Romanov Alexander 3rd Tsar. Biography of Emperor Alexander III Alexandrovich

Alexander III Alexandrovich (February 26 (March 10), 1845, Anichkov Palace, St. Petersburg - October 20 (November 1), 1894, Livadia Palace, Crimea) - Emperor of All Russia, Tsar of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from March 1 (13), 1881 . Son of Emperor Alexander II and grandson of Nicholas I; father of the last Russian monarch, Nicholas II.

Alexander III is a significant figure in the history of Russia. During his reign, Russian blood was not shed in Europe. Alexander III ensured many years of peace for Russia. For his peace-loving policy, he went down in Russian history as the “peacemaker tsar.”

He adhered to conservative-protective views and pursued a policy of counter-reforms, as well as the Russification of the national outskirts.

He was the second child in the family of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna Romanov. According to the rules of succession to the throne, Alexander was not prepared for the role of ruler of the Russian Empire. The throne was to be taken by the elder brother, Nicholas. Alexander did not envy his brother at all, did not experience the slightest jealousy, watching how Nicholas was being prepared for the throne. Nikolai was a diligent student, and Alexander was overcome by boredom in class.

The teachers of Alexander III were such distinguished people as the historians Soloviev, Grott, the remarkable military tactician Dragomirov, and Konstantin Pobedonostsev. It was the latter who had a great influence on Alexander III, largely determining the priorities of the domestic and foreign policies of the Russian emperor. It was Pobedonostsev who brought up in Alexander III a true Russian patriot and Slavophile. Little Sasha was more attracted not to studies, but to physical activity. The future emperor loved horse riding and gymnastics. Even before he came of age, Alexander Alexandrovich showed remarkable strength, easily lifted weights and easily bent horseshoes. He did not like secular entertainment; he preferred to spend his free time improving his horse riding skills and developing physical strength. The brothers joked, they say, “Sashka is the Hercules of our family.” Alexander loved the Gatchina Palace, and adored spending time there, whiling away his days with walks in the park, thinking about his day.

In 1855, Nicholas was proclaimed Tsarevich. Sasha was happy for his brother, and even more so that he himself would not have to be emperor. However, fate still prepared the Russian throne for Alexander Alexandrovich. Nikolai's health deteriorated. The Tsarevich suffered from rheumatism resulting from a spinal bruise, and later he also contracted tuberculosis. In 1865, Nicholas passed away. Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov was proclaimed the new heir to the throne. It is worth noting that Nicholas had a bride - the Danish princess Dagmar. They say that the dying Nicholas took the hands of Dagmar and Alexander with one hand, as if urging two close people not to be separated after his death.

In 1866, Alexander III went on a trip to Europe. His path lies in Copenhagen, where he woos his brother's fiancee. Dagmar and Alexander became close when they cared for the sick Nikolai together. Their engagement took place on June 17 in Copenhagen. On October 13, Dagmar converted to Orthodoxy and began to be called Maria Feodorovna Romanova, and on this day the newlyweds became engaged.

Alexander III and Maria Fedorovna Romanov lived a happy family life. Their family is a real role model. Alexander Alexandrovich was a real, exemplary family man. The Russian Emperor loved his wife very much. After the wedding, they settled in the Anichkov Palace. The couple was happy and raised three sons and two daughters. The first-born of the imperial couple was their son Nicholas. Alexander loved all his children very much, but his second son, Mishka, enjoyed special paternal love.

The emperor's high morality gave him the right to ask her of the courtiers. Under Alexander III, the Russian autocrat fell into disgrace for adultery. Alexander Alexandrovich was modest in everyday life and did not like idleness. Witte, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire, witnessed how the emperor's valet darned his threadbare clothes.

The Emperor loved paintings. The Emperor even had his own collection, which by 1894 consisted of 130 works by various artists. On his initiative, a Russian museum was opened in St. Petersburg. He had great respect for the work of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky. Alexander Romanov also liked the artist Alexey Bogolyubov, with whom the emperor had a good relationship. The Emperor provided all possible support to young and talented cultural figures; museums, theaters and universities were opened under his patronage. Alexander adhered to truly Christian tenets, and in every possible way protected the Orthodox faith, tirelessly defending its interests.

Alexander III ascended the Russian throne after the assassination of Alexander II by terrorist revolutionaries. This happened on March 2, 1881. For the first time, peasants were sworn in to the emperor, along with the rest of the population. In domestic politics, Alexander III took the path of counter-reforms. The new Russian emperor was distinguished by conservative views.

During his reign, the Russian Empire achieved great success. Russia was a strong, developing country with which all European powers sought friendship. In Europe, there were constantly some kind of political movements. And then one day, a minister came to Alexander, who was fishing, talking about affairs in Europe. He asked the emperor to react somehow. To which Alexander replied: “Europe can wait while the Russian Tsar fishes.” Alexander Alexandrovich could really afford such statements, because Russia was on the rise, and its army was the most powerful in the world. However, the international situation obliged Russia to find a reliable ally. In 1891, friendly relations between Russia and France began to take shape, which ended with the signing of an alliance agreement.

According to historian P. A. Zayonchkovsky, “Alexander III was quite modest in his personal life. He did not like lies, was a good family man, and was hardworking.", working on government affairs often until 1-2 am. “Alexander III had a certain system of views... To preserve the purity of the “faith of the fathers”, the inviolability of the principle of autocracy and to develop the Russian people... - these were the main tasks that the new monarch set for himself... in some issues of foreign policy he probably discovered common sense ».

As S. Yu. Witte wrote, “Emperor Alexander III had absolutely outstanding nobility and purity of heart, purity of morals and thoughts. As a family man, he was an exemplary family man; as a boss and owner - he was an exemplary boss and an exemplary owner... he was a good owner not because of a sense of self-interest, but because of a sense of duty. Not only in the Royal family, but also among dignitaries, I have never encountered that feeling of respect for the state ruble, for the state kopeck, that the Emperor possessed... He knew how to inspire confidence abroad, on the one hand, that He would not act unfair to anyone, will not wish for any seizures; everyone was calm that He would not start any adventure... For Emperor Alexander III, his word never diverged from his deed. What he said was felt by him, and he never deviated from what he said... Emperor Alexander III was an extremely courageous man.”.

