Government and Tsars: Alexander II and Alexander III as rulers; attitudes to autocracy; key developments
Alexander II and Alexander III both ruled Russia as autocrats, meaning they held total personal power. They differed sharply in how they used that power — one cautiously reformed, the other aggressively reversed those reforms.
Real World
Alexander II's emancipation of 23 million serfs in 1861 was the largest single act of emancipation in European history — comparable in scale to Lincoln's abolition of slavery in the American South, yet it left Russian peasants shackled by redemption payments for decades.
Exam Focus
When comparing the two Tsars, use precise terms: 'reform from above' for Alexander II and 'counter-reform' for Alexander III to signal confident historical vocabulary.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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