Pestilence is an outdated designation for an epidemic in Russia, which leads to a large number of victims. As a rule, it is cholera or plague. In our country, this term was mainly applied to the plague epidemic that raged in 1654-1655.
Epidemic in Russia
The pestilence in Russia in 1654 started from Moscow. From there, it spread to Astrakhan, Kazan, went beyond the borders of Russia to the Commonwe alth, with which at that time there was a war. The insidious epidemic, having subsided, broke out with renewed vigor in 1656-1657, affecting Smolensk, the lower reaches of the Volga and again Kazan.
The epidemic managed to spread so quickly, also because Muscovites did not know what a pestilence was. Serious epidemics have never reached the capital, in the worst case, stopping on the outskirts - in Smolensk, Novgorod, Pskov. Therefore, when the plague began, many were completely at a loss.
According to scientists, the plague does not spread north of 50 degrees north latitude. The fact that the disease arose in Moscow is explained by the fact that it was there somehowentered in the manner. The origin of the pestilence in Russia could not be established. According to assumptions, it could come from Asia, for example, from Persia to get to the capital through Astrakhan. It also cannot be ruled out that the epidemic came from Ukraine.
According to chronicles, the first small outbreaks of the disease occurred as early as 1653.
Spreading the plague
Seriously about pestilence started talking when more than 30 people died in Moscow in the Sheremetyevo yard. On July 24, 1654, an epidemic was already raging in the capital. Patriarch Nikon urgently takes the tsarina to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery along with the whole family. Many noble boyars also take refuge there.
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich at this time is waging war against the Commonwe alth. It is located near Smolensk, so Nikon actually controls Moscow. It is worth admitting that Muscovites at first paid little or no attention to the disease, only when the number of deaths became frighteningly high did panic begin. Many left the capital, spreading the plague throughout Russia.
As a result, only the poorest, lower strata of the population remained in the city. By that time, it was forbidden to leave Moscow by order of Nikon, but it was already too late. The pestilence in Moscow reached its peak in August-September 1654. Trade stopped in the capital, those who remained engaged in looting, prisoners escaped from prisons, corpses lay everywhere, as there was no time to bury the sick.
The plague has already spread to Tula, Kaluga, Suzdal, NizhnyNovgorod, Vologda, Kostroma, Kashin, Yaroslavl and Tver. Only by November the disease began to decline. In December, they reported to the tsar that the pestilence, the plague, was no more in Moscow. Gradually, it began to subside in other cities.
Clinical picture
Pestilence is always an epidemic with a large number of victims. The events that took place in Moscow were no exception. The disease began with severe headaches, then the patient began to have a fever, he fell into delirium. The person was weakening very quickly, literally melting before our eyes.
At that time, two forms of the plague raged in Moscow at once. With a bubonic patient, he became covered with ulcers and died in three or four days, and with a pulmonary he developed coughing up blood, the torment lasted much longer.
Often, outwardly he althy people suddenly died, shocking everyone around. It is now known that this is one of the manifestations of pneumonic plague.
Fighting the plague
Many modern researchers note that the fight against the plague was carried out by effective methods. The authorities were aware of how dangerous this epidemic was. Most likely, thanks to anti-epidemic measures, which are assessed as very appropriate, they did not allow the plague to reach Novgorod, Siberia and Pskov.
At the same time, it should be noted that these measures could have had an even greater effect if their implementation had not been delayed for a number of reasons. Decrees on the fight against the plague were to be issued by the king and governors. The necessary activities on the ground began only after receiving the relevantdecrees that were often delayed due to bureaucratic red tape.
Quarantine
At the same time, medicine in the 17th century before the pestilence, the stress, by the way, in the first word of this term falls on the last syllable, was practically powerless. The only thing the authorities could do was establish a quarantine. The same situation in the fight against the plague developed in Europe. Settlements and areas in which the disease spread were blocked, outposts were set up on the roads, which constantly burned bonfires to purify the air, it was believed that this could help.
But still, some found ways to get out of the infected places and spread the infection outside the city. Those who tried to get out in a roundabout way were ordered to be executed, but this usually did not come to that, local authorities limited themselves to more lenient punishments.
By the way, the responsibility lay not only on those who fled from the infected areas, but also on those who received these fugitives.
West Closed
Initially, one of the main tasks that were assigned to the Moscow authorities was to prevent the development of the epidemic to the west, where Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Russian troops were. Therefore, the road to Smolensk from Moscow was controlled most carefully.
Often there were problems with the organization of quarantine in cities. There were practically no people left who could go to stand at the outpost, because most were in the army, and besides, there were fewwho agreed to such service. Such outposts were not always set up rationally and rationally. For example, sometimes they deprived local residents of access to mills or fields, dooming not only disease, but also hunger.
The orders to restrict trade with the infected villages were, of course, logical, but in fact put the people who remained there at risk of death from starvation or exhaustion. For the average layman, it was even worse than death from the plague, because it was more painful and prolonged. That is why so many people wanted to leave the infected areas, often there was simply nothing to eat in these settlements.
Victims of the epidemic
As a result of the plague in Russia, it is not possible to establish the exact number of victims. Various sources provide data that vary greatly. But we can say with confidence that the plague in 1654-1656 in Russia became the largest epidemic in the entire 18th century.
Some historians believe that the number of victims was greatly exaggerated. Perhaps due to the fact that those who fled in other areas were considered dead. At the same time, it is obvious that in those areas where pestilence raged, a real demographic catastrophe happened.
It was difficult to count the victims in the Principality of Lithuania, where the plague reached, because there were military operations.
According to various sources, up to 480 thousand people died in Moscow, up to 35 thousand people died outside the capital.
Consequences of the epidemic
The plague could not reach the troops, but made it much more difficultsupply, weakening the rear. Because of this, the offensive plans had to be abandoned for a while.
At the same time, in general, the campaign of 1654 should be considered successful, Russia managed to return the territories that it lost in the war of 1609-1618.
From the occupied territories, many moved to areas deserted by pestilence, some did it voluntarily. This had a positive impact on the development of the entire state, as many carried elements of Western culture with them.