The Emperor was a passionate collector, second only to Catherine II in this regard. Gatchina Castle literally turned into a warehouse of priceless treasures. Alexander's acquisitions - paintings, art objects, carpets and the like - no longer fit in the galleries of the Winter Palace, Anichkov Palace and other palaces. After his death, the extensive collection of paintings, graphics, objects of decorative and applied art, and sculptures collected by Alexander III was transferred to the Russian Museum, established by Russian Emperor Nicholas II in memory of his parent.

Alexander was fond of hunting and fishing. Often in the summer the royal family went to the Finnish skerries. The emperor's favorite hunting spot was Belovezhskaya Pushcha. Sometimes the imperial family, instead of relaxing in the skerries, went to Poland to the Principality of Lović, and there they enthusiastically indulged in hunting pleasures, especially deer hunting, and most often ended their vacation with a trip to Denmark, to Bernstorff Castle - the Dagmars’ ancestral castle, where they often gathered from all over Europe her crowned relatives.

For all his outward severity towards his loved ones, he invariably remained a devoted family man and loving father. Not only did he never lay a finger on any children in his life, but he also never offended them with a harsh word.

On October 17, 1888, an assassination attempt took place on Alexander III and the entire royal family. Terrorists derailed the train carrying the emperor. Seven carriages were smashed, causing many casualties. The king and his family remained alive by the will of fate. At the time of the explosion they were in the restaurant carriage. During the explosion, the roof of the carriage with the royal family collapsed, and Alexander literally held it on himself until help arrived. After some time, he began to complain of pain in his lower back. During the examination, it turned out that the king had kidney problems. In the winter of 1894, Alexander caught a bad cold; soon while hunting, the emperor became very ill and was diagnosed with acute nephritis. Doctors sent the emperor to Crimea, where Alexander III died on November 20, 1894.

Alexander III left a big mark on the history of Russia. After his death, the following lines were written in one of the French newspapers: “He leaves Russia greater than he received it.”

Spouse: Dagmara of Denmark (Maria Fedorovna) (November 14, 1847 - October 13, 1928), daughter of the Danish king Christian IX.

Children:
1. Nikolai Alexandrovich (later Emperor Nicholas II) (May 6, 1868 - July 17, 1918, Yekaterinburg);
2. Alexander Alexandrovich (May 26, 1869 - April 20, 1870, St. Petersburg);
3. Georgy Alexandrovich (April 27, 1871 - June 28, 1899, Abastumani);
4. Ksenia Alexandrovna (March 25, 1875 - April 20, 1960, London);
5. Mikhail Alexandrovich (November 22, 1878 - June 13, 1918, Perm);
6. Olga Alexandrovna (June 1, 1882 - November 24, 1960, Toronto).

©Fotodom.ru/REX

“Science will give the Sovereign Emperor his rightful place not only in the history of Russia and all of Europe, but also in Russian historiography, it will say that he won a victory in the area where it was most difficult to achieve victory, defeated the prejudice of peoples and thereby contributed to their rapprochement, conquered the public conscience in the name of peace and truth, increased the amount of good in the moral circulation of humanity, sharpened and raised Russian historical thought, Russian national consciousness, and did all this so quietly and silently that only now, when he was no longer there, Europe understood what he was for her.” .

Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky

During the sacrament of confirmation, held on October 12, 1866 in the Great Cathedral of the Savior Not Made by Hands (Great Church) of the Winter Palace, the Danish princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar received a new name - Maria Feodorovna and a new title - Grand Duchess. “There is intelligence and character in facial expression,” wrote a contemporary of the future Russian empress. - Wonderful poems from the book. Vyazemsky is a match for that dear Dagmar, whose name he rightly calls a sweet word.” He is echoed by Ivan Sergeevich Aksakov: “The image of Dagmara, a 16-year-old girl combining tenderness and energy, appeared especially graceful and attractive. She absolutely captivated everyone with her childlike simplicity of heart and the naturalness of all her emotional movements.” Alas, the clever and beautiful woman outlived all four of her sons.

The thirteen and a half years of the reign of Alexander III were unusually calm. Russia has not waged wars. For this, the sovereign received the official nickname Tsar-Peacemaker. Although under his reign, 114 new military vessels were launched, including 17 battleships and 10 armored cruisers. After the terrorist rampage under his father Alexander II and before the revolutionary turmoil that swept away his son Nicholas II, the reign of Alexander Alexandrovich seemed to be lost in the annals of history. Although it was he who became one of the initiators of the creation of the Imperial Russian Historical Society in May 1866 and its honorary chairman. The last public execution of the “People's Will” and terrorists who carried out the assassination attempt on Alexander II took place under Alexander III. His family consisted of 4 sons and 2 daughters.

Alexander Alexandrovich - Russian Grand Duke, second child and son, did not live even a year. He died in April 1870, 10 days after the birth of Volodya Ulyanov in Simbirsk. It is unlikely that the fate of “angel Alexander” would have turned out happier than that of his elder brother Nikolai Alexandrovich. Grand Duke Georgy Alexandrovich, the third child and son, died of tuberculosis at the age of 28 in the summer of 1899. In the Memoirs of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov, when it comes to the three sons (Nicholas, George and Mikhail) of Alexander III, it is written: “George was the most gifted of all three, but died too young to have time to develop his brilliant abilities.”

The most tragic is the fate of the eldest Emperor Alexander in the family, the last Russian Tsar Nikolai Alexandrovich. The fate of his entire family is tragic and the fate of all of Russia is tragic.

