1801-1825
A period of hope for liberal reforms, triumph over Napoleon and disappointment as the first constitution project failed and was replaced by autocratic governing.
“Napoleon I Receiving Baron Vincent, Austrian Ambassador, at Erfurt, 1808” by Nicolas Grosse (late 19th Century)
Background
Alexander I’s reign began with the murder of his father Emperor Paul I. It is generally believed that he was aware of the conspiracy and hoped his father’s life would be spared.
Liberalism
In the first years of his reign Alexander I launched a series of progressive reforms. He suppressed the secret police, improved the educational system and relaxed censorship.
Expectations were very high: people hoped for a constitutional government and the abolition of serfdom. Constitution projects were presented to Alexander by Mikhail Speransky, his closest advisor. Due to the resistance of the nobility the project again went nowhere.
Napoleon
The Russian army had two shameful defeats against Napoleon, Austerlitz (1805) and Jena-Auerstedt (1806). Alexander formed a compromise alliance with Napoleon in 1807 at Tilsit. It was an alliance that predicted war.
Napoleon launched an attack on Russia in 1812 that proved fatal to France and placed Alexander among the five powers who set the new world order at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
Autocracy
The second half of Alexander’s reign was dominated by his reactionary advisor Alexey Arakcheyev. Alexander withdrew into religious mysticism and died mysteriously in 1825.
Russia Under Alexander I
1801-1825
A period of hope for liberal reforms, triumph over Napoleon and disappointment as the first constitution project failed and was replaced by autocratic governing.
“Napoleon I Receiving Baron Vincent, Austrian Ambassador, at Erfurt, 1808” by Nicolas Grosse (late 19th Century)
Background
Alexander I’s reign began with the murder of his father Emperor Paul I. It is generally believed that he was aware of the conspiracy and hoped his father’s life would be spared.
Liberalism
In the first years of his reign Alexander I launched a series of progressive reforms. He suppressed the secret police, improved the educational system and relaxed censorship.
Expectations were very high: people hoped for a constitutional government and the abolition of serfdom. Constitution projects were presented to Alexander by Mikhail Speransky, his closest advisor. Due to the resistance of the nobility the project again went nowhere.
Napoleon
The Russian army had two shameful defeats against Napoleon, Austerlitz (1805) and Jena-Auerstedt (1806). Alexander formed a compromise alliance with Napoleon in 1807 at Tilsit. It was an alliance that predicted war.
Napoleon launched an attack on Russia in 1812 that proved fatal to France and placed Alexander among the five powers who set the new world order at the Congress of Vienna in 1815.
Autocracy
The second half of Alexander’s reign was dominated by his reactionary advisor Alexey Arakcheyev. Alexander withdrew into religious mysticism and died mysteriously in 1825.
Alexander I