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Alexander II of Russia

Historical Figure

Alexander II of Russia

d. 1881

Emperor of Russia from 1855 to 1881

Victorian Era

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Key Dates

Biography

Alexander II was Emperor of Russia, King of Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 2 March 1855 until his assassination on 13 March 1881. He is also known as Alexander the Liberator because of his historic Edict of Emancipation, which officially abolished Russian serfdom in 1861. Crowned on 7 September 1856, he succeeded his father Nicholas I and was succeeded by his son Alexander III.

Source: Wikipedia · Compiled March 2026 · AI-summarized

Timeline

1861
Event

Alexander II of Russia signs the Emancipation Manifesto, freeing serfs.

March 3 →
1866
Event

Alexander II of Russia narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by Dmitry Karakozov in the city of Saint Petersburg.

April 4 →
1866
Event

Alexander II of Russia narrowly escapes an assassination attempt in the city of Kiev.

April 4 →
1881
Death

Tsar of Russia (b. 1818)

March 13 →
1881
Event

Alexander II of Russia is killed near his palace when a bomb is thrown at him. (Gregorian date: it was March 1 in the Julian calendar then in use in Russia.)

March 13 →

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