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov recalled that the youngest son of Alexander III, Mikhail Alexandrovich, “charmed everyone with the captivating simplicity of his manners. A favorite of his relatives, fellow officers and countless friends, he had a methodical mind and would have advanced to any position if he had not entered into his morganatic marriage. This happened when Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich had already reached maturity, and put the Sovereign in a very difficult position. The Emperor wished his brother complete happiness, but, as the Head of the Imperial Family, he had to follow the dictates of the Basic Laws. Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich married Mrs. Wulfert (the divorced wife of Captain Wulfert) in Vienna and settled in London. Thus, for many years preceding the war, Mikhail Alexandrovich was separated from his brother and, because of this, had nothing to do with government affairs.” Shot in 1918

Protopresbyter Georgy Shavelsky left the following note about the last Grand Duchess and the youngest in the Tsar’s family: “Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, among all the persons of the imperial family, was distinguished by her extraordinary simplicity, accessibility, and democracy. On his estate in Voronezh province. she completely grew up: she walked around the village huts, nursed peasant children, etc. In St. Petersburg, she often walked on foot, rode in simple cabs, and really loved to talk with the latter.” She died the same year as her older sister Ksenia.

Ksenia Alexandrovna was her mother’s favorite, and in appearance she resembled her “dear Mom.” Prince Felix Feliksovich Yusupov later wrote about Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna: “She inherited her greatest advantage - personal charm - from her mother, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The look of her wondrous eyes penetrated the soul, her grace, kindness and modesty conquered everyone.”

Alexander III and his time Tolmachev Evgeniy Petrovich

3. ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ALEXANDER III

3. ILLNESS AND DEATH OF ALEXANDER III

Sickness and death are at the core of our destiny.

Gabriel Honore Marcel

1894 became fatal for Alexander III. No one could imagine that this year would be the last for the ruler of Russia, a man whose appearance resembled an epic hero. It seemed that the mighty head of state was the personification of flourishing health. However, life did not spare him. In his youth, he was deeply shocked by the untimely death of his beloved older brother Nikolai.

At the age of twenty-seven, he suffered from a severe form of typhus, as a result of which he lost half of his thick hair. The bloody months of the Russian-Turkish War and the terrorist orgy against his father in the final period of his reign became a serious test for him. It was suggested that Alexander III especially strained his body due to excessive efforts on October 17, 1888, during a train crash in Borki, when he supported the roof of the carriage with his own hands, in which almost his entire family was located. They said that when the bottom of the carriage fell, “the sovereign received a bruise in the kidneys.” However, “regarding this assumption... Professor Zakharyin expressed skepticism, since, in his opinion, the consequences of such a bruise, if there was one, would have manifested themselves earlier, since the disaster in Borki took place five years before the disease was discovered” (186, p. 662).

In the first half of January 1894, the monarch caught a cold and felt unwell. His temperature rose and his cough worsened. Life surgeon G.I. Girsh established that it was influenza (influenza), but the onset of pneumonia was also possible.

Summoned on January 15 to the Anichkov Palace. - surgeon N.A. Velyaminov, in whom the royal couple had special confidence, together with Girsh, listened to the patient. Both doctors found a flu-like inflammatory nest in the lung at a very high temperature, which was reported to the Empress and the Minister of the Court Vorontsov. On January 15, the latter secretly summoned from Moscow the authoritative therapist G. A. Zakharyin, who, after examining the patient, confirmed the diagnosis, somewhat exaggerated the seriousness of the situation and prescribed treatment.

With the active control of Zakharyin and Velyaminov, the treatment went quite normally. In order to neutralize the fables and gossip that had spread throughout the city about the sovereign’s illness, it was decided, at Velyaminov’s suggestion, to issue bulletins signed by the Minister of the Household. The illness of the 49-year-old autocrat came as a surprise to his inner circle and a real shock to the royal family. “As reported,” V.N. Lamzdorf wrote in his diary on January 17, “due to the appearance of some alarming symptoms, Count Vorontsov-Dashkov, with the consent of the empress, telegraphed Professor Zakharyin from Moscow. The sovereign's condition turned out to be very serious, and last night the professor compiled a bulletin, published today in the press. Yesterday, at about one o’clock in the afternoon, Grand Duke Vladimir, leaving the sovereign’s room, burst into tears and terribly frightened His Majesty’s children, saying that it was all over and all that remained was to pray for a miracle” (274, p. 24).

According to Velyaminov, from the time the capital learned about the illness of Alexander III, groups of people gathered in front of the Anichkov Palace who wanted to receive information about the emperor’s health, and when a new bulletin appeared at the gate, a crowded crowd grew opposite. As a rule, those passing by piously took off their hats and crossed themselves; some stopped and, turning their faces to the palace, with naked heads, fervently prayed for the health of the popular emperor. By January 25, the crown bearer had recovered, but for a long time he felt weak and weak and began to work in his office, despite the doctors’ requests to give himself rest. Pointing to the sofa, on which piles of folders with cases lay from one arm to the other, he said to Velyaminov: “Look at what has accumulated here over the several days of my illness; all this awaits my consideration and resolutions; If I let things go for a few more days, I will no longer be able to cope with the current work and catch up on what I missed. There can be no rest for me” (390, 1994, v. 5, p. 284). On January 26, the tsar no longer received doctors, Zakharyin was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky and 15 thousand rubles, his assistant Dr. Belyaev received 1.5 thousand rubles, and a little later Velyaminov was awarded the title of honorary life surgeon.

Velyaminov notes that Alexander III, like his brothers Vladimir and Alexey Alexandrovich, was a typical hereditary arthritic with a sharp tendency towards obesity. The tsar led a rather moderate lifestyle and, as many of those around him note, contrary to the memoirs of P. A. Cherevin, he was not fond of alcohol.

The health of the monarch, of course, was not helped by a number of additional factors, such as constant spicy cooking, excessive absorption of liquid in the form of chilled water and kvass, and many years of smoking a large number of cigarettes and strong Havana cigars. From a young age, Alexander was forced to take part in numerous festive tables with the use of champagne and other wines, namesakes of members of the royal family, receptions, receptions and other similar events.

In recent years, struggling with obesity, he overloaded himself with physical labor (sawing and chopping wood). And perhaps, most importantly, mental fatigue from constant hidden excitement and backbreaking work, usually until 2-3 am, was taking its toll. “With all this,” says Velyaminov, “the sovereign was never treated with water and, at least temporarily, with an anti-gout regimen. The fatal illness that struck him in the fall of the same year would not have been a surprise if the general practitioners had not examined the enormous enlargement of the sovereign’s heart (hypertrophy), which was found during the autopsy. This mistake made by Zakharyin, and then by Leiden, is explained by the fact that the sovereign never allowed himself to be thoroughly examined and was irritated if it was delayed, so the professor-therapists always examined him very hastily” (ibid.). Naturally, if the doctors knew about the acute form of heart failure in the monarch, perhaps they “with the help of an appropriate regime” could delay the sad outcome for several months. The illness he suffered dramatically changed the appearance of the king. Describing the ball in the Winter Palace on February 20, Lamzdorf notes in his diary: “As usual, the sovereign approaches the diplomats lined up in order of seniority at the entrance to the Malachite Hall. Our monarch looks thinner, mainly in his face, his skin has become flabby, he has aged a lot” (174, p. 44).

Alexander III himself cared little about his health and often ignored doctors’ orders. However, as Witte notes, “during the time from Easter to my last all-submissive report (which was probably at the end of July or early August), the sovereign’s illness had already become known to everyone” (84, pp. 436-437). During the summer of 1894, the weather in St. Petersburg was damp and cold all the time, which further intensified the sovereign’s illness. Alexander III felt weak and tired quickly. Remembering his wedding day on July 25 in Peterhof with Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, Alexander Mikhailovich later wrote: “We all saw how tired the sovereign looked, but even he himself could not interrupt the tiring wedding dinner before the appointed hour” (50, p. 110) . About the same day, a major official of the Ministry of the Imperial Court, V. S. Krivenko, recalls that those present at the performance in the summer theater, when the autocrat appeared in the box, “were struck by his sickly appearance, the yellowness of his face, and tired eyes. We started talking about jade” (47, op. 2, d. 672, l. 198). S. D. Sheremetev clarifies: “The wedding day of Ksenia Alexandrovna is a difficult day for the sovereign... I stood in the row when it was all over and we were returning through the exit to the inner chambers of the Great Peterhof Palace. The Emperor walked arm in arm with the Empress. He was pale, terribly pale, and seemed to be swaying, stepping out heavily. He looked like complete exhaustion” (354, p. 599).

However, the ruler of Russia strengthened himself and on August 7, when his illness was in full swing, touring the troops in the Krasnoselsky camp, he traveled more than 12 miles.

“On August 7, at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon,” writes N.A. Epanchin, “the sovereign visited our regiment in the camp at Krasnoye Selo... The sovereign’s illness was already known, but when he entered the meeting, it immediately became obvious to us how he felt feeling very unwell. He moved his legs with some difficulty, his eyes were dull, and his eyelids were drooping... You could see with what effort he spoke, trying to be kind and affectionate... When the Emperor left, we exchanged impressions with bitterness and anxiety. The next day, during a conversation with the Tsarevich at the prize shooting, I asked him how the sovereign’s health was, and said that yesterday we all noticed His Majesty’s sickly appearance. To this, the Tsarevich replied that the Emperor had not been feeling well for a long time, but that the doctors did not find anything threatening, but they considered it necessary for the Emperor to go south and do less business. The sovereign’s kidneys are not functioning satisfactorily, and doctors believe that this largely depends on the sedentary life that the sovereign has been leading lately” (172, pp. 163-164). The Tsar’s personal surgeon G.I. Girsh noted signs of chronic kidney damage, as a result of which the Tsar’s usual stay in Krasnoe Selo and maneuvers were shortened.

After Alexander III fell ill from a sharp girdling pain in the lower back, the outstanding clinician-practitioner G. A. Zakharyin was again urgently called from Moscow to St. Petersburg, who arrived on August 9, accompanied by therapist Professor N. F. Golubov. According to Zakharyin, after the study, it was revealed “the constant presence of protein and cylinders, that is, signs of nephritis, a slight increase in the left ventricle of the heart with a weak and rapid pulse, that is, signs of consistent damage to the heart and uremic phenomena (depending on insufficient purification of the blood by the kidneys), insomnia , constantly bad taste, often nausea.” The doctors reported the diagnosis to the Empress and Alexander III, without hiding the fact that “such an illness sometimes goes away, but it is extremely rare” (167, p. 59). As Alexander III’s daughter, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, notes, “the annual trip to Denmark was cancelled. They decided that the forest air of Bialowieza, located in Poland, where the emperor had a hunting palace, would have a beneficial effect on the health of the sovereign...” (112a, p. 225).

In the second half of August the court moved to Belovezh. At first, the emperor, along with everyone else, “went out hunting, but then became indifferent to it. He lost his appetite, stopped going to the dining room, and only occasionally ordered food to be brought to his office.” Rumors about the dangerous illness of the monarch grew and gave rise to a wide variety of absurd stories and fables. “As they say,” Lamzdorf wrote on September 4, 1894, “the palace in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, for the construction of which 700,000 rubles were spent, turned out to be crude” (174, p. 70). Such speculation happens when the population is left without official information. On September 7, the omnipresent A.V. Bogdanovich wrote in her diary: “In Belovezh, while hunting, he caught a cold. A high fever set in. He was prescribed a warm bath at 28 degrees. Sitting in it, he cooled it to 20 degrees by opening a cold water tap. In the bath his throat began to bleed, he fainted there, and his fever increased. The queen was on duty until 3 a.m. at his bedside” (73, pp. 180-181). Maria Feodorovna called Doctor Zakharyin from Moscow. “This famous specialist,” Olga Alexandrovna recalled, “was a small, plump man who wandered around the house all night, complaining that the ticking of the tower clock was preventing him from sleeping. He begged the Pope to order them to be stopped. I don't think there was any point in his arrival. Of course, the father had a low opinion of the doctor, who, apparently, was mainly occupied with his own health” (112a, p. 227).

