Copper Riot
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The '''Copper Riot''', also known as the '''Moscow Uprising of 1662''' ([[Russian language|Russian]]: ''Медный бунт'', ''Московское восстание 1662 года'') was a major [[riot]] in [[Moscow]], which took place on [[July 25]] of [[1662]].
==The beginning==
The riot was preceded by a gradual deterioration of the [[Russia]]n [[Economic system|economy]] due to the wars 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.
==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 [[Moscow|Muscovite]]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]] [[Alexis I of Russia|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.
==See also==
*[[Salt Riot]]
*[[Plague Riot]]
[[Category:Politics of Imperial Russia]]
[[Category:History of Moscow]]
[[Category:Riots in Russia]]
[[Category:1662 riots]]
[[da:Kobberopstanden]]
[[ru:Медный бунт]]