To the 330 anniversary of the Moscow distemper 1682 of the year
Background to the Moscow distemper. Situation at court
Fedor III Alekseevich, the son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna (nee Miloslavskaya), was very weak and painful, he even walked with difficulty. For him, the death of his wife, the Polish noblewoman Agafya Grushetskaya, became a heavy blow - she died three days after giving birth (14 (24) July 1681) and son Ilya Fedorovich (died ten days after his birth - 21 (31) July 1681 ). The situation for the Miloslavsky family has become alarming. Prince Ivan was no good for the throne - he was even more painful than the elder brother Fedor. And the party of the Naryshkins (supporters of the second wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina and her son Peter) was constantly strengthened. They were supported by the patriarch Joachim, who was dissatisfied with the reforms of Fyodor (they were conducted under the influence of his Polish wife). A considerable part of the Russian aristocracy was also dissatisfied, the boyars were restrained by the abolition of regionalism. A part of the serving nobility would prefer the power of the boyar Artamon Sergeyevich Matveev, the head of the Russian government at the end of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, who was close to Naryshkin, than the inept Ivan Miloslavsky.
There were people whom neither the Naryshkins nor the Miloslavskys were satisfied with. These were the favorites of Fyodor - Ivan Maximovich Yazykov and Alexei Timofeevich Likhachev. They were not from the aristocracy and after the death of Fyodor they could not count on great posts. Yazykov and Likhachev wanted Fedor to continue his clan, and they could become guardians of the heir. Only half a year after the death of Agafya and Fyodor, they persuaded to marry again - 14-year-old Marfa Matveyevna Apraksina, the sister of the future associate of Peter I, Admiral Fyodor Matveyevich Apraksin. In addition, she was a relative of Yazykova. Doctors warned that marriage could be fatal for Fedor’s poor health. But the favorites pushed through this decision. The wedding took place on 15 (28) on February 1682 of the year. This wedding influenced the fate of A. Matveyev (he was in exile). Queen Martha was his goddaughter and begged the king to amnesty the godfather and the friend of her family. Tsar Fedor agreed, and Matveyev was declared innocent, they returned the property.
The position of the Miloslavskys was becoming increasingly precarious. At this time, the health of King Fyodor sharply deteriorated. Perhaps the doctors were right, speaking about the dangers of comfort with a young wife. Sophia took care of the sick. She was continually at his bedside. As a result, she took over state affairs — important issues were solved in her presence, she passed on royal orders. The disease has progressed, and there is no hope of recovery.
The position of the archers. During the reign of Theodore, control over the administration fell sharply. Corruption, various kinds of abuse have become commonplace. This problem was also touched by the Streltsy army. 22 Streltsy regiment was considered the elite of the armed forces of Russia. Archers received from the treasury housing, salary, land, the right to duty-free trade and crafts. Service in the Streltsy army was profitable, they tried to write down children and relatives.
Gradually, a certain stratification occurred in the Streltsy army. Part of the archers began to consider the service a matter of secondary importance, trying to pay more attention to personal matters. Some commanders began to use the archers for their personal needs, forcing them to work on their farm. There were delays in salaries. The exact reason for the delay is unknown: the reformed tax system failed, or the money went to other purposes (such as a royal wedding), perhaps someone was caught stealing in the highest echelons of power. And archers accused of stealing their immediate superiors.
In the spring, the first petition was filed to the king about underpayments of money. Fedor commissioned an investigation to his favorite Yazykov. He reported that it was slander, the petitioners were told to beat him with a whip and send him into exile. 23 April was followed by another complaint - against Colonel Griboyedov. Allegedly, he detained half his salary to build a country house. Fedor at this time was already seriously ill, so the court was not up to the petitions. The complainants were redirected to the Streletsky order. The head of the order 80-year-old Prince Yuri Alekseevich Dolgorukov was the chief of strict. He considered that appeal to the tsar directly was a violation of discipline and ordered to flog the elective. When the electorate was taken, the familiar archers met on the way - he called them for help. Like, for the common cause of suffering. Elected repulsed. In Streletskaya Sloboda went dangerous fermentation. But the central authorities were not up to it - the issue of power was resolved.
