Alexander III. Biography

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

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

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

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

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

Enthronement

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

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

Domestic policy of Alexander III

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

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

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

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

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

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

Foreign policy of Alexander III

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

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

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

Personal life

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

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

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

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

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

Failed assassination attempt

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

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

Death

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

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

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

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

The image of the emperor in art

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

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

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

The number of attempts on Alexander 3 is a topic of heated debate among some researchers of his biography. The assassination attempt in 1887, which was supposed to take place on March 1, is an irrefutable fact. Then many people were arrested, a thorough investigation was carried out, which resulted in the execution of the main instigators. But regarding the assassination attempt on Alexander 3 on the train, historians have differing opinions. The same picture is observed in relation to the doctor Zakharyev, whom some sources consider to be involved in the death of the emperor. How many attempts were actually made on Alexander 3? Who was behind this? What goals did you pursue? Our article talks about all this in detail.

What should you pay attention to first?

In order to thoroughly understand all the issues of interest, it is necessary to briefly characterize the personality of the emperor, his foreign and domestic policies, and what successes were achieved during the years of his reign in the Russian Empire. Finally, take a closer look at populist organizations and methods of promoting their political ideas. It is impossible to ignore the activities of the Russian special services of that time, their structure, composition, and methods of combating extremism.

This is a huge amount of information. Some points are not yet completely clear, so they await their researcher. The assassination attempt on Tsar Alexander 3 is an issue that requires comprehensive consideration.

Personality of the Emperor

The great Russian monarch was riddled with all sorts of surprises and challenges of fate. The courageous giant, possessing colossal physical strength, was simple in everyday life. He was being prepared for military service; the Russian throne was intended for his older brother Nicholas. It so happened that he fell ill and died unexpectedly, without having time to marry or leave heirs. Therefore, Alexander had to leave his military career and urgently “retrain to be a king.” Following the unpredictable “whims” of fate, he married his older brother’s fiancée, creating a strong and friendly family. Alexander 3 also tried to make the state strong, united and prosperous. But by what methods?

In everyday life, he did not like noisy companies, balls and idle talk. As documents from those years show, he often stayed at work until 2-3 a.m., putting the good of the country above personal inconveniences and difficulties. Under him, Russia strengthened its economic, military, and geopolitical power. Another of his merits is that under him the country did not fight a single war, which is why many called Alexander 3 a “peacemaker.”

He realized that it would no longer be possible to lead vast Russia using patriarchal methods. He saw the solution in reforms and hard-line policies. Under his rule, so-called “cleansing” of structures was not carried out to identify and eliminate unreliable ones, but conditions were created under which many intelligent specialists had to resign. His too harsh reforms, which did not bring visible improvements to the situation of the people, also caused a lot of dissatisfaction. It is not surprising that there were those who wanted to remove the emperor from the throne.

If we consider the first attempt on the life of Alexander 3 briefly, then it can be called an attempt by amateurs, “pale youths with burning eyes,” who naively believed that only by eliminating the autocrats could happiness for the people be achieved.

New policy

The head of the Great Russian Empire had excellent teachers and advisers. His views were influenced by the tragedy that happened to his father. dealt a fatal blow when he, unsuspectingly, bent over the wounded man. This was partly the result of his inconsistent policies. Errors have been taken into account. To maintain calm and peace, it was necessary not only to increase the military power of the state and optimize the work of the state apparatus, but also to smooth out social contradictions as much as possible.

The “Manifesto on the Inviolability of Autocracy” perfectly articulated the sovereign’s position regarding liberal reforms. They were curling up. Censorship appeared, and state pressure on all spheres of life increased. Finally, we have come to grips with resolving the pressing issue with the peasantry. The poll tax was abolished. The rate of redemption payments for former landowner peasants has been reduced. A Peasant Bank was established, which provided cheap loans for the purchase of land. A number of measures were taken that allowed everyone to go to Siberia and receive land there.

