Cotton Rebellion - not an uprising and not a rebellion in the literal sense of the word, this name in Russian history is usually used to denote a surge of mass banditry and robbery in the Russian state, which occurred in 1601-1603 during the reign of Boris Godunov.

Mass banditry was provoked by the Great Famine that swept the country in 1601-1603: the rebels did not put forward any political demands and did not seek to seize power, they traded in robbery in order to earn a livelihood. The basis of the bandit detachments were runaway or expelled by their masters serfs, who did not have a single leader and chaotically huddled into groups.

The largest detachment, the number of which reached 600 people, was the squad of ataman Khlopko Kosolap, who operated in the vicinity of Moscow - this historical event was subsequently named after him.

The uprising of Cotton and the servile movement associated with it became one of the most striking events of the initial stage of the Time of Troubles.

Background and causes of the uprising

The main reason for the Cotton uprising was the Great Famine of 1601-1603, which took place against the background of the political instability of the Time of Troubles and the ongoing enslavement of the peasants.

A massive famine was provoked by a cooling of the climate, which led to crop failures in 1601, 1602 and 1603. According to researchers, this could be due to the eruption of the Huaynaputina volcano in Peru on February 19, 1600: the eruption led to the accumulation of ash in the Earth's atmosphere and caused a volcanic winter in Europe.

Because of the famine, many landlords, in order to get rid of responsibility for their peasants, began to give them freedom, while others, in order to avoid the need to feed them, simply drove the peasants out of their estates (or forced them to flee), not giving them freedom and hoping to return them again. myself when the hunger is over. As a result, the expelled serfs and the liberated peasants began to stray into groups and engage in robbery on the roads.

Aims of the rebellion

A feature of the Cotton uprising was its non-political nature.

The rebels did not seek to establish control over any cities, fortresses or territories, did not put forward political demands and did not try to seize power in the country or its individual parts. Their only goal was to obtain a livelihood through robbery and robbery, which became familiar in conditions of prolonged famine.

The course of the uprising

After a crop failure in 1601, many landowners, fearing or not being able to feed their peasants, began to give them freedom or simply drive them out of their estates without freedom, hoping to lay claim to them again after the end of the famine. Peasants and expelled serfs, who had no means of subsistence outside the landlords' lands, were forced to seek a livelihood and began to stray into bands of robbers in order to survive together.

The uprising quickly swept the western, southern and central regions of the Russian state. The situation was especially difficult in the west of the country, where unique conditions developed: on the one hand, due to the low natural productivity, the consequences of famine were most severely felt here, on the other hand, important trade routes to Poland and Sweden passed through the western regions, which attracted robbers.

In Moscow, on the orders of Tsar Boris Godunov, bread was distributed to the needy, so crowds of starving people moved to the capital. However, it was not enough for everyone: according to the testimony of Avraamy Palitsyn, about 127 thousand people died during the famine in Moscow. Against the backdrop of famine, cholera epidemics began, and cases of cannibalism were observed. The confluence of a large number of expelled and runaway serfs to Moscow led to an unprecedented surge of banditry in the city and its environs, and gradually the largest detachment of the servile movement was formed from them, operating under the control of ataman Khlopko Kosolap: its number reached 600 people!

To fight the robbers, the authorities tried to use local forces and the help of village elders, without calling on the noble militia. However, these measures were ineffective: the peaceful peasant population supported the rebel serfs, which made it very difficult to fight against their detachments.

In August 1603, a detachment of 100 trained archers under the command of Ivan Basmanov was sent from Moscow to destroy the Khlopok detachment. However, in mid-September, the archers fell into an ambush organized by the rebels and suffered serious losses. Ivan Basmanov was killed during the battle, but the remnants of the army were able to win, and Khlopko Kosolap was captured. Subsequently, he was executed.

Unfortunately, the destruction of the Khlopok detachment did not mean the automatic end of robberies and robberies in the Russian state, and they were fought against for a long time.

Effects

Although the Khlopok uprising was generally suppressed, the problem of runaway and expelled serfs who were engaged in banditry in the Russian state did not resolve itself. Many of the participants in the uprising, including the surviving members of the Cotton detachment, fled to the south, where they later joined the uprising of Ivan Bolotnikov in 1606-1607 and took part in other events of the Time of Troubles.

By order of Tsar Boris Godunov, the circumstances of the uprising were carefully investigated, since among the rebels not only runaway serfs were found, but also servants of the disgraced boyars, which gave rise to suspicion that in fact the uprising of Khlopok was planned - however, about convincing evidence in favor of this version nothing is known.

In 1603, at the very beginning of the Peasant War in Russia in the 17th century, there was an uprising of serfs and serfs led by Cotton Kosolap.

Historians called the 17th century "rebellious" for the many bloody events, coups, uprisings of this time, which led the state to almost lose its state independence and tested the strength of the Russian people. The revolt of Cotton opened the series of these flaming events.

The Cotton Rebellion was the result of a variety of causes, including:

• the death of the cruel tyrant Ivan the Terrible, who introduced the oprichnina and turned absolutely all segments of the population against it, but whose death (because he was the last legitimate autocrat) plunged the state into the Time of Troubles;
• clash of interests of various social groups that occupied unequal positions in the state;
• the tightening of feudal oppression in 1780−1790. as a result of the legislative approval of serfdom;
• the establishment of serfdom, which finally took away all rights from the serfs and peasants and led to their political oppression;
• epidemics and prolonged mass famine during the lean period of 1601-1603, which came as a result of early frosts: in September there was snow and frosts did not disappear even in summer (there is a version that such whims of the elements occurred as a result of a volcanic winter in Peru after the eruption of the Huaynaputina volcano) .

All this led to general poverty, half a million victims, the total flight of serfs and peasants from their landowners, their association in criminal groups and rampant robbery.

The government tried to somehow help those in need by distributing money and bread to them. But such measures only deepened economic disintegration. The landowners did not have the opportunity to provide provisions for their servants and peasants: they had to expel them from their estates. It is quite natural that without any means of subsistence, these former serfs could only rob and kill, which intensified the general chaos.

The main indicator that served as a wake-up call for the government to turn to the army for help was the large-scale robberies of 1602, as a result of which significant territories were lost in 19 eastern, central and southwestern counties of the country. It was there that the main protest population fled and gathered there.

Participants of the uprising

The driving force behind the uprising were:

• serfs and peasants who managed to escape from their masters and unite in bands engaged in robbery (the number of individual bands reached hundreds of people, and the army of Ataman Khlopok consisted of 600 people);
• combat serfs (the so-called boyar people), who had undergone military training and were well armed.

As a result, in August 1603, one of the largest riots of the early 17th century began - an uprising led by Cotton.

The course of the uprising

• Summer 1603 This is the date of the beginning of the uprising, which broke out spontaneously. They covered the main central cities of Russia: Volokolamsk, Vladimir, Rzhev, Mozhaisk, Vyazma, Medyn, Kolomna. The bulk of the protest mass, led by Khlopko Kosolap, was concentrated near Moscow. As a result, the rebels managed to paralyze the main Smolensk highway, which connected the western and central parts of the country with transport links. Initially, the Boyar Duma did not attach much importance to these rebel serfs and peasants, but later they realized their mistake, because. there was a real threat of the violent capture of the capital by the rebels. Therefore, active preparatory work began for the defense of Moscow from the rebels, for which Moscow was divided into 12 defensive sectors. Each of these sectors was headed by a okolnichiy or boyar, and the Boyar Duma entrusted the command of the defense of the city to the governor I.M. Buturlin.
• September 1603. A large tsarist army was sent from Moscow under the leadership of the roundabout Basmanov. During the battles, the tsarist archers retreated several times. But thanks to combat training and equipment, they managed to defeat the rebels, many of whom, at the sight of the troops, surrendered voluntarily (and also because of the promise to forgive everyone). Part of the rebels fled to the southern regions, which were still under their control. The captured peasants were executed. Cotton Clubfoot was wounded and later executed in the capital. Okolnichiy Basmanov was killed during the battle.

The results of the uprising

• the uprising was the beginning of the peasant war I.I. Bolotnikov, and the peasants who fled to the south will become active participants in it;
• the uprising demonstrated the extent of social contradictions that required immediate resolution.

The uprising led the government to begin to take measures to consolidate the noble ranks and clans in Russia into one political union in order to preserve the country's independence.

The basis of such communities was serfs who fled from the estates due to the terrible famine and yoke. Khlopko managed to form such a large squad that it became the basis of an armed uprising of the peasants, to suppress which a whole army was sent under the command of the roundabout I.F. Basmanov, who was killed in the battle against Khlopok. However, the peasants were defeated, and the seriously wounded Khlopko was taken prisoner and subsequently executed (hanged).

1606- 1607 - Bolotnikov's uprising.

Causes: Beat the boyars, take away their property, kill the rich, divide their estate ... (From the "blank letter" of Bolotnikov's "army").

Was against serfdom.

Outcome: The uprising was put down.

1648 - Salt Riot.

Causes: rising prices for salt.

Outcome: Zemsky Sobor was convened à falling prices for salt.

1650- Uprising in Novgorod.

Causes: rise in the price of bread.

Outcome: The uprising was crushed. Participants were beaten, some were exiled.

1652 - Copper Riot.

The uprising took place in Moscow.

Causes: increase in taxes, depreciation of money, tk. introduced copper money.

Outcome: The financial situation in the country led to the development of counterfeiting. The rebellion was suppressed, but later the minting of silver coins resumed.

1667- 1671 - Rise of Stepan Razin.

Causes: the introduction of a council code.

Looting and robbery by the rebels, led by Razin.

Outcome: Razin was executed with great difficulty.

1667-1676 - Solovetsky uprising.

The uprising of the monks of the Solovetsky Monastery against Nikon's church reforms.

Causes: new office books sent from Moscow in 1657.

Outcome: Many monks were killed in the fight.

1682, 1689, 1696 - Shooter riots.

Causes: irregular payment of salaries, due to an empty treasury.

Outcome: The instigators of the rebellion were executed.

Command system in the army:

Composition: peasants, working people, barge haulers, small servicemen (archers, soldiers), walking people, spiritual servants.

On the conquered territories - Cossack self-government

№18. Russia's foreign policy inXVIIcentury.

Western direction:

Purpose: to return the territories lost during the Troubles (Smolensk)

1632- 1634- Smolensk war.

The royal governor Shein approached Smolensk, surrounded it, but could not conquer it, then the army of the Commonwealth approached and defeated the Russian army. Warlord Shane hanged

1634- Polyanovsky peace was signed: Smolensk remained behind Poland. But King Vladislav 4 renounced the rights to the Russian throne

1654- 1667 - Russian-Polish war.

Part of Ukraine was under the control of the Commonwealth

1654- Unification of Russia and Ukraine.

In the first year of the war, Smolensk was taken, mostly victories were on our side

1667- Andrusso truce (Russia regained the lands of the Left-Bank Ukraine, Smolensk and Northern lands, joint ownership of the Right-Bank Ukraine, as well as the city of Kyiv)

Russia returned the Smolensk land

Establishment of joint ownership of right-bank Ukraine

1656 - eternal peace between Russia and the Commonwealth, according to which Russia-Left-bank Ukraine and Kyiv, Russia declared war on Turkey and the Crimea

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Rise of Cotton Clubfoot

In the seventeenth century, namely, in 1603, at the beginning of the so-called Peasant War in Tsarist Russia, an uprising of serfs and peasants broke out, led by Khlopok Kosolap.

Historians and researchers of this historical period did not call it “rebellious” for nothing, because at that time a storm of coups swept through the Russian state, marked by numerous bloodshed, which actually led the country to the loss of state independence, and also tested the Slavic people for fortitude. The uprising of Cotton is considered to be the beginning of these events.

Main Causes of the Cotton Rebellion

Modern historians believe that the following factors acted as the reasons that became the "catalyst" for the uprising:

• The death of the Russian tyrant and dictator Ivan the Fourth the Terrible, who for his own benefit introduced the oprichnina, which was hated by all sections of society of that time that existed in Russia. At the same time, his death plunged Russia into Troubles, since he was the last of the legitimate representatives of power (the Last Rurikovich).
• The clash of interests of different social strata that occupied different positions in the state hierarchy.
• The tightening of feudal oppression in 1780-1790, through the legislative approval of serfdom in the state.
• In the end, the establishment of serfdom completely took away the rights that the peasants and serfs had, which deprived them of their political status in the state.
• Mass famine, as well as epidemics provoked by lean years during the reign of Boris Godunov. Due to climatic changes, early frosts and late spring in 1601-1603, not only the crop, but also the seed was destroyed, which led to a shortage of bread and the introduction of high prices for this product.

All of the above caused the death of many thousands of people, as well as the exodus of peasants and serfs from their landlords, who could not feed them. Quite often, these fugitives united in bands of robbers and hunted in the forests by robbing merchants and wealthy citizens.

No matter how hard Godunov tried to help the needy, distributing money and bread from state stocks, such measures only aggravated the economic decay existing in Russia, and soon the landlords themselves began to drive their own peasants from the estates, unable to feed them.

The wave of popular uprisings in 1602, which resulted in the loss of vast territories in the southwestern and eastern regions of the Russian state, to which the rebellious population fled, acted as the main indicator that served for representatives of state power.

Events and course of the Cotton Rebellion

The main driving force behind the uprising were:

• Combat serfs or the so-called boyar people, who at one time underwent military training and had weapons with them.
• Peasants and serfs who were able to escape from their landowners, united in detachments and hunted by robberies. Sometimes the number of such detachments exceeded a hundred people, and in the army of Ataman Khlopok there were about six hundred people.

As a result of these events, one of the largest popular riots of the seventeenth century began in August 1603, led by Cotton.

Riots began to arise spontaneously. The uprising swept the main Russian cities: Kolomna, Medyn, Vyazma, Mozhaisk, Rzhev, Vladimir, and Volokolamsk. But the main forces were concentrated under the capital.

After some time, the Khlopok detachments managed to take control of the Smolensk highway, which links the central and western parts of the state. At first, representatives of the boyars did not pay attention to the uprising at all, but very soon they realized that it was a huge mistake, because in a short time there was a real threat of seizing state power.

Immediately, active preparatory work began on the defense of the capital, for which the city was divided into a dozen defense sectors, each of which was headed by a boyar or okolnichy. The command of the defense of Moscow was entrusted by the Boyar Duma to the governor Buturlin.

In September of the same year, a large tsarist army under the command of the okolnichi Basmanov advanced from the capital. As a result of the battles, the archers were forced to retreat several times. However, thanks to the equipment and discipline, they soon managed to defeat the detachments of the rebels, many of whom themselves decided to surrender, only seeing the number of the king's troops.

At the same time, a certain part of the rebels still managed to escape to the southern regions, which were still under the control of Cotton. The ataman Kosolap himself was wounded, captured, and later executed in Moscow.

Basmanov, the commander of the tsarist army, was also killed during the decisive battle, and the uprising itself became the beginning of the so-called Peasant War of Bolotnikov.

Video Lecture: Cotton Rebellion

Cotton Rebellion - under this name in Russian history there is a massive uprising of people in the initial period of the Time of Troubles. It was caused by...

By Masterweb

Cotton Rebellion - under this name in Russian history there is a massive uprising of people in the initial period of the Time of Troubles. It was caused by a severe famine of 1601-1603. Basically, it was attended by serfs, whom the owners did not want to feed, but at the same time did not consider them free.

Throughout the country, there were many bandits of robbers, who were supported by the peasantry. The largest of them, operating close to Moscow, was a detachment led by ataman Khlopko Kosolap. It is with his name that the title of this performance is connected.

Why did the uprising happen?

The reasons for the Khlopok uprising lie in the difficult historical situation in which Russia found itself at the turn of the 16th-17th centuries. No wonder this period is called the Time of Troubles. Then the ruler, and then the king was Boris Godunov. After the death of Ivan the Terrible, power was unstable, the contradictions both between individual social groups and within them were aggravated to the limit.

External enemies threatened state sovereignty, and there was a fierce struggle for power. At the same time, the exploitation and enslavement of the peasants intensified. Many of them fled to the southeastern regions of the country from the oppression of the landlords. Against this background, in the winter of 1602-1603. frosts hit, and a terrible famine set in, which increased poverty and pushed people to robbery attacks in order to survive.

How it all began?

Serfs and peasants, who fled on a massive scale from exploitation and hunger, concentrated in the so-called robbery detachments in 19 districts of the country - central, western and southern. Their main forces headed for Moscow. These detachments began to attack farmers and merchants passing along the roads.

And in September 1603, an uprising began, which covered a vast territory. Historian Svyatsky D.O. claims that the area where the uprising originated was the Komaritskaya volost, located to the west of the capital and belonging to the palace department. There were many people here who were opposed to Boris Godunov.

What is the leader's role?

He led the uprising in 1603 Khlopko Kosolap. He was born in 1657 in Novgorod. Other names are also known, under which he is mentioned in written sources: these are Cotton, Cotton, Cotton. According to some reports, his detachment reached about 600 people.

The team of the Kosolapy was one of the most numerous among the groups that filled Russia. Their basis was made up of serfs who had escaped from the yoke and hunger. This was a non-free part of the population, which in its position was close to slaves.

This man managed to form such a large formation that it was the basis of an armed peasant revolt. The king had to send a whole army to suppress the uprising of Cotton. As the chronicles testify, his name was a kind of banner around which the oppressed and offended people gathered. They went with a "fiery battle" and did not give up alive. His role in the uprising was so great that until Khlopok was executed, the rebels could not be defeated.

What was the purpose?

From the documents of that period it is known that those who traded in robbery attacks were actively supported by the peasant population. And this made it very difficult to fight with such detachments.

At the same time, the fact that the speech was of a political nature is not indicated anywhere. In the documents, the participants in the Cotton uprising are not called "thieves", as political criminals were called. They are referred to as "robbers", that is, as criminals.

Detachments of "robbers" did not attempt to establish control over any fortresses or cities. The goal of the Cotton squad and similar groups was not to seize power. It was only the extraction of means of subsistence in ways that were forced in the conditions of general famine.

How did events develop?

As mentioned above, the uprising unfolded in the central, western and southern regions. However, the most tense situation was in the west. On the one hand, there were the most severe consequences of mass starvation, since the natural yield there was also low. On the other hand, there were trade routes connecting Russia with Sweden and Poland.

To suppress the uprising Cotton from the capital in a western direction in August 1603, a detachment of archers set off. It consisted of 100 people. As mentioned above, the number of the main squad of the rebels was approximately 600 thousand. Streltsov was led by okolnichiy Ivan Basmanov.

In mid-September, the government army was ambushed by the rebels. Basmanov was killed in battle, but the archers defeated the rebels and captured Cotton Kosolap, who was soon executed.

What are the results of the Cotton Rebellion?

However, after the detachment of Cotton was destroyed, the massive robberies and robberies that raged in the vastness of the Russian state did not stop at all. A significant part of the rebel serfs fled to the south, where they later became a participant in the uprising led by Ivan Bolotnikov. As well as other events of the Time of Troubles.

In accordance with the royal decree, the most thorough investigation into the circumstances of the rebellion was carried out. This was also due to the fact that the individual serfs participating in it were servants of the boyars who were in disgrace.

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