne - remember the Swedish Queen Christina, who left the throne and left to enjoy life in Italy. Or you could settle in Crimea and build a palace. Yes, it was possible to go into the monastery, finally. [...] And meanwhile, from one shrine to another, Brere with the crops and kothomics in Russia, the Bogomoles. They saw Alexander many times at their travel around the country. These were not tramps, but people performed by faith and love for the neighbor, the eternal fascinated wanderers of Russia. Their continuous movement on the endless road, their visible in the eyes and does not require evidence faith could tell the exit to the tired sovereign ...

In short, there is no clarity in this story. The best connoisseur of Alexander I historian N. K. Schilder, author of the fundamental work about him, a brilliant expert of documents and a honest person, said:

"All the dispute is only because it is possible that alone will certainly want Alexander I and Fyodor Kuzmich to be the same face, and others do not want it. Meanwhile, no specific data to solve this question in that or the other side is not. I can give the same amount of data in favor of the first opinion, how much and in favor of the second, and it is impossible to do any definite conclusion. " [...]