Konstantin Petrovich Pobyedonostzev Pobyedonostzev, Konstantin
Petrovich (kənstəntyēnˈ pētrôˈvĭch pəbyĕdənôsˈtsyĭf) [key],
1827–1907, Russian public official and jurist. He was professor
of civil law at Moscow when he attracted the attention of Czar
Alexander II and was appointed (1865) tutor to the future
Alexander III. As procurator of the holy synod (1880–1905), he
became the champion of autocracy, orthodoxy, and Russian
nationalism. He had great power and under his influence
Alexander III opposed any limitation of autocratic powers,
tightened censorship, attempted to suppress opposition opinion,
persecuted religious nonconformists, and adopted a policy of
Russification of all national minorities. Pobyedonostzev also
supported Pan-Slavism and in his writings strongly attacked
Western rationalism and liberalism. He tutored Nicholas II and
was one of his most influential advisers until the Revolution of
1905. He wrote a three-volume work on Russian civil law. See his
Reflections of a Russian Statesman (tr. 1