At this time, the "third force" arose - the prince from the Gediminas clan, Ivan Andreevich Khovansky. He was at that time the head of the Detective Order. Khovansky distinguished himself in the Russian-Swedish and Russian-Polish wars, made a significant contribution to the organization of military affairs on the western borders of the state. But he was useless as a politician, it was not for nothing that he was called “Tararuy”, i.e. “chatterbox”, “talker”. Khovansky was offended by the fact that he was not respected in the Boyar Duma, despite the nobility of the family and services to the state. In addition, he was a supporter of the old faith, and conceived something like the "Old Believers Revolution." Khovansky traveled the shelves and fueled the discontent of the archers. The archers loved him, he was respected in their midst. The prince said that further the situation will only get worse. The authorities will not give any money or feed. Like, "boyars traitors" will sell Moscow to heretics and generally eradicate Orthodoxy.
Death of the king and subsequent events
27 On April 1682, at the age of 20, Tsar Fedor III Alekseevich died. He did not make an order concerning the succession to the throne. The party of the Naryshkins, led by Patriarch Joachim, decided to take the throne. The patriarch properly prepared the higher clergy and addressed the boyars with a question - who should be the king, Ivan or Peter? Most supported the candidacy of Peter, but some were in favor of convening the Zemsky Sobor, which was required by law. The patriarch decided not to wait for the convocation of the Zemsky Sobor and to resolve the issue immediately - to ask the people. Joachim went to Red Square and addressed the people with a question - who do they want to see as king? It is clear that the question was posed in such a way, and even by the patriarch himself, that the crowd almost unanimously shouted - “Peter!” Sophia tried to argue that such actions were illegal, moreover Peter was still young. She came forward for the “two kingdoms”, so that Ivan and Peter immediately occupied the throne. Joachim easily refuted her arguments, saying that multi-ruling is pernicious, and the one sovereign is pleasing to God.
It is clear that the power belonged not to the boy, but to his mother - Natalia. But she was confused, she had no state experience and ability to govern, although she was supported by most of the boyars. Natalia had high hopes for the boyar Artamon Matveyev. He had to form a new government. Matveyev was in no hurry, he rode out of the link slowly. We met him everywhere with great hospitality, everyone understood that they were the real ruler of Russia. In his absence, the queen entrusted the government of the country to her father and brothers. They behaved foolishly, arrogantly elevated. The situation was let loose.
On April 30, petitions complaining about their superiors filed 17 archer regiments. And they did not have a pleading, but an ultimatum. Sagittarius demanded to punish the colonels, otherwise they would "fish for themselves", the offenders will be killed, and their property will go to reimburse the offenses. Here Queen Natalia made a fatal mistake. She decided to cajole the archers. Without trial and investigation, the colonels were arrested, their property went to pay off the artillery salary debt. Two colonels-heroes of the battle for Chigirin Griboyedov and Karandeev were beaten with whips, and 12 - with batogs. As a result, the archery regiments "were beheaded", the discipline plummeted. The remaining commanders were offended and frightened by the actions of Natalia, they were removed from the cases. Those who still tried to restore discipline were beaten, several people were killed.
The situation was fueled by the Miloslavskys, who decided to take advantage of the favorable moment. They were agitators, created battle groups. Boyar Matveev arrived in Moscow only on May 11. And here people greeted him joyfully, trying to secure his favor. Visits were made, peers went. Delegations of archers also came, Matveev promised to sort out their affairs.
Insurrection
The Miloslavskys did not wait and began the uprising. Early in the morning of May 15, Alexander Miloslavsky and supporters of the Miloslavsky party began raising riflemen to revolt. They shouted that Tsar Fedor had murdered Naryshkin through the traitor’s healers, and now they had killed Ivan. The lists of “traitors” went hand in hand, to which the supporters of the Naryshkins were entered. Archers went to the Kremlin. Some were just a crowd, with banners and icons, others were ready to fight in groups, at the berdysh the shafts were chopped off beforehand so that it was more convenient to fight in the premises. Naturally, in such a situation, rumors were “worked out”, they were already shouting that they had killed both Ivan and Peter. Sagittarius require the issuance of perpetrators
Queen Natalia led both princes to the porch. People came to reassure the patriarch, then Matveyev. Supporters of Khovansky incited to attack him, but did not. Matveyev was respected by many archers, he said affectionately. Boyarin promised that the incident will not have consequences. The situation has stabilized. The problem was that there were no officers to lead the people. And supporters of Khovansky and Miloslavsky were enough to “shake” the crowd again. People again began to buzz. Only Mikhail Dolgoruky (the son of the head of the Streletsky order) intervened in the situation. He tried to calm the crowd alone. He was captured and thrown at the spears. After the blood was shed, the supporters of Miloslavsky had nothing to lose, and they rushed into the palace and killed Matveyev. Then swept the massacre of "traitors" on the list. The murderers ran around the palace and searched for “traitors”. The reason for the rebellion was long forgotten. Queen and princes pushed aside. Peter, spattered with the blood of his supporters, experienced a terrible nervous shock. The murderers came to Yuri Dolgoruky and boasted about the murder of his son. He withstood mockery. But soon the killers were informed that the old man had promised them all a block. They returned and after bullying killed the old commander.
Drunken archers seized on the street a beautiful commander who played a prominent role in organizing military affairs on the southern border of Russia, Prince Grigory Romodanovsky. He was beaten together with his son Andrey, and then raised to a spear, his bodies were hacked. The brother of Queen Afanasy Naryshkin, Yazykov, the steward, Vasily Ivanov, the Duma ranks Ivan and Averky Kirillov and many others, more than 100 people, died. Thunder orders, houses, taverns. The next day, the pogroms and killings continued. Caught doctors Gadena and Gutmensha, after torture, they confessed to all the sins that they attributed. It did not save them, they were killed. The rioters demanded the extradition of the queen's brother, Ivan Naryshkin. He was given to the crowd. Ivan was tortured, trying to get confirmation of the poisoning of Tsar Fedor and the attempt on Ivan. But he bravely endured all the torment and was cut to pieces.
After that, the rebellion subsided. Envoys of the Miloslavskys entered into an alliance with Khovansky and began to take control of the situation. By 18 May, conditions for a new political reality were worked out. Khovansky became the head of the Streletsky order. Streltsov was renamed the "infantry". A memorial pillar was placed on Red Square, on which it was written that the dead were “traitors”. Streletsky regiments issued commendable letters. Letters were greeted with a bell and were solemnly brought to the regimental hut. Archers have the right to have elected with free access to the palace. Sagittarius was promised reward and pay all debts from 1646 of the year (240 thousand rubles). Archers daily, two regiments, were in the Kremlin. They were fed. Sophia encrusted them with spells, praised, gaining popularity.
The energetic and overbearing Sophia has advanced to the top of the powerful Olympus. She led her game. Sophia ordered to bring silver and money to Moscow to pay off the archers. For this, the archers began to put forward demands that were beneficial to Sofia and Miloslavsky. On May 20, the demand was made to exile 20 opponents of the Miloslavskys. Cyril Naryshkin, the father of the queen, was tonsured as a monk and sent to the Kirillov-Belozersky monastery. Then they demanded to convene the Zemsky Sobor. It took place immediately, therefore only Moscow was represented there. May 23 The Cathedral enthroned two princes to the throne: Ivan became the "first king", and Peter the "second". May 29 archers demanded for the incapacity of the princes to make them ruler Sophia.
25 June was the coronation of Ivan and Peter, which made the throne with a seat, divided into two parts. Behind it was a bench for Sophia, where Sophia was sitting and could give advice to princes during ceremonial receptions and festivities. For Peter, they made a “second rank Monomakh hat”.
Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna shows Ivan V to the archers to prove that he is alive and well. Painting N. D. Dmitriev-Orenburg.
Khovanshchina and the end of the riot
Sagittarius some time buzzed. Colonel Yanov was killed. Several more commanders were captured, tortured, their houses looted. But soon the situation began to stabilize. The archers understood that their regiments were not the whole army and, if necessary, they could be suppressed by force. In addition, the majority participated only in common events, they were not killers. They were pleased with the promise of issuing money, gifts, gentle treatment of the ruler Sophia. "Legitimate" power was restored.
But there was also a “revolutionary” core. It was headed by Prince Khovansky. During the uprising, he tasted power. In the role of Streltsy leader, Khovansky seemed almighty. The prince indulged the archers in everything and, relying on them, tried to put pressure on Sophia, assuring her: “When I do not become, then they will go to Moscow in knee-deep blood”. Activists of the Old Believers flocked to Moscow, who believed that their time had come. They preached in the parts of the archers a return to the old faith. Old Believers talked about the proximity of the fall "Nikonian". A crowd of Old Believers and Streltsy invaded the Assumption Cathedral, interrupted worship and expelled the patriarch. Khovansky through the archers demanded to organize a dispute between the representatives of the Old Believers and the reformed church.
5 July dispute took place in the Faceted Chamber. The reformed church was defended by the patriarch and Archbishop Athanasius of Kholmogory. Old Believers represented Nikita Pustosvyat and several of his supporters. The sides of each other did not listen and almost went into hand-to-hand combat, they were already dragging each other by the beards. Sophia stopped the conflict. It turned out that among the archers of the old faith is not enough. Most were indifferent to the problems of theology. Old Believers kicked out. Sophia invited archer electors to her place, offered her wine, poured money and promises. Finally making sure that there was no power behind the Old Believers, she ordered them to be grabbed. Netherlings were executed, others were exiled. There were no worries about this.
Plans Khovansky failed. Sophia put down the vigilance of opponents and went from Moscow to the temple festival in the Donskoy Monastery. And from there she came to Kolomenskoye, and then to the Trinity-Sergiev monastery. Sofia sends orders for the collection of troops in Pereslavl-Zalessky, Kolomna, Serpukhov. In the Trinity-Sergius Monastery called loyal troops from Moscow - Sukharev regiment (Streltsy regiment, who did not take part in the uprising), soldiers and reiter units, loyal to the boyars and nobles of the royal court.
Khovansky receives a letter of commendation and an invitation to come to Sofya for her birthday - 17 (27) September. The prince hesitated, but, confident in his forces, he left. In sec. Pushkino, where he stopped to sleep, was arrested by a squad of nobles. September 17 Khovansky, his son and several comrades read out a sentence of intent to destroy the kings and seize the throne. All without any ceremony executed.
The archers, having received this news, at the beginning tried to fight back: they captured the arsenals, strengthened, threatened to take the Trinity. But, having lost their leader, not having capable commanders, the archers lost any ability to act somehow decisively and independently. They learned that all the roads from the capital were blocked by troops, and 30 thousand troops were gathered from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The petitions began to be sent to Sophia with requests not to deprive them of their mercy and promised to serve her faithfully and without sparing their lives. They asked the patriarch to intercede for them. Issued the instigators. Including the youngest son of Khovansky - Ivan (he was not executed, sent to exile). In the end, in October 1682, the archers sent a petition, in which they recognized their actions on 15-18 as criminal in May and begged the kings for mercy. Themselves asked the royal decree on the demolition of the memorial pillar.
There were no serious repressions, 30 people were executed, some were exiled. The looted property was collected and returned to the owners and heirs of the victims. The head of the Strelets order was appointed Duma clerk Fyodor Shaklovity, who restored order and discipline in the rifle regiments with a firm hand.
In early November, the royal court returned to the capital. Streltsy, meeting him, fell down. Another investigation was carried out. Several instigators, and apparently those who knew a lot, were executed. 12 Streltsy regiments were sent to the border service, began to form new 5. At this rebellion finally ended. The regime of Sofia Alekseevny was established during the nominal reign of Ivan and Peter.
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