Decembrists Revolt
The Decembrists Rebellion occurred in December of 1825 after the death of Tsar Alexander I. Many Guards’ officers and elitists took the opportunity of Alexander’s death and the confusion of who should inherit the throne and attempted to overthrow the government and create a republic for Russia. Early in Alexander’s reign, he talked a great deal about granting a constitution for Russia and also freeing the serfs. The people of Russia had high hopes for what could be done, but when Alexander refused to give up his power over the Russians, they fought back. After his death, it was uncertain as to which one of Alexander’s brothers became the new tsar of Russia, enabling a rebellion to occur in the confusion. I will argue that the two main events that led to the Decembrists Rebellion was Alexander I’s refusal to grant Russians a constitution and legislature and the confusion as to who became the new tsar after his death. In the early nineteenth century, Napoleon Bonaparte was conquering much of Europe and was beginning to move his way towards Russia. After Napoleon fled Russia, Alexander led his troops across Europe to beat Napoleon and free the different countries from the French rule. Most of the Russian army had never left Russia and they quickly saw how much more advanced Western Europe was compared to Russia. They were confused as to how the west, who had underwent many years of war and oppression from Napoleon, still lived better than they did. There was a new hope for a constitution since they fought for the rest of Europe and gave them back their freedom, Alexander would grant the same freedoms to the Russians and they had restored their faith in the government and Alexander. Through the fighting, Russia had gained control of Poland and later Finland. Neither were an official part of Russia, but they were still under the rule of the tsar. Alexander granted a constitution, a legislature, and their own legal codes to both Poland and Finland. This