The December armed uprising of 1825 is brief. Decembrist uprising in a nutshell
Secret societies
The first Russian revolutionaries wanted to raise an armed uprising among the troops, overthrow the autocracy, abolish serfdom and popularly adopt a new state law - a revolutionary constitution. It was decided to speak at the time of the change of emperors on the throne. After the death of Alexander I, an interregnum arose - a government crisis that was beneficial to the revolutionaries.
The day of December 14 was the day of the oath to the new emperor -. His older brother - had just died childless, the brother following him renounced the throne (Alexander left a copy of his refusal in the Assumption Cathedral in a closed package, so almost no one knew about the refusal of the throne), and here is the third brother, Nikolai - rude and ignorant serf-owner and tormentor of soldiers - has already put his foot on the step of the throne ...
Plan
The Decembrists carefully worked out their plans. First of all, they decided to prevent the troops and the senate from taking the oath to the new king. Then they wanted to enter the Senate and demand the publication of a nationwide manifesto, which would announce the abolition of serfdom and the 25-year term of military service, the granting of freedom of speech, the assembly of deputies elected by the people.
The deputies had to decide what system to establish in the country and approve its 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 insurgent troops were to take Winter Palace And Peter and Paul Fortress, royal family should have been arrested. If necessary, it was supposed to kill the king. In the meantime, as the Decembrists thought, deputies elected from the provinces would come to St. Petersburg from all sides. Autocracy and serfdom will collapse. Will begin new life liberated people.
A dictator was elected to lead the uprising - a longtime member of the society, one of its founders - Guards Colonel Prince Sergei Trubetskoy.
The beginning of the uprising
More than 3,000 soldiers of the guards under the command of revolutionary officers - nobles gathered on the Senate Square of the capital, raised by the heated speeches of their teachers. The first to march on the square was the Moscow Guards Regiment. He was raised to rebellion by the revolutionary speech of the officer Alexander Bestuzhev. Colonel Commander Baron Frederiks wanted to prevent the rebels from entering the square, but he fell with a severed head under the blow of the saber of officer Shchepin-Rostovsky. Soldiers of the Moscow Regiment came to Senate Square with a fluttering regimental banner, loaded their guns and took live ammunition with them. The regiment lined up in a battle square (quadrilateral) near the monument to Peter I.
End of the rebellion
By nightfall, the first Russian uprising was over. Dozens of corpses remained on the square. The police covered the pools of blood with snow. Fires were burning everywhere. There were guard patrols. The arrested were taken to the Winter Palace.
Not everything that was planned came true. It was not possible to raise all the planned regiments for the uprising. There were no artillery units among the rebels. The dictator Trubetskoy betrayed the uprising and did not come to the square. The rebel troops lined up in front of the empty Senate building - the senators had already taken the oath and dispersed.
In the south, the matter was also not without an armed rebellion. Six companies of the Chernigov regiment released the arrested Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, who went with them to Bila Tserkva; but, overtaken by a detachment of hussars with horse artillery, the rebels laid down their weapons. The wounded Muraviev was arrested.
Investigation and trial
By decree, a Commission was established for research on malicious societies, chaired by Minister of War Tatishchev. The Commission of Inquiry submitted to Emperor Nicholas the most submissive report compiled by D. N. Bludov. The Manifesto of the city established the Supreme Criminal Court of three state estates: the State Council, the Senate and the Synod, with the addition of "several persons from the highest military and civil officials." The following were put on trial: from the Northern Society - 61 people, from the Southern Society - 37 people, from the United Slavs - 23 people. The court established eleven categories, highlighting five people in particular, and sentenced: to death - five by quartering, 31 - by beheading, 17 - to political death, 16 - to exile forever in hard labor, 5 - to exile in hard labor for 10 liters ., 15 - to exile in hard labor. work for 6 years, 15 - to exile to the settlement, 3 - to the deprivation of ranks, nobility and to exile in, 1 - to the deprivation of ranks and nobility and writing to the soldiers until the length of service, 8 - to the deprivation of ranks with writing to the soldiers with length of service . Emperor Nicholas by decree
After Constantine's re-denial of the crown, on December 24 (December 12, according to the old style), 1825, a manifesto was signed on the accession to the throne of the third son of Emperor Paul I, Nikolai Pavlovich.
On December 26 (December 14, according to the old style), the second oath was appointed - the "re-oath" to Nicholas I.
The leaders of the uprising decided to take advantage of the difficult situation that had developed at the highest state level.
The Decembrists intended to prevent the troops and the Senate from taking the oath to the new tsar.
It was planned to occupy the Winter Palace and the Peter and Paul Fortress, arresting the royal family. A dictator, Prince Sergei Trubetskoy, was elected 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 government. Its members were supposed to be Count Mikhail Speransky and Admiral Nikolai Mordvinov (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.
After that, according to the plans of the Decembrists, a Constituent Assembly was to be convened, which would decide on the form of government - a constitutional monarchy or a republic.
On December 26 (December 14, old style), 1825, insurgent troops began to gather on the snowy Senate Square. By 11 o'clock in the morning, 30 Decembrist officers brought more than three thousand people to Senate Square - soldiers of the Moscow and Grenadier regiments and sailors of the Guards naval crew.
However, the action plan worked out the day before was violated from the first minutes. A few days before the uprising, Nicholas I was warned of the impending coup. The senators swore allegiance to Emperor Nicholas early in the morning and had already dispersed, not all the planned military units arrived at the gathering place, Sergei Trubetskoy, chosen by the dictator, did not appear at all on Senate Square.
The rebel regiments continued to remain inactive until the conspirators could come to a unified decision on the appointment of a new leader.
Meanwhile, Nicholas I pulled the troops loyal to him to the square. St. Petersburg military governor-general, hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Mikhail Miloradovich made an attempt to persuade the rebels to lay down their arms, but was mortally wounded by a shot by Peter Kakhovsky.
At five o'clock in the afternoon, Nicholas I gave the order to open artillery fire. Seven shots were fired with buckshot - one over the heads and six at close range. The soldiers took to flight. Lieutenant Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin tried to organize the capture of the Peter and Paul Fortress by placing soldiers running on the ice of the Neva, but his plan failed. By the evening of the same day, the government completely crushed the uprising.
As a result of the rebellion, 1271 people were killed, among which, as follows from the message of the Police Department, 1 general, 1 staff officer, 17 chief officers of different regiments, 282 lower ranks of the Life Guards, 39 people in tailcoats and overcoats, 150 minors, 903 blacks. Almost immediately, 62 sailors of the Naval crew, 277 soldiers of the Grenadier Regiment and 371 of the Moscow Regiment were arrested and sent to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The arrested Decembrists were taken to the Winter Palace, where Emperor Nicholas I himself acted as an investigator.
In total, 579 people were involved in the investigation and trial in the case of the Decembrists. The investigation and judicial procedures were carried out in deep secrecy. All the Decembrists were divided into categories according to the degree of activity. Pavel Pestel, Sergei Muravyov-Apostol, Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Kondraty Ryleev, Pyotr Kakhovsky were placed "out of the ranks" and sentenced to quartering, replaced by Nicholas I by hanging.
In the early morning of July 25, 1826 (July 13, old style), on the rampart of the crownwork of the Peter and Paul Fortress, the sentence was carried out. Many participants in the uprising and members of secret societies who were involved in its preparation were sent into exile and hard labor in Siberia. As a result of the proceedings, the Supreme Criminal Court found guilty in the case on December 26 and sentenced 121 people to various penalties.
More than a hundred soldiers were driven through the line, some were exiled to Siberia or to a settlement. Over two thousand soldiers were transferred to the Caucasus, where hostilities were taking place at that time. The newly formed Chernigov regiment, as well as another consolidated regiment of active participants in the uprising, were also sent to the Caucasus.
In August 1826, the first group of convicted Decembrists arrived at hard labor.
The Decembrists were followed by 11 women, their wives and fiancees, who decided to share the Siberian exile with them.
Most of them were from noble families - daughters of Russian princes, counts and barons.
With regard to other relatives, including children, Nicholas I authorized the adoption of a decree "On the prohibition of children of their noble rank, relatives and other persons to go to them (to the Decembrists) in Siberia."
In 1856, after the death of Nicholas I, in connection with the coronation of the new emperor Alexander II, a manifesto was issued on the amnesty of the Decembrists and permission for them to return from Siberia.
Material prepared on the basis of information open sources
Decembrist uprising on Senate Square: causes, goals, course and results
The war of 1812 and the further path of the Russian army in Europe had a great influence on various aspects of life in Russia. Having engendered in various strata of society hope for changes for the better, and above all for the abolition of serfdom. In 1813, societies of guard officers appeared in Russia, later called the Decembrists. From two such communities called "Sacred" and "Semenovsky Regiment" in 1816, the Union of Salvation was formed.
Causes of the Decembrist uprising
Members of the Union of Salvation society were participants in the last war of 1812 and the Russian army's foreign campaign that continued from 1813 to 1815 in Europe. They felt like the liberators of the European peoples, from the power of Napoleon, while a foreign campaign for many officers Russian army became a revelation. Here in other countries they saw other orders and laws, which allowed them, upon returning to their homeland, to compare what they saw in Europe with the way of life in their homeland in Russia. The observations and experience gained, as well as the desire to make their country better, made many of them join these communities in the hope of influencing the internal structure of the Russian Empire.Alexander Muravyov became the creator of the Salvation Union, Sergey Trubetskoy, Ivan Yakushkin, Pavel Pestel, Nikita Muravyov became his associates. The purpose of the union was the abolition of serfdom and the reform of state administration. Later in 1817, the disagreements of the members of the society lead to its transformation into the Welfare Union. The new society lasted only until the beginning of 1821, after which it was decided to formally dissolve it, since the existence of the union became known to the government. But in practice, members of the society continued to be active in politics in the hope of further influencing the structure of the country.
Prerequisites for the uprising of the Decembrists was the fact that after the death of Emperor Alexander I, the elder brother of the childless Alexander I, Konstantin Pavlovich, was to ascend the throne. But he voluntarily renounced the throne and the next one who claimed the throne was another brother, Nikolai Pavlovich, who did not have popularity among the military and officials. Under pressure from the Governor of St. Petersburg M.A. Miloradovich, Nikolai renounces the throne, in favor of Konstantin, who was sworn in on November 27. But Constantine did not accept the throne, but he did not officially renounce it either. In this tense situation, Nicholas decides to become emperor, in connection with which a second oath was scheduled for December 14.
In the current situation of change of power, the Decembrists decided on a coup. The plan of the uprising was to give the troops and members of the Senate an oath to Nicholas, and, if necessary, to kill the emperor and his family, Sergei Trubitskoy became the leader of the coup. In the future, it was planned to force the Senate to approve a new constitution, create a provisional government, abolish serfdom, and introduce a jury trial.
The course of the uprising on the Senate Square
On December 14, officers of the secret society brought about 3,020 soldiers of the Moscow, Grenadier and Guards marine regiments to Senate Square by 11 o'clock. However, Nikolai, warned of the impending uprising, took the oath from the members of the Senate by 7 o'clock in the morning, becoming officially the Emperor of Russia.Due to the absence of Trubetskoy, the Decembrists could not decide for a long time who to choose as a new leader, continuing to stand on the square. An attempt by M.A. Miloradovich to persuade the rebels to disperse ended in his death after he was wounded by the bayonet of E. Obolensky. By that time, residents of St. Petersburg had gathered on the square, their number was more than ten thousand people. Many of those gathered supported the insurgent military, forming a ring around them, holding back the gendarmes who surrounded them, who in turn were surrounded by another ring of city residents who came later.
Prince Obolensky became the new head of the uprising, but by that time Emperor Nicholas, having gathered government troops with a total number of more than 12 thousand people and having reached a fourfold superiority of forces, gave the order to attack.
At first, the artillery fired blank charges at the Decembrists, but without achieving any results, fired the next volley of buckshot on top of the heads of the Decembrists, they responded with gunfire, after which the artillery opened fire with buckshot on the ranks of the rebels, who fled. Further, the Decembrists tried to rebuild on the ice of the Neva, deciding to storm the Peter and Paul Fortress, but the continued shelling began to break the ice under their feet, in connection with which many drowned, and their ranks were upset.
The results of the Decembrist uprising
On this, the Decembrist uprising was suppressed, during which more than 1271 people died, including 79 women and 150 children, the number of deaths was the largest of all the palace coups that had taken place before. 597 people were brought to trial, of which P.I. Pestel, S.I. Muroviev-Apostol, M.P. Bestuzhev, K.F. Ryleev and P.G. Kakhovsky were hanged on June 13, 1826, by the verdict of the court. Another 121 Decembrists were exiled to hard labor in Siberia. The results of the Decembrist uprising became the strongest resonance in society, which later significantly influenced the socio-political life of the country during the reign of Nicholas.Everyone knows the history of the country, because we get to know it at school, and then whoever is interested can always delve into the events and do independent study historical events previous years. IN this moment at school, we stopped at the consideration of the Decembrist uprising, where we have to briefly describe the causes, course and results of the Decembrist uprising in order to understand historical meaning this event.
Decembrist uprising briefly, the most important
Speaking briefly about the Decembrist uprising, it took place in December, hence its name. The coup happened in 1825.
Causes of the Decembrist uprising
What were the reasons for the uprising of the advanced youth? The impetus for the uprising that occurred on December 14 was briefly the liberal views of people who opposed the established order and existing policy king. While there was no serfdom in Europe for a long time, people continued to be oppressed in Russia, rights and freedoms were violated. The youth wanted changes and began to organize circles. During the gathering, the policy of the king and the state of affairs in the country were furiously discussed.
The course of the Decembrist uprising
In the course of reasoning and discussion, it was decided to rebel against the usurping power, change the government, and get rid of the monarch. And then Alexander the First dies, but Nikolai has not yet begun the duties assigned to royalty. This unstable situation was taken advantage of by the Decembrists, who planned to prevent the oath of the troops and the Senate to the tsar, scheduled for December 14th.
The Decembrists opposed the government, putting forward their demands, which consisted in the abolition of serfdom. The Decembrists demanded that all people be granted rights and freedoms. However, the uprising failed.
The results and significance of the uprising
A lot of people gathered on Senate Square, people were aggressive, but the leaders of the uprising could not organize everything correctly, they did not find mutual language between themselves. Already at the beginning of the uprising, the leader had to be changed, where instead of Trubetskoy, Prince Obolensky becomes the head of the event. The king himself was warned about the uprising, so he took the oath early in the morning and began to prepare to repulse and suppress the rebels. Having gathered an army of twelve thousand, the king gives the order to attack. The number of the tsarist army had an advantage, besides, it was well armed, so it was not difficult to suppress the uprising. And the Decembrists did not play into the hands of their poor preparation, their lack of knowledge of the intricacies of organizing such events.
As a result, the uprising was crushed, while many people died, among the dead on the square were both women and children. Many Decembrists were caught and convicted. Some of them were hanged, the rest were sent into exile.
If we talk about the significance of the uprising, then, despite the fiasco, it played a big role for the future revolutionary movement in Russia. Those who rebelled against the government, although they failed, managed to sow revolutionary ideas in the minds of many people. They gave impetus to further struggle. The Decembrist movement inspired many figures, including writers, who began to promote revolutionary ideas in their works. And even if not immediately, even decades later, serfdom was abolished, which means that the sacrifices were not in vain.
Russia won in Patriotic war, but what did this victory bring to society. After 1812 Russian empire in the person of the emperor, she organized a foreign campaign against the remnants of the Napoleonic army, which ended in 1815. The campaign was successful, Napoleon's army was defeated.
But for Russian society, the campaign brought something else. He gave an understanding that life is better in Europe, that there is a concept civil law that in some countries there is no serfdom, and most importantly, the officers saw in reality that the autocratic form of government is not the only one that can exist in the state. The December uprising, which took place on December 14, 1825 on Senate Square, was the result of just this foreign campaign.
Causes of the Decembrist uprising
The reasons for the Decembrist uprising can be considered secret societies, which began to emerge in Russia after 1815. The very first such society was the Union of Welfare, it arose in 1818 in St. Petersburg. It included radical young officers and nobles: Pestel, Muravyov-Apostol, the Muravyov brothers, Trubetskoy, and others. This organization had its own charter - the Green Book.
The main goal of the organization is the dissemination of education, in order to prepare society for the adoption of the constitution by the emperor. But the members of the society could not decide in what way the society should achieve a constitution. studying public opinion on this issue, many members of society became disillusioned with the Union of Welfare.
They understood that society was completely unprepared for peaceful ways to achieve such goals, an uprising was needed. Therefore, the Union gradually turned into only a revolutionary gang, where they studied in detail the Spanish revolution and anti-monarchist movements in European countries. At the same time, the participants in the society understood that the participation of the peasantry and any mob in such an uprising was impossible. The coup must be carried out by advanced officers in the name and good of the people. Due to disagreements in 1821, the society was dissolved.
Participants of the Decembrist uprising of 1825
After the collapse of the Union of Welfare, two new societies were created, which became the main organizations that took part in the Decembrist uprising - these are the Northern and Southern societies.
Pavel Pestel became the head of the southern society. He adhered to the idea of revolution in the country and the creation of a republic. He registered his ideas in the program of the society - "Russian Truth". Nikita Muravyov became the head of the Northern Society. He developed his "Constitution" program, which involved limiting the monarchy by introducing a Constitution in the country. The northern society was not as radical as the southern, however, both societies adhered to a single position regarding serfdom - they treated it negatively. If you take general provisions programs for a future uprising, she suggested:
- The abolition of serfdom;
- Civil rights and freedoms to the population;
- Introduction of representation in the governing bodies.
The most important thing that interested the rebels was the transformation of state administration. This problem has become long overdue in society and inevitable, and therefore led to the Decembrist uprising of 1825.
The course of events of the uprising on Senate Square
Open action was scheduled for 14 December. The main task of the Decembrists was to disrupt the oath to the future emperor. His arrest was supposed, and then a change in the form of government in the country.
In the morning, the rebels arrived at Senate Square, but almost immediately they became aware that the oath to Nicholas had already taken place that night. This happened because the preparation of the uprising took place with poor secrecy, and already knew about the plans of the conspirators. Standing in the square, the rebels did not know what to do and for a long time were inactive. This played into the hands of the government, which began to raise troops. The emperor moved to action. Most of the guards obeyed him and this decided the outcome of the uprising on the Senate.
First, Governor General Miloradovich M.A. tried to persuade the rebels to disperse in order to do without bloodshed. But the Decembrist Kakhovsky P.G. shot at him and the general died. It was last straw and ordered the massacre to begin. Not wanting much bloodshed, he ordered to shoot buckshot over the heads of the rebels, so the uprising was defeated.
Mass arrests of participants in the Decembrist uprising began throughout the city. On the example of the punishments of the Decembrists of the uprising, the emperor showed his determination in such matters. He believed that the constitutional ideas of his brother the Emperor, which he considered erroneous, served as the source of the Decembrist uprising. All those arrested were brought to the Peter and Paul Fortress, where they were interrogated in detail. Many of the participants and indirectly involved persons were officers, therefore, following the officer's honor, they answered frankly, hiding nothing.
The Supreme Court convicted 121 people. Five people were sentenced to hang: Pestel, Kakhovsky, Muraviev-Apostol, Bestuzhev-Ryumin and Ryleev. The rest of the Decembrists went to hard labor, some of the soldiers created a special regiment, which was sent to the Caucasus. All the severity of the sentences shocked the society and ruined it forever. moral character new emperor. And the uprising on Senate Square has remained in history as a failed revolution.
Decembrist uprising video
