Alexander I’s Last Tour: Beyond the Veil of Life

• In Event: Autocracy, Ideology, and Ritual in the Reign of Alexander I

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the history of Alexander I's funeral cortege. The farewell to the deceased ruler, who died in Taganrog on November 19, 1825, lasted several months and passed through several cities, culminating in St. Petersburg on March 13, 1826. The population of the provinces where the funeral processions took place was given a rare opportunity to express their attitude toward the departed monarch and reflect on their place within the political order. As a result, the arrival of the funeral cortege triggered a series of ceremonies and, importantly, emotional reactions that shed light on the fundamental epistemic system of provincial society.

Author

• Alina Mezenova, U of Notre Dame