The course of the uprising on December 14th. Decembrist uprising (briefly)

Moscow Life Guards Regiment
Grenadier Life Guards Regiment
Guards crew Number of participants more than 3000 people

Prerequisites for an uprising

The conspirators decided to take advantage of the difficult legal situation that developed around the rights to the throne after the death of Alexander I. On the one hand, there was a secret document confirming the long-standing renunciation of the throne of the brother, Konstantin Pavlovich, who followed the childless Alexander in seniority, which gave an advantage to the next brother, extremely unpopular among the highest military and bureaucratic elite Nikolai Pavlovich. On the other hand, even before the opening of this document, Nikolai Pavlovich, under pressure from the Governor-General of St. Petersburg, Count M. A. Miloradovich, hastened to renounce his rights to the throne in favor of Konstantin Pavlovich.

Rebellion plan

The Decembrists decided to prevent the troops and the Senate from taking the oath to the new tsar. The insurgent troops were to occupy the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress, the royal family was planned to be arrested and, under certain circumstances, killed. A dictator, Prince Sergei Trubetskoy, was chosen to lead the uprising.

After that, it was planned to require the Senate to publish a popular Manifesto, which would proclaim the "destruction of the former government" and the establishment of a Provisional Revolutionary Government. It was supposed to make Count Speransky and Admiral Mordvinov its members (later they became members of the court over the Decembrists).

The deputies had to approve a new basic law - the constitution. If the Senate did not agree to promulgate the people's manifesto, it was decided to force it to do so. The manifesto contained several points: the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government, the abolition of serfdom, the equality of all before the law, democratic freedoms (press, confession, labor), the introduction of a jury, the introduction of mandatory military service for all estates, the election of officials, the abolition of the poll tax.

After that, the All-People's Council (Constituent Assembly) was to be convened, which was supposed to decide on the form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic. In the second case, the royal family would have to be sent abroad. In particular, Ryleev suggested that Nikolai be sent to Fort Ross.

Events on December 14 (26), 1825

It is worth noting that, unlike his brother, Alexander I, who regularly received reports about the growth of the spirit of freethinking in the troops and about conspiracies directed against him, Constantine and Nicholas did not even suspect the existence of secret army societies. They were shocked and depressed by the events of December 14 (26). In his letter to Nicholas on December 20, 1825 (January 1, 1826), Konstantin Pavlovich wrote:

Great God, what events! This bastard was unhappy that he had an angel as a sovereign, and plotted against him! What do they need? This is monstrous, terrible, covering everyone, even if they are completely innocent, who did not even think about what happened!

However, a few days before this, Nikolai had been warned about the intentions of secret societies by the Chief of the General Staff I. I. Dibich and the Decembrist Ya. I. Rostovtsev (the latter considered the uprising against the tsar incompatible with noble honor). Senators already at 7 o'clock in the morning took the oath to Nicholas and proclaimed him emperor. Trubetskoy, who was appointed dictator, did not appear. The rebel regiments continued to stand on Senate Square until the conspirators could come to a unified decision on the appointment of a new leader.

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

A large crowd of residents of St. Petersburg gathered on the square and the main mood of this huge mass, which, according to contemporaries, numbered tens of thousands of people, was sympathy for the rebels. They threw logs and stones at Nicholas and his retinue. Two “rings” of the people formed - the first consisted of those who came earlier, it surrounded the square of the rebels, and the second ring was formed from those who came later - their gendarmes were no longer allowed into the square to the rebels, and they stood behind the government troops that surrounded the rebellious square. Nikolai, as can be seen from his diary, understood the danger of this environment, which threatened with great complications. He doubted his success, "seeing that the matter was becoming very important, and not yet foreseeing how it would end." It was decided to prepare carriages for members of the royal family for a possible flight to Tsarskoye Selo. Later, Nikolai told his brother Mikhail many times: “The most amazing thing in this story is that you and I were not shot then.”

Nicholas sent Metropolitan Seraphim and Metropolitan Eugene of Kyiv to convince the soldiers. But in response, according to the testimony of deacon Prokhor Ivanov, the soldiers began to shout to the metropolitans: “What kind of metropolitan are you when you swore allegiance to two emperors in two weeks ... We don’t believe you, go away! ..”. The metropolitans interrupted the persuasion of the soldiers when the Life Guards Grenadier Regiment and the Guards Crew appeared on the square, under the command of Nikolai Bestuzhev and Lieutenant Anton Arbuzov.

But the gathering of all the rebel troops took place only more than two hours after the start of the uprising. An hour before the end of the uprising, the Decembrists chose a new "dictator" - Prince Obolensky. But Nicholas managed to take the initiative into his own hands and the encirclement of the rebels by government troops, more than four times the number of the rebels, was already completed. In total, 30 Decembrist officers brought about 3,000 soldiers to the square. According to Gabaev's estimates, 9,000 infantry bayonets, 3,000 cavalry sabers were assembled against the rebel soldiers, in total, not counting the later artillerymen (36 guns), at least 12,000 people. Because of the city, another 7,000 infantry bayonets and 22 squadrons of cavalry, that is, 3,000 sabers, were called in and stopped at the outposts as a reserve, that is, in total, another 10 thousand people were in reserve at the outposts.

Nikolai was afraid of the onset of darkness, since most of all he feared that "the excitement would not be communicated to the mob", which could be active in the dark. From the side of the Admiralteisky Boulevard, guards artillery appeared under the command of General I. Sukhozanet. A volley of blank charges was fired at the square, which had no effect. Then Nikolay ordered to shoot with buckshot. The first volley was fired above the ranks of the rebellious soldiers - on the "mob" on the roof of the Senate building and the roofs of neighboring houses. The rebels responded to the first volley with buckshot with rifle fire, but then, under a hail of buckshot, the flight began. According to V. I. Shteingel: “It was possible to limit this already, but Sukhozanet fired a few more shots along the narrow Galerny Lane and across the Neva to the Academy of Arts, where more of the curious crowd fled!” . Crowds of rebellious soldiers rushed to the Neva ice to cross to Vasilyevsky Island. Mikhail Bestuzhev tried on the ice of the Neva to again form soldiers into battle formation and go on the offensive against the Peter and Paul Fortress. The troops lined up, but were fired from cannons with cannonballs. The cores hit the ice, and it split, many drowned.

Victims

By nightfall, the uprising was over. Hundreds of corpses remained on the square and streets. Based on the papers of the official of the III Department M. M. Popov, N. K. Schilder wrote:

Upon the cessation of artillery fire, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich ordered the Chief of Police, General Shulgin, that the corpses be removed by morning. Unfortunately, the performers ordered the most inhumane way. On the night on the Neva, from St. Isaac's Bridge to the Academy of Arts and further to the side of Vasilyevsky Island, many holes were made, into which not only corpses were lowered, but, as they claimed, many wounded, deprived of the opportunity to escape from the fate that awaited them. Those of the wounded who managed to escape hid their injuries, being afraid to open themselves to doctors, and died without medical help.

On November 19, 1825, Emperor Alexander I died suddenly in Taganrog. His sudden death gave rise to numerous legends and conjectures. Many said that the king did not die, but simply left the throne in such an extravagant way. After some time, rumors appeared that the emperor lives under the name of the holy elder Fyodor Kuzmich and preaches the Word of God. Some believed this, remembering that in recent years Alexander I often spoke of his desire to retire and retire to a monastery.

Be that as it may, after the real or imaginary death of the emperor, a period of interregnum began, which resulted in a dynastic crisis. Alexander I had no children. According to the law on succession to the throne (1797), power was to pass to the next of the sons of Paul I - Constantine. But he turned out to be a great original. Long before the death of his older brother, he renounced the crown (he was afraid to share the fate of his father), went to Poland and married a Polish aristocrat there. In 1823, Alexander I appointed the next oldest brother, Nicholas, as heir, but he did not dare to make this manifesto public. Now Nikolai reminded of his rights, but the St. Petersburg governor, General M.A. Miloradovich advised him to abide by the law and cede the throne to his elder brother. On November 27, a unique event took place. Nicholas, together with officials and troops, swore allegiance to Constantine, and he, in turn, to Nicholas. In the capital, they began to joke evilly about this.

The Decembrists considered that the dynastic crisis was presented to them by fate itself. The authorities were at a loss, and the authority of the monarchy was falling every day. I.I. Pushchin wrote then: “The case is convenient. If we do nothing, we will earn the name of scoundrels with all our might. Recall that the coup was planned for the summer of 1826. I had to urgently change tactics and strategy.

The uprising was scheduled for December 14, 1825 - the day of the oath to Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich.

The coup plan was prepared by the colonel elected by the dictator - Prince S.P. Trubetskoy.

It was assumed that the rebels would simultaneously capture the Winter Palace (the arrest of the royal family), the Peter and Paul Fortress (its cannons control the city center) and Senate Square (in the Senate officials will gather for the oath).

It was necessary to prevent the oath of senators and members of the State Council, and then force them to announce the “Manifesto to the Russian People” drawn up by Trubetskoy the day before. This policy document was the quintessence of P.I. Pestel and "Constitution" N.M. Muraviev. It proclaimed the abolition of serfdom, declared political freedoms, created a Provisional Government, appointed the convocation of the Great Council, which was obliged to decide the fate of Russia.

Trubetskoy counted on the support of the Southern Society, but he did not know that the day before (December 13) P.I. had been arrested in Tulchin. Pestel.

The uprising began on December 14 at 11 am. Everything went very badly. Instead of the planned six regiments, only three were raised (Moscow, Grenadier and naval crews). The capture of the Peter and Paul Fortress failed. It turned out that the officials swore allegiance to Nicholas early in the morning. A.I. Yakubovich refused to arrest the royal family. Seeing that his plan was not being implemented, Trubetskoy did not go to Senate Square at all, where the main events unfolded.