The patient attributed the deterioration in his health to the climate of Bialowieza and moved to Spala, a hunting ground near Warsaw, where he became even worse. Therapists Zakharyin and Professor Leiden from Berlin, called to Spala, joined in Hirsch’s diagnosis that the ruler of Russia had chronic interstitial inflammation of the kidneys. Alexander III immediately summoned his second son to Spala by telegraph. It is known that he led. book Georgy Alexandrovich fell ill with tuberculosis in 1890 and lived in Abbas-Tuman at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. According to Olga Alexandrovna, “dad wanted to see his son for the last time.” George, who arrived soon, “looked so sick” that the king “sat for hours at night at his son’s bedside” (112a, p. 228).

Meanwhile, on September 17, 1894, an alarming message appeared for the first time in the Government Gazette: “His Majesty’s health has not improved at all since the severe influenza he suffered last January; in the summer, kidney disease (nephritis) was discovered, which requires more successful treatment in cold weather. the time of year of His Majesty's stay in a warm climate. On the advice of professors Zakharyin and Leiden, the sovereign departs for Livadia for a temporary stay there” (388, 1894, September 17). The Greek Queen Olga Konstantinovna immediately offered Alexander III her villa Monrepos on the island of Corfu. Dr. Leyden believed that “staying in a warm climate can have a beneficial effect on the patient.” On September 18, we decided to go to Crimea and stop for a few days in Livadia before sailing to Corfu.

On September 21, the royal family arrived on the Voluntary Fleet steamer "Eagle" in Yalta, from where they proceeded to Livadia. The Emperor stayed in a small palace, where the heir had previously lived. This palace resembled in its appearance a modest villa or cottage. In addition to the Empress, the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Georgy Alexandrovich also stayed here; the younger children lived in another house. The beautiful weather seemed to slightly cheer up the country’s dejected gentleman. On September 25, he even allowed himself to celebrate mass in the court church, after which he went to Ai-Todor to visit his daughter Ksenia. However, the king’s health did not improve. He did not receive anyone and rode with his wife every day in an open carriage along hidden roads, at times to the Uchan-Su waterfall and to Massandra. Only a few knew about his hopeless condition. The Emperor lost a lot of weight. The general's uniform hung on him like on a hanger. There was a sharp swelling of the legs and severe itching of the skin. Days of severe anxiety have arrived.

On an urgent call, on October 1, life surgeon Velyaminov arrived in Livadia, and the next day, doctors Leiden, Zakharyin and Girsh. At the same time, the Kharkov professor, surgeon V.F. Grube, was brought into the sovereign’s chambers, wishing to cheer him up. The monarch gladly received Grube, a calm, very balanced old man, whom he met in Kharkov after the train accident on October 17, 1888 in Borki. Grube very convincingly explained to the king that it is possible to recover from kidney inflammation, an example of which he himself can serve. This argument seemed quite convincing to Alexander III, and after Grube’s visit he even became somewhat cheerful.

At the same time, it should be noted that from October 3, when the doctors examined the patient rather superficially, he no longer left his rooms. From that day until his death, Velyaminov became almost permanently on duty with him, day and night. After the doctors visited the Tsar, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Minister of the Court and bulletins were compiled, which from October 4 were sent to the Government Gazette and reprinted in other newspapers. The first telegram, which made all of Russia shudder, reported: “Kidney disease has not improved. The strength has diminished. Doctors hope that the climate of the Crimean coast will have a beneficial effect on the health of the August Patient.” As time has shown, this did not happen.

Realizing the hopelessness of his situation, suffering from swelling of his legs, itching, shortness of breath and nightly insomnia, the king did not lose his presence of mind, did not become capricious, and was equally even-tempered, kind, kind, meek and delicate. He got up every day, got dressed in his dressing room and spent most of his time in the company of his wife and children. Despite the protests of doctors, Alexander III tried to work, sign files for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and military orders. He signed the last order the day before his death.

His health was so weakened that he often fell asleep while talking with loved ones. On some days, a serious illness forced him to go to bed and sleep after breakfast.

After the release of the first bulletins about the illness of Alexander III, members of the imperial family and some of the highest persons of the court gradually began to gather in Livadia.

On October 8, Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, the Tsar’s aunt, arrived with the Queen of the Hellenes Olga Konstantinovna, his cousin. The Grand Duchess brought to the dying man Father John of Kronstadt, who during his lifetime had the glory of a national saint and wonderworker. That same evening, the tsar’s two brothers, Sergei and Pavel Alexandrovich, arrived in Livadia.

On Monday, October 10, the Tsarevich's highly-named bride, Princess Alice of Hesse, arrived. The heir to the throne noted this fact in his diary: “At 9 1/2 I went with the village of Sergei to Alushta, where we arrived at one o’clock in the afternoon. Ten minutes later, my beloved Alike and Ella arrived from Simferopol... At each station the Tatars were greeted with bread and salt... The whole carriage was filled with flowers and grapes. I was overcome with terrible excitement when we entered our dear Parents. Dad was weaker today and Alyx’s arrival, in addition to the meeting with Fr. John, they tired him out” (115, p. 41).

During the entire time before his fatal end, Alexander III did not receive anyone, and only between October 14 and 16, feeling better, he wished to see his brothers and grand duchesses Alexandra Iosifovna and Maria Pavlovna.

