Figure 1.--

The imperial succession was uncertain upon the death of Alexander I who left no heirs. The French Revolution had introduced radical new udeas to Russia. Alexander had embraced many of these ideas, but held back from graning a Contitution and introducing parlimentary democracy. A group of young, reformist military officers attempted to force the adoption of a constitutional monarchy in Russia by preventing the accession of Nicholas I and staged the Decembrist revolt in 1825, They failed utterly. Nicholas shard none of Alexander's ideals from the Enlightenment. He grew up during the Wars against the French Revolution and Napolon. He bcame the the most reactionary leader in Europe. He was a dominating figure. His policies in Russia were autocratic while his policies abroad were hostile. He was a manipulative personality strongly believing in censorship and strict control over the university. He forced the Russian language and religion upon the general population. In 1830, he abolished the Polish constitution due to an uprising. He used the Russian army to suppress the Revolutions of 1848 and became known as the policeman of Europe. Next Nicholas turned on the Ottoman Empire in a drive to obtain a warm water port. He was viewed as the cause of the Crimean War of 1853-56 as he wanted to expand Russian territory south toward the Dardinelles by seizing Turkish territory--describing it as "Sick man of Europe". Britain and France were concerned about Russia expanding further. The Russian armies which has conquered Napoleon had changed little. They were able to subdue street mobs in Europe, but war with modern industrial states was a very different matter. Britain and France changed by the Industrial Revolution were able at great cost to defeat Russian armies. The Russians were shocked.

Parents

Nicholas' father was Tsar Paul I Petrovich (1754- ). His mother was Maria Sophie Feodorovna von Württemberg (1759- ).

Siblings

Childhood

Nicholas was born in 1796.

Education

Marriage

Prince Nicloas before it was clear he would be Tsar in 1817 married Alexandra (Charlotte) Hohenzollern, Princess of Prussia.

Children

Tsar Nivcholas and Tsarina Alexandra had seven children. The eldest child became Tsar Alexander II (1818- ). The other children were: Maria Nicholiava (1819- ), Olga of Russia Nicolaievna, Grand Duchess (1822- ), Alexandra Nicholaievna (1825- ), Constantine Nikolaievitch, Grand Duke of Russia (1827- ), Nicholas Nicholajievic, Grand Duke (1831- ), and Michael Nicholaievic (1832- ).

Imperial Succession (1825)

The imperial succession was uncertain upon the death of Alexander I who left no heirs. Nicholas was thec third son of Tsar Paul I. His brother Alexander I died without heirs (1825). His older brother Constantine was in line to succed but had secretly renounced his rights (1822). Constantine had married a Polish aristocrat. The secrecy associated with his renunciation caused confusion in Russia when Tsar Alexander died. This was partly responsible for the Decembrist uprising against Nicholas.

The Decemberists (1825)

The French Revolution had introduced radical new udeas to Russia. Alexander had embraced many of these ideas, but held back from graning a Contitution and introducing parlimentary democracy. A group of young, reformist military officers attempted to force the adoption of a constitutional monarchy in Russia by preventing the accession of Nicholas I and staged the Decembrist revolt in 1825, They failed utterly.

Reaction in Russia

Nicholas shard none of Alexander's ideals from the Enlightenment. He grew up during the Wars against the French Revolution and Napoleon. While Alexander I had embraced some of these ideas, Nicholas did not. He became the the most reactionary leader in Europe and because Russia at the end of the Napoleonic Wars had the largest army in Europe (1815), this had enormous consequences. He was a dominating figure. His policies in Russia were autocratic while his policies abroad were hostile. Nicholas believed in “autocracy, orthodoxy, and nationality,” He attempted to supress liberal thought by controlling the universities and increasing censorship of the press and other publications. He approved measures which persecuted religious and national minorities and he strengthened the secret police. Nicholas approved some measures which improved conditions in Russia. Russian law was codified (1832–33). Some minor attempt was made to limit the almost absolute control landlords'exercized over their serfs. The Tsar almos improved measures to improved living and working conditions for the peasants on state lands. Russia's first railroad was constructed (1838). Measures were taken to strengthen Russian fiscal policy. Cinsorship could not prevent intelectual debate. A revolutionary movement grew. Debate among Slavophiles and Westernizers grew. Important writers emerged, Pushkin, Lermontov, and Gogol.

Foreign Policy

Nicholas persued a series of military campaigns along Russia's southern boundaries. Russia seized part of Armenia and the Caspian Sea in a war with Persia (1826–28). Nicholas then sized the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the mouth of the Danube in a war with the Ottoman Empire (1828-29). After the Poles rebelled (1830-31) Nicholas ordered a brutal supression. He abrogated the Polish constitution and abolished Polish autonomy.

Cantonist Decrees (1827)

Soon after becoming Tsar, Nicholas issued the Cantonist Decrees. This term came from the word "canton," which meant a military camp. The degree was a conscription measure. It authorized the forced conscription of Jewish boys into the Russian Army. The Army took Jewish boys were taken at age 12-18. The had to serve for 25 years. The boys were virtually forced to convert to Chtritianity or suffer even more horendous conditions that was the normal lot of a conscript. Most did not survive the full 25 years of their conscription period. Almost none of those who did survive considered themselves Jews when they left the army. The Jewish comminity and even their parents looked on conscription as a death sentence for the boys. Some parents cut off the right index finger of their sons to prevent them from being conscripted. (Soldir's without an index finger could not fire a rifle.). Other parents managed to pay bribes.

Revolutions of 1848

He used the Russian army to suppress the Revolutions of 1848 and became known as the policeman of Europe. The Russian Army was ordered into Germany and helped the Austrians crushed independent republican revolutionaries in Hungary (1849).

Crimean War (1853-56)

Next Nicholas turned on the Ottoman Empire in a drive to obtain a warm water port. He was viewed as the cause of the Crimean War of 1853-56 as he wanted to expand Russian territory south toward the Dardinelles by seizing Turkish territory--describing it as "Sick man of Europe". Britain and France were concerned about Russia expanding further. The Russian armies which has conquered Napoleon had changed little. They were able to subdue street mobs in Europe, but war with modern industrial states was a very different matter. Britain and France changed by the Industrial Revolution were able at great cost to defeat Russian armies. The Russians were shocked.

Created: 1:56 AM 9/7/2004
Last updated: 1:56 AM 9/7/2004