The Copper Riot of 1662 was triggered. Copper Riot: Causes of the Copper Riot

Copper riot- the revolt that took place in Moscow on July 25 (August 4), 1662, the uprising of the urban lower classes against the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish war of 1654-1667. and the issue from 1654 of depreciated, in comparison with silver, copper coins.

Copper riot - in brief (article review)

After a long and bloody war with Poland in 1654, tsar Alexei Mikhailovich introduced copper money. Preparing for a new war with Sweden required a lot of money, and minting a copper coin seemed like a way out. And although copper was 60 times cheaper than silver, copper pennies were equated to silver. At first, the population eagerly accepted the new money. However, after their production took on an unprecedented, uncontrollable character, the confidence in copper money decreased dramatically.

The depreciated copper kopecks played a fatal role in the economy of the state. Trade was largely upset, since no one wanted to take copper in payment, servicemen and archers grumbled, since nothing could be bought with a new salary. This created the conditions for the subsequent copper riot.

1662, July 25 (August 4) - the alarm sounded alarmingly near the walls of the ancient Kremlin. After the merchants closed their shops, the people hurried to the crossroads at the Spassky Gate, where accusatory letters were already being read. So the copper riot began. Later, an angry crowd would rush into Kolomenskoye, where the royal residence of Alexei Mikhailovich was located, and demand that the copper money be canceled.

Sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich brutally and mercilessly suppressed the copper revolt. As a result, copper money will be canceled.

And now in more detail ...

Description of the Copper Riot

Causes of the Copper Riot

The protracted war devastated the treasury. To replenish the treasury, the government resorted to the usual means - increased fiscal oppression. Taxes have risen sharply. In addition to the usual taxes, they began to levy extraordinary ones, which reminded the townspeople of the memorable - "five-piece money".

But there was also such a way to replenish the treasury as - re-coinage (damage) of a silver coin with a decrease in its weight. However, the Moscow businessmen went even further and, in addition to the spoiled silver coin, began to issue a copper coin. Moreover, with a difference in market price for silver and copper (almost 60 times) they had the same face value. This was supposed to give - and did - a fabulous profit: from one pound (400 grams) of copper worth 12 kopecks. from the Mint received copper money in the amount of 10 rubles. According to some sources, in the first year alone, this kind of monetary fraud brought in a profit of 5 million rubles. In total, in 10 years - from 1654 to 1663. - copper money entered into circulation in an amount that Meyerberg, perhaps exaggerating, determined at 20 million rubles.

At first, the copper penny was on a par with the silver one and was well received. But the authorities themselves intervened in the sphere of settlements and began to buy silver coins from the population with copper money. Along with this, the payment of taxes and duties took place only with a silver coin. Because of this “forward-looking policy,” the already fragile trust in copper money quickly collapsed. The monetary system has fallen into disarray. Copper ceased to be taken, and copper money began to depreciate rapidly. Two prices appeared on the market: for silver and copper coins. The gap between them increased weather-wise and by the time of cancellation it was 1 in 15 and even 1 in 20. As a consequence of this, prices increased.

The counterfeiters, who did not miss the opportunity to quickly enrich themselves, did not stand aside. There were persistent rumors that even the sovereign's father-in-law, boyar ID Miloslavsky, did not disdain the profitable trade.

Before the riot

Soon the situation became simply unbearable. Commercial and industrial activity was in decline. In particular, the townspeople and service people had a hard time. “Great poverty and great destruction are repaired at a grain price, and in all sorts of food there is a great price,” the petitioners groaned. The price of a chicken in the capital has reached two rubles - an incredible amount for the old, "home-grown" times. The high cost, the growing difference between the copper and the silver penny, inevitably brought nearer a social explosion, which, for all its spontaneity, was felt by contemporaries as an inevitable disaster. “They want to be confused in Moscow,” said one clerk on the eve of the July events.

The news about the next collection of "fifth money" added even more passions. The population of Moscow was hotly discussing the conditions of the gathering when “letters of thieves” began to appear on Sretenka, Lubyanka and other places. Unfortunately, their text has not survived. It is known that they accused many of the Duma and clerks of "treason", which, in accordance with existing ideas, was interpreted quite broadly: both as abuse, and as "neglect of the sovereign", and as relations with the king of Poland. 1662, July 25, the "Copper Riot" broke out.

