Nicholas I

Nicholas I was the third son of Emperor Paul I and his wife, Maria Feodorovna. As soon as Nikolai Pavlovich was born (June 25, 1796), his parents enlisted him for military service. He became chief of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, with the rank of colonel.

Three years later, the tsarevich put on the uniform of his regiment for the first time. In May 1800, Nicholas I became the chief of the Izmailovsky Regiment. In 1801, as a result of a palace coup, his father, Paul I, was assassinated.

Nicholas I's real passion was military affairs. His enthusiasm for military service was apparently passed on from his father, and at a genetic level.