History of the Russian Empire: the reign of Nicholas 1 (1825-1855)

The most beautiful man in Europe in his days of life, who was not forgotten even after his death, is Nicholas 1. Years of government - from one thousand eight hundred twenty-five to eighteen hundred and fifty-fifth. It immediately becomes in the eyes of contemporaries a symbol of formalism and despotism. And for that there were reasons.

Nicholas's reign 1. Briefly about the birth of the future king

The period of the reign of Nicholas the First is traditionally perceived as an era of stagnation, but at the same time it is filled with internal contradictions. This is the time of the heyday of Russian culture, but, on the other hand, cruel serfdom. The rigid systematization of legislative codes and the absolutely unguarded arbitrariness of the authorities. The acquisition of a huge international prestige and a tragic and cruel loss in the Crimean War.

Little Nikolai appeared on the twenty-fifth of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, and was the son of the hereditary successor to Pavel Petrovich and his wife Maria Feodorovna. The aging Catherine II still had time to grasp the little Nicholas, his grandson. But she did not plan to connect his fate with the great affairs of the state.

Youth, education and training preferences

Then it was still quite young prince it was decided to get a military education. He was immediately promoted to the chefs of the Life Guards regiment. And after some time and Izmaylovsky, whose uniform he began to wear. The future sovereign received a fine home education, which had a military bias. Nevertheless, he considered it unsatisfactory.

His educator, General Lamzdorf, was a very harsh man and more than once punished a small stubborn and independent Nicholas, who years later recalled that he had always been reluctant to study, because he saw in education a solid compulsion. But the military order, the barracks discipline always liked the young prince. He was never attracted to the humanities, but he was well versed in artillery and loved engineering craft.

A happy father and an exemplary serviceman

In one thousand eight hundred and seventeen, Nicholas became the spouse of Princess Charlotte, who was the daughter of a Prussian king. In Orthodoxy, Alexandra Fedorovna. She really missed her distant homeland. To please her, the spouse arranged in her honor the first in the Russian state real Christmas tree.

For thirty-eight years of living together they have born seven children. The Emperor was the happiest father and wonderful soldier. But he was distinguished by a disdainful attitude towards the officers and a very picky character, so he was not welcomed in the Guards.

The Renunciation of Constantine, or the Manifesto of the sixteenth of August

In the summer of one thousand eight hundred and nineteenth the Emperor Alexander announced that Constantine refuses to reign, so the right to rule the state passes to the next brother, that is, to Nicholas. On the sixteenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three a manifesto was signed, which declared Nikolai Pavlovich the heir to the throne.

But the signed document was strictly classified and not disclosed. The reign of Nicholas 1 has not yet come, and Alexander for some reasons did not involve him in public affairs. Either by these actions he showed that he could change his mind, and maybe he was afraid for the possibility of certain movements that could be held in favor of Nikolai. Thus, Alexander, and without assuming the possible consequences, put the younger one in an uncomfortable position.

Unexpected death and the consequences of a hidden manifesto

When the emperor unexpectedly died in Taganrog, most of the subjects, of course, accepted Constantine as their sovereign. The Governor-General of the city of St. Petersburg, Count Miloradovich insisted on his oath. Nicholas, fearing a protest from the guards officers, hastened to swear first. Next were the Guard, the Senate, the troops and the people.

Konstantin Pavlovich in writing confirmed his refusal to rule and swore allegiance to Nicholas in Warsaw, but did not return to St. Petersburg. Confusion on the throne was created by the interregnum. This moment, in order to prepare an uprising, members of the secret society took advantage. Thus began the reign of Nicholas.

The beginning of the reign and the bloody historic riot

On December 12, 1850, Nikolai Pavlovich makes a decision and declares himself emperor. He was sworn in by all the higher institutions and the State Council. But the first day, from which the period of the reign of Nicholas 1 began, marked itself as an uprising on the Senate Square.

The young king managed to keep his composure, and when he collided face to face with the rebel grenadiers Lieutenant Panov at the gates of the Winter Palace, and when he persuaded, standing on the square, to obey the rebellious regiments. The most surprising thing, he later said, is that he was not killed the same day. When the persuasion did not work, the tsar launched artillery. The rebels were routed. The Decembrists were condemned, and their leaders were hanged. From the bloody events began the reign of Nicholas.

Briefly summarizing this uprising, we can say that the tragic events of the fourteenth of December left a very deep mark in the heart of the sovereign and the rejection of any free-thinking. Nevertheless, several social movements continued their activities and existence, overshadowing the reign of Nicholas 1. The table shows their main directions.

Handsome and brave with a stern look

The military service made the emperor of a fine naval engineer, demanding and pedantic. In the reign of Nicholas 1, many military schools were opened. The Emperor was brave. During the cholera riots on June twenty-one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, he was not afraid to go out to the crowd in the Haymarket Square of the capital.

And it was an absolute heroism - to go out to the furious crowd, which killed even the doctors who tried to help her. But the sovereign was not afraid alone, without retinue and security, to go out to these distraught people. Moreover, he was able to reassure them!

After Peter the Great, the first technician-governor, who understood and valued practical knowledge and education, became Nicholas 1. The years of the monarch's rule are connected with the founding of the best technical universities, which are still in demand today.

Main achievements of industry during the reign

The Tsar often repeated that the revolution, albeit on the threshold of the Russian state, would not cross it, while the breath of life remained in the country. However, it was in the reign of Nicholas 1 that the country began the period of the scientific and technological revolution, the so-called industrial revolution. In all factories manual labor was gradually replaced by machine labor.

In the thousand eight hundred and thirty-fourth and fifth years, the first railway and steam locomotive of the Cherepanovs were built at the Nizhny Tagil plant. And in the forty-third between Petersburg and Tsarskoe Selo, specialists laid the first line of the telegraph. The Volga sailed huge steamers. The spirit of modern times gradually began to change the very way of life. In large cities, this process took place in the first place.

In the forties of the nineteenth century, the first public transport appeared, which was equipped with horse traction - stagecoaches for ten or twelve people, as well as omnibuses that were more spacious. Residents of Russia began to use domestic matches, and tea began to drink with beet sugar, which used to be only a colonial commodity.

The first public banks and exchanges for wholesale trade in industrial and agricultural products appeared. Russia became even more majestic and powerful. In the reign of Nicholas I she found a great reformer.