His father was one of the successful generals of Vasily III, but Alexander managed to outshine him at an early age.
During the next decade he not only managed to keep Kazan in Russian hands, but also rebuilt the ruined citadel and converted a large portion of the khanate's population to Christianity.
Ivan the Terrible, apparently, grew jealous of Alexander's popularity in Moscow.
In 1564, the tsar incriminated him of secretly supporting Andrey Kurbsky and plotting against Ivan's life.
He left two daughters, one of them being married to the noblest Muscovite boyar, Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, and another one – to the tsar's brother-in-law, Nikita Romanovich as his second wife.