Alexander 1: a brief biography and a description of the government

Alexander Pavlovich Romanov was born on December 12, 1777 in St. Petersburg. He was the favorite grandson of Catherine II and the eldest son of the heir to the throne of Paul. With the father of the child had a strained relationship, so he was brought up with a crowned grandmother.

Heir to the throne

At that time, the ideas of enlightenment and humanism were popular. According to them, and brought up Alexander 1. A brief biography of the future monarch contained lessons based on the work of Rousseau. At the same time, my father taught the child to do military work.

In 1793, the young man married a German princess, who received the name Elizabeth Alekseevna at baptism. Then he served in the Gatchina troops, which were created by Paul. With the death of Catherine, the father became an emperor, and Alexander - his heir. In order for him to become accustomed to state affairs, Alexander was made a senate in the Senate.

Alexander 1, whose brief biography was full of ideas of enlightenment, was infinitely far from his father with his views. Paul often argued with his son and even forced him to swear allegiance several times. The Emperor was maniacally afraid of conspiracies that were prevalent in the eighteenth century.

On March 12, 1801, a palace coup was organized in St. Petersburg . In the center was a group of nobles. Until now, researchers are arguing whether Alexander knew about the plans of the conspirators. Anyway, but it is precisely known that when Paul was killed, this was reported to the heir. So he became emperor of Russia.

Reforms

The first years of the government of Alexander 1 policy was entirely aimed at the internal transformation of the country. The initial step was a broad amnesty. She freed many freethinkers and victims during the reign of Paul. Among them was Alexander Radishchev, who lost his will for publishing the essay "Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow."

Later, Alexander relied on the opinion of the noble comrades-in-arms, who formed an unofficial committee. Among them were the youth of the emperor - Pavel Stroganov, Victor Kochubey, Adam Czartoryski, etc.

Reforms were aimed at weakening serfdom. In 1803, a decree was issued on free-grain farmers, according to which the landlords could now liberate their peasants together with the land. Patriarchal orders of Russia did not allow Alexander to take more decisive steps. The nobles were able to resist the changes. But the ruler successfully banned serfdom in the Baltics, where Russian order was alien.

Alexander's reforms 1 also contributed to the development of education. Additional funding received Moscow State University. Also, the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum was opened (the young Alexander Pushkin studied there).

Projects of Speransky

The closest assistant to the emperor was Mikhail Speransky. He prepared a ministerial reform, which was approved by Alexander 1. A brief biography of the ruler received another successful initiative. The new ministries replaced the inefficient colleges of the Petrine era.

In 1809, a draft was prepared on the division of powers in the state. However, Alexander did not dare to give this idea life. He was afraid of the murmuring of the aristocracy and the next palace coup. Therefore Speransky eventually withdrew into the shadows and was sent into retirement. Another reason why the reforms were curtailed was the war with Napoleon.

Foreign policy

At the end of the 18th century, France experienced the Great Revolution. The monarchical system was destroyed. Instead, first there was a republic, and then the one-man board of the successful commander Napoleon Bonaparte. France as a hotbed of revolutionary sentiments has become the opponent of the absolute monarchies of Europe. Both Catherine and Paul fought against Paris.

Emperor Alexander 1 also joined the anti-French coalition. However, the defeat at Austerlitz in 1805 led to the fact that Russia was on the brink of defeat. Then the policy of Alexander 1 changed: he met with Bonaparte and signed with him the Tilsit peace, which established neutrality, and Russia had the opportunity to join Finland and Moldova, which was done. It was in the new northern territory that the emperor used his reform achievements.

Finland was joined in the form of the Grand Duchy with its own diet and civil rights. And in the future this province was the most free in the whole state during the XIX century.

However, in 1812 Napoleon decided to attack Russia. Thus began the Patriotic War, known to all by Tolstoy's War and Peace. After the Battle of Borodino, the French were sent to Moscow, but this was Bonaparte's fleeting success. Left without resources, he fled Russia.

At the same time, Alexander 1, whose brief biography is saturated with various events, led the army in a foreign campaign. He triumphantly entered Paris and became the hero of all Europe. The triumphant headed the Russian delegation at the Congress of Vienna. At this event, the fate of the continent was decided. By his decision, Poland was finally annexed to Russia. She was given her own constitution, which Alexander never dared to introduce throughout the country.

Last years

The last years of the reign of the autocrat were marked by the extinction of reforms. The emperor was carried away by mysticism and fell seriously ill. He died in 1825 in Taganrog. He did not have any children. The dynastic crisis became the reason for the Decembrist uprising. As a result, the younger brother of Alexander Nikolay came to power, which became a symbol of reaction and conservatism.