Alexander II (1818–1881)

Tsar of Russia Alexander II. Despite his efforts to remove the repressive institutions of his father Nicholas I's reign, continued civil unrest led to his becoming increasingly dictatorial. He was assassinated.

Tsar of Russia from 1855. He embarked on reforms of the army, the government, and education, and is remembered as ‘the Liberator’ for his emancipation of the serfs in 1861, but he lacked the personnel to implement his reforms. However, the revolutionary element remained unsatisfied, and Alexander became increasingly autocratic and reactionary. He was assassinated by an anarchistic terrorist group, the Nihilists.

Alexander II (1198–1249)

King of Scotland from 1214, when he succeeded his father, William the Lion. Alexander supported the English barons in their struggle with King John after Magna Carta. The accession of Henry III of England allowed a rapprochement between the two countries, and the boundaries between England and Scotland were agreed by the Treaty of York in 1237. By the Treaty of Newcastle in 1244 he pledged allegiance to Henry III. Alexander consolidated royal authority in Scotland and was a generous patron of the church.

In 1221 he married Joanna, the sister of Henry III. In 1239, after her death he married Marie de Coucy, with whom he had a son, Alexander III.

Alexander II (died 122 BC)

King of Syria 128–122 BC. He was a merchant set up by Ptolemy VII Physcon as pretender to the Seleucid kingdom. He was defeated and slain by Antiochus VIII Grypus.

Alexander II

King of Epirus, son of Pyrrhus, whom he succeeded 272 BC. He was driven from the kingdom by the king of Macedonia Demetrius II (lived about 276–229 BC), son of Antigonus Gonatas, but was later restored.

Alexander II (died 1075)

Pope 1061–73. He was the nominee of Hildebrand, whose policy he carried out in preparation for the accession of Hildebrand himself (Gregory VII). Alexander sanctioned the Norman invasion of England.