On the morning of October 17, the patient received Holy Communion. secrets from Father John. Seeing that the sovereign was dying, his legs were swollen, water appeared in the abdominal cavity, therapists Leiden and Zakharyin raised the question of performing a small operation on the suffering monarch, which involved inserting silver tubes (drains) under the skin of his legs through small incisions to drain the fluid. However, surgeon Velyaminov believed that subcutaneous drainage would not bring any benefit, and vigorously opposed such an operation. The surgeon Grube was urgently called from Kharkov, who, after examining the sovereign, supported Velyaminov’s opinion.

On October 18, a family council was held, in which all four brothers of Alexander III and the minister of the court took part. All the doctors were also present. The heir to the throne and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich presided. As a result, opinions regarding the operation were evenly divided. No decision was made. On October 19, the dying monarch again confessed and received communion. Despite the incredible weakness, the august patient got up, got dressed, went into the office to his desk and signed the order for the military department for the last time. Here, for some time, his strength left him and he lost consciousness.

Undoubtedly, this incident emphasizes that Alexander III was a man of strong will, who considered it his duty to fulfill his duty while his heart was still beating in his chest.

The king spent the entire day sitting in a chair, suffering from shortness of breath, which was worsened by pneumonia. At night he tried to sleep, but immediately woke up. Lying down was a great torment for him. At his request, he was placed in a semi-sitting position in bed. He nervously lit a cigarette and threw away one cigarette after another. At about 5 o'clock in the morning the dying man was transferred to a chair.

At 8 o'clock the heir to the throne appeared. The Empress went into the next room to change clothes, but the Tsarevich immediately came to say that the Emperor was calling her. When she entered, she saw her husband in tears.

“I feel my end!” - said the royal sufferer. “For God’s sake, don’t say that, you’ll be healthy!” - Maria Feodorovna exclaimed. “No,” the monarch gloomily confirmed, “this is going on too long, I feel that the end is near!”

The Empress, seeing that breathing was difficult and that her husband was weakening, sent for Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich. At the beginning of the 10th hour the entire royal family gathered. Alexander III greeted everyone who entered affectionately and, realizing the proximity of his death, did not express any surprise that the entire imperial family came so early. His self-control was so great that he even congratulated Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna on her birthday.

The dying ruler of Russia was sitting in a chair, the empress and all his loved ones around him were on their knees. At about 12 noon the king said clearly: “I would like to pray!” Archpriest Yanyshev arrived and began to read prayers. A little later, the sovereign said in a rather firm voice: “I would like to join.” When the priest began the sacrament of communion, the sick sovereign clearly repeated after him the words of the prayer: “I believe, Lord, and I confess...” - and was baptized.

After Yanyshev left, the martyr king wanted to see Father John, who at that time was serving mass in Oreanda. Wishing to rest, the autocrat remained with the empress, the crown prince, his bride and children. Everyone else went into the next rooms.

Meanwhile, having finished mass in Oreanda, John of Kronstadt arrived. In the presence of Maria Feodorovna and the children, he prayed and anointed the dying sovereign with oil. As he left, the shepherd said loudly and meaningfully: “Forgive me, king.”

The Empress was kneeling the entire time on her husband’s left side, holding his hands, which were beginning to grow cold.

Since the breathing patient was groaning heavily, Doctor Velyaminov suggested that he lightly massage his swollen legs. Everyone left the room. During a foot massage, the sufferer said to Velyaminov: “Apparently the professors have already left me, and you, Nikolai Alexandrovich, are still messing with me out of your kindness of heart.” For some time the king felt relieved and for a few minutes wished to be alone with the heir to the throne. Apparently, before his death, he blessed his son to reign.

During the last hours, the emperor kissed his wife, but in the end he said: “I can’t even kiss you.”

His head, which was hugged by the kneeling empress, bent to one side and leaned against his wife’s head. The person leaving this life was no longer moaning, but was still breathing shallowly, his eyes were closed, his facial expression was quite calm.

All members of the royal family were on their knees, the clergyman Yanyshev read the funeral service. At 2 hours 15 minutes breathing stopped, the ruler of the most powerful power in the world, Alexander III, died.

On the same day, his son, Nikolai Alexandrovich, who became Emperor Nicholas II, wrote in his diary: “My God, my God, what a day! The Lord called back our adored, dear, beloved Pope. My head is spinning, I don’t want to believe it - the terrible reality seems so implausible... It was the death of a saint! Lord, help us in these difficult days! Poor dear Mom!..” (115, p. 43.)

Doctor Velyaminov, who for the last 17 days was almost constantly near Alexander III, noted in his memoirs: “Now more than forty years have passed that I have been a doctor, I have seen many deaths of people of the most diverse classes and social status, I have seen dying believers, deeply religious , I also saw non-believers, but I have never seen such a death, so to speak, in public, among an entire family, either before or later, only a sincere believer could die like that, a person with a pure soul, like a child’s, with a completely calm conscience . Many were convinced that Emperor Alexander III was a stern and even cruel man, but I will say that a cruel man cannot die like that and in fact never dies” (390, issue V, 1994, p. 308). When relatives, court officials and servants said goodbye to the deceased according to Orthodox custom, Empress Maria Feodorovna continued to kneel completely motionless, hugging the head of her beloved husband, until those present noticed that she was unconscious.

For some time the farewell was interrupted. The Empress was lifted in her arms and laid on the couch. Due to severe mental shock, she was in a deep faint for about an hour.

The news of the death of Alexander III quickly spread across Russia and other countries of the world. Residents of the Crimean outskirts closest to Livadia learned about this from the rare shots one after another from the cruiser “Memory of Mercury”.

The sad news spread throughout St. Petersburg at about five o'clock in the afternoon. The majority of the Russian population, as noted in the newspapers, was deeply saddened by the death of the peacemaker Tsar.

“Even the weather changed,” Nicholas II noted in his diary on October 21, “it was cold and roared in the sea!” On the same day, newspapers published his manifesto on his accession to the throne on the front pages. A few days later, a pathological-anatomical autopsy and embalming of the body of the late emperor was performed. At the same time, as the surgeon Velyaminov noted, “a very significant hypertrophy of the heart and fatty degeneration of it was found in chronic interstitial inflammation of the kidneys... the doctors undoubtedly did not know about such a formidable enlargement of the heart, and yet this was the main cause of death. The changes in the kidneys were relatively minor” (ibid.).

