Portraits of Russian Czars in the 1800's

During the nineteenth century, Russia was one of the largest empires in the world, stretching from Poland to Alaska. Russia, unlike many other European empires, did not have overseas colonies, with the sole exception of Alaska in North America. Instead, the Russians continual extended their country by seizing territories that bordered on their own. By the end of the nineteenth century, the Russian Empire had expanded from a small state in Europe to a large empire with the great land holdings in Asia as well as Europe. Their drive for warm water ports and unification of Slavic peoples would continue into the 20^th century. Traditionally the division between the continent of Europe and Asia is at the Ural Mountain range, located in Russia; therefore, Russia was both Asian and European. The men who ruled Russia during the nineteenth century were the Romanov czars (a word derived from the Latin, Caesar.) These Czars, although attempts were made toward enlightenment, were the absolute emperors of the empire, controlling absolutely every aspect of Russian life.

Czar Alexander I (1801-1825)- He was a great thinker and talker but a poor man of action. As Prince Metternich of Austria said, "He stirred everything up, but built nothing." His major achievements were that he was a key figure at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. He grated Poland, already occupied by Russia at the time, a new, more liberal constitution.

Because of some of Czar Alexander I's liberal policies, there was dissent among the poor. In the occupied lands of the Russian Empire, this dissent was increased by Alexander's speeches. But when Alexander was actually faced with real dissent, he very quickly became a harsh and strict ruler and did away will all thought of liberal reforms.

Czar Nicholas I (1825-1855), After the death of Alexander the I, there was still widespread unrest in Russia because of the liberal reforms that Alexander I had talked about but never instituted. Czar Nicholas I, his successor, was a strict ruler who tolerated no liberal movements. He had all liberals arrested, many of whom were shot or hanged. His motto was "submit and obey." Nicholas is primarily remembered for getting Russia into the Crimean War in 1854 by invading Turkey. The British and French came to the aid of the Turks (Ottoman Empire) and Russia suffered a humiliating defeat. Nicholas was not remembered fondly. He died during the Crimean War in 1855.

Czar Alexander II (1855-1881) He came to power and had to face the expense and defeat of the Crimean War. After this poor start, however, Alexander II was determined to improve Russia, now far behind in the Industrial War. He admired the attempts at liberalization of which Alexander I had talked and was determined to put these reforms into action. He freed the serfs in 1861 and gave them limited rights. In addition, he attempted other reforms. He had the same problem that Alexander I had. When he gave freedom, people wanted more. The freed serfs had no land and no where to go and often were worse off than before. He had to put down a Polish revolt for independence in 1863. From there on out, he was a harsh, strict ruler because he felt it was the only was to control the Empire. Because of his new stringent rules, terrorists made 53 assassination attempts and many attempts to overthrow the government. In 1881, they succeeded in killing Alexander II with a bomb blast to his carriage with his son, Alexander close by.

Czar Alexander III (1881-1894)Greatly angered by his father's death, he put together a ruthless police force that succeeded in crushing the terrorists. The other chief activity during his reign was the gradual industrialization of Russia during the 1880's. His reign, after the crushing of the terrorists, was primally a calm one. He died in 1894, leaving the seeds of liberal dissent and unrest growing and festering for his son Nicholas II, the last in the Romanov line and the last Czar of Russia.

	Years of Reign	Political/ Social Conditions or Changes	International or Military Events
Alexander I
Nicholas I
Alexander II
Alexander III
Nicholas II	1894-1917	Russian Revolution of 1905 & 1917	Russo-Japanese War of 1905 World War I

Russian Time line during the 1800's. Enter the events from the chart under the appropriate dates on the timeline.

1894

1881 &

1863

1861

1855

1854

1825

1815

1801

European TimeLine Match Events to dates

1901

1871

1870

1861

1855

1854

1852

1848

1837

1815