ALEXANDER II., Emperor of Russia (1855-1881), was born April 29, 1818. He was carefully educated by his father, Nicholas. At 16 he was declared of age, made commandant of the lancers of the guard, hetman of the Cossacks, first aide de-camp of the Emperor, and subjected daily to a life of manoeuvring, review ing, and military parade. He then trav eled through Germany, and in 1841 con cluded a marriage with the Princess Marie (1824-1880), daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse. By his dexterous and winning manners he found his way to the hearts of the Finns, and weak ened their ancient love of independence.
On his accession to the throne, March 2, 1855, he found himself in a very critical position. He had two parties to con ciliate—the old Muscovite party, zealous for the prosecution of the Crimean War, and the more peaceable portion of the nation, with whom he sympathized. By temporizing he was enabled to conclude a peace. Throughout his reign he had to hold the balance between conservatives and extreme radicals, but succeeded in guiding and promoting reform. The grand achievement of his reign, which wa, in great measure his own deed, was the emancipation of the serfs-23,000, 000 souls—in 1861. Reforms of the tri
bunals, of civil and criminal procedure, and of municipal institutions followed. He resisted strenuously all foreign in terference with Polish affairs during the insurrection of 1863, which was sup pressed with great severity. During his reign the Russian empire was widely ex tended in two important regions—in the Caucasus and in Central Asia. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 Alexander maintained a sympathetic at titude toward Germany. The Emperor shared the national sympathy with the Slavic races under Turkish rule, and took the field with the army during the momentous war between Russia and Tur key in 1877-1878. But the most remark able feature of the second half of his reign was the struggle of the Russian autocracy with the revolutionary party, the so-called Nihilists. His government repressed the revolutionists most se verely, and they sought vengeance by attacking the person of the Emperor and his officers. Repeated attempts were made to assassinate Alexander. On March 13, 1881, he was so severely in jured by a bomb thrown at him near his palace that he died a few hours after.