The period ofNicholas I ruling had been continuing nearly thirty years and had got different estimations in Russian historiography. Pre-revolutionary historians did not deny the conservative preservative character of Nicholas I politics, but on the other hand, they admitted the presence of reformative views in his activity. The Soviet historiography underlined the reactional character of his government.

The contemporary Russian historians had more considered approach and accentuated the contradictory character of Nicholas I politics. This article reveals the question of the reason of this contrariety.