This Day in History. Russia 1849

This day in History….

In 1849 the Russian Tsar sent troops to crush the Hungarians in Transylvania.

Russia was not loved, but it was admired and feared.

To the upper classes in central Europe, Nicholas I was the stern defender of monarchical legitimacy; to democrats all over the world, he was “the gendarme of Europe” and the chief enemy of liberty.

But the Crimean War (1853–56) showed that this giant had feet of clay.

The vast empire was unable to mobilize, equip, and transport enough troops to defeat the medium-size French and English forces under very mediocre command.

Nicholas died in the bitter knowledge of general failure.

For much of Nicholas' reign, Russia was seen as a major military power, with considerable strength. The Crimean war, fought shortly before Nicholas' death, demonstrated to both Russia and the world what few had previously realized: Russia was militarily weak, technologically backward, and administratively incompetent.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia/Russia-from-1801-to-1917