Alexander I, book of the series

The book is dedicated to the biography of perhaps the most unusual of the emperors of Russia. Paradoxically, he himself never wished for unlimited autocratic powers, being raised in a republican spirit, and always believed in the triumph of law over arbitrariness, and of freedom over slavery. In his youth, Alexander admired the achievements of the French Revolution and hoped to change the political system of Russia by granting it a constitution and parliament. Ascending the throne under dramatic circumstances, after the murder of his father, the young emperor nevertheless tried to implement the program of intended reforms. In foreign policy, he loudly declared his goal as Russia’s renunciation of conquests and the establishment of lasting peace in Europe. However, this very goal led Alexander to a fateful confrontation with Napoleon Bonaparte that lasted almost ten years. It ended with the long-awaited victory over the enemy, the entry of Russian troops into Paris, and the restructuring of all of Europe on new foundations, in which Alexander I played a decisive role. For the further maintenance of peace, he became the ideologist of the Holy Alliance, which closely intersected with his religious quests and attempts to rethink his own place in the world. The biography first demonstrates to the reader both the depth of proclaimed political ideas and the hidden emotional picture of Alexander I's inner experiences, presenting the personality of the Russian tsar with all his hopes and disappointments, successes and failures, which raises many questions relevant to Russian historical consciousness.