Alexander I was born on December 12, 1777. His father was Emperor Paul I. Immediately after his birth, the Empress took her grandson for upbringing, deciding that she would make him an ideal ruler. Initially, Alexander believed in the creation of an ideal and humane society. He was favorably inclined towards the ideas of the French Revolution, sought to help the Poles deprived of statehood, and viewed Russian autocracy with suspicion. However, over time, his views changed. On the night of March 11-12, 1801, Paul I was killed in a palace coup, and Alexander I became the new Emperor of Russia. He deeply mourned his father's death, and feelings of guilt haunted him throughout his life. At the beginning of his reign, Alexander I sought to correct the mistakes made during his father's rule. The main cause of discontent was the deprivation of privileges from the nobility, and he immediately restored their rights. During this period, domestic policy was liberal in nature. All those who had fallen into disgrace under Paul I were granted amnesty. The Tsar allowed free travel abroad, relaxed censorship, and brought foreign press back to the country. Under Alexander I, a large-scale reform of state administration was carried out. An important place in his policy was occupied by the peasant question. By granting privileges to the nobility, he sought to alleviate the plight of the peasants. The 1801 decree allowed merchants and townspeople to acquire free land for economic activities, breaking the nobility's monopoly on land. In 1803, 'free cultivators' emerged, allowing landowners to free serfs for a ransom. Educational reform was also implemented. The Emperor understood the lack of qualified personnel and created a four-tier education system. Each district was headed by universities that provided staff for all levels of educational institutions. Under Alexander I, five universities and many gymnasiums and schools were opened. In June 1812, the Patriotic War began. The Emperor was little involved in planning and conducting military operations, appointing Mikhail Kutuzov as the commander of the Russian army, who successfully handled the task. It is believed that Alexander I died in Taganrog in 1825. His sudden death gave rise to many rumors. For a long time, there was a legend that another person was buried in Taganrog, while the Emperor continued to wander the country in the guise of a hermit.