Decembrists - who are they and what did they fight for? Decembrist uprising of 1825: causes and consequences

2024 Author: Angel Austin | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:14

The Decembrist uprising of 1825 was an attempted coup. It was undertaken in St. Petersburg, at that time the capital of the Russian Empire. More details about who the Decembrists are and about the events on Senate Square will be discussed below.

The purpose of the rebellion

The organizers of the uprising are a group of like-minded nobles, many of whom were guards officers. They tried to use the forces of the guard units to prevent the accession of Nicholas I to the throne. Their goal was to abolish the autocratic system and abolish serfdom.

It was radically different from the goals of those conspiracies that took place in the era of palace coups. The uprising received the strongest response in Russian society and had a great influence on the subsequent social and political life.

The war of 1812 and foreign campaigns carried out by the Russian army had a significant impact on all aspects of the life of the Russian Empire. This has given rise to hopes for change. And, in the very first place, it was the hope that the serfright will be revoked. Its liquidation was associated with the need to introduce constitutional restrictions on monarchical rule. The Decembrists were at the head of the struggle for these changes.

First secret societies

Considering the question of who the Decembrists are, it is necessary to say about the beginning of their activities.

In 1813-1814, "artels" were created, uniting guards officers on an ideological basis. Two of them at the beginning of 1816 were merged into the Union of Salvation. Its goal is the reform of administration and the liberation of the peasants. Disagreements arose among its members. They de alt with the question of whether it is possible to kill the king in the process of carrying out a coup d'état. This led to the dissolution of the association in the fall of 1817

In January 1818, it was replaced by a new one, called the Union of Welfare, which was created in Moscow. It included about 200 members. One of his goals is to shape the liberal movement on the basis of the creation of advanced social thought. It was assumed that the members of the union would directly, most actively participate in the life of society, strive to occupy positions in the government and its institutions, in the army.

It became known that the government was aware of the union through informers, and it was decided to dissolve it formally.

Formation of two unions

The first during the reorganization was the creation of the "Southern" Decembrist Society. This happened in Ukraine in 1821. The second was the "Northern" Society of the Decembrists, whose center was in St. Petersburg. The year of its formation1822nd. In 1825, the "Society of United Slavs" was attached to the "Southern".

In the "Northern" society, one of the main roles was played by the Decembrist Nikita Muravyov. Another prominent figure was Sergei Trubetskoy. Later, Kondraty Ryleev, a Decembrist, who rallied the militant republican wing around himself, began to come forward to the first roles. He was quite a famous poet at the time.

In the southern association, the leader was the Decembrist Pavel Pestel, who held the rank of colonel.

Speech background

In 1825, after the death of Alexander I, a complex legal situation developed around the rights to the Russian throne. Earlier, his brother, Konstantin Pavlovich, signed a secret document in which he renounced the throne. This gave an advantage to another brother, Nikolai Pavlovich. However, the latter was extremely unpopular among senior officials and the military. Even before Konstantin's secret abdication was revealed, Nicholas, under pressure from Count Miloradovich, the governor of St. Petersburg, in turn, renounced the royal crown in favor of his elder brother.

1825-27-11 the people swore allegiance to Constantine, and a new emperor appeared in Russia on a formal basis. But in fact, he did not accept the throne, but he did not refuse it either. Thus, an interregnum reigned. Then Nicholas decided that he would declare himself emperor. Another oath was scheduled for 1825-14-12. The change of power was the moment that the Decembrists expected, and they were ready to act.

The situation of uncertainty lasted quite a long time. After Konstantin Pavlovich repeatedlyrenounced the throne, on the 14th the Senate recognized Nikolai Pavlovich's right to the throne.

Rebellion Plan

Representatives of the "Southern" and "Northern" Decembrist societies decided to disrupt the swearing in of the new tsar by the Senate and troops.

The troops of the rebels were supposed to capture the Winter Palace, and after him the Peter and Paul Fortress. At the same time, it was planned to take the royal family under arrest, and under certain circumstances, take her life. To lead the uprising, they chose a dictator, Sergei Trubetskoy.

The plans of the Decembrists included the publication by the Senate of the nationwide Manifesto. He proclaimed the "destruction of the former government" and the creation of a revolutionary Provisional Government. It was assumed that the deputies would approve the constitution. With the disagreement of the Senate to the publication of the Manifesto, it was decided to force him to take this step.

