Alexander I and the Holy Alliance. "The Sphinx, unsolved to the grave." For the birthday of Emperor Alexander I. A secret not solved to the grave
The personality of Alexander the Blessed remains one of the most complex and mysterious in Russian history. “The Sphinx, unsolved to the grave,” Prince Vyazemsky will say about him. To this we can add that beyond the grave the fate of Alexander I just as mysterious. We mean the life of the righteous elder Theodore Kuzmich the Blessed, canonized as a Saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
World history knows few figures comparable in scale to Emperor Alexander. This amazing personality remains misunderstood today. The Alexander era was perhaps the highest rise of Russia, its “golden age”, then St. Petersburg was the capital of Europe, and the fate of the world was decided in the Winter Palace.
Contemporaries called Alexander I “an angel on the throne,” the conqueror of the Antichrist, and the liberator of Europe. European capitals greeted the Tsar-Liberator with delight: the population of Paris greeted him with flowers. The main square of Berlin is named after him - Alexander Platz. I want to dwell on the peacekeeping activities of Tsar Alexander. But first, let us briefly recall the historical context of the Alexander era.
The global war, unleashed by revolutionary France in 1795, lasted almost 20 years (until 1815) and truly deserves the name “First World War,” both in its scope and duration. Then, for the first time, millions of armies clashed on the battlefields of Europe, Asia and America; for the first time, a war was waged on a planetary scale for the dominance of a total ideology. France was the breeding ground of this ideology, and Napoleon was the disseminator. For the first time, the war was preceded by the propaganda of secret sects and mass psychological indoctrination of the population. The Enlightenment illuminators worked tirelessly, creating controlled chaos. The age of enlightenment, or rather darkness, ended with revolution, guillotine, terror and world war.
The atheistic and anti-Christian basis of the new order was obvious to contemporaries. In 1806, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church anathematized Napoleon for his persecution of the Western Church. In all churches of the Russian Empire (Orthodox and Catholic), Napoleon was declared the Antichrist and the enemy of the human race.
But the European and Russian intelligentsia welcomed Napoleon as the new Messiah, who would make the revolution worldwide and unite all nations under his power. Thus, Fichte perceived the revolution led by Napoleon as preparation for the construction of an ideal world state. For Hegel, the French Revolution “revealed the very content of the will of the human spirit.” Hegel is undoubtedly right in his definition, but with the clarification that this European spirit was apostasy. Shortly before the French Revolution, the head of the Bavarian illuminators, Weishaupt, sought to return man to his “natural state.” His credo: “We must destroy everything without regret, as much as possible and as quickly as possible. My human dignity does not allow me to obey anyone.” Napoleon became the executor of this will.
After the defeat of the Austrian army in 1805, the thousand-year-old Holy Roman Empire was abolished, and Napoleon - officially "Emperor of the Republic" - became the de facto Emperor of the West. Pushkin will say about him:
Rebellious liberty heir and murderer,
This cold-blooded bloodsucker,
This king, who disappeared like a dream, like the shadow of dawn.
After 1805, Alexander I, remaining the only Christian emperor in the world, confronted the spirits of evil and the forces of chaos. But the ideologists of the world revolution and globalists do not like to remember this. The Alexander era is unusually eventful: even the reigns of Peter the Great and Catherine pale in comparison. In less than a quarter of a century, Emperor Alexander won four military campaigns, repelling the aggression of Turkey, Sweden, Persia and, in 1812, the invasion of European armies. In 1813, Alexander liberated Europe and in the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig, where he personally led the allied armies, inflicted a mortal defeat on Napoleon. In March 1814, Alexander I, at the head of the Russian army, entered Paris in triumph.
A subtle and far-sighted politician, a great strategist, diplomat and thinker - Alexander Pavlovich was unusually gifted by nature. Even his enemies recognized his deep and insightful mind: “He is as elusive as sea foam,” Napoleon said about him. How, after all this, can we explain that Tsar Alexander I remains one of the most slandered figures in Russian history?
He, the conqueror of Napoleon, is declared a mediocrity, and the Napoleon he defeated (by the way, who lost six military campaigns in his life) is declared a military genius. The cult of the cannibal Napoleon, who covered Africa, Asia and Europe with corpses, this robber and murderer, has been supported and extolled for 200 years, including here in Moscow, which he burned. Globalists and slanderers of Russia cannot forgive Alexander the Blessed for his victory over the “global revolution” and the totalitarian world order.
I needed this long introduction in order to outline the state of the world in 1814, when, after the end of the World War, all the heads of European states met at a congress in Vienna to determine the future order of the world.
The main issue of the Vienna Congress was the issue of preventing wars on the continent, defining new borders, but, above all, suppressing the subversive activities of secret societies. Victory over Napoleon did not mean victory over the Illuminati ideology, which managed to pierce all the structures of society in Europe and Russia. Alexander’s logic was clear: whoever allows evil does the same. Evil knows no boundaries or measures, so the forces of evil must be resisted always and everywhere.
Foreign policy is a continuation of domestic policy, and just as there is no double morality - for oneself and for others, there is no domestic and foreign policy. The Orthodox Tsar could not be guided by other moral principles in his foreign policy, in relations with non-Orthodox peoples. Alexander, in a Christian way, forgives the French all their guilt before Russia: the ashes of Moscow and Smolensk, robberies, the blown up Kremlin, the execution of Russian prisoners. The Russian Tsar did not allow his allies to plunder and divide defeated France into pieces. Alexander refuses reparations from a bloodless and hungry country. The Allies (Prussia, Austria and England) were forced to submit to the will of the Russian Tsar, and in turn refused reparations. Paris was neither robbed nor destroyed: the Louvre with its treasures and all the palaces remained intact.
Europe was stunned by the king's generosity. In occupied Paris, crowded with Napoleonic soldiers, Alexander Pavlovich walked around the city without an escort, accompanied by one aide-de-camp. The Parisians, recognizing the king on the street, kissed his horse and boots. None of the Napoleonic veterans thought of raising a hand against the Russian Tsar: everyone understood that he was the only defender of defeated France. Alexander I granted amnesty to all Poles and Lithuanians who fought against Russia. He preached by personal example, firmly knowing that you can only change others with yourself. In the words of St. Philaret of Moscow: “Alexander punished the French with mercy.” The Russian intelligentsia - yesterday's Bonapartists and future Decembrists - condemned Alexander's generosity and at the same time prepared regicide.
As the head of the Vienna Congress, Alexander Pavlovich invites defeated France to participate in the work on an equal basis and speaks in Congress with an incredible proposal to build a new Europe based on evangelical principles. Never before in history has the Gospel been laid at the foundation of international relations. In Vienna, Emperor Alexander defines the rights of peoples: they must rest on the precepts of the Holy Scriptures. In Vienna, the Orthodox Tsar invites all monarchs and governments of Europe to abandon national egoism and Machiavellianism in foreign policy and sign the Charter of the Holy Alliance (la Sainte-Alliance). It is important to note that the term "Holy Alliance" itself in German and French sounds like "Holy Covenant", which strengthens its Biblical meaning.
The Charter of the Holy Alliance will be finally signed by the participants of the Congress on September 26, 1815. The text was compiled personally by Emperor Alexander and only slightly corrected by the Emperor of Austria and the King of Prussia. Three monarchs, representing three Christian denominations: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism, address the world in the preamble: “We solemnly declare that this act has no other purpose than the desire to demonstrate before the whole world its unshakable intention to choose as a rule, as in the internal government of its states, and in relations with other governments, the commandments of the Holy Religion, the commandments of justice, love, peace, which are observed not only in private life, but should guide the policy of sovereigns, being the only means of strengthening human institutions and correcting their imperfections.”
From 1815 to 1818, fifty states signed the charter of the Holy Alliance. Not all signatures were signed sincerely; opportunism is characteristic of all eras. But then, in the face of Europe, the rulers of the West did not dare to openly refute the Gospel. From the very inception of the Holy Alliance, Alexander I was accused of idealism, mysticism and daydreaming. But Alexander was neither a dreamer nor a mystic; he was a man of deep faith and clear mind, and loved to repeat the words of King Solomon (Proverbs, ch. 8:13-16):
The fear of the Lord hates evil, pride and arrogance, and I hate the evil way and deceitful lips. I have advice and truth, I am the mind, I have the strength. By me kings reign, and rulers legitimize truth. The rulers and nobles and all the judges of the earth rule over me.
For Alexander I, history was a manifestation of God's Providence, the Manifestation of God in the world. On the medal that was awarded to the victorious Russian soldiers, the words of King David were engraved: “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory” (Psalm 113:9).
Plans for organizing European politics on evangelical principles were a continuation of the ideas of Paul I, the father of Alexander I, and were built on the patristic tradition. Thus, Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk in his work “True Christianity” devoted two chapters to the topic of royal power. In Christian society, Saint Tikhon distinguishes between dual power: secular and ecclesiastical power. He writes: “The monarch must remember that just as Christ himself, the King of kings, was not ashamed to call us brothers, so even more so should he, as a human being, consider people like himself as brothers. A crown adorned with virtues is glorified more than one victorious over external enemies" ( Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk. Creations in 5 volumes. M., 1889. T. 3, p. 348).
These words seemed to directly refer to Alexander, the conqueror of Europe. Another great contemporary of Alexander I, Saint Philaret (Drozdov), proclaimed bibliocentrism as the basis of state policy. His words are comparable to the provisions of the Charter of the Holy Alliance. The enemies of the Holy Alliance understood perfectly well against whom the Alliance was directed. Liberal propaganda, both then and after, in every possible way denigrated the “reactionary” policies of the Russian tsars. According to F. Engels: “The world revolution will be impossible as long as Russia exists.” Until the death of Alexander I in 1825, the heads of European governments met in congresses to coordinate their policies.
At the Congress in Verona, the Tsar said to the French Foreign Minister and famous writer Chateaubriand: “Do you think that, as our enemies say, the Union is just a word covering up ambitions? […] There is no longer a policy of English, French, Russian, Prussian, Austrian, but there is only a general policy, and it is for the sake of the common good that peoples and kings must accept it. I should be the first to show firmness in the principles on which I founded the Union.”
In his book “History of Russia” Alphonse de Lamartine writes: “This was the idea of the Holy Alliance, an idea that was slandered in its essence, representing it as base hypocrisy and a conspiracy of mutual support for the oppression of peoples. It is the duty of history to restore the Holy Alliance to its true meaning.”
For forty years, from 1815 to 1855, Europe did not know war. At that time, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow spoke about the role of Russia in the world: “The historical mission of Russia is the establishment of a moral order in Europe, based on the Gospel commandments.” The Napoleonic spirit will be resurrected with Napoleon I's nephew, Napoleon III, who, with the help of a revolution, will seize the throne. Under him, France, in alliance with England, Turkey, Piedmont, with the support of Austria, will start a war against Russia. The Europe of the Vienna Congress will end in Crimea, in Sevastopol. In 1855 the Holy Union will be buried.
Many important truths can be learned by contradiction. Attempts at denial often lead to affirmation. The consequences of the disruption of the world order are well known: Prussia defeats Austria and, having united the German states, defeats France in 1870. The continuation of this war will be the war of 1914-1920, and the consequence of the First World War will be the Second World War.
The Holy Alliance of Alexander I remains in history as a noble attempt to elevate humanity. This is the only example of unselfishness in the field of world politics in history when the Gospel became the Charter in international affairs.
In conclusion, I would like to cite the words of Goethe, spoken in 1827 regarding the Holy Alliance, after the death of Alexander the Blessed: “The world needs to hate something great, which was confirmed by his judgments about the Holy Alliance, although nothing greater and more beneficial has yet been conceived for humanity! But the mob doesn't understand this. Greatness is unbearable for her.”
Elder Pavel of Taganrog - Alexander 1 Pavlovich
(the article is dedicated to the 133rd anniversary of the blessed memory of the Blessed Elder
Pavel Pavlovich Taganrogsky)
Vozyka Andrey Anatolievich
Those. Support:
Vozyka Yaroslav Andreevich
(5th year student of TTI SFU)
“He spent his whole life on the road, caught a cold and died in Taganrog.” With these words, the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin spoke about the death of the blessed Emperor Alexander I (Alexander Pavlovich). According to historians, the Russian emperor was supposed to meet with the nobleman Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov and, with his mysterious “departure,” clear the way for him to achieve his old age. And here we come to an unsolved mystery of Russian history to this day, which is directly connected with the city of Taganrog.
Legend... Having learned the next day about the death of Emperor Alexander I, the mysterious wanderer headed to the monastery to pray for the repose of his soul and look at the deceased. The guards did not let him near the body, but at that moment a noble, beautiful lady intervened and asked: “Let me through”... It was at the walls of the Jerusalem monastery that the fame of Elder Pavel Pavlovich began.
This article will be based in large part on the memories and reflections of other people, scientists and historians, who published them in different publications in different time periods. We will turn to the thoughts of those people who simply wanted to leave memories or try to understand and give answers to the questions that shrouded the mysterious connection between Alexander I and Elder Paul. Based on this material, we will try to take a different look at the events that occurred in Taganrog in the period from 1825 to 1879. Comparing the biography of the Blessed Elder Pavel Pavlovich and the Blessed Emperor of All-Russia Alexander 1 Pavlovich, I unexpectedly came to an amazing conclusion: these are not two different people, but one and the same. Further, when we carry out a comparative description of these two people, who at first glance are so different, we will see that the appearance and character of these two individuals are the same, the only difference is their age of 15 years (Elder Paul is younger). At first glance, this is an insurmountable obstacle, but this is only at first glance.
But first I must explain the reasons why I turned to this particular topic, what served as inspiration for me. Exactly 20 years ago, namely in 1993, I had the opportunity to cross the threshold of the chapel and cell of Elder Paul for the first time.
I came to him for help in my everyday affairs, and the elder responded, he helped me. Looking back, I was surprised to realize that Elder Paul was leading me to write this article. He guided me and helped me find sources of the necessary information. According to my self-perception, now I am working off my debt, I would even say this: Elder Paul himself writes this in my hand (based on historical sources, Elder Paul always had a special person who took dictation to write down his letters, although the elder himself was literate) , therefore my contribution to writing the article is very small.
Moreover, at first, when thoughts began to come to me to compare the lives of Elder Paul and Emperor Alexander, I drove them away as distracting me from the main (in my understanding) matters. In order to no longer turn to distant history, for peace of mind, I turned to verified facts: I compared the birth dates of historical figures that haunt me: 11/19/1792 and 12/23/1777, and this difference was 15 years. Deciding that all the mysteries had been solved, he took another “interesting book” and lay down on the sofa. But it was not there. Once you started counting my years, they suggested to me (let anyone with ears hear) compare the years of Alexander’s birth and the death of Elder Paul, 12/23/1777 and 03/23/1879. It turns out to be 101 years old, and this is not such an prohibitive age for a strong, healthy man without bad habits, even today. With all this, if we take into account the lifestyle, this is not at all surprising. The elder himself said that God added 15 years to him for his love for people. As for the emperor, Alexander was abstinent in food and drink. And here you can rely on solid historical facts. The fabulist I.A. left his memories about the kind of dinners that took place in Alexander’s palace. Krylov. I advise you to find and read, there is such information on the Internet.
As for Elder Paul, here you can give extracts about the elder for the last 5 years of his life:
“... For 5 years before his death, he never left his cell, slept little, and ate very little. ... Lately, no one has seen him make many bows in prayer. ... The old man’s one eye closed, and soon the other one too. ... At the same time, the eyes of the soul opened even more. ... The neighboring house caught fire. ...Novices. ... they ran to the elder, took him by the arms to lead him out of the cell... Maria was amazed at the great change in the elder’s health. His head, previously strong and healthy, became powerless and as if dead. His strength left him, and his vigor disappeared, whereas not long ago, as an old man, it happened that, like someone’s tournette, you couldn’t even stand on your feet (the old man had good health) and this is 81-86 years, and if you subtract the 15 years added, 71 years of life remain. Still, it seems to me that the age of 86 years will not be enough for a person with good health, with medical supervision until the age of 48, who grew up in an ecologically clean climate, even without taking into account his ascetic activity. And in 71 years during the Soviet period, it was possible at some enterprise in the city to meet a storekeeper with a cigarette in her teeth, and more than one.”
After my analysis of historical notes and memoirs, I can draw the following conclusion: on March 23, 1879, in Taganrog at the age of 101, the Blessed All-Russian Emperor Alexander 1 of Blessed Memory, Pavel Pavlovich, died and was buried.
To explain how I came to this decision, let's look at history. In 1825-1830 in the suburbs of Taganrog on the lands of Lieutenant General Kasperov, in one of the settlements, quite possibly called “Stone Bridge”, at the mouth of the “Small Turtle” river, a man appeared. His name was Pavel Pavlovich (Kasperovka at that time was outside the city limits). After living for some time in the suburbs and remaining unnoticed by the authorities, he moves within the city limits, to the area of the so-called “fortress”. This area consisted of dugouts in which fishermen lived and, as they say now, “people without a fixed place of residence” (this part of the city has long been a headache for city authorities). But this is what Pavel Pavlovich needed.
He did not stay here long and moved to a house on Banny Spusk, where he lived for the next 18 years. In those years, Elder Paul traveled a lot; he went to all the places of worship that Alexander I visited in his time. During the trip, the elder could leave his novices for some time under the pretext that he allegedly forgot something during the last night in a city or village. He returned back, and the novices sat and waited for him, and even had time to rest. Returning to his companions, without resting, he moved on. These absences of his were remembered only in connection with his endurance.
In the light of the further description, another interpretation can be given to this fact. For some reason, Elder Paul needed to remain without witnesses for a while. He rarely appears in the city, but ordinary people begin to pay attention to his lifestyle. When he is at home, they go to him for advice and help, both in everyday and spiritual matters. At this time, he probably still manages to hide his noble origin, but it becomes more and more difficult to do this, because he leaves Taganrog less and less. The noble features of the old man’s face can no longer be hidden either by a long beard with a mustache and shoulder-length blond hair, or by simple clothes with a cloth cap and peasant boots. The old man was tall, physically strong, with a flushed face, a straight long nose, blue eyes , many, especially women, considered him attractive and even handsome. Questions arose. He once again changes his place of residence and moves to Depaldovsky Lane 88 (now Turgenevsky 82), and here, at the age of 66, he gets a ticket dated 02/13/1858 with the number 14.02-M, where is the year of his birth written down? And the noble origin of his parents? After which the questions that arose disappeared by themselves.
During the years of Soviet power, GPU employees argued the opposite. Allegedly, they found a document in the archives of the cemetery church: the response of the Chernigov provincial leader of the nobility dated February 16, 1917, numbered 335, addressed to the priest of the church Alexander Kurilov. It describes that Pavel Stozhkov’s parents had neither wealth nor serfs. The ticket itself, dated February 13, 1858, numbered 14.02-M, is puzzling, and the second ticket dated February 16, 1917, numbered 335, simply negates its reliability. In the events described, there are only questions and no answers.
The elder’s fame coincides with the years of great glory in the world, which the pious ascetic did not seek. These are years marked by the rise of spirituality and the grace of God. “God added 15 years to me,” this is what the elder said about himself.
At the same time he moved to a house on Banny Spusk, in the fall of 1836. on the border of the Perm region and the Urals, in one of the villages a rider on a white horse stopped at a forge. With his appearance, he aroused the suspicion of local residents, was detained and taken to court, where he called himself Fyodor Kuzmich, having received a whipping punishment for vagrancy and begging, he was transferred to the Tomsk province for a settlement. We will leave Fyodor Kuzmich for now, turn to him later, and return to Taganrog again.
From the above we can conclude that the elder did not settle in Taganrog immediately, but did so in three stages. He settled mainly in the poor quarters of the city. (By the way, O.P. Gavryushkin in his book “Old Taganrog Walks” called the area of Banny Spusk and Ekaterininskaya Street (Engels) an amicable and plague-ridden quarter). That is, Elder Pavel chose places where no one could recognize him by sight, because normal people try not to live in such areas, where he could quite easily hide his age and origin due to widespread illiteracy.
Dear reader, now let’s take a closer look at the character of Elder Paul. Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov is a nobleman who, until a certain point, hid his origins. The elder’s love for the common people is well known. No one leaves him empty-handed, and at the same time he is strict, both with his novices and with other people whom he mentored. In this aspect, the following fact is indicative: the entire bazaar got rid of seeds if the figure of an old man appeared in the distance. He didn’t like seeds and people who “husk” them. You can give him the definition of “intellectual”. He could have poked him with a stick, such were the customs. He took care of the prisoners, helped them as much as he could, and if someone died, he took on the expenses himself. In passing, we note that upon arrival in Taganrog, Alexander I visited the prison, where he ordered the planting of trees that would provide shade to the prisoners during their walks. The city made a pleasant impression on the emperor.
Elder Pavel Pavlovich was a lamp through which the light of faith poured into the soul. He shunned vanity, which he decided to leave behind once and for all. . Paul's confessor was Hieromonk Damian, a member of the brethren of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (Greek Monastery), and the elder himself loved to visit this monastery. Emperor Alexander Pavlovich himself actively took part in the creation of this monastery, and it was here that his coffin was exhibited to bid farewell to the people. The elder venerated the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Taganrog. There were 18 of his personalized silver lamps. A parallel can be drawn that Alexander I was crowned king in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin; the coronation took place according to the rank of his father Paul I.
The patient spent the night before November 18 in oblivion; sometimes he opened his eyes and fixed them on the crucifix, crossed himself and prayed. This crucifix in a gold medallion hung over the sofa, and was a father's blessing. Alexander I revered the crucifix very much and always kept it with him.
Where did the pseudonym Pavel come from? I especially focus on this because in the Almanac issue No. 1 (data about it will be printed below) it is written that Elder Paul was assigned to the St. Nicholas Church, but for some reason did not visit it or visited it, but very rarely. This question is immediately answered in the Almanac: Elder Pavel could donate money for the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, which is why he loved him .
Alexander's family also donated money for the construction of the Assumption Cathedral in Taganrog . He also had in his honor the Greek Temple of Constantine and Helena, where the elder mainly ordered masses in the area of St. Spyridon. According to legend, Saint Spyridon walks around the world and helps the poor. Memorial Day of the Saint according to the old style
December 12, this day is also the birthday of Emperor Alexander 1 Pavlovich (according to the strict style). It is also worth noting that Elder Pavel never used the mail; he sent his correspondence on occasion. It is also known that Elder Paul was a literate person, but he did not leave behind a single note where his handwriting could be seen, which is very significant. While Fyodor Kuzmich, who lived in the Tomsk province, they write, the handwriting was seen, and it was allegedly similar to the handwriting of Alexander I.
Further, Elder Paul, when he first settled in Taganrog, went to worship in Kyiv. On the way, he visited his homeland in the Chernigov province and met his older brother there. The meeting was only one and did not last long. He didn’t remember his relatives, and didn’t talk about his mother at all. And if we take into account the document that was presented by the GPU employee, it turns out that the elder’s pedigree is unknown to us, or rather, it is known, only there the elder is mentioned under a different name.
“We have no sense of our beginning and end. And it’s a pity that they told me exactly when I was born. If they hadn’t told me, I would now have no idea about my age, especially since I still don’t feel its burden at all, and that means I would be freed from the thought that I was supposed to die in 10 or 20 years .” - I.A. Bunin "The Life of Arsenyev".
People tend to exalt the insignificant and not notice the great. An example of this is the life of the pious elder Paul. Pavel Pavlovich himself once remarked: “The owner of the apartment does not know who lives in his yard, and my novices do not know who they serve.” Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, when asked directly about his origin, said with a smile: “I’m just a sparrow, a migratory bird!”
Above, I cited memories of the life of Elder Pavel, drawing parallels with the life of Alexander Pavlovich and Fyodor Kuzmich. Now I will try to briefly describe the memories of Alexander I, also drawing parallels with Elder Pavel and Fyodor Kuzmich.
Alexander I Pavlovich was born on December 12 (23), 1777. in St. Petersburg. Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia from March 12 (24), 1801.
Protector of the Order of Malta since 1801.
Grand Duke of Finland from 1809, Tsar of Poland from 1815, eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Maria Feodorovna. At the beginning of his reign he carried out moderate liberal reforms.
In 1805-1807 participated in anti-French coalitions. 1807-1812 temporarily became closer to France.
In 1806-1812. waged successful wars with Turkey, Persia 1804-1813, Sweden 1808-1809. Under Alexander I, the lands of eastern Georgia in 1801, Finland in 1809, Bessarabia in 1812, the Duchy of Warsaw in 1815, after the Patriotic War of 1812 were annexed to Russia. He headed the anti-French coalition of European powers in 1813-1814.
He was one of the leaders of the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815. and organizer of the sacred union. The Holy Alliance is something like the current European Union. One single European state without internal borders, together with Russia. At that time, Western Europe had not matured enough to understand this; it constantly fought among itself, while preparing a new coalition against Russia, which resulted in the Sevastopol campaign, affecting Taganrog.
We have deviated a little from the topic, but to answer our question, it is simply necessary to focus on the fact that Alexander I was about 200 years ahead of all his colleagues in development, which is confirmed by the fact that I am sitting and writing these lines. On the anniversary of the 200th anniversary of Russia's victory over Napoleon, he revealed himself to the world in a new light.
Childhood. Let's start with the memories of his grandmother Catherine II. The fact is that she, being an empress, took her grandson from the family of father Paul I and began raising him herself.
Tsarskoye Selo. This August 23, 1779: “... It is amazing that, not being able to speak, this child knows, at the age of 20 months, something that no other child of 3 years is able to understand... He'll be so cute! ...".
Tsarskoe Selo, This June 3, 1783: “... If you saw how Mr. Alexander hoees the ground, plants peas, plants cabbage, goes behind the plow, lambs and then, covered in sweat, runs to rinse himself in the stream, after which he takes a net and together with sir Konstantin he climbs into the water to fish. ... To relax, he goes to his writing teacher or art teacher. … We do all this of our own free will. ... And no one obliges us to do this. ... Alexander has amazing strength and agility...” April 25, 1785 “... He combines great balance of character with curiosity surprising for his age...; His desire is always benevolent: he wants to succeed and achieve more in everything. …. He has a beautiful heart..."
“In nobility, strength, intelligence, curiosity, knowledge, Mr. Alexander significantly exceeds his age, he will become, in my opinion, the most excellent person...” - these are the memories of my grandmother, even though she is an empress, but what can you take from her, because she dotes on her soul in his grandson Alexander. And since 1785 Mr. Alexander has mentors, and one of them is Cesar De La Harpe. He became not only a teacher, but also a friend of Mr. Alexander, even after he was forced to leave Russia. Cesar De La Harpe quickly learned Russian and devoted himself entirely to caring for two very different students, Alexander and Konstantin. Everything turned out simply with the gifted, often lazy, but obedient and affectionate Alexander: “Alexander is a delightful student.” La Harpe does not at all embellish life; he feeds Alexander “the bitter bread of historical facts and tells the naked truth...”. “He values freedom, which is given equally to all people. Dreams of equality and brotherhood; passionately desires to accomplish great things,” writes Lagarthe.
Alexander is growing up, and now Count Rostopchin writes about him: “14-year-old Alexander has no one like him in the world...”
“And Alexander’s soul is even more beautiful than his body...” adds Vorontsov.
But Alexander already speaks about himself: “I will still be quite smart. Why should I try? Princes like me know everything without learning anything! ..." The statement, of course, is very arrogant, but let us treat the 14-year-old boy with leniency, especially since he still studied and was a truly diligent student.
But Alexander is already 19 years old. May 10, 1796 He writes a letter to Prince Kochubey: “I am by no means satisfied with my position. Court life is not for me. I suffer every time I have to appear on the court stage. And the blood spoils in me, at the sight of the baseness committed by others at every step, in order to obtain external distinctions that are not worth a copper penny in my eyes. I realize that I was not born for such a high rank. And even less for what was intended for me in the future, which I vowed to refuse.”
But childhood is over, and we are forced to move away from the topic. It would be good to compare the statements of young Alexander about his role as the ruler of the state and the statements of Lenin, Trotsky, Sverdlov, Stalin and others who exterminated millions of their fellow citizens for power, while not forgetting to destroy themselves. What if the world revolution had won...?!
Of course, many will say: you never know what Alexander said, the main thing is what he did, and they will point a finger at his father Paul I. Whether Alexander knew about the conspiracy or not is an open question. Even if he knew, he fought not for power, but for his life, for Paul I saw in him not the eldest son, but an intelligent competitor, and there is a lot of evidence that Paul I wanted to get rid of this competitor. Therefore, before blaming, you need to put yourself in his place, and then draw conclusions and condemn.
And if Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich and Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov are the same person, then the pseudonym Pavel must mean something. 6 months after the death of Paul I, Alexander solemnly entered Moscow, where he was crowned king according to the rank of Emperor Paul I in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin and became the ruler of the most extensive state. And now Alexander is the emperor. Here you can refer to the testimony of contemporaries. Napoleon's ambassador, Duke Caulaincourt of Vicenza, wrote to Napoleon in Paris: “Alexander is not taken for who he is. They consider him weak - and they are wrong. ... He will not go beyond the circle outlined for himself. And this circle is made of iron and does not bend... He has the ability to completely hide his thoughts, which speaks of invincible stubbornness.”
On the Place Vendôme in Paris, the king admired the statue of Napoleon, erected during his lifetime, and said: “I would be dizzy if they put me so high...”.
“He was simple, kind, generous and very pious” - this is how the famous historian Valishevsky speaks about Alexander. Contemporaries note that the king has a face that, when looked at, becomes warmer and more joyful - an open forehead, clear blue eyes, a charming smile, an expression of kindness, gentleness, goodwill towards everything and a truly angelic frequency...; tall and has a very noble posture.
Alexander left Paris for Poland. General Danelevsky noted in his diary that on the road from Zurich to Basel, the emperor walked a lot and often went into peasant houses: “He is very tall, well built... his feet, although a little big, are very well chiselled (remember the big peasant boots of Elder Pavel Pavlovich ), light brown hair, blue eyes , very beautiful teeth, charming complexion, straight nose, quite beautiful. He could not resist the temptation to show off a beautiful phrase, and the more unclear the meaning of the phrases was, the better he adapted it to his intentions...”
Let me remind you, dear readers, that Elder Paul received the same description from his learned contemporaries. Duality was one of the main features of the king; he was used to “breaking a comedy,” which is why Napoleon called him “Northern Talma.”
Another characteristic: “the sphinx, not solved to the grave.”
From all of the above, we can draw a simple conclusion: Alexander had the talent to transform. What I mean is that to go from being the king of the largest state unnoticed to becoming a peasant, desire alone is not enough, for this you need something more, you need to be artistic. There is a lot of evidence of these qualities of Alexander, one could write a book. Witness Prince Czartoryski: “I must suffer, because nothing can soften my mental anguish.” And at the end of his life, after the days of triumph in Paris and Vienna, the disillusioned and disappointed “liberator of Europe,” “God’s chosen one,” withdrew from people and approached God.
Alexander I defeated Napoleon, and Almighty God defeated the Tsar. Countess Choiseul wrote: “Once the king was riding through the suburbs in a carriage, and saw a priest coming out of the church. He stopped the horses, jumped to the ground, reverently kissed the cross, then the old man’s hand.” According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Alexander loved to travel incognito, without an entourage, and willingly struck up conversations with strangers. Being a very generous man, he gave away money, as well as jewelry, snuff boxes, rings, and brooches. It is also worth making a comparison with the generosity of Pavel Pavlovich. A great tempter who masterfully knew how to gain people’s trust, the tsar was, in Speransky’s words, “a real sorcerer.” LaHarpe was always proud of his pet: “The least gullible are forced to admit that Alexander is one of the rare creatures that appears once every 1000 years!”
Napoleon: “The king is one of those people who attract, and seem created to charm those who encounter them.
Beginning in 1820, Alexander traveled a lot throughout Russia and Poland, the tsar traveled day and night, in any weather, on terrible roads. The travel was tedious and exhausting. Every year he served a funeral service in memory of his father Paul I. Every day for two hours he prayed on his knees, so that his doctor wrote: “extensive hardenings formed on His Majesty’s legs, which remained with him until his death”... The king lived as a recluse. The mystical mood of the sovereign, constantly supported by current events, did not find a single justification for itself, among the dignitaries of the state and especially churches .
Meanwhile, Tsarina Elizaveta Alekseevna fell ill and was recommended to live in Taganrog. Alexander decided to accompany her. September 1, 1825 The Emperor was preparing to leave. The valet asked him when to expect back. Alexander, pointing to the icon of the savior, said: “He alone knows this.” Leaving St. Petersburg, the sovereign stood up in the carriage, turned his face to the capital he was leaving, looked at it for a long time and thoughtfully, as if saying goodbye to it.
According to Filevsky, Emperor Alexander had an extraordinary ability to be friendly, simple and unforced in communication. He was informed about the conspiracy and the impending assassination attempt (by the Decembrists). Calmly receiving this news, the sovereign replied: “Let us surrender to the will of God!... I decided to renounce and live as a private person” and did not want to change anything. The Emperor was busy reading the papers he had received. ... In addition to these, other reasons worried the emperor, the real meaning of which is not entirely known. So on November 11 at night, Officer Sherwood arrived with a secret report from General Rott, commander of the infantry corps. The general received him secretly and, after talking with him for half an hour, ordered him to immediately leave Taganrog. At the same time, he ordered that no one know about either entry or exit. That same night, the sovereign demanded Colonel Nikolaev, who commanded the palace guard, and the commandant, Baron Fredericks, and, having given them important secret assignments, ordered them to immediately leave Taganrog.
Even the chief of staff Dibich did not know about these orders of the sovereign: “Meanwhile, the disease progressed, the sovereign refused to take medicine;” Since November 8, I notice that he (Alexander) is confused by something more important than the thought of recovery. He's worse." “Everything is going badly,” writes Villiers, although he is not delusional yet. I wanted to give him some medicine to drink, but as usual he refused: “Go away.” I cried; Noticing my tears, the sovereign said to me: “Come, dear friend, I hope that you are not angry with me for this. I have my own reasons for acting this way. ..."
The Emperor died on November 19 at 10:47 am. ... A golden icon was found on his chest, on one side of which there was an image of the savior, and on the other the inscription:
“You, Lord, will correct my path:
You will save me from death,
You will save your creation." .
It is also significant that Alexander did not like luxury and external etiquette . From an analysis of many facts, it can be seen that he settled in Taganrog for a long time, perhaps forever. He used to say: “It is necessary that the move to private life is not abrupt.” The last password given by Alexander to the palace guard was the word
"TAGANROG".
Alexander I Pavlovich the Blessed died on November 19, 1825. (December 1). The coffin was exhibited in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in Taganrog. It was forbidden to show the body to the people. Gathered in the royal village, members of the imperial family were present at the opening of the coffin, and were struck by the blackness of the face of the deceased, but the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna cried out: “I recognize him well!” This is my son, my dear Alexander! ABOUT! How he lost weight!...”
After the body was identified, the burial took place on March 13 in the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg, all formalities were observed, but the sarcophagus was empty .
10 years have passed. During the reign of Nicholas I, unrest within the country and war distracted attention from the fate of Alexander, but in the fall of 1836 a curious incident occurred: one evening in the Perm province on the border of the Urals, a rider on a white horse stopped at a blacksmith’s house: a man of very tall stature, noble bearing, modestly dressed , appears to be approximately 60 years old. The blacksmith seemed suspicious. The blacksmith called a local guard, who took him to the judge, where he stated that his name was Fyodor Kuzmich, that he had no family, no money, no home. He was sentenced to 20 lashes for vagrancy and begging and to exile to Siberia. Interestingly, the white horse disappeared, and no one charged him with stealing the horse, nor did it fall from the sky.
He was sent with a convoy to the Tomsk province. Everywhere he was treated with great respect: his resemblance to Alexander I was so striking. Thousands of rumors spread. One soldier, seeing him, fell to his knees and exclaimed: “This is the king! " His handwriting was like that of Alexander (compare with Elder Paul, after whom not a single letter remained; he always had a person who wrote letters for him). There was an icon with the letter “A” and the imperial crown hanging on the wall; moreover, he was also deaf! (In passing, I note that I have not found any memories of Elder Paul’s deafness, but people often remember the elder’s loud voice: the elder asked in a loud voice: “Why did you come before me, Avdotya?” Usually people with impaired hearing speak loudly. I also draw your attention to Please note that Alexander was deaf in one ear, and quite possibly could have hidden it in the first couple of years, but when he got older, it was a matter of course, and no one paid attention to it). A very educated elder who spoke several languages, he gave practical advice to the peasants and taught their children well.
Emperor Nicholas I came to see the elder; their conversation lasted about two hours. In Tomsk, various civil officials also visited Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, behaving with him with the utmost respect. Each newly appointed governor considered it his duty to visit the elder’s cell and have a long private conversation with him. These conversations concerned both spiritual life and social structure. The elder understood the problems of state and public life just as well as he understood spiritual life. However, when he was asked about his origin or past, he interrupted the interlocutor and said with a smile: “I am just a sparrow, a migratory bird”... (Let us remember Elder Pavel Pavlovich, who repeatedly said: "neither the master knows who lives with him, nor the novices whom they serve" . Even on his deathbed, Elder Fyodor Kuzmich refused to give his name.
However, a story is inserted into the life of the elder. ... “There is a rumor,” continued Semyon Feofanovich, “that you, father, are none other than Alexander the Blessed... is this true? ... The elder, hearing this, began to be baptized and said: “Wonderful are your works, Lord. There is no secret that will not be revealed.” After which he asked me to bury him simply.” This answer is further confirmation that the elder knew how this story would end.
Elder Fyodor Kuzmich died on January 20, 1864. and, if Fyodor Kuzmich and Alexander I are the same person, then it turns out that he died at the age of 87, of which the last 2 years he was seriously ill, this is for comparison with the elder Pavel of Taganrog. He navigated the palace service of St. Petersburg, and everyone decided that it was him!!! And now, my dear readers, let’s think about whether such a figure as the All-Russian Emperor could leave the throne unnoticed without the support of administrative resources?!
Of course not! If there was a staging of the death of Alexander I (and it undoubtedly was a staging), then it was done at the highest state level using special services and special events.
Several versions of cover and false routes were developed. It is quite possible that Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, in the language of the special services, was deliberately “exposed”, and thereby covered up the legend of Pavel Pavlovich Stozhkov, who settled in Taganrog and remained unnoticed. And who would even think of looking for a person in the city in which he died. This is worthy of the greatness of the blessed Emperor of All Russia, Alexander I of blessed memory, Pavel Pavlovich. There are many questions in this story: whose body, if any, was in Alexander's coffin? Who was Fyodor Kuzmich really: a voluntary jailer or a state criminal who made a deal with the investigation, because after 1825 there were more than enough educated jailers.
I have just outlined several versions of who Fyodor Kuzmich was. But after my trip to Tomsk (the article was written in two stages), having familiarized myself with the life of the holy righteous Fyodor of Tomsk, I realized that Fyodor Kuzmich is a person from the inner circle of Tsar Alexander I. Everything indicates that he was his confidant, and he not only knew, but also prepared Alexander’s departure into worldly life. This man wore a portrait of Alexander on his chest all his life, and had only one award (he refused the rest): the Order of Alexander Nevsky. After the departure of Alexander I into the world, this man retired from business, retired to his estate, and his health weakened. Nicholas I sent the physician Villiers to him, but the latter could no longer help him (by the way, this is the same physician Villiers who was with the dying Alexander I).
This man died on April 21, 1834. “Without taking his eyes off the portrait of Alexander, on the very sofa that served as the autocrat’s bed,” his motto is “Without flattery, devoted.” I specifically did not mention the name of this person, because reviews about him are very contradictory. In Russian history, reviews are more negative than positive. Historians must figure this out. 2 years after his death, Fyodor Kuzmich appeared; I will not cite the external resemblance of these two people, because that is another story.
On Bankovskaya Square in the city of Taganrog there is a monument to Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich; the monument was erected in 1830. Around this time, Elder Paul came to live in Taganrog. This is the only monument to Alexander 1 in Russia. (Another one was on the secular estate of Fyodor Kuzmich, and was destroyed). In the 20s of the last century, the monument was demolished. The bronze statue of Alexander was sent to be melted down, but Elder Pavel did not give up the granite pedestal. He moved it to the (now “old”) city cemetery, closer to him, and placed it under the protection of the revolutionary guard, where it stands to this day. In 1998 The monument to Alexander I Pavlovich was restored on Bankovskaya Square in Taganrog, and the following year the canonization of the blessed elder Pavel of Taganrog took place. According to the prophecy of Elder Paul, his relics should be transferred to the cathedral, and this cathedral will be the Cathedral of Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg, where his empty sarcophagus awaits.
If I had any doubts about the correspondence of Alexander I Pavlovich and Pavel Pavlovich, then by the end of writing the article they all disappeared. The fact is that Alexander I reveals himself to the world on the anniversary of the bicentenary of the victory over Napoleon, which means that those who are waiting will not wait, because this cannot be the end, this can only be the beginning of the rise of our statehood. Personally, I see God’s providence in this. I want to finish this article with the words of proteer Alexander Klyunkov: “In my opinion, carefully reading the life of St. Blessed Paul, we have yet to realize the significance of this man, not only in the life of Taganrog, but also in Russian history.” I will add on my own behalf, including in the world. With enlightenment to you, fellow citizens.
Miscellaneous on the topic. He went to people, and if they did not reject him, they simply did not notice.
People tend to exalt the insignificant and not notice the great.
A weak person, not everyone, having realized his sin, can leave the very top of society, God’s anointed, into a dugout among people without a specific place of residence. Then begin a new spiritual upsurge in the name of the glory of God and the entire Russian people. This man had no other way, he would not have been seen at the top, but the people would have said, the master is blessed. Alexander felt the grace coming from him, and therefore he went to the people, where his help was more understandable, and most importantly, in demand. Freely received, freely given.
I believe that an investigation should be carried out with all possible examinations, because... This is a state level matter. The initiators in this issue should be not only believers, but also the administration of the city of Taganrog together with the administration of the Rostov region.
And please forgive me if this essay is composed with errors and is not consistent in presentation; I am a builder, not a writer.
Password "Taganrog"
P.S. Dear reader, this article was written exactly one year ago and it contains the words: ".... Alexander 1 reveals himself to the world on the anniversary of the bicentenary of the victory over Napoleon, which means that those who are waiting will not wait, because this cannot be the end , this can only be the beginning of the rise of our statehood."
Five years before the article was written, Russia annexed Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and a year after writing it is trying to return Crimea and the Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine, and there is every reason to believe that this event will be crowned with success.
I would like to draw the reader’s attention to one curious fact: in the entire thousand-year history of Russia, at the head of our state there were only three people named Vladimir: - this is St. Vladimir, also known as Vladimir Monomakh; IN AND. Ulyanov and V.V. Putin. All of them were both transformers and collectors of the Russian land. As for Vladimir Monomakh, in my understanding St. Vladimir and Vladimir Monomakh are one and the same person, but divided in history, and the word itself - Monomakh - means the title: Mono - the only one; Mach - Maximus or Tsar, Emperor.
Let's see what other surprises Elder Pavel Pavlovich or, if you prefer, Emperor Alexander Pavlovich will give us.
Added March 2014
List of used literature:
1) “History of the city of Taganrog” 1996. P.P. Filevsky
2) “Alexander I” Moscow 1991 A. Vallotton
3) Taganrog Almanac of Spiritual Reading, issue 1, son of light, 1997. V. Fedorovsky, A. Klyunkov.
4)St. Blessed Pavel of Taganrog 1994 M. Tsuryupina
5) Reflections of golden domes 1999 O.P. Gavryushkin
6) Old Taganrog 1997 is walking. O.P. Gavryushkin
7) “The Life of the Holy Righteous Elder Theodore of Tomsk” Mother of God-Alexievsky Monastery 2010.
March 2013 Vozyka Andrey Anatolievich.
Paradoxically, this Sovereign, who defeated Napoleon himself and liberated Europe from his rule, always remained in the shadows of history, constantly subjected to slander and humiliation, having “glued” to his personality the youthful lines of Pushkin: “The ruler is weak and crafty.” As the doctor of history of the Paris Institute of Oriental Languages A.V. writes. Rachinsky:
As in the case of Tsar Nicholas II, Alexander I is a slandered figure in Russian history: he was slandered during his lifetime, and continued to be slandered after his death, especially in Soviet times. Dozens of volumes, entire libraries have been written about Alexander I, and mostly these are lies and slander against him.
The situation in Russia began to change only recently, after President V.V. Putin in November 2014 unveiled a monument to Emperor Alexander I near the Kremlin walls, declaring:
Alexander I will forever go down in history as the conqueror of Napoleon, as a far-sighted strategist and diplomat, as a statesman aware of his responsibility for safe European and global development. It was the Russian Emperor who stood at the origins of the then system of European international security.
Note from Alexander I to Napoleon
The personality of Alexander the Blessed remains one of the most complex and mysterious in Russian history. Prince P.A. Vyazemsky called it “The Sphinx, unsolved to the grave.” But according to the apt expression of A. Rachinsky, the fate of Alexander I beyond the grave is just as mysterious. There is more and more evidence that the Tsar ended his earthly journey with the righteous elder Theodore Kozmich, canonized as a Saint of the Russian Orthodox Church. World history knows few figures comparable in scale to Emperor Alexander I. His era was the “golden age” of the Russian Empire, then St. Petersburg was the capital of Europe, the fate of which was decided in the Winter Palace. Contemporaries called Alexander I the “King of Kings”, the conqueror of the Antichrist, the liberator of Europe. The population of Paris enthusiastically greeted him with flowers; the main square of Berlin is named after him - Alexander Platz.
As for the participation of the future Emperor in the events of March 11, 1801, it is still shrouded in secrecy. Although it itself, in any form, does not adorn the biography of Alexander I, there is no convincing evidence that he knew about the impending murder of his father. According to the memoirs of a contemporary of the events, guards officer N.A. Sablukov, most people close to Alexander testified that he, “having received the news of his father’s death, was terribly shocked” and even fainted at his coffin. Fonvizin described Alexander I’s reaction to the news of his father’s murder:
When it was all over and he learned the terrible truth, his grief was inexpressible and reached the point of despair. The memory of this terrible night haunted him all his life and poisoned him with secret sadness.
It should be noted that the head of the conspiracy, Count P.A. von der Palen, with truly satanic cunning, intimidated Paul I about a conspiracy against him by his eldest sons Alexander and Constantine, and their father’s intentions to send them under arrest to the Peter and Paul Fortress, or even to the scaffold. The suspicious Paul I, who knew well the fate of his father Peter III, could well believe in the veracity of Palen’s messages. In any case, Palen showed Alexander the Emperor’s order, almost certainly fake, about the arrest of Empress Maria Feodorovna and the Tsarevich himself. According to some reports, however, which do not have exact confirmation, Palen asked the Heir to give the go-ahead for the Emperor’s abdication from the throne. After some hesitation, Alexander allegedly agreed, categorically stating that his father should not suffer in the process. Palen gave him his word of honor in this, which he cynically violated on the night of March 11, 1801. On the other hand, a few hours before the murder, Emperor Paul I summoned the sons of Tsarevich Alexander and Grand Duke Constantine and ordered them to be sworn in (although they had already done this is during his ascension to the throne). After they fulfilled the will of the Emperor, he came into a good mood and allowed his sons to dine with him. It is strange that after this Alexander would give his go-ahead for a coup d'état.
The Alexander Column was erected in 1834 by the architect Auguste Montferrand in memory of the victory of Alexander I over Napoleon. Photo: www.globallookpress.com
Despite the fact that Alexander Pavlovich’s participation in the conspiracy against his father does not have sufficient evidence, he himself always considered himself guilty of it. The Emperor perceived Napoleon's invasion not only as a mortal threat to Russia, but also as punishment for his sin. That is why he perceived the victory over the invasion as the greatest Grace of God. “Great is the Lord our God in His mercy and in His wrath! - said the Tsar after the victory. The Lord walked ahead of us. “He defeated the enemies, not us!” On a commemorative medal in honor of 1812, Alexander I ordered the words to be minted: “Not for us, not for us, but for Your name!” The Emperor refused all the honors that they wanted to give him, including the title “Blessed”. However, against his will, this nickname stuck among the Russian people.
After the victory over Napoleon, Alexander I was the main figure in world politics. France was his trophy, he could do whatever he wanted with it. The allies proposed dividing it into small kingdoms. But Alexander believed that whoever allows evil creates evil himself. Foreign policy is a continuation of domestic policy, and just as there is no double morality - for oneself and for others, there is no domestic and foreign policy.
The Orthodox Tsar in foreign policy, in relations with non-Orthodox peoples, could not be guided by other moral principles. A. Rachinsky writes:
Alexander I, in a Christian manner, forgave the French all their guilt against Russia: the ashes of Moscow and Smolensk, robberies, the blown up Kremlin, the execution of Russian prisoners. The Russian Tsar did not allow his allies to plunder and divide defeated France into pieces. Alexander refuses reparations from a bloodless and hungry country. The Allies (Prussia, Austria and England) were forced to submit to the will of the Russian Tsar, and in turn refused reparations. Paris was neither robbed nor destroyed: the Louvre with its treasures and all the palaces remained intact.
Emperor Alexander I became the main founder and ideologist of the Holy Alliance, created after the defeat of Napoleon. Of course, the example of Alexander the Blessed was always in the memory of Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich, and there is no doubt that the Hague Conference of 1899, convened on the initiative of Nicholas II, was inspired by the Holy Alliance. This, by the way, was noted in 1905 by Count L.A. Komarovsky: “Having defeated Napoleon,” he wrote, “Emperor Alexander thought of granting lasting peace to the peoples of Europe, tormented by long wars and revolutions. According to his thoughts, the great powers should have united in an alliance that, based on the principles of Christian morality, justice and moderation, would be called upon to assist them in reducing their military forces and increasing trade and general well-being.” After the fall of Napoleon, the question of a new moral and political order in Europe arises. For the first time in world history, Alexander, the “king of kings,” is trying to place moral principles at the basis of international relations. Holiness will be the fundamental beginning of a new Europe. A. Rachinsky writes:
The name of the Holy Alliance was chosen by the King himself. In French and German the biblical connotation is obvious. The concept of the truth of Christ enters international politics. Christian morality becomes a category of international law, selflessness and forgiveness of the enemy are proclaimed and put into practice by the victorious Napoleon.
Alexander I was one of the first statesmen of modern history who believed that in addition to earthly, geopolitical tasks, Russian foreign policy had a spiritual task. “We are busy here with the most important concerns, but also the most difficult ones,” the Emperor wrote to Princess S.S. Meshcherskaya. “The matter is about finding means against the dominion of evil, which is spreading with speed with the help of all the secret forces possessed by the satanic spirit that controls them. This remedy that we are looking for is, alas, beyond our weak human strength. The Savior alone can provide this remedy by His Divine word. Let us cry out to Him with all our fullness, from all the depths of our hearts, that He may grant Him permission to send His Holy Spirit upon us and guide us along the path pleasing to Him, which alone can lead us to salvation.”
The believing Russian people have no doubt that this path led Emperor Alexander the Blessed, the Tsar-Tsars, the ruler of Europe, the ruler of half the world, to a small hut in the distant Tomsk province, where he, Elder Theodore Kozmich, in long prayers atone for his sins and those of all Russia. from Almighty God. The last Russian Tsar, the holy martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich, also believed in this, who, while still the Heir, secretly visited the grave of the elder Theodore Kozmich and called him the Blessed.
Three months before the birth of Grand Duke Alexander, the future emperor, the worst flood in the 18th century occurred in St. Petersburg on September 10, 1777. The water rose 3.1 meters above normal. Several three-masted merchant ships were nailed to the windows of the Winter Palace. Palace Square turned into a lake, in the middle of which the Alexander Pillar did not yet rise. The wind tore roofs off houses and howled in chimneys. Maria Feodorovna, Pavel Petrovich's wife, was so frightened that everyone feared premature birth.
When Emperor Paul was killed as a result of a palace conspiracy on March 11, 1801, Alexander was not yet 24 years old. But his character has already been formed. It was formed with the active participation of the crowned grandmother, Catherine II, who herself selected educators for her beloved grandson and herself wrote special instructions for them. On the other hand, Alexander was under the influence of his father, who demanded unquestioning obedience from him. Paul's orders were often canceled by Catherine II. Alexander did not know who to listen to or what to do. This taught him to be secretive and withdrawn.
Upon learning of his father's death, Alexander, despite the fact that he was privy to the conspiracy, almost fainted. The conspirators hardly managed to persuade him to go out onto the balcony of the Mikhailovsky Castle and announce to the assembled troops that the emperor had died of apoplexy and that now everything would be as under Catherine II. The troops were silent for a minute, then burst out in unison: “Hurray!” During the first days, Alexander, feeling remorse, could not gather his thoughts and in everything followed the advice of Count P. L. Palen, one of the main participants in the conspiracy.
After taking the throne, the new emperor abolished a number of laws and regulations introduced by his father. As had happened more than once when rulers changed, many convicts during the reign of Paul were released. Alexander I returned to the disgraced their positions and all rights. He freed priests from corporal punishment, destroyed the Secret Expedition and the Secret Chancellery, restored the election of representatives of the nobility, and abolished the dress restrictions imposed by his father. The people breathed a sigh of relief, the nobility and officers rejoiced. The soldiers threw off their hated powdered braids. Civil ranks could now again wear round hats, vests and tailcoats.
At the same time, the new emperor gradually began to get rid of the participants in the conspiracy. Many of them were sent to units located in Siberia and the Caucasus.
The first half of the reign of Alexander I was marked by moderate liberal reforms. They were developed by the emperor and friends of his youth: Prince V.P. Kochubey, Count P.A. Stroganov, N.N. Novosiltsev. The main reforms of the “Committee of Public Safety,” as Alexander I called it, gave the right to merchants and townspeople to receive uninhabited lands. The State Council was established, the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum and a number of universities were opened in different cities of Russia.
The preservation of autocracy and the prevention of revolutionary upheavals was also facilitated by the draft of state reforms developed by Secretary of State M.M. Speransky, who in October 1808 became the closest assistant of Alexander I. In the same year, the emperor unexpectedly appointed Paul I’s favorite A.A. Arakcheev as Minister of War . “Loyal without flattery” Arakcheev was entrusted by Alexander I to give orders that he had previously given himself. However, many provisions of the government reform project were never implemented. “A Wonderful Beginning of the Alexandrov Days” threatened to remain without continuation.
The emperor's foreign policy was also not distinguished by firm consistency. At first, Russia maneuvered between England and France, concluding peace treaties with both countries.
In 1805, Alexander I entered into a coalition against Napoleonic France, which threatened to enslave all of Europe. The defeat of the Allies (Prussia, Austria and Russia) at Austerlitz in 1805, where the Russian emperor was actually commander-in-chief, and two years later at Friedland led to the signing of the Peace of Tilsit with France. However, this peace turned out to be fragile: ahead were the Patriotic War of 1812, the fire of Moscow, and the fierce battle of Borodino. Ahead was the expulsion of the French and the victorious march of the Russian army through the countries of Europe. The laurels of Napoleon's victory went to Alexander I, and he led the anti-French coalition of European powers.
On March 31, 1814, Alexander I, at the head of the allied armies, entered Paris. Convinced that their capital would not suffer the same fate as Moscow, the Parisians greeted the Russian emperor with delight and jubilation. This was the zenith of his glory!
The victory over Napoleonic France contributed to the fact that Alexander I ended the game of liberalism in domestic politics: Speransky was removed from all posts and exiled to Nizhny Novgorod, the right of landowners, abolished in 1809, to exile serfs to Siberia without trial or investigation was restored, universities were limited in independence. But in both capitals various religious and mystical organizations flourished. Masonic lodges, banned by Catherine II, came to life again.
The patriarchate was abolished, the Synod was presided over by the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, but the members of the Synod from among the clergy were appointed by the emperor himself. The chief prosecutor was the sovereign's eye in this institution. He reported to the sovereign about everything that was happening in the Synod. Alexander I appointed his friend Prince A.N. to the post of Chief Prosecutor. Golitsyn. This man, previously distinguished by freethinking and atheism, suddenly fell into piety and mysticism. In his house at 20 Fontanka embankment, Golitsyn built a gloomy house church. Purple lamps in the shape of bleeding hearts illuminated the strange objects resembling sarcophagi standing in the corners with a dim light. Pushkin, visiting the brothers Alexander and Nikolai Turgenev, who lived in this house, heard mournful singing coming from the house church of Prince Golitsyn. The Emperor himself also visited this church.
Since 1817, Golitsyn headed the new Ministry of Spiritual Affairs and Public Education. Secular life was filled with mysticism and religious exaltation. Dignitaries and courtiers eagerly listened to preachers and soothsayers, among whom there were many charlatans. Following the example of the Parisians and Londoners, a Bible Society appeared in St. Petersburg, where the texts of the Bible were studied. Representatives of all Christian denominations located in the northern capital were invited to this society.
The Orthodox clergy, sensing a threat to the true faith, began to unite to fight mysticism. The monk Photius led this fight.
Photius closely followed the meetings of mystics, their books, their sayings. He burned Masonic publications and cursed the Masons everywhere as heretics. Pushkin wrote about him:
Half-fanatic, half-rogue;
To him a spiritual instrument
A curse, a sword, and a cross, and a whip.
Under pressure from the Orthodox clergy, who enlisted the support of the all-powerful Minister of War Arakcheev and the St. Petersburg Metropolitan Seraphim, Golitsyn, despite his closeness to the court, had to resign. But mysticism among the nobility had already taken deep roots. Thus, prominent dignitaries often gathered at Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich’s place for spiritualistic seances.
In the 1820s, Alexander I increasingly plunged into gloomy reverie and visited Russian monasteries several times. He hardly reacts to denunciations about the organization of secret societies and increasingly talks about his desire to abdicate the throne. In 1821, the sovereign received another denunciation about the existence of a secret society, the Union of Welfare. To the remark of one of the highest dignitaries about the need to urgently take action, Alexander I quietly replied: “It’s not for me to punish them.”
He perceived the flood of November 7, 1824 as God's punishment for all his sins. Participation in a conspiracy against his father always weighed heavily on his soul. And in his personal life, the emperor was far from sinless. Even during the life of Catherine II, he lost all interest in his wife Elizaveta Alekseevna. After a series of fleeting connections, he entered into a long-term relationship with Maria Antonovna Naryshkina, the wife of Chief Jägermeister D.L. Naryshkin. At first this connection was a secret, but later the whole court knew about it.
From his marriage to Elizaveta Alekseevna, Alexander had two daughters who died in infancy. In 1810, his daughter died from his extramarital affair with Naryshkina. All these deaths seemed to the suspicious Alexander I as retribution for grave sins.
He died on November 19, 1825, a year after the most destructive St. Petersburg flood. He died in Taganrog, where he accompanied his wife for treatment.
The body of the deceased emperor was transported to St. Petersburg in a closed coffin. For seven days the coffin stood in the Kazan Cathedral. It was opened to members of the imperial family only once, at night. Relatives noticed how the emperor’s face changed. A few days before the death of Alexander I, a courier, outwardly very similar to him, died in Taganrog. Rumors spread that the emperor was alive, that it was not him who was buried, but that same courier. And in 1836, an old man appeared in Siberia, calling himself Fyodor Kuzmich. He was, in his own words, “a tramp with no memory of kinship.” He looked about 60 years old. By that time the Emperor would have turned 59. The old man was dressed like a peasant, but he behaved majestically and was distinguished by his soft, graceful manners. He was arrested, tried for vagrancy, and sentenced to 20 lashes.
Although, if the people had established the opinion that Fyodor Kuzmich was none other than Alexander I himself, it is doubtful that such a punishment could have taken place. Most likely, this rumor spread later.
Life surgeon D.K. Tarasov, who treated the emperor and accompanied him on a trip from St. Petersburg to Taganrog, described the course of the illness and death of the sovereign in such detail that the very fact of his death, it would seem, cannot raise doubts. However, doubts arose more than once. The aura of religious mysticism continued to envelop the image of Alexander I even after his death. It is no coincidence that Peter Vyazemsky once said about Alexander I: “The Sphinx, unsolved to the grave.”
Among the legends about this emperor there is this. In the 1920s, when the sarcophagus of Alexander I was opened in the tomb of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, it allegedly turned out to be empty. But there is no documentary evidence confirming this fact.
It is known that many outstanding people who lived in St. Petersburg had their own fateful numbers. Alexander I also had it. They turned out to be “twelve”. This number really seemed to accompany the sovereign throughout his life. He was born on December 12 (12/12) 1777. He ascended the throne on March 12, 1801, in his 24th year (12x2). Napoleon's invasion of Russia took place in 1812. Alexander I died in 1825, when he was 48 years old (12x4). His illness lasted 12 days, and he reigned for 24 years.
The Alexander Column on Palace Square is crowned by an angel with a cross. A snake writhes under the cross, symbolizing the enemies of Russia. The angel slightly bowed his head in front of the Winter Palace. It is no coincidence that the angel’s face resembles the face of Alexander I; During his lifetime, the Russian emperor was called the Victor. Moreover, in Greek his name means “winner.” But the face of this Winner is sad and thoughtful...
* * *
“...did Emperor Alexander I intend to leave the throne and retire from the world? This question can be answered quite affirmatively, with complete impartiality, - yes, he certainly had the intention of abdicating the throne and withdrawing from the world. When this decision matured in his soul - who knows? In any case, he spoke openly about this back in September 1817, and this was not a momentary hobby, a beautiful dream. No, he persistently repeats the mention of this intention: in the summer of 1819 - to Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich, in the fall - to Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich; in 1822 - behaves more than strangely on the issue of succession to the throne; in 1824 he tells Vasilchikov that he would be glad to get rid of the crown that oppresses him and, finally, in the spring of 1825, just a few months before the Taganrog disaster, he confirms his decision to the Prince of Orange; a decision that no prince’s arguments can shake.”
Bakharev Dmitry
A history teacher
Shadrinsk 2009
Introduction
I was briefly faced with the question of the topic of the essay - thanks to my passion for alternative history and the secrets of the past, I chose a topic from the group “Secrets and mysteries of Russian history.”
Russian history is extremely rich in such things as secrets and riddles. Figuratively speaking, the number of “white spots and underwater reefs” is very large. In addition, the wide variety of these “blank spots” indicates the imagination of our ancestors, who left such an “interesting” legacy to their descendants.
Among all these mysterious events, cases of imposture stand out as a separate group. Here it must be said that imposture is one of the most popular ways of “self-expression” in Rus'. Well, why shouldn’t Grishka Otrepiev remain Grishka Otrepiev, and Emelyan Pugachev Emelyan Pugachev? But no! This is how Russia recognized False Dmitry I and the self-proclaimed Peter III. Perhaps, without them, the fate of our Fatherland would have turned out completely differently.
The number of cases of imposture in Russia is not just high, but enormous. This “folk pastime” was especially popular during the Time of Troubles. False Dmitry I (Grigory Otrepiev), son of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich Peter, who did not exist in reality (Ilya Gorchakov), False Dmitry II, a cloud of self-proclaimed princes: Augustus, Lavrenty, Osinovik, Clementy, Savely, Tsarevich Ivan Dmitrievich (Yan Luba) - the names can go on for a long time list. Even in the 20th century, imposture did not become obsolete, although even here it was not without the royal family: a breakthrough of “the miraculously saved children of Nicholas II,” and even the “emperor” himself; only later did the “grandsons of Nicholas II” appear, in particular Nikolai Dalsky, allegedly the son of Tsarevich Alexei. In 1997, crowned Nicholas III; Alexey Brumel, who proposed to crown either Yeltsin or Solzhenitsyn, and then declared himself tsar - and these are only the most famous, and how many cases of local significance! Suffice it to recall the works of Ilf and Petrov about the children of Lieutenant Schmidt.
But we are particularly interested in the earlier period. The beginning of the 19th century, the era of Alexander I. The mysterious death of Alexander. The unexpectedness and transience of his death, his strange hints the day before, the metamorphoses that occurred with the body of the late sovereign, the unprecedented security measures for the funeral and their extraordinary secrecy - all this caused rumors, gossip, and after the appearance in Siberia of a strange old man, in whom one soldier recognized the tsar , - and excitement. And what does the dying confession of the old man mean, that he is the late king - father? Perhaps the vain old man wanted worship before death and a royal funeral. Or perhaps the former emperor did not want to give his soul to God under someone else’s name. All this is fraught with an insoluble mystery that is unlikely to ever be solved, but I do not set myself any supernatural tasks - the purpose of this work is only to illuminate this mysterious event, consider all existing ones, reason about each of them and present them to your judgment .
It must be said that not all of the work is devoted specifically to the mystery of death.
Alexandra. The first two chapters tell about the youth, life and reign of the emperor, and only the third chapter talks directly about the mysterious death of the emperor. In conclusion, conclusions for each version are submitted for your judgment. I hope that my work will not disappoint you.
Chapter I. The Alexandrov Days are a wonderful beginning...
Alexander I, the eldest son of Paul I from his second marriage to Maria Fedorovna, was born in St. Petersburg. His upbringing was carried out by Empress Catherine herself, who took from her parents both the first-born Alexander and his young brother Constantine. She literally idolized young Alexander, she herself taught him to write and count. Catherine, wanting to develop the best inclinations in her children, personally compiled the “ABC”, where the teachers of her grandchildren were given clear instructions on education, based on the principles of “natural rationality, healthy living and freedom of the human person.”
In 1784, a general devoted to the empress was appointed chief educator. In addition to him, the young grand dukes have a whole staff of mentors and teachers. Among them: the scientist geographer Pallas, a professor - archpriest, a popular writer. Alexander is greatly influenced by another person - Friedrich Laharpe, a Swiss politician and a staunch liberal, a man called upon to give legal knowledge to the future king. He instilled in Alexander sympathy for the republican system and disgust for serfdom. Together with his teacher, the Grand Duke dreamed of the abolition of serfdom and autocracy. Thus, liberal views were instilled in Alexander from a young age. However, education based on humane principles was divorced from human reality, which significantly influenced the character of the heir: impressionability and abstract liberalism on the one hand, inconsistency and disappointment in people on the other.
But even though Alexander had a sharp and extraordinary mind by nature, as well as an excellent selection of teachers, he received a good, but incomplete education. Classes stopped simultaneously with the marriage of the future emperor to the Baden princess Louise (in Orthodoxy Elizaveta Alekseevna).
It cannot be said that his family life was successful. As bride and groom, the future spouses loved each other, but after the wedding the young Grand Duchess became interested in a more courageous man - Prince Adam Czartoryski. When, much later, she gave birth to a girl who looked remarkably like the handsome prince, Czartoryski was immediately sent as ambassador to Italy.
From an early age, Alexander had to balance between his father and grandmother who hated each other, which taught him to “live on two minds, keep two ceremonial faces” (Klyuchevsky). This developed in him such qualities as secrecy, duplicity and hypocrisy. It often happened that, having attended the parade in Gatchina in the morning, where everything was saturated with parade mania and drill, in the evening he went to a reception in the Hermitage, luxurious and brilliant. Wanting to maintain good relations with both his grandmother and his father, he appeared before each in a suitable guise: before the grandmother - loving, before his father - sympathetic.
Catherine cherished the idea of transferring the throne directly to Alexander, bypassing his father. Knowing about this desire of hers and wanting to spoil relations with his father, Alexander publicly declared that he did not want to reign and preferred to go abroad “as a private person, placing his happiness in the company of friends and in the study of nature.” But Catherine’s plans were not destined to take place - after her death, the country was headed by Emperor Paul I.
Having become emperor, Paul did not exile and put his son into disgrace, as many might have thought. Alexander was appointed military governor of St. Petersburg, chief of the Semenovsky Life Guards Regiment, inspector of cavalry and infantry, and later chairman of the military department of the Senate. Fear of a tough and demanding father completed the formation of his character traits.
A few months before the tragic night of March 11-12, Vice-Chancellor Panin let Alexander know that a group of conspirators, including himself, intended to overthrow Paul from the throne, due to his inability to rule the country, and put Alexander in his place. Perhaps the Tsarevich would have stopped the coup attempt if Paul, like his mother, had not made Alexander understand that he did not intend to leave him the crown. Moreover, recently Paul has brought his wife’s nephew, the Prince of Württemberg, closer to him. He called a young man from Germany, planned to marry him to his beloved daughter Catherine, and even gave him hope of becoming an heir. Alexander, seeing all this, agreed to the coup, although without planning for his father’s death.
When, on the ill-fated night of March 11-12, he was informed that Emperor Paul was dead, he experienced severe shock and shock. Maria Fedorovna, Pavel's wife and Alexander's mother, added fuel to the fire. Having fallen into hysterics, she accused her son of killing his father, branding him a “parricide.” The conspirators barely managed to convince him to go out to the guards and say that Paul had died of an appoplectic stroke, and that the new emperor, he, Alexander, would rule “by law and according to his heart in the god of our late august grandmother.”
In the first months of the reign of the new emperor, it was not he who ruled in St. Petersburg, but the count, who considered himself the patron of the young sovereign. And, given Alexander’s completely depressed and depressed state, it was not at all difficult. But Alexander had neither the strength nor the will to fight the dictates of Palen. One day he complained to a member of the Senate, General Balashov, about his condition. The general, a straightforward and fair man, said to Alexander: “When flies buzz around my nose, I drive them away.” Soon the emperor signed a decree dismissing Palen; in addition, he ordered him to leave for his Baltic estate within 24 hours. The young sovereign understood perfectly well that people, having betrayed him once, would betray him again. So, gradually all the participants in the conspiracy were sent on a trip to Europe, exiled to their own estates, and attached to military units either in the Caucasus or Siberia.
Having removed all the conspirators, Alexander brought close friends to himself: Count Pavel Stroganov, Prince Victor Kochubey, Prince Adam Czartoryski, Count Nikolai Novosiltsev. Together with the emperor, the young people formed a “secret committee”, called by Alexander the “Committee of Public Safety”. At its meetings they discussed the transformations and reforms necessary for Russia. First of all, all the innovations of Paul I were canceled: charters of grant to the nobility and cities were restored, an amnesty was granted to disgraced nobles who fled abroad, more than 12 thousand people exiled or imprisoned under Paul were released, the Secret Chancellery and the Secret Expedition were disbanded, restrictions on clothing were abolished, and more much more. Public education in Russia also received a powerful impetus: the Ministry of Public Education was created for the first time, and schools and gymnasiums were opened throughout the country. Two higher educational institutions were opened: the Pedagogical Institute and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Among his first graduates were his comrades.
The least was done for the most humiliated - the serfs. Although a decree was issued on free cultivators, the liberation of peasants according to it took place on such enslaving conditions that during the entire reign of Alexander, less than 0.5% of the total number of serfs were freed on his terms.
On behalf of the emperor, Speransky prepared many more good projects to transform Russia, but all of them remained idle. Even rumors that Speransky was preparing a project to abolish serfdom caused furious indignation among the nobles. Having met resistance once, Alexander no longer dared to carry out any reforms. Moreover, under pressure from society, he was forced to expel Speransky, an outstanding manager who was worth the entire “secret committee” combined. In addition, Speransky was suspected of secret sympathy for France, which on the eve of the war with her further increased hatred of him.
Chapter II. This is a true Byzantine...subtle, feigned, cunning.
Already at the beginning of Alexander's reign, one could assume a high probability of war with France. If Paul, before his death, broke off all relations with England and entered into an alliance with Bonaparte, then Alexander first of all resumed trade relations with England, and then concluded an agreement on mutual friendship, directed against Bonaparte. And soon, after Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor of France, Russia joined the third anti-French coalition. Its allies were Austria, Sweden and England.
During the war, Alexander, for the first time among Russian sovereigns after Peter I, went to his army and observed the battle from afar. After the battle, he drove around the field where the wounded, his own and others, lay. He was so shocked by human suffering that he fell ill. He ordered help to all the wounded.
The culmination of the war of the third coalition against Napoleon was the Battle of Austerlitz. It was after him that the emperor disliked Kutuzov. Alexander, dissatisfied with the slow development of the battle, asked Kutuzov:
Mikhail Larionich, why don’t you go forward?
“I’m waiting for all the troops to gather,” answered Kutuzov.
After all, we are not in Tsarina’s Meadow, where they don’t start the parade until all the regiments arrive,” Alexander said dissatisfied.
“Sir, that’s why I’m not starting, because we’re not in Tsaritsyn’s meadow,” answered Kutuzov.
Kutuzov did not dare to adequately continue the dialogue with the Tsar and led his column into battle from an advantageous height. Napoleon immediately took it. The battle ended with the complete defeat of the Russian-Austrian troops.
After the battle, Alexander was completely out of control. The convoy and his retinue lost him. The horse, disobedient to a weak rider like Alexander, could not jump over the ditch that was in the way. It was then that, having nevertheless overcome a trivial obstacle, the 28-year-old emperor sat down under a tree and burst into tears...
Alexander's actions become completely unpredictable. Suddenly, to the post of Commander-in-Chief, he appoints a man absolutely unsuitable for this position - a 69-year-old field marshal. The army remains in Europe with the new commander-in-chief and immediately suffers a terrible defeat at Preussisch-Eylau. The future Minister of War, General Barclay de Tolly, was wounded there. He was treated for his wounds in the city of Memel. In a conversation with the emperor, the general spoke for the first time about the tactics of Russia's future war with Napoleon. In those years no one doubted that it would happen. At the bedside of the wounded Barclay de Tolly, Alexander heard bitter truths for the first time. There is no commander in Russia capable of resisting the military genius of Napoleon. And that the Russian army, apparently, will have to use the ancient tactics of luring the enemy deep into the country, which the general did successfully until he was replaced by Kutuzov. But he also continued what his predecessor had started.
In 1807, the Peace of Tilsit was concluded between France and Russia. It was signed personally by the two emperors, who met privately on a floating pavilion in the middle of the Neman River. They conditionally divided the zones of influence of each of them: Napoleon rules in the West, Alexander - not in the East. Bonaparte directly indicated that Russia should strengthen itself at the expense of Turkey and Sweden, while Italy and Germany would not be given to him, Napoleon.
His goals were quite obvious: to drag a potential enemy into two long, protracted wars at once and weaken him as much as possible. But it must be said that the Russian troops dealt with both rivals quite quickly, annexing Finland and the lands beyond the Danube.
Dissatisfaction with the Peace of Tilsit among people was growing. They did not understand how their emperor could be friends with this “fiend of the revolution.” The continental blockade of England, adopted by Alexander under Tilsit, caused significant damage to trade, the treasury was empty, and the banknotes issued by it were completely worthless. The Russian people were irritated by the appearance of the French embassy in St. Petersburg after Tilsit, its arrogant and self-confident behavior, and its great influence on Alexander. Alexander himself could not help but see that his policy did not find understanding and support among his subjects. The Peace of Tilsit increasingly disappointed him: Napoleon openly did not comply with the terms of the treaty and was not interested in Alexander’s opinion. This unceremonious behavior terribly irritated the Russian emperor. Gradually he began to prepare for war.
On the night of June 11-12, 1812, the emperor learned about the start of the war. During the ball, he was informed about Napoleonic crossing of the Neman, but the tsar continued to dance. Only after the ball did he announce the start of the war and leave for Vilna, to join the army.
Alexander sent a letter to the State Council of St. Petersburg with the following content: “I will not lay down my arms until not a single enemy warrior remains in my kingdom.”
He ended his address to the army with the words: “God is for the beginner.” He remembered this phrase from Catherine’s “ABC”, written by her with her own hand for her grandchildren. At first, Alexander himself was eager to lead, but soon became convinced of his inability to command troops and left the army in early July. Saying goodbye to Barclay de Tolly (this was in the stable where the general was cleaning his horse), Alexander said: “I entrust you with my army, do not forget that I do not have a second one - this thought should not leave you.”
The Emperor arrived in Moscow on July 11. Here he was literally shocked by the patriotic impulse of the people. So many people had gathered that he could barely make his way through the crowd. He heard the shouts of Muscovites: “Lead us, our father!”, “We will die or we will win!”, “We will defeat the adversary!” The moved emperor forbade the soldiers to disperse the crowd, saying: “Don't touch them, don't touch them! I'll pass! In Moscow, Alexander signed the Manifesto on a general militia, which a huge number of people joined.
Excitement and dissatisfaction with the retreat of the Russian troops grew more and more. Under pressure from public opinion, Alexander appointed infantry general Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, whom he disliked but was beloved by the people, to the post of commander-in-chief. He immediately stated that Barclay de Tolly adhered to the correct tactics, and that he himself intended to follow them. Later, to please the Kutuzov society, the French fought the battle of Borodino. After him, Napoleon will say: “The most terrible of all my battles is the one I fought near Moscow. The French showed themselves worthy of victory, and the Russians acquired the right to be invincible.”
Despite the tsar’s demand for a new battle, Kutuzov, who had received the highest military rank of field marshal the day before, decided to surrender Moscow without a fight in order to preserve the army. This was the only correct solution for Russia.
The emperor had a lot of worries after the Battle of Borodino, the retreat and the fire of Moscow. Even after turning gray overnight, his intention not to yield to Napoleon remained unchanged. Napoleon, who had already begun to doubt the success of his campaign in Russia, tried to negotiate from busy Moscow, but Alexander remained silent.
Recent events, experiences and anxieties have changed Alexander enormously. Later he would say: “The fire of Moscow illuminated my soul.” The emperor began to think more often about life, sincerely believed in God, and turned to the Bible. His traits such as pride and ambition receded. So, for example, when the army wanted the emperor himself to become commander-in-chief, he categorically refused. “Let those who are more worthy of them reap the laurels than me,” said Alexander.
At the end of December 1812, Field Marshal Kutuzov reported to the Tsar: “Sovereign, the war ended with the complete extermination of the enemy.”
After the expulsion of Napoleon from Russia, the emperor insisted on continuing the war, although Kutuzov told him about the deplorable state of the army, and about the fulfillment of the vow “until not a single enemy warrior remains in my kingdom,” which was fulfilled, to which Alexander replied: “If you want a lasting and reliable peace, it must be concluded in Paris.”
The final stage of the Russian army's overseas campaign, the Battle of the Nations, ended with the victory of the anti-French coalition forces led by Russia. On the third day of the battles, Alexander personally commanded the troops from the “royal” hill, where the Prussian emperor and the Austrian king were with him.
Finally, the Allied troops occupy Paris. The Parisians rejoice when they realize that Alexander is not going to do to Paris the same as he did to Moscow. This is a triumph of Russian weapons and Russia! Russia did not know such success and influence even under Catherine. Alexander is the initiator of the Congress of Vienna and the Holy Alliance of Emperors. He insists on introducing a constitution in France, and at his request it also appears in Poland. It’s a paradox – an autocratic sovereign introduces constitutional law in foreign states. He also instructs his closest officials to carry out a similar project for Russia. But gradually, over time, Alexander’s ardor fades away. He is moving further and further away from government affairs. Towards the end of his reign, the emperor increasingly falls into melancholy, he is overwhelmed by apathy and disappointment in life. The gravity of his father's murder has weighed on him all his life, but now it manifests itself especially strongly. “The crowned Hamlet, who was haunted all his life by the shadow of his murdered father,” as they said about him. Right now he especially fits this description. He perceives any misfortune as God's punishment for his sins. He considers the death of two daughters from Elizaveta Alekseevna and a daughter from a relationship with Naryshkina a punishment for his sins. He was especially strongly influenced by the worst flood in history in St. Petersburg, on November 19, 1824, which served as the apotheosis of all misfortunes. Most likely, it was then that his decision to leave the throne finally matured, as he assured his loved ones. His statement is known that “he has already served 25 years, a soldier is given retirement during this period.”
Alexander becomes a religious and pious person. At the same time, Masonic lodges are multiplying throughout the country. This infection is spreading at truly enormous speed. When one of the officials remarked to the emperor that they should be banned, Alexander only quietly replied: “It’s not for me to judge them,” but nevertheless, before his death, he issued a rescript banning Masonic lodges.
On September 1, the emperor leaves for Taganrog. This departure was quiet and unnoticed, allegedly necessary in order to improve the empress’s health. But first, Alexander stops by at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, where they hold not a prayer service for him, but a memorial service! Then the emperor quickly leaves for Taganrog. There they live with the empress quietly and peacefully, not interested in business. Alexander makes several trips to nearby cities and suddenly falls ill. It is not known for certain whether it was malaria or typhoid fever. The doctors know how to treat him, but Alexander forbade them even to approach him.
Chapter III. "The Sphinx, not solved to the grave"
Disputes about the mysterious death of Alexander still continue. Or maybe not death at all? Let's consider all the oddities, one way or another, related to the circumstances of the death of the sovereign.
The first and most obvious is Alexander himself, who tirelessly repeated that he intended to leave the throne, that the crown had become too heavy, and the day was not far off when he would abdicate the throne and live as a private citizen.
The second oddity is the mysterious departure and visit to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. His departure took place under extremely interesting circumstances. The tsar set out on the long journey completely alone, without an entourage. At five o'clock in the morning, long after midnight, the emperor's carriage drives up to the monastery, where he is met (!) by Metropolitan Seraphim, the archimandrite and the brethren. The emperor orders the gates to be closed behind him and no one allowed into the service. Having received a blessing from the Metropolitan, he, accompanied by the monks, goes inside the cathedral. Further opinions differ: according to one version, the usual prayer service was served, which Alexander always served before any long trip; according to another version, a memorial service was served for Alexander that night. At first this is unlikely, but why then was it necessary to come to the Lavra alone, so late, and order the gates to be closed? All this indicates that something unusual was happening in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra that night. Leaving the Lavra, Alexander, with tears in his eyes, said goodbye to the brethren: “Pray for me and for my wife.”
Even the disease from which the emperor supposedly died is another mystery. According to information that has reached us, this is either malaria or typhoid fever. The sovereign’s illness itself is also a complete surprise. No longer young, but not old either, the strong emperor was suddenly felled by an illness unknown to us. One thing is certain - the doctors know how to treat him, but Alexander forbids his relatives to allow him to see a doctor, which leads to an obvious result: on November 19, the emperor died. The next day, the king’s relatives and doctors were quite surprised: Alexander’s body, despite the recent date of death, was swollen, loose, emitted an unpleasant odor, his face turned black, and his facial features changed. Everything was attributed to the local air and climate. And a few days ago, courier Maskov, who looked extremely like the emperor, died in Taganrog, and his body mysteriously disappeared. His family still maintains a legend that it was the courier Maskov who was buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress instead of the emperor. There are several other oddities that cast doubt on the actual death of the emperor. Firstly, Alexander, an extremely pious man, could not help but confess before his death, but nevertheless, he did not do this, and even his relatives who were present there did not call a confessor, which indicates their dedication to the king’s (possible) plan. Secondly, subsequently it was not possible to find any documents related directly to the death of the emperor. And, thirdly, a memorial service was never served for the deceased Alexander.
The body of the late king was placed in two coffins: first in a wooden one, then in
lead. This is what Prince Volkonsky, who was responsible for transporting the body of the deceased to St. Petersburg, reported to the capital: “Although the body was embalmed, the local damp air turned the face black, and even the facial features of the deceased completely changed...
Therefore, I think that the coffin should not be opened.”
The body of the deceased emperor was transported to Moscow in the strictest secrecy, but despite this, rumors ran far ahead. There were all sorts of rumors about the deceased sovereign: That he was sold into foreign captivity, that he was kidnapped by treacherous enemies, that his closest associates killed him, and that, finally, he abdicated the throne in such an unusual way, that is, he fled, relieving himself of the burden of power . There were rumors that some sexton managed to spy who was being carried in a coffin. When he was asked if it was really the Tsar-Father who was being transported, he replied: “There is no sovereign there, it is not the sovereign who is being transported, but the devil.”
Upon arrival in Moscow, the coffin with the body was placed in the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin, where the coffin, contrary to Volkonsky’s advice, was opened, but only the closest people said goodbye to the late sovereign. Some hotheads expressed the opinion that it would be necessary to verify the authenticity of the deceased, and perhaps they would have succeeded if not for the unprecedented security measures: the introduction of a curfew, enhanced patrols.
Alexander was buried on March 13 in St. Petersburg. But…
...another version of events is also possible. Then all the oddities turn into completely natural actions. It becomes clear that Alexander’s funeral service during his lifetime in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and the excessive swelling and decomposition of the body - after all, courier Maskov died before Alexander. And we don’t even have to talk about the loss of documents, the “false” illness and the absence of a confessor. In addition, it is obvious that many of the emperor’s relatives were privy to his plan - how else can one explain the fact that no one ever ordered a memorial service for the deceased king.
Ten years have passed.
A strong, broad-shouldered elderly man drove up to a blacksmith shop in Krasnoufimsk, Perm province, and asked to shoe a horse. In a conversation with the blacksmith, he said that his name was Fyodor Kuzmich, he was traveling without any official need, just “to see people and the world.” The blacksmith became wary and reported the free wanderer to the police. The policeman asked the old man for documents, which he did not have. For vagrancy, Fyodor Kuzmich was sentenced to twenty lashes and exile to Siberia. He, along with the rest of the exiles, was sent along a convoy to the Krasnorechensky distillery, where they were assigned to settle. After living there for five years, Fyodor Kuzmich moved to the village of Zertsaly. He built himself a hut-cell outside the village, where he lived for many years.
The elder taught peasant children to read and write, history, geography, and the Holy Scriptures. He surprised adults with stories about the Patriotic War, military campaigns and battles. He knew court etiquette in detail and gave fairly accurate descriptions of famous people: Kutuzov, Suvorov, Arakcheev... But he never mentioned the names of Emperors Alexander and Paul.
The Siberian elder received anyone who wanted to and was always ready to give advice and provide all possible assistance. Among the acquaintances there were also influential people, such as Macarius, Bishop of Tomsk and Barnaul, and Athanasius, Bishop of Irkutsk.
Many then considered him a defrocked bishop, until one day a retired soldier Olenyev, passing through the village of Krasnorechenskoye, recognized the late emperor in Fyodor Kuzmich. This gave food for rumors and gossip. The rumor about the Siberian elder spread throughout Russia.
Among Fyodor Kuzmich’s friends was a wealthy Tomsk merchant, whom the elder met in 1857. Later, the merchant invited him to move to Tomsk, where he built a cell especially for him.
Fyodor Kuzmich agreed to this generous offer and left Zertsaly.
Before the death of the elder, the excited merchant asked him:
“The rumor is that you, Fyodor Kuzmich, are none other than Emperor Alexander the Blessed. Is it so?"
The elder, still in his right mind, answered him:
“Wonderful are your works, O Lord; there is no mystery that will not be revealed. Even though you know who I am, don’t make me great, just bury me.”
According to the will left by the elder, two objects were delivered to St. Petersburg - a cross and an icon. It was these items from Alexander’s belongings that disappeared after his death.
In this chapter we examined the circumstances of the death of Alexander and the life of the mysterious elder Fyodor Kuzmich
Conclusion
Whether Emperor Alexander really died or all this was a carefully planned show, we will most likely never know. But nothing prevents us from speculating a little on this topic.
Consider the first hypothesis. Despite all the oddities and evidence in favor of the second version, Alexander’s death in Taganrog looks quite likely. Firstly: at the death of the sovereign, many courtiers were present. And what, they were all initiated into the emperor’s idea? Unlikely. In addition, a whole group of doctors took part in the events of that night, whom Alexander would not have been able to deceive with his feigned death.
Let's skip the circumstances of his death and move on to the wanderings of Fyodor Kuzmich. Let's say Alexander miraculously managed to fool all the witnesses to his death, or spend a lot of money bribing them. Let's hypothetically assume that the mysterious Siberian elder is the escaped emperor. Let me remind you that Alexander died in 1825, and the first mention of the elder dates back to the autumn of 1836. Where has Alexander been all these years? After all, what appears before the blacksmith is, albeit an elderly man, but a strong and broad-shouldered man, full of strength and health. But Alexander was by no means physically strong, was a poor rider and had poor health. But by the time he appeared in Krasnoufimsk he was almost 60 years old! And after this he lives for another 30 years! Incredible!
Let us remember the moment when the retired soldier Olenyev recognized Emperor Alexander in Fyodor Kuzmich. Where could Olenyev, a simple private, see the emperor? In war, in parades. But did he remember the features of the royal face so well that he could later see them in a simple tramp? Doubtful. In addition, Alexander has changed a lot since then: he has aged, grown a beard. It is unlikely that a soldier who saw the emperor only a couple of times remembered him enough to recognize him many years later, an aged, bearded, gray-haired old man living in remote Siberia.
Hypothesis two. What speaks in favor of an alternative version of events? Quite a lot. Strange events before and after the death of the emperor. The inexplicable actions of people close to Alexander, as if they knew something that others did not know. All this undoubtedly points to the second version of events. He managed to negotiate with those who were present at his apparent death to secretly get out of the city. Where did he disappear for ten years in a row? He lived on some forest farm, restoring his health. After 10 years, I finally decided to leave the forest and immediately felt in my own skin the “touching care” of our state for its citizens. After wandering around, he will settle in the village of Zertsaly, where he will begin educational activities. He amazed the dark peasants with his knowledge in the field of history, geography, and law. He was a religious and pious man. Another proof is deafness in one ear (Alexander lost his hearing in his youth during shooting in Gatchina). The elder also knew the intricacies of court etiquette. If this can somehow be explained (he was a servant to some nobleman), then the exact characteristics that he gave to famous people cannot be explained.
Fyodor Kuzmich lived in a tiny hut-cell, was an ascetic and devoted a lot of time to God. All his life he had been atoning for some sin. If we adhere to the version that Alexander is the elder, then this sin may be parricide, which Alexander, while still an emperor, was extremely burdened by.
Another interesting point: when the soldier recognized Fyodor Kuzmich as the emperor, the fame of the mysterious old man spread throughout Russia. Did Alexander’s friends and relatives really know nothing about these rumors? And if they knew that, undoubtedly, why didn’t they order the execution of the daring impostor? Maybe because they knew that it was not an impostor at all? This is the most likely option.
And the last moment especially struck me. Although, perhaps all this is idle gossip of our inventive people. . According to its terms, a cross and an icon were delivered to St. Petersburg, things that belonged to Alexander and disappeared on the eve of his death. I will repeat and say that most likely this is fiction, but if suddenly it turns out to be true, then this case serves as irrefutable evidence of the second hypothesis.
Now the work has come to an end. I hope that the main goal of the work, covering the mysterious death of Emperor Alexander I, was successfully completed. In addition, Alexander was shown as a personality and historical character, not the worst, I must say. In fact, he lived two lives: the first, although not pure and noble in all places, but still worthy; and the second, bright and clean. Starting from scratch, Alexander definitely made the right decision. May you also be lucky when you start with a clean fox
List of used literature
Bulychev Kir (Igor Vsevolodovich Mozheiko), “Secrets of the Russian Empire”, Moscow, 2005
, “Royal Dynasties”, Moscow, 2001
“The Riddle of Alexander I”, http://zagadki. *****/Zagadki_istorii/Zagadka_Aleksandra. html
, “Rulers of Russia”, Rostov-on-Don, 2007
"Royal Dynasties", Moscow, 2002
"The Sphinx, unsolved to the grave"
http://www. *****/text/sfinks__ne_razgadannij_d. htm
Shikman A., “Who is who in Russian history”, Moscow, 2003.
Application
Alexander I Blessed
Application 2 .
Secret committee
The mysterious Siberian elder Fyodor Kuzmich
Frontal lesson in the senior speech therapy group "Ryabinka" on the topic "Festival of Friendship" vowels and consonants sounds and letters
Differentiation of sounds Сь - Ш in syllables with different vowel sounds
Stanislav Duzhnikov: there must be many good people
Experience in the combat use of mortars Flight range of mines from a mortar 80 mm
Konstantin Mikhailovich Simonov, alive and dead Before the evening drive, another meeting took place
US Eighth Air Force Museum 8th Air Force
Academy of Military Sciences of the Russian Federation GDz in the discipline general tactics