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All-Russian Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov was born on February 26 (old style) 1845 in St. Petersburg in the Anichkov Palace. His father was a reforming emperor, and his mother was a queen. The boy was the third child in a family that later had five more children. His older brother Nicholas was preparing to become king, and Alexander was destined for the fate of a military man.

As a child, the Tsarevich studied without much zeal, and the teachers were undemanding to him. In the memoirs of his contemporaries, young Alexander was not very smart, but he had a sound mind and the gift of reasoning.

Alexander was kind-hearted and a little shy, although he had a distinguished figure: with a height of 193 cm, his weight reached 120 kg. Despite his stern appearance, the young man loved art. He took painting lessons from Professor Tikhobrazov and studied music. Alexander mastered playing brass and woodwind instruments. Subsequently, he will support Russian art in every possible way and, with sufficient unpretentiousness in everyday life, will collect a good collection of works by Russian artists. And in opera houses, with his light hand, Russian operas and ballets will begin to be staged much more often than European ones.

Tsarevichs Nicholas and Alexander were very close to each other. The younger brother even claimed that there was no one closer and more beloved to him except Nikolai. Therefore, when in 1865, the heir to the throne, while traveling in Italy, suddenly felt ill and died suddenly from spinal tuberculosis, Alexander could not accept this loss for a long time. In addition, it turned out that it was he who became a contender for the throne, for which Alexander was completely unprepared.

The young man’s teachers were horrified for a moment. The young man was urgently assigned a course of special lectures, which were read to him by his mentor Konstantin Pobedonostsev. After his accession to the kingdom, Alexander will make his teacher an adviser and will turn to him for the rest of his life. Nikolai Alexandrovich Kachalov was appointed another assistant to the Tsarevich, with whom the young man traveled around Russia.

Enthronement

In early March 1881, after another assassination attempt, Emperor Alexander II died from his wounds, and his son immediately ascended the throne. Two months later, the new emperor published the “Manifesto on the Inviolability of Autocracy,” which stopped all liberal changes in the structure of the state established by his father.

The sacrament of royal coronation took place later - on May 15, 1883 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. During his reign, the royal family moved to the palace in Gatchina.

Domestic policy of Alexander III

Alexander III adhered to pronounced monarchical and nationalist principles; his actions in domestic politics could be called a counter-reformation. The first thing the emperor did was sign decrees with which he sent liberal ministers to retire. Among them were Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich, M. T. Loris-Melikova, D. A. Milyutin, A. A. Abaza. He made K. P. Pobedonostsev, N. Ignatiev, D. A. Tolstoy, M. N. Katkov the key figures in his circle.

In 1889, a talented politician and financier S. Yu. Witte appeared at court, whom Alexander Alexandrovich soon appointed Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport. Sergei Yulievich did a lot for Great Russia. He introduced the backing of the ruble with the country's gold reserves, which contributed to the strengthening of the Russian currency on the international market. This led to the fact that the flow of foreign capital into the Russian Empire increased, and the economy began to develop at an accelerated pace. In addition, he did a lot for the development and construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is still the only road connecting Vladivostok with Moscow.

Despite the fact that Alexander III tightened the right for peasants to receive education and vote in zemstvo elections, he gave them the opportunity to take out loans at low interest rates in order to expand their farms and strengthen their position on the land. The emperor also introduced restrictions for the nobles. Already in the first year of his reign, he abolished all additional payments from the royal treasury to those close to him, and also did a lot to eradicate corruption.

Alexander III strengthened control over students, set a limit on the number of Jewish students in all educational institutions, and tightened censorship. His slogan was the phrase: “Russia for Russians.” On the outskirts of the Empire, he proclaimed active Russification.

Alexander III did a lot for the metallurgical industry and the development of oil and gas production. Under him, a real boom began in improving the well-being of the people, and terrorist threats completely ceased. The autocrat did a lot for Orthodoxy. Under his reign, the number of dioceses increased, new monasteries and churches were built. In 1883, one of the most majestic buildings was erected - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Alexander III left a country with a strong economy as a legacy after his reign.

Foreign policy of Alexander III

Emperor Alexander III, with his wisdom in foreign policy actions and avoidance of wars, went down in history as the Tsar-Peacemaker. But at the same time, he did not forget to strengthen the power of the army. Under Alexander III, the Russian fleet became third after the flotillas of France and Great Britain.

The emperor managed to maintain calm relations with all his main rivals. He signed peace agreements with Germany and England, and also significantly strengthened Franco-Russian friendship on the world stage.

During his reign, the practice of open negotiations was established, and the rulers of the European powers began to trust the Russian Tsar as a wise arbiter in resolving all controversial issues between states.

Personal life

After the death of his heir Nicholas, he was left with a fiancée, the Danish princess Maria Dagmar. Unexpectedly, it turned out that young Alexander was also in love with her. And even despite the fact that for some time he courted his maid of honor, Princess Maria Meshcherskaya, Alexander, at the age of 21, proposes to Maria Sofia Frederica. Thus, in a short period of time, Alexander’s personal life changed, which he never regretted later.

After the wedding sacrament, which took place in the large church of the Winter Palace, the young couple moved to the Anichkov Palace, where they lived until Alexander ascended the throne.

In the family of Alexander Alexandrovich and his wife Maria Feodorovna, who, like all overseas princesses, converted to Orthodoxy before marriage, six children were born, five of whom lived to adulthood.

The elder Nicholas would become the last Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty. Of the younger children - Alexander, Georgy, Ksenia, Mikhail, Olga - only sisters will live to old age. Alexander will die at the age of one year, Georgy will die in his youth from tuberculosis, and Mikhail will share the fate of his brother - he will be shot by the Bolsheviks.

