Alexander III of Russia

Alexander III
Portrait photograph, 1885
Emperor of Russia
Reign	13 March 1881 – 1 November 1894
Coronation	27 May 1883
Predecessor	Alexander II
Successor	Nicholas II
Born	(1845-03-10)10 March 1845 Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Died	1 November 1894(1894-11-01) (aged 49) Maley Palace, Livadia,[a] Taurida Governorate, Russian Empire
Burial	18 November 1894 Peter and Paul Cathedral, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Spouse	Dagmar of Denmark ​ (m. 1866)​
Issue Detail	Nicholas II of Russia Grand Duke Alexander Grand Duke George Grand Duchess Xenia Grand Duke Michael Grand Duchess Olga
Names Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov
House	Romanov-Holstein-Gottorp
Father	Alexander II of Russia
Mother	Marie of Hesse and by Rhine
Religion	Russian Orthodox
Signature

Alexander III (Russian: Александр III Александрович Романов, tr. Aleksandr III Aleksandrovich Romanov; 10 March 1845 – 1 November 1894)^[1] was Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland and Grand Duke of Finland from 13 March 1881 until his death in 1894.^[2] He was highly reactionary in domestic affairs and reversed some of the liberal reforms of his father, Alexander II. This policy is known in Russia as "counter-reforms" (Russian: контрреформы). Under the influence of Konstantin Pobedonostsev (1827–1907), he opposed any socio-economic moves that limited his autocratic rule.

During his reign, Russia fought no major wars as well. He therefore came to be known as "The Peacemaker" (Russian: Миротворец, tr. Mirotvorets, IPA: [mʲɪrɐˈtvorʲɪt͡s]), with that laudatory title enduring into the 21st century among historians (as the Tsar’-Mirotvorets).^[3] Outside of politics, Alexander was additionally known for his striking appearance, with an American historian later noting how he stood out as being a "tall, heavy-set man, of enormous muscular strength." Alexander's major foreign policy achievement was helping forge the Russo-French Alliance and thus directing a major shift in the international relations of Russian society that endured for decades. His political legacy represented a direct challenge to the European cultural order set forth by German statesman Otto von Bismarck, intermingling Russian influences with the shifting balances of power.^[4]

Alexander's long, multifaceted legacy has been commemorated in public installations across multiple nations. A notable example outside of Russia is the Pont Alexandre III, an ornate arch bridge spanning the Seine in Paris, France. That installation has received mass attention for over a century.

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