1662 Copper riot event in Russia. Copper riot, Moscow uprising. Countertops - which material to choose

Copper riot- the revolt that took place in Moscow on July 25 (August 4), 1662, the uprising of the urban lower classes against the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667. and release since 1654, depreciated in comparison with silver, copper coins.

Copper riot - in brief (article review)

After a long and bloody war with Poland in 1654, tsar Alexei Mikhailovich introduced copper money. Preparations for a new war with Sweden required a lot of money, and minting a copper coin seemed like a way out. And although copper was 60 times cheaper than silver, copper pennies were equated to silver. At first, the population eagerly accepted the new money. However, after their production took on an unprecedented, uncontrollable character, the confidence in copper money decreased dramatically.

The depreciated copper kopecks played a fatal role in the economy of the state. Trade was largely upset, since no one wanted to take copper in payment, servicemen and archers grumbled, since nothing could be bought with a new salary. This created the conditions for the subsequent copper riot.

1662, July 25 (August 4) - the alarm sounded alarmingly near the walls of the ancient Kremlin. After the merchants closed their shops, the people hurried to the crossroads at the Spassky Gate, where they were already reading accusatory letters. So the copper riot began. Later, an angry crowd would rush into Kolomenskoye, where the royal residence of Alexei Mikhailovich was located, and demand that the copper money be canceled.

Sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich brutally and mercilessly suppressed the copper revolt. As a result, copper money will be canceled.

And now in more detail ...

Description of the Copper Riot

Causes of the Copper Riot

The protracted war devastated the treasury. To replenish the treasury, the government resorted to the usual means - increased fiscal oppression. Taxes have risen sharply. In addition to the usual taxes, they began to levy extraordinary taxes, which reminded the townspeople of the memorable - "five-piece money".

But there was also such a way to replenish the treasury as - re-coinage (damage) of a silver coin with a decrease in its weight. However, the Moscow businessmen went even further and, in addition to the spoiled silver coin, began to issue a copper coin. At the same time, with the difference in market prices for silver and copper (almost 60 times), they had the same nominal value. This was supposed to give - and did - a fabulous profit: from one pound (400 grams) of copper worth 12 kopecks. from the Mint received copper money in the amount of 10 rubles. According to some sources, in the first year alone, this kind of monetary fraud brought in a profit of 5 million rubles. In total, in 10 years - from 1654 to 1663. - copper money entered into circulation in an amount that Meyerberg, perhaps exaggerating, determined at 20 million rubles.

At first, the copper penny was on a par with the silver one and was well received. But the authorities themselves intervened in the sphere of settlements and began to buy silver coins from the population with copper money. Along with this, the payment of taxes and duties took place only with a silver coin. Because of this “forward-looking policy,” the already fragile trust in copper money quickly collapsed. The monetary system has fallen into disarray. Copper ceased to be taken, and copper money began to depreciate rapidly. Two prices appeared on the market: for silver and copper coins. The gap between them increased weather-wise and by the time of cancellation it was 1 in 15 and even 1 in 20. As a consequence of this, prices increased.

The counterfeiters, who did not miss the opportunity to quickly enrich themselves, did not stand aside. There were persistent rumors that even the sovereign's father-in-law, boyar ID Miloslavsky, did not disdain the profitable trade.

Before the riot

Soon the situation became simply unbearable. Commercial and industrial activity was in decline. In particular, the townspeople and service people had a hard time. “Great poverty and great destruction are repaired at a grain price, and in all sorts of food there is a great price,” the petitioners groaned. The price of a chicken in the capital has reached two rubles - an incredible amount for the old, "home-grown" times. The high cost, the growing difference between the copper and the silver penny, inevitably brought nearer a social explosion, which, for all its spontaneity, was felt by contemporaries as an inevitable disaster. “They want to be confused in Moscow,” said one clerk on the eve of the July events.

The news about the next collection of the "fifth money" added even more passions. The population of Moscow was hotly discussing the conditions of the gathering when “letters of thieves” began to appear on Sretenka, Lubyanka and other places. Unfortunately, their text has not survived. It is known that they accused many of the Duma and clerks of "treason", which, in accordance with existing ideas, was interpreted quite broadly: both as abuse, and as "neglect of the sovereign", and as relations with the king of Poland. 1662, July 25, the "Copper Riot" broke out.

Riot course

The main events took place outside Moscow, in the village of Kolomenskoye. A crowd of 4-5 thousand people went here early in the morning, consisting of the townspeople and instrumental service people - archers and soldiers of the Elected Regiment of Agey Shepelev. Their appearance in Tsarskoe Selo was an absolute surprise. The archers who were on guard tried to stop the crowd, but she simply crushed them and broke into the palace village.

The Tsar with all his family listened to mass on the occasion of the birthday of Alexei Mikhailovich's sister, Princess Anna Mikhailovna. The confused tsar sent boyars to negotiate with the people. The crowd rejected them. The Emperor himself had to go out. Cries of indignation were heard: those who came began to demand the extradition of the traitorous boyars "for murder", as well as tax cuts. Among those whose blood was thirsty for the crowd was the butler, the roundhouse F.M. Rtishchev is a man very close to the tsar in his spiritual disposition and religious spirit. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered him, along with the others, to hide in the female half of the palace - in the tsarina's chambers. Having locked themselves in, the entire royal family and people close to them "sat in the mansion in great fear and fear." Rtishchev, who knew very well how the conversation with the "Gilevites" could end, confessed and received the Holy Communion.

Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov

In the command language of that era, any appeal to the sovereign is a petition. What happened in the morning of July 25 in Kolomenskoye was also attributed to this "genre" with the expressive addition of the then office work: "They beat them with their foreheads with great ignorance." The tsar himself already faced this kind of "ignorance" 14 years ago, when angry crowds of Muscovites broke into the Kremlin hoping to deal with B.I. Morozov. Then the sovereign, at the cost of humiliation, managed to beg for the life of his educator. The old experience came in handy even now - Romanov knew that the blind fury of the crowd could be opposed either by force or humility. The Moscow posad man Luchka Zhidkoy presented the sovereign with a petition. The Nizhny Novgorod resident Martyan Zhedrinsky, who was standing nearby, insisted that the tsar immediately, without delay, "before the world" deduct her and ordered to bring the traitors.

The crowd "with a cry and much outrage" supported their petitioners. According to the testimony of the omniscient G. Kotoshikhin, the tsar in response began to persuade the people with "quiet custom", promising to "initiate a search and a decree." The Tsar's promise was not immediately believed. Someone from the crowd even twisted the buttons on the tsar's dress and boldly asked: "What do you believe?" In the end, the sovereign was able to persuade the crowd and - a living detail - with someone, in agreement, struck on the hands - "gave them a hand at his word." From the outside, the picture, of course, looked impressive: frightened, although he did not lose his dignity, as in June 1648, Alexei Mikhailovich - and an unknown impudent posadskiy, shaking hands with their agreement on the search for traitors.

At the same time, the nobles were driven to the streltsy and soldier settlements with the order to urgently lead the servants to protect the king. Y. Romodanovsky went to the German settlement for foreigners. The measures in the eyes of Romanov were necessary: ​​the unrest managed to take the authorities by surprise. At about noon, the rebels broke into Kolomenskoye again: among them were those who had negotiated with the sovereign in the morning, and now turned back, having met halfway with a new excited crowd coming from the capital.

While still in the capital, she captured the son of one of the "traitors", a guest of Vasily Shorin, who was involved in government financial operations. Scared to death, the young man was ready to confirm anything: he announced his father's flight to the king of Poland with some boyar lists (in fact, Vasily Shorin was hiding in the courtyard of Prince Cherkassky in the Kremlin). No one doubted the testimony. Passions boiled with renewed vigor. This time, about 9,000 people appeared before Alexei Mikhailovich, determined as never before. At the negotiations, they began to threaten the tsar: if you don’t give the boyars good, we will take them ourselves according to our custom. At the same time, they encouraged each other by shouting: "Now it's time, don't be shy!"

Suppression of the riot

However, the time of the rebels has already passed. While negotiations were underway, the rifle regiments of Artamon Matveyev and Semyon Poltev entered Kolomenskoye through the back gate. It was not in vain that the tsar welcomed and fed the archers. They did not support, as happened in 1648, the posad's action. Therefore, the events unfolded according to a different scenario. As soon as the emperor was informed of the arrival of troops, he immediately changed and ordered "to whip and chop without mercy." It is known that in moments of anger Alexei Mikhailovich did not restrain himself. One of the sources puts into the mouth of Romanov even harsher words: "Deliver me from these dogs!" Having received the royal blessing, the archers with enviable agility - it is easy to deal with an unarmed crowd - rushed to rid the sovereign "of the dogs."

The massacre was bloody. At first they chopped and drowned, later they grabbed, tortured, tore out tongues, cut off arms and legs, several thousand were arrested and exiled after the investigation. During the days of the Copper Riot and on the wanted list, according to some sources, about 1000 people died. For the eternal memory of the rebellion, many were placed on their left cheeks with fiery "beeches" - "b" - a rebel. But the tension did not go away. Foreigners wrote about the widespread murmur of residents a year later.

Results of the Copper Riot

1663 - copper money was abolished by the tsar. The decree was expressive in its frankness: “so that there is no other thing between people about dengas,” the money was ordered to be set aside.

As a result of the copper revolt by the Tsar's decree (1663), mints in Pskov and Novgorod were closed, and the minting of silver coins was resumed in Moscow. Soon, copper money was withdrawn from circulation.

The main leitmotif of The Copper Riot is boyar treason. In the eyes of the people, this alone made their speech fair. But in reality, the "traitors" and copper money focused dissatisfaction with the whole course of life, squeezed by direct and extraordinary taxes, arbitrariness and high prices. The symptom is quite alarming - general weariness from the war. Many in government circles would like to end it. But to stop with dignity, with a profit.

The Moscow uprising of 1662 ("The Copper Riot") was caused by a financial catastrophe in the state and severe economics. the position of the laboring masses of town and country as a result of a sharp increase in tax oppression during the wars of Russia with Poland and Sweden. The massive release of copper money by the government (since 1654), equal to the value of silver money, and their significant depreciation to the middle. 1662 (6-8 times) led to a sharp rise in the price of food, huge speculation, abuse and massive counterfeiting of copper coins (in which some representatives of the center and administration were involved). In many cities (especially in Moscow) famine broke out among the bulk of the townspeople (despite good harvests in previous years). Great dissatisfaction was also caused by the decision of the Prospect Island on a new extremely difficult extraordinary tax collection (pyatine). Active participants M. in. In 1662 there were representatives of the urban lower classes of the capital, nonresidents and peasants from the villages near Moscow. Unlike M. in. In 1648 in the movement in 1662, soldiers took part massively (especially from Shepelev's regiment), which means groups of dragoons from a number of regiments, part of the archers. The uprising broke out in the early morning of July 25, when leaflets appeared in many districts of Moscow, in which the most prominent leaders of the pr-v (I.D., I.M. and I.A.Miloslavsky; B.M. Khitrovo, F M. Rtishchev) were declared traitors. Crowds of rebels went to Red Square, and from there to the village. Kolomenskoye, where Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was. The rebels (4-5 thousand people, mainly townspeople and soldiers) surrounded the royal residence, handed over their petition to the king, insisting on the extradition of the persons indicated in the leaflets, on a sharp reduction in taxes, food prices, etc. , with which it was approx. 1000 armed courtiers and archers, did not dare to go for violence, promising the rebels to investigate and punish those responsible. The rebels turned to Moscow, where after the departure of the first group of rebels a second group was formed and the defeat of the courts of large merchants began. On the same day, both groups united, arrived in the village. Kolomenskoye, again surrounded the royal palace and resolutely demanded the extradition of the leaders of the Prospect Island, threatening to execute them without the Tsar's sanction. At this time in Moscow, after the departure of the second group of rebels in the village. By order of the tsar, the authorities, with the help of the archers, switched over to active punitive actions, and 3 rifle and 2 soldier regiments (up to 8 thousand people) were already pulled into Kolomenskoye. After the insurgents refused to disperse, the beating of mostly unarmed people began. In the course of the massacre and subsequent executions, approx.; 1 thousand people, up to 1.5-2 thousand insurgents were exiled (with families of up to 8 thousand people). Despite the defeat, M. century. 1662 led to the abolition of copper money and other concessions to the Prospect Island.

V.D. Nazarov

Used materials of the Soviet military encyclopedia in 8 volumes, v. 5.

Description of the "copper riot" by Ptarik Gordon

July 5 [P. Gordon's mistake The copper riot was July 25 1662 years]. Early in the morning, when I was training the regiment in the field near the Novospassky Monastery, Colonel Crawford came to us, said that there was great confusion in the city, and gave the order to march towards the Tagansky Gate. I inquired where the emperor [tsar] was, and upon learning that he was in Kolomenskoye, I advised to go there, to which the colonel did not agree in any way and sent one Russian lieutenant to scout out what was the matter. Then he himself rode to the bridge where the rebels were passing, and would have been attacked if he had not been rescued by the elected soldiers [two Moscow elective regiments formed in 1656-58], who are known to him.

The rebels came out of the Serpukhov Gate in a crowd. There were about 4 or 5 thousand of them, without weapons, only a few had clubs and sticks. They claimed compensation [for damages] for copper money, salt, and more. For this purpose, in different parts of the city, sheets were pasted, and one solicitor in front of the Zemsky court read a sheet containing their complaints, the names of some persons whom they believed to be guilty of abuses, and an appeal to everyone to go to the king and seek compensation, as well as bad heads. advisers.

When the mob gathered, some went to rob the house of a guest or headman named Vasily Shorin, but most went to Kolomenskoye, where, while His Majesty was in church, they solicited the boyars and courtiers to appeal to the king. Finally, when the king left the church and mounted his horse, they very rudely and with loud cries insisted that he atone for their grievances. The tsar and some of the boyars reprimanded them for coming in such a disorder and number, and announced that the grievances would be ironed out, and therefore a council would be called immediately - they should only have a little patience. Meanwhile, at their first appearance, an order was sent to two streltsy colonels to go with their regiments as soon as possible to Kolomenskoye, and the rest were ordered to suppress those who remained in Moscow.

In great impatience, I urged the colonel to go to Kolomenskoye, but he still did not want to go out without an order. We had about 1200 people in our regiment, including 800 Mordvinians and Cheremis Tatars, who, it is true, would not sympathize with or join the rebels and rebels; the rest - a motley mix of Russians - weren't worth much of a trust. True, with a few exceptions, they all remained under the banner, and the officers supervised them well. I handed out gunpowder and bullets, each with three rounds — all I had.

Finally I got permission from the colonel to go to Kolomenskoye myself for the order, which I did very hastily. However, the rioters surrounded the palace avenues so that I could not get close and with great difficulty escaped captivity. On the way back, Colonel Aggay Al [Yekseevich] Shepelev was standing in the meadow with his regiment, which had become very thin, for many of his soldiers had taken part in the riot. I asked what orders they had received; he replied - to stand still. A little further off I met Artemon Sergei [Eevich] Matveyev, and then Semyon Fed [orovich] Poltev on the march with their rather thinned regiments. Both said that they had been ordered to go to Kolomenskoye, but they could not give advice on what to do to me.

Prince Yuri Ivano [vich] Romodanovsky, one of the main confidants and favorites of His Majesty, was sent to Sloboda, or the Inozemtsev Suburb, in order to bring them all to Kolomenskoye. In Sloboda rose big commotion... They took weapons from one merchant, handed them out to those who wished, and everyone performed, some on horseback, some on foot.

When I reached the regiment, which the colonel had led away from the gate and built near the monastery, I convinced him to go ahead. We reached the Kozhukhovsky bridge, where we received orders to stop, guard the bridge and capture the fugitives. By this time, two rifle regiments had appeared and were passed through the rear gate of the palace, They united with the horsemen from the courtiers and, attacking through the large gate, scattered [the rebels] without much risk and labor, some were driven into the river, others were killed and many were taken into captivity. Many were also saved.

The soldiers of our regiment caught 13 stragglers, who, together with others taken later, were sent to Kolomenskoye the next day. Many of these rebels were hanged the next day in different places, and about 2000 with their wives and children were subsequently exiled to distant lands.

All foreign officers received small grants or awards for this business, and my colonel was a very significant gift, along with the streltsy colonels, who, together with their officers, were generously rewarded. If the colonel had followed my advice, we would have appeared on time to protect His Majesty and could well defeat the rioters. My colonel then often lamented that he had missed such a good opportunity to distinguish himself and ours.

At about the same time, the Bashkir Tatars were outraged and began to harass the Russian garrisons in Ufa, Osa and others. This land lies on the way to Siberia, south of the Kama River; the rivers Ufa, Son and others that wash their land flow into the Kama. The reason for this revolt was the oppression and extortion of the governors. [Bashkirs] are good riders armed with bows, arrows and spears. They are pagans. Their land is barren, full of forests and abundant in fish and game. There are less than 10,000 families in total ...

My colonel received orders to march with a regiment against these savages. Upon learning of this, I told him that according to my contract I had already served for almost a year as a major; I do not intend and will not go so far from the court (over 1000 versts) in this rank, for we may spend [there] several years. Reflecting on this, and [not] wishing to move so far from the court, moreover, against an ignoble enemy, the colonel took measures in order to get rid of this assignment. A lieutenant colonel, promoted to colonel, went there with regiment, but I was promoted to lieutenant colonel in his place.

Patrick Gordon. Diary. Per. D.G. Fedosov. M., Nauka, 2002, pp. 119-121

Literature:

The uprising of 1662 in Moscow. Collection of documents. M., 1964;

History of Moscow. T. .1. M., 1952;

Chistyakova E.V. Urban uprisings in Russia in the first half of the 17th century. Voronezh, 1975;

Buganov V.I. Moscow uprising of 1662, M., 1964;

Bakhrushin S.V. Scientific works. T. 2. M., 1954;

Smirnov P.P. Posad people and their class struggle until the middle of the 17th century. T. 2. M.-L.

Reasons for the copper riot

Since 1654, Russia waged a protracted war with Poland and the treasury urgently needed funds to continue the hostilities. Russia did not have its own mines for the extraction of gold and silver, precious metals were imported from abroad. Minting coins for the state was too expensive. The Mint minted Russian money, half a half (half money) and a penny from foreign coins... "Clever minds" suggested to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich how to get funds. In those days, copper cost the state 60 times cheaper than silver. Therefore, it was proposed to make coins not from silver, but from copper. Serving people, artisans received copper money for their work, which at first was equated to silver coins. At first, the population eagerly accepted the new money.

For seven years of existence of copper money, from 1655 to 1662, their minting was carried out in many mints of Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod, which acquired an unprecedented and uncontrollable character.

In the same years, the government increases taxes by 20%; the people call this collection "the fifth money". Salaries were paid in copper, and taxes were collected silver coins... The authority of copper money began to decline dramatically. The copper penny began to depreciate, trade was noticeably upset, no one wanted to take copper money for payment. The archers and servicemen began to grumble, they could not buy anything with their "copper" salary. All goods rose sharply, no one paid attention to the tsar's decree.

The ruling elite, rich merchants increased the exploitation of ordinary people, all sorts of extortions began, bribe takers began to flourish, various atrocities and impunity of the boyars took on increasing proportions. All this was the reason for the ensuing copper riot.

Participants in the copper riot and their demands

On the night of July 24-25, 1662, leaflets-proclamations were pasted on the streets, crossroads and squares of Moscow, in which they demanded the abolition of copper money, an end to abuse, and a reduction in taxes.

On July 25, early in the morning, a copper riot broke out in Moscow. The extent of the uprising, the intensity of the uprising swept the masses of thousands of residents of the capital. The enraged rebels split in two. One half of them smashed the houses of the "strong" and the rich in Moscow. The first object for the angry crowd was the house of the guest Shorin, who collected the "fifth money" throughout the state.

Several thousand rebels went to the village of Kolomenskoye, where the country residence of the Tsar-Father Alexei Mikhailovich was located. He went out to calm them down. The riot participants held the tsar by the buttons and asked to ease their situation and punish the boyars.

Frightened by the decisive demands of the angry mob of the rebels, the tsar was forced to speak in "quiet custom" with them. The sovereign promised to investigate the guilt of the boyars, consider their complaints, and persuaded them to stop the rebellion. But when they began to threaten the tsar and demand that the boyars be handed over for reprisals, he raised his voice and gave the order to cut the rebels. According to some sources, the total number of the rebels is up to 9-10 thousand, during the suppression of the rebellion, thousands of people were killed, hanged, taken out on ships and sunk in the Moscow River, arrested and exiled to Astrakhan and Siberia along with their families.

The capital's lower classes took part in the uprising of 1662: cakes, artisans, butchers and peasants from neighboring villages. The merchants and guests of the capital did not riot and received praise from the tsar.

Results of the copper riot

The suppression of the uprising took on a merciless character, but it did not pass without a trace for the state.

As a result of the copper riot, the mints in Pskov and Novgorod were closed by tsarist decree, and the minting of silver coins was resumed in the capital. Soon copper money was withdrawn from circulation, although the state shamelessly deceived its people. Servicemen again began to pay salaries in silver.

Copper riot: causes and results

Reasons for the copper riot

Since 1654, Russia waged a protracted war with Poland and the treasury urgently needed funds to continue the hostilities. Russia did not have its own mines for the extraction of gold and silver, precious metals were imported from abroad. Minting coins for the state was too expensive. The Mint minted Russian money, half a half (half money) and a kopeck from foreign coins. "Clever minds" suggested to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich how to get funds. In those days, copper cost the state 60 times cheaper than silver. Therefore, it was proposed to make coins not from silver, but from copper. Serving people, artisans received copper money for their work, which at first was equated to silver coins. At first, the population eagerly accepted the new money.
For seven years of existence of copper money, from 1655 to 1662, their minting was carried out in many mints of Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod, which acquired an unprecedented and uncontrollable character.
In the same years, the government increases taxes by 20%; the people call this collection "the fifth money". Salaries were paid in copper, and taxes were collected in silver coins. The authority of copper money began to decline dramatically. The copper penny began to depreciate, trade was noticeably upset, no one wanted to take copper money for payment. The archers and servicemen began to grumble, they could not buy anything with their "copper" salary. All goods rose sharply, no one paid attention to the tsar's decree.
The ruling elite, rich merchants increased the exploitation of ordinary people, all sorts of extortions began, bribe takers began to flourish, various atrocities and impunity of the boyars took on increasing proportions. All this was the reason for the ensuing copper riot.

Participants in the copper riot and their demands

On the night of July 24-25, 1662, leaflets-proclamations were pasted on the streets, crossroads and squares of Moscow, in which they demanded the abolition of copper money, an end to abuse, and a reduction in taxes.
On July 25, early in the morning, a copper riot broke out in Moscow. The extent of the uprising, the intensity of the uprising swept the masses of thousands of residents of the capital. The enraged rebels split in two. One half of them smashed the houses of the "strong" and the rich in Moscow. The first object for the angry crowd was the house of the guest Shorin, who collected the "fifth money" throughout the state.
Several thousand rebels went to the village of Kolomenskoye, where the country residence of the Tsar-Father Alexei Mikhailovich was located. He went out to calm them down. The riot participants held the tsar by the buttons and asked to ease their situation and punish the boyars.
Frightened by the decisive demands of the angry mob of the rebels, the tsar was forced to speak in "quiet custom" with them. The sovereign promised to investigate the guilt of the boyars, consider their complaints, and persuaded them to stop the rebellion. But when they began to threaten the tsar and demand that the boyars be handed over for reprisals, he raised his voice and gave the order to cut the rebels. According to some sources, the total number of the rebels is up to 9-10 thousand, during the suppression of the rebellion, thousands of people were killed, hanged, taken out on ships and sunk in the Moscow River, arrested and exiled to Astrakhan and Siberia along with their families.
The capital's lower classes took part in the uprising of 1662: cakes, artisans, butchers and peasants from neighboring villages. The merchants and guests of the capital did not riot and received praise from the tsar.

Results of the copper riot

The suppression of the uprising took on a merciless character, but it did not pass without a trace for the state.
As a result of the copper riot, the mints in Pskov and Novgorod were closed by tsarist decree, and the minting of silver coins was resumed in the capital. Soon copper money was withdrawn from circulation, although the state shamelessly deceived its people. Servicemen again began to pay salaries in silver.

On July 25 (August 4), 1662, a popular uprising took place in Moscow. About ten thousand unarmed Muscovites went to the tsar in search of truth, justice and protection from the tyranny of the boyars. How did the events of this day, which were included in history textbooks under the name of the Copper Riot of 1662, end, we say today.

Causes of the Copper Riot

The country did not have time to recover from the consequences of the Salt Riot (June 1648 - February 1649), when a new one - the Copper Riot, which took place in Moscow in the summer of 1662 - was on the verge. In other words, 14 years have passed. Much has changed during this period. Some changes were for the better, others led to an increase in discontent among various segments of the population, which grew into more - riots and rebellion.

Rice. 1.Alexey Mikhailovich (Quietest)

Among the changes are the following:

• The war of Russia with the Commonwealth (1653-1667) and the Russian-Swedish war (1656-1658) : in 1653, the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich accepted the Russian Ukraine into the state, which led to a protracted war with the Poles claiming these territories. As you know, any military action is an expensive business that requires generous financial injections. This ultimately led to a deficit in the state treasury;
• Monetary reform of 1654 : during the period under review, the country's monetary system required reforms. Only silver kopecks were in use, while in Europe a coin of a larger denomination, the thaler, circulated. Thus, a silver ruble equal to one hundred kopecks was introduced in Russia. Despite the fact that the exchange rate of one hundred kopecks per ruble did not correspond to its real value (64 kopecks), the people accepted this innovation. However, at that time Russia did not have its own silver deposits. Its deficit led to the need to mint copper money: altyns, fifty and a penny. But they were put into circulation on a par with silver, which led to inflation, higher food prices and counterfeiting;
• Decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on the collection of taxes in silver coins, and the issuance of salaries in copper : This decision led to a real collapse in the financial system of the state. The peasants refused to bring goods to the city and sell them for copper, which led to starvation.

The monetary reform was hampered by another circumstance - the special equipment for minting coins constantly broke down.

Rice. 2. Copper coins of the 17th century

The course of the uprising

July 25, 1662 is the date of the beginning and the end of the Copper Riot. It all happened in one day. What incident shook the masses, the main participants and the results of the anti-government rebellion - all the events of that day are presented in the following table:

	Developments
	At night, leaflets were posted throughout the city - "thieves' lists", which called on the common people to oppose the government, namely against the boyars from the Miloslvsky family, the devious F.M.Rtischev, the leader Armory B. M. Khitrovo, clerk D. M. Bashmakov, foreign merchants V. G. Shorin, S. Zadorin and others. They were accused of the financial crisis and treason in favor of the Commonwealth. The proclamations also called for the abolition of taxes and copper money.
Early morning	Early the next morning a huge crowd gathered on Sretenka. The main participants are the urban lower classes, peasants from nearby villages and soldiers. The people loudly discussed the content of the leaflets: it is one thing to feel need, hunger, and another thing to know the names of the perpetrators of these troubles. Kuzma Nagaev spoke to the people. He urged people not to be afraid and to speak out against the injustice of the existing order. After such an appeal, a large number of people went to Red Square. The excitement grew and within an hour covered all the streets.
9 am	The crowd split into two. One - about 4-5 thousand people, went to Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye. In their hands were leaflets, and in their heads was the main demand to extradite the boyars and execute them for their machinations and betrayal. The Russian tsar went out to the townspeople and promised to figure it out, to punish the "traitors." People spoke rudely to him, but believed his words and turned back to Moscow.
11 am	At this time, the second part of the rebels went to smash and burn the houses of officials. They wanted one thing - a quick reprisal. The merchant's son Shorin was caught trying to escape abroad, which was proof of treason, and taken to the residence of the Russian Tsar. Thus, two streams of people met halfway, and, having united, again moved to Kolomenskoye. The crowd numbered about 10 thousand people.
Middle of a day	The decisive attitude of the rebels backfired. The tsar dragged out the negotiations with the sole purpose of waiting for the rifle regiments loyal to him. Soon they appeared, and a clash occurred, as a result of which the riot was brutally suppressed: 12 people were executed, about 200 drowned in the river, more than 7000 thousand were arrested.

Rice. 3. Painting by Ernest Lissner "The Copper Riot"

To suppress the Copper Riot, it was necessary to use force and shed a lot of blood. But at the same time, it became clear that it was necessary to take other measures as well. In 1663, the tsar canceled the minting of copper coins, and the remaining ones were bought from people at a very low price: for one copper ruble they gave five kopecks in silver. Apparently, even in small concessions, deception, injustice and shameless exploitation continued to flourish, all with the blessing of the state. The result was not long in coming: exactly five years later, in 1667, a new flame of revolt flared up, a larger and more bloody revolt by Stepan Razin.

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What have we learned?

Today we spoke briefly about the Copper Riot. Answers were given to the main questions: in what year was the Copper Riot - 1662, under what tsar it took place - under Alexei Mikhailovich (Quiet), what were its causes and consequences.

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