The rebellious soldiers formed squares on the square and shouted the slogan "Long live the Constitution!". The officers told them that the Constitution is the wife of Konstantin Pavlovich, from whom Nicholas took the throne. A huge crowd of onlookers gathered. At first, the emperor did not want to shed blood and repeatedly sent truce envoys to the rebels. Governor M.A. Miloradovich was shot by P.G. Kakhovsky. The youngest of Paul's sons, Michael, and Metropolitans Eugene and Seraphim also did not succeed in the negotiations. At 4 pm, the emperor ordered artillery to be delivered to the square, already cordoned off by troops loyal to him. The Decembrists were shot point-blank with buckshot. The death toll varies, according to various sources, from 100 to 1300 people.

On December 29, 1825, the Chernigov regiment under the command of S.I. rebelled in Ukraine. Muravyov-Apostol and M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin. The government sent the troops of General F.K. Geismar. On January 3, the rebels were defeated.

The investigation into the case "about the rebellion in St. Petersburg and Ukraine" was conducted by a specially organized Secret Investigative Committee. A total of 316 people were arrested. Nicholas I personally interrogated some suspects. They most often did not hide the truth and did not lock themselves up, believing in the rightness of their cause. As a result, 289 people were found guilty. 88 officers were sent to hard labor in Siberia, 178 soldiers were sentenced to punishment with gauntlets, and five (K.F. Ryleeva, P.I. Pestel, S.I. Muravyov-Apostol, M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin and P.G. Kakhovsky) the Supreme Criminal Court sentenced to quartering. At the last moment, the quartering was changed to hanging. On July 13, 1826, the sentence was carried out in the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Historians are still arguing about the reasons for the defeat of the Decembrist uprising, citing convincing arguments about the unsatisfactory preparation of the enterprise, inconsistency in actions, indecision and even betrayal of leaders, the solidarity of the conservative camp, etc. But the main reason for the failure was formulated by A.I. Herzen, who declared that "there weren't enough people on the square."

Decembrist uprising, Decembrist uprising of 1825
Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire date Cause

Interregnum of 1825

Basic goals

the abolition of autocracy and the abolition of serfdom

Outcome

Suppression of the uprising

driving forces

northern secret society
Moscow Life Guards Regiment
Grenadier Life Guards Regiment
Guards crew

Number of participants

more than 3000 people

perished

1271 people

Decembrist revolt- an attempted coup d'état, which took place in St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire, on December 14 (26), 1825. The uprising was organized by a group of like-minded nobles, many of them were guard officers. They tried to use the guards to prevent the accession to the throne of Nicholas I. The goal was the abolition of the autocracy and the abolition of serfdom. The uprising was strikingly different from the conspiracies of the era of palace coups in terms of its goals and had a strong resonance in Russian society, which significantly influenced the socio-political life of the era of the reign of Nicholas I that followed it.

1 Decembrists
2 Preconditions for an uprising
3 Rebellion plan
4 Events December 14
5 Victims
6 Arrest and trial
7 Notes
8 Museums of the Decembrists
9 Cinema
10 Literature
11 See also
12 Links

Decembrists

Main article: Decembrists

The events of the war of 1812 and the subsequent foreign campaigns of the Russian army had a significant impact on all aspects of the life of the Russian Empire, gave rise to certain hopes for change and, first of all, for the abolition of serfdom. The elimination of serfdom was associated with the need for constitutional restrictions on monarchical power. In 1813-1814, communities of guard officers appeared on an ideological basis, the so-called "artels". From two artels: "Sacred" and "Semyonovsky Regiment" at the beginning of 1816, the Union of Salvation was formed in St. Petersburg.

The creator of the Union was Alexander Muravyov. The Salvation Union included Sergei Trubetskoy, Nikita Muravyov, Ivan Yakushkin, and later Pavel Pestel joined them. The goal of the Union was the liberation of the peasants and the reform of government. In 1817, Pestel wrote the charter of the Union of Salvation or the Union of True and Faithful Sons of the Fatherland. Many members of the Union were members of Masonic lodges, so the influence of Masonic rituals affected the everyday life of the Union. Disagreements among members of the society over the possibility of regicide during a coup d'état led to the dissolution of the Salvation Union in the autumn of 1817.

In January 1818, a new secret society, the Welfare Union, was created in Moscow. The first part of the charter of the society was written by M. N. Muravyov, P. Koloshin, S. P. Trubetskoy and contained the principles of organizing the Welfare Union and its tactics. The second part, secret, contained a description of the ultimate goals of society, was compiled later and has not been preserved. The union lasted until 1821, it included about 200 people. One of the goals of the Welfare Union was to create an advanced public opinion, the formation of a liberal movement. For this, it was supposed to establish various legal societies: literary, charitable, educational. In total, more than ten departments of the Union of Welfare were formed: two in Moscow; in St. Petersburg in the regiments: Moscow, Jaeger, Izmailovsky, Horse Guards; councils in Tulchin, Chisinau, Smolensk and other cities. There were also "side councils", including the "Green Lamp" by Nikita Vsevolozhsky. Members of the Welfare Union were required to take an active part in public life, strive to take positions in government agencies, the army.

The composition of secret societies was constantly changing: as their first members “settle down” in life and start families, they moved away from politics; their place was taken by younger ones. In January 1821, the congress of the Welfare Union worked in Moscow for three weeks. Its necessity was due to disagreements between supporters of the radical (republican) and moderate movements and the strengthening of the reaction in the country, which complicates the legal work of society. The congress was led by Nikolai Turgenev and Mikhail Fonvizin. It became known that through informers the government was aware of the existence of the Union. A decision was made to formally dissolve the Welfare Union. This made it possible to get rid of random people who got into the Union, its dissolution was a step towards reorganization. New secret societies were formed - "Southern" (1821) in Ukraine and "Northern" (1822) with a center in St. Petersburg. In September 1825, the Society of United Slavs, founded by the Borisov brothers, joined the Southern Society.

In the Northern society, the main role was played by Nikita Muravyov, Trubetskoy, and later the famous poet Kondraty Ryleyev, who rallied the fighting republicans around him. The leader of the southern society was Colonel Pestel.

Guards officers Ivan Nikolaevich Gorstkin, Mikhail Mikhailovich Naryshkin, naval officers Nikolai Alekseevich Chizhov, brothers Bodisko Boris Andreevich and Mikhail Andreevich took an active part in the Northern Society. Active participants in the Southern Society were the Decembrists-Tulaks, the Kryukov brothers, Alexander Alexandrovich and Nikolai Alexandrovich, the Bobrishchev-Pushkin brothers Nikolai Sergeevich and Pavel Sergeevich, Alexei Ivanovich Cherkasov, Vladimir Nikolaevich Likharev, Ivan Borisovich Avramov. One of the active figures of the "Society of United Slavs" was Ivan Vasilyevich Kireev.

Prerequisites for an uprising

Main article: Interregnum of 1825

The conspirators decided to take advantage of the difficult legal situation that had developed around the rights to the throne after the death of Alexander I. On the one hand, there was a secret document confirming the long-standing renunciation of the throne by the brother, Konstantin Pavlovich, who followed the childless Alexander in seniority, which gave an advantage to the next brother, extremely unpopular among the highest military-bureaucratic elite Nikolai Pavlovich. On the other hand, even before the opening of this document, Nikolai Pavlovich, under pressure from the Governor-General of St. Petersburg, Count M.A. Miloradovich, hastened to renounce his rights to the throne in favor of Konstantin Pavlovich.

On November 27, the population was sworn in to Constantine. Formally, a new emperor appeared in Russia, several coins with his image were even minted. Constantine did not accept the throne, but he did not formally renounce it as emperor. An ambiguous and extremely tense situation of the interregnum was created. Nicholas decided to declare himself emperor. On December 14, the second oath was appointed - "re-oath". The moment that the Decembrists were waiting for came - a change of power. The members of the secret society decided to speak, especially since the minister already had a lot of denunciations on the table and arrests could soon begin.

The state of uncertainty lasted for a very long time. After the repeated refusal of Konstantin Pavlovich from the throne, the Senate, as a result of a long night meeting on December 13-14, 1825, recognized the legal rights to the throne of Nikolai Pavlovich.

Rebellion plan

The building of the Senate and Synod in St. Petersburg

After that, it was planned to require the Senate to publish a popular manifesto, which would proclaim the "destruction of the former government" and the establishment of the Provisional Revolutionary Government. It was supposed to make Count Speransky and Admiral Mordvinov its members (later they became members of the court over the Decembrists).

The deputies had to approve a new basic law - the constitution. If the Senate did not agree to promulgate the people's manifesto, it was decided to force it to do so. The manifesto contained several points: the establishment of a provisional revolutionary government, the abolition of serfdom, the equality of all before the law, democratic freedoms (press, confession, labor), the introduction of a jury, the introduction of compulsory military service for all classes, the election of officials, the abolition of the poll tax.

After that, the National Council (Constituent Assembly) was to be convened, which was supposed to decide on the form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic. In the second case, the royal family would have to be sent abroad. in particular, Ryleev offered to send Nikolai to Fort Ross. However, then the plan of the "radicals" (Pestel and Ryleev) assumed the murder of Nikolai Pavlovich and, possibly, Tsarevich Alexander.

Events December 14

Ryleyev asked Kakhovsky early in the morning of December 14 to enter the Winter Palace and kill Nikolai. Kakhovsky initially agreed, but then refused. An hour after the refusal, Yakubovich refused to lead the sailors of the Guards crew and the Izmailovsky Regiment to the Winter Palace.

On December 14, the officers - members of the secret society were still in the barracks at dusk and were campaigning among the soldiers. By 11 a.m. on December 14, 1825, Decembrist officers brought about 800 soldiers of the Moscow Life Guards Regiment to Senate Square; later they were joined by units of the 2nd Battalion of the Grenadier Regiment and sailors of the Guards Naval Crew in the amount of at least 2350 people.

Infliction of a mortal wound on M. A. Miloradovich on December 14, 1825. Engraving from a drawing by G. A. Miloradovich

Hero Patriotic War 1812, the St. Petersburg military governor-general, Count Mikhail Miloradovich, appeared on horseback in front of the soldiers lined up in a square, “said that he himself willingly wanted Constantine to be emperor, but what to do if he refused: he assured them that I myself saw a new renunciation, and persuaded me to believe it. E. Obolensky, leaving the ranks of the rebels, urged Miloradovich to leave, but seeing that he did not pay attention to this, he easily wounded him with a bayonet in the side. At the same time, Kakhovsky fired a pistol at the Governor-General (the wounded Miloradovich was taken to the barracks, where he died the same day). Colonel Stürler and Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich unsuccessfully tried to bring the soldiers into obedience. Then the rebels twice repulsed the attack of the horse guards led by Alexei Orlov.

A large crowd of residents of St. Petersburg gathered on the square and the main mood of this huge mass, which, according to contemporaries, numbered tens of thousands of people, was sympathy for the rebels. Nicholas and his retinue were thrown logs and stones. Two “rings” of the people formed - the first consisted of those who came earlier, it surrounded the square of the rebels, and the second ring was formed from those who came later - their gendarmes were no longer allowed into the square to the rebels, and they stood behind the government troops that surrounded the rebellious square. Nikolai, as can be seen from his diary, understood the danger of this environment, which threatened with great complications. He doubted his success, "seeing that the matter was becoming very important, and not yet foreseeing how it would end." It was decided to prepare carriages for members of the royal family for a possible flight to Tsarskoe Selo. Later, Nikolai told his brother Mikhail many times: “The most amazing thing in this story is that you and I were not shot then.”

Nicholas sent Metropolitan Seraphim and Metropolitan Eugene of Kyiv to convince the soldiers. But in response, according to the testimony of Deacon Prokhor Ivanov, the soldiers began to shout to the metropolitans: “What kind of metropolitan are you when you swore allegiance to two emperors in two weeks ... We don’t believe you, go away! ..” The metropolitans interrupted the soldiers’ persuasion when the Life Guards appeared on the square Grenadier Regiment and Guards crew, under the command of Nikolai Bestuzhev and Lieutenant Anton Arbuzov.

But the gathering of all the rebel troops took place only more than two hours after the start of the uprising. An hour before the end of the uprising, the Decembrists chose a new "dictator" - Prince Obolensky. But Nikolai managed to take the initiative into his own hands and the encirclement of the rebels by government troops, more than four times the number of the rebels, was already completed. In total, 30 Decembrist officers brought about 3,000 soldiers to the square. According to Gabaev's estimates, 9,000 infantry bayonets, 3,000 cavalry sabers were assembled against the rebel soldiers, in total, not counting the artillerymen called later (36 guns), at least 12,000 people. Because of the city, another 7,000 infantry bayonets and 22 squadrons of cavalry, that is, 3,000 sabers, were called in and stopped at the outposts as a reserve, that is, in total, another 10 thousand people were in reserve at the outposts.

Nikolai was afraid of the onset of darkness, since most of all he feared that "the excitement would not be communicated to the mob", which could be active in the dark. Guards artillery under the command of General I. Sukhozanet appeared from the side of Admiralteisky Boulevard. A volley of blank charges was fired at the square, which had no effect. Then Nikolai ordered to shoot with buckshot. The first volley was fired above the ranks of the rebellious soldiers - on the "mob" on the roof of the Senate building and the roofs of neighboring houses. The rebels responded to the first volley with buckshot with rifle fire, but then, under a hail of buckshot, the flight began. According to V. I. Shteingel: “It could have been limited to this already, but Sukhozanet fired a few more shots along the narrow Galerny Lane and across the Neva to the Academy of Arts, where more of the curious crowd fled!”. Crowds of rebellious soldiers rushed to the Neva ice to cross to Vasilyevsky Island. Mikhail Bestuzhev tried on the ice of the Neva to again form soldiers into battle formation and go on the offensive against the Peter and Paul Fortress. The troops lined up, but were fired from cannons with cannonballs. The cores hit the ice and it split, many drowned.

Victims

By nightfall, the uprising was over. Hundreds of corpses remained on the square and streets. Based on the papers of the official of the III Department M. M. Popov, N. K. Schilder wrote:

Upon the cessation of artillery fire, Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich ordered the Chief of Police, General Shulgin, that the corpses be removed by morning. Unfortunately, the performers ordered the most inhumane way. night on the Neva from St. Isaac's Bridge to the Academy of Arts and further to the side of Vasilyevsky Island, many holes were made, into which not only the corpses were lowered, but, as they argued, many wounded, deprived of the opportunity to escape from the fate that awaited them. Those of the wounded who managed to escape hid their injuries, being afraid to open themselves to doctors, and died without medical help.

