Alexander II Nikolaevich, known as "the Liberator" (1818, 1881), was the Emperor of All Russia from February 19, 1855. He was the eldest son of Emperor Nicholas I and Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna.

Alexander was born on April 17, 1818, in Moscow and was baptized in honor of Saint Prince Alexander Nevsky. He became the heir on December 12, 1825, and the Tsarevich on August 30, 1831. His mentor was the poet V.A. Zhukovsky, his educator K.K. Merder, and among his law teachers was Archpriest Gerasim Pavsky.

From 1841, Alexander was married to Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt, known in Orthodoxy as Maria Alexandrovna. They had several children, including the future Emperor Alexander III. In 1880, he entered into a morganatic marriage with Princess E.M. Yurievskaya, with whom he had four children.

Alexander II ascended to the throne during a difficult period for Russia, as the Crimean War was ongoing. After its conclusion, the country faced economic and social problems. Alexander II understood the necessity of reforms, which became the foundation of his reign and changed the face of Russia over 25 years.

The peasant reform, initiated in 1857 and completed in 1861, freed the peasants from serfdom, granting them personal freedom and the opportunity to buy land. The Zemstvo reform of 1864 created local self-government bodies, while the judicial reform of the same year introduced courts for all estates and the legal profession. The military reform of 1874 introduced universal conscription and reduced the term of service.

These reforms contributed to the economic development of Russia, the growth of industry, and railroads. Public life became more active but also more complex.

The church reforms also revitalized church and public life. Issues concerning the clergy were addressed, the structure of parish administration was reformed, and the hereditary nature of the clergy was abolished. In 1864, the "Rules" regarding Old Believers were approved, which effectively legalized them.

Alexander II's foreign policy included revising the outcomes of the Crimean War and the establishment of the "Holy Alliance of Three Emperors" in 1873. Russia completed the Caucasian War and annexed part of Turkestan. Victory in the war with Turkey (1877, 1878) led to the independence of Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia.

However, Alexander II's reign was marred by terrorist acts. He survived several assassination attempts, including bombings and murder plots. Despite this, he continued his reforms, but on March 1, 1881, he was mortally wounded by the terrorist I.I. Grinevitsky.

A church was built at the site of his assassination in 1883, known as the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, or "Savior on Blood," which became one of the main shrines of St. Petersburg.