Causes of the Decembrist uprising
- Disappointment of noble intellectuals with the failure of the liberal reforms declared by Emperor Alexander I upon his accession to the throne.
- Dissatisfaction with the gradual return of power to a reactionary, protective domestic policy
- European education and upbringing received by representatives of the St. Petersburg Light, which made it possible to more sensitively grasp liberal Western ideas.
Most of the Decembrists studied in cadet corps, land, sea, page, and cadet corps were then hotbeds of general liberal education and were least of all similar to technical and military educational institutions *
- The difference in the orders of European and Russian, learned from own experience officers returning from foreign anti-Napoleonic campaigns
- The unjust structure of Russian society: slavery, disrespect for individual rights, contempt for public interests. savagery of morals, rigidity of the people, the difficult position of the Russian soldier in military settlements, indifference of society
Kuchelbecker admitted during interrogation by the investigative commission that main reason What forced him to take part in the secret society was his grief over the corruption of morals discovered among the people as a consequence of oppression. “Looking at the brilliant qualities with which God has endowed the Russian people, the only one in the world in glory and power, I grieved in my soul that all this was suppressed, withering and, perhaps, would soon fall, without bearing any fruit in the world *”
Decembrists
- Prince, colonel, duty staff officer of the 4th Infantry Corps S. Trubetskoy (1790 - 1860)
- Prince, Major General, commander of the 19th Infantry Division S. Volkonsky (1788 - 1865)
- Collegiate assessor I. Pushchin (1798 - 1859)
- Officer (retired) of the Guards Jaeger Regiment M. Yakushkin (1793 - 1857)
- Poet K. Ryleev (1795 - 1826)
- Commander of the Vyatka Infantry Regiment, Colonel P. Pestel (1793 - 1826)
- Retired lieutenant Pyotr Kakhovsky (1799-1826)
- Second Lieutenant of the Poltava Infantry Regiment M. Bestuzhev-Ryumin (1801 - 1826)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Muravyov-Apostol (1796 - 1826)
- Captain of the Guards General Staff N. Muravyov (1795 - 1843)
- General A. Muravyov (1792 - 1863)
- Poet W. Küchelbecker (1797 - 1846)
- General M. Fonvizin (1787 - 1854)
- Retired Lieutenant Colonel M. Muravyov-Apostol (1793-1886)
- Lieutenant Colonel of the Life Guards M. Lunin (1787 - 1845)
- Ruler of the chancellery under St. Petersburg Governor General F. Glinka (1786 - 1880)
- Scientist V. Steingel (1783 - 1862)
- Naval officer, director of the museum at the Admiralty N. Bestuzhev (1791 - 1855)
- Naval officer, galleon commander K. Thorson (1793 - 1851)
Konstantin Petrovich Thorson participated as a midshipman in the battle with the Swedes in the Gulf of Finland in 1808. As a lieutenant on the sloop "Vostok" he circumnavigated the world. In 1824 he was promoted to captain-lieutenant - a brilliant career, a favorite of the fleet, close to the highest circles of the empire. After the defeat December uprising, in 1826, sentenced to hard labor. In the Nerchinsky mines, in the Petrovsky casemate, he pondered a program for the development of the productive forces of Siberia. While in eternal exile in Selenginsk, he set himself the goal of being useful to the region by introducing machines, and he himself built a threshing machine. He was engaged in melon growing. During his voyage to Antarctica on the sloop Vostok, Bellingshausen named the island after him, which was then renamed Vysoky
- Lieutenant of Railways G. Batenkov (1793 - 1863)
- Naval officer V. Romanov (1796 - 1864)
- General Staff Officer N. Basargin (1800 - 1861)
- Naval officer, teacher of the Naval Cadet Corps D. Zavalishin (1804-1892) ………
Goals of the Decembrist uprising
Among its leaders they were vague. “When they went out into the streets, (the leaders) did not carry with them a specific plan government structure; they simply wanted to take advantage of the confusion at court in order to call society to action. Their plan is this: if successful, contact the State Council and the Senate with a proposal to form a provisional government... The provisional government was supposed to manage affairs until the meeting of the Zemstvo Duma... Zemstvo Duma how constituent Assembly and had to develop a new government system. Thus, the leaders of the movement set themselves the goal new order, having left the development of this order to the representatives of the land, it means that the movement was caused not by a specific plan of state structure, but by more boiling feelings that prompted one to somehow direct the matter along a different track”*
Chronology of the Decembrist uprising of 1825
- 1816 - A secret society was formed in St. Petersburg from guards officers of the general staff under the leadership of Nikita Muravyov and Prince Trubetskoy. Called the “Union of Salvation”, it had a vague goal - “to assist the government in good endeavors in eradicating all evil in government and in society.”
- 1818 - the “Union of Salvation” expanded and took the name “Union of Welfare”; the goal is “to promote the good endeavors of the government”
- 1819, March - The author of liberal ideas M. Speransky was sent as governor of Siberia
- 1819 - summer - riots in military settlements in Ukraine
- 1820, January 17 - Alexander approved instructions for managing universities. The basis is religion and education of obedience
- 1820, June - a commission was created to develop new censorship rules
- 1821 - due to the diversity of opinions of the participants, the “Union of Welfare” broke up into two revolutionary societies. The Southern Society in Kyiv was headed by P. Pestel; Northern, in St. Petersburg - Nikita Muravyov.
- 1822, January 1 - decree banning secret societies in Russia
- 1823, January - a political program was adopted at the congress of southern society. called by its author Pestel “Russian Truth”
According to Russkaya Pravda, Russia was supposed to become a republic. Legislative power belonged to the unicameral People's Assembly. Executive power was exercised by the State Duma. control functions belonged to the Supreme Council, the complete abolition of serfdom was assumed
- 1825, December 14 - uprising on Senate Square
- 1825, December 29 - 1826, January 3 - uprising of the Chernigov regiment, led by S. Muravyov-Apostol and M. Bestuzhev-Ryumin
- 1825, December 17 - a Commission was established to investigate malicious societies.
- 1826, July 13 - In the morning, at the very time when physical execution was carried out over those condemned to death, civil execution over other Decembrists, convicted sailors - two captain-lieutenants - K. P. Thorson and N. A. Bestuzhev, eight lieutenants, three midshipmen were sent from the Peter and Paul Fortress to Kronstadt.
At the fortress pier they were loaded onto two twelve-oared whaleboats, on which they could pass under the low St. Isaac's Bridge. The schooner "Experience" was waiting for them behind the bridge. The Emperor personally ordered that the sailing schooner be doubled by a steamship, “so that in the event of adverse winds there could be no interruption in delivering the criminals to Kronstadt to the admiral’s ship without fail at the appointed time.”
At six in the morning on July 13, 1826, the convicts were lined up on the deck of the flagship "Prince Vladimir", where, by a signal shot, representatives from all ships of the squadron (both officers and sailors) were called, who were also lined up on the deck of the flagship, on the mast of which a black flag was raised . The convicts wore uniforms with epaulettes. Above them they broke their swords, tore off their epaulettes and uniforms, and threw it all overboard to the beat of drums.
Many of the officers and sailors standing in the square around cried without hiding their tears …
Why did the uprising happen on December 14, 1825?
“Emperor Alexander was childless; the throne after him, according to the law on April 5, 1797, should have passed to the next brother, Konstantin, and Konstantin was also unhappy in family life, divorced his first wife and married a Polish woman; since the children of this marriage could not have the right to the throne, Constantine became indifferent to this right and in 1822, in a letter to his elder brother, renounced the throne. The elder brother accepted the refusal and, with a manifesto of 1823, appointed the brother next to Konstantin, Nikolai, as heir to the throne. (However) this manifesto was not made public or even brought to the attention of the new heir himself. The manifesto was placed in three copies in Moscow in the Assumption Cathedral, in St. Petersburg in the Senate and in the State Council with the sovereign’s own inscription: “Open after my death”*.
On November 19, 1825, Alexander traveled to the south of Russia and died in Taganrog from typhoid fever. This death led to confusion: Grand Duke Nicholas took the oath to Konstantin, and in Warsaw the elder brother, Konstantin, took the oath to the younger, Nicholas. Communication began, which took a lot of time given the roads of that time.
The Northern Secret Society took advantage of this interregnum. Nicholas agreed to accept the throne, and on December 14 the oath of troops and society was appointed. The day before, members of the secret society decided to act. The initiator was Ryleev, who, however, was confident in the failure of the business, but only insisted: “we still need to start, something will come of it.” Prince S. Trubetskoy was appointed dictator. Members of the Northern Society spread in the barracks, where the name of Constantine was popular, the rumor that Constantine did not want to give up the throne at all, that a violent seizure of power was being prepared, and even that the Grand Duke had been arrested.”
Progress of the uprising. Briefly
- On December 29, 1825, the uprising of the Chernigov regiment began, led by S. Muravyov-Apostol and M. Bestuzhev-Ryumin. On January 3 it was suppressed. 121 members of secret societies were sentenced in various ways: from execution to exile to Siberia for hard labor, to settlement, demotion to soldiers, deprivation of ranks, and deprivation of the nobility.
Pestel, Ryleev, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, Bestuzhev-Ryumin and Kakhovsky were sentenced to death and hanged on July 13 under Art. Art. 1826 in the Peter and Paul Fortress
The significance of the Decembrist uprising
- “The Decembrists woke up Herzen. Herzen launched revolutionary agitation. It was picked up, expanded, strengthened, and strengthened by raznochintsy revolutionaries, starting with Chernyshevsky and ending with the heroes of “Narodnaya Volya.” The circle of fighters became wider and their connection with the people became closer. “Young navigators of the future storm,” Herzen called them. But it was not yet the storm itself. The storm is the movement of the masses themselves. The proletariat, the only fully revolutionary class, rose at their head and for the first time raised millions of peasants to open revolutionary struggle. The first onslaught of the storm was in 1905. The next one begins to grow before our eyes."(V.I. Lenin. From the article “In Memory of Herzen” (“Sotsial-Demokrat” 1912)
-
The historian V. Klyuchevsky believed that the main result of the Decembrist uprising was the loss by the Russian nobility and, in particular, the guard, of political significance, political power, the power that it had in the 18th century, overthrowing and elevating Russian tsars to the throne.
*IN. Klyuchevsky. Russian history course. Lecture LXXXIV
The reasons for the uprising... The question of the reasons for their speech was of particular interest to Emperor Nicholas I. After the suppression of the uprising, he addressed this question to the Decembrists themselves, only the question was formulated somewhat differently: “Where did you borrow your free way of thinking?”
He understood perfectly well that only people who were confident in their actions and had clear life guidelines and worldview could take such a decisive step. They did not seek any personal benefits and did not demand anything for themselves, because... they had everything - mostly it was the aristocratic elite.
The Decembrists gave an answer to this question without agreeing, since they were arrested and separated by the blank walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress, but they answered almost the same way.
A. Bestuzhev: “...Napoleon invaded Russia, and then the Russian people first felt their strength; It was then that a sense of independence, first political and later popular, awoke in all hearts. . This is the beginning of free thought in Russia.”
M. A. Fonvizin: “Great events Patriotic War, leaving deep impressions in my soul, produced some kind of restless feeling in me desire for activity."
Ya.M. Andreevich: “I grumbled against God and the Tsar and in this bitterness I tried to investigate the source of all the fury with which my compatriots were being tormented - even at a time when I did not know about any (secret) societies... Tell me what these warriors who saved the capital and the fatherland from a robber enemy who trampled the shrine? So they, no one else, saved Russia... Is this the kind of retribution they received for their bravery?? No, after that even more oppression increased.”
P.G. Kakhovsky: “We... had a word that shook the hearts of all classes of people: Liberty».
P.I. Pestel: “ Spirit of Transformation made, so to speak, minds bubble everywhere.”
V. Kuchelbecker: “Looking at the brilliant qualities with which God has endowed the Russian people, unique in the world in glory and power, in a strong and powerful language, which has no parallel in Europe, in cordiality, kindness, I grieved at heart“that all this is crushed, withers and, perhaps, will soon fall, without bearing any fruit in the world.”
Actually, these words contain the answer to the question about the reasons for the Decembrist uprising. But let's talk about some other circumstances.
The formation of the personality of the Decembrists was influenced by the free spirit of the Lyceum (many of them were its graduates), the ideas of the Enlightenment, the Patriotic War and ordinary Russian reality. The Russian army, proud of its victory over Napoleon, returned to Russia in an aura of glory and in a state of powerful emotional and national uplift. During the foreign campaigns of 1812-1813, soldiers and officers passed through countries where there was no serfdom. When they returned, they saw their country in a slightly different light: it was “unwashed Russia, a country of slaves, a country of masters.” But this was their homeland, which they loved, no matter what, and for which they did not spare their lives, shedding blood in the war.
V. Mazurovsky "Battle of Friedland"
115 future Decembrists took part in the war with Napoleon. All Decembrists who participated in the war were awarded military awards. For the Battle of Borodino alone, six of them, including P.I. Pestel and M.S. Lunin, received golden swords with the inscription “For bravery.”
The soldiers returning from foreign campaigns felt that Russia looked gloomy and wretched, that nowhere in other countries was there such monstrous tyranny, nowhere were the people shackled by such boundless slavery... Arakcheevsky settlements, the worst type of serfdom, existed everywhere in Russia. Peasant soldiers lived in these settlements, undergoing 25 years of military drill while farming at the same time. For the slightest offense they were punished.
Serfdom was becoming obsolete in Russia. The doom of the serfdom was obvious to everyone, although the tsar and most of the nobles tenaciously clung to the old order, but the peasants who participated in the partisan movement against Napoleon expected liberation as a legitimate reward. In Russia they hoped for great changes, but in the Manifesto of August 30, 1814, the serfs were spoken of in only one vague line: “peasants, our faithful people, may they receive their reward from God.” Serf peasant militias and partisans returned under the yoke of their masters.
In the first quarter of the 19th century, more than 200 peasant uprisings took place: on the Don in 1818, the Chuguev uprising of the Arakcheevsky military settlements. In 1820, there was a revolt of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment against the commander, Colonel Schwartz, who mocked the soldiers: he beat them with his own hands, pulled out their mustaches, forced them to spit in each other’s faces...
Many Decembrists, if not the majority, were participants in the War of 1812, constantly communicating with the people, young officers saw their heroism and readiness for self-sacrifice. Such a people, they believed, deserved a better fate.
On November 19, 1825, Emperor Alexander I unexpectedly died in Taganrog. Members of the secret society believed that the right moment had come to speak, although it had not been carefully prepared. But events developed in such a way that it was impossible to postpone the uprising. Daily meetings began at Ryleev’s apartment on the Moika (St. Petersburg).
Alexander I had no heir; his brother Constantine was to become king. But he was married to a person of non-royal blood, lived in Warsaw, was the Tsar’s governor in Poland and served as commander-in-chief of the Polish army. He abdicated the throne a long time ago, but this was kept in deep secret. In the Senate and Synod in St. Petersburg and in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, documents of Constantine’s abdication were kept with the inscription of Alexander I: “Keep in the State Council until my demand, and in the event of my death, disclose before any other action in an emergency assembly.”
O. Vernet "Portrait of Nicholas I"
In connection with these circumstances, the royal throne had to pass to the next brother of Alexander I - Nicholas. He was not against accepting the throne, but was afraid to do it openly, because... the people considered Constantine the legitimate heir and swore allegiance to him. Nicholas began to wait, he hoped for the arrival of Constantine, but he behaved strangely: he did not renounce the throne, but was in no hurry to accept it. Formally, he was already an emperor, coins with his profile were even minted, but in fact Russia was without a king. This went on for 17 days.
Meanwhile, events were brewing. Among the members of the secret society were their own traitors, who reported to Nicholas about the impending uprising. And he decides to accept the throne. On the morning of December 13, 1825, he signed the Manifesto and ordered the Senate to swear allegiance to him as the new Emperor Nicholas I on December 14 at 7 a.m.
- Now or never! – exclaimed Ryleev, having learned about the situation.
Decembrist movement (briefly)
The Decembrist uprising was the first open armed uprising in Russia against autocracy and serfdom. The uprising was organized by a group of like-minded nobles, most of whom were guards officers. Attempt coup d'etat occurred on December 14 (26), 1825 in St. Petersburg, on Senate Square and was suppressed by troops loyal to the emperor.
Background
The reason for the Decembrist uprising was the situation that developed with the succession to the throne after the death of Emperor Alexander I. This is because after the death of the emperor, his brother, Constantine, was to become sovereign. But, even when Alexander I was alive, Constantine abdicated the throne in favor of his younger brother Nicholas. The fact that Constantine renounced was not publicly announced, and the people, the army, the state apparatus, due to a lack of information, swore allegiance to Constantine. When it officially became clear that Constantine had abdicated the throne, a re-oath was appointed for December 14, which the conspirators took advantage of.
Uprising plan
The plan for the uprising was adopted on December 13 during meetings of society members at Ryleev’s apartment in St. Petersburg. Decisive importance was attached to the success of performances in the capital. At the same time, troops were supposed to move out in the south of the state, in the 2nd Army. One of the founders of the Salvation Union, S.P., was chosen to play the role of dictator of the uprising. Trubetskoy, colonel of the guard, famous and popular among the soldiers.
On the appointed day, it was decided to withdraw troops to Senate Square, prevent the oath of the Senate and State Council to Nikolai Pavlovich and, on their behalf, publish the “Manifesto to the Russian People,” which proclaimed the abolition of serfdom, freedom of the press, conscience, occupation and movement, and the introduction of universal military service instead of recruitment, the destruction of classes.
Progress of the uprising
1825, December 14, morning - the Moscow Life Guards Regiment entered Senate Square, joined by the Guards Marine Crew and the Life Guards Grenadier Regiment, totaling about 3 thousand people. Trubetskoy, chosen as dictator, did not appear. The rebel regiments continued to stand on Senate Square until the conspirators could come to a consensus on the appointment of a new leader.
Who knew about the preparation of the conspiracy, took the oath of the Senate in advance and, having gathered troops loyal to him, surrounded the rebels. After negotiations, in which Metropolitan Seraphim and Governor General of St. Petersburg M.A. took part on behalf of the government. Miloradovich (who was mortally wounded) Nicholas I gave the order to use artillery. The Decembrist uprising was suppressed.
On December 29, the uprising of the Chernigov regiment began under the leadership of S.I. Muravyov-Apostol. However, already on January 2 it was suppressed with the help of government troops. 
Consequences
Arrests of participants and instigators began throughout Russia. 579 people were involved in the Decembrist case. 287 were found guilty. Five were sentenced to death (P.I. Pestel, K.F. Ryleev, S.I. Muravyov-Apostol, P.G. Kakhovsky, M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin). 120 people were sent to hard labor in Siberia or to a settlement.
Causes of defeat
Lack of support from all sectors of society, which was not prepared for radical changes;
Narrow social base focused on military revolution and conspiracy;
Lack of necessary unity and consistency in actions;
Bad conspiracy, as a result the government knew about the plans of the rebels;
The unpreparedness of the majority of educated society and the nobility to eliminate autocracy and serfdom;
Cultural and political backwardness of the peasantry and ordinary army personnel.
Historical meaning
Having lost in the socio-political struggle, the rebels won a spiritual and moral victory and showed an example of true service to their fatherland and people.
The experience of the Decembrist uprising became the subject of reflection for the fighters against the monarchy and serfdom that followed them, and influenced the entire course of the Russian liberation movement.
The Decembrist movement had a great influence on the development of Russian culture.
But, based on the specific historical situation, the defeat of the Decembrists noticeably weakened the intellectual potential of Russian society, provoked an increase in the government’s reaction, and delayed, according to P.Ya. Chaadaev, development of Russia for 50 years.
Revolutionary ideas appeared in Russia in the 1st quarter of the 19th century. The progressive society of that time was often disillusioned with the reign of Alexander 1. However the best people countries sought to end the backwardness of society in Russia.
During the period of liberation campaigns, having become familiar with Western political movements, the advanced Russian nobility realized that serfdom was the most important reason for the backwardness of the fatherland. The harsh reactionary policy in the field of education, Russia's participation in the suppression of European revolutionary events only strengthened confidence in the urgent need for change. Russian serfdom was perceived as an insult to the national dignity of everyone who considered himself an enlightened person. The ideas of Western national liberation movements, Russian journalism and educational literature had a serious influence on the formation of the views of future Decembrists. Thus, we can highlight the following the most important reasons Decembrist uprising. This is the strengthening of serfdom, the difficult socio-economic situation in the country, Alexander 1’s refusal to carry out liberal reforms, the influence of the works of Western thinkers.
The first political secret society was formed in St. Petersburg in February 1816. His goal was to adopt a constitution in the country and abolish serfdom. It included Pestel, Muravyov, S.I. Muravyov-Apostles. and M.I. (total 28 members).
Later, in 1818, a larger organization, the Union of Welfare, was created in Moscow, which numbered up to 200 members. It also had councils in other cities of Russia. The purpose of the secret society was the idea of promoting the abolition of serfdom. The officers began preparing for a coup. But the “Union of Welfare”, having never achieved its goal, disintegrated due to internal disagreements.
“Northern Society”, created on the initiative of N.M. Muravyov. in St. Petersburg, there was a more liberal attitude. However, for this society, the most important goals were the proclamation civil liberties, the destruction of serfdom and autocracy.
The conspirators were preparing for an armed uprising. And the opportune moment for implementing the plans came in November 1825, after the death of Emperor Alexander. Despite the fact that not everything was ready, the conspirators decided to act, and the Decembrist uprising took place in 1825. It was planned to carry out a coup, seize the Senate and the monarch, on the day Nicholas 1 took the oath.
On December 14, in the morning on Senate Square there was the Moscow Life Guards Regiment, as well as the Life Guards Grenadier and Guards Marine Regiments. In total, about 3 thousand people gathered in the square.
But Nicholas 1 was warned that a Decembrist uprising was being prepared on Senate Square. He swore in the Senate in advance. After this, he was able to gather the remaining loyal troops and surround Senate Square. Negotiations were started. They did not bring any results. From the government side, Metropolitan Seraphim and Miloradovich M.A., the governor of St. Petersburg, took part in them. Miloradovich was wounded during the negotiations, which became fatal. After this, by order of Nicholas 1, artillery was used. The Decembrist uprising of 1825 failed. Later, on December 29, S.I. Muravyov-Apostol was able to raise the Chernigov regiment. This rebellion was also suppressed by government troops on January 2. The results of the Decembrist uprising turned out to be far from the plans of the conspirators.
Arrests of participants and organizers of the uprising took place throughout Russia. 579 people were charged in this case. 287 were found guilty. Five were sentenced to death. These were S.I. Muravyov-Apostol, K.F. Ryleev, P.G. Pestel, M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, P. G. Kakhovsky. 120 people were exiled to hard labor or to settlement in Siberia.
Decembrist revolt, summary which is stated above, failed not only because of the inconsistency of the actions of the conspirators, the unpreparedness of society for such radical transformations, and the lack of support from the broad masses. Nevertheless, historical meaning The Decembrist uprisings are difficult to overestimate. For the first time, a fairly clear political program was put forward, and an armed uprising took place against the authorities. And, although Nicholas 1 called the conspirators only crazy rebels, the consequences of the Decembrist uprising turned out to be extremely significant for the further history of Russia. And the brutal reprisal against them aroused sympathy in wide sections of society and forced many progressive people of that era to awaken.
The whole point is that historically the Decembrists in Russia were the first who dared to oppose the power of the Tsar. It is interesting that the rebels themselves began to study this phenomenon; they analyzed the reasons for the uprising on Senate Square and its defeat. As a result of the execution of the Decembrists, Russian society lost the very best of enlightened youth, because they came from families of the nobility, glorious participants in the War of 1812.
Who are the Decembrists
Who are the Decembrists? They can be briefly characterized as follows: they are members of several political societies fighting for the abolition of serfdom and a change in state power. In December 1825 they organized an uprising, which was brutally suppressed. 5 people (leaders) were executed, shameful for officers. Decembrist participants were exiled to Siberia, some were shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
Causes of the uprising
Why did the Decembrists revolt? There are several reasons for this. The main one, which they all, as one, reproduced during interrogations in the Peter and Paul Fortress - the spirit of freethinking, faith in the strength of the Russian people, tired of oppression - all this was born after the brilliant victory over Napoleon. It is no coincidence that 115 people from among the Decembrists were participants in the Patriotic War of 1812. Indeed, during military campaigns, liberating European countries, they never encountered the savagery of serfdom. This forced them to reconsider their attitude towards their country as “slaves and masters.”
It was obvious that serfdom had outlived its usefulness. Fighting side by side with the common people, communicating with them, the future Decembrists came to the idea that people deserve a better fate than a slave existence. The peasants also hoped that after the war their situation would change in better side, because they shed blood for the sake of their homeland. But, unfortunately, the emperor and most of the nobles firmly clung to the serfs. That is why, from 1814 to 1820, more than two hundred peasant uprisings broke out in the country.
The apotheosis was the revolt against Colonel Schwartz of the Semenovsky Guards Regiment in 1820. His cruelty towards ordinary soldiers crossed all boundaries. Activists of the Decembrist movement, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol and Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin, witnessed these events, as they served in this regiment. It should also be noted that a certain spirit of freethinking was instilled in most of the participants at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum: for example, its graduates were I. Pushchin, V. Kuchelbecker, and the freedom-loving poems of A. Pushkin were used as inspired ideas.
Southern Society of Decembrists
It should be understood that the Decembrist movement did not arise out of nowhere: it grew out of world revolutionary ideas. Pavel Pestel wrote that such thoughts go “from one end of Europe to Russia”, even covering such opposite mentalities as Turkey and England.
The ideas of Decembrism were realized through the work of secret societies. The first of them are the Union of Salvation (St. Petersburg, 1816) and the Union of Welfare (1818). The second arose on the basis of the first, was less secretive and included larger number members. It was also dissolved in 1820 due to differences of opinion.
In 1821 there is new organization, consisting of two Societies: Northern (in St. Petersburg, headed by Nikita Muravyov) and Southern (in Kyiv, headed by Pavel Pestel). Southern society had more reactionary views: in order to establish a republic, they proposed killing the king. The structure of the Southern Society consisted of three departments: the first, along with P. Pestel, was headed by A. Yushnevsky, the second by S. Muravyov-Apostol, the third by V. Davydov and S. Volkonsky.
Leaders of the Decembrists: 1.Pavel Ivanovich Pestel
The leader of the Southern Society, Pavel Ivanovich Pestel, was born in 1793 in Moscow. He receives an excellent education in Europe, and upon returning to Russia begins service in the Corps of Pages - especially privileged among the nobles. Pages are personally acquainted with all members imperial family. Here the freedom-loving views of young Pestel first appear. Having brilliantly graduated from the Corps, he continues to serve in the Lithuanian Regiment with the rank of ensign of the Life Guards.
Pavel Pestel During the War of 1812, Pestel was seriously wounded. Having recovered, he returns to service and fights bravely. By the end of the war, Pestel had many high awards, including gold award weapons. After World War II, he was transferred to serve in the Cavalry Regiment - at that time the most prestigious place of service.
While in St. Petersburg, Pestel learns about a certain secret society (the Union of Salvation) and soon joins it. Begins revolutionary life Pavel. In 1821, he headed the Southern Society - in this he was helped by magnificent eloquence, a wonderful mind and the gift of persuasion. Thanks to these qualities, in his time he achieved unity of views of Southern and Northern societies.
Pestel's Constitution
In 1823, the program of the Southern Society, compiled by Pavel Pestel, was adopted. It was unanimously accepted by all members of the association - future Decembrists. Briefly it contained the following points:
- Russia must become a republic, united and indivisible, consisting of 10 districts. Public administration will be carried out by the People's Assembly (legislatively) and the State Duma (executively).
- In resolving the issue of serfdom, Pestel proposed to immediately abolish it, dividing the land into two parts: for peasants and for landowners. It was assumed that the latter would rent it out for farming. Researchers believe that if the 1861 reform to abolish serfdom had gone according to Pestel’s plan, the country would very soon have taken a bourgeois, economically progressive path of development.
- Abolition of the institution of estates. All the people of the country are called citizens, they are equally equal before the law. Personal freedoms and inviolability of person and home were declared.
- Tsarism was categorically not accepted by Pestel, so he demanded the physical destruction of the entire royal family.
It was assumed that "Russian Truth" would come into force as soon as the uprising ended. It will be the fundamental law of the country.
Northern Society of Decembrists
Northern society begins to exist in 1821, in the spring. Initially, it consisted of two groups that later merged. It should be noted that the first group was more radical in orientation; its participants shared Pestel’s views and fully accepted his “Russian Truth”.
Activists of the Northern Society were Nikita Muravyov (leader), Kondraty Ryleev (deputy), princes Obolensky and Trubetskoy. Ivan Pushchin played not the least role in the Society.
The Northern Society operated mainly in St. Petersburg, but it also had a branch in Moscow.
The path to uniting Northern and Southern societies was long and very painful. They had fundamental differences on some issues. However, at the congress in 1824 it was decided to begin the process of unification in 1826. The uprising in December 1825 destroyed these plans.
2. Nikita Mikhailovich Muravyov
Nikita Mikhailovich Muravyov comes from a noble family. Born in 1795 in St. Petersburg. Received an excellent education in Moscow. The War of 1812 found him in the rank of collegiate registrar at the Ministry of Justice. He runs away from home for the war and makes a brilliant career during the battles.
Nikita Muravyov After the Patriotic War, he begins to work as part of secret societies: the Union of Salvation and the Union of Welfare. In addition, he writes the charter for the latter. He believes that a republican form of government should be established in the country; only a military coup can help this. During a trip to the south he meets P. Pestel. Nevertheless, he organizes his own structure - the Northern Society, but does not break ties with like-minded people, but, on the contrary, actively cooperates.
He wrote the first edition of his version of the Constitution in 1821, but it did not find a response from other members of the Societies. A little later, he will reconsider his views and release a new program offered by the Northern Society.
Muravyov's Constitution
The Constitution of N. Muravyov included the following positions:
- Russia should become a constitutional monarchy: the legislative branch is the Supreme Duma, consisting of two chambers; executive - the emperor (also the supreme commander in chief). It was separately stipulated that he did not have the right to start and end the war on his own. After a maximum of three readings, the emperor had to sign the law. He had no right to veto; he could only delay the signing in time.
- When serfdom is abolished, the landowners' lands will be left to the owners, and the peasants - their plots, plus 2 tithes will be added to each house.
- Suffrage is only for land owners. Women, nomads and non-owners stayed away from him.
- Abolish the institution of estates, level everyone with one name: citizen. The judicial system is the same for everyone. Muravyov was aware that his version of the constitution would meet fierce resistance, so he provided for its introduction with the use of weapons.
Preparing for the uprising
The secret societies described above lasted 10 years, after which the uprising began. It should be said that the decision to revolt arose quite spontaneously.
While in Taganrog, Alexander I dies. Due to the lack of heirs, the next emperor was to be Constantine, Alexander's brother. The problem was that he secretly abdicated the throne at one time. Accordingly, the board passed to the younger brother, Nikolai. The people were in confusion, not knowing about the renunciation. However, Nicholas decides to take the oath on December 14, 1825.
Nicholas I Alexander's death became the starting point for the rebels. They understand that it is time to act, despite the fundamental differences between Southern and Northern societies. They were well aware that they had catastrophically little time to prepare well for the uprising, but they believed that it would be criminal to miss such a moment. This is exactly what Ivan Pushchin wrote to his lyceum friend Alexander Pushkin.
Gathering on the night before December 14, the rebels prepare a plan of action. It boiled down to the following points:
- Appoint Prince Trubetskoy as commander.
- Occupy the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress. A. Yakubovich and A. Bulatov were appointed responsible for this.
- Lieutenant P. Kakhovsky was supposed to kill Nikolai. This action was supposed to be a signal to action for the rebels.
- Conduct propaganda work among the soldiers and win them over to the side of the rebels.
- It was up to Kondraty Ryleev and Ivan Pushchin to convince the Senate to swear allegiance to the emperor.
Unfortunately, the future Decembrists did not think through everything. History says that traitors from among them made a denunciation of the impending rebellion to Nicholas, which finally convinced him to appoint the oath to the Senate in the early morning of December 14.
The uprising: how it happened
The uprising did not go according to the scenario that the rebels had planned. The Senate manages to swear allegiance to the emperor even before the campaign.
However, regiments of soldiers are lined up in battle formation on Senate Square, everyone is waiting for decisive action from the leadership. Ivan Pushchin and Kondraty Ryleev arrive there and assure the imminent arrival of the command, Prince Trubetskoy. The latter, having betrayed the rebels, sat out in the tsarist General Staff. He was unable to take the decisive actions that were required of him. As a result, the uprising was suppressed.
Arrests and trial
The first arrests and executions of the Decembrists began to take place in St. Petersburg. An interesting fact is that the trial of those arrested was not carried out by the Senate, as it should have been, but by one specially organized by Nicholas I for this case. Supreme Court. The very first, even before the uprising, on December 13, was Pavel Pestel.
The fact is that shortly before the uprising he accepted A. Maiboroda as a member of the Southern Society, who turned out to be a traitor. Pestel is arrested in Tulchin and taken to the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg.
Mayboroda also wrote a denunciation against N. Muravyov, who was arrested on his own estate.
There were 579 people under investigation. 120 of them were exiled to hard labor in Siberia (among them Nikita Muravyov), all were disgracefully demoted from military ranks. Five rebels were sentenced to death.
Execution
Addressing the court about possible way execution of the Decembrists, Nikolai notes that blood should not be shed. Thus, they, the heroes of the Patriotic War, are sentenced to the shameful gallows...
Who were the executed Decembrists? Their surnames are as follows: Pavel Pestel, Pyotr Kakhovsky, Kondraty Ryleev, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin. The sentence was read on July 12, and they were hanged on July 25, 1826. The place of execution of the Decembrists took a long time to be equipped: a gallows with a special mechanism was built. However, there were some complications: three convicts fell from their hinges and had to be hanged again.
In the place in the Peter and Paul Fortress where the Decembrists were executed there is now a monument, which is an obelisk and a granite composition. It symbolizes the courage with which the executed Decembrists fought for their ideals.
Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg Found a mistake? Select it and press left Ctrl+Enter.