What the Decembrists fought for, they included in the text of the Manifesto, which contained clauses about (about):

establishment of a revolutionary government on an interim basis;
the abolition of serfdom;
equality of all and everyone before the law;
establishment of democratic freedoms (press, religion, labor);
creating a jury trial;
introduction for all classes of compulsory military service;
the election of the bureaucracy;
repeal of poll taxes.

The next plan was to convene the National Council, otherwise known as the Constituent Assembly. It was called upon to resolve the issue of choosing a form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic. ATIf the second option was chosen, the royal family should have been sent abroad. Decembrist Ryleev, in particular, proposed sending Nikolai to the Russian fortress of Fort Ross in California.

Morning December 14

Early in the morning, Kakhovskiy received a request from Ryleev to liquidate Nicholas by entering the Winter Palace. At first, Kakhovsky agreed, but then refused. Shortly thereafter, Yakubovich also expressed his refusal to lead the Izmailovsky Regiment and the sailors who were part of the Guards crew to the Winter Palace.

December 14, still dark, the conspirators conducted agitation work among the soldiers in the barracks. Decembrist officers at eleven o'clock headed the exit to Senate Square about eight hundred soldiers belonging to the Moscow Life Guards Regiment. After some time, the sailors of the Guards crew and part of the second battalion of the Grenadier Regiment joined them. Their number was no less than 2350 people.

Unlike Alexander I, who regularly received reports about the existence of a spirit of freethinking in the troops and about conspiracies directed against him, his brothers did not know about the existence of secret societies in the army. The events on the Senate Square shocked them, they were suppressed by the performance of the Decembrists.

Standing on Senate Square

But a few days before the events described, Nikolai was warned about the secret intentions of the conspirators. These were two people. One of them is I. I. Dibich, chief of the main staff, the second is the Decembrist Ya. I. Rostovtsev. The latter believed that the uprising, directedagainst royal power, it is impossible to combine with noble honor.

At 7 o'clock, the senators managed to take the oath to Nicholas, declaring him emperor. Trubetskoy, appointed dictator, did not appear on the square. And the regiments of the rebels continued their standing there. They waited for the conspirators to come to a consensus and finally choose a new dictator.

Death of Miloradovich

Telling about who the Decembrists are, one should also mention this episode of events on December 14th. Count Mikhail Miloradovich, the military governor of St. Petersburg, a hero of the war of 1812, decided to address the soldiers lined up in a square on the square. He appeared before them on horseback, saying that he himself would like to see Konstantin Pavlovich as emperor. But what to do if he renounced the throne? The general explained that he personally saw the new renunciation, and urged to believe him.

Leaving the ranks of the rebels, E. Obolensky, convinced Miloradovich that he needed to leave, but he did not pay any attention to him. Then Obolensky inflicted a light wound on his side with a bayonet. And then Kakhovsky shot at the governor-general from a pistol. The wounded Miloradovich was taken to the barracks, where he died on the same day.

Both Colonel Stürler and Mikhail Pavlovich, the Grand Duke, unsuccessfully tried to bring the soldiers to obedience. After that, the rebels twice repulsed the attack of the horse guards, led by Alexei Orlov.

Further events

A large crowd formed on the square, consisting of residents of St. Petersburg. Byaccording to contemporaries, it numbered tens of thousands of people. This huge mass was seized with a mood of sympathy for the rebels. Stones and logs were thrown at Nikolai and his entourage.

Two “rings” formed from the people present. The first was made up of those that appeared here earlier. They were surrounded by a square of soldiers. The second was formed from those who came later. The gendarmes no longer let them into the square, to the rebels. They were behind troops loyal to the government, who surrounded the rebels.

As can be seen from Nikolai's diary, he understood the danger of such an environment, as it threatened to aggravate the situation. He was not sure of his success. It was decided to train crews for members of the royal family. They might be needed in case of his flight to Tsarskoye Selo. Nikolay later repeatedly told his brother Mikhail that the most surprising thing in this story is that they were not shot then.

To convince the soldiers, Nicholas sent Metropolitan Seraphim to them, as well as Eugene, Metropolitan of Kyiv. As deacon Prokhor Ivanov testified, the soldiers did not believe the metropolitans, sending them away. They motivated this by the fact that they swore allegiance to two emperors in two weeks. The clergymen interrupted their speeches when the soldiers of the Grenadier Life Guards Regiment with the sailors of the Guards crew left for the square. They were commanded by Nikolai Bestuzhev and Lieutenant Anton Arbuzov.

Initiative lost by rebels

However, the gathering of the rebel troops took place only two hours after the performance began. Newthe leader was chosen an hour before the end of the uprising. It was Prince Obolensky. Nicholas managed to seize the initiative. The rebels were surrounded by government troops that outnumbered the first by more than four times.

