Alexander I of Russia

Alexander I of Russia (Russian: Александр I Павлович, Aleksandr I Pavlovich) (1777–1825), also known as Alexander the Blessed served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and as the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania. His rule coiniced with the chaotic period of the Napoleonic Wars.

In the first half of his reign Alexander tried to introduce liberal reforms, while in the second half he turned to a much more arbitrary manner of conduct, which led to the revoking of many early reforms. In foreign policy Alexander gained certain successes, mainly by his diplomatic skills and winning of several military campaign. This included the acquisition of Finland and part of Poland. His sudden death of typhus in Taganrog, under allegedly suspicious circumstances, caused the spread of the rumors that Alexander in fact did not die in 1825, but chose to "disappear" and to live the rest of his life in anonymity.

Alexander I in The War That Came Early
After the "big switch" in 1940 turned the Soviet Union's former allies into enemies, Joseph Stalin harkened back to Alexander's victory over the Napoleon to help inspire the Soviet people to keep fighting until victory.