Alternative History
Alternative History
Autocrat of all Russia
Cyril I Vladimirovich
Кирилл I Владимирович
Kirill
Coronation November 7, 1921
Full name Kiril I Vladimirovich Romanov
Russian name: Кирилл I Владимирович Романов
Born October 12, 1938
Birthplace Flag of Russia Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire
Died October 12, 1938
Place of death Constantinople, Greece
Buried Flag of Russia Moscow, Russian Empire
(Flag of Russia Moscow, Russia)
Predecessor Nicholas II
Successor Vladimir I
Consort Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Offspring Vladimir I of Russia
Grand Duchess Kira Kirilovna
Grand Duchess Maria Kirilovna
Royal House Romanov
Religious beliefs Russian Orthodox

Cyril I, also spelled as Cyrill I or Cyril I Vladimirovich Romanov (Russian: Кири́лл Влади́мирович Рома́нов; 12 October [O.S. 30 September] 1876 – 12 October 1938) also known by Cyril the Reformer (Russian: Кирилл Реформатор, Cyrill Reformator) and Cyril the Unifier (Russian: Кирилл Объединитель, Cyrill Ob"yedinitel) was the Autocrat of all Russia from 1921 up to his death in 1938. He is considered the Greatest Emperor in the modern era, and one of the most influential monarchs of the modern world.

During the civil war, Cyril I was known for supporting socialism, and having an open towards leftists, liberals and progressives, as well as minorities. Therefore, he recieved a huge part of popular support.

After the White Movement victory, and the restoration and domination of the monarchists in its aftermath, Cyril I was involved in a monarchial dispute with Grand Duke Nicholas I Nikolaevich. However, thanks to huge shortcomings in Nicholas I's support movement, beginning with his lack of presence in Russia, lack of organization and a dislike for his main representative, mainly Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg whose temperamental personality caused the downfall of Nicholas I's movement, Cyril I became the clear victor. Cyril I was able to convince Baron Pyotr Wrangel to be his representative, after the latter lost his respect for Nicholas I's group.

What made Cyril I so successful was his progressive stances, favoring the policies of the likes of Tsar Alexander II and Otto von Bismarck, as well as the adaptation of some Soviet ideology, and was known for bridging the gap between the rural peasants and the wealthy aristocrats. Cyril I cooperated with anti-Bolshevik Leftists, and Baltic nationalists, which greatly helped play a role in the Bolshevik defeat, a fact that many monarchists often ignore. He was also known for sparing ex-Bolsheviks. His feat in uniting the many conflicting groups in Russia is what is makes him known as one of the Greatest Tsars in Russian history. The World History Ruler Encyclopedia named him the Greatest Ruler of the Interwar Period.

Although while keeping Russia a constitutionally Orthodox and monarchial state, Cyril I separated the Church and State, leaving the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church independent of any political figure, led solely by the Patriarch of Moscow and not the Procurator General. Cyril I also embraced the modernization of the Russian Empire, a move that would allow it to experience its rise to superpowerdom.

In addition, what made Cyril I very respected was his embracing of multi-culturalism, lifting the various pogroms against minorities enacted by previous Tsars.

In a shocking turnaround, a remnisiciant of the Bolsheviks, Cyril I was anti-Western, and criticized American influence for having encouraged revolutionaries to overthrow Nicholas II. Russo-British relations also deteriorated, namely in the British monarchy's refusal to take Nicholas II into refuge. His son, Vladimir, who succeeded him as Emperor, continued his quest to spread and preserve European monarchies, supporting French, Italian, Spanish and German monarchists in restoring their respective monarchies.

Life[]

Russian Civil War - 1918-1921[]

In 1918, the Grand Duke and his wife fled to Finland. However in 1918, the Grand Duke had a change of heart, and decided to put his body on the frontlines for the White Movement, requesting to be taken to Russia to fight for the White Movement. He joined the monarchists, and renounced any allegiance towards either the Provisional Government or the Bolsheviks.

