The uprising of Stepan Razin or the Peasant War (1667-1669. 1st stage of the uprising "Hike for Zipuns", 1670-1671. 2nd stage of the uprising) - the largest popular uprising of the second half of the 17th century. War of the insurgent peasantry and the Cossacks against the tsarist troops.
Who is Stepan Razin
The first historical information about Razin dates back to 1652. Stepan Timofeevich Razin (born about 1630 - death on June 6 (16), 1671) - Don Cossack, leader of the peasant uprising of 1667-1671. Born into the family of a wealthy Cossack in the village of Zimoveyskaya on the Don. Father - Cossack Timofey Razin.
Reasons for the uprising
• The final enslavement of the peasants, which was caused by the adoption of the Cathedral Code of 1649, the beginning of a mass search for fugitive peasants.
• Deterioration of the position of peasants and townspeople due to the increase in taxes and duties caused by the wars with Poland (1654-1657) and Sweden (1656-1658), the flight of people to the south.
Promotional video:
• The accumulation of poor Cossacks and fugitive peasantry on the Don. Deterioration of the position of service people who guarded the southern borders of the state.
• Attempts by the authorities to restrict the Cossack freedom.
Demands of the rebels
Razintsy put forward the following requirements to the Zemsky Sobor:
• Abolish serfdom and complete emancipation of the peasants.
• Formation of Cossack troops as part of the government army.
• Reduction of taxes and duties imposed on the peasantry.
• Decentralization of power.
• Permit for sowing grain in the Don and Volga lands.
Background
1666 - a detachment of Cossacks under the command of Ataman Vasily Usa invaded from the Upper Don into the borders of Russia, was able to reach almost Tula, ruining noble estates on its way. Only the threat of a meeting with large government forces forced Us to turn back. With him went to the Don and many serfs who joined him. The campaign of Vasily Us showed that the Cossacks are ready at any time to oppose the existing order and power.
The first campaign 1667-1669
The situation on the Don became more and more tense. The number of fugitives increased rapidly. The contradictions between the poor and the rich Cossacks intensified. In 1667, after the end of the war with Poland, a new stream of fugitives poured into the Don and other places.
1667 - a detachment of a thousand Cossacks, under the leadership of Stepan Razin, went to the Caspian Sea on a campaign "for zipuns", that is, for prey. During 1667-1669, Razin's detachment plundered Russian and Persian merchant caravans, attacked the coastal Persian cities. With rich booty, the Razins returned to Astrakhan, and from there to the Don. The "Zipoon hike" was in fact predatory. But its meaning is much broader. It was during this campaign that the core of the Razin army was formed, and the generous distribution of alms to ordinary people brought the ataman unheard of popularity.
1) Stepan Razin. Engraving of the late 17th century; 2) Stepan Timofeevich Razin. 17th century engraving.
The uprising of Stepan Razin 1670-1671
1670, spring - Stepan Razin began a new campaign. This time he decided to go against the "traitor boyars". Tsaritsyn was taken without a fight, the inhabitants of which themselves gladly opened the gates to the rebels. Sent against the Razins from Astrakhan, the archers went over to the side of the rebels. The rest of the Astrakhan garrison followed their example. Those who resisted, the governor and the Astrakhan nobles, were killed.
After the Razin people headed up the Volga. On the way, they sent out "lovely letters" urging ordinary people to beat boyars, governors, nobles and clerks. In order to attract supporters, Razin spread rumors that Tsarevich Alexei Alekseevich and Patriarch Nikon were in his army. The main participants in the uprising were Cossacks, peasants, servants, townspeople and workers. The cities of the Volga region surrendered without resistance. In all the cities taken, Razin introduced management on the model of the Cossack circle.
It should be noted that the Razins, in the spirit of those times, did not spare their enemies - torture, cruel executions, violence "accompanied" them during the campaigns.
Suppression of the uprising. Execution
Failure awaited the ataman at Simbirsk, whose siege dragged on. Meanwhile, such a scale of the uprising provoked a response from the authorities. 1670, autumn - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich inspected the noble militia and an army of 60 thousand moved forward to suppress the uprising. 1670, October - the siege of Simbirsk was lifted, 20 thousand army of Stepan Razin was defeated. The chieftain himself was seriously wounded. His comrades carried him out of the battlefield, loaded him into a boat and sailed down the Volga in the early morning of October 4. Despite the catastrophe near Simbirsk and the wounding of the chieftain, the uprising continued throughout the fall and winter of 1670/71.
Stepan Razin was captured on April 14 in Kagalnik by homely Cossacks led by Kornila Yakovlev and handed over to the government voivods. He was soon taken to Moscow.
Execution ground on Red Square, where, as a rule, decrees were read, again, as in the days of … Ivan the Terrible …, became the place of execution. The square was cordoned off by a triple row of archers, the place of execution was guarded by foreign soldiers. Armed warriors were stationed throughout the capital. 1671, June 6 (16) - after severe torture, Stepen Razin was quartered in Moscow. His brother Frol was allegedly executed on the same day. The participants in the uprising were subjected to severe persecution and executions. More than 10 thousand rioters were executed throughout Russia.
Results. Reasons for defeat
Links, executions, stoke of guilty and suspects.
The main reasons for the defeat of the uprising of Stepan Razin were its spontaneity and low organization, the disunity of the actions of the peasants, which, as a rule, were limited to the defeat of the estate of their own master, the lack of clearly understood goals among the rebels. Contradictions between different social groups in the camp of the rebels.
Considering the uprising of Stepan Razin briefly, it can be attributed to the peasant wars that shook Russia in the 16th century. This century was called the "rebellious age". The uprising led by Stepan Razin is just one episode of the time that has come in the Russian state after the Time of Troubles.
However, in terms of the fierceness of the clashes, the confrontation between the two hostile camps, Razin's uprising became one of the most powerful popular movements of the "rebellious century".
The insurgents were unable to achieve any of their goals (the destruction of the nobility and serfdom): the tightening of the royal power continued.
Interesting Facts
• Ataman Kornilo (Korniliy) Yakovlev (who captivated Razin) was "on Azov affairs" a companion of Stepan's father and his godfather.
• The cruel executions of representatives of the nobility and members of their families have become, as we can say now, the "calling card" of Stepan Razin. He came up with new types of executions, which sometimes made even his loyal supporters uncomfortable. For example, one of the sons of the governor Kamyshin, the chieftain ordered to be executed, dipped in boiling tar.
• A small part of the rebels, even after the injury and flight of Razin, remained true to his ideas and defended Arkhangelsk from the tsarist troops until the end of 1671.