>>512790690
The Russian royals were odd in their ways, but commendable in their actions. Alexander was the czar that emancipated the serfs in Russia, while Lincoln was considered the president to do away with slavery in America, so the friendship was built on their shared thinking. Add to that the fact that the British were the mortal enemy of all continental Europeans, and the fact that the British empire supported the south in the American civil war, and you can understand why Russia would not want to just leave an undefended Alaska up for grabs.
>>512790796
Precisely so, but it wasn't exactly "given away", rather offered to America for a favourable price.
Interestingly, both Alexander the 2nd and Lincoln were assassinated...