Alexander III, 1881-1894

Alexander Alexandrovich

• Born 1845 (when Alexander II was 47)

• Second son, so not prepared for throne

• 1865: older brother Nicholas died of tuberculosis

Alexander III comes to throne• Re-educated S. Soloviev

and K. Pobedonostsev• Married Danish princess

Dagmar (Maria Feodorovna)

• Disagreed with Alex II’s pro-Prussian foreign policy, especially during Franco-Prussian war, 1870-71.

• Otto von Bismarck allied with Austria and Russia.

Alexander II, r. 1855-1 March 1881

2 March 1881: Alexander III ascended throne

• 8 March: discussed Loris-Melikov’s “constitution” elected, advisory body

• Pobedonostsev and more conservative advisors criticized it sharply.

• Never implemented.

Anti-Jewish Pogroms, 1881-1884• Sparked by rumors that

Jews killed Alexander II.– Gesya Mirovna Gelfman

• Pale of Settlement: Ukraine and Poland

• over 200 anti-Jewish riots: – Kiev– Warsaw– Odessa

• Led to mass migration and Zionist movement

Instead… 29 April 1881: proclaimed a sort of manifesto for autocracy:

“…But in the middle our great sorrow the voice of God commands us to be cheerful in the matter of Ruling, in reliance on Divine Providence, with faith in the power and truth of autocratic power, which we intend to assert and protect for the benefit of the people from all their longing… [Alexander called] all loyal subjects to serve in faith and truth in the eradication of the vile sedition, [which] disgraced the Russian land - to the assertion of faith and morals - to the good upbringing of children - the extermination of injustice and theft - to the restoration of order and justice in the actions of all institutions. "

14 August 1881: “Decree about measures for the preservation of state order and public quiet and the placement of certain places

in a position of reinforced surveillance”

• Gave political police right to operate without subordinating to the administration or courts– Exile an “undesirable individuals” without trial or

the courts’ involvement– Close educational institutions, newspapers,

printing houses, or private businesses.

• Temporary, but was in force in various locations until 1917.

Reforms

• Redemption payments reduced somewhat.

• Rules of peasants selling land loosened.

• Land captains created to oversee peasant communes.

• Re-invigorated official nationality policy.

• Russification policies

1887: Assassination “attempt”?• Alexander Ilyich Ulyanov, 1866-1887• Excellent student• Earned two gold medals (zoology)• 1883: St. Petersburg University• Father died January 1886• Joined “terrorist faction” of revived

Narodnaya Volya.• Strongly influenced by Marx, Engels,

Plekhanov• 1 March 1887: Arrested (with 14 others)

still planning assassination.• Made political speech at trial.• Sentenced to death.• Mother tried to save him.• 8 May: Executed (with five others).

Left younger brother in charge• Vladimir Iliich Ulyanov, 1870-

1924 (Lenin)• Then, oldest male in Ulyanov

household• Graduated from gymnasium

that spring 1887 with gold medal.

• In response to brother’s execution, supposedly said, “"Нет, мы пойдем не таким путём. Не таким путем надо идти". [No, we will not take that path. It is not necessary to go down that path.]

• 1902: What is to be done?

17 (29) October 1888: Train crashed

• Near Kharkov in south• Two engines, too fast (68

km/hour)• 21 died, but royal family

unharmed, having dinner• Alex held up the roof!• Church and government

used it as propaganda: “miracle”

• Sergei Witte emerged as important state figure.

Crucial foreign policy change, 1890-2

• 1888: new German emperor: Wilhelm II

• Pushed Bismarck to retire• 1890: refused to renew

Reinsurance treaty• 1891: French fleet visited

Kronstadt– first time La Marseillaise

played on an official occasion in Russian Empire

• 1892: Franco-Russian Alliance– Changed balance of power – Led to two armed blocs

Marianna to the Russian bear: “Tell me, darling, I'll give you my heart, but will I get your fur coat in the winter?”

Died 20 October 1894