Open rebellion Stepan Razin

razin s rebels in astrakhan, dutch engraving 1681 jan janszoon struys (nl).

in 1670 razin, while ostensibly on way report @ cossack headquarters on don, openly rebelled against government, capturing cherkassk , tsaritsyn. after capturing tsaritsyn, razin sailed volga army of 7000 men. men traveled toward cherny yar, government stronghold between tsaritsyn , astrakhan. razin , men swiftly took cherny yar when cherny yar streltsy rose against officers , joined cossack cause in june 1670. on june 24 reached city of astrakhan. astrakhan, moscow s wealthy window on east, occupied strategically important location @ mouth of volga river on shore of caspian sea. razin plundered city despite location on fortified island , stone walls , brass cannons surrounded central citadel. local streltsy s rebellion allowed razin gain access city.

after massacring opposed him (including 2 princes prozorovsky) , giving rich bazaars of city on pillage, converted astrakhan cossack republic, dividing population thousands, hundreds , tens, proper officers, of whom appointed veche or general assembly, first act proclaim razin gosudar (sovereign).

after three-week carnival of blood , debauchery, razin quit astrakhan 2 hundred barges full of troops. aim establish cossack republic along whole length of volga preliminary step towards advancing against moscow. saratov , samara captured, simbirsk defied efforts, , after 2 bloody encounters close @ hand on banks of sviyaga river (october 1 , 4), razin routed army of yuri baryatinsky , fled down volga, leaving bulk of followers extirpated victors.

but rebellion no means over. emissaries of razin, armed inflammatory proclamations, had stirred inhabitants of modern governments of nizhny novgorod, tambov , penza, , penetrated far moscow , novgorod. not difficult stir oppressed population revolt promising deliverance yoke. razin proclaimed object root out boyars , officials, level ranks , dignities, , establish cossackdom, corollary of absolute equality, throughout muscovy.

stepan razin on volga (by boris kustodiev, (1918) state russian museum in st petersburg.)

even @ beginning of 1671 outcome of struggle doubtful. 8 battles had been fought before insurrection showed signs of weakening, , continued 6 months after razin had received quietus. @ simbirsk prestige had been shattered. own settlements @ saratov , samara refused open gates him, , don cossacks, hearing patriarch of moscow had anathematized razin, declared against him. tsar sent troops suppress revolt. paul avrich notes in russian rebels, 1600–1800, brutality of repressions far exceeded atrocities committed insurgents. tsar s troops mutilated rebels bodies , displayed them in public serve warning potential dissenters.

in 1671 stepan , brother frol razin captured @ kagalnik fortress (Кагальницкий городок) cossack starshina. given on tsarist officials in moscow, , on 6 june 1671, following announcement of verdict against him, stepan razin quartered on scaffold on bolotnaya square. sentence of death read aloud: razin listened calmly, turned church, bowed in 3 directions, passing kremlin , tsar , said: forgive me . executioner proceeded first cut off right hand elbow, left foot knee. brother frol, witnessing stepan s torment, shouted out: know word , matter of sovereign! (that is, willing inform upon disloyal tsar ). stepan shouted back, shut up, dog! these last words; after them executioner hurriedly cut off head. razin s hands, legs , head, according testimony of englishman thomas hebdon, stuck on 5 specially-placed stakes. confession helped frol postpone own execution, although 5 years later, in 1676, executed beheading @ same place in bolotnaya square.