Copper Riot
Encyclopedia
The Copper Riot, also known as the Moscow Uprising of 1662 was a major riot
in Moscow
, which took place on July 25 of 1662.
n economy
due to the Second Northern War
with Poland
and Sweden
and sharp rise in tax
es. In 1654, the Russian government decided to begin issuing copper
money
in large quantities, equating them with silver
money. This government measure caused the devaluation
of copper money, which, in turn, would provoke profiteering on top priority goods and mass production of counterfeit
copper money with the involvement of some top officials. By 1662, Russia had already been experiencing an acute financial crisis
.
A few days before the riot, there had already been rumors about the so called vorovskiye listki (воровские листки, or black list
s), which contained the names of those responsible for economic misfortunes. These lists would suddenly appear posted in several neighborhoods of Moscow on the night of July 25. They included the names of the "traitors", such as boyar
s Miloslavsky
, okolnichy
s Fyodor Rtishchev
and Bogdan Khitrovo
, diak D.M. Bashmakov, merchants V.G. Shorin, S. Zadorin and others. All these people were accused of causing economic collapse after the introduction of copper money and having secret ties with Catholic Poland.
s (posad
people, soldier
s, reiter
s, some of the streltsy
from the Moscow garrison
, kholop
s, and peasant
s). After having read their proclamation
, the insurgents made their way to Kolomenskoye
to meet with tsar
Alexei Mikhailovich
. They demanded to surrender the "traitors" to the people and take steps towards stabilizing of the economy. The tsar and boyars promised to lower the taxes and conduct an investigation in accordance with the demands of the petition
and proclamation, presented by the angry crowd. The insurgents took the tsar’s word for it and rushed back to Moscow, where, in the meanwhile, people were destroying the households of the most hated merchants. After meeting halfway between Moscow and Kolomenskoye
, the two groups of insurgents went back to the tsar’s residence to stand their ground. By the time they reached Kolomenskoye, a large military force (6,000 to 10,000 soldiers) had already been assembled to counter the rebels. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered a merciless suppression of the unrest. As a result, up to 1,000 men were killed, hanged, or drowned in the Moscow River. Several thousand people were arrested and later exiled after a brutal investigation.
Despite the fact that the Copper Riot lasted for only a day, it would cause perplexity and fear among the top government officials. In 1663, copper coinage was abolished.
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, which took place on July 25 of 1662.
The beginning
The riot was preceded by a gradual deterioration of the RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
due to the Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
with Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and sharp rise in tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es. In 1654, the Russian government decided to begin issuing copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
in large quantities, equating them with silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
money. This government measure caused the devaluation
Devaluation
Devaluation is a reduction in the value of a currency with respect to those goods, services or other monetary units with which that currency can be exchanged....
of copper money, which, in turn, would provoke profiteering on top priority goods and mass production of counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
copper money with the involvement of some top officials. By 1662, Russia had already been experiencing an acute financial crisis
Financial crisis
The term financial crisis is applied broadly to a variety of situations in which some financial institutions or assets suddenly lose a large part of their value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and many recessions coincided with these...
.
A few days before the riot, there had already been rumors about the so called vorovskiye listki (воровские листки, or black list
Black List
Black List is the second of two L.A. Guns compilation albums featuring their third singer Paul Black.-Track listing:#"Stranded in L.A."#"L.A.P.D."#"Show No Mercy"#"One More Reason to Die"#"Looking Over My Shoulder"#"Love & Hate"#"On And On"...
s), which contained the names of those responsible for economic misfortunes. These lists would suddenly appear posted in several neighborhoods of Moscow on the night of July 25. They included the names of the "traitors", such as boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
s Miloslavsky
Miloslavsky
Miloslavsky , Miloslavskaya , or Miloslavskoye may refer to:People*Ilya Miloslavsky , a Russian boyar and diplomat*Maria Miloslavskaya , first wife of tsar Alexis I of Russia...
, okolnichy
Okolnichy
Okolnichy was an old rank and a position at the court of Moscow rulers from the Mongol invasion of Rus' until the government reform undertaken by Peter the Great...
s Fyodor Rtishchev
Fyodor Rtishchev
Feodor Alekseyevich Rtishchev was a boyar and an intimate friend of Alexis I of Russia who was renowned for his piety and alms-deeds....
and Bogdan Khitrovo
Bogdan Khitrovo
Bogdan Matveyevich Khitrovo was a high-placed Russian statesman, or boyar, who served Tsar Alexis and his son Fyodor III, supporting the party of Maria Miloslavskaya...
, diak D.M. Bashmakov, merchants V.G. Shorin, S. Zadorin and others. All these people were accused of causing economic collapse after the introduction of copper money and having secret ties with Catholic Poland.
The riot and its suppression
The Copper Riot began on the early morning of July 25 and continued until afternoon. Up to 10,000 people took part in the civil unrest, mostly MuscoviteMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
s (posad
Posad
A posad was a settlement, often surrounded by ramparts and a moat, adjoining a town or a kremlin, but outside of it, or adjoining a monastery in the 10th to 15th centuries. Usually it was inhabited by craftsmen and merchants, known as posadskiye lyudi .In the Russian Empire a posad was a small...
people, soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s, reiter
Reiter
Reiters were a type of cavalry, which appeared in the armies of Western Europe in the 16th century in place of the outmoded lance-armed knights, at the same time that cuirassiers and dragoons began to attain typological distinction from other kinds of cavalry...
s, some of the streltsy
Streltsy
Streltsy were the units of Russian guardsmen in the 16th - early 18th centuries, armed with firearms. They are also collectively known as Marksman Troops .- Origins and organization :...
from the Moscow garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
, kholop
Kholop
Kholops were feudally dependent people in Russia between the 10th and early 18th centuries. Their legal status was close to that of serfs.- Etymology :The word kholop was first mentioned in a chronicle for the year of 986. Its etymology is unclear...
s, and peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s). After having read their proclamation
Proclamation
A proclamation is an official declaration.-England and Wales:In English law, a proclamation is a formal announcement , made under the great seal, of some matter which the King in Council or Queen in Council desires to make known to his or her subjects: e.g., the declaration of war, or state of...
, the insurgents made their way to Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye is a former royal estate situated several kilometers to the south-east of the city-centre of Moscow, Russia, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna...
to meet with tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexei Mikhailovich
Alexis I of Russia
Aleksey Mikhailovich Romanov was the Tsar of Russia during some of the most eventful decades of the mid-17th century...
. They demanded to surrender the "traitors" to the people and take steps towards stabilizing of the economy. The tsar and boyars promised to lower the taxes and conduct an investigation in accordance with the demands of the petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
and proclamation, presented by the angry crowd. The insurgents took the tsar’s word for it and rushed back to Moscow, where, in the meanwhile, people were destroying the households of the most hated merchants. After meeting halfway between Moscow and Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye is a former royal estate situated several kilometers to the south-east of the city-centre of Moscow, Russia, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna...
, the two groups of insurgents went back to the tsar’s residence to stand their ground. By the time they reached Kolomenskoye, a large military force (6,000 to 10,000 soldiers) had already been assembled to counter the rebels. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered a merciless suppression of the unrest. As a result, up to 1,000 men were killed, hanged, or drowned in the Moscow River. Several thousand people were arrested and later exiled after a brutal investigation.
Despite the fact that the Copper Riot lasted for only a day, it would cause perplexity and fear among the top government officials. In 1663, copper coinage was abolished.