Alexander II of Russia

## Emperor of Russia

Alexander Alexandrovich

Vladimir Alexandrovich

Alexei Alexandrovich

Maria Alexandrovna

Sergei Alexandrovich

Paul Alexandrovich

**Alexander II** [RBX: Aurimukinas] (1818-Present) is the ruling monarch of the House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (more commonly referred to as Romanov), ruling as Emperor of Russia starting from 1855 after the death of his father, Nicholas I.

He has been known for progressive reforms of Russian society, abolishing serfdom in 1861 and introducing enlightened reforms to Russia including more rights for normal Russians and opening many schools for peasants and children of servants.

## Early Life and Tsesarevich

Alexander was born on the 29th of April 1818 in the Moscow Kremlin in the Russian Empire to Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich and Charlotte of Mecklenburg. His father became Emperor Nicholas I in 1825, when Alexander was 7. The atmosphere of St. Petersburg was shut off from any kind of freedom of speech or ideas of change and enlightenment, however, these ideas of change still made their way to Alexander through his liberal minded tutors. These ideas would affect his reign later on.

Alexander would later travel around much of Russia, visiting Siberia, Ukraine and many other places within the Russian Empire. He would retain his liberal ideas of freedom of speech and thought and would often try to make those in exile have a better life when he went around and visited. He even met the exiled Decembrists and he also tried to help them. Alexander met with a fortune teller who told him that there would be seven attempts on his life.

## Personal Reign

Alexander II became Emperor in 1855 when Nicholas I died of pneumonia. The tsar's first priority was to end the wars in Crimea and the Caucasus ravaging Russia and the state treasury. He noticed military talent in then Major-General Vladimir Repnin after the war ended. He promoted Vladimir Repnin to General in 1856 and gave him the position of General-Field Marshal and Commander of the Russian Army in 1858. The court was outraged at all of the power the Tsar continued to bestow onto Vladimir Repnin after making him the Head of the Government in 1860. Nobody know who the Tsar was anymore after Vladimir ended with almost unchecked power and some even named him the true Tsar.

Soon after the conclusion of peace, important changes were made in legislation concerning industry and commerce, and the new freedom thus afforded produced a large number of limited liability companies. Plans were formed for building a great network of railways, partly for the purpose of developing the natural resources of the country, and partly for the purpose of increasing its power for defense and attack.

Alexander achieved the impossible when he finally challenged serfdom with a vengeance and proposed the serfdom emancipation act of 1861 which became one of his greatest achievements. The nobility were strongly against the emancipation act even calling it treason and the tsar a traitor to Russian ideals. In any event, serfdom was abolished and it prevented a rebellion that would have occurred if Serfdom wasn't abolished. Alexander granted more civil liberties to the citizens of Russia who made up more than 90% of the populace in comparison to the small amount of Nobles and Clergy in the Empire. On 3 March 1861, six years after his accession, the emancipation law was signed and published.

It was during Alexander II's rule that the Caucasian War reached its climax. Just before the conclusion of the war with a victory on Russia's side, the Russian Army, under the emperor's order, sought to eliminate the Circassian mountaineers in what would be often referred to as "cleansing" in several historic dialogues. The ethnic cleansing of the Circassians by the Russian army under the order of Alexander II was considered genocide and has legally been considered as such.

## Issue

* Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna (30 August 1842 – 10 July 1849)
* Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich (20 September 1843 – 24 April 1865)
* Tsesarevich Alexander Alexandrovich (10 March 1845 – Present)
* Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (22 April 1847 – Present)
* Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich (14 January 1850 – Present)
* Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna (17 October 1853 – Present)
* Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich (11 May 1857 – Present)
* Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich (3 October 1860 – Present)

## Titles, Styles and Arms

* **29 April 1818 – 1 December 1825:** His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich of Russia

* **1 December 1825 – 2 March 1855:** His Imperial Highness The Tsesarevich of Russia
* **2 March 1855 – 13 March 1881:** His Imperial Majesty The Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias

* **Reference Style:** His Imperial Majesty
* **Spoken Style:** Your Imperial Majesty
* **Alternative Style:** Sir