history of Russia of the XIX century, extremely rich in various events.However, the revolt of the Decembrists at the Senate Square occupies among them a very special place.After all, if the purpose of all the previous successful and unsuccessful attempts to seize power in the country was one autocrat replacing another, then this time it was about changing the social system and the transition to a republican form of government by the state.The initiators of the December uprising were members of "Southern" and "Northern" secret societies, who led Murav'ev, Trubetskoy and P. Pestel.
Background
The story of the Decembrists' uprising is usually customary to begin with the foundation of Alexander Muravyov in St. Petersburg "Union of Salvation" - a secret society, which declared its goal the liberation of the peasants and carrying out fundamental reforms in governance.This organization lasted only one year, and was disbanded because of differences in participants' views on the possibility of regicide.However, many of its members continued their activities, now in the "Union of Welfare."Once the conspirators learned that the authorities are going to implement the ranks of the rebel spies his stead were formed "North" (early 1822) and the "South" (1821) secret societies.The first of them operated in the northern capital, and the second - in Kiev.
Southern Society
Despite several provincial status of the organization of conspirators operating in Ukraine, its members were much more radical set than the "northerners".This was primarily due to the fact that the "Southern Society" consisted entirely of officers, most of whom had experience in battles, and its members sought to change the political structure of the country by a military coup and regicide.The turning point in his work began in 1823.Then in Kiev, the Congress adopted the policy document "Southern Society" authored by Paul Pestel, called "Russian Truth".This work, together with the draft constitution Murav'ev relied on by members of the "Northern Society", played a major role in the formation of progressive views among the Russian aristocracy of the XIX century, which, incidentally, led to the abolition of serfdom.
program document
"Russian Truth" Pestel was presented to them on the court members of the "Southern Society" in 1823.However, he began to work on it even in 1819.There were written five chapters on land, class and national issues.Pestel proposed to rename the Nizhniy Novgorod to Vladimir and moved to the capital of Russia's new unified state with a republican form of government.In addition, the "Russian Truth" raised the issue of the immediate abolition of serfdom.The "Southern Society" Decembrists also included:
- equality before the law of every citizen;
- the right to vote "Popular Assembly" for all men over the age of twenty;
- freedom of speech, religion, training, assembly, movement and the press;
- inviolability of the home and the individual;
- equality before justice.
Goals
As has been said, "Southern Society" was more radical than the "North".Its main purpose was to:
- elimination of autocracy, including physical destruction of all members of the royal house of the Romanovs;
- abolition of serfdom, but without providing the land to the peasants;
- introduction of the constitution;
- destruction of class distinctions;
- the establishment of representative government.
P. Pestel: a brief biographical sketch
So who stood at the helm of "Southern Society" and created one of the most important documents relating to the arrangement of Russia, based on the principles of the Enlightenment?That man was Pestel, Pavel Ivanovich, who was born in 1793 in Moscow, in a German family which professed Lutheranism.At age 12, the boy was sent to Dresden, where he studied at one of the closed schools.Further education Pavel Pestel received the Corps of Pages, and upon its completion the young man identified in the Lithuanian Regiment.Military career of the future conspirator there was more than successful.In particular, Pestel showed miracles of bravery during the Battle of Borodino and other battles of World War II in 1812, he has been awarded a variety of Russian and allied awards.
Political activity Pavel Pestel
After the victory over Napoleon in the environment of the Russian officers are having political organizations, aims to improve the situation of farmers and to limit or even destroy the monarchy.One of these was a military and Pavel Pestel, who became a member of the "Union of Salvation", later "Union of Welfare," and finally, in 1821, headed "Southern secret society."The main miscalculation that allowed Pavel Ivanovich Pestel, was his suggestion that, in the event of victory of the uprising the country indefinitely usually Provisional Government.This idea has caused concern among members of the "Northern Society", as among the rebels there were many of those who saw in his actions and the desire to become a dictator, and the Napoleonic ambitions.That is why the "northerners" in no hurry to unite with the "southerners", which ultimately reduces their overall capacity.Judging from the documents, during 1824 Pestel, considering himself misunderstood by associates, he experienced severe depression and even for some time lost interest in the "Southern Society".
"Southern Society": participants
P. Pestel In addition, members of the secret society, organized among the officers of the military units stationed on the territory of modern Ukraine were a few dozen famous military at the time.In particular, among the leaders of the "southerners" special authority enjoyed S. Muraviev-Apostol, M. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Davydov and the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812 S. Volkonsky.For the management of the organization was elected a director, which, in addition to Pestel and Nikita Muraviev entered as quartermaster-general AP Yushnevsky.
actions of the authorities to expose the activities of secret societies
In the history of Decembrist movement, as is the case with any other conspiratorial societies, there were traitors and provocateurs.In particular, the most fatal mistake made himself Pestel, who made a secret "Southern Society" his subordinate - Arcadia Captain Maiboroda.Last did not have any education, as evidenced by numerous grammatical errors that are present in the denunciation, which he wrote to Pestel, he was dishonest.In the fall of 1825 Maiboroda made a big waste of soldiers' money.Fearing the consequences, he told the authorities about the impending rebellion.Even earlier denunciation of the conspirators was made a non-commissioned officer in Sherwood, which even caused Alexander the First to testify and sent to post in the third Bug regiment, so that he could continue to report on the objectives and intentions of the rebels.
Preparations for the uprising
In the autumn of 1825, at a meeting with General S. Volkonsky, Pestel had identified targets "Southern Society" in the coming months, the most important of which is the preparation of the insurrection, scheduled for January 1, 1826.The fact is that in this day led them to Vyatka Regiment was to serve as guards at the headquarters of the 2nd Army in Tulchin.Conspirators was designed by forced march route to St. Petersburg, supply of essential foodstuffs.It was assumed that they would be arrested the commander and chief of staff of the Army and moved to St. Petersburg, where they will support Army units led by officers of the Member States "Northern Society".
consequences of the revolt of the Decembrists for members of "Southern Society"
Few know that Pavel Ivanovich Pestel was arrested even before the events in the Senate Square, and more specifically on 13 December 1825, as a result of denunciation Maiboroda.It was later arrested and sent to court 37 members of the "South Society" as well as 61 members of "Northern Society" and 26 people related to the "Society of the Southern Slavs."Many of them were sentenced to different types of death, but later pardoned, except for five: Pestel, Ryleeva, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Kakhovka and Muravyov-Apostol.
Rise of the Chernigov Regiment
Once it became known about the events on Senate Square, and many of the leaders of "Southern Society" were arrested, the remaining free their colleagues decided to retaliate.In particular, December 29 officers of the Chernigov Regiment Kuzmin, Sukhinov, Solovyov and Schepillo attacked his regimental commanders and freed Muravyov-Apostol, who was locked up in the village Trilesy.The next day the rebels captured the town of cornflowers and Motovilovka, which announced the "Orthodox Catechism," which, by appealing to the religious sentiments of the soldiers tried to explain to them that the allegations of the divinity of royal authority - a fiction, and the Russian people must obey only the will of the Lord, and notautocrat.
few days later, the village held Ustymivka clash between rebels and government troops.And S. Ants-Apostle forbade soldiers to fire, hoping that so will the commanders who find themselves on the other side.As a result of the massacre he was wounded and his brother killed himself, and 6 officers and 895 soldiers were arrested.Thus, the "Southern Society" has ceased to exist, and its members were either destroyed physically or demoted and exiled to Siberia or to the troops conducting military operations in the Caucasus.
Despite the fact that the revolt of the Decembrists had no success, it indicated the need for the Russian autocrat reforms, which, however, when the reaction of Nicholas II have not been conducted.At the same time, the program "Southern Society" and "The Constitution" Muravyov gave impetus to the development of plans for converting Russian revolutionary organizations that, in principle, and led to the 1917 revolution.
