Alexander II of Russia

Alexander (Aleksandr) II (Russian: ????????? II ??????????) (April 17, 1818–March 13, 1881) was the Emperor (tsar) of Russia from March 2, 1855 until his assassination. As such, he was also the Grand Duke of Finland 1855-1881.

Assassination

After the last assassination attempt, Count Loris-Melikov was appointed the head of Supreme Executive Commission and given extraordinary powers to fight the revolutionaries. Loris-Melikov's proposals called for some form of parliamentary body, and the Emperor seemed to agree; these plans were never realized as on March 13 (March 1 Old Style), 1881 Alexander fell victim to a Nihilist plot. While driving on one of the central streets of St. Petersburg, near the Winter Palace, he was mortally wounded by the explosion of hand-made grenades and died a few hours afterwards. Nikolai Kibalchich, Sophia Perovskaya, Nikolai Rysakov, Timofei Mikhailov, Andrei Zhelyabov were arrested and sentenced to death. Gesya Gelfman was sent to Siberia. The Tsar was killed by the Pole Ignacy Hryniewiecki (1856-1881), who died during the attack. Hryniewiecki was a Pole from Lithuania (Bobrujsk, now Babruysk, Belarus), where suppression of Poles and persecutions were the harshest. The Russians had instigated a complete ban on Polish language in public places, schools and office in a process now known as Russification.

Related Topics:
Count Loris-Melikov - March 13 - March 1 - Old Style - 1881 - Nihilist - Winter Palace - Nikolai Kibalchich - Sophia Perovskaya - Nikolai Rysakov - Timofei Mikhailov - Andrei Zhelyabov - Gesya Gelfman - Siberia - Ignacy Hryniewiecki - Lithuania - Babruysk - Belarus - Polish language - Russification

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On the site where he was wounded, the Church of the Savior on Blood was erected.

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