Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

(1777–1825), Tsar of russia (1801–25). Educated in the liberal traditions of the enlightenment , the idealistic Alexander was widely expected to be a reformer when he succeeded his father paul i , in whose murder he had been implicated. However, he lacked both vision and resolution, and achieved little in this regard. Instead, he was caught up in the struggle against napoleon i . Following the latter's retreat from moscow and final defeat at waterloo , Alexander played a prominent role at the vienna congress . Increasingly drawn to a vague religious mysticism, he sought to create a holy alliance of Christian princes. His domestic policies became ever more autocratic, and he also wished to prevent popular insurrection abroad, offering to help suppress challenges to the established rulers in Spain and Italy, for example. ... log in or subscribe to read full text