370 years ago, on June 11, 1648, the Salt Riot began in Moscow. The spontaneous uprising was caused by the people's dissatisfaction with the activities of the head of the government Boris Morozov and his henchmen.
Background. Deterioration of the situation of the people
The turmoil caused by a sharp increase in social injustice, the disintegration of the boyars (elite) and the intervention of external forces interested in the weakening and death of Russia, did not end with the coming to power of the Romanovs and serious concessions from Moscow to Poland and Sweden (the Stolbovsky Peace and the Deulinskoe Truce). The 17th century became "rebellious". The Romanovs followed the path of the westernization of Russia (the turning point will occur under Peter the Great); almost all the large boyar families that were involved in organizing the Troubles retained their positions; the serf system was formed - the peasants became the property of the landowner, the nobles strengthened their positions in the state; there was an increase in taxes; Cossacks began to deprive them of their privileges, to restrict them. Thus,The prerequisites of the Troubles at the beginning of the century did not go anywhere - the economic and social situation of the population of Russia was deteriorating, that is, social justice was violated and, as a result, there was an increase in people's discontent.
The Russian state was ruined by the Troubles, the struggle with the Swedes, Poles and Crimean Tatars. The treasury required large funds to strengthen statehood, provide defense, restore and maintain the army. In this case, the old sources of replenishment of the treasury were undermined. In particular, some large cities received temporary tax relief due to their complete ruin during the Time of Troubles. Among them was previously one of the richest Russian cities - Novgorod, which the Swedes returned to the Stolbovo peace in 1617. As a result, the entire burden of eliminating the consequences of the Troubles and intervention was shifted to the common people. They often began to resort to extraordinary collection of "five heaps of money". This was an extraordinary tax imposed by the government of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. Pyatina was a tax in the amount of a fifth of net annual income or cash movable property, or salary, which was established taking into account movable and immovable property. The first request on a voluntary basis was appointed by the Zemsky Sobor in 1613 from monasteries, large secular landowners and major merchants, but did not provide significant funds. Therefore, in 1614, the Zemsky Sobor appointed a five-tax collection, which fell on the commercial and industrial population of the city and district. In 1614 - 1619. six collections of pyatina were carried out, two more collections were held during the Smolensk war with Poland in 1632-1634.large secular landowners and large traders, but did not give significant funds. Therefore, in 1614, the Zemsky Sobor appointed a five-tax collection, which fell on the commercial and industrial population of the city and district. In 1614 - 1619. six collections of pyatina were carried out, two more collections were held during the Smolensk war with Poland in 1632-1634.large secular landowners and large traders, but did not give significant funds. Therefore, in 1614, the Zemsky Sobor appointed a five-tax collection, which fell on the commercial and industrial population of the city and district. In 1614 - 1619. six collections of pyatina were carried out, two more collections were held during the Smolensk war with Poland in 1632-1634.
In January 1642, the Zemsky Sobor was convened on the problem of Azov, captured by the Don Cossacks in 1637. The nobles seized the opportunity and demanded the strengthening and expansion of their rights to land, the provision of manors with labor, protection from the arbitrariness of the authorities and large landowners (boyars). Also, nobles, monasteries and other landowners complained about the flight and forcible withdrawal of peasants by other feudal lords. Many demanded the abolition of lease years - a period during which the owners could demand the return of the fugitive peasants. In 1637, the government of Mikhail Fedorovich issued a decree to increase the term of lease years to 9, in 1641 it increased the term to 10 years for fugitive peasants and to 15 years for those taken away by other feudal lords. In 1645, servicemen gathered near Tula for a possible repulsion of the attack of the Crimean horde,again asked to cancel the regular summer. When compiling the census books in 1646, it was noted that henceforth "according to those census books, the peasants and bobs, and their children, brothers, and nephews will be strong even without school years." This was enshrined in the Cathedral Code, and brought closer the full registration of serfdom.
In 1645, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich died, his 16-year-old son Alexei Mikhailovich ascended the throne. Under Alexei, the boyar group, which included the sovereign's relatives, the Miloslavskys, and one of the largest landowners of his time, the Tsar's educator Boris Ivanovich Morozov, took the leading position. The boyar became even closer to the young tsar when he married the tsarina's sister, Anna Miloslavskaya. Until the end of his life, Morozov remained the closest and most influential person under the tsar. He was actually the ruler of Russia. Contemporaries characterized him as a smart and experienced person in politics, showing an interest in Western achievements. Boyarin was interested in the technical and cultural achievements of Europe, invited foreigners to serve in Russia. He managed to instill this interest in his pupil. Morozov also encouraged the tsar's enthusiasm for spiritual matters,and left the "worldly" troubles for himself. Morozov's weak point was the love of money. Being the head of several important orders - the Big Treasury, Streletsky, Aptekarsky and Novaya Cheti (income from the wine monopoly), he was looking for opportunities for further enrichment. He took bribes, distributed rights to monopoly trade to merchants who pleased him.
In addition, he patronized his close people in this matter. Among them was the head of the Zemsky Prikaz Leonty Pleshcheev and his brother-in-law, the head of the Pushkar Prikaz Pyotr Trakhaniotov. Pleshcheev was in charge of the maintenance of order in the capital, acted as a zemstvo judge, dealt with trade matters - a real "gold mine". Pleshchev got loose, extorted bribes from both litigating parties, robbed people to the bone. Had a staff of false witnesses. The merchants and the rich were slandered, arrested, and then robbed for release. Trakhaniotov as head of the Pushkar order pocketed the funds allocated to finance artillery, its production, and also used in his own interests the money that was allocated to the salaries of gunners and workers. The official was enriching himself, buying up land and expensive things. And the subordinates, if they received their salaries, were very late and partially.
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Thus, there was a process of increasing the tax burden. People got into debt, went bankrupt, some of the bravest fled to the outskirts of the “Ukraine” (in particular, the Don), others preferred to be deprived of their freedom, giving themselves and their families under the rule of the feudal lord, than to starve. It happened that whole villages went into the forests, hiding from tax collectors. The Posad population strove to go to the privileged "white settlements" - to the lands of secular and spiritual feudal lords, exempt from state duties and payment of state taxes (taxes). In connection with the liberation of the population of the white settlements from the posad tax, the latter fell on a smaller number of payers (the townspeople of the "black settlements" and "black hundreds"), and worsened their situation.
Further increases in direct taxes could lead to serious negative consequences, including open resistance. Therefore, the Morozov government took the path of increasing indirect taxes, significantly increasing the prices of salt, the sale of which was a state monopoly. Salt cost 1 hryvnia (10 kopecks) per pood (16 kg). It wasn't cheap. So, a cow cost 1 - 2 rubles, and a sheep - 10 kopecks. Now the duty has been increased by another 2 hryvnia. And two old taxes were canceled: "Strelets" and "Yamskie" money. It was announced that the rise in salt prices would only compensate for the abolished taxes. But in reality, salt was the most important commodity, it was massively used as the only preservative for fish, meat, vegetables. And then there were 200 fast days a year, when people ate salted cabbage, mushrooms, fish, etc. The indirect tax was especially difficult for the poor,because he made them give more money in percentage terms than the rich. The poor were unable to pay the high prices for salt. Salt consumption has dropped. In addition, hunters were immediately found to illegally export salt from the fields and sell it on the cheap. Wholesale buyers tried to save money. As a result, unsold salt was spoiled, remaining in warehouses, and poorly salted fish quickly spoiled. Everyone suffered losses. Producers, merchants who received contracts for the salt monopoly, traders in fish, corned beef, etc., were ruined. And the treasury was still empty. As a result, unsold salt was spoiled, remaining in warehouses, and poorly salted fish quickly spoiled. Everyone suffered losses. Producers, merchants who received contracts for the salt monopoly, traders in fish, corned beef, etc., were ruined. And the treasury was still empty. As a result, unsold salt was spoiled, remaining in warehouses, and poorly salted fish quickly spoiled. Everyone suffered losses. Producers, merchants who received contracts for the salt monopoly, traders in fish, corned beef, etc., were ruined. And the treasury was still empty.
As a result, the government waived this tax in December 1647. Instead of the salt tax, the government decided to collect a two-year debt for previously canceled taxes: an increase in taxes from black settlements followed. Arrears were squeezed out severely: by courts, confiscations, beatings. In order to save state funds, the government deprived the salaries of service people, including archers, hobbyists, blacksmiths, carpenters, etc.
The government made other miscalculations as well. Previously, the use and sale of tobacco was prohibited and punished. The Morozov government allowed tobacco and made it a state monopoly. Morozov took foreigners under special protection. A conflict between the Russian and British merchants was brewing in the country. The British traded duty-free in Russian cities, capturing the Russian market. And when Russian merchants tried to trade in England, they did not buy anything from them and "explained" that they had nothing to do on the island. Russian merchants complained about foreigners, and handed over a petition to the tsar. But the complaint did not reach the king. Morozov sided with the British and provided them with a contract for the supply of tobacco to Russia. Further reforms of the Morozov government also hit the Russian merchants.
Insurrection
All these contradictions, as in modern times, were especially manifested in cities and the capital. So, the outbreak of popular discontent grew into a powerful uprising, which began on June 1 (11), 1648. On this day, the young Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was returning from pilgrimage from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. At the entrance to the city, the king was greeted by a large crowd. People tried to convey to the tsar a petition directed against the "common people, torturers and bloodsuckers and our destroyers." In particular, there was a request for the resignation and punishment of the head of the Zemsky Prikaz Leonty Pleshcheev, who was in charge of the management of the capital. One of the main points of the petition was the demand for the convocation of the Zemsky Sobor. The tsar promised to do this, perhaps that would have ended everything, but Pleshcheev's friends from the courtiers began to scold and beat the people, drove into the crowd on horses. The archers dispersed the crowdwhile arresting several people.
The people, extremely indignant at this, grabbed stones and sticks. Fermentation continued the next day. People gathered on the Kremlin square, demanding the satisfaction of petitions. Alexei Mikhailovich was forced to agree to the release of the prisoners. Boris Morozov ordered the archers to disperse the crowd, but the archers "addressed the crowd and said that they had nothing to fear." The archers said that "they do not want to fight for the boyars against the common people, but they are ready together with them to rid themselves of their [boyars] violence and lies." Soon the insurgents took action: "they plundered many of the boyars' courts and courtyards, and noblemen, and drawing rooms." Fires started. Morozov himself ordered his servants to set fire to the city in order to distract people. The fire destroyed many houses, people died.
On June 3 (13), Patriarch Joseph and other church hierarchs tried to calm the rioters. Also, a delegation of boyars, led by Nikita Romanov, Morozov's opponent, took part in the negotiations with the people. People demanded to release from all government posts and hand over the main government officials: “and while he, the great sovereign, there will be no decree to us about this, and we will not go out of the city from the Kremlin; and there will be internecine warfare and great blood from the boyars and from all ranks of people with us, among all people and among all the rabble and among all the people! " As a result, Pleshcheyev was handed over to the audience, who was killed "like a dog, with blows of a club." The head of the Ambassadorial Office, Nazariy Chisty, was also killed. Trying to escape from Moscow, Trakhaniotov was overtaken by order of the tsar, taken to the capital and executed at the Zemsky court. The "all-powerful" boyar Morozov himself barely escaped reprisals,hiding in the royal palace.
The government was able to restore order in the capital. The archers were given a higher salary. Military power was in the hands of the authorities. The instigators were captured and executed. The immediate result of the Moscow uprising was that on June 12 (22), the tsar postponed the collection of arrears by special decree and thereby calmed the people. They also changed the judges in the main orders. The tsar was forced to remove his favorite for some time - Morozov was sent under a strong escort to the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. True, this did not change the attitude of Alexei Mikhailovich to Morozov. The royal letters were sent to the monastery with a strict order to guard and protect the boyar. The tsar promised on oath never to return him to the capital, but four months later Morozov returned to Moscow. He no longer held high posts in the internal government, but was always with the king.
Thus, the uprising was spontaneous and did not lead to serious changes in the lives of ordinary people, but expressed the general situation in society. As noted by the historian S. Bakhrushin: “… the Moscow uprising was only an expression of the general mood that prevailed in the state. The depth and complexity of the reasons that caused it, manifested itself in the speed with which it spread throughout the entire space of the Russian state … outskirts of the "field" and Siberia ". As a result, the government was forced to partially satisfy the demands of the nobles and townspeople, which found expression in the Cathedral investment of 1649. They also "tightened the screws" - toughening penalties for speaking out against the church and government.
Author: Samsonov Alexander