Alexander II 1855-1881

This episode explores the dramatic reign of Alexander II, Russia’s “Tsar Liberator,” charting his ambitious attempt to modernise a vast and troubled empire. We examine the forces that pushed him toward the landmark Emancipation of the Serfs, the reforms that reshaped the judiciary, military and local government, and the tensions these changes unleashed across Russian society. The episode also delves into the growing opposition he faced—from radical revolutionaries to disillusioned conservatives—and the contradictions of a ruler who sought reform yet tightened repression when challenged. Alexander II’s assassination in 1881 forms the climax of a story that reveals both the possibilities and limits of reform in imperial Russia.