Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov is one of the most famous Russian revolutionaries of the 19th century. He was an active member of the terrorist organization Narodnaya Volya. He became one of the two direct perpetrators of the assassination attempt on Alexander II, which ended in the death of the emperor. And so he went down in history. In this article, we will tell his biography, details of the assassination attempt and the investigation.
Origin
Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov was born in the Novgorod province in 1861. He was born in the Arbozero volost. His father was from the middle class, managing a sawmill, his name was Ivan Sergeevich. Rysakov received a proper upbringing.
The hero of our article first studied at the Vytegorsk district school, and then at a real school in Cherepovets. It was there that the teacher, who was a nihilist in his beliefs, was of decisive importance.
In the biography of Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov, everything turned out well, since he studied excellently, was piousyoung man. In 1878 he came to St. Petersburg, where he entered the Mining University. Being under the influence of the Narodnaya Volya, he dropped out of school.
Membership in the "Narodnaya Volya"
Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov became a member of the terrorist organization "Narodnaya Volya" in the second year of his stay in St. Petersburg. Andrey Zhelyabov, the head of the executive committee, who at that time was 28 years old, had a decisive influence on him.
Rysakov was so carried away by hatred of the autocracy that he offered his services to participate in a terrorist act against the emperor.
Attempt
The assassination attempt on Alexander II was scheduled for March 1, 1881. 19-year-old Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov threw a bomb at the tsar's carriage. Several passers-by were killed, including a 14-year-old teenager, but the emperor himself was not injured.
Fleeing from the crime scene, the terrorist slipped on the sidewalk and fell. He was detained by a nearby bridge watchman, peasant Mikhail Nazarov.
The emperor, who got off the carriage, approached the arrested person and asked his name and rank. Rysakov called himself a tradesman Glazov, presented a passport, according to which he lived in St. Petersburg.
If you believe the testimony of Lieutenant Rudykovsky, who was at the scene, he asked about what was happening with the sovereign. In response, Alexander II noted that, thank God, he survived, but many people suffered, and pointed to the dead and wounded as a result ofbomb explosion. Hearing these words of the emperor, the terrorist allegedly doubted: "Is it still glory to God?" Interestingly, apart from Rudykovsky, no one else confirmed this story about Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov.
Murder
Alexander II was in no hurry to leave the scene of the crime, but went to look at the Catherine's Canal. At this moment, the second Narodnaya Volya Ignatius Grinevitsky, who was on the embankment, threw a second bomb under the feet of the emperor. This explosion proved fatal. On the same day, both Grinevitsky himself and Alexander died.
The terrorist's body was not identified for a long time, and the details of the assassination attempt were hidden. Because of this, many began to consider Rysakov the direct killer of the tsar. In the prison where he was transferred, he was warmly welcomed, including Zhelyabov, who had been arrested the day before. Rysakov was confronted with him. One of the leaders of the Narodnaya Volya stubbornly called him a "young hero", asked to judge them together.
In Paris, anarchists staged a demonstration, carrying a portrait of Nikolai Ivanovich Rysakov. The photo of the terrorist is now known to most historians.
Consequence
According to the laws of the Russian Empire, the hero of our article was a minor. Realizing that he was facing the death pen alty, he began to try to avoid it in any way.
For this, immediately after the arrest, he gave detailed and exhaustive testimony, betraying all the members of the secret organization that were known to him. Thanks to the information received, the police raided the safe house on Telezhnayathe street where Gesya Gelfman and Nikolai Sablin lived, who shot himself during the arrest. On March 3, Timofey Mikhailov, member of the Narodnaya Volya, was arrested.
It is known that during the investigation and trial, the death of N. Rysakov could not be avoided. The arrestee testified against Sofia Perovskaya, Ivan Yemelyanov, Vera Figner. He told the investigation everything he knew about the Narodnaya Volya organization.
Execution
Rysakov really could count on pardon as a minor. In addition, he was not subject to long terms of hard labor. But, according to the regulation, automatic pardon for minors was not provided. Those who deserved capital punishment were executed regardless of age.
The influence of the adult members of the terrorist organization and Rysakov's sincere repentance mattered in the case. Despite this, he was still sentenced to death, even though his lawyer lawyer Alexei Mikhailovich Unkovsky protested. The lawyer's petition for clemency was deemed not worthy of attention.
The verdict was surprising to many, as mitigating circumstances were obvious. However, the court refused to take them into account, assessing the social significance of the crime committed. Emperor Alexander III approved the death sentence for all the accused.
Rysakov was hanged on April 3 at the Semyonovsky parade ground. At that time, he was not yet 20 years old. Together with him, they executed Timofey Mikhailov, Nikolai Kibalchich, Andrey Zhelyabov and Sofya Perovskaya. All four consideredRysakov was a traitor, so they refused to say goodbye to him on the scaffold before his death.
Some of the Narodnaya Volya members who remained at large later claimed that Rysakov, although he testified against his comrades, still deserved leniency.
