Alexander III Flashcards
When was Alexander III reign?
1881-1894
What were the first actions AIII took when he came into power?
Executed the leaders of the People’s Will for assassinating his father
Refused to implement the Loris-Melikov Constitution
What was the Loris-Melikov Constitution going to allow?
Who supported this?
Communities to discuss legislation and administration
Supported by the Liberals
Who acted as a large influence on AIII?
Pobedonostev - his tutor and a minister of the Orthodox church
What was AIII known as? Why?
The Black Tsar
B/c of his repressive and restrictive policies
When was the Russo-Turkish War?
1877-78
What was the name of the secret police under AIII?
Okhrana
What was the role of the Okhrana?
- Ensure Security
- Take on investigations
When did the Okhrana receive more powers? What were they?
1882
Could search, detain and exile anyone who raised their suspicions
What was the name of the Police in AIII’s reign?
Gendarmerie
What was the role of the Gendarmerie?
Track fugitives
Control riots
Recruit spies/informants
Investigate political cases
Give 2 examples of Repression under AIII
Secret Police
Russification
When was the Famine under AIII?
1891-92
How was the Famine caused?
B/c of Vyshnegradsky’s policy of ‘We shall not eat, We shall Export’
Bad Harvest - had lots of ruined crops b/c of an early winter and a dry summer
By how much did grain exports increase between 1888-92?
18%
What was Vyshnegradsky’s role?
Finance Minister (1888-92)
How was the Famine dealt with?
Zemstvos had to feed villages but there was a large failure to organise adequate relief
What did Vyshnegradski introduce in 1891?
The Tariff Act
Who was Finance Minister after Vyshnegradski?
Witte
1892-1903
What did the economy experience in AIII reign?
The Great Spurt
When was the budget brought to surplus?
1892
What did Witte introduce to help Russia recover from the Famine?
- Protected Tariffs
- Heavy Tax
- Domestic Loans
- High-interest rates`
When was the Gold Standard introduced?
1897
What were the benefits of introducing the Gold Standard?
It helped stabilise the currency
When were Peasant Land Banks introduced?
1883
How much of the railway in Russia was state-owned by 1890?
60%
When was Russification enforced?
1890s
Who did Russification target?
Poles
Finns
Ukrainians
and other Non-Russians who were apart of Russia
What did Russification do?
Enforced Russian ideology on other countries that were a part of the Empire and limited their freedoms
e.g. learning Russian in schools, attempts to erase national identities
What are the ‘Black Hundreds’?
A nationalist group notorious for attacking Jewish people
When were Jewish people targetted by nobles?
1882
Finish the sentence:
AIII’s reign saw an increase in the use of…
pogroms due to AIII Anti-Semitic views
How many railways were constructed between 1882-85?
632km
How did an increase in railway benefit Russia?
Opened them to access to raw materials
Established Communication Links
Increase the possibility of transport
Showed that Russia was modernising
What did Russia rely on financially?
Foreign Loans e.g. France
What railway was completed by 1888?
The Baku Oil-fields Railway
How many people died b/c of the 1891-92 Famine?
350,000
When were the peasants banned from leaving the mir?
1893
When were peasant rebellions in AIII’s reign? Who helped them?
1890’s
Helped by Land Captains
What reform did AIII enforce regarding the working of children?
In 1882 he banned children under age 12 from being employed
When did AIII ban women and children from working at night?
1885
How was Pobedonostev able repress?
Was Procurator of the Holy Synod which allowed him to tighten controls
When was the Zemstvo Act? What did it do?
1890
Brough the Zemstva under direct central control
What was the role of Land Captains?
They could overturn court and zemstva decisions
When were Land Captains introduced?
1889
What part of AIII’s Government saw an increase in usage?
The Imperial Chancellory, specifically the 3rd Section (Secret Police)
What treaty was a result of the Russo-Turkish War?
Treaty of San Stefano (1879)
What were the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano?
Russia got land in Bessarabia
Turkey paid war indemnity to Russia
Bulgaria Expanded
When did the Ottomans call for an armistice? How did Russia react?
Called for an armistice on Jan 24th 1878
Russia initially ignored it , they then accepted it on Jan 31st 1878 but they kept fighting
When was the Conquest of Berlin?
1878
What happened in the conquest of Berlin?
Russia retained rights over Bessarabia
Austria-Hungary and Britain gained territorial rights
What was the impact of the Russo-Turkish War?
- Russia suffered a large failure
- Nationalities were not satisfied
- AIII did not deal well with the unrest it caused
