One of the largest uprisings in Russia in the mid-17th century was the mass demonstration of middle and lower strata citizens, artisans, the urban population, yard people and archers, which was called the “Salt Riot”.
This was the reaction of the population to the current government policy of the boyar Morozov, who was the educator, and later the brother-in-law of Tsar Romanov A. Boris Morozov was the de facto ruler of the Russian state along with Prince I. Miloslavsky.
Pursuing social and economic policies, the rule of Morozov gained widespread and developed arbitrariness and corruption, and significantly increased taxes. Many sectors of society demanded revision and changes in public policy. To slightly relieve tension in society, the Morozov government came to the decision to partially replace direct taxes with indirect taxes. This led to a reduction and even the abolition of some of them, while the widely-in-demand goods that were used in everyday life imposed additional duties.
The salt riot of 1648 has its own chronology, which can be traced. It began with the fact that in 1646 salt came under the tax. A large jump in prices led to a reduction in its consumption and the emergence of sharp indignation on the part of the population, because salt was the main preservative at that time. Many products began to deteriorate faster, and this caused widespread discontent among merchants and peasants. Thus, a salt riot was provoked, the reasons for which lay in exorbitant taxes.
The tension grew and in 1647 the tax was canceled, but it was necessary to cover the arrears due to something. She began to be charged again with direct taxes, which were not abolished for a long time.
The immediate reason for the uprising called the “salt rebellion” was an unsuccessful delegation to the Tsar of Moscow residents, which took place on 01/06/1648. The petition was directed against the dignitaries. The people demanded to convene the convocation of the Zemsky Sobor and to approve new legislative acts. Having ordered the archers to disperse the crowd, Morozov thereby provoked the townspeople to break into the Kremlin the next day, where they also failed to hand the petition to the tsar.
Thus began the salt riot, the reasons for which were the unwillingness to listen to the requests of the people. The city was at the epicenter of the great turmoil, which was inflicted by the enraged citizens. The next day, a large number of archers joined the protesting citizens. The people again broke into the Kremlin, where they demanded to give him the chief of the Zemsky order, who was in charge of the police service and the administration of Moscow. There was also a demand for the issuance of a dumy clerk who was the initiator of the salt tax, as a result of which the salt riot of 1648 and the boyar Morozov along with his brother-in-law were formed.
The rebels set fire to Kitai Gorod and the White City, and the yards of hated merchants, boyars, dealers and clerks were defeated. They killed and tore Chisty and Pleshcheyev, which the king sacrificed. The people also considered guilty of a duty on salt, the result of which was a salt riot, beside anything Trahaniotov, who fled from Moscow. He was caught up, returned and executed.
The tsar removed the boyar Morozov from power on 11/06/1648, who was sent into exile in the monastery, and uprisings continued in other cities until February 1649.
Alexey Romanov made concessions to the rebellious population. The Zemsky Sobor was assembled, the purpose of which was the adoption of a new Code and the abolition of collection of arrears. Thus, some peace was brought about in society. In addition, the salt riot had other consequences. The head of state for the first time in such a long time could independently make state and political decisions. The Sagittarius was given a double bread and money salary, the ranks of the opponents of the government split, as a result of which repressions took place, and the most active participants and leaders were executed. Morozov returned to Moscow, but no longer participated in the government.