CHAPTER XX.
NAPOLEON IN RUSSIA--HOLY ALLIANCE A youth of twenty-five years was Tsar and Autocrat of All the Russias.
Alexander had from his birth been withdrawn entirely from his father's influence.

The tutor chosen by his grandmother was Laharpe, a Swiss Republican, and the principles of political freedom were at the foundation of his training.

It was of course during the period of her own liberal tendencies that Alexander was imbued with the advanced theories which had captured intellectual Europe in the days before the French Revolution.

The new Emperor declared in a manifesto that his reign should be inspired by the aims and principles of Catherine II.
He then quickly freed himself from the conspirators who had murdered his father, and drew about him a group of young men like himself, utterly inexperienced, but enthusiastic dreamers of a reign of goodwill which should regenerate Russia.

With the utmost confidence, reforms of the most radical nature were proposed and discussed.