Aleksandr Pavlovich (b. Dec. 23 [Dec. 12, old style], 1777, St. Petersburg, Russia--d. Dec. 1 [Nov. 19, O.S.], 1825, Taganrog), emperor of Russia (1801-25), who alternately fought and befriended Napoleon I during the Napoleonic Wars but who ultimately (1813-15) helped form the coalition that defeated the emperor of the French Aleksandr Pavlovich was the first child of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich (later Paul I) and Grand Duchess Maria Fyodorovna, a princess of Württemberg-Montbéliard. His grandmother, the reigning empress Catherine II (the Great), After the darkness into which Paul had plunged Russia, Alexander appeared to his subjects as a radiant dawn. He was handsome, strong, pleasant, humane, and full of enthusiasm. He wanted his reign to be a happy one and dreamed of great and necessary reforms. Alexander and his close advisers corrected many of the injustices of the preceding reign and made many administrative improvements. As soon as he came to power, Alexander resealed an alliance with England that had been broken by Paul I. He nonetheless maintained good relations with France in the hope of "moderating" Bonaparte by restraining his spirit of conquest. A feeling of chivalry attached Alexander to the king of Prussia, Frederick William III, and to Queen Louisa, and a treaty of friendship was signed with Prussia. Later, he got on good terms with Austria. His idealism persuaded him that these alliances would lead to a European federation. Napoleon had other ideas. |