Lesson plan
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Essay
Alexander II
Revolutionary
Groups
Revolutionary
Groups
Alexander III
Industrialisation
Week 4
Week 5
Web Wiz
Alexander III - (1855 - 1894)
Alexander III
Horrified by the assassination of his father, Alexander III was determined to wage war against all political opponents. He was helped by the fact that most ordinary Russians shared his feelings and turned against revolutionary groups. Alexander III was an imposing figure, about 190 centimetres tall and immensely strong. He relished power and believed that the old Nicholas System was the best way to rule Russia. He was said to be honest, unimaginative and sincere but not very bright.
To maintain control, Alexander:
- reduced access to education so that enrolment in high schools fell.
- appointed 'land captains' in rural areas in 1889 with the power to whip and persecute the peasants for minor offences. This earned him bitter resentment from the peasants who felt that they were again being treated like serfs.
- reduced the powers of the zemstva in 1890 in favour of increased landowner control over local government.
- exiled, hanged or imprisoned members of revolutionary groups. This weakened them for about ten years.
- used the new secret police, the Okhrana, to spy on any group opposed to the Tsar.
Assessment
Alexander III preserved the peace in his empire during his reign and his bleak period of repression seemed to bring stability to Russia during a period of industrial growth. He died suddenly in 1894 at the age of 49 leaving his son Nicholas II to take over the throne.
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Exercise 3.5: Cloze exercise (interactive)
Test your knowledge. Try this cloze exercise. |