There were about 3 thousand rebels on the square, they were brought there by 30 Decembrist officers. 9,000 infantry bayonets, 3,000 cavalry cavalry sabers came out against them, and later artillery with 36 guns also pulled up. In addition, an additional 7,000 infantry bayonets plus 22 squadrons of cavalry armed with 3,000 sabers were called in as a reserve from outside the city. They were left at the outposts.

The end of the rebellion

Continuing the conversation about who the Decembrists are, we should describe the end of the speech on Senate Square. Nikolai was afraid of the onset of darkness, because, according to him, the excitement could seize the mob, and she could be active. Guards artillery appeared from the side of Admir alteisky Boulevard. It was commanded by General I. Sukhozanet. A volley was fired at the square, made with blank charges, which did not produce the desired effect. Then Nikolai gave the order to shoot grapeshot.

First, the cannons began to fire above the heads of the rebels, on the roofs of neighboring houses and on the roof of the Senate building, where the "mob" was located. The rebels responded to the first volley with grapeshot, but then, under a hail of shots, they f altered and rushed to run. As V. I. Shteingel testified, this could already be limited. However, Suhozanet ordered more volleys to be fired. They were sentacross the Neva in the direction of the Academy of Arts and along Galerny Lane. It was there that the crowds fled, which mainly consisted of the curious.

The rebellious soldiers in large numbers rushed to the Neva ice. They wanted to get to Vasilyevsky Island. Mikhail Bestuzhev made another attempt to line up the soldiers in battle formation and send them on the offensive to Petropavlovka. The troops lined up, but they were fired upon with cannon balls. At the same time, many drowned, because, hitting the ice, the cores split it.

By nightfall, the uprising was crushed. The streets and squares were covered with hundreds of corpses. Based on the data of the III Department, N. K. Schilder reported that Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, after the artillery fire had ceased, ordered the chief police chief to remove the corpses by morning. However, the performers showed cruelty. At night, on the Neva, starting from St. Isaac's Bridge in the direction of the Academy of Arts and further, away from Vasilyevsky Island, a large number of ice holes were made. Not only corpses were lowered into them, but also many wounded who did not have the opportunity to escape from a terrible fate. Those of the wounded who managed to escape were forced to hide their injuries from doctors, and died without the help of doctors.

Next, the fate of the Decembrists after the uprising will be told.

Arrest and trial

Immediately after the end of the uprising, arrests were made. The following were sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress:

62 sailors who served in the Marine crew;
371 a soldier who belonged to the Moscowshelf;
277 soldiers from the Grenadier Regiment.

The arrested Decembrists were brought to the Winter Palace. The newly-made emperor Nicholas I himself acted as an investigator. By a decree of December 17, 1825, a commission was created to investigate the activities of "malicious societies." It was headed by Alexander Tatishchev, Minister of War. On May 30, 1826, the commission of inquiry presented Nicholas I with a report compiled by D. N. Bludov.

1826-01-06 the Supreme Criminal Court was formed, which consisted of three bodies. These were: the Senate, the Synod and the State Council. And also they were joined by several senior officials - civil and military. The death sentence was handed down and executed against five people. It's about:

Ryleev K. F.
Kakhovsky P. G.
Pestele P. I.
Bestuzhev-Ryumine M. P.
Muravyov-Apostle S. I.

A total of 579 people were under investigation, of which 287 were blamed. 120 people were exiled to hard labor in Siberia or to a settlement after the Decembrist uprising of 1825.

Memory

In December 1975, 150 years after the uprising, an obelisk was solemnly opened at the place where the Decembrists were executed. This place is on an earthen rampart opposite the Peter and Paul Fortress. This is a granite monument, nine meters high. On its front side there is a bas-relief with an inscription that on July 13 (25), 1826, the execution of the Decembrists was carried out at this place.

At the base of the monument onThere is a forged heraldic composition made of copper on the granite pedestal. She depicts a sword, epaulettes and broken chains. The authors of the obelisk are the architects Lelyakov and Petrov, as well as the sculptors Dema and Ignatiev.

The monument is a compositional center in a small park. In the 90s of the last century, this territory was gradually developed. Here, earthen ramparts were strengthened, channels were cleared, and a cast-iron fence with cast lanterns was recreated.

Every year on July 13, the descendants of the Decembrists, residents of St. Petersburg and guests of the city come to the obelisk. There they remember terrible events. Flowers are laid at the foot of the monument, literary works, letters, memoirs are read.

Among the feature films about the Decembrists are: