The book examines the whole life of the Russian monarch, who deservedly received the nickname "Liberator." The author studied the personal prerequisites that guided Alexander's activities: his childhood, the system of education and upbringing, the occupation of the Tsarevich before accession to the throne. Considerable attention is paid to issues of military history, Russian foreign policy, the Great Reforms themselves. All the diversity of Russian history of the 1850-1870s. with its steep changes in public life, social upheavals, the sick Polish question and the aggravation of pan-Slavism, was reflected in the fate of one person, the autocrat responsible for the fate of the largest empire. The book is based on rich factual material. For the first time, the author introduced into scientific circulation a significant number of documentary sources that are fundamentally important for understanding the history of Russia in the post-reform period, the personality of the emperor and the motives of his actions.