And the The Welcome to Russian History Retold. Episode 181.

Zar Paul. Was he really such a bad guy after all?

Last time we looked at the reins of the three Alexanders and Nicholas I

today we're going to cover Zar Paul by asking the question of how bad was his time as a Russian ruler.

Before we continue though I must admit I made a mistake in the last episode.

I said that Alexander the third's wife was Dutch, which is totally

wrong, as she was indeed Danish. I looked at the script. It says Danish. I read Dutch. But anyway, thanks to listener Dominic, who I will mention later for the heads up on the Facebook page.

Polls' reign has been dismissed by some as inconsequential.

Books like Russia a history by Fries and a brief history of Russia by cost give his time

as are just a few paragraphs despite his five years on the throne. This is, in my humble

opinion, a travesty. Even renowned Russian historians such as Riazanovsky and Steinberg,

only give them a few pages.

Most view them as kind of a placeholder

for his son Alexander the first,

much like his father, Peter III, did for Catherine the Great.

This attitude is somewhat understandable as he followed the long reign of his mother, Catherine,

who ruled for 34 years. But to gloss over his time is what I would

deem as historical laziness. Others present a propagandist-like history of Paul's time, labeling as just lunatic and

unstable. This psychological picture is, in my opinion, used as a justification of his murder.

He was no doubt disliked by many of the aristocratic class.

But crazy, I think that's a bit of a stretch.

Still, his behavior was erratic, kind of like a spoiled child.

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