X-Nico

12 unusual facts about Alexander II of Russia


Abdülaziz

His fellow Knights of the Garter created in 1867 were Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, Charles Manners, 6th Duke of Rutland, Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Franz Joseph I of Austria and Alexander II of Russia.

Alexander of Russia

Alexander II of Russia (1818 – 1881), also known as Alexander the Liberator

Cesarewitch Handicap

The race was named in honour of Tsesarevich Alexander (later Tsar Alexander II), after he donated £300 to the Jockey Club.

Davidov Stradivarius

In 1870, the Davidov Stradivarius was given to the eponymous Karl Davydov (1838–1889) by patron Count Matvei Wielhorski (1794–1866) (see Russian Wikipedia), at the court of Tsar Alexander II.

Freedom of movement

The serfs of Russia were not given their personal freedom until Alexander II's Edict of Emancipation of 1861.

In the Steppes of Central Asia

The work was originally intended to be presented as one of several tableaux vivants to celebrate the silver anniversary of the reign of Alexander II of Russia, who had done much to expand the Russian Empire eastward.

Joshua ben Aaron Zeitlin

During the Russo-Turkish war he was a contractor for the Russian army, and on August 1, 1879, Czar Alexander II awarded him a medal in recognition of his services.

Łódź Fabryczna railway station

Construction of the Łódź - Koluszki railway line began on September 1, 1865 after authorization was obtained from Tsar Alexander II in July 1865.

Mehmed Namık Pasha

Among the various titles he held was also that of yaver-i ekrem (aide de camp to His Imperial Majesty), and it is in that capacity that he carried a note from the Sultan to Alexander II.

The Rise of David Levinsky

He has, however, lost interest in the Talmud, and contends that "its spell was broken irretrievably." The situation of Jews in Russia began to deteriorate after the assassination of Czar Alexander II in 1881 and anti-Jewish riots "were encouraged, even arranged, by the authorities".

Uprising of Polish political exiles in Siberia

Some of the insurgents quickly surrendered, particularly those who were content with the partial amnesty and reduction of sentences they received in the aftermath of an assassination attempt on Alexander II of Russia in April that year.

They were allowed to write letters to their families, but they were never delivered, as the delivery was stopped by a personal order from tsar Alexander II of Russia.


Aleksey Belevsky-Zhukovsky

Alexei Alexeevich was born to Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia, the son of Czar Alexander II of Russia, and Alexandra Vasilievna Zhukovskaya, daughter of famous Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky.

Alexandru Candiano-Popescu

In 1877, as the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire began, Candiano, although he was a deputy in the Romanian Parliament, joined the army to take part in the assault over Grivitsa, being the commander of the 2nd Hunters' Battalion, receiving the Order of St. George from Alexander II, the Emperor of Russia.

Anarchism in Russia

Loris-Melikov's proposals called for some form of parliamentary body, and the Emperor Alexander II seemed to agree; these plans were never realized as on March 13 (March 1 Old Style), 1881, Alexander was assassinated: while driving on one of the central streets of St. Petersburg, near the Winter Palace, he was mortally wounded by hand-made grenades and died a few hours afterwards.

Chrysoberyl

According to a popular but controversial story, alexandrite was discovered by the Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld (1792–1866), and named alexandrite in honor of the future Tsar Alexander II of Russia.

Édouard Ménétries

It was not until after his death that movement for the organization of the society was started at the reign of Alexander II, who was more liberal, and with the assistance of intelligent and well-educated grand princess Elena Pavlovna, widow of Mikhail Pavlovich, uncle of Alexander II.

Edvard Radzinsky

The books translated to English include his biographies of Tsars Nicholas II and Alexander II, Rasputin, and Joseph Stalin.

Garda, Veneto

Many famous people have stayed at the Brenzoni Villa, including Tsar Alexander, the King of Naples, Winston Churchill, Laurence Olivier, King Juan Carlos and the British royal family.

Gustavus Fox

In 1866, he was sent on a special mission to Russia; he conveyed the congratulations of the President to Tsar Alexander II upon his escape from assassination.

José Antonio Saravia

José Antonio Saravia, José Antonio Sarabia, (Villanueva del Fresno, Spain, 1785 - Resident in Russia since about 1812 - General of the Russian Army 1843 - Kamianets-Podilskyi, now in Ukraine, 2 April 1871), was General Inspector of the Russian Military Academies under the Tsars Nikolai I and Alexander II.

Mikhail Yuzefovich

Yuzefovich's recommendations were incorporated in the Ems Ukaz, which was signed on 30 May 1876 by the Russian tsar Alexander II in the town of Ems, Germany.

Russian colonization of the Americas

So following the Union victory in the American Civil War, Tsar Alexander II instructed the Russian minister to the United States, Eduard de Stoeckl, to enter into negotiations with the United States Secretary of State William H. Seward in the beginning of March 1867.

Russification of Ukraine

In 1867, tsar Alexander II of Russia issued the Ems Ukaz, a secret decree banning the use of the Ukrainian language in print, with the exception of reprinting of old documents.

The Magnificent Sinner

The Magnificent Sinner is a 1959 film by director Robert Siodmak about the romance between Tsar Alexander II of Russia and the then-schoolgirl Catherine Dolgorukov, who later became his mistress and finally his morganatic wife.

William Howard Russell

In 1856 Russell was sent to Moscow to describe the coronation of Tsar Alexander II and in the following year was sent to India where he witnessed the final re-capture of Lucknow (1858).