Oppostion Flashcards
What were 3 potential claimants to seize power from her?
Peter III
Her son, Paul
Ivan VI (deposed by ELizabeth)
Why did Catherine had threats against her reign?
she had no legal right to the throne (ursurper)
Early plots for restoration of Ivan?
(1764) group of guard officers attempting to liberate Ivan were foiled only when the jailer, obeying standard orders, strangled his prisoner
Early plots to restore Paul?
Detected and snuffed out (1769-70)
What also exposed Catherine to threats to power?
Pretenders
Issues with pretenders?
At least 24 claimed to be Peter III
–> Catherine lucky to survive
–> plots in favour of Paul came from elite but pretenders were persons from humble origin
Who was the most dangerous pretender of all?
Emilian Pugachev
–> Don Cossack with tradition of turbulent resistance to Tsarist reign
–> commissioned as junior lieutenant of cavalry durinf first Turk war
How did service for Pugachev have a dark side?
- Severly whipped for leaving horse to stray
- plucked from wife and sons for service
- (1771) home on sick leave decided not to come back and became hunted deserter
What did Pugachev once he deserted?
posed as a wealthy merchant
–> arrived at Cossack settlement
What were causes of Pugachev revolt?
irritation at the pace of Russian colonisation and the interference of Tsarist officials
- (subsidiary argument) serfs resented the edict giving masters greater control of lives in 1762
Cause of the Pugachev revolt related to Peter III?
People believed Peter was still alive and might come to save his people
- naive monarchism
- exploited by pretenders
First events of Pugachev revolt?
(Nov 1772) Pugachev first appeared and discontent turned into a violent rebellion
–> some cossack leaders who collaborated with state were murdered
–> needed a leader, Pugachev chosen for 1773 insurgency
What could have been Pugachev’s military aims?
1)To march on Moscow and reclaim the throne (could have been unnecessary propaganda)
2) meant to lead forces intoOttoman Empire
–> when impossible turned to Russian interior
How did revolt get recruits?
proclomation aimed at getting as many dissidents
–> recruits flocked in
–> formidable army beseiged orenburg
How did revolt progress after recruits?
developed rudimentary amin. system and own War college
Look of the Pugachev revolt?
most dangerous of all uprisings
Beginning weakness of Pugachev?
indiscipline
lack of clear command structure
lack of scientific siege-craft
tactical inability to face regular troops in battle
Pugachev revolt progress after siege?
(1774) fighting spread to Urals
–> Pugachev linked with rebellious factory serfs and Bashkirs
–> 2/3 Russian forces beaten in battle
–> 1 reached Orenburg
How did the 1 Russian force do against Pugachev?
Defeated in battle
Pugachev too main army of 20,000 to Volga + captured Samara
How was Pugachevs army first weakened?
On way to Kazak, Russian relief force arrived
–> 1/3 Pugachev men taken or killed
–> most survivors abandoned him
–> only 500 followers by the end
What was Pugachevs next steps after army was weakened?
Headed for DOn to raise new army and march on Moscow
–> issued edict appealing to Volga sers (terrorised landlords and rebuilt his forces)
–> recruits poured in
–> panic in Moscow
Catherine reaction to Pugachevs unlikely recruit and army to Moscow?
send in her best military commanders
How did end of Pugachev occured?
sudden and unexpected
(1774) Cossacks failed to rise
Gov. army left 9000 rebels dead
Under panin, army disintergrated
What happened to Pugachev?
Betrayed by own followers
Captured and hauled in iron cage + paraded to Moscow
(10th Jan 1775) behaded and dismembered
Why did Pugachev fail?
1)Treachery - abrupt removal of leader
2)Pugachev illiterate
3)forces poorly coordinated and undisciplined
4)short supply of arms, gunpowder, food, horses
5)Rebel armies are hard to control fighting far from home
Consequences of pugachev revolt?
Short term: frightened gov. + led to savage reprisals
Long term: less inclined to amerliorate serfdom
–> strengthen local gov. where it failed
Who were the Old Believers?
Opposed to religious reforms
What was rise in banditary due to?
Growth of serfdom
Who were in the way of Leter to have sole rule?
Sophia, Natalie’s and Ivan
Streltsy in 1682?
Sophia’s main weapon
55000 strong
Made up of Old Believers and those distrusting of foreigners
When was the first Steltsy coup?
25th May 1682
Stormed Kremlin due to rumour Feodor poisoned
Ivan and Peter co Tsars
How was Ivan’s position strengthened?
1684 —> Ivan married + heir
How did Peter strengthen his poisition
1689- married and heir
1688- interest in gov. And attended meetings
When and what was second streltsy revolt?
17th August 1689
Sophia guards preobrazhensky
Peter escaped
Sophia convent out of Moscow
Impacts on Peter streltsy revolt #1
Facial twitch
Hate Moscow + miloslavskyx
When and what #3 streltsy revolt
July 1698
Received letter Streltsy risen
Rebels hated foreign influence and regiments replacing them
How did Peter tackle 3rd Streltsy revolt?
Investigations ordered
1699: hundreds flogged
14 torture chambers
3 hanged in Sophia’s window
What were early opposition
Peasant banditary, streltsy, Cossacks
(Fuelled by Old Believers)
1700 reform that cause opposition?
Antichrist - intro. Julian calendar
4th streltsy revolt when and what?
30th July 1705
Streltsy overwhelmed garrisons guards
Aims: kill German advisors, restore orthodoxy, withdrawal of beard decree
Dealt with: military force with 272 dead in Moscow
What caused astrakhan revolt?
Streltsy discontent
Old Believers
Rumours Tsar had been overthrown
What was the Astrakhan revolt?
Rebels took 2 towns
–> gov. forces defeated them
WHo were the Bashkirs were and as an opposition?
non-Russian Muslim people
Russian settlers on thier land + Peters taxes caused them to rebel
What did Bashkirs do?
Burnt Russian villages
Were divided and unorganised
Even being occupied with Swedes, Peter asked Kalmyks for 10000 irregulars
Why did Don Cossacks revolt 1707-8?
Consequence of overarching centralisation of the state
SUpport from malcontents that could develop an upheaval as dangerous as Pugachev
–> could cut off southern military and naval bases
Events of Don Cossack revolt before defeat?
1) Peter asked for fugitives to come back
2) Yuri Dolgurky met by river w/ 1200 soldiers
3)Maximov = cooperate Bulavin= didn’t
4) Bulavin sneak attack on Russian camps
5) Max raised army + defeat Bulavin
6) Bulavin raised army and deated Max
7) Vasily sent 10000 regulars
How did the Don Cossack revolt end?
1) Bulavin unsuccessful attack on Azov
2) They divided into 3 and were defeated
3) (1708) Dolgurky brough remaining rebels home
COnequence of the DOn Cossack revolt?
200 men hanged and drifter past Cossack
Why did Alexis hate Peter?
Forced to marry in 1711
–>Hated match as she was Protestant
Peter wanted him to take the burdens of gov.
–>(1707) focus of courts
Who was Alexis?
Peters only survivng son
Orthodoxy
Key symbol of resistance
What did Alexis do to rebel?
(1716) Went to Holy ROman Emperor
–> Peter Tolstoy to bring him back
Outcome of Alexis as resistance?
(1717) Alexis executed as he watned to abolish navy, reducae army and leave st. Petersburg
Epoch of Palace coups opposition?
Limited resitance form serfs fue to military power and conflicts between serfs themselves
–> helped by extended peasatn households
– SImply violent criminals
Social protest that threat to autocracy
