Raised by his grandmother, Empress Catherine II, the European teacher Lagarp - Alexander adheres to liberal views and admires the first years of Napoleon's reign - dreams that Russia will someday have a republic. After the death of his grandmother, he decides to transfer the throne to his father, hoping for reforms. However, he soon becomes disillusioned with Paul both as a father and as a statesman and decides to overthrow him. Unaware that he was thereby condemning his father to a blow on the head with a snuffbox. Tormented by guilt, Alexander is forced to take the throne, to confront the eternally scheming nobles and the domineering mother. At the same time, Alexander understands that Russia is under threat: war with the invincible Napoleon is only a matter of time.