Decembrist Revolt of 1825

Categories / Social Life
DECEMBRIST REVOLT OF 1825, the first overt armed revolt against autocracy and the ownership of serfs in Russia. It was prepared by the Northern Decembrist Society. From 27 November 1825, when the death of Emperor Alexander I in Taganrog became known in St. Petersburg, gatherings to devise and plan a revolt took place at the apartments of the Society's two heads, Prince S. P. Trubetskoy (4 Angliiskaya Embankment) and K. F. Ryleev (72 Moika River Embankment; memorial plaque installed). On the day of Emperor Nicolas I's oath, military units headed by officer-Decembrists were meant to capture the Winter Palace and arrest members of the Royal family, then take the St. Peter and Paul Fortress and the Arsenal, and finally surround the Senate and force the Senators to recognize "The Russian People's Manifesto" declaring the liquidation of autocracy, the introduction of democratic liberties, and the calling of a Constituent Assembly. Prince Trubetskoy was elected the head of the Russian coup d'etat ("dictator") on 8 or 9 December. Decembrists counted on gaining the sympathies of the Grenadier Life Guards, the Moskovsky, Izmailovsky, Finlyandsky, and Egersky regiments, the Guards' Crew and Mounted-Pioneer's Cavalry. The intended plan did not succeed. From the early morning of 14 December, officer-Decembrists worked to agitate the St. Petersburg Garrison soldiers and sailors, trying to upset Nicolas I's oath. At a decisive moment, A.I. Yakubovich and A.M. Bulatov, who were supposed to supervise the rebelling shock troops, refused to supervise the capture of the Imperial residence and the Fortress. At about 11:00, a unit of the Moskovsky Regiment (671 people headed by A.A. Bestuzhev and M.A. Bestuzhev and D.A. Shchepin-Rostovsky) left their quarters for Senate Square (90 Fontanka River Embankment; memorial plaque installed). By that time, the Senators had already sworn allegiance to Nicholas I and left. "The Dictator" Trubetskoy, who considered the case lost, did not return to the square, and the revolt occurred without its leader. Later, the Guards' Crew (approximately 1.100 people, headed by N.A. Bestuzhev and A.P. Arbuzov) and the Grenadiers' Regiment (1,250 people headed by A.N. Sutgof and N.A. Panov) also reached the square. Members of the Moskovsky and Grenadiers' Regiments formed a square near the Monument to Peter the Great; the Guards' Crew formed a column for an attack near the fence surrounding St. Isaac's Cathedral. Tens of thousands of citizens gathered around the square in support of the insurrection. Government forces (approximately 12,000 bayonets and sables), headed by Nicholas I, and surrounded the rebel regiments. Cavalry attacks were halted. Unsuccessful attempts to persuade the rebels to surrender were made by Petersburg Governor-General M.A. Miloradovich, Grand Prince Mikhail Pavlovich, Metropolitan Bishops Serafim and Yevgeny, Generals A.L. Voinov and I.O. Suhozanet, Colonel N.K. Sty urler, and N.D. Durnovo (Miloradovich and Styurler were mortally wounded by P.G. Kakhovsky). At about 15:00, the rebels elected Prince E.P. Obolensky "Dictator", but the moment had been lost. At 17:00, Emperor Nicholas I ordered the artillery to open fire (three guns stood near the southwestern corner of the Main Admiralty, one was near the Horse-Guards' Manege). Seven cannon grapeshots dispersed the rebels. An attempt by M.A. Bestuzhev to gather running soldiers on the ice of the Neva and capture the Fortress was unsuccessful. According to official data, approximately 80 people were killed on 14 December. Arrests started that evening, and soon the leaders and participants of the revolt were captured. In memory of the revolt, Senate (Petrovskaya) Square was renamed Decembrists Square in 1923, and a memorial plaque was installed on buildings nos. 1-3 in 1975.

References: Габаев Г. С. Гвардия в декабрьские дни 1825 г.: (Воен.-ист. справка) // Пресняков А. Е. 14 декабря 1825 года. М.; Л., 1926. С. 153-206; Нечкина М. В. День 14 декабря 1825 г. 3-е изд. М., 1985; Марголис А. Д. К вопросу о числе жертв 14 декабря 1825 года // Марголис А. Д. Тюрьма и ссылка в императорской России: Исслед. и арх. находки. М., 1995. С. 45-52; Гордин Я. А. Мятеж реформаторов 14 декабря 1825 г.: После мятежа: (Хроника). СПб., 1997; 14 декабря 1825 года: Воспоминания очевидцев. СПб., 1999.

A. D. Margolis. Alexander I, Emperor
Arbuzov Anton Petrovich
Bestuzhev Alexander Alexandrovich
Bestuzhev Mikhail Alexandrovich
Bestuzhev Nikolay Alexandrovich
Bulatov Alexander Mikhailovich
Durnovo Nikolay Dmitrievich
Evgeny (Evfimy Alexeevich Bolkhovitinov), Metropolitan
Kakhovsky Peter Grigorievich
Mikhail Pavlovich, Grand Prince
Miloradovich Mikhail Andreevich
Nicholas I, Emperor
Obolensky Evgeny Petrovich, Duke
Panov Nikolay Alexeevich
Peter I, Emperor
Ryleev Kondraty Fedorovich
Serafim (Stefan Vasilievich Glagolevsky), Metropolitan
Shchepin-Rostovsky Dmitry Alexandrovich, Duke
Styurler Nikolay Karlovich
Sukhozanet Ivan Onufrievich
Sutgof Alexander Nikolaevich
Trubetskoy Sergey Petrovich, Duke
Voinov Alexander Lvovich
Yakubovich Alexander Ivanovich
Angliiskaya Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 4
Dekabristov Square/Saint Petersburg, city
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 90
Moika River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 72
Габаев Г. С. Гвардия в декабрьские дни 1825 г.: (Воен.-ист. справка) // Пресняков А. Е. 14 декабря 1825 года. М.; Л., 1926
Гордин Я. А. Мятеж реформаторов 14 декабря 1825 г.: После мятежа: (Хроника). СПб., 1997
Марголис А. Д. К вопросу о числе жертв 14 декабря 1825 года // Марголис А. Д. Тюрьма и ссылка в императорской России: Исслед. и арх. находки. М., 1995
14 декабря 1825 года: Воспоминания очевидцев. СПб., 1999
Нечкина М. В. День 14 декабря 1825 г. 3-е изд. М., 1985 Winter Palace
St. Peter and Paul fortress
St. Peter and Paul fortress
Senate
Grenadiers Life Guards Regiment
Moscow Life Guards Regiment
Izmaylovsky Life Guards Regiment
Finlyandsky Life Guards Regiment
Chasseur Life Guards Regiment
Guards Company
St. Isaac's Cathedral
1825