Nicholas I of Russia

Legacy

From time to time efforts are made to revive Nicholas' reputation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:Nicholas believed in his own oath and in respecting other people's rights as well as his own; witness Poland before 1831 and Hungary in 1849. He hated serfdom at heart and would have liked to destroy it, as well as detesting the tyranny of the Baltic squires over their 'emancipated' peasantry. . . . He must not be judged by the panic period of 1848-1855. . . we must not forget that his Minister of Public Education was Uvarov. . . who did an immense amount to spread education through the Empire at all levels. (Igor Vinogradoff)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Marquis de Custine was open to the possibility that, inside, Nicholas was a good person, and only behaved as he did because he believed he had to. "If the Emperor, has no more of mercy in his heart than he reveals in his policies, then I pity Russia; if, on the other hand, his true sentiments are really superior to his acts, then I pity the Emperor."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~