Riot course

The main events took place outside Moscow, in the village of Kolomenskoye. A crowd of 4-5 thousand people went here early in the morning, consisting of the townspeople and instrumental service people - archers and soldiers of the Elected Regiment of Agey Shepelev. Their appearance in Tsarskoe Selo was an absolute surprise. The archers who were on guard tried to stop the crowd, but she simply crushed them and broke into the palace village.

The Tsar and his entire family listened to mass on the occasion of the birthday of Alexei Mikhailovich's sister, Princess Anna Mikhailovna. The confused tsar sent boyars to negotiate with the people. The crowd rejected them. The Emperor himself had to go out. There were cries of indignation: those who came began to demand the extradition of the traitorous boyars "for murder", as well as tax cuts. Among those whose blood was thirsty for the crowd was the butler, the roundhouse F.M. Rtishchev is a man very close to the tsar in his spiritual disposition and religious spirit. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered him, along with the others, to hide in the female half of the palace - in the tsarina's chambers. Having locked themselves in, the entire royal family and people close to them "sat in the mansion in great fear and fear." Rtishchev, who knew very well how the conversation with the "Gilevites" could end, confessed and received the Holy Communion.

Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov

In the command language of that era, any appeal to the sovereign is a petition. What happened on the morning of July 25 in Kolomenskoye was also attributed to this "genre" with the expressive addition of the then office work: "They beat their brows with great ignorance." The tsar himself already faced this kind of "ignorance" 14 years ago, when angry crowds of Muscovites broke into the Kremlin hoping to deal with B.I. Morozov. Then the sovereign, at the cost of humiliation, managed to beg for the life of his educator. The old experience came in handy even now - Romanov knew that the blind fury of the crowd could be opposed either by force or humility. The Moscow posad man Luchka Zhidkoy presented the sovereign with a petition. The Nizhny Novgorod resident Martyan Zhedrinsky, who was standing nearby, insisted that the tsar immediately, without delay, "before the world" deduct her and ordered to bring the traitors.

The crowd "with a cry and much outrage" supported their petitioners. According to the testimony of the omniscient G. Kotoshikhin, the tsar, in response, began to persuade the people with "quiet custom", promising to "initiate a search and a decree." The Tsar's promise was not immediately believed. Someone from the crowd even twisted the buttons on the tsar's dress and boldly asked: "What do you believe?" In the end, the sovereign was able to persuade the crowd and - a living detail - with someone, in agreement, struck on the hands - "gave them a hand at his word." From the outside, the picture, of course, looked impressive: frightened, although he did not lose his dignity, as in June 1648, Alexei Mikhailovich - and an unknown impudent posadskiy, shaking hands with their agreement on the search for traitors.

At the same time, the nobles were driven to the streltsy and soldier settlements with the order to urgently lead the servants to protect the king. Y. Romodanovsky went to the German settlement for foreigners. The measures in the eyes of Romanov were necessary: ​​the unrest managed to take the authorities by surprise. At about noon, the rebels broke into Kolomenskoye again: among them were those who had negotiated with the sovereign in the morning, and now turned back, having met halfway with a new excited crowd coming from the capital.

While still in the capital, she captured the son of one of the "traitors", a guest of Vasily Shorin, who was involved in government financial operations. Scared to death, the young man was ready to confirm anything: he announced his father's flight to the king of Poland with some boyar lists (in fact, Vasily Shorin was hiding in the courtyard of Prince Cherkassky in the Kremlin). No one doubted the testimony. Passion boiled with new strength... This time, about 9,000 people appeared before Alexei Mikhailovich, determined as never before. At the negotiations, the tsar began to threaten: if you don’t give the boyars good, we will take them ourselves according to our custom. At the same time, they encouraged each other by shouting: "Now it's time, don't be shy!"

Suppression of the riot

However, the time of the rebels has already passed. While negotiations were underway, the rifle regiments of Artamon Matveyev and Semyon Poltev entered Kolomenskoye through the back gate. It was not in vain that the tsar welcomed and fed the archers. They did not support, as happened in 1648, the posad's action. Therefore, the events unfolded according to a different scenario. As soon as the sovereign was informed of the arrival of troops, he immediately changed and ordered "to whip and chop without mercy." It is known that in moments of anger Alexei Mikhailovich did not restrain himself. One of the sources puts into the mouth of Romanov even harsher words: "Deliver me from these dogs!" Having received the royal blessing, the archers with enviable agility - it is easy to deal with an unarmed crowd - rushed to rid the sovereign "of the dogs."

The massacre was bloody. At first they chopped and drowned, later they grabbed, tortured, tore out tongues, cut off arms and legs, several thousand were arrested and exiled after the investigation. During the days of the Copper Riot and on the wanted list, according to some sources, about 1000 people died. For the eternal memory of the rebellion, many were placed on their left cheeks with fiery "beeches" - "b" - a rebel. But the tension did not go away. Foreigners wrote about the widespread murmur of residents a year later.

Results of the Copper Riot

1663 - copper money was abolished by the tsar. The decree was expressive in its frankness: “so that there is no other thing between people about dengas,” the money was ordered to be set aside.

As a result of the copper revolt by the Tsar's decree (1663), mints in Pskov and Novgorod were closed, and the minting of silver coins was resumed in Moscow. Soon, copper money was withdrawn from circulation.

The main leitmotif of The Copper Riot is boyar treason. In the eyes of the people, this alone made their speech fair. But in reality, the "traitors" and copper money focused dissatisfaction with the whole course of life, squeezed by direct and extraordinary taxes, arbitrariness and high prices. The symptom is quite alarming - general weariness from the war. Many in government circles would like to end it. But to stop with dignity, with a profit.

Copper riot- a historical event that took place in Moscow on July 25 (August 4) in 1662, where a fairly large uprising of the urban lower classes took place due to copper coins not provided with precious metal.

Reasons for the start of the riot

In the Moscow state in the 17th century precious metals were imported into the country from abroad, since then there were no silver and gold mines of their own. Therefore, in the Monetary yard, Russian coins were minted from foreign coins, which means that it took more money than making new coins from our own metal. Then the following coins were issued: a penny, money and a half, which was half.

However, the protracted war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth over Ukraine demanded simply colossal expenses. AL Ordin-Nashchokin suggested a way out of this situation. He put forward the idea of ​​issuing copper money at the price of silver. But at the same time taxes from the population were collected in silver, but the salary was issued in copper coins.

Of course, at first the copper coin went at the same cost as the silver one, but this could not last long, and after a short period of time, when the issue of unsecured copper money began to grow, it became much more expensive than copper. For example, in Novgorod and Pskov for 6 rubles in silver they gave as much as 170 rubles in copper, which is 28.3 times more. And with the release of the tsarist decree, goods still rose sharply in price, which, of course, did not like the people.

This financial situation in the country led to the growth and flourishing of counterfeiting, which also did not add joy not only to the ordinary people, but also to the government.

Riot course

The common people were already on the verge of their patience, and when at the Lubyanka they found sheets on which accusations were written against Prince I.D. ... Although this did not have any evidence under it, but even such an excuse was enough for the people to finally lose their temper.

Therefore, several thousand people went to the country palace in the village of Kolomenskoye, where Alexei Mikhailovich was at that time.

This appearance of the people caught the king by surprise and he had to go out to the people. From them he received a petition, which spoke about the reduction in prices for goods and punishment for those responsible. With such pressure, Aleksey Mikhailovich promised to sort things out and the crowd, who took their word for it, turned back.

However, another crowd was approaching from Moscow, which was already in a more belligerent mood than the first. Its number was several thousand. It consisted of butchers, small traders, pastries, etc. Approaching the palace, they surrounded it again. This time they demanded that the traitors be handed over for reprisals. By this time, the archers and soldiers had already approached Kolomenskoye, who were sent by the boyars to help. The crowd was initially asked to disperse peacefully, but refused. Then the order was given to use force against her. The archers and soldiers drove the unarmed crowd into the river. At the same time, many were still killed and hanged. After these events, several thousand people were arrested and exiled.

It should be noted that after the copper riot, all literate Muscovites had to give samples of their handwriting. This was done in order to compare them with the "thieves' sheets", which served as a signal for such indignation. But it was not possible to find the instigator by this method.

Results of the copper riot

The main outcome of the copper riot was the abolition of the cheap copper coin. It happened gradually. Copper courtyards, which were located in Novgorod and Pskov in 1663, were closed. Silver coins were minted anew. The copper money itself was withdrawn from general circulation and melted into other copper products that were needed by the state.

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The Copper Riot is a significant event in the history of Russia, the uprising of the urban poor and the lower classes that took place in Moscow during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. The very concept of "copper riot" has become a household name. It is used whenever it is necessary to comment on the depreciation of money and the bankruptcy of the state.

The Copper Riot: Causes and Historical Situation

The Moscow state waged a long war for Ukraine against which a huge amount of monetary resources were spent. There was a shortage of money. Russia did not yet have its own deposits of precious metals, from which money was minted, so they were imported from abroad. used foreign money to make Russians out of them - pennies, polushki and money.

The situation came to the point that the boyar Ordin-Nashchokin proposed a very controversial solution: to mint copper money at the face value of silver coins. At the same time, taxes were still collected in silver, but the salary was issued already in new copper coins. Beginning in 1654, copper money was officially introduced into circulation instead of silver.

At first, everything went as the government intended: it was accepted at the price of the old silver money. But soon they began to produce an incredible amount, because there were no problems with copper. Embossed yards in Moscow, Pskov, Novgorod worked at full capacity. The flow of unsecured money supply swept Russia, so very soon the demand for silver began to skyrocket, and copper money fell.

Slow inflation began at first, and then precipitous inflation. The government refused to accept copper money as taxes, so the old ones jumped sharply in price: for one old silver ruble they gave from 15 to 20 new copper ones. Merchants went to the market and carried copper money literally in wagons, while copper depreciated every day. The townspeople panicked: nothing could be bought, and there was nowhere to take silver.

But the government did not want to admit the erroneousness of its actions and out of habit began to look for the guilty on the side. Counterfeiters were blamed as the cause of the collapse in inflation. Demonstration courts began to be set up throughout the country. There was only one verdict for the production of "left" coins: a cruel execution. According to the Code of Laws, the guilty were poured red-hot metal down their throats.

The problem was that almost anyone who knew at least a little bit of metal could make coins from copper. "Kotelniki and pewter" at that time got rich en masse, were able to build stone houses for themselves, bought expensive goods. After all, everyone had their own small mint. There were more than half a million fake copper coins in Moscow alone.

Copper Riot Events

On the morning of June 25, 1662, according to the old style, an incriminating letter was pasted at the pillar on the Lubyanka in Moscow, where Rtishchev, Miloslavsky and their guest Vasily Shorin were called traitors. In fact, they were charged with a connection with the Commonwealth, with which the war was still going on. This accusation was completely unfounded, but the people already needed any reason to start unrest.

A crowd of several thousand people, having read this message, went to the village of Kolomenskoye - the Tsar's summer residence. The guards were crushed, and the people broke into the royal court without hindrance. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered Rtischev and Miloslavsky to hide in the Tsarina's chambers, and he himself went out to the people. And then a scene occurred that violated all the foundations and canons of society. Commoners surrounded Alexei Mikhailovich, and literally holding on to the buttons of the tsar's dress, asked: "Where is the truth?" The conversation was quite peaceful, and the emperor promised to restore order to the people. One of the rebels even "beat hands with the king." After that, the crowd calmed down and began to disperse. The incident seemed to be over. But this day was destined to end differently.

Another crowd at that moment smashed Shorin's house, and forced his young son to write a confession that his father allegedly sold himself to the Poles and specially arranged a venture with copper money to help the hated enemy. With this "confession" in hand, the rebels rushed to Kolomenskoye, dragging back those who had already returned from there. At this time, the tsar was already going to go to Moscow to investigate the case. However, new threats from the rioters pissed him off. Archers and soldiers had arrived from Moscow by that time. And Alexei Mikhailovich gave the order to Artamon Matveyev to cut the rioters.

The real massacre began. The crowd was unarmed. People were crushed, drowned in the river, stabbed and chopped. More than a thousand people died that day. Over the next days, they strenuously searched for participants in the campaign to Kolomenskoye, arrested, hanged, chopped off their arms and legs, branded them, and sent them from Moscow to an eternal settlement. Many of those arrested were forced to write dictation in order to compare the handwriting with that ill-fated leaflet. However, the true instigators were never found.

The Copper Riot of 1662 was a performance of the real urban lower classes - artisans, peasants, butchers, and the local poor. No one from merchants and people of a higher class took part in it. Moreover, they also contributed to the subsequent arrests of the rioters.

As a result of the riot, about three thousand people suffered, and most of one of them was just a curious crowd.

Copper riot: aftermath

The king kept his promise and dealt with the problem of copper money. In 1663, the minted factories in Novgorod and Pskov were closed, and copper money was completely withdrawn from circulation. The minting of silver money was resumed. And from copper coins it was ordered to smelt boilers or hand them over to the treasury. Copper cash was exchanged for new silver coins at the previous inflation rate of twenty to one, that is, the state officially recognized that the old copper rubles were not backed by anything. The salary was soon again paid in silver.

Reasons for the riot

In the 17th century, the Moscow state did not have its own gold and silver mines, and precious metals were imported from abroad. At the Monetary Yard, Russian coins were minted from foreign coins: kopecks, money and polushki (half money).

Counterfeiters case

The financial situation in the country led to the flourishing of counterfeiting

The development and course of the riot

The common people were outraged by the boyars' impunity. On July 25 (August 4), 1662, at the Lubyanka, sheets were found with accusations against Prince ID Miloslavsky, several members of the Boyar Duma and a wealthy guest Vasily Shorin. They were accused of secret relations with the Commonwealth, which had no basis whatsoever. But disgruntled people needed a reason. It is significant that the same people who were accused of abuses during the Salt Riot became the object of universal hatred, and just like fourteen years ago, the crowd attacked and destroyed the house of the guest Shorin, who was collecting "fifth money" throughout the state. Several thousand people went to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was in his country palace in the village of Kolomenskoye. The unexpected appearance of the rebels caught the king by surprise, he was forced to go out to the people. He was given a petition, demanding a reduction in prices and taxes, and punishment of those responsible. Under the pressure of circumstances, Alexei Mikhailovich gave his word to investigate the case, after which the calmed down mass of people, believing the promises, turned back.

Another crowd of many thousands was moving towards us from Moscow, in a much more belligerent mood. Small traders, butchers, bread bakers, cakes, village people again surrounded the palace of Alexei Mikhailovich and this time they did not ask, but demanded that the traitors be handed over to them for reprisals, threatening “if he will not give those boyars good, and they will learn from him themselves , according to their custom. " However, archers and soldiers have already appeared in Kolomenskoye, sent by the boyars to the rescue. After refusing to disperse, the order was given to use force. The unarmed crowd was driven into the river, up to a thousand people were killed, hanged, drowned in the Moscow River, several thousand were arrested and exiled after the investigation.

G.K. Kotoshikhin describes the bloody finale of the copper riot as follows:

“And on that same day, they were hanged from 150 people near that village, and the rest were ordered to order, they tortured and burned them, and, in search of guilt, they cut off the hands and feet and at the hands and feet of the fingers, and beat others with a whip, and put them on their faces. on the right side signs, lighting the iron on red, and put on that iron "beeches", that is, a rebel, so that he would be recognized forever; and punishing them, they sent everyone to distant cities, to Kazan, and to Astarakhan, and to Terki, and to Siberia, for eternal life ... courts, sunk the river in Moscow. "

The search in connection with the copper riot was unprecedented. All literate Muscovites were forced to give samples of their handwriting in order to compare them with the thieves' sheets, which served as a signal for indignation. However, the instigators were never found.

results

The Copper Riot was a performance by the city's lower classes. It was attended by artisans, butchers, cakes, peasants of suburban villages. Of the guests and merchants, "not a single person stuck to those thieves, they even helped those thieves, and they received praise from the tsar." Despite the ruthless suppression of the riot, it did not go unnoticed. In 1663, according to the tsar's decree of the copper business, the courtyards in Novgorod and Pskov were closed, and minting of silver coins was resumed in Moscow. The salaries of all ranks to service people again began to be paid in silver money. Copper money was withdrawn from circulation, private individuals were ordered to melt it down for boilers or bring it to the treasury, where they paid 10 for each ruble handed over, and later even less - 2 money in silver. According to V.O. Klyuchevsky, "The Treasury acted like a real bankrupt, paid creditors 5 kopecks or even 1 kopeck per ruble."

see also

Notes (edit)

Literature

• Buganov V.I. Copper riot. Moscow "rebels" of 1662 // Prometheus. - M .: Molodaya gvardiya, 1968. - T. 5. - (Historical and biographical almanac of the series "Life of Remarkable People").
• The uprising of 1662 in Moscow: Sat. doc. M., 1964.
• Moscow uprisings 1648, 1662 // Soviet military encyclopedia / ed. N.V. Ogarkova. - Moscow: Military Publishing, 1978 .-- T. 5. - 686 p. - (in 8 t). - 105,000 copies

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See what "Copper Riot" is in other dictionaries:

- (Moscow uprising 1662), an anti-government demonstration by Muscovites on July 25, 1662, caused by the disruption of economic life during the years of the wars of Russia with Poland and Sweden, an increase in taxes, the release of devalued copper money. Since 1654 ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

The uprising of the urban lower classes that took place in Moscow in 1662 against the issue of copper kopecks, which from 1655 were minted to replace silver coins. The issuance of copper money led to their depreciation in comparison with silver. A year after the riot ... ... Financial vocabulary

Accepted in the literature, the name of the uprising of the lower and middle strata of the inhabitants of Moscow, archers, soldiers (25.7.1662). Caused by the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish war of 1654 67 and the release of devalued copper money. Some of the rebels went to the village of Kolome ... Modern encyclopedia

The uprising of the urban lower classes that took place in Moscow in 1662 Against the release of copper kopecks, which from 1655 were minted in Russian monetary yards to replace silver ones. The issuance of copper money led to their depreciation in comparison with silver. Across… … Economic Dictionary

COPPER REBEL, taken in historical literature the name of the performance in Moscow on 25.7.1662 by representatives of the lower and middle strata of the townspeople, archers, soldiers. Caused by the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish war of 1654 67 and the release of devalued ... ... Russian history

"Copper Riot"- "Copper Riot", accepted in the literature the name of the uprising of the lower and middle strata of the inhabitants of Moscow, streltsy, soldiers (25.7.1662). Caused by the increase in taxes during the Russian-Polish war of 1654 67 and the release of devalued copper money. Some of the rebels went ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Reasons for the copper riot

Since 1654, Russia waged a protracted war with Poland and the treasury urgently needed funds to continue the hostilities. Russia did not have its own mines for the extraction of gold and silver, precious metals were imported from abroad. Minting coins for the state was too expensive. The Mint minted Russian money, half a half (half money) and a kopeck from foreign coins. "Clever minds" suggested to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich how to get funds. In those days, copper cost the state 60 times cheaper than silver. Therefore, it was proposed to make coins not from silver, but from copper. Serving people, artisans received copper money for their work, which at first was equated to silver coins. At first, the population eagerly accepted the new money.

For seven years of existence of copper money, from 1655 to 1662, their minting was carried out in many mints of Moscow, Pskov and Novgorod, which acquired an unprecedented and uncontrollable character.

In the same years, the government increases taxes by 20%, the people call this collection "the fifth money". Salaries were paid in copper, and taxes were collected in silver coins. The authority of copper money began to decline dramatically. The copper penny began to depreciate, trade was noticeably upset, no one wanted to take copper money for payment. The archers and servicemen began to grumble, they could not buy anything with their "copper" salary. All goods rose sharply, no one paid attention to the tsar's decree.

The ruling elite, wealthy merchants increased the exploitation of ordinary people, all sorts of extortions began, bribe takers began to flourish, various atrocities and impunity of the boyars took on increasing proportions. All this was the reason for the ensuing copper riot.

Participants in the copper riot and their demands

On the night of July 24-25, 1662, leaflets-proclamations were pasted on the streets, crossroads and squares of Moscow, in which they demanded the abolition of copper money, an end to abuse, and a reduction in taxes.

On July 25, early in the morning, a copper riot broke out in Moscow. The extent of the upsurge and the intensity of the uprising engulfed the masses of thousands of residents of the capital. The enraged rebels split in two. One half of them smashed the houses of the "strong" and the rich in Moscow. The first object for the angry crowd was the house of the guest Shorin, who collected the "fifth money" throughout the state.

Several thousand rebels went to the village of Kolomenskoye, where the country residence of the tsar-father Alexei Mikhailovich was located. He went out to calm them down. The riot participants held the tsar by the buttons and asked to ease their situation and punish the boyars.

Frightened by the decisive demands of the angry mob of the rebels, the tsar was forced to speak in "quiet custom" with them. The sovereign promised to investigate the guilt of the boyars, consider their complaints, and persuaded them to stop the rebellion. But when the tsar began to threaten and demand to hand over the boyars for reprisals, he raised his voice and gave the order to chop the rebels. According to some sources, the total number of the rebels is up to 9-10 thousand, during the suppression of the rebellion, thousands of people were killed, hanged, taken out on ships and sunk in the Moscow River, arrested and exiled to Astrakhan and Siberia along with their families.

The capital's lower classes took part in the uprising of 1662: cakes, artisans, butchers and peasants from neighboring villages. Merchants, guests of the capital did not riot and received praise from the tsar.

Results of the copper riot

The suppression of the uprising took on a merciless character, but it did not pass without a trace for the state either.

As a result of the copper riot, the mints in Pskov and Novgorod were closed by tsarist decree, and the minting of silver coins was resumed in the capital. Soon copper money was withdrawn from circulation, although the state shamelessly deceived its people. Servicemen again began to pay salaries in silver.