Shortly after becoming Tsar, Alexander III issued a statement asserting his belief in unshakable autocracy. Alexander III was born on March 10, 1845 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He also forbade morganatic marriages, as well as those outside of the Orthodoxy.[22]. ", Carolly Erickson, Alexandra: The Last Tsarina, p. 19, Alexander Mikhailovich, Once a Grand Duke, p. 65, Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p.29, Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Romanovs, p. 459, Miranda Carter, George, Nicholas, and Wilhelm: Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I, p. 54, John Curtis Perry, The Flight of the Romanovs, p. 54, John Van der Kiste, The Romanovs 1818-1959," p. 121, Julia P. Gelardi, From Splendor to Revolution, p.128, Kalakaua to his sister, 12 July 1881, quoted in Greer, Richard A. "[42] He died in Dagmar's arms, and his daughter Olga noted that "my mother still held him in her arms" long after he died.[43]. His reign was one of conservative reaction and the repression of revolutionary and reform groups. He imposed the Russian language and Russian schools on his German, Polish, and Finnish subjects, and gave orders for persecuting the Jews and destroying the German, Polish, and Swedish institutions in the Russian provinces. The terrible fate of the latter produced an awful impression upon Alexander, but instead of continuing the reforms of the "Czar-Emancipator," as was expected, heat once gave . However, during a trip to Europe, Nicholas unexpectedly fell ill with meningitis and died in Nice, and Alexander, to his own surprise, became heir to the throne. He was succeeded by his eldest son who took the throne as Nicholas II. Estimated Net Worth in 2021: $1-$3million: Previous Year's Net Worth (2020) Under Review: Annual Salary: . His simplicity was also evident in his choice of living quarters. He also patronized Eastern Orthodoxy and destroyed German, Polish, and Swedish cultural and religious institutions. An inscription says "Russia has only two allies: the Army and the Navy", although historians dispute whether the Tsar actually said those words. Because of his love for maintaining peaceful foreign relations, he earned the moniker, "The Peacemaker". When he became heir apparent on the death of his elder brother Nikolay in 1865, he began to study the principles of law and administration under the jurist and political philosopher K.P. Pobedonostsev, who influenced the character of his reign by instilling into his mind hatred for representative government and the belief that zeal for Orthodoxy ought to be cultivated by every tsar. Alexander III; Nicholas II. He adopted programs, based on the concepts of Orthodoxy, autocracy, and narodnost (a belief in the Russian people), that included the Russification of national minorities in the Russian Empire as well as persecution of the non-Orthodox religious groups. It contains 184,951 words in 296 pages and was updated on February 20, 2023. [12] Two days after Empress Marie died, his father told him, I shall live as I wish, and my union with Princess Dolgorukova is definite" but assured him that "your rights will be safeguarded.[13] Alexander was furious over his father's decision to marry Catherine a month after his mother's death, which he believed forever ruined all the dear good memories of family life.[14] His father threatened to disinherit him if he left court out of protest against the marriage. In this, he asserted his commitment to maintaining tsarist autocracy and the supremacy of the Orthodox church. This event would solidify the reactionary tone of his 13-year reign. 17 October]1888 the Imperial train derailed in an accident at Borki. Their first child, Nicholas, was born in 1868 and would be the last Tsar of Russia. He was an unsympathetic ruler though it cannot be denied that the industrial development in Russia increased during his reign. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [59] Recognizing that the Tsar's days were numbered, various imperial relatives began to descend on Livadia. All rights reserved. Alexander's ascension to the throne was followed by an outbreak of anti-Jewish riots. (Note: all dates prior to 1918 are in the Old Style Calendar), married 16 November 1916, Colonel Nikolai Kulikovsky (18811958); had two children. The eighth film. [15] He privately denounced Catherine as "the outsider" and complained that she was "designing and immature". Alexander III (1845-1894) was the father of Nicholas II and the second-last Romanov tsar of Russia. On 19 May 1866, Alexander II informed his son that Russia had come to an agreement with the parents of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, the fiance of his late elder brother Nicholas. 20 October]1894 at the age of forty-nine, and was succeeded by his eldest son Tsesarevich Nicholas, who took the throne as Nicholas II. He had one elder brother, Nicolas. Forceful, formidable, fiercely patriotic, and at 6' 4" towered over his fellow countrymen. For Alexander's role in forging the Franco-Russian Alliance, the French Republic commissioned a bridge named in his honour, Pont Alexandre III. In more ordinary cases Tsar Alexander III could be at once kind, simple, and even almost homely. Imperial Hunting at Byelovvyezh in 1912, 1917 Interview with Grand Duchess Elizabeth, Eyewitness Report of Party for Rasputin by Vecchi, Grand Duchess Olga - 16th Birthday at Livadia, Murder of Prime Minister Stolypin in Kiev 1911, God in All Things - the Religious Beliefs of Russia's Last Empress, On Nicholas II, his Character and his Duties, Religious Character of Alexandra Feodorovna, Grand Duchess Cyril (Victoria Melita) by Meriel Buchannan, Grand Duchess Elizabeth by Meriel Buchanan, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse by Meriel Buchannan, The Icon of our Lady of the Sign - Znamenskaya, The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, Anastasia and the Discussion of Survivors. Let our meeting and events experts help you organize a superb event in St. Petersburg. His straightforward, abrupt manner savoured sometimes of gruffness, while his direct, unadorned method of expressing himself harmonized well with his rough-hewn, immobile features and somewhat sluggish movements. To many westerners he appeared crude and not overly intelligent. Author of. He wanted to create a nation that was composed of a single nationality, language, and religion, as well as one form of administration. 1882). Copyright: The content on this page may not be republished without our express permission. In 1894, Alexander III became ill with terminal kidney disease (nephritis). However when his brother Nicolas was in his deathbed, he asked Alexander to marry his fiance, Princess Dagmar of Denmark. [60] On 21 October, Alexander received Nicholas's fiance, Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt, who had come from her native Darmstadt to receive the Tsar's blessing. He was much more lenient with his children than most European monarchs, and he told their tutors, "I do not need porcelain, I want normal healthy Russian children.[46] General Cherevin believed that the clever George was "the favourite of both parents". This site is created and maintained by Alpha History. Date accessed: March 02, 2023 The onset of Alexander's kidney failure was later attributed to the blunt trauma suffered in this incident. Alexander III Of Russia detail biography, family, facts and date of birth. Biography. His father's liberal ministers resigned, and Alexander established a government composed of people with a more conservative mindset. Alongside these repressions were economic policies that encouraged the construction of railways and heavy industries. 26 February] 1845 1 November [O.S. Biography Alexander III of Russia was the emperor of Russia from 1881 to 1894. Alexanders father, Emperor Alexander II of Russia, was assassinated on 1 March 1881 and as a result he ascended to the Russian imperial throne as Alexander III of Russia. In return for the Russian support which had enabled him to create the German Empire,[35] it was thought that he would help Russia to solve the Eastern question in accordance with Russian interests, but to the surprise and indignation of the cabinet of Saint Petersburg he confined himself to acting the part of "honest broker" at the Congress, and shortly afterwards contracted an alliance with Austria-Hungary for the purpose of counteracting Russian designs in Eastern Europe. It was not known at the time, but the Tsar had suffered a severe bruise to his kidney that would contribute to his death 6 years later. His reign is often referred to as the Age of Counter Reform. After leaving Livadia on 6 November and traveling to St. Petersburg by way of Moscow, his remains were interred on 18 November at the Peter and Paul Fortress, with his funeral being attended by numerous foreign relatives, including King Christian IX of Denmark, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Duke of York, and Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and his daughter-in-law to be, Alix of Hesse, and her brother, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse. Alexander became Emperor of Russia when his father was assassinated 23 March 1801. Forceful, formidable, fiercely patriotic, and at 6' 4" towered over his fellow countrymen. Historians still debate Alexander's role in his father's murder. "[44] He wrote in his diary that he "was crying like a baby"[45] when Dagmar gave birth to their first child, Nicholas. Publisher: Alpha History On May 11 (April 29, Old Style), 1881, Pobedonostsev published a manifesto, written without the ministers' knowledge, in which the emperor described himself as "chosen to defend" autocratic power. Alexander III has died on Oct 20, 1894 ( age 49). However, in 1890, the expiration of the treaty coincided with the dismissal of Bismarck by the new German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II (for whom the Tsar had an immense dislike), and the unwillingness of Wilhelm II's government to renew the treaty. "[6], Unlike his extroverted wife, Alexander disliked social functions and avoided St. Petersburg. He told Dagmar that "only with [our children] can I relax mentally, enjoy them and rejoice, looking at them. His teacher instilled in the young man a zeal for Russian Orthodox thought which would influence many of his decisions once he became the emperor. In his Accession Manifesto, he declared his intention to have "full faith in the justice and strength of the autocracy" that he had been entrusted with. Early life and education of Alexander III, Ascent to the throne and Russification program, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-III-emperor-of-Russia, RT Russiapedia - Biography of Alexander III, JewishEncyclopedia.com - Biography of Alexander III, History Learning Site - Biography of Alexander III, Alexander III - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Alexander III - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). At this time, the young man already spoke French, German, and English (although he preferred to always speak Russian in society), and he could also play brass instruments - the trumpet and the trombone. "The Orthodox Church in the Baltic Region and the Policies of Alexander Ill's Government. His youngest half-sister Princess Catherine Alexandrovna Yurievskaya remembered when he would play with her and her siblings: "The Emperor seemed a playful and kind Goliath among all the romping children. Queen Victoria commented that she thought him as "a sovereign whom she does not look upon as a gentlemen". [61] Despite being exceedingly weak, Alexander insisted on receiving Alix in full dress uniform, an event that left him exhausted. Alexander III, however, had no such luxury. His policy was eagerly implemented by tsarist officials in the "May Laws" of 1882. Alexander III was known to be a man of peace when it came to foreign relations with other nations. He died in the arms of his wife, and in the presence of his physician, Ernst Viktor von Leyden, at Maly Palace in Livadia on the afternoon of 1 November[O.S. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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