One of the most interesting pages of Russian history of the 19th century is the Decembrist uprising. The vast majority of its participants, who set themselves the goal of destroying autocracy and serfdom, came from the most famous aristocratic families, received an excellent education and distinguished themselves in the military, diplomatic or literary field. These included Sergey Volkonsky. The Decembrist lived for 76 years, of which 30 years were in hard labor and in exile.
Ancestors
Sergei G. Volkonsky (Decembrist) was born in 1788 in Moscow. When it was required to indicate his origin, he usually wrote "from the Chernigov princes." Moreover, everyone knew that his family belonged to the Rurikovich, and on the maternal side his great-grandfather was an associate of Peter the Great Field Marshal A.I. Repnin.
Parents
The father of the future Decembrist - Grigory Semenovich Volkonsky - was a comrade-in-arms of such famous commanders as P. A. Rumyantsev, G. A. Potemkin, A. V. Suvorov and N. V. Repnin. He participated in almost all wars of the late 18th century, and during the period 1803-1816 he served as governor-general in Orenburg, and then was a member of the State Council.
No less famous person was the mother of Sergei Grigoryevich - Alexandra Nikolaevna. She served as a lady of state and Obergofmeisterina under the 3 Russian empresses, and was also a cavalier lady of the Order of St. Catherine of the 1st degree. As subsequently, according to the grandfather of the Decembrist, her great-grandson described the princess, Alexandra Nikolaevna had an extremely dry character and "replaced feelings with considerations of duty and discipline."
Childhood
The biography of the Decembrist Volkonsky says that his life from the very beginning evolved so that everyone was sure that he would make an excellent career in the future.
At the time of his birth, a Peter's decree was in effect, according to which noble children were to begin service with soldier ranks. Of course, compassionate parents with ties and money have long found a way to get around it. That is why, like many of his peers from aristocratic families, already at the age of 8, Seryozha Volkonsky was recorded as a sergeant in the Kherson regiment, which gave him the opportunity to ārise to the ranksā by the time he reached adulthood. In fact, Volkonsky (the Decembrist in the future) spent his teenage years in the prestigious aristocratic boarding house of Abbot Nicolas, and only joined the army in 1805 as a lieutenant of the Cavalier Guard regiment.
The beginning of a military career
A few months after the beginning of the service, in 1806, the young prince left for Prussia as adjutant to Field Marshal M. Kamensky. There was an embarrassment, as the young manās cartridge arbitrarily left the location of the Russian troops, not wanting to fight Napoleon.
The confused adjutant was noticed by Lieutenant General A.I. Osterman-Tolstoy, who took him under his wing. The very next day Volkonsky (Decembrist) first took part in hostilities, becoming a participant in the Battle of Pultusk.
After the signing of the Tilsit Peace, he returned to Petersburg with the Order of St. Vladimir, the Golden Cross for the battle of Preisisch-Eylau and with a personalized award sword.
In the years 1810-1811. Sergei Volkonsky fought in the south with the Turks, was granted the adjutant wing and promoted to captain.
Participation in World War II
At the time of Napoleonās attack on Russia, Prince Sergei Volkonsky (Decembrist) was in the rank of the adjutant wing under Alexander the First.
He participated in the battles at Dashkovka and Mogilev, near Porech, at Vitebsk, at the city of Zvenigorod, on the Moscow River, at the village of Orlov. The prince distinguished himself on October 2 during the battle near the city of Dmitrov and was promoted to colonel.
His courage was also noted during the battles when the French crossed the Berezina River. Then, for the courage shown, Volkonsky was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir of the third degree.
After the enemy was expelled from Russian territory, the prince, together with the corps of Baron Wincingerode went on a foreign campaign, participated in many battles. He was repeatedly awarded not only by the Russian emperor, but also by the Prussian monarch. According to some reports, at the end of the war, Prince Volkonsky carried out the diplomatic and reconnaissance missions of the emperor, including in Paris during the famous 100 days.
For the courage shown in the battles of Dennevice and Gross-Beeren, he was granted the rank of Major General. In 1816, he was appointed commander of the brigade of the 2nd Ulan Division, and 5 years later he was transferred to the same position in the 19th Infantry Division.
Change of mind
In 1819, S. G. Volkonsky (Decembrist) wrote a report asking him to grant him indefinite leave, since he considered his transfer to the position of "consisting" with the division chief as a personal insult from the emperor.
On the way to Europe, he stopped in Kiev, where he met his old friend Major General M. Orlov, who, being the chief of staff of the Fourth Infantry Corps, was in secret society. He invited the prince to a meeting, where Volkonsky first realized that in addition to military service, there is another opportunity to serve for the good of the Fatherland.
As subsequently wrote Sergey Grigoryevich, from then on he ceased to be a loyal subject, and became a citizen of his country.
There was no question of a long vacation. Soon Volkonsky met with Pavel Pestel and established himself in the decision to become a member of a secret society.
Marriage
In 1821, Volkonsky (Decembrist) was appointed commander of the first brigade of the 19th Infantry Division of the Second Army, which was stationed in the remote Ukrainian town of Uman. The prince meekly accepted a new position, which meant a career demotion, and left for the duty station.
In Ukraine, he met the family of General Raevsky and in 1824 made a marriage proposal to his daughter Maria, whose sister his friend Mikhail Orlov was married to.
The girlās father, after much deliberation, agreed to this marriage, and in January 1825, Volkonsky and his chosen one were married in Kiev. At the same time, his brother N. Repnin was the planted father of the prince, and Pavel Pestel was the best man.
Decembrist Volkonsky and his wife spent only 3 months together, since shortly after the wedding, the young woