Alexander III 1881-94 Flashcards
What was Alexander III’s manifesto dedicated to restoring autocracy called and when was it issued?
Manifesto of Unshakeable Autocracy, April 1881
What were Land Captains and when were they introduced?
Introduced in 1889 - nobles recruited to oversee peasant communes
What could land captains do?
Override zemstva/duma, overturn courts, (until 1904) could order public flogging of peasants for minor offences
What was Alexander III’s views on nationalism?
Russification, pogrom (purge) of national groups
What was the Okhrana?
The Okhrana was a secret police that could declare any citizen under surveillance
When was the Okhrana founded?
1881
What education reforms did Alexander III bring in?
Uni courses for women closed, church given more control, fees increased to exclude children from lower classes
What was the University Statute and when was it passed?
Passed in 1884 - implemented strict controls on unis, reduced autonomy and student freedom, all uni staff appointed by Minister of Education
What was the Statute of State Security and when was it passed?
Passed in 1881 - meant the govt ‘in emergency’ could prohibit gatherings of more than 12, prosecute anyone for political crimes, introduce emergency police rule, set up special courts outside legal system and close schools, unis and newspapers
What was the Zemstva act and when was it passed?
Passed in 1890 - reduced Zemstva’s independence. Provincial governors could veto and amend decisions
What was the Municipal Government Act and when was it passed?
Passed in 1892 - reduced municipal council independence
What % of people in larger cities were eligible to vote in the 1890s?
In Moscow and St Petersburg, only 0.7% were eligible to vote
What legal reforms did Alexander III pass?
Minister of Justice could hold private trials, crimes against the state could be held in special courts with no jury, judges appointed directly from Ministry of Justice
How many arrests did Alexander III make following his father’s death in 1881?
10,000
How did Alexander III dismantle revolutionary groups?
Okhrana recruited thousands of agents to end them (e.g. cab drivers), most post offices had rooms where mail was read, thousands were arrested and exiled
What % of Russian Empire citizens spoke Russian in 1897?
55.6%
Who was Pobedonostsev?
Tutor to Alexander III and Nicholas II and later Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod (head of Orthodox Church)
What was Pobedonostsev’s religious policy?
Forced conversion to Orthodoxy - churches built all across empire, asserted control over previously autonomous churches
How many Muslims in the Russian Empire were converted to Orthodoxy?
100,000
What did Russification mean for other nationalities in the empire?
Forced to adopt Russian language, culture, customs and religion - loss of national identity
What changes were made in non-Russian parts of the empire in Alexander III’s reign?
Russian officials were brought in to run regional governments in areas such as Poland, Latvia and Finland
Where was the Russian language now enforced to be used in the nationalities?
Schools, courts and regional government
What effects did Russification have?
Infuriated minorities - unfair and attack on national/cultural heritage. Caused a number of uprisings which were all suppressed
What was Russification’s effect on Poland?
Led many Poles into revolutionary groups - took advantage in 1905
What was Russification’s impact on Jews?
Forced to move to Pale of Settlement, not allowed to own property/land, couldn’t hold office, denied votes, forced to sell up businesses
What were pogroms?
Armed groups broke into Jewish homes and killed, raped, robbed and destroyed property
What was the police’s action on pogroms?
Turned a blind eye or were even involved themselves
What was Alexander III’s overall legacy?
Strengthened autocracy, brought years of relative peace, strengthened traditional elites, antagonised social and ethnic groups, only method of upholding regime was repression
By 1882 how many nobles owned businesses in Moscow?
Over 700