The decrees affected working conditions, and concessions were made for women and children. But all the efforts made did not lead to the expected result. In general, the new economic program did not improve the situation of the poorest segments of the population, and social contradictions were not overcome. A striking example of the current situation can be considered the unsuccessful attempt on the life of Alexander 3 in 1887. Here various extremist organizations of the populist persuasion enter the scene.

Populism

This utopian ideology arose among the various intelligentsia. Captivated by Herzen's ideas, the populists saw in the existing peasant community a necessary platform for building socialism, bypassing the capitalist formation. In their opinion, Russia’s development path is special because it is influenced by the mystery of the “Russian soul.” Capitalism is alien to Russian society, because it is a deeply immoral phenomenon at its core.

We all know well the sad fate of the assassination attempt on Alexander 3, prepared by the Terrorist Faction group (was part of the Narodnaya Volya organization), of which brother V.I. was a member. Lenin, ended in failure, and its participants were executed. By blaming a specific person or group of people for all the troubles, dismissing the objective historical laws of development, members of the organization once again proved that they did not have a single picture of understanding the structure of the world. The attempt failed due to the frivolity of its organization. Unfortunately, people who did not share the views of the populists were privy to the secret. That is, the members of the organization did not realize the seriousness of their actions.

Department for the Protection of Public Safety and Order

This organization, which was part of the organization, was responsible for political investigation. She had a fairly extensive network of agents. The role of operatives carrying out surveillance, special operations, and the necessary prevention of opposition movements was performed by spies. The auxiliary functions of surveillance and the preparation of timely reports on the situation fell on the “informers.”

Strict selection for the ranks of spies was based on strict requirements for candidates. The agents could be men with an inconspicuous appearance, at least 30 years of age, and excellent physical fitness. Particular attention was paid to moral and business qualities - attentiveness, observation, caution, courage, stress resistance, patience. The leadership of such a structure could not stand romantics, considering them random people in intelligence.

“Informers” were recruited from among the people. They could be anyone. Their inclusion in the staff of permanent employees was not provided for by the circulars; therefore, payment for the services of informers was made based on the value of the information obtained. Remuneration was sometimes made in things (clothing, utensils, etc.).

In addition to external surveillance, special attention was paid to reading other people's correspondence. Perlustrators were responsible for it. The effectiveness of such methods is obvious, because it was from the correspondence that they learned about the impending assassination attempt on Alexander 3 with the participation of Ulyanov.

Provocateurs were effectively introduced. Such activity and the meticulous execution earned high praise even from the founders of modern Western intelligence services. It was the Russian tsarist secret police that turned provocation into an art. Many examples can be found in Russian history.

Year of the assassination attempt on Alexander 3

Particularly cynicism was distinguished by the desire of home-grown bombers to time the death of their victim to coincide with a significant historical event. Discussing among like-minded people about the prospects for the liquidation of the monarch, the main organizer and ideological inspirer Pyotr Shevyrev, as the deadline for the execution of the political murder approached, suddenly felt “cognitive dissonance”, “destruction of the subtle mental constitution” and simply ran away.

It was announced to his “combat” comrades that he was gladly ready to give his life in the name of the Russian people, but due to developed tuberculosis he must temporarily leave for treatment. Therefore, the date of heroic self-sacrifice had to be postponed indefinitely. The organization needed a new worthy leader.

The expected result was the arrest of all members of the underground cell. The first attempt on the life of Alexander 3, committed under such tragicomic circumstances, only strengthened the reaction in the country, opening the way for repressive, tough measures.

Crime and Punishment

After the arrest, the fate of the extremists was sad. The ideological inspirer, Pyotr Shevyrev, did not escape punishment either. He was found in Crimea and taken to the Shlisselburg fortress. Despite the organizers of the assassination attempt on Alexander 3, some of the participants in the conspiracy were executed by hanging. For others, the death penalty was replaced by hard labor, exiled to different parts of the Russian Empire.

