Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855)

In 1825, Constantine, the older little brother of the late emperor Alexander, refused the Russian crown, and the younger brother Nicholas was crowned.

Nicholas I wanted to restore the Russian influence in the Turkish area ever since he lost it in the 1840s. The efforts to expand the borders of Russia led the nation to the Crimean War against the Ottoman Empire. France and the British Empire joined the anti-Russian alliance.

In 1854, Nicholas arrived in Sveaborg to inspect the fortification together with his sons Alexander and Constantine, because the fortress, as the western outpost, had the important task of protecting St. Petersburg. Nicholas’s visit to Finland had other objectives as well, such as strengthening the loyalty of the Finns and demonstrating that the mother country cared about the Finns and their destiny.

Nicholas I already died in August of 1855, before the bombardments of Sveaborg. The news of his death caused great alarm in Finland, where people awaited, in abject fear, the attack of the western alliance. The late emperor had been autocratic, and during his reign, there was no parliament in Finland. Despite this, Finland felt protected during the time of his reign. At the time, Finns believed that the emperor would guarantee Finland’s autonomous position, which in turn enhanced the loyalty towards him. In the mother country, the autocracy of the ruler had caused discontent and rebellions among the peasants, which troubled Nicholas throughout his reign.

The son of Nicholas I, Alexander II, was his father’s successor to the throne.