Bashkirtseff
Orig | CZ

Alexander II of Russia

Comprehensive Aktualizováno: 2025-12-07

Research Status: Comprehensive Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 (preface written 1884)

Identity

Alexander II (29 April 1818 – 13 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. He is known as Alexander the Liberator for his historic Edict of Emancipation, which officially abolished Russian serfdom in 1861.

Connection to Marie Bashkirtseff's Family

In Marie's retrospective preface (Book 00, written 1884), she recounts a dramatic encounter between the Emperor and her mother around 1870. The Emperor was traveling through a station "à quelques verstes de chez nous" (a few versts from their home, likely near Tcherniakovka in Ukraine).

The Imperial Encounter

Marie's mother, described as "cette jolie femme" (this pretty woman), went to the station with young Marie to see the Emperor pass through. According to Marie's account:

  • The Emperor spoke with her mother for about fifteen minutes
  • He was amused by this "très enthousiaste sujette" (very enthusiastic subject)
  • He promised to see her when they came to Yalta
  • The family did go to Yalta, and the Emperor addressed Marie's mother three or four times in public places
  • However, he eventually tired of her constant presence ("elle était tout le temps sur son passage")

This anecdote reveals both the accessibility of the Tsar to his subjects in informal settings and the social dynamics of the Russian aristocracy seeking imperial favor.

Historical Context

The Reformer Tsar

Between 1861 and 1874, Alexander II implemented sweeping reforms that reshaped Russian society:

  • 1861: Emancipation of the serfs (his most famous reform)
  • 1864: Introduction of zemstvos (elected local councils in the countryside)
  • 1870: Establishment of elected urban councils
  • Judicial reforms creating a more modern court system
  • Military reforms modernizing the Russian army

The 1870 Period

In 1870, when the Bashkirtseff family encountered him:

  • Alexander II was at the height of his reformist period
  • He supported Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War
  • Russia was experiencing rapid social and economic change
  • The imperial family regularly vacationed in Crimea (Yalta, Livadia)

Summer Residences in Crimea

The imperial family frequented Livadia Palace near Yalta as a summer residence. They would travel by train from St. Petersburg to Sevastopol, then board a ship to arrive at Yalta port with great ceremony. This made encounters with the Emperor possible for aristocratic families visiting the fashionable Crimean resort.

Assassination

Alexander II was assassinated on 13 March 1881 by members of the revolutionary organization Narodnaya Volya (People's Will), who threw a bomb at his carriage in St. Petersburg. His death marked the end of the reform era and the beginning of a more repressive period under his son Alexander III.

Significance in Marie's Narrative

This imperial encounter represents several themes in Marie's memoir:

  • Her mother's beauty and social ambitions
  • The family's aristocratic status and access to imperial circles
  • The performative nature of Russian aristocratic society
  • A moment of glory before the family's departure from Russia
  • The casual accessibility of the Tsar in vacation settings vs. the formality of court

The story also shows Marie's ironic distance—even in describing this impressive encounter, she notes her mother's excessive pursuit ("elle était tout le temps sur son passage"), revealing Marie's characteristic blend of pride and critical observation.

Related Entries

  • #Maman - Marie's mother who met the Emperor
  • #Yalta - Where the promised meeting took place
  • #Tcherniakovka - The family estate near the station
  • #Russia - The empire he ruled

Sources

%%2025-12-07T15:00:00 RSR: Created comprehensive entry for Alexander II based on Marie's 1884 preface and historical research. The encounter with Marie's mother circa 1870 illustrates both imperial accessibility and social dynamics of Russian aristocracy.%%