The way that Tzar Nicolas I is portrayed in Hidji Morad is as a cruel, conservative, and parinoid man. Nicolas I is seen several times throughout the novel as being very opposed to progress. For example he is bitter about the reforms of 1848 and complains about said reforms throughout the chapter devoted to him. Nicolas I is also very suseptible to sycophants, throughout the description of him Nicolas gives in multiple times to the prais of his army cheif. The effect that this portrayle has on the novel is that it makes all of the events in the novel that take place in the caucases seem very small and uniportant.