The Union Of Salvation - The Russian Empire fell in 1917, but the seeds of revolution were sown almost 100 years earlier. The Decembrist Uprising in 1825 saw 3,000 rebel troops try to capture the Winter Palace and usurp Czar Nicholas I on his first day in power.
The rebellion was put down, but it changed Russia. Nicholas set up a spy network to monitor the population and censored the press and education. Regional autonomy was abolished for places such as Poland.The Decembrist Revolt was organized by the Union of Salvation. The organization had humble beginnings: Its six founding members—military officers and friends—gathered in private homes until one among the group suggested they should set up a secret political organization.
The society’s aims were vague, though all members had problems with the political and social status quo. Members pledged to oppose idle nobility, blind faith in authorities, and the abuses of the police and courts. In 1817, they drafted a constitution that formalized initiation rituals and four ranks of membership. Only the top two tiers—the founding “Boyars” and the long-serving “Elders”—knew the society’s true goals. New members on probation were called “Brethren” and pledged to support the Society even if they didn’t know to what end.
Prospective members were called “Friends” and stayed around to see if membership should be granted.The society ended up rebranding as the Union of Welfare and taking on a more philanthropic and public role. In 1821, member Pavel Pestel’s radicalism unsettled much of the leadership, and the group splintered into northern and southern factions, with Pestel taking charge of the latter.
He used the group’s influence to organize a plan for a rebellion when the Czar died to prevent his heir from taking power. Unfortunately, Pestel’s influence wasn’t as great as it needed to be for the haphazard, directionless revolution to succeed in anything—other than inspiring the Czar to make Russia even less free.
The rebellion was put down, but it changed Russia. Nicholas set up a spy network to monitor the population and censored the press and education. Regional autonomy was abolished for places such as Poland.The Decembrist Revolt was organized by the Union of Salvation. The organization had humble beginnings: Its six founding members—military officers and friends—gathered in private homes until one among the group suggested they should set up a secret political organization.
The society’s aims were vague, though all members had problems with the political and social status quo. Members pledged to oppose idle nobility, blind faith in authorities, and the abuses of the police and courts. In 1817, they drafted a constitution that formalized initiation rituals and four ranks of membership. Only the top two tiers—the founding “Boyars” and the long-serving “Elders”—knew the society’s true goals. New members on probation were called “Brethren” and pledged to support the Society even if they didn’t know to what end.
Prospective members were called “Friends” and stayed around to see if membership should be granted.The society ended up rebranding as the Union of Welfare and taking on a more philanthropic and public role. In 1821, member Pavel Pestel’s radicalism unsettled much of the leadership, and the group splintered into northern and southern factions, with Pestel taking charge of the latter.
He used the group’s influence to organize a plan for a rebellion when the Czar died to prevent his heir from taking power. Unfortunately, Pestel’s influence wasn’t as great as it needed to be for the haphazard, directionless revolution to succeed in anything—other than inspiring the Czar to make Russia even less free.
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