Cyril I fought as part of the Northwest Russia battalion, who eventually in the 1919 Moscow Offensive, rendezvoused with Baron Pyotr Wrangel's forces in Moscow, a battle that killed Vladimir Lenin, the principle leader of the Bolsheviks, and solidifying White control of Moscow.

Cooperation with anti-Bolshevik Leftists[]

Even within the Leftist camp, there were many anti-Bolsheviks. While other monarchists wanted nothing to do with them, the Grand Duke knew he would have to cooperate with them to defeat the Bolsheviks. As a matter of fact, the Grand Duke promised if the Leftists helped him, he'd spare them from execution when he becomes Tsar.

With Maria Spiridonova acting as the representative of the Social Revolutionary Party, she and the Grand Duke agreed to unite their forces against the Leninists. When news of Lenin's assassination went, he recruited Lenin's assassin, Fanny Kaplan to his army, and granted her asylum. In addition, this caused many more Leftists to leave the Bolsheviks, and join the Grand Duke.

The 1919 Moscow Offensive commenced, with a mix of all White forces, with the Grand Duke making it plain that Lenin must be taken out, and the rest of the communist movement would fail. The offensive ended with a White victory, and the subsequent execution of Lenin, leaving the White forces room to capture central Russia and the Urals.

After the victory, and with Moscow secured, the Grand Duke, pretty-much now considered the leader of the White Army, sent reinforcements into Tsarytsin, a battle in which Baron Pyotr Wrangel and Pyotr Krasnov had been struggling in. In 1920, in the verge of defeat, White forces re-took Tsarytsin, a battle that ended with the death of Stalin.

Autocrat of all Russia - 1921-1938[]

After the White Movement sealed their victory in most of Russia, there was yet, a lingering issue, who would become Russia's internationally-recognized Head of State, apart from the fringe Bolshevik groups operating in Central Asia. Many different countries considered different leaders, but it had become clear that Grand Duke Cyril I Vladimirovich was loved by many. The monarchists of western Russia considered Cyril I the new Head of State. The Japanese considered Grigory Semyonov the leaders. However by this point, in a turn-around, republicanists now received the negative connotation, as bad as the Bolsheviks.

Therefore, the monarchists began to gain the upper ground, and decided that all anti-monarchists should be punished. As the reward for helping and supporting him, the Grand Duke spared some members the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, and allowed them to run under a monarchist tone, and if they purged their party from all Bolsheviks and/or Bolshevik-sympathizers.

Then, came the second round of dispute as to who would become the Emperor. Cyril I was favored by the overwhelming majority of western Russia, thanks to his active involvement in the civil war on the side of the White Movement and his willingness to cooperate with Leftist anti-Bolsheviks, In addition, thanks to his appeals to Leftists, while those of the east favored Grand Duke Nicholas I Nikolaevich, who initially, had the upper hand over Cyril I.

Therefore, Cyril I adopted a tactic of separately appealing to opposing forces, with each side bearing no knowledge. In addition, Nicholas I had already fled, and was not aware of the situation in Russia. Cyril I had personally consulted with Baron Pyotr Wrangel to be his Procurator General. Wrangel was weary at first, upon finding out about Cyril I's appeasement of Leftist groups. However, Cyril I gave the Baron much civil powers, and truly, military and police powers in Russia were under the control and leadership of Pyotr Wrangel.

Wrangel was on the verge of joining Nicholas I's support group, and had already spoken with Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg, also a Baltic German and a baron like he was. However, Baron Wrangel was purely disgusted and horrified by Baron Ungern's behavior, which brought the two barons into conflict. Seeing hope in Baron Wrangel, the Asiatic Cavalry Division abandoned Baron Ungern, and showed their support for Cyril I and Baron Wrangel.

For helping the Whites retake Tsarytsin, Baron Wrangel vested his full trust in Cyril I.

In 1921, therefore, Cyril I Vladimirovich was officially recognized as the Autocrat of all Russia, a title that he himself requested to be bequeathed with, noting the Russian Empire's great loss of territories, no longer felt that Emperor was necessary for a title, though Tsar and Tsardom continued to be used, and the Crown placed upon his head. Despite Cyril I adopted some elements of Bolshevik ideology, the White Terror continued, in which the Tsar ordered the immediate arrest and assassination of Bolshevik and anti-Tsarist leaders, sparing a few to survive, but putting them under heavy surveillance. Pyotr Wrangel carried out the White Terror.

However, Cyril I had a different idea, and instead, ordered ex-Bolsheviks to be used for slave and prison labor, later known by his infamous phrase, "...why not use them for slave labor? After all, they are working - for free, without pay or personal compensation." Republicanists too were punished, leading to the executions of Alexander Kolchak. The United States refused to extradite Alexander Kerensky, causing Japan to refuse extraditing Grigory Semyonov.

The Baron told the Tsar, "...unfortunately, it all began with the republicanists, so they too, must be punished as much as the Bolsheviks".

The rest of the 1920s were spent re-conquering the rest of the former Russian Empire from fringe Bolshevik groups, as well as Soviet states, in that the Tsarists were able to successfully re-conquer Central Asia, utilizing Cyril I's multi-cultural approach, in allowing native groups to fight for the Tsar according to their own tradition.

Cyril I embraced modernization for the Russian Empire, and lamented at out outdated it was. It is he is accredited as having planted the seeds for the modernization of the Russian Empire, and throughout the entire decade, the Russian Empire experienced the rapid modernization similar to the Stalinist Five Year Plans of our OTL, with the civil leaderships of Roman Gul and Pyotr Struve.

The 1930s also became the age of democracy, where Cyril I embraced installing highly-qualified individuals, rather than just nobles in positions of authority, truly resembling a constitutional monarchy.

In addition, the Tsar was also willing to listen to the plights of ethnic minorities in the nation, and was known for his personal relations with rural Baltic peasants, allowing them to practice workers' self-management.

Policies[]

National socialism[]

Cyril I's opponents referred to him as the "Soviet tsar" or the "Socialist tsar" for one of many reasons. One of Cyril's most notable moves was his sparing of many Bolshevik officers, acceptance of anti-Bolshevik Leftists in his camp, and even adopting many elements of Soviet and socialist ideology, without militant Marxism or anti-Orthodox sentiments. Cyril had argued that the Bible advocates for socialism, and that it was the duty of the Tsar to care for the people he ruled over.

This led to the re-branding of the Socialist Revolutionaries as the Democratic Socialist Party, renouncing their anti-Tsarist and anti-religious overtones. Although Cyril I stated his non-involvement with any political parties, evidently supported many of the Democratic Socialists' policies. Another major party, the Mladorossi, a right-wing socialist party, headed by Prince Alexander I Kazembek, was another socialist party that drew major support.

Cyril I vested most military and authoritative powers in Baron Pyotr Wrangel, whom he felt was the best candidate for Proucrator-General of Russia. Most of the Assembly however, was under the leadership of liberal and socialist parties.

Because hostilities against the West don't boil down as bad as the Leninist government, the new Russian state was, via ties to the West, able to recover economically from the war. Many Russians, as much as 35% had dual citizenship with the United States, France and the British Empire.

The Democratic Socialists however, soon changed from an agrarian, to an industrial-based party, reminiscent to our OTL CPSU. This would allow Russia to industrialize like never-before.

The Tsar also believed adamantly in separation of Church of State, despite keeping Russian Orthodoxy as the state religion, meaning that the Tsar and Procurator-General are by law, Orthodox but the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church would be under an independently-installed Patriarchate of Moscow. The Procurator-General by this law, was no longer the head of the Church, something which Tsar Cyril I believed to be "absolutely blasphemous in nature".

Bolshevik officers[]

While Cyril I supported the immediate execution and eradication of the high-profile Bolsheviks, allowed for a pardoning of those Imperial Russian veterans who joined the Bolsheviks as he knew that executing each and every single Red Army fighter would simply rob the Russian military of skilled and trained officers. However, they were forebiden from serving in the Okhrana, the Tsarist secret police. and were put in heavy surveillance, required to live in government-approved housing (oh...what an irony) and were subject to surveillance by the Okhrana.