The emperor raised his children in strictness. Their clothing and food were very simple. The royal offspring engaged in physical exercises and received a good education. Peace and harmony reigned in the family; spouses and children often traveled to Denmark to visit relatives.

Failed assassination attempt

On March 1, 1887, an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of the emperor. Participants in the conspiracy were students Vasily Osipanov, Vasily Generalov, Pakhomiy Andreyushkin and Alexander Ulyanov. Despite months of preparation for the terrorist attack under the leadership of Pyotr Shevyrev, the young people were unable to carry out their plan to the end. All four were captured by the police and two months after the trial, they were executed by hanging in the Shlisselburg fortress.

Several members of the revolutionary circle, who were also arrested after the terrorists, were sent into long-term exile.

Death

A year after the assassination attempt, an unpleasant event occurred in the life of the royal family: the train in which Alexander and his relatives were traveling crashed near Kharkov. Part of the train overturned, killing people. The mighty emperor held the roof of the carriage in which the royal persons were located for a long time with his own strength for 30 minutes. With this he saved everyone around him. But such overexertion undermined the king’s health. Alexander Alexandrovich developed kidney disease, which slowly progressed.

In the first winter months of 1894, the emperor caught a bad cold and six months later he felt very ill. A professor of medicine from Germany, Ernst Leiden, was called and diagnosed Alexander Alexandrovich with nephropathy. On the recommendation of a doctor, the emperor was sent to Greece, but on the way he became worse, and his family decided to stop in Livadia in Crimea.

Within a month, the king’s heroic physique faded away before everyone’s eyes and died on November 1, 1894 due to complete kidney failure. Over the past month, his confessor John (Yanyshev), as well as Archpriest John Sergiev, in the future John of Kronstadt, was constantly at his side.

An hour and a half after the death of Alexander III, his son Nicholas swore allegiance to the kingdom. The coffin with the emperor's body was delivered to St. Petersburg and solemnly buried in the Peter and Paul Cathedral.

The image of the emperor in art

Not as many books have been written about Alexander III as about other conquering emperors. This happened because of his peacefulness and non-conflict nature. His person is mentioned in some historical books dedicated to the Romanov family.

In documentaries, information about him is presented in several feeds of journalists and. Feature films in which the character of Alexander III was present began to appear in 1925. A total of 5 films were published, including “The Shore of Life,” in which Lev Zolotukhin played the peacemaker emperor, as well as “The Barber of Siberia,” where he played this role.

The last film in which the hero of Alexander III appears was the 2017 film “Matilda”. He played the king in it.

Russia for Russians, and in Russian (Emperor Alexander III)

Alexander III is a significant figure in. During his reign, Russian blood was not shed in Europe. Alexander III ensured many years of peace for Russia. For his peace-loving policy, he went down in Russian history as the “peacemaker tsar.”

He was the second child in the family of Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna Romanov. According to the rules of succession, Alexander was not prepared for the role of ruler. The throne was to be taken by the elder brother, Nicholas.

Alexander did not envy his brother at all, did not experience the slightest jealousy, watching how Nicholas was being prepared for the throne. Nikolai was a diligent student, and Alexander was overcome by boredom in class.

Little Sasha was more attracted not to studies, but to physical activity. The future emperor loved horse riding and gymnastics. Even before he came of age, Alexander Alexandrovich showed remarkable strength, easily lifted weights and easily bent horseshoes.

He did not like secular entertainment; he preferred to spend his free time improving his horse riding skills and developing physical strength. The brothers joked, they say, “Sashka is the Hercules of our family.” Alexander loved the Gatchina Palace, and adored spending time there, whiling away his days with walks in the park, thinking about his day.

Nikolai's health deteriorated. The Tsarevich suffered from rheumatism resulting from a spinal bruise, and later he also contracted tuberculosis. In 1865, Nicholas passed away. Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov was proclaimed the new heir to the throne. It is worth noting that Nicholas had a bride - the Danish princess Dagmar. They say that the dying Nicholas took the hands of Dagmar and Alexander with one hand, as if urging two close people not to be separated after his death.

The emperor's high morality gave him the right to ask her of the courtiers. Under Alexander III, people fell into disgrace for adultery. Alexander Alexandrovich was modest in everyday life and did not like idleness. Witte, the Minister of Finance of the Russian Empire, witnessed how the emperor's valet darned his threadbare clothes.

The Emperor provided all possible support to young and talented cultural figures; museums, theaters and universities were opened under his patronage. Alexander adhered to truly Christian tenets, and in every possible way protected the Orthodox faith, tirelessly defending its interests.

Alexander III ascended the Russian throne after being assassinated by revolutionary terrorists. This happened on March 2, 1881. For the first time, peasants were sworn in to the emperor, along with the rest of the population. In domestic politics, Alexander III took the path of counter-reforms.

The new Russian emperor was distinguished by conservative views. During his reign, the Russian Empire achieved great success. Russia was a strong, developing country with which all European powers sought friendship. In Europe, there were constantly some kind of political movements.

And then one day, a minister came to Alexander, who was fishing, talking about affairs in Europe. He asked the emperor to react somehow. To which Alexander replied: “Europe can wait while the Russian Tsar fishes.” Alexander Alexandrovich could really afford such statements, because Russia was on the rise, and its army was the most powerful in the world.

However, the international situation obliged Russia to find a reliable ally. In 1891, friendly relations between Russia and France began to take shape, which ended with the signing of an alliance agreement.

After some time, he began to complain of pain in his lower back. During the examination, it turned out that the king had kidney problems. In the winter of 1894, Alexander caught a bad cold; soon while hunting, the emperor became very ill and was diagnosed with acute nephritis. Doctors sent the emperor to Crimea, where Alexander III died on November 20, 1894.

Alexander III left a big mark on the history of Russia. After his death, the following lines were written in one of the French newspapers: “He leaves Russia greater than he received it.”

Russia has two allies - the Army and the Navy (Alexander III)