Chapter 3- The Autocracy Of Alexander II and III

Question 1

What key event occurred in 1866?

Answer 1

The first assassination attempt on the Tsar’s life

Question 2

Which modern historian believes that Russia fell into repression due to failure to establish ‘rule of law’ or ‘institutions of civil society’

Answer 2

Hosking

Question 3

Who was responsible for the first assassination attempt of Alexander II?
What happened?

Answer 3

A noble and former student, Dmitri Karakozov shot at the tsar but missed.

Question 4

How many assassination attempts were there in total?

Answer 4

Approximately eight

Question 5

Describe two other assassination attempts

Answer 5

In 1879,a bomb was intended to explode under the Tsar’s carriage but was planted under the wrong train.
In 1880 a bomb was planted under the dining room in the Winter Palace but the tsar was running late

Question 6

What did Alexander do in 1866 in his personal life after his eldest son and wife both died?

Answer 6

Marry his mistress, Catherine Mikhailovna Dolgorukova

Question 7

How many children did Alexander II have with his new wife?

Answer 7

4

Question 8

Why did Alexander II become less inclined to resist conservative revolutionaries?

Answer 8

His new wife distanced his from his brother and aunt, the reforming elements in his family
The assassination attempts reduced his confidence

Question 9

Which ministers were newly appointed because of their conservative beliefs?

Answer 9

Dmitry Tolstoy (minister of education) replaced Golovnin
Shuvalov (head of the Third Section)

Question 10

Why did Dmitry Tolstoy have so much power?

Answer 10

He held many titles including Minister of Internal Affairs, Over-Procurator, Chief of Gendarmerie and Minister of Education

Question 11

How did zemstva’s powers change?

Answer 11

They did not have as much authority over education, instead the Church’s control increased due to power of Tolstoy

Question 12

How did education change?

Answer 12

Gimnaziya schools had to follow a strict curriculum
From 1871 only students from these schools could go to university
Universities also had strict curriculums and any subjects which encouraged critical thought were banned.
Censorship over student activity increased
State teacher training colleges set up to increase tsarist control

Question 13

How did Shuvalov ‘strengthen’ the police / Third Section?

Answer 13

Increased persecution of ethnic minorities

Question 14

Who controlled the judiciary system?

Answer 14

Konstantin Pahlen

Question 15

How did Pahlen make the judiciary system more conservative?

Answer 15

Those accused of political agitation faced consequences
Searches and arrests increased
Governor-generals introduced to exile and prosecute
Radicals who fled were tracked down
Show trials introduced

Question 16

What were show trials?

Answer 16

Public prosecution of offenders in order to create propaganda

Question 17

How did Pahlen’s idea of trials backfire on the government?

Answer 17

At the ‘trial of 193’ 153 defendants were acquitted and the rest given light sentences
Vera Zasulich shot the governor of St. Petersburg, Trepov, and was found not guilty which showed propaganda was not working

Question 17

When was Lors-Melikov appointed Minister of the Interior?

Answer 17

1880

Question 18

How did Loris-Melikov improve Russia in this time of crisis?

Answer 18

Released political prisoners
Relaxed censorship
Removed salt tax
Removed limitations of zemstva
Abolished Third Section
Created the Okhrana (who unfortunately became just as oppressive)

Question 19

What was the Loris-Melikov Constitution?

Answer 19

State decrees Loris-Melikov drafted and suggested the tsar accept opinions of elected representatives. These were signed by the Tsar on the same day of his death.

Question 20

Which opposition group were successful in assassinating Tsar Alexander II?

Answer 20

The People’s Will

Question 21

What actions did Alexander III take when he got to the throne?

Answer 21

Organised the public hanging of the conspirators of his father’s death
1881 ‘Manifesto of Unshakable Autocracy’
Law on Exceptional Measures (Commnader in Chief could control a locality if necessary)

Question 22

Who was Alexander III’s tutor?

Answer 22

Konstantin Pobedonostsev

Question 23

How did Pobedonostsev influence Alexander III?

Answer 23

The new tsar had a strong sense of commitment to the traditional tsarist autocracy
it is probable he wrote the ‘Manifesto of Unshakable Autocracy’
He was Over-Procurator from 1880 and so spoke out for anti Semitism and nationalism

Question 24

Why was Alexander fearful of revolutionary activity?

Answer 24

He had watched his own father die due to his attitude towards the autocracy

Question 25

How did Alexander III eventually die in 1894?

Answer 25

From kidney problems (probably due to heavy drinking)

Question 26

Which individuals did Alex III rely on as conservative members of nobility?

Answer 26

Ignatiev (internal minister)
Delyanov (minister for education)
Pobedonostsev (Over-Procurator of the Holy Synod)
Katkov (journalist)

Question 27

How was Katkov useful to the tsar?

Answer 27

He could justify the tsar’s conservative views to the public through his publications in the Moscow News
He himself was in opposition to Polish nationalism

Question 28

What counter-reforms to local government were made?

Answer 28

Land captains introduced 1889
Act in 1890 changed zemstva election arrangements so that peasant votes were insignificant
Zemstva put under government control so couldn’t make political efforts
June 1892- only owners of property above a certain value could vote

Question 29

What powers did land captains have?

Answer 29

Could disregard zemstva decisions
Responsible for law enforcement and government in rural areas
Could ignore normal judiciary process / overturn court judgements

Question 30

Who led the Department of Police and Okhrana from 1881-84?

Answer 30

Plehve

Question 31

How did Plehve influence the empire?

Answer 31

Believed in autocratic principles
Suppressed liberal movements
Subjected minorities to Russification
Organised Jewish pogroms
Encouraged war against Japan in 1904
Supported police-controlled labour unions

Question 32

How did the Department of Police counter-reform?

Answer 32

Number of police increased
New branches of criminal investigation set up
Interest in setting up spies and ‘agents provocateurs’ to pose as revolutionaries and get incriminate others
Could arrest/imprispn anyone who would then have no legal rights

Question 33

How did the Okhrana develop?

Answer 33

Intercepted mail
Checked activities of institutions such as factories, universities etc
Used torture and execution

Question 34

How did the judiciary system counter-reform?

Answer 34

1885-Minister of Justice had greater control/could dismiss judges
1887-could hold closed court sessions with no observers
-property /education qualification requirements increased for jurors
1889- The ministry could appoint town judges
-volost courts directly controlled by Land Captains in rural areas and by judges in towns

Question 35

What counter-reforms occurred in education?

Answer 35

Tolstoy set up a government committee in 1882 which issued ‘temporary regulations’
These banned activity of publishers and all literary publications had to be approved
Censorship extended to theatre, culture, art etc. where Russification was enforced
Libraries limited in what they could stock

Question 36

What positive counter-reforms did Alexander III make?

Answer 36

May 1881- redemption fees reduced
1883- Peasants’ Land Bank established
May 1885- poll tax abolished and inheritance tax introduced (shifted burden of tax away from lower classes)
Right to appeal to higher courts after trials

Question 37

Why did tsar Alexander III introduce positive and somewhat reformist changes?

Answer 37

To avoid rebellion