Arrest and trial

Main article: Trial of the Decembrists Obelisk at the place of execution of 5 Decembrists in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg and a memorial plaque on it (below)

371 soldiers of the Moscow Regiment, 277 of the Grenadiers and 62 sailors of the Naval Crew were immediately arrested and sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The arrested Decembrists were brought to the Winter Palace. Emperor Nicholas himself acted as an investigator.

On December 17, 1825, a Commission was established by decree for research on malicious societies, chaired by Minister of War Alexander Tatishchev. On May 30, 1826, the commission of inquiry submitted to Emperor Nicholas I a report compiled by D. N. Bludov. The Manifesto of June 1, 1826 established the Supreme Criminal Court of the three state estates: the State Council, the Senate and the Synod, with the addition of "several persons from the highest military and civil officials." A total of 579 people were involved in the investigation. Found guilty 287. Five were sentenced to death and carried out (K. F. Ryleev, P. I. Pestel, P. G. Kakhovskiy, M. P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, S. I. Muravyov-Apostol). 120 people were exiled to hard labor in Siberia or to a settlement.

Notes

Fedorov, 1981, p. 8
Fedorov, 1981, p. 9
Fedorov, 1981, p. 322
Fedorov, 1981, p. 12
Fedorov, 1981, p. 327
Fedorov, 1981, p. 36-37, 327
From the notes of Trubetskoy.
Fedorov, 1981, p. 13
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Decembrist revolt. Reasons for the defeat
1 2 3 V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. northern society. - M.: MGU, 1981. - S. 345.
Fedorov, 1981, p. 222
From the memoirs of Steingel.
Fedorov, 1981, p. 223
Fedorov, 1981, p. 224
N. K. Schilder. T. 1 // Emperor Nicholas the First. His life and reign. - St. Petersburg, 1903. - S. 516.
V. A. Fedorov. Articles and comments // Memoirs of the Decembrists. northern society. - Moscow: MGU, 1981. - S. 329.

Museums of the Decembrists

Monument to Lenin and a monument to the Decembrists at the Petrovsky Zavod station (Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky city), photo 1980.

Irkutsk Regional Historical and Memorial Museum of the Decembrists
Yalutorovsk museum complex
Novoselenginsky Museum of the Decembrists (Buryatia)
Petrovsk-Zabaikalsky Museum of the Decembrists (Petrovsk-Zabaykalsky)
Kurgan Museum of the Decembrists (Kurgan city)
Museum "Church of the Decembrists" (Chita)
Museum of the Decembrists (city of Minusinsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory)

Movie

Decembrists (1926)
Captivating Happiness Star (1975)

Literature

Academic documentary series "North Star"
Gordin Ya. Rebellion of the Reformers. December 14, 1825. L.: Lenizdat, 1989
Gordin Ya. Rebellion of the Reformers. After the rebellion. M.: TERRA, 1997.
Memoirs of the Decembrists. Northern Society / Ed. V. A. Fedorov. - Moscow: Moscow State University, 1981.
Olenin A.N. Private letter about the incident on December 14, 1825 // Russian archive, 1869. - Issue. 4. - Stb. 731-736; 049-053.
Svistunov P. Several remarks on the latest books and articles about the event of December 14 and the Decembrists // Russian archive, 1870. - Ed. 2nd. - M., 1871. - Stb. 1633-1668.
Sukhozanet I. O. December 14, 1825, the story of the chief of artillery Sukhozanet / Soobshch. A. I. Sukhozanet // Russian antiquity, 1873. - T. 7. - No. 3. - S. 361-370.
Felkner V. I. Notes of Lieutenant General V. I. Felkner. December 14, 1825 // Russian antiquity, 1870. - Vol. 2. - Ed. 3rd. - St. Petersburg, 1875. - S. 202-230.
Decembrists in Ukraine: reference materials / Emphasis. G. D. Kazmirchuk, Yu. V. Latish; Sciences. ed. prof. G. D. Kazmirchuk. T. 7. K., 2013. 440 p.
Latish Yu. V. Decembrists in Ukraine. Historical studios. Kiev, 2014. - 237 p.

Links

Decembrist uprising and program documents
Museum of the Decembrists
Senate Square from the satellite. Can be enlarged
Nikolai Troitsky Decembrists: Uprising // Russia in the 19th century. Lecture course. M., 1997.
Secret organizations of the Decembrists
Verdict of the Supreme Criminal Court and other documents

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The patriotic upsurge of popular consciousness after the victorious Patriotic War of 1812, the influence of the educational works of Western philosophers and writers, the desire for the speedy implementation of reforms in the country, including the peasant one, created the basis for the start of the Decembrists' activities in the Russian Empire.