Cultural minorities[]

Another long-standing policy, was the Tsar embracing cultural autonomy. While he opposed Ukrainian independence, the Autonomous Ukrainian State was formed under his leadership, which he acknowledged Ukrainians as a separate ethnic group, and supported Ukrainian-language public media. Cyril I officially banned the term Little Russians and encouraged the rise of all-Ukrainian gymnasiums. Via Pavlo Skoropadskiy, the new Tsar personally spoke with Ukrainian nationalists to understand their situation and needs. He also allowed Bukhara to retain the Emirate name, but it was a constitutional Emirate, and truly like before, elected officials were the true source of political authority in Bukhara, and Orthodox Christian cathedrals were still built in Bukhara without much resistance from the Islamic muftis.

Germany and the Treaty of Versailles[]

Although the Tsar had made many statements, he had conflicting views of Germany. Although nominally supporting the Triple Entente, the Tsar had extremely skeptical views of the Treaty of Versailles. He stated that the Treaty of Versailles as he felt, would have extreme negative implications on Germany's relations with the other European nations.

What irritated the Tsar was the allies not allowing a German monarch to be crowned as the King of Finland, as Russia had assumed a monarchist stance.

However, he made it clear that he wasn't necessarily "pro-German", and did not allow the Baltic Germans, who sided with the Kaiser, back into the Baltics, a move also reflected by the Baltic German nobility themselves. This was proven by the fact the the Tsar did not support the monarchial uprising in Germany, but sympathized with them. He did however, consider the German Empire to be a great nation, and did state that Germany and Russia could indeed, be great allies, once the right conditions are met.

The Tsar considered the German issue to be a "head-wrenching" one, given that his wife and mother were German, and the entire Romanovs were of partial German lineage, and admitted the profound influence that German culture had has on the Russian Empire, now to mention that his Procurator-General, Baron Pyotr Wrangel was German, and the succeeding Prime Minister, Pyotr Struve was of German descent.

Poland and Pan-Slavism[]

Cyril the Reformer is also the first Tsar to have respected native Slavic culture, and openly criticized what Peter the Great did to "his own people". After Peter the Great, the Russian monarchy became overtly westernized, and it is Cyril the Reformer who ultimately brought back native Slavic traditions into Russian national tradition. For example, he brought back the "boyar/boyara" noble title, and made native Slavic holidays national ones, and even supported studies of Old East Slavic religion.

He also bridged the centuries-long divide between Russia and Poland. The two countries partitioned Belarus. Because Baron Wrangel supported Polish independence, and with many Polish volunteers helping the White Russians, a new era of friendliness occurred for both nations. Cyril considered Poland to be the true center of Catholicism in Eastern Europe.

The Interwar Period was marked by high trade and relations between the two nations, again, with Cyril I rebuking the past policies of his cousin, and his forced Russification policies on Poland. Because of Poland's part on sending volunteers into Russia, the Tsar did not make attempts to forcefully install a monarchy in Poland, and also forebode groups from arming Polish monarchists, instead resorting to diplomatic and moral support.

The Tsar considered Poland to be Austria-Hungary's successor.

The Tsar also believed that all of the Slavic nations should cooperate closely, supporting the unification of Yugoslavia, having sent Russian volunteers to help enforce its formation, and also made attempts to mend ties with Bulgaria, admitting that the Treaty of Berlin, and Tsar Alexander III's policies were the cause for the cooling of relations between the two. In addition, Tsar Cyril I also took the time to understand and accept why Bulgaria sided with the Central Powers. He stated, "....it is only through understanding Bulgaria's point-of-view, that relations between Russia and Bulgaria can finally be restored to what it was meant to be." Under his rule, Russia acted as a mediator between the disputing Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

It is Tsar Cyril I of Russia who actually convinced Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria to become Eastern Orthodox. Cyril I's political relations with Ferdinand I was known as the "Brotherhood of the Two Tsars".

Secretly, Cyril I had also opposed Ferdinand I's abdication at the hands of the Treaty of Versailles, a fact which had remained undisclosed until 2011, which earned even more pro-Russia rhetoric in Bulgaria. Boris Serebrov's Bulgaria's first post-NATO Head of State stated, "It is quite clear that the late Tsar, Cyril I Vladimirovich Romanov, really did love the people of Bulgaria, and wanted nothing but the best for Bulgarians and Russians, we just had enemies in our way."

Boris Serebrov visited Cyril I's Mausoleum in Moscow.

China[]

The city of Harbin (today Kharbin) was a city in China known for its heavy Russian influence, and was home to an emigre community. Although Cyril understood Sun Yat-Sen, however supported Yuan Shikai over all of the other Chinese nationalists, having strong doubts about the Chinese revolutionaries, and even admonished Chinese leaders that it could lead into a Bolshevik reminiscent in China. Cyril offered Yuan Shikai refuge in Russia. Moreover, in spite of Cyril's support of Yuan Shikai, the post-war Russian state was too beleaguered to send military aid towards the country, which was in a position not much better than Russia.

Pyotr Wrangel too, did not like Sun Yat-Sen, but nonetheless, as Cyril and Wrangel alike considered saw huge importance in trade with China, signed a series of trade agreements with China. The cities of Tianjin and Nanjing, would come to join Harbin later on as being cities of heavy Russian economic activity as the former already had heavy European activity, namely German. Russian volunteers would later aid various northern governments of China against the Northern Expedition led by Chiang Kai-Shek.

Assassination attempts[]

There were many ultra-conservatives who were unhappy with Cyril cooperated with Leftists, with many seeing this as a hypocritical move on his part. These people regarded him as a traitor who in a closeted-manner, joined the Bolsheviks. Therefore, while in eastern Russia, a group referring to themselves as the Right Hand of God (Десница Бога) was formed, and would carry out assassinations against the Tsar's associates.

In Novosibirsk, while giving a speech, one of the guards, who ended being a member of the Right Hand, attempted to shoot Cyril, until Baron Wrangel shot him first. Although initially expecting a Bolshevik fringe, the Tsar learned it was from ultra-conservatives who opposed him as the Tsar.

While they claimed Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg as their master, he himself was in reality, despite opposing Cyril I as the Tsar, was uninvolved, living overseas in China, and had abandoned Russian politics. Therefore, it became clear to the Tsar there were still hostile forces operating in the Russian Empire, but not Bolsheviks, rather ultra-conservatives.

The Tsar underwent many assassination attempts from ultra-conservatives.

Therefore, the Tsar declared martial law in Russia, reminiscent to the Bolshevist terror regimes. Cyril I as a result, become the most-ridiculed ruler within the League of Nations, subject to harsh criticisms from western leaders, but still was a so-called "ally" with the former Triple Entente.

For his role in helping the Kuomintang, President Sun Yat-Sen agreed to arrest anyone plotting the Tsar's murder, once-again, putting Baron Ungern on trial. However, he was released after no evidence was found, and although he retained his Russian citizenship, chose not to become involved in Russian politics, having practically been de facto banned from the military and authoritative bodies.

Legacy[]

Cyril the Reformer has left one of the greatest impacts of modern-day monarchies, namely in promoting a hybrid of an autocracy, as well as a democracy and national socialism. He is considered a national hero in Russia, and via his legacy, a "Living Tsar". His descendants and succeeding autocrats, Vladimir the Tumultuous and Maria the Gracious, have continued his policy of making Russia a have of progressivism, without abandoning Russian and Orthodox tradition. After World War II, many leaders, East and West visited Cyril's mausoleum in Moscow.

His ability to unite opposing forces across Russia, even the most radically unlikely (such as the Baltic separatists) and the subsequent White victory, has undoubtedly earned him the title as the "Greatest Tsar" in Russian history, and has been stated as the man who did what "...no other Tsar could do".

During the days of American global domination, Cyril's legacy was respected in many NATO countries.

The Mausoleum of Cyril the Reformer (OTE: Lenin's Mausoleum) is a tourist site across Russia today. Many historians claim that if it weren't for Cyril, then the Bolsheviks would have surely won.