Crown Prince Aleksandr Aleksandrovich during the Eastern Crisis of 1875–1878

This article examines the attitude of the future Alexander III toward the Eastern crisis of 1875–1877 and the ensuing Russo–Turkish War. The author analyzes the royal heir’s attitude toward the actions of Russia’s diplomatic and military establishments on the eve of the war as well as the heir’s relationship with his father, Emperor Alexander II. The crown prince’s personal acquaintance with the harsh realities of war and its consequences would continue to sway his foreign policy agenda when he became Alexander III, known as the “Peacemaker Tsar.”