Causes of the Decembrist uprising

The Decembrists were a collection of various societies whose goal was the overthrow of serfdom in Russia and the reorganization of state power structures.

The Decembrist movement got its name from the large-scale uprising that was carried out by its active members in December 1825.

Initially, the Decembrists planned to carry out the uprising in the summer of 1826. However, the death of Emperor Alexander I (or his mysterious disappearance) greatly accelerated the planned uprising.

Immediately after the death of the Emperor, the country was in a short-term stage of confusion and confusion: for a long time it was not decided which date to choose for the oath of allegiance to the new Emperor of Russia, Nicholas I. Ultimately, December 14 was chosen as the date for the oath.

How did the uprising take place?

The unstable situation in the country decided to use the Decembrists. They decided not to allow the oath to Nicholas and demand from members of the government the right to publish the "Manifesto to the Russian people", in which the Decembrists set out the main requirements for power.

And the demands were as follows: abolish serfdom in the territory of the Empire, introduce universal military service, and provide all residents of Russia with a guarantee of political rights and freedoms.

Trubetskoy, the main organizer of the uprising, planned to persuade the officers of the garrison to renounce their oath to Nicholas.

The Petersburg garrison and members of the Senate were able to swear allegiance to the new Emperor, despite the efforts of members of the Decembrist Society. The rebellion was suppressed, and the officers were dispersed from the Senate Square.

An attempt by the Chernigov regiment to carry out an uprising in Ukraine, two weeks after the events in St. Petersburg, was also suppressed. Nicholas I personally led the investigation of active members of the Decembrists.

Participants and significance of the Decembrist uprising

The organizers of the uprising: Bestuzhev-Ryumin, P. Kakhovsky, P. Pestel, S. Muravyov-Apostol were sentenced to death by hanging. More than a hundred Decembrists were exiled to Siberia, some of the officers were demoted in rank and sent to fight in the Caucasus.

The Decembrist movement played a huge role in the social life of the country, even despite its defeat. The first revolutionary nobles could not resist the gendarme machine of Nicholas I, but they planted in the minds of people the ideas of revolution, the struggle for their civil rights and freedoms.

The Decembrist movement inspired many figures of art and literature. Many writers in their works, as if between the lines, conveyed to people the educational ideas of the Decembrists. And although only a few decades later, their followers were still able to achieve the abolition of serfdom and directed the course of development of the state towards liberalism.

The performance of the Decembrists has attracted close attention among scientists for almost 200 years. This is because the Decembrist society largely influenced the further course of Russian history. According to scientists, in many respects similar processes that took place at that time in the Russian world are taking place now, in our time.

The Decembrists have been the object of study for many years - the information collected and analyzed by many scientists includes more than 10,000 different materials. The first to study the movement were the Decembrists themselves, who were personally present during the speech on Senate Square and could conduct a more accurate analysis of what happened.

The essence and causes of the Decembrist uprising

At the beginning of the 19th century, most of the progressive nobility expected Tsar Alexander I to continue democratic changes in society. Under the influence of a close acquaintance of the progressive nobility with Western countries and the lifestyle of Europe, the first revolutionary movements were formed. The bottom line is that the Decembrists wanted the speedy progress of Russia, they wanted to finish with its backwardness, in particular with serfdom, because of which, in their opinion, the economic development of the Russian Empire was delayed. After the end of the war of 1812, a rise in patriotic sentiments began in society; reforms and fundamental changes within the authorities themselves were expected from the tsarist government. Thus, the views of the Decembrists were influenced by the participation of the tsarist government in the suppression of revolutionary movements in Europe, but these attacks on the spirit of freedom became an incentive for the Decembrists in their own struggle.

The history of the emergence of the Decembrist movement

The first secret political society "Union of Salvation" consisted of 28 people. It was organized in 1816 by well-known representatives of the Russian society A.N. Muravyov, S.P. Trubetskoy, P.I. Pestel and others, setting themselves the goal of destroying serfdom in Russia, to achieve the adoption of a constitution. But after some time, the Decembrists realized that, due to the small size of the group, it would be very difficult to realize their ideas. This prompted the creation of a more powerful and broader organization.

From left to right: A.N. Muravyov, S.P. Trubetskoy, P.I. Pestel

Already by 1818, a new "Union of Welfare" was organized. Geographically, it was located in Moscow, it consisted of more than 200 people, it also had a separate specific program of action, which was reflected in the Decembrist Green Book document. The Union was under the control of the Indigenous Council, which also had its cells in other cities. After the formation of a new union, the goals remained the same. To achieve them, the Decembrists planned to conduct propaganda work for the next 20 years to prepare the people of Russia for a non-violent revolutionary coup with the direct help of the military. However, by 1821, it was decided to dissolve the Welfare Union due to the aggravation of relations within the group due to disagreements between radical and neutral members of society. In addition, over the 3 years of its existence, the "Union of Welfare" has acquired many random people who also needed to be disposed of.

Meeting of the Decembrists

In 1821 P.I. Pestel headed the "Southern Society" in Ukraine, and N.M. Muravyov, on his own initiative, organized the "Northern Society" in St. Petersburg. Both organizations considered themselves to be part of a single whole and interacted with each other on an ongoing basis. Each organization had its own program of action, enshrined in documents called "Constitution" in the Northern Society and "Russian Truth" in the Southern Society.

Political programs and the essence of the Decembrist society

The Russkaya Pravda document was more revolutionary in its essence. He assumed the destruction of the system of autocracy, the elimination of serfdom and all sorts of estates. Russkaya Pravda called for the founding of a republic with a clear division of power into legislative and supervisory. Peasants, after liberation from serfdom, were given land for use, and the state itself was to become a single body with centralized control.

The "constitution" of the Northern society was more liberal, it proclaimed civil liberties, serfdom was abolished, the functions of power were divided, while the constitutional monarchy was supposed to remain as a model of government. Although the peasants were freed from serfdom, they did not receive land for use - it remained the property of the landowners. According to the plan of the Northern Society, the Russian state was to be transformed into a federation of 14 different states and 2 regions. As a plan for the implementation of such a task, all members of the society were of the same opinion and assumed the overthrow of the current government, relying on the uprising of the army.

The performance of the Decembrists on the Senate Square

The uprising was planned for the summer of 1826, but the Decembrists began preparations as early as 1823. In the late autumn of 1825, Emperor Alexander I died suddenly, and after his death, the legitimate heir to the throne, Konstantin, renounced the title. But Konstantin's abdication was concealed, and therefore the military and the entire state apparatus were nevertheless sworn in precisely to the crown prince. After some time, his portraits were hung in shop windows, on the walls of state institutions, minting of coins with the appearance of the new emperor on the obverse began. But in fact, Constantine did not accept the throne - he knew that soon they were to publish the text of the will of Alexander I, in which he transfers the title of emperor to the younger brother of the crown prince - Nicholas.

Coin with a portrait of Constantine on the obverse. There are only 5 coins of 1 ruble left in the world, its price reaches 100,105 US dollars.

The "re-swearing" to Nicholas I, as they joked among the military, was to take place on December 14. It was these events that forced the leaders of the "Northern" and "Southern" societies to speed up the process of preparing the uprising and the Decembrists decided to take advantage of the moment of confusion in their favor.

The key events of the Decembrist uprising took place on Senate Square in St. Petersburg. Part of the military, who did not want to swear allegiance to the new emperor Nicholas I, lined up at the monument to Peter I. The leaders of the Decembrists’ performance hoped not to allow the senators to take the oath to Nicholas I and intended with their help to announce the overthrow of the tsarist government, after which they would turn to the entire Russian people. After a short time, it became known that the senators had already taken the oath to Emperor Nicholas I and soon left the square. This caused confusion in the ranks of the Decembrists - the course of the speech had to be urgently reviewed. At the most key moment, the main "conductor" of the uprising - Trubetskoy - did not come to the square. At first, the Decembrists were waiting for their leader on Senate Square, after which they chose a new one all day, and it was this pause that became fatal for them. The new emperor of Russia ordered troops loyal to him to surround the crowd, and when the army cordoned off the square, the demonstrators were shot with grapeshot.

The performance of the Decembrists on the Senate Square

Almost 2 weeks later, under the leadership of S. Muravyov-Apostol, the Chernigov regiment began an uprising, but by January 3, the uprising was also suppressed by government troops.

The uprising seriously agitated the newly-made emperor. The entire trial of participants in the Decembrist movement took place behind closed doors. During the proceedings, more than 600 people were brought to responsibility for participation and organization of the performance. Key leaders of the movement were sentenced to be quartered, but later it was decided to mitigate the type of execution and the medieval torture was abandoned, replacing it with death by hanging. The death sentence was carried out on the summer night of July 13, 1826, and all the conspirators were hanged on the crownwork of the Petropavlovskaya fortress.

More than 120 participants in the speech were sent to hard labor and to a settlement in Siberia. There, many Decembrists collected and studied the history of Siberia, were fond of the folk life of the locals. In addition, the Decembrists actively contacted the residents living in these territories. So, in the city of Chita, at the expense of the wives of the exiles, a hospital was built, which was visited, in addition to the Decembrists, by local residents. Medicines that were prescribed from St. Petersburg were given to the locals free of charge. Many of the Decembrists exiled to Siberia were engaged in teaching Siberian children to read and write.

Wives of the Decembrists

Before the uprising on Senate Square, 23 Decembrists were married. After the death sentence, the wives of the Decembrists I. Polivanov and K. Ryleev, who died in 1826, remained widows.

After the Decembrists, 11 wives went to Siberia, and 7 other women followed them to the north - sisters and mothers of members of the Decembrist movement sent into exile.