Popular movements in the 17th century

Popular movements in the 17th century in Russia were mass phenomena. The era of the Time of Troubles is over. All spheres of public life were completely destroyed: economy, politics, social relations, culture, spiritual development. Naturally, it was necessary to restore the economy. Many reforms and innovations hurt the population at that time. As a consequence, popular movements. We will try to analyze this topic in more detail.

The subject of "history" (7th grade): "Popular movements"

The period of the "insurgency" is a mandatory minimum for the school. The course "Patriotic History" (Grade 7, "People's Movements") identifies the following causes of social upheaval:

• Increase of taxes due to constant military conflicts.
• Attempts by the authorities to limit Cossack autonomies.
• Enhancement of orderly red tape.
• The enslavement of the peasants.
• Church reforms, which led to a split among the clergy and the population.

The above-mentioned reasons give grounds to believe that popular movements in the 17th century are connected not only with the peasantry, as it was before, but also with other social strata: the clergy, the Cossacks, and the archers.

This means that powerful forces begin to act against the authorities, who know how to own weapons. Cossacks and archers were able to gain combat experience in constant wars. Therefore, their participation in the riots in scale can be compared with civil wars.

Salt riot

It would be desirable to recollect modern pensioners who actively watch the prices for salt in shops. An increase of one or two rubles is accompanied today by various accusations and criticism of the authorities. However, rising prices for salt in the XVII century provoked a real riot.

July 1, 1648 broke a powerful wave of protest. The reason was an additional fee for salt, due to which the government decided to replenish the budget. The situation led to the fact that the protesters "intercepted" Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on his return from prayer to the Kremlin. People complained to the "good tsar" about the action of the "bad" boyar - the head of the Zemsky order of LS Pleshcheyev. In the eyes of an ordinary man in the street, he alone was to blame for all the troubles of the state: ordering red tape, embezzlement, raising prices not only for salt, but also for other food products.

The "bad" boyar had to be sacrificed. "Under the noise" the king got rid of not only the "scoundrel" Pleshcheyev, but also from his relative, boyar B. Morozov, his tutor. In fact, he was a "secret cardinal" in the country and solved almost all administrative issues. However, after that, the popular movements in the country did not end. Let's move on to the rest.

Popular movements (grade 7, history of Russia): a copper riot

The situation with salt did not teach the government to approach the reforms cautiously. Money in the country was sorely lacking. And then the authorities conducted the most "deadly" economic reform, which could only come up with - the devaluation of the coin.

The government instead of silver money put copper coins into circulation, which was cheaper at 10-15. Of course, it was possible to come up with wooden (in the literal sense of the word) rubles, but the authorities did not dare so much to test fate. Naturally, traders stopped selling their goods for copper.

In July 1662, riots and riots began. Now people did not believe in a "good king". Pogroms were visited by manors of almost all tsar's associates. The crowd wanted to destroy even the residence of the most "anointed of God" in the village of Kolomenskoye. However, the troops arrived in time, and the tsar went out to negotiate.

After these events, the authorities brutally treated the insurgents. Many people were executed, arrested, some were severed hands, feet, tongues. Those who were lucky, were sent into exile.

The Rise of Stepan Razin

If the previous popular movements were organized by a peaceful unarmed population, then the armed Cossacks armed with combat experience took part in the uprising of Stepan Razin . And this turned out to be a more serious problem for the state.

All the guilt was the 1649 Sobornoye Code. This document finally established serfdom. Of course, it began to form from the time of Ivan III, from the introduction of St. George's Day and the attachment of workers to the land of the feudal lords. However, the Sobor Code laid down a lifelong search for runaway peasants and their return to their former owners. This norm was contrary to Cossack liberties. There was a centuries-old rule "there is no extradition from the Don," which meant protecting everyone who got there.

By the mid-60s of the 17th century, a huge number of fugitive peasants had accumulated on the Don. This led to the following consequences:

• The impoverishment of the Cossacks, since there was simply not enough free land. In addition, there were no wars that traditionally reduce the population of the Cossacks and serve as a source of wealth.
• Concentration of a huge battle-worthy army in one place.

All this, naturally, could not but lead to popular movements

"Trekking for the Zipoons"

The first stage of the uprising of the peasants and Cossacks led by S. Razin went down in history as a "campaign for zipuns", that is, for prey (1667-1669). The purpose of the campaign was the looting of merchant ships and caravans carrying cargo from Russia to Persia. In fact, Razin's detachment was a pirate gang that blocked the main trade artery on the Volga, captured the Yaitsk town, defeated the Persian fleet, and then returned in 1669 with a rich booty to the Don.

This successful and unpunished campaign inspired many other Cossacks and peasants who were suffocating from poverty. They massively reached out to S. Razin. Now the idea of a revolution in the country was born. S. Razin announced a campaign against Moscow.

The second stage (1670 - 1671 gg.)

In fact, S. Razin's speech recalls the future peasant war led by E. Pugachev. The broad social strata, large numbers, participation in the conflict of local national tribes speak of a full-scale civil war. In general, the national history (popular movements in particular) has never seen such mass protests of its own people before that time.

The course of the uprising

The rebels immediately took the city of Tsaritsyn. We approached the well fortified fortress of Astrakhan, which then surrendered without a fight. All voevody and noblemen were executed.

Success provoked a massive shift to Razin's side of major cities like Samara, Saratov, and Penza, which indicates a serious political crisis within Russian society. In addition to the Russian population, the peoples of the Volga region also reached out to him: Chuvash, Tatars, Mordvins, Mari, and others.

The reasons for the large number of insurgents

The total number of the rebels reached 200 thousand people. The reasons for which thousands went to Razin were several: some were tired of poverty, taxes, others were attracted to the status of "free Cossacks", while others were criminals. Many national communities wanted autonomy and even independence after the victory of the revolution.

End of the uprising, massacres

However, the goals of the insurgents were not to be realized. Without an organizational unity, common goals, the army was uncontrollable. In September 1670, she tried to take Simbirsk (modern Ulyanovsk), but failed, and then began to disintegrate.

The main force headed by S. Razin left for the Don, many fled to the interior. Against the insurgents, the punitive expedition was headed by the voevoda Prince Yu. Baryatinsky, which in fact means the use of all available military forces. Fearing for their lives, the rebels issued their leader, who was then quartered.

Up to 100 thousand people were killed and tortured by official authorities. Russia has never known such massive repressions before this time.