Autocracy, Ideology, and Ritual in the Reign of Alexander I

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel explores the multifaceted reign and legacy of Alexander I through diplomacy, domestic reform, and imperial symbolism. The papers examine his role in European peacemaking after Napoleon’s defeat, focusing on diplomatic, legal, and moral settlements between 1815 and 1823; reassess the complexities of his so-called conservative turn through an analysis of educational reforms at the Lycée Richelieu; and investigate the cultural and emotional significance of his funeral procession, highlighting provincial society’s response to the monarch’s metaphysical symbolism. Together, these papers offer perspectives on the political, social, and cultural dimensions of Alexander I’s rule.

Sub Unit

• History: 1800-1900

Chair

• Sean Pollock, Wright State U

Papers

• Alexander I as European Peacemaker - Elise Kimerling Wirtschafter, California State Polytechnic U

• Alexander's Conservative Turn Revisited: The Lycée Richelieu and the Contradictions of Catholic Education - Gregory Afinogenov, Georgetown U

• Alexander I’s Last Tour: Beyond the Veil of Life - Alina Mezenova, U of Notre Dame

Discussant

• Geoffrey Durham, U of Wisconsin-Madison