Russian Nikolay Pavlovich
born July 6, 1796, Tsarkoye Selo, near St. Petersburg, Russia
died March 2, 1855, St. Petersburg
Tsar of Russia (1825–55).
He was the son of Alexander I as emperor and suppressed the Decembrist revolt . His reign came to represent autocracy, militarism, and bureaucracy. To enforce his policies, he created such agencies as the Third Section (political police). In foreign policy, Nicholas quelled an uprising in Poland (1830–31) and aided Austria against a Hungarian uprising (1849). His designs on Constantinople led to war with Turkey (1853) and drew other European powers into the Crimean War . He was succeeded by his son Alexander II .