Provisional Priamurye Government
Encyclopedia
The Provisional Priamurye Government (also rendered as Provisional Priamur Government) existed in the Siberian region of Priamurye, Russia
, between May 27, 1921 and October 25, 1922. It was the last White Army enclave during the Russian Civil War
.
The government had its origin in a White Army coup in Vladivostok
and its environs whose aim was to break away from the Far Eastern Republic
, surviving behind a cordon sanitaire of Japan
ese troops involved in the Siberian Intervention
. The coup was started on May 23 by the Kappelevtsy, the remnants of Vladimir Kappel
's army.
The government was headed by the Merkulov brothers - Spiridon Dionisovich Merkulov (former functionary of the Ministry of Agriculture
), head of the Priamurye government, and Nikolai Merkulov, merchant
. Both were deputies of the Russian Provisional Government
. Somewhat later the Cossack
ataman
Grigory Semyonov
attempted to take power, but he was not backed by the Japanese, and eventually withdrew. Kappelevtsy and Semyonovtsy despised each other.
Gradually the enclave was expanded to Khabarovsk
and further to Spassk
, 125 miles north of Vladivostok. The Merkulovs were deposed in June 1922 and replaced by one of Kolchak's generals, Mikhail Diterikhs.
In July 1922 a Zemsky Sobor
(Приамурский Земский Собор) was convened in the territory. This sobor, calling to all Russian people to repent for the overthrow of the tsar, reinstituted a monarchy by naming Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich Romanov as tsar. Patriarch Tikhon
(who was not present; neither was the Grand Duke) was named as the honorary chairman of the sobor. The territory was renamed Priamursky Zemsky Krai. Diterikhs styled himself voyevoda and the army was called Zemskaya Rat' (rat' is an archaic Slavic term for military force).
When the Japanese withdrew, the Soviet army of the Far Eastern Republic retook the territory. The Civil War was officially declared over, although the Ayano-Maysky District
was still controlled
by Anatoly Pepelyayev
at that time.
Russia
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...
, between May 27, 1921 and October 25, 1922. It was the last White Army enclave during the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
.
The government had its origin in a White Army coup in Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
and its environs whose aim was to break away from the Far Eastern Republic
Far Eastern Republic
The Far Eastern Republic , sometimes called the Chita Republic, was a nominally independent state that existed from April 1920 to November 1922 in the easternmost part of the Russian Far East...
, surviving behind a cordon sanitaire of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese troops involved in the Siberian Intervention
Siberian Intervention
The ', or the Siberian Expedition, of 1918–1922 was the dispatch of troops of the Entente powers to the Russian Maritime Provinces as part of a larger effort by the western powers and Japan to support White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Russian Civil War...
. The coup was started on May 23 by the Kappelevtsy, the remnants of Vladimir Kappel
Vladimir Kappel
Vladimir Oskarovich Kappel was a White Russian military leader.During the First World War he was a Chief of the 347th Infantry Regiment's Staff and an officer in the 1st Army's Staff...
's army.
The government was headed by the Merkulov brothers - Spiridon Dionisovich Merkulov (former functionary of the Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Agriculture
An agriculture ministry or department of agriculture is a ministry or other government agency charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister for agriculture....
), head of the Priamurye government, and Nikolai Merkulov, merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
. Both were deputies of the Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
. Somewhat later the Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
ataman
Ataman
Ataman was a commander title of the Ukrainian People's Army, Cossack, and haidamak leaders, who were in essence the Cossacks...
Grigory Semyonov
Grigory Semyonov
Grigory Mikhaylovich Semyonov, or Semenov , was a Japanese-supported leader of the White movement in Transbaikal and beyond from December 1917 to November 1920, Lieutenant General and Ataman of Baikal Cossacks .-Biography:Semyonov was born in the Transbaikal region of eastern Siberia...
attempted to take power, but he was not backed by the Japanese, and eventually withdrew. Kappelevtsy and Semyonovtsy despised each other.
Gradually the enclave was expanded to Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk
Khabarovsk is the largest city and the administrative center of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. It is located some from the Chinese border. It is the second largest city in the Russian Far East, after Vladivostok. The city became the administrative center of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia...
and further to Spassk
Spassk
Spassk may refer to:*Spassk, Penza Oblast, a town in Penza Oblast, Russia*Spassk, Kemerovo Oblast, an urban-type settlement in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia*Spassk-Dalny, a town in Primorsky Krai, Russia*Spassk-Ryazansky, a town in Ryazan Oblast, Russia...
, 125 miles north of Vladivostok. The Merkulovs were deposed in June 1922 and replaced by one of Kolchak's generals, Mikhail Diterikhs.
In July 1922 a Zemsky Sobor
Zemsky Sobor
The zemsky sobor was the first Russian parliament of the feudal Estates type, in the 16th and 17th centuries. The term roughly means assembly of the land. It could be summoned either by tsar, or patriarch, or the Boyar Duma...
(Приамурский Земский Собор) was convened in the territory. This sobor, calling to all Russian people to repent for the overthrow of the tsar, reinstituted a monarchy by naming Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich Romanov as tsar. Patriarch Tikhon
Tikhon of Moscow
Saint Tikhon of Moscow , born Vasily Ivanovich Bellavin , was the 11th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia of the Russian Orthodox Church during the early years of the Soviet Union, 1917 through 1925.-Early life:...
(who was not present; neither was the Grand Duke) was named as the honorary chairman of the sobor. The territory was renamed Priamursky Zemsky Krai. Diterikhs styled himself voyevoda and the army was called Zemskaya Rat' (rat' is an archaic Slavic term for military force).
When the Japanese withdrew, the Soviet army of the Far Eastern Republic retook the territory. The Civil War was officially declared over, although the Ayano-Maysky District
Ayano-Maysky District
Ayano-Maysky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the seventeen in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia. Its administrative center is the rural locality of Ayan. District's population: Population of Ayan accounts for 40.5% of the district's population.-Geography:The district has...
was still controlled
Yakut Revolt
The Yakut Revolt or the Yakut Expedition was the last episode of the Russian Civil War. The hostilities took place between September 1921 and June 1923 and were centred on the Ayano-Maysky District of the Russian Far East.A formidable rising flared up in this part of Yakutia in September 1921...
by Anatoly Pepelyayev
Anatoly Pepelyayev
Anatoly Nikolayevich Pepelyayev was a White Russian general who led the Siberian armies of Admiral Kolchak during the Russian Civil War. His elder brother Viktor Pepelyayev served as Prime Minister in Kolchak's government.-Trans-Siberian march:...
at that time.
See also
- Far Eastern Federal DistrictFar Eastern Federal DistrictThe Far Eastern Federal District is the largest of the eight federal districts of Russia, while being also the least populated, with a population of 6,291,900 . The Far Eastern Federal District was established in 2000 by then-President Vladimir Putin and is currently being governed by presidential...
- Allied intervention in the Russian Civil WarAllied Intervention in the Russian Civil WarThe Allied intervention was a multi-national military expedition launched in 1918 during World War I which continued into the Russian Civil War. Its operations included forces from 14 nations and were conducted over a vast territory...
- American Expeditionary Force SiberiaAmerican Expeditionary Force SiberiaThe American Expeditionary Force Siberia was a United States Army force that was involved in the Russian Civil War in Vladivostok, Russian Empire, during the tail end of World War I after the October Revolution, from 1918 to 1920....
- William Sidney Graves
- Sergei ProkofievSergei ProkofievSergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor who mastered numerous musical genres and is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century...
- Green UkraineGreen UkraineZeleny Klyn , also known as the Green Ukraine is a historical Ukrainian name of the land in the Russian Far East area between the Amur River and the Pacific Ocean....
- Zeleny Klyn
- Siberian InterventionSiberian InterventionThe ', or the Siberian Expedition, of 1918–1922 was the dispatch of troops of the Entente powers to the Russian Maritime Provinces as part of a larger effort by the western powers and Japan to support White Russian forces against the Bolshevik Red Army during the Russian Civil War...
- Yakut RevoltYakut RevoltThe Yakut Revolt or the Yakut Expedition was the last episode of the Russian Civil War. The hostilities took place between September 1921 and June 1923 and were centred on the Ayano-Maysky District of the Russian Far East.A formidable rising flared up in this part of Yakutia in September 1921...
- Soviet Central AsiaSoviet Central AsiaSoviet Central Asia refers to the section of Central Asia formerly controlled by the Soviet Union, as well as the time period of Soviet administration . In terms of area, it is nearly synonymous with Russian Turkestan, the name for the region during the Russian Empire...