Tsar's train wreck

Having escaped death at the hands of bombers, the autocrat and his family survived a train accident, which some Russian officials regarded as a second attempt on the life of Alexander 3. This event occurred on October 17, 1888. The royal family was returning from Crimea. A car derailment occurred on a railway embankment. Miraculously avoiding death, showing miracles of courage, the king held the roof of the carriage, which almost buried his family alive.

When everyone got out from under the rubble, the first thought that arose among the victims was that the crash of the royal train was an attempt on the life of Alexander 3. An investigation into the circumstances of the incident was ordered, but it did not bear any fruit. Representatives of various departments in every possible way denied their own guilt, nodding at each other. Taking into account the futility of such searches, it was decided to stop looking for the culprits, limiting ourselves to high-profile resignations.

Versions of what happened

S.Yu. Witte, who at that time managed the Society of South-Western Railways, argued that the cause of the incident was excessive speed and the presence of Newton's laws in nature. He did not want to admit that the railway track was faulty and did not meet the proper technical level.

Some researchers point out the clear similarity of the accident to the one that occurred 9 years before the events described. Representatives of the well-known “Narodnaya Volya” mastered the method of derailing trains, due to the incredible effectiveness of such an event. In the fall of 1879, Sofia Perovskaya's group committed a similar act, but then no one was hurt.

“The case of the rotten sleeper,” as some narrow-minded ordinary people sarcastically called this tragedy, was closed due to lack of evidence. Or not? Maybe there is another explanation for this? For example, such that the Russian special services of that time simply did not want to introduce into the public consciousness even the idea of the possibility of committing such a crime, for fear of repetition. Was this an attempt on Alexander 3? There is no exact answer yet.

Killer doctors

To voice all versions of what happened, it is necessary to touch upon the issue of world Zionism. There are opinions that it was precisely this that caused the death of the unwanted monarch of Russia. Indeed, during his reign, anti-Semitic policies were pursued. Jews were forbidden to settle in rural areas, and those who lived in villages were forbidden to move. Bans were introduced on the rental of land and the purchase of real estate outside the Pale of Settlement.

The overexertion that the king experienced during the accident, holding back the collapsed roof, affected his health. Diagnostics revealed kidney disease. There is an opinion among some historians that it was the Jewish doctors who sent the Tsar-Father to the next world. The name of the main culprit is named - Zakharyin Grigory Antonovich. He was a very respected person and an excellent specialist, he lectured at the university. After examining the sick monarch, Zakharyin “accidentally” broke expensive medicines that were on the nightstand near the bed of a high-ranking patient. Instead, he prescribed others and forbade transporting the patient anywhere, so as not to worsen his condition. These recommendations were not implemented. The king died. An autopsy showed that Zakharyin's diagnosis was 100% correct, but he was accused of being a murderer. Perhaps the message of the priest John of Kronstadt played a role here, who claimed that he heard the doctor’s words that the king was sentenced to death. But this has not been officially proven.

Therefore, the question is: “How many attempts were made on the life of Alexander 3 in reality?” - not yet closed. The only important thing is that in the pursuit of sensation or political capital, you can lose the Truth, which a science like history is designed to reveal.

The first thing Nikolai really wanted to know about when he returned from England was his father’s health. At first he was scared when he didn’t see him among those greeting him, and thought that his father was lying in bed, but it turned out that everything was not so scary - the emperor went duck hunting and managed to return in time for dinner. However, Alexander III’s condition soon deteriorated so much that Professor G. A. Zakharyin, one of the best diagnostic therapists in Russia, who headed the clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of Moscow University, was called from Moscow for consultation. This time, old Zakharyin was not at his best - he said that there was nothing serious and the dry climate of Crimea would help improve his condition.

The calmed emperor, who also never attached importance to the advice of doctors, decided instead of Crimea to go to his favorite hunting places - Belovezhye and Spada. It is not difficult to guess that the royal hunts differed from the sanatorium regime of Livadia - the beaters, the huntsmen, the retinue, and the august hunters got up before dawn and went out into the forest or field in any weather. Hunting for hares gave way to hunting for deer, and the hunt for wild boar and roe deer was interspersed with ambushes for partridges, ducks, pheasants and geese. Dinners by the fires, bathing horses, long hikes in the sun and rain required excellent health.

On September 15, at the insistence of his relatives, the famous Berlin professor Leiden arrived in the hunting area and immediately diagnosed the emperor with acute kidney inflammation - nephritis. Leiden categorically insisted on a change in climate, and the whole family - and all the women were on the hunt - went to the Crimea.

On September 21, we arrived in Sevastopol and, transferring to the yacht "Eagle", landed in Yalta on the same day. In Livadia, Alexander immediately began intensive treatment. However, after a week, the patient developed severe swelling in his legs, he slept for a long time during the day, often took salt baths, and when the procedures were interrupted, more and more doctors appeared at his bedside.

Soon there were half a dozen of them.

At the beginning of October, the Tsar no longer always came out for breakfast; he was increasingly overcome by drowsiness, and he entrusted the reading of the papers to the Tsarevich.

And the Tsarevich, immersed in state affairs, more than about this burden that suddenly fell upon him, thought about his Alix, looked forward to letters from her and, although he received them almost every day, or even two or three a day, was torn between pity for his sick father and an irresistible passionate desire to see his bride.

On October 8, Father John of Kronstadt, the most famous “prayer book for the sick” in Russia, reputed to be a miracle worker and healer, arrived in Livadia. His arrival made it clear that Alexander’s affairs were bad and it was no longer possible to rely on medicine - the intervention of not earthly forces, but heavenly ones was required. Together with Father John, the Tsar's brothers came - Sergei and Pavel, Grand Duchesses Alexandra Iosifovna and Maria Georgievna, Olga Konstantinovna's son - the Greek Prince Christopher.

The next day, Archpriest Yanyshev gave communion to the sick man, and then the Tsar’s brother Vladimir and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Younger, the wife of the Swedish Prince William, came to Livadia.

All these guests did not cause any joy in any of the inhabitants of Livadia. They were not going to a holiday - to a wake. And although Alexander was still alive, the shadow of death was already hovering over Livadia.

On the morning of October 10, Nikolai went to Alushta, where his beloved aunt Ella and Alix soon arrived from Simferopol. Her arrival brought revival and joy into the sad atmosphere of Livadia, and Nikolai felt that a person had appeared nearby who was ready to share the terrible grief that was approaching him.

On October 15, Alix wrote to him in his diary: “Dear child! Pray to God, He will help you not to lose heart, He will console you in your grief. Your Sunshine is praying for you and for your beloved patient.” And a little lower, on the same day, another entry followed: “Dear boy! I love you, oh, so tenderly and deeply. Be persistent and order Doctor Leyden and the other - G. (Meaning another doctor - Grube. - V.B.) come to you daily and tell you in what condition they find him, as well as all the details regarding what they find necessary to do for him. This way, you will always be the first to know about everything. You can then help convince him to do what needs to be done. And if the doctor needs anything, let him come straight to you. Don't let others be first and pass you by. You are the Father's beloved son, and you must be asked and told about everything. Reveal your personal will and don’t let others forget who you are. Forgive me, dear!

This entry in Nikolai's diary is not only significant. She is symbolic. It contains that direction, that tone and that position that will be characteristic of their relationship for many years to come: concern for him and his affairs and anxiety for him will be constant companions of Alix’s life, the main meaning and dominant of her existence. She never wanted power for herself, although she had a fairly strong character. But not only strength of character was inherent in Alix. Born in the Darmstadt backwaters and raised in the brilliant imperial Windsor, Alix retained a dual nature throughout her life: she was painfully shy, but the status of the empress in a number of cases did not allow her to reveal this quality, mistaken for timidity and indecision, or even cowardice; it was very difficult for her to get along with strangers, and court ceremonies almost every time obliged her to introduce herself to numerous visitors - foreign ministers, diplomats, distant and not very distant relatives, but for some reason still unknown to her, celebrities of various kinds - from outstanding scientists to famous touring performers - and each of them could regard this as stiffness, coldness or even offensive inattention. She was a homebody and a true recluse, and therefore her circle of friends was very narrow, and at court they perceived this as excessive pride, almost a delusion of narcissism. These same qualities turned, especially at first, her future husband not just into the person closest to her, but almost into her only, truly dear one, although next to her was her beloved sister Ella, who was drawn to her younger sister even and because she had no children, and her relationship with her husband was also more than peculiar, for her husband was a homosexual.

When out in public, Alix, out of shyness, became inwardly tense and cold in disposition, which is why both her face and her gaze became cold and aloof, which, of course, did not favor people in her favor.

Meanwhile, the emperor was getting worse and worse. On October 17, he received communion again, this time from Father John of Kronstadt, and received absolution. On this sad day, Alix wrote in Nikolai’s diary: “Tell me about everything, darling. You can completely trust me, look at me as a part of yourself. Let your joys and sorrows be mine, and this will bring us even closer. My only beloved, how I love you, dear treasure, my only! Darling, when you feel discouraged and sad, come to the Sun, she will try to console you and warm you with her rays. May God help you!”

They still hoped, although Alexander was already very bad.

John of Kronstadt later told how he met Alexander III in his last days of life. The Tsar met him, standing with his greatcoat draped over his shoulders, and cordially thanked him for coming to see him. Then they entered the next room together and stood up for prayer. The king prayed with unusually deep feeling. He was just as sincere both during communion and in the last hours of his life. When on October 20 John came to the dying man, who was sitting in a deep chair, a storm arose, the sea groaned from the waves, and Alexander felt very bad from all this. He asked Father John to put his hands on his head, and when the priest did this, the patient seemed to feel better, and he said:

“It’s very easy for me when you hold them.” “And then he said: “The Russian people love you, they love you because they know who you are and what you are.”

And soon after these words, he threw his head back on the chair and died quietly, without agony. Death occurred at a quarter past three on October 20, 1894.

The Empress, the heir with his bride and all his children knelt next to him and cried quietly. That evening Nikolai wrote down: “My God, my God, what a day. The Lord called back our adored, dear, beloved Pope. My head is spinning, I don’t want to believe it – the terrible reality seems so implausible. We spent the whole morning near him. His breathing was difficult, it was necessary to constantly give him oxygen. At about half past 3 he received Holy Communion; Soon mild cramps began... and the end quickly came. Father John stood at his head for more than an hour and held his head. It was the death of a saint! Lord, help us in these difficult days! Poor dear Mom! In the evening at 9 1/2 there was a funeral service - in the same bedroom! I felt like I was dead. Dear Alix’s legs hurt again.”

And yet, even on the day of his father’s death, the last phrase is about “dear Alix”, who suddenly “had pain in her legs”...

However, another much more significant fact was not recorded by the heir to the throne in his diary. When Alexander III died, Nicholas, sobbing, turned to his friend of childhood and youth, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich: “Sandro, what will I do? What will happen to Russia now? I am not yet prepared to be a king! I can't rule an empire. I don't even know how to talk to ministers. Help me, Sandro!

Alexander III died on October 20 and lay in the Livadia Palace for five days. On October 25, his body was transferred to the Great Livadia Church, and from there, two days later, the emperor’s coffin was transferred aboard the cruiser “Memory of Mercury,” which in the afternoon delivered it to Sevastopol, where the funeral train was already standing. On October 30, the train approached Moscow, and the coffin with the body of Alexander III, amid the ringing of bells, past tens of thousands of kneeling Muscovites, was brought to the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin, and the next day, after continuous services, it was again taken to the station and from there to St. Petersburg.

Here, on November 1, 1894, at 10 o’clock in the morning, an unusually magnificent funeral procession moved from the Nikolaevsky station to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The official report indicated that this procession was divided into 12 sections, each of which had 13 ranks. In total, therefore, there were 156 of these ranks. At the front of the procession they carried 52 banners and 12 coats of arms. And two men-at-arms moved between the banners and coats of arms. One of them - light, in golden armor, rode on a horse, lowering his naked sword, the other - in black armor, in a black cloak, with a black tulip, walked on foot, symbolizing endless sorrow. Then came the deputies of lands and cities, dignitaries and ministers, behind whom they carried state swords, 57 foreign, 13 Russian orders and 12 imperial regalia. And then came a spiritual procession - in light vestments, with banners, crosses and icons.

And only then did the funeral chariot ride, followed by the immensely saddened wife, son and daughter-in-law of the deceased. They were followed, strictly in chain of command, by other members of the imperial family. And, of course, the eyes of all those gathered were directed primarily at the new emperor and his bride. Alice walked pale, with downcast eyes, and her black mourning dress and black scarf emphasized her pallor even more.

And people, looking at their new mistress-empress, who was walking through the streets of St. Petersburg for the first time, finding herself immediately at the coffin, whispered to each other that this was not good and that the bride in black would bring misfortune to them all.

The procession stopped for short services at the Church of the Sign, at the Anichkov Palace, at the Kazan Cathedral, at the German and Dutch churches and at St. Isaac's Cathedral. Finally, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the coffin was carried into the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The funeral of Alexander III, at the same time, was distinguished by great turmoil and confusion, when the deputations mixed up their places in the funeral procession, and its participants resembled not loyal subjects upset by the loss of the sovereign, but a kind of masquerade procession, in which loitering loafers walk, dressed in priestly robes, in military uniforms and other various clothes.

Leaving the coffin in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the royal family went to Anichkov Palace, where they spent another six days in memorial services for the deceased and preparing the burial. The delay was explained by the fact that not all foreign relatives had yet arrived in St. Petersburg, and when they finally gathered, a bishop's service took place on November 7, ending with a funeral service and burial.

Thus ended the last royal funeral in the history of Russia, and Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, Nikolai and Alexandra Feodorovna, leaving the cathedral, could not imagine that on this day the emperor would be buried here for the last time, and their own graves would not be next to him, but in thousands of miles from him and from each other...

Born on March 10 (February 26, old style) 1845 in St. Petersburg. He was the second son of Emperor Alexander II and Empress Maria Alexandrovna.

He received the traditional military engineering education for grand dukes.

In 1865, after the death of his elder brother, Grand Duke Nicholas, he became crown prince, after which he received more fundamental knowledge. Among Alexander's mentors were Sergei Solovyov (history), Yakov Grot (history of literature), Mikhail Dragomirov (military art). The greatest influence on the Tsarevich was the law teacher Konstantin Pobedonostsev.

In his father’s reforms, he saw, first of all, negative aspects - the growth of government bureaucracy, the difficult financial situation of the people, imitation of Western models. The political ideal of Alexander III was based on ideas about patriarchal-paternal autocratic rule, the inculcation of religious values in society, the strengthening of the class structure, and nationally distinctive social development.

On April 29, 1881, Alexander III issued a manifesto “On the Inviolability of Autocracy” and launched a series of reforms that were aimed at partially curtailing the liberal initiatives of his father-reformer.

The tsar's domestic policy was characterized by increased control of the central government over all spheres of state life.

To strengthen the role of the police, local and central administration, the “Regulations on measures to protect state security and public peace” (1881) was adopted. The “Temporary Rules on the Press,” adopted in 1882, clearly outlined the range of topics that could be written about and introduced strict censorship. In addition, a number of “counter-reforms” were carried out, thanks to which it was possible to suppress the revolutionary movement, primarily the activities of the Narodnaya Volya party.

Alexander III took measures to protect the class rights of noble landowners: he established the Noble Land Bank, adopted a Regulation on hiring for agricultural work that was beneficial for landowners, strengthened administrative guardianship over the peasantry, helped strengthen the communalism of peasants, and the formation of the ideal of a large patriarchal family.

At the same time, in the first half of the 1880s, he took a number of measures to alleviate the financial situation of the people and mitigate social tension in society: the introduction of compulsory redemption and the reduction of redemption payments, the establishment of the Peasant Land Bank, the introduction of factory inspection, and the gradual abolition of the poll tax.

The emperor paid serious attention to increasing the social role of the Orthodox Church: he increased the number of parochial schools and tightened repression against Old Believers and sectarians.

During the reign of Alexander III, the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow was completed (1883), parishes that had been closed during the previous reign were restored, and many new monasteries and churches were built.

Alexander III made a significant contribution to the restructuring of the system of state and public relations. In 1884 he issued the University Charter, which curtailed the autonomy of universities. In 1887, he issued a “circular about cooks’ children,” which limited the entry into gymnasiums of children from the lower classes.

He strengthened the social role of the local nobility: since 1889, peasant self-government was subordinated to zemstvo chiefs - who united judicial and administrative power in their hands to officials from local landowners.

He carried out reforms in the field of urban government: zemstvo and city regulations (1890, 1892) tightened the administration's control over local government and limited the rights of voters from the lower strata of society.

He limited the scope of the jury trial and restored closed proceedings for political trials.

The economic life of Russia during the reign of Alexander III was characterized by economic growth, which was largely due to the policy of increased patronage of domestic industry. The country rearmed its army and navy and became the world's largest exporter of agricultural products. The government of Alexander III encouraged the growth of large capitalist industry, which achieved notable successes (metallurgical production doubled in 1886-1892, the railway network grew by 47%).

Russian foreign policy under Alexander III was distinguished by pragmatism. The main content was a turn from traditional cooperation with Germany to an alliance with France, which was concluded in 1891-1893. The aggravation of relations with Germany was smoothed out by the “Reinsurance Treaty” (1887).

Alexander III went down in history as the Peacemaker Tsar - during his reign, Russia did not participate in a single serious military-political conflict of that time. The only significant battle - the capture of Kushka - took place in 1885, after which the annexation of Central Asia to Russia was completed.

Alexander III was one of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Historical Society and its first chairman. Established the Historical Museum in Moscow.

He simplified court etiquette and ceremony, in particular, abolished genuflection before the king, reduced the staff of the court ministry and introduced strict supervision over the expenditure of money.

The emperor was pious, distinguished by frugality and modesty, and spent his leisure time in a narrow circle of family and friends. He was interested in music, painting, history. He collected an extensive collection of paintings, objects of decorative and applied art, and sculptures, which after his death was transferred to the Russian Museum founded by Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his father.

The personality of Alexander III is associated with the idea of a real hero with iron health. On October 17, 1888, he was injured in a train accident near the Borki station, 50 km from Kharkov. However, saving the lives of loved ones, the emperor held the collapsed roof of the carriage for about half an hour until help arrived. It is believed that as a result of this excessive stress, his kidney disease began to progress.

On November 1 (October 20, old style), 1894, the emperor died in Livadia (Crimea) from the consequences of nephritis. The body was taken to St. Petersburg and buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The wife of Alexander III was the Danish princess Louise Sophia Frederica Dagmara (in Orthodoxy - Maria Feodorovna) (1847-1928), whom he married in 1866. The emperor and his wife had five children: Nicholas (later Russian Emperor Nicholas II), George, Ksenia, Mikhail and Olga.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources