One of the most interesting pages of Russian history of the 19th century is the Decembrist uprising. The overwhelming majority of its participants, who set themselves the goal of destroying the autocracy and serfdom, came from the most famous aristocratic families, received an excellent education and distinguished themselves in the military, diplomatic or literary field. Among them was Sergei Volkonsky. The Decembrist lived for 76 years, of which 30 years he spent in hard labor and in exile.
Ancestors
Sergey Grigoryevich Volkonsky (Decembrist) was born in 1788 in Moscow. When it was required to indicate his origin, he usually wrote "from the Chernigov princes." At the same time, everyone knew that his family belonged to the Rurikovichs, and on the maternal side his great-grandfather was an associate of Peter the Great, Field Marshal A. I. Repnin.
Parents
Fatherthe future Decembrist - Grigory Semenovich Volkonsky - was an associate of such famous commanders as P. A. Rumyantsev, G. A. Potemkin, A. V. Suvorov and N. V. Repnin. He participated in almost all wars of the late 18th century, and in the period 1803-1816 he served as governor-general in Orenburg, and then was a member of the State Council.
No less famous person was the mother of Sergei Grigorievich - Alexandra Nikolaevna. She served as a lady of state and chief officer under 3 Russian empresses, and was also a cavalry lady of the Order of St. Catherine of the 1st degree. As later, according to the words of her grandfather-Decembrist, her great-grandson described the princess, Alexandra Nikolaevna had an extremely dry character and “replaced feelings for considerations of duty and discipline.”
Childhood
The biography of the Decembrist Volkonsky says that from the very beginning his life developed in such a way that everyone was sure that he would make a great career in the future.
At the time of his birth, Peter's decree was in force, according to which noble children had to begin their service with soldier ranks. Of course, compassionate parents with connections and money have long found a way to get around it. That is why, like many of his peers from aristocratic families, already at the age of 8, Serezha Volkonsky was enrolled as a sergeant in the Kherson regiment, which gave him the opportunity to “reach the ranks” by the time he reached adulthood. In fact, Volkonsky (later a Decembrist) spent his teenage years in the prestigious aristocratic boarding school of Abbot Nicolas, and ended up in the army.only in 1805 as a lieutenant of the cavalry guard regiment.
The beginning of a military career
A few months after the start of the service, in 1806, the young prince left for Prussia as an adjutant to Field Marshal M. Kamensky. There was an embarrassment, as the young man's patron left the location of the Russian troops without permission, not wanting to fight Napoleon.
The confused adjutant was noticed by Lieutenant-General A. I. Osterman-Tolstoy, who took him under his wing. The very next day, Volkonsky (Decembrist) took part in hostilities for the first time, becoming a participant in the Battle of Pultusk.
After the signing of the Treaty of Tilsit, he returned to St. Petersburg with the Order of St. Vladimir, the Golden Cross for the battle of Preussisch-Eylau and with a nominal award sword.
In 1810-1811 Sergei Volkonsky fought in the south with the Turks, was granted the adjutant wing and promoted to captain.
Participation in the Patriotic War
At the time of Napoleon's attack on Russia, Prince Sergei Volkonsky (Decembrist) was in the rank of adjutant wing under Alexander the First.
He participated in the battles at Dashkovka and Mogilev, near Porechye, near Vitebsk, near the city of Zvenigorod, on the Moscow River, near the village of Orlov. The prince especially distinguished himself on October 2 during the battle near the city of Dmitrov and was promoted to the rank of colonel.
His courage was also noted during the fighting at the crossing of the French across the Berezina River. Then, for his courage, Volkonsky was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the third degree.
After the exileThe enemy from the territory of Russia, the prince, together with the corps of Baron Winzingerode, went on a foreign campaign, participated in many battles. He was repeatedly awarded not only by the Russian emperor, but also by the Prussian monarch. According to some reports, at the end of the war, Prince Volkonsky carried out diplomatic and intelligence assignments for the emperor, including in Paris during the famous 100 days.
For the courage shown in the battles of Dennewitz and Gross-Beeren, he was granted the rank of major general. In 1816, he was appointed brigade commander of the 2nd Lancers Division, and 5 years later he was transferred to the same position in the 19th Infantry Division.
Change of views
In 1819, S. G. Volkonsky (Decembrist) wrote a report asking him to grant him an indefinite leave, as he considered his transfer to the position of “consisting” with the divisional chief as a personal insult on the part of the emperor.
On the way to Europe, he stopped in Kyiv, where he met his old friend Major General M. Orlov, who, being the chief of staff of the Fourth Infantry Corps, was in a secret society. He invited the prince to a meeting, where Volkonsky realized for the first time that in addition to military service, there was another opportunity to serve for the good of the Fatherland.
As Sergei Grigorievich later wrote, from then on he ceased to be a loyal subject, but became a citizen of his country.
A long vacation was out of the question. Soon Volkonsky met Pavel Pestel and confirmed his decision to become a member of the secretsociety.
Marriage
In 1821, Volkonsky (Decembrist) was appointed commander of the first brigade of the 19th Infantry Division of the Second Army, which was quartered in the remote Ukrainian town of Uman. The prince resignedly accepted a new position, meaning a career demotion, and left for his duty station.
In Ukraine, he met the family of General Raevsky and in 1824 proposed marriage to his daughter Maria, whose sister was married to his friend Mikhail Orlov.
The girl's father, after much deliberation, agreed to this marriage, and in January 1825, the wedding of Volkonsky and his chosen one took place in Kyiv. At the same time, the planted father of the prince was his brother N. Repnin, and the best man was Pavel Pestel.
Decembrist Volkonsky and his wife spent only 3 months together, as soon after the wedding the young woman fell ill and left with her family for treatment in Odessa. Due to the affairs of the service, the husband could not accompany her, and they did not meet until his imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
Participation in the December Uprising
After the departure of his wife, Volkonsky devoted himself entirely to the preparation of the uprising. Despite all the measures taken by the conspirators, information about the existence of a secret society became the property of the authorities. According to the memoirs of the prince, Alexander the First himself, during the inspection of the part entrusted to him, warned him against rash acts.
In November 1825, Volkonsky, before other officers, found out about the tsar's illness, since his brother-in-law was one of those who accompanied the emperor during histravel to Taganrog.
He reports this to his head of the secret Southern Society - Pestel, who begins negotiations to agree on a joint performance with the "northerners". In addition, together with Volkonsky, he draws up a plan for "1 January", according to which the Vyatka regiment was to arrest the army authorities and go to St. Petersburg. Volkonsky's 19th Infantry Division was to join him.
The plan failed due to the arrest of Pestel. The prince himself refused the opportunity to raise a rebellion in his division and free the head of the conspirators by force.
The investigation into the case of the conspirators was successful, and already on January 7, 1826, Sergei Volkonsky was taken under arrest. Before that, he managed to take his wife to give birth to their first-born son in the village. The baby was born on January 2, and Maria became seriously ill after spending the next 2 months in bed.
After the arrest
Sergey Volkonsky (Decembrist), whose biography never ceases to interest researchers studying the history of Russia in the 19th century, after being taken into custody and the failure of the uprising on Senate Square, was sent to St. Petersburg.
When his wife Maria recovered from childbirth, she followed them and got a date. However, her troubles did not lead to anything, and the prince was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor and life exile, and was also deprived of all awards, titles and titles.
Maria Volkonskaya asked the Tsar for permission to follow her husband. In a response letter, Nicholas II dissuaded the youngwoman, but did not forbid her to do as she pleases. The prince's mother was eager to go after her son, but did not even visit him in the fortress.
In hard labor
10 days after the announcement of the verdict, the Decembrists Trubetskoy and Volkonsky and many other participants in the uprising were already sent to the place of serving their sentences. The prince first ended up at the Nikolaevsky s alt plant, and then ended up at the Blagodatsky mine. There he was kept in the most difficult conditions. In addition, everything was taken away from the convicts, including Bibles. Volkonsky fell into a deep depression. The prince's only consolation was the hope that Mary would soon arrive.
Meeting my wife
At the time of the uprising, of all the Decembrists, 24 people were married. Ekaterina Trubetskaya was the first to visit her husband. Her feat inspired the rest of the "Decembrists". In total, 11 young women went to Siberia for husbands and grooms. Maria Volkonskaya was the second who managed to overcome all obstacles and become a reliable support for her husband during his stay in hard labor and in exile.
Together with Ekaterina Trubetskoy, they settled in a small hut next to the prison and began to run the household like commoners.
From the Blagodatsky mine, Volkonsky was sent to the Chita jail, and then to the Petrovsky plant.
In 1837 hard labor was replaced by a settlement in the village of Urik, and since 1845 the Volkonskys lived in Irkutsk. In exile, they had two children: a son and a daughter.
Return
In 1856, under an amnesty, Volkonsky was allowed to move to European Russia, without the right to reside in Moscow or St. Petersburg, and the nobility was restored.
The family officially settled in the Moscow region, but in fact Sergei Grigorievich and Maria Nikolaevna lived in the capital, with relatives.
The aged Volkonsky spent the end of his life in Ukraine, in the village of Voronki, where he wrote his memoirs. The death of his wife undermined his he alth, and he died 2 years after her, at the age of 76. The Volkonskys were buried in a rural church built by their daughter. The temple was demolished in the 1930s, and the couple's graves were lost.
Now you know what was the fate of the Decembrist Volkonsky and what services he has to Russia.
