The elimination of serfdom was associated with the need for constitutional restrictions on monarchical power. In 1814, communities of guards officers emerged on an ideological basis, the so-called “artels”. From two artels: the “Sacred” and the “Semyonovsky Regiment”, the Union of Salvation was formed in St. Petersburg at the beginning of 1816.
Prerequisites for the uprising
The conspirators decided to take advantage of the complex legal situation that had developed around the rights to the throne after the death of Alexander I. On the one hand, there was a secret document confirming the long-standing renunciation of the throne by the brother next to the childless Alexander in seniority, Konstantin Pavlovich, which gave an advantage to the next brother, who was extremely unpopular among the highest military-bureaucratic elite to Nikolai Pavlovich. On the other hand, even before the opening of this document, Nikolai Pavlovich, under pressure from the Governor-General of St. Petersburg, Count M.A. Miloradovich, hastened to renounce his rights to the throne in favor of Konstantin Pavlovich.
Uprising plan
The Decembrists decided to prevent the troops and the Senate from taking the oath to the new king. The rebel troops were supposed to occupy the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress, the royal family was planned to be arrested and, under certain circumstances, killed. A dictator was elected to lead the uprising - Prince Sergei Trubetskoy.
After this, it was planned to demand that the Senate publish a national Manifesto, which would proclaim the “destruction former board"and the establishment of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. It was supposed to make Count Speransky and Admiral Mordvinov its members (later they became members of the trial of the Decembrists).
Deputies had to approve a new fundamental law - the constitution. If the Senate did not agree to publish the people's manifesto, it was decided to force it to do so. The manifesto contained several points: the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government, the abolition of serfdom, equality of all before the law, democratic freedoms (press, confession, labor), the introduction of jury trials, the introduction of compulsory military service for all classes, election of officials, abolition of the poll tax.
After this, a National Council (Constituent Assembly) was to be convened, which was to decide the form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic. In the second case, the royal family would have to be sent abroad. In particular, Ryleev proposed sending Nikolai to Fort Ross.
Events of December 14, 1825
It is worth noting that, unlike his brother, Alexander I, who regularly received reports about the growth of the spirit of freethinking in the troops and about conspiracies directed against him, Nicholas I did not even suspect the existence of secret army societies. He was shocked and depressed by the events of December 14 (26). In his letter to Nicholas on December 20, 1825 (January 1, 1826), Konstantin Pavlovich wrote:
Great God, what events! This bastard was unhappy that he had an angel as his sovereign, and conspired against him! What do they need? This is monstrous, terrible, covers everyone, even if they are completely innocent, who did not even think about what happened!
However, a few days before this, Nikolai was warned about the intentions of the secret societies by the chief of the General Staff I. I. Dibich and the Decembrist Ya. I. Rostovtsev (the latter considered the uprising against the tsar incompatible with noble honor). At 7 o'clock in the morning, the senators took the oath to Nicholas and proclaimed him emperor. Trubetskoy, who was appointed dictator, did not appear. The rebel regiments continued to stand on Senate Square until the conspirators could come to a common decision on the appointment of a new leader. 
Hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, St. Petersburg Military Governor-General, Count Mikhail Miloradovich, appearing on horseback in front of the soldiers lined up in a square, “said that he himself willingly wanted Constantine to be emperor, but what to do if he refused: he assured them that he himself saw the new renunciation and persuaded them to believe it.” E. Obolensky, leaving the ranks of the rebels, convinced Miloradovich to drive away, but seeing that he was not paying attention to this, he easily wounded him in the side with a bayonet. At the same time, Kakhovsky shot the Governor General with a pistol (the wounded Miloradovich was taken to the barracks, where he died that same day). Colonel Sturler and Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich tried unsuccessfully to bring the soldiers into obedience. Then the rebels twice repulsed the attack of the Horse Guards led by Alexei Orlov.
A large crowd of St. Petersburg residents gathered on the square and the main mood of this huge mass, which, according to contemporaries, numbered in tens of thousands of people, was sympathy for the rebels. They threw logs and stones at Nicholas and his retinue. Two “rings” of people were formed - the first consisted of those who came earlier, it surrounded the square of the rebels, and the second ring was formed of those who came later - their gendarmes were no longer allowed into the square to join the rebels, and they stood behind the government troops who surrounded the rebel square. Nikolai, as can be seen from his diary, understood the danger of this environment, which threatened great complications. He doubted his success, “seeing that the matter was becoming very important, and not yet foreseeing how it would end.” It was decided to prepare crews for members royal family for a possible escape to Tsarskoe Selo. Later, Nikolai told his brother Mikhail many times: “The most amazing thing in this story is that you and I weren’t shot then.”
Nicholas sent Metropolitan Seraphim and Kyiv Metropolitan Eugene to persuade the soldiers. But in response, according to the testimony of Deacon Prokhor Ivanov, the soldiers began to shout to the metropolitans: “What kind of metropolitan are you, when in two weeks you swore allegiance to two emperors... We don’t believe you, go away!..”. The metropolitans interrupted the soldiers' conviction when the Life Guards Grenadier Regiment and Guards Crew, under the command of Nikolai Bestuzhev and Lieutenant Anton Arbuzov, appeared on the square.
But the gathering of all the rebel troops took place only two years later. extra hours after the start of the uprising. An hour before the end of the uprising, the Decembrists elected a new “dictator” - Prince Obolensky. But Nicholas managed to take the initiative into his own hands and the encirclement of the rebels by government troops, more than four times the number of the rebels, was already completed. In total, 30 Decembrist officers brought about 3,000 soldiers to the square. According to Gabaev’s calculations, 9 thousand infantry bayonets, 3 thousand cavalry sabers were collected against the rebel soldiers, in total, not counting the artillerymen called up later (36 guns), at least 12 thousand people. Because of the city, another 7 thousand infantry bayonets and 22 cavalry squadrons, that is, 3 thousand sabers, were called up and stopped at the outposts as a reserve, that is, in total, another 10 thousand people stood in reserve at the outposts.
Nikolai was afraid of the onset of darkness, since most of all he feared that “the excitement would not be communicated to the mob,” which could become active in the dark. Guards artillery appeared from the Admiralteysky Boulevard under the command of General I. Sukhozanet. A volley of blank charges was fired at the square, which had no effect. Then Nikolai ordered to shoot with grapeshot. The first salvo was fired above the ranks of the rebel soldiers - at the “mob” on the roof of the Senate building and the roofs of neighboring houses. The rebels responded to the first volley of grapeshot with rifle fire, but then they began to flee under a hail of grapeshot. According to V.I. Shteingel: “It could have been limited to this, but Sukhozanet fired a few more shots along the narrow Galerny Lane and across the Neva towards the Academy of Arts, where more of the crowd of curious people fled!” . Crowds of rebel soldiers rushed onto the Neva ice to move to Vasilyevsky Island. Mikhail Bestuzhev tried to again form soldiers into battle formation on the ice of the Neva and go on the offensive against the Peter and Paul Fortress. The troops lined up, but were fired at by cannonballs. The cannonballs hit the ice, and it split, many drowned.
Victims
By nightfall the uprising was over. Hundreds of corpses remained in the square and streets. Based on the papers of the official of the III Department M. M. Popov, N. K. Shilder wrote:
| After the artillery fire ceased, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich ordered Chief of Police General Shulgin to remove the corpses by morning. Unfortunately, the perpetrators acted in the most inhumane manner. On the night on the Neva, from the Isaac Bridge to the Academy of Arts and further to the side of Vasilievsky Island, many ice holes were made, into which not only corpses were lowered, but, as they claimed, also many wounded, deprived of the opportunity to escape from the fate that awaited them. Those of the wounded who managed to escape hid their injuries, afraid to open up to doctors, and died without medical care. |
Arrest and trial
371 soldiers of the Moscow Regiment, 277 of the Grenadier Regiment and 62 sailors of the Sea Crew were immediately arrested and sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The arrested Decembrists were brought to the Winter Palace. Emperor Nicholas himself acted as an investigator.
By decree of December 17 (29), a Commission was established for research into malicious societies, chaired by Minister of War Alexander Tatishchev. On May 30 (June 11), the investigative commission presented Emperor Nicholas I with a report compiled by D. N. Bludov. The manifesto of June 1 (13) established the Supreme Criminal Court of three state classes: the State Council, the Senate and the Synod, with the addition of “several persons from the highest military and civil officials.” A total of 579 people were involved in the investigation. Found guilty 287. Five were sentenced to death (K.F. Ryleev, P.I. Pestel, P.G. Kakhovsky, M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, S.I. Muravyov-Apostol). 120 people were exiled to hard labor in Siberia or to a settlement.
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Notes
- , With. 8.
- , With. 9.
- , With. 322.
- , With. 12.
- , With. 327.
- , With. 36-37, 327.
- From Trubetskoy's notes.
- , With. 13.
- [Vladimir Emelianenko. California dream of the Decembrists]
- V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society. - M.: MSU, 1981. - P. 345.
- , With. 222.
- From Shteingel's memoirs.
- , With. 223.
- , With. 224.
- N. K. Schilder. T. 1 // Emperor Nicholas the First. His life and reign. - St. Petersburg, 1903. - P. 516.
- V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society. - Moscow: MSU, 1981. - P. 329.
Decembrist Museums
- Irkutsk Regional Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists
- Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky Museum of Decembrists (Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky)
- Kurgan Museum of the Decembrists (Kurgan city)
- Museum "Church of the Decembrists" (city of Chita)
- Museum of the Decembrists (city of Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk region)
Movie
Literature
- Gordin Ya. Revolt of the reformers. December 14, 1825. L.: Lenizdat, 1989
- Gordin Ya. Revolt of the reformers. After the mutiny. M.: TERRA, 1997.
- Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society/ Ed. V. A. Fedorov. - Moscow: MSU, 1981.
- Decembrists in Ukraine: follow-up materials / Emphasis. G. D. Kazmirchuk, Yu. V. Latish; Sci. ed. prof. G. D. Kazmirchuk. T. 7. K., 2013. 440 p.
See also
Links
- . Can be increased
- Nikolai Troitsky
An excerpt characterizing the Decembrist Uprising
- Oh my God! God bless! - said Princess Marya, - we must go meet him: he doesn’t know Russian.Princess Marya threw on her shawl and ran towards those traveling. When she passed the front hall, she saw through the window that some kind of carriage and lanterns were standing at the entrance. She went out onto the stairs. There was a tallow candle on the railing post and it was flowing from the wind. The waiter Philip, with a frightened face and another candle in his hand, stood below, on the first landing of the stairs. Even lower, around the bend, along the stairs, moving footsteps in warm boots could be heard. And some familiar voice, as it seemed to Princess Marya, said something.
- God bless! - said the voice. - And father?
“They’ve gone to bed,” answered the voice of the butler Demyan, who was already downstairs.
Then the voice said something else, Demyan answered something, and footsteps in warm boots began to approach faster along the invisible bend of the stairs. “This is Andrey! - thought Princess Marya. No, this cannot be, it would be too unusual,” she thought, and at the same moment as she was thinking this, on the platform on which the waiter stood with a candle, the face and figure of Prince Andrei appeared in a fur coat with a collar sprinkled with snow. Yes, it was him, but pale and thin, and with a changed, strangely softened, but alarming expression on his face. He walked onto the stairs and hugged his sister.
-You didn’t receive my letter? - he asked, and without waiting for an answer, which he would not have received, because the princess could not speak, he returned, and with the obstetrician, who entered after him (he met with him at the last station), with quick steps again he entered the stairs and again hugged his sister. - What fate! - he said, “Dear Masha,” and, throwing off his fur coat and boots, he went to the princess’s quarters.
The little princess was lying on pillows, wearing a white cap. (Suffering had just released her.) Black hair curled in strands around her sore, sweaty cheeks; her rosy, lovely mouth with a sponge covered with black hairs was open, and she smiled joyfully. Prince Andrei entered the room and stopped in front of her, at the foot of the sofa on which she was lying. Brilliant eyes, looking childish, scared and excited, stopped at him without changing expression. “I love you all, I haven’t done harm to anyone, why am I suffering? help me,” her expression said. She saw her husband, but did not understand the significance of his appearance now before her. Prince Andrei walked around the sofa and kissed her on the forehead.
“My darling,” he said: a word he had never spoken to her. - God is merciful. “She looked at him questioningly, childishly and reproachfully.
– I expected help from you, and nothing, nothing, and so did you! - said her eyes. She wasn't surprised that he came; she did not understand that he had arrived. His arrival had nothing to do with her suffering and its relief. The torment began again, and Marya Bogdanovna advised Prince Andrei to leave the room.
The obstetrician entered the room. Prince Andrei went out and, meeting Princess Marya, again approached her. They started talking in a whisper, but every minute the conversation fell silent. They waited and listened.
“Allez, mon ami, [Go, my friend,” said Princess Marya. Prince Andrey again went to his wife and sat down in the next room, waiting. Some woman came out of her room with a frightened face and was embarrassed when she saw Prince Andrei. He covered his face with his hands and sat there for several minutes. Pathetic, helpless animal groans were heard from behind the door. Prince Andrei stood up, went to the door and wanted to open it. Someone was holding the door.
- You can’t, you can’t! – a frightened voice said from there. “He began to walk around the room. The screams stopped and a few seconds passed. Suddenly a terrible scream - not her scream, she could not scream like that - was heard in the next room. Prince Andrei ran to the door; The scream stopped and the child's cry was heard.
“Why did they bring the child there? thought Prince Andrei at the first second. Child? Which one?... Why is there a child there? Or was it a baby born? When he suddenly realized all the joyful meaning of this cry, tears choked him, and he, leaning with both hands on the windowsill, sobbed, began to cry, as children cry. The door opened. The doctor, with his shirt sleeves rolled up, without a frock coat, pale and with a shaking jaw, left the room. Prince Andrey turned to him, but the doctor looked at him in confusion and, without saying a word, walked past. The woman ran out and, seeing Prince Andrei, hesitated on the threshold. He entered his wife's room. She lay dead in the same position in which he had seen her five minutes ago, and the same expression, despite the fixed eyes and the paleness of her cheeks, was on that charming, childish face with a sponge covered with black hairs.
“I love you all and have never done anything bad to anyone, so what did you do to me?” her lovely, pitiful, dead face spoke. In the corner of the room, something small and red grunted and squeaked in Marya Bogdanovna’s white, shaking hands.
Two hours after this, Prince Andrei entered his father’s office with quiet steps. The old man already knew everything. He stood right at the door, and as soon as it opened, the old man silently, with his senile, hard hands, like a vice, grabbed his son’s neck and sobbed like a child.
Three days later the funeral service was held for the little princess, and, bidding farewell to her, Prince Andrei ascended the steps of the coffin. And in the coffin was the same face, although with closed eyes. “Oh, what have you done to me?” it said everything, and Prince Andrei felt that something was torn away in his soul, that he was guilty of a guilt that he could not correct or forget. He couldn't cry. The old man also entered and kissed her wax hand, which lay calmly and high on the other, and her face said to him: “Oh, what and why did you do this to me?” And the old man turned away angrily when he saw this face.
Five days later, the young Prince Nikolai Andreich was baptized. The mother held the diapers with her chin while the priest smeared the boy’s wrinkled red palms and steps with a goose feather.
The godfather grandfather, afraid to drop him, shuddering, carried the baby around the dented tin font and handed him over to his godmother, Princess Marya. Prince Andrei, frozen with fear that the child would not be drowned, sat in another room, waiting for the end of the sacrament. He looked joyfully at the child when the nanny carried him out to him, and nodded his head approvingly when the nanny told him that a piece of wax with hairs thrown into the font did not sink, but floated along the font.
Rostov's participation in Dolokhov's duel with Bezukhov was hushed up through the efforts of the old count, and Rostov, instead of being demoted, as he expected, was appointed adjutant to the Moscow governor general. As a result, he could not go to the village with his whole family, but remained with his new position all summer in Moscow. Dolokhov recovered, and Rostov became especially friendly with him during this time of his recovery. Dolokhov lay sick with his mother, who loved him passionately and tenderly. The old woman Marya Ivanovna, who fell in love with Rostov for his friendship with Fedya, often told him about her son.
“Yes, Count, he is too noble and pure of soul,” she used to say, “for our current, corrupted world.” Nobody likes virtue, it hurts everyone's eyes. Well, tell me, Count, is this fair, is this fair on Bezukhov’s part? And Fedya, in his nobility, loved him, and now he never says anything bad about him. In St. Petersburg, they joked about these pranks with the quarterly, because they did it together? Well, Bezukhov had nothing, but Fedya bore everything on his shoulders! After all, what did he endure! Suppose they returned it, but how could they not return it? I think there weren’t many brave men and sons of the fatherland like him there. Well now - this duel! Do these people have a sense of honor? Knowing that he is the only son, challenge him to a duel and shoot so straight! It's good that God had mercy on us. And for what? Well, who doesn’t have intrigue these days? Well, if he is so jealous? I understand, because he could have made me feel it before, otherwise it went on for a year. And so, he challenged him to a duel, believing that Fedya would not fight because he owed him. What baseness! What disgusting! I know you understood Fedya, my dear count, that’s why I love you with my soul, believe me. Few people understand him. This is such a high, heavenly soul!
Dolokhov himself often, during his recovery, spoke to Rostov such words that could not have been expected from him. “They consider me an evil person, I know,” he used to say, “so be it.” I don’t want to know anyone except those I love; but whom I love, I love him so much that I will give my life, and I will crush the rest if they stand on the road. I have an adored, unappreciated mother, two or three friends, including you, and I pay attention to the rest only as much as they are useful or harmful. And almost everyone is harmful, especially women. Yes, my soul,” he continued, “I have met loving, noble, sublime men; but I haven’t met women yet, except for corrupt creatures - countesses or cooks, it doesn’t matter. I have not yet encountered that heavenly purity and devotion that I look for in a woman. If I found such a woman, I would give my life for her. And these!...” He made a contemptuous gesture. “And do you believe me, if I still value life, then I value it only because I still hope to meet such a heavenly being who would revive, purify and exalt me.” But you don't understand this.
“No, I understand very much,” answered Rostov, who was under the influence of his new friend.
In the fall, the Rostov family returned to Moscow. At the beginning of winter, Denisov also returned and stayed with the Rostovs. This first time of the winter of 1806, spent by Nikolai Rostov in Moscow, was one of the happiest and most cheerful for him and for his entire family. Nikolai brought many young people with him to his parents’ house. Vera was twenty years old, a beautiful girl; Sonya is a sixteen-year-old girl in all the beauty of a newly blossoming flower; Natasha is half a young lady, half a girl, sometimes childishly funny, sometimes girlishly charming.
In the Rostov house at that time there was some kind of special atmosphere of love, as happens in a house where there are very nice and very young girls. Every young man who came to the Rostovs’ house, looking at these young, receptive, smiling girlish faces for something (probably at their happiness), at this animated running around, listening to this inconsistent, but affectionate to everyone, ready for anything, hope-filled babble of a woman The youth, listening to these inconsistent sounds, now singing, now music, experienced the same feeling of readiness for love and expectation of happiness, which the youth of the Rostov house themselves experienced.
Among the young people introduced by Rostov, one of the first was Dolokhov, who was liked by everyone in the house, with the exception of Natasha. She almost quarreled with her brother over Dolokhov. She insisted that he angry man that in the duel with Bezukhov Pierre was right, and Dolokhov was to blame, that he was unpleasant and unnatural.
“I don’t understand anything,” Natasha shouted with stubborn willfulness, “he’s angry and without feelings.” Well, I love your Denisov, he was a carouser and that’s all, but I still love him, so I understand. I don’t know how to tell you; He has everything planned, and I don’t like it. Denisova...
“Well, Denisov is a different matter,” answered Nikolai, making him feel that in comparison with Dolokhov, even Denisov was nothing, “you need to understand what kind of soul this Dolokhov has, you need to see him with his mother, this is such a heart!”
“I don’t know this, but I feel awkward with him.” And do you know that he fell in love with Sonya?
- What nonsense...
- I'm sure you'll see. – Natasha’s prediction came true. Dolokhov, who did not like the company of ladies, began to visit the house often, and the question of who he was traveling for was soon (although no one spoke about it) was resolved so that he was traveling for Sonya. And Sonya, although she would never have dared to say this, knew this and every time, like a redneck, she blushed when Dolokhov appeared.
Dolokhov often dined with the Rostovs, never missed a performance where they were, and attended balls of adolescentes [teenagers] at Iogel’s, where the Rostovs always attended. He paid preferential attention to Sonya and looked at her with such eyes that not only she could not stand this look without blushing, but also the old countess and Natasha blushed when they noticed this look.
It was clear that this strong, strange man was under the irresistible influence exerted on him by this dark, graceful, loving girl.
Rostov noticed something new between Dolokhov and Sonya; but he did not define to himself what kind of new relationship this was. “They are all in love with someone there,” he thought about Sonya and Natasha. But he was not as comfortable with Sonya and Dolokhov as before, and he began to be at home less often.
Since the autumn of 1806, everything again started talking about the war with Napoleon even more fervently than last year. Not only were recruits appointed, but also 9 more warriors out of a thousand. Everywhere they cursed Bonaparte with anathema, and in Moscow there was only talk about the upcoming war. For the Rostov family, the whole interest of these preparations for war lay only in the fact that Nikolushka would never agree to stay in Moscow and was only waiting for the end of Denisov’s leave in order to go with him to the regiment after the holidays. The upcoming departure not only did not prevent him from having fun, but also encouraged him to do so. He spent most of his time outside the house, at dinners, evenings and balls.
XI
On the third day of Christmas, Nikolai had dinner at home, which lately rarely happened to him. It was officially a farewell dinner, since he and Denisov were leaving for the regiment after Epiphany. About twenty people were having lunch, including Dolokhov and Denisov.
Never in the Rostov house did the air of love, the atmosphere of love, make itself felt with such force as on these holidays. “Catch moments of happiness, force yourself to love, fall in love yourself! Only this one thing is real in the world - the rest is all nonsense. And that’s all we’re doing here,” said the atmosphere. Nikolai, as always, having tortured two pairs of horses and not having had time to visit all the places where he needed to be and where he was called, arrived home just before lunch. As soon as he entered, he noticed and felt the tense, loving atmosphere in the house, but he also noticed a strange confusion reigning between some of the members of the society. Sonya, Dolokhov, the old countess and a little Natasha were especially excited. Nikolai realized that something was going to happen before dinner between Sonya and Dolokhov, and with his characteristic sensitivity of heart he was very gentle and careful during dinner in dealing with both of them. On the same evening of the third day of the holidays there was supposed to be one of those balls at Yogel (the dance teacher), which he gave on holidays for all his students and female students.
- Nikolenka, will you go to Yogel? Please go,” Natasha told him, “he especially asked you, and Vasily Dmitrich (it was Denisov) is going.”
“Wherever I go on the orders of Mr. Athena!” said Denisov, who jokingly placed himself in the Rostov house on the foot of the knight Natasha, “pas de chale [dance with a shawl] is ready to dance.”
- If I have time! “I promised the Arkharovs, it’s their evening,” Nikolai said.
“And you?...” he turned to Dolokhov. And just now I asked this, I noticed that this shouldn’t have been asked.
“Yes, maybe...” Dolokhov answered coldly and angrily, looking at Sonya and, frowning, with exactly the same look as he looked at Pierre at the club dinner, he looked again at Nikolai.
“There is something,” thought Nikolai, and this assumption was further confirmed by the fact that Dolokhov left immediately after dinner. He called Natasha and asked what was it?
“I was looking for you,” Natasha said, running out to him. “I told you, you still didn’t want to believe,” she said triumphantly, “he proposed to Sonya.”
No matter how little Nikolai did with Sonya during this time, something seemed to come off in him when he heard this. Dolokhov was a decent and in some respects a brilliant match for the dowry-free orphan Sonya. From the point of view of the old countess and the world, it was impossible to refuse him. And therefore Nikolai’s first feeling when he heard this was anger against Sonya. He was preparing to say: “And great, of course, we must forget childhood promises and accept the offer”; but before he had time to say this...
– You can imagine! She refused, completely refused! – Natasha spoke. “She said she loves someone else,” she added after a short silence.
“Yes, my Sonya could not have done otherwise!” thought Nikolai.
“No matter how much my mother asked her, she refused, and I know she won’t change what she said...
- And mom asked her! – Nikolai said reproachfully.
“Yes,” said Natasha. - You know, Nikolenka, don’t be angry; but I know that you will not marry her. I know, God knows why, I know for sure, you won’t get married.
“Well, you don’t know that,” said Nikolai; – but I need to talk to her. What a beauty this Sonya is! – he added smiling.
- This is so lovely! I'll send it to you. - And Natasha, kissing her brother, ran away.
A minute later Sonya came in, frightened, confused and guilty. Nikolai approached her and kissed her hand. This was the first time on this visit that they spoke face to face and about their love.
“Sophie,” he said timidly at first, and then more and more boldly, “if you want to refuse not only a brilliant, profitable match; but he is a wonderful, noble man... he is my friend...
Sonya interrupted him.
“I already refused,” she said hastily.
- If you refuse for me, then I’m afraid that on me...
Sonya interrupted him again. She looked at him with pleading, frightened eyes.
“Nicolas, don’t tell me that,” she said.
- No, I have to. Maybe this is suffisance [arrogance] on my part, but it’s better to say. If you refuse for me, then I must tell you the whole truth. I love you, I think, more than anyone...
“That’s enough for me,” Sonya said, flushing.
- No, but I have fallen in love a thousand times and will continue to fall in love, although I do not have such a feeling of friendship, trust, love for anyone as for you. Then I'm young. Maman doesn't want this. Well, it's just that I don't promise anything. And I ask you to think about Dolokhov’s proposal,” he said, having difficulty pronouncing his friend’s last name.
- Don't tell me that. I don't want anything. I love you like a brother, and will always love you, and I don’t need anything more.
“You are an angel, I am not worthy of you, but I am only afraid of deceiving you.” – Nikolai kissed her hand again.
Yogel had the most fun balls in Moscow. This was what the mothers said, looking at their adolescentes [girls] performing their newly learned steps; this was said by the adolescentes and adolescents themselves, [girls and boys] who danced until they dropped; these grown-up girls and young men who came to these balls with the idea of condescending to them and finding the best fun in them. In the same year, two marriages took place at these balls. The two pretty princesses of the Gorchakovs found suitors and got married, and even more so they launched these balls into glory. What was special about these balls was that there was no host and hostess: there was the good-natured Yogel, like flying feathers, shuffling around according to the rules of art, who accepted tickets for lessons from all his guests; It was that only those who wanted to dance and have fun, like 13 and 14 year old girls who put on long dresses for the first time, want to go to these balls. Everyone, with rare exceptions, was or seemed pretty: they all smiled so enthusiastically and their eyes lit up so much. Sometimes even the best students danced pas de chale, of whom the best was Natasha, distinguished by her grace; but at this last ball only ecosaises, anglaises and the mazurka, which was just coming into fashion, were danced. The hall was taken by Yogel to Bezukhov’s house, and the ball was a great success, as everyone said. There were a lot of pretty girls, and the Rostov ladies were among the best. They were both especially happy and cheerful. That evening, Sonya, proud of Dolokhov’s proposal, her refusal and explanation with Nikolai, was still spinning at home, not allowing the girl to finish her braids, and now she was glowing through and through with impetuous joy.
Natasha, no less proud that she was in long dress, at the real ball, she was even happier. Both were wearing white muslin dresses with pink ribbons.
Natasha became in love from the very minute she entered the ball. She was not in love with anyone in particular, but she was in love with everyone. The one she looked at at the moment she looked at was the one she was in love with.
- Oh, how good! – she kept saying, running up to Sonya.
Nikolai and Denisov walked around the halls, looking at the dancers affectionately and patronizingly.
“How sweet she will be,” Denisov said.
- Who?
“Athena Natasha,” answered Denisov.
“And how she dances, what a g”ation!” after a short silence, he said again.
- Who are you talking about?
“About your sister,” Denisov shouted angrily.
Rostov grinned.
– Mon cher comte; vous etes l"un de mes meilleurs ecoliers, il faut que vous dansiez,” said little Jogel, approaching Nikolai. “Voyez combien de jolies demoiselles.” [My dear Count, you are one of my best students. You need to dance. Look how much pretty girls!] – He made the same request to Denisov, also his former student.
“Non, mon cher, je fe"ai tapisse"ie, [No, my dear, I’ll sit by the wall," Denisov said. “Don’t you remember how badly I used your lessons?”
- Oh no! – Jogel said hastily consoling him. – You were only inattentive, but you had abilities, yes, you had abilities.
The newly introduced mazurka was played; Nikolai could not refuse Yogel and invited Sonya. Denisov sat down next to the old ladies and, leaning his elbows on his saber, stamping his beat, told something cheerfully and made the old ladies laugh, looking at the dancing young people. Yogel, in the first couple, danced with Natasha, his pride and best student. Gently, tenderly moving his feet in his shoes, Yogel was the first to fly across the hall with Natasha, who was timid, but diligently performing steps. Denisov did not take his eyes off her and tapped the beat with his saber, with an expression that clearly said that he himself did not dance only because he did not want to, and not because he could not. In the middle of the figure, he called Rostov, who was passing by, to him.
“It’s not the same at all,” he said. - Is this a Polish mazurka? And she dances excellently. - Knowing that Denisov was even famous in Poland for his skill in dancing the Polish mazurka, Nikolai ran up to Natasha:
- Go and choose Denisov. Here he is dancing! Miracle! - he said.
When it was Natasha’s turn again, she stood up and quickly fingering her shoes with bows, timidly, ran alone across the hall to the corner where Denisov was sitting. She saw that everyone was looking at her and waiting. Nikolai saw that Denisov and Natasha were arguing, smiling, and that Denisov was refusing, but smiling joyfully. He ran up.
Years. The uprising was organized by a group of like-minded nobles, many of them officers of the Guard. They tried to use guard units to prevent Nicholas I from ascending the throne. The goal of the conspirators was the abolition of the autocracy and the abolition of serfdom. The uprising was strikingly different from the conspiracies of the era of palace coups in its goals and had a strong resonance in Russian society, which significantly influenced the socio-political life of the subsequent era of the reign of Nicholas I.
Decembrists
Prerequisites for the uprising
The conspirators decided to take advantage of the complex legal situation that had developed around the rights to the throne after the death of Alexander I. On the one hand, there was a secret document confirming the long-standing renunciation of the throne by the brother next to the childless Alexander in seniority, Konstantin Pavlovich, which gave an advantage to the next brother, who was extremely unpopular among the highest military-bureaucratic elite to Nikolai Pavlovich. On the other hand, even before the opening of this document, Nikolai Pavlovich, under pressure from the Governor-General of St. Petersburg, Count M.A. Miloradovich, hastened to renounce his rights to the throne in favor of Konstantin Pavlovich.
On November 27, the population swore an oath to Constantine. Formally, a new emperor appeared in Russia; several coins with his image were even minted. But Constantine did not accept the throne, but also did not formally renounce it as emperor. An ambiguous and extremely tense interregnum situation was created. Nicholas decided to declare himself emperor. The second oath, the “re-oath,” was scheduled for December 14. The moment the Decembrists had been waiting for had arrived - a change of power. The members of the secret society decided to speak out, especially since the minister already had a lot of denunciations on his desk and arrests could soon begin.
The state of uncertainty lasted for a very long time. After the repeated refusal of Konstantin Pavlovich from the throne, the Senate, as a result of a long night meeting on December 13-14, 1825, recognized the legal rights to the throne of Nikolai Pavlovich.
Uprising plan
The Decembrists decided to prevent the troops and the Senate from taking the oath to the new king. The rebel troops were to occupy the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress, and the royal family was planned to be arrested and, under certain circumstances, killed. A dictator was elected to lead the uprising - Prince Sergei Trubetskoy.
After this, it was planned to demand that the Senate publish a national manifesto, which would proclaim the “destruction of the former government” and the establishment of a Provisional Revolutionary Government. It was supposed to make Count Speransky and Admiral Mordvinov its members (later they became members of the trial of the Decembrists).
Deputies had to approve a new fundamental law - the constitution. If the Senate did not agree to publish the people's manifesto, it was decided to force it to do so. The manifesto contained several points: the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government, the abolition of serfdom, equality of all before the law, democratic freedoms (press, confession, labor), the introduction of jury trials, the introduction of compulsory military service for all classes, the election of officials, the abolition of the poll tax.
After this, a National Council (Constituent Assembly) was to be convened, which was to decide the form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic. In the second case, the royal family would have to be sent abroad. . In particular, Ryleev proposed sending Nikolai to Fort Ross. However, then the plan of the “radicals” (Pestel and Ryleev) involved the murder of Nikolai Pavlovich and, possibly, Tsarevich Alexander.
Events of December 14
However, a few days before this, Nikolai was warned about the intentions of the secret societies by the Chief of the General Staff I. I. Dibich and the Decembrist Ya. I. Rostovtsev (the latter considered the uprising against the tsar incompatible with noble honor). At 7 o'clock in the morning, the senators took the oath to Nicholas and proclaimed him emperor. Trubetskoy, who was appointed dictator, did not appear. The rebel regiments continued to stand on Senate Square until the conspirators could come to a common decision on the appointment of a new leader. . .
A large crowd of St. Petersburg residents gathered on the square and the main mood of this huge mass, which, according to contemporaries, numbered in tens of thousands of people, was sympathy for the rebels. They threw logs and stones at Nicholas and his retinue. Two “rings” of people were formed - the first consisted of those who came earlier, it surrounded the square of the rebels, and the second ring was formed of those who came later - their gendarmes were no longer allowed into the square to join the rebels, and they stood behind the government troops who surrounded the rebel square. Nikolai, as can be seen from his diary, understood the danger of this environment, which threatened great complications. He doubted his success, “seeing that the matter was becoming very important, and not yet foreseeing how it would end.” It was decided to prepare crews for members of the royal family for a possible escape to Tsarskoe Selo. Later, Nikolai told his brother Mikhail many times: “The most amazing thing in this story is that you and I weren’t shot then.”
Nicholas sent Metropolitan Seraphim and Kyiv Metropolitan Eugene to persuade the soldiers. But in response, according to the testimony of Deacon Prokhor Ivanov, the soldiers began to shout to the metropolitans: “What kind of metropolitan are you, when in two weeks you swore allegiance to two emperors... We don’t believe you, go away!..” The metropolitans interrupted the soldiers’ conviction when the Life Guards appeared on the square Grenadier Regiment and Guards Crew, under the command of Nikolai Bestuzhev and the Decembrist Lieutenant Arbuzov.
But the gathering of all the rebel troops occurred only more than two hours after the start of the uprising. An hour before the end of the uprising, the Decembrists elected a new “dictator” - Prince Obolensky. But Nicholas managed to take the initiative into his own hands, and the encirclement of the rebels by government troops, more than four times larger than the rebels in numbers, was already completed. . In total, 30 Decembrist officers brought about 3,000 soldiers to the square. . According to Gabaev’s calculations, 9 thousand infantry bayonets, 3 thousand cavalry sabers were collected against the rebel soldiers, in total, not counting the artillerymen called up later (36 guns), at least 12 thousand people. Because of the city, another 7 thousand infantry bayonets and 22 cavalry squadrons, that is, 3 thousand sabers, were called up and stopped at the outposts as a reserve, that is, in total, another 10 thousand people stood in reserve at the outposts. .
Nikolai was afraid of the onset of darkness, since most of all he feared that “the excitement would not be communicated to the mob,” which could become active in the dark. Guards artillery appeared from the Admiralteysky Boulevard under the command of General I. Sukhozanet. A volley of blank charges was fired at the square, which had no effect. Then Nikolai ordered to shoot with grapeshot. The first salvo was fired above the ranks of the rebel soldiers - at the “mob” on the roof of the Senate building and the roofs of neighboring houses. The rebels responded to the first volley of grapeshot with rifle fire, but then they began to flee under a hail of grapeshot. According to V.I. Shteingel: “It could have been limited to this, but Sukhozanet fired a few more shots along the narrow Galerny Lane and across the Neva towards the Academy of Arts, where more of the crowd of curious people fled!” . Crowds of rebel soldiers rushed onto the Neva ice to move to Vasilyevsky Island. Mikhail Bestuzhev tried to again form soldiers into battle formation on the ice of the Neva and go on the offensive against the Peter and Paul Fortress. The troops lined up, but were fired at by cannonballs. The cannonballs hit the ice and it split, many drowned. .
Arrest and trial
By nightfall the uprising was over. Hundreds of corpses remained in the square and streets. Based on the papers of the official of the III Department M. M. Popov, N. K. Shilder wrote:
After the artillery fire ceased, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich ordered Chief of Police General Shulgin to remove the corpses by morning. Unfortunately, the perpetrators acted in the most inhumane manner. On the night on the Neva, from the Isaac Bridge to the Academy of Arts and further to the side of Vasilievsky Island, many ice holes were made, into which not only corpses were lowered, but, as they claimed, also many wounded, deprived of the opportunity to escape from the fate that awaited them. Those of the wounded who managed to escape hid their injuries, afraid to open up to doctors, and died without medical care.
S. N. Korsakov from the Police Department compiled a certificate on the number of victims during the suppression of the uprising.
During the indignation on December 14, 1825, the following people were killed: generals - 1, staff officers - 1, chief officers of various regiments - 17, lower ranks of the Life Guards - 282, in tailcoats and greatcoats - 39, females - 79, minors - 150, rabble - 903. Total - 1271 people.
371 soldiers of the Moscow Regiment, 277 of the Grenadier Regiment and 62 sailors of the Sea Crew were immediately arrested and sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The arrested Decembrists were brought to the Winter Palace. Emperor Nicholas himself acted as an investigator.
By decree of December 17, 1825, a Commission was established for research into malicious societies, chaired by Minister of War Alexander Tatishchev. On May 30, 1826, the investigative commission presented Emperor Nicholas with an all-submissive report compiled by D. N. Bludov. The manifesto of June 1, 1826 established the Supreme Criminal Court of three state estates: the State Council, the Senate and the Synod, with the addition of “several persons from the highest military and civil officials.” A total of 579 people were involved in the investigation.
Notes
- , With. 8
- , With. 9
- , With. 322
- , With. 12
- , With. 327
- , With. 36-37, 327
- From Trubetskoy's notes.
- , With. 13
- Decembrist uprising. Causes of defeat
- [Vladimir Emelianenko. California dream of the Decembrists]
- , With. 345
- V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society. - Moscow: MSU, 1981. - P. 345.
- , With. 222
- From Shteingel's memoirs.
- , With. 223
- , With. 224
- N. K. Schilder T. 1 // Emperor Nicholas the First. His life and reign. - St. Petersburg, 1903. - P. 516.
- Mikhail Ershov. Repentance of Kondraty Ryleev. Secret materials No. 2, St. Petersburg, 2008.
- V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society. - Moscow: MSU, 1981. - P. 329.
Decembrist Museums
- Irkutsk Regional Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists
- Novoselenginsky Museum of Decembrists (Buryatia)
Movie
Literature
- Academic documentary series "North Star"
- Gordin Ya. Revolt of the reformers. December 14, 1825. L.: Lenizdat, 1989
- Gordin Ya. Revolt of the reformers. After the mutiny. M.: TERRA, 1997.
- Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern society/ Ed. V. A. Fedorov. - Moscow: MSU, 1981.
- Olenin A. N. Private letter about the incident on December 14, 1825 // Russian Archive, 1869. - Issue. 4. - Stb. 731-736; 049-053.
- Svistunov P. A few comments on the latest books and articles about the event of December 14 and the Decembrists // Russian Archive, 1870. - Ed. 2nd. - M., 1871. - Stb. 1633-1668.
- Sukhozanet I.O. December 14, 1825, story of the chief of artillery Sukhozanet / Communication. A. I. Sukhozanet // Russian antiquity, 1873. - T. 7. - No. 3. - P. 361-370.
- Felkner V.I. Notes of Lieutenant General V. I. Felkner. December 14, 1825 // Russian antiquity, 1870. - T. 2. - Ed. 3rd. - St. Petersburg, 1875. - P. 202-230.
See also
Links
| Decembrist uprising on Wikimedia Commons |
The Decembrist uprising on Senate Square in December 1825 was an attempt at a coup d'etat and transformation of the Russian Empire into a constitutional state. It became one of the most significant events of the 19th century after the Patriotic War of 1812.
Who are the Decembrists?
In what year the Decembrist uprising forever changed the course of subsequent revolutionary uprisings is known to everyone. But who is called that and why? Decembrists are members of opposition movements and secret societies that appeared in Russia in early XIX centuries, who took part in the anti-government protest in 1825. They were named after the month of their uprising. The Decembrist movement originated among noble youth, who were strongly impressed by the Great French Revolution. To better understand the goals of the participants in the revolutionary movement of that period, you need to have an idea of the reasons for its beginning and the prerequisites that pushed the young noble officers to such a radical attempt to change power. It is difficult to briefly and succinctly describe the Decembrist uprising; this topic is too broad and interesting.
1812 - influence on minds
The Patriotic War against Napoleonic Army and the liberation campaign of 1813-1815 played a decisive role in shaping the worldview of the future Decembrists. The overwhelming majority of the first Russian revolutionaries were officers who took part in the War of 1812. A long stay in Europe as part of the liberation army became a real revelation for the future Decembrists.
Until the time of their foreign campaigns, the nobles thought little about the humiliating position of the main part of the population. From birth, accustomed to seeing the horrors of serfdom, they did not even think that the slave position of the same human being was simply unacceptable. Visiting European capitals and resorts also did not provide any tangible difference between Russia and the West. Everything changed when, as part of the Russian liberation army, young officers walked across Europe. Then the glaring difference between the situation of European and Russian peasants became visible. Decembrist Yakushkin described in his autobiographical notes how foreign campaigns influenced him and other young officers. They were shocked European civilization, which contrasted strongly with serfdom and disrespect for human rights in Russia.
The Decembrist uprising of 1825 originates from the foreign campaigns of the Russian army also because here the nobles found themselves in close proximity to the people in the form of soldiers. If previously they saw them several hours a week, now they went to liberate Europe in one formation. For the first time in their lives, the noble officers saw that the people were not at all downtrodden and stupid, they deserved a different fate.
The situation in the country on the eve of the uprising
In Russia there has always been a struggle between liberal and conservative trend in domestic politics. Despite the development of productive forces, the steady growth of cities, the emergence of entire industrial areas, economic development The Russian Empire was slowed down serfdom. Everything new came into sharp conflict with the old orders and way of life. Usually this state of affairs usually ends in a revolutionary explosion.
The situation was complicated by the fact that many peasants became militias and took direct part in the fight against Napoleon's troops. Naturally, the people felt like liberators and hoped for a quick improvement in their situation. But this did not happen. The country was ruled by the tsar alone, serfdom continued to exist, and the people still remained powerless.
Creation of secret societies
After the War of 1812, officer communities emerged, which later transformed into the first secret societies. At first it was the “Union of Salvation” and the “Union of Welfare”. They existed for several years until its leaders became aware of traitors among its members. After this, the secret societies were dissolved. In their place, two new ones appeared: “Southern”, headed by Pavel Pestel, and “Northern”, led by Prince Trubetskoy and Nikita Muravyov.
Throughout the existence of the secret societies of the Decembrists, Pestel did not stop working on the development of the Constitution of the future republic. It was supposed to consist of 10 chapters. At the same time, Nikita Muravyov also developed his own version of the basic law. But if Pestel was an ardent supporter of the republic and an enemy of autocracy, then the leader of the “Northern” society adhered to the idea of a constitutional monarchy.
Goals of the movement
The Decembrist uprising had its own clear goals. As the situation in the country changed, they gradually changed. We should not forget that most of the revolutionaries were very young people who believed in justice. Initially, the only goal of the movement was the abolition of serfdom. Then the participants in the secret societies decided to seek the establishment of a constitutional system in Russia and the introduction of civil liberties. But gradually, seeing that the king was increasingly inclined to conservative direction In the development of the country, the future Decembrists came to understand that they would have to act by force. If at the very beginning of the creation of their secret societies the revolutionaries hesitated between introducing a constitutional monarchy and a republic in Russia, then by 1825 the choice was finally made towards the second option.
Now the Decembrists saw the existence of the Romanov dynasty as a threat to the future republic. Thus, a decision was made about a possible regicide. If this happened, power would be concentrated in the hands of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. According to one of the leaders of the movement, Pestel, it was necessary to establish a dictatorship in the country that would last 10-15 years. During this time it was supposed to restore order and introduce new uniform board. Thus, the Decembrist uprising was prepared for a long time and carefully. The plans of its participants underwent strong changes as disappointment sets in from the inaction of the authorities regarding the situation of the peasants.
The main participants in the anti-government protest and their number
The Decembrist uprising on Senate Square in St. Petersburg gathered large number people. Of the members of secret societies, about 30 people took direct part in the rebellion. From the documents it is known that almost 600 alleged rebels were under investigation. Of these, 121 people were convicted.
All participants in the mutiny were nobles, most of them officers. Acting for the people and in their name, they refused to involve the lower class in participation in the performance.
The Decembrist uprising is a year of severe upheavals for the country
The unexpected death of Emperor Alexander I in November 1825 forced the members of the “Northern” society to act in a hurry. They had not planned their performance so early; much was still unprepared and unthought out. But in this interregnum the Decembrists saw an opportunity to realize their plans. This was facilitated by the confusion surrounding the succession to the throne. Konstantin Pavlovich, the brother of the deceased emperor, did not want to rule at all, and Nicholas, who was very disliked among the officers, was literally forced by the governor of St. Petersburg Miloradovich to renounce the throne in favor of Constantine. But he, in turn, does not officially accept imperial powers. And then Nicholas schedules a ceremony for December 14 to bring the troops to re-swear the oath, but to him. Such confusion could not but cause a feeling of bewilderment among the people and soldiers about what was happening. The Decembrists decided to take advantage of this.
It was decided to persuade the troops, commanded by members of secret societies, to occupy the square in front of the Senate, where the oath to the new ruler was to be pronounced, and to prevent this. The Decembrists planned to capture two important state objects: the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress. Members of the royal family were to be arrested or killed. After this, it was planned to force the Senate to read out a manifesto on the change state power.
Course of events on December 14
By 11 o'clock in the morning, about 30 Decembrists brought their troops to Senate Square, but Nicholas, notified in advance of the conspiracy, managed to take the oath of office from the Senate early in the morning. Prince Trubetskoy, appointed leader of the uprising, did not find the strength to appear on the square and take responsibility for possible bloodshed. The Decembrists continued to stand on the square, where Nicholas I appeared with his retinue and government troops. Governor Miloradovich, who arrived at the negotiations, was mortally wounded by Kakhovsky. After this, they opened fire on the rebels with grapeshot. The troops commanded by the Decembrists began to retreat. Those who tried to cross the Neva on the ice were met with cannon fire. By nightfall the uprising was over.
The reasons for the defeat of the first Russian revolutionaries. Reprisals against participants in the uprising
Why the Decembrists’ speech was defeated has long been clarified. They did not trust the people, for whose sake they committed a state crime. A huge crowd gathered in the square that day, sympathizing with the rebels. If they had not been afraid to act together, the outcome of the uprising would have been different. As a result, five Decembrists were executed, more than 120 people were exiled to hard labor.
The Decembrist uprising had another consequence. The rebels' relatives also suffered from it, primarily their wives. Some of them turned out to be incredibly courageous and resignedly went to Siberia after their husbands.
Decembrist uprising and Pushkin
This topic is very interesting and still causes controversy. It is not known for certain whether the great Russian poet was privy to the plans of the Decembrists. It is only known that almost all of them were his close friends. Most researchers of the poet’s life are confident that he not only knew about the plans of the Decembrists, but was also a member of one of the secret societies. In any case, when Emperor Nicholas I directly asked Pushkin whether he would take part in the uprising, he replied that all his friends were conspirators - and he could not refuse.
The poet was under investigation for some time, although it was not he, but his brother, who participated in the conspiracy against the authorities. The Decembrist uprising on Senate Square had the most serious impact on Pushkin's life - after the speech, the emperor became his personal censor, and without his permission not a single poem of the poet could be published.
Conclusion
The Decembrist uprising of 1825 in St. Petersburg had a great influence on the development of the revolutionary movement in Russia. It became a serious lesson - the mistakes of the participants in the anti-government conspiracy were taken into account by their followers.
Russia won the Patriotic War, but what did this victory bring to society? After 1812 Russian Empire organized in the person of the emperor foreign trip against the remnants of Napoleon's army, which ended in 1815. The campaign was successful, Napoleon's army was defeated.
But for Russian society the campaign brought something else. He gave an understanding that life is better in Europe, that the concept of civil law exists, that in some countries there is no serfdom, and most importantly, the officers saw in reality that the autocratic form of government is not the only one that can exist in the state. The December uprising, which took place on December 14, 1825 on Senate Square, was the result of precisely this foreign campaign.
Causes of the Decembrist uprising
The reasons for the Decembrist uprising can be considered secret societies that began to emerge in Russia after 1815. The very first such society was the “Union of Welfare”, which arose in 1818 in St. Petersburg. It included radical young officers and nobles: Pestel, Muravyov-Apostol, the Muravyov brothers, Trubetskoy, etc. This organization had its own charter - the “Green Book”.
The main goal of the organization is to spread education in order to prepare society for the adoption of the constitution by the emperor. But members of society could not decide how society should achieve a constitution. Studying public opinion on this issue, many members of society became disillusioned with the Union of Welfare.
They understood that society was completely unprepared for peaceful ways to achieve such goals; an uprising was needed. Therefore, the Union gradually turned into just a revolutionary gang, where they studied in detail the Spanish revolution and anti-monarchist movements in European countries. At the same time, society participants understood that the participation of the peasantry and any mob in such an uprising was impossible. The coup must be carried out by advanced officers in the name and good of the people. Due to disagreements, the society was dissolved in 1821.
Participants in the Decembrist uprising of 1825
After the collapse of the Union of Welfare, two new societies were created, which became the main organizations that took part in the Decembrist uprising - the Northern and Southern societies.
Pavel Pestel became the head of southern society. He adhered to the idea of revolution in the country and the creation of a republic. He wrote down his ideas in the society’s program - “Russian Truth”. Nikita Muravyov became the head of the Northern Society. He developed his “Constitution” program, which involved limiting the monarchy by introducing a Constitution in the country. Northern society was not as radical as Southern society, but both societies adhered to the same position regarding serfdom - they treated it negatively. If you take general provisions program for the future uprising, it assumed:
- Abolition of serfdom;
- Civil rights and freedoms for the population;
- Introduction of representation in governing bodies.
The most important thing that interested the rebels was the transformation of government. This problem became long overdue in society and inevitable, which is why it led to the Decembrist uprising of 1825.
The course of events of the uprising on Senate Square
Open actions were scheduled for December 14. The main task of the Decembrists was to disrupt the oath to the future emperor. It was expected that he would be arrested, and then change the form of government in the country.
In the morning, the rebels arrived at Senate Square, but almost immediately they learned that the oath to Nicholas had already taken place that night. This happened because the preparations for the uprising took place under poor secrecy, and he already knew about the plans of the conspirators. Standing in the square, the rebels did not know what to do and were inactive for a long time. This played into the hands of the government, which began to gather troops. The Emperor took active action. Most of the guard obeyed him and this decided the outcome of the uprising on Senate Street.
First, Governor General Miloradovich M.A. tried to persuade the rebels to disperse in order to avoid bloodshed. But the Decembrist Kakhovsky P.G. shot him and the general died. This was the last straw and he ordered the massacre to begin. Not wanting much bloodshed, he ordered grapeshot to be fired over the heads of the rebels, and the uprising was defeated.
Mass arrests of participants in the Decembrist uprising began throughout the city. Using the example of punishment of the Decembrists of the uprising, the emperor showed his determination in such matters. He believed that the source of the Decembrist uprising was the constitutional ideas of his brother the emperor, which he considered erroneous. All those arrested were brought to the Peter and Paul Fortress, where they were interrogated in detail. Many of the participants and indirectly involved persons were officers, therefore, following officer's honor, they answered frankly, without hiding anything.
The Supreme Court convicted 121 people. Five people were sentenced to hanging: Pestel, Kakhovsky, Muravyov-Apostol, Bestuzhev-Ryumin and Ryleev. The rest of the Decembrists went to hard labor, and from some of the soldiers they created a special regiment, which was sent to the Caucasus. The severity of the sentences shocked society and forever ruined the moral character of the new emperor. And the uprising on Senate Square remained in history as a failed revolution.
Decembrist uprising video
The Decembrist uprising on Senate Square is one of the greatest and tragic events in Russian history. The emergence of revolutionary movements began long before the overthrow of the imperial dynasty. This was the first time that people had gathered on such a large scale to attack the imperial dynasty. This uprising was supposed to lead to a change of power. Towards the destruction of the Russian Empire and the construction of a new, liberal democratic state. We will consider the causes of the Decembrist uprising, its course and results.
Background
After Patriotic War in 1812, the people did not calm down and began to organize an uprising. Then various secret societies began to form, which should have once led to the emergence of a new revolution. This is what happened in December 1825.
The revolution could not begin without preparation, and the revolutionaries began to prepare in advance. They worked a careful plan, the result of which was not to be anything, but the formation of a new state.
According to their plan, Nicholas I had to abdicate the throne. After which a provisional government would ascend to the throne, which was to be headed by Count Speransky.
After this, the reorganization of state power would begin. The Russian Empire was to become a Constitutional monarchy or a republic. The entire royal family was planned to be killed or sent abroad to Fort Ross
But none of this was destined to happen; the uprising was suppressed by the force of the imperial army. How did it all happen?
Causes of the uprising
The reasons for the December uprising of 1825 include the following factors:
Prerequisites
Various alliances with rebel activities were organized. They actively grew and developed. Despite numerous arrests and counterintelligence resistance from imperial soldiers, many revolutionaries died or abandoned the idea of seizing power, however, new ones took their place. They were waiting for the perfect moment to launch their troops' offensive. At this point, the situation of the ascension to the throne of Nicholas, the emperor’s brother, after the death of Alexander I became ambiguous.
Interregnum
Konstantin Pavlovich, Alexander's older brother, should have inherited the throne after him, since he had no children. But there was a secret document that confirmed Constantine’s renunciation of the throne. He signed it during Alexander’s lifetime. This gave his younger brother Nikolai Pavlovich a chance for the throne. However, he was extremely unpopular among the highest ranks and those close to the royal family.
A double reign situation arose when Constantine was persuaded to ascend the throne, while Nicholas was also persuaded to sign his renunciation. This is what happened: Nicholas, under pressure, abdicates the throne, giving his place to the rightful ruler Constantine. But he still refuses the place offered to him and re-signs his abdication of the throne, explaining at the meeting his decision in favor of his brother.
Only on December 14, after long meetings, the Senate recognized the rights to the throne of Nikolai Pavlovich, after which he immediately took the oath.
This situation led to the fact that the throne seemed to be passed from hand to hand, which shook the social strata of society and the revolutionaries could not help but take advantage of this, since this was the ideal moment for an uprising.
Uprising plan
At this time, the participants in the December uprising were already planning their attack. Their primary goal was to prevent Nicholas from ascending the throne. And all methods were used for this. The Winter Palace had to be captured by killing the soldiers guarding it. They planned to transfer those close to the royal family to their side, and if they refused, they would send them abroad or kill them. The royal family the decision was made to imprison or kill.
The head of the uprising was Sergei Trubetskoy. Active politician and Grand Duke. After the capture, it was necessary to create a new provisional government. And its main legislative body is a special assembly. The main legal act is the Constitution.
On the night of December 14, according to the plan, an assassin was supposed to enter the palace to eliminate the new Emperor Nicholas. However, Kakhovsky, who was appointed to the role of assassin, refused to carry out the order to kill the Tsar. An attack by the Izmailovsky regiment on the Winter Palace was also planned, but Yakubovich refused to lead his troops.
Thus, by the morning of December 14, Emperor Nicholas was alive, and the revolutionaries managed to bring only about 800 agitated soldiers to the square near the winter palace. And their plan for the uprising was not fully realized, but only partially.
Participants
From famous personalities who were part of the conspiracy can be noted:
Uprising on Senate Square
Nicholas I was warned about a possible planned attack. The plans of the Decembrists were revealed to him by one of the members of the secret society, who considered participation in the uprising against the tsar unworthy of the title of nobility. Yakov Ivanovich Rostovtsev was a man of honor and told the tsar about the event planned by the revolutionaries, which could lead to the demise of the Russian Empire.
At seven in the morning Nicholas was already proclaimed emperor. At this time, Senate Square was completely occupied by rebel soldiers. In addition, seeing the events taking place, ordinary people came out onto the streets of St. Petersburg and happily joined the uprising. People turned into an unbridled crowd of angry residents.
When the emperor and his troops approached the palace, they began to throw stones at him with curses and threats. The rebels were surrounded by a ring of soldiers near the palace, and with a second ring they stood at the entrance to the square, preventing newly arrived citizens, who were already crowded together and trying to get to the center of events, from joining the uprising.
Members of the imperial dynasty took refuge in the palace, but with the defeat of the royal troops, a retreat plan was prepared and a carriage was prepared that would take the emperor to shelter in Tsarskoye Selo.
Nicholas sent an ambassador to offer peace and negotiate an agreement on the conditions for ending the uprising. He became Metropolitan Seraphim. However, the people did not listen to him, saying that he had sworn allegiance to two kings in a week. Another person trying to restore order was Governor General Mikhail Miloradovich.
During the negotiations he was severely wounded and later died. After the revolutionaries opened fire on the people sent to negotiate, the soldiers of the imperial army opened fire with grapeshot on the revolutionaries. The crowd was dispersed.
The rebels were surrounded by government troops, four times the number of revolutionaries gathered in the square. When those gathered began to run under a hail of shots, they realized that they could not break through the ring of government troops. They rushed to the Neva to cross the ice to Vasilyevsky Island. However, the ice collapsed and many died in the water. Those who managed to get closer to the island were already met with artillery fire from its shores. By nightfall the uprising was completely suppressed.
Results
On this day, St. Petersburg was drenched in the blood of its citizens. The corpses of rebel soldiers were scattered everywhere on the streets, ordinary people, united in a mad crowd, and the royal guards, bravely defending the Senate Square from the attack.
The wounded rebels were afraid to go to the hospital for help, since they could be arrested and sued for revolutionary activity. Many died from gunshot wounds already at home, deprived of help and hope of salvation. Others sank while crossing the Neva, trying to swim to the shore of Vasilevsky Island in icy water; many died from frostbite.
In total, 277 soldiers from the Grenadier Regiment and 371 from the Moscow Regiment were arrested. More than fifty sailors from the sea crew were also put on trial. They were taken to the royal palace, where the emperor himself acted as judge.
The trial was conducted by the highest judicial body in criminal matters. The five main participants in the uprising were sentenced to death. It was decided to send the rest to hard labor exile in Siberia, where living conditions were the most difficult.
On December 17, Nicholas I decided to establish a new commission, the main goal of which was to identify secret societies, find hiding revolutionaries, and eliminate underground anti-government movements. The leader of the new commission was Minister of War Alexander Tatishchev.
Briefly about the uprising: dates
- 1816 - the emergence of secret organizations with revolutionary movements (Trubetskoy and Muravyov).
- 1818 - transformation of the organization into the Union of Welfare, expansion of staff, increase in the size of the organization.
- 1819 – poisoning of Speransky, leader of liberal movements.
- June 1819 – riots in military settlements.
- January 17, 1820 – reform in universities. Introducing religious beliefs into sections of society, instilling humility.
- June 1820 – reform in publishing rules literary works. Tightening censorship.
- January 1, 1825 - ban on any secret organizations in Russia. Persecution and persecution of different communities.
- 1823 – The Southern Society, led by Pestal, publishes new program“Russian truth”.
- December 14, 1825 – Decembrist uprising.
- 1825 – uprising of the Chernigov regiment.
- 1825 - creation of a special commission to persecute revolutionaries underground.
- July 13, 1826 – trial of the revolutionaries. Enforcement of the sentence.
The Decembrist uprising is important in the history of Russia. This is one of the largest revolutionary movements in history. Despite the failure of the rebels, one cannot ignore the factor of danger to which the Russian Empire was exposed.
The Decembrists lost this war, but the idea of changing society new system did not subside in people's minds. Only a century later, in 1917, can we say that the plans of the Decembrists were fully implemented. After all, their followers took into account all the mistakes and shortcomings of the 1825 uprising. Thus, we can say that it was at that time that the real Civil war, which lasted for centuries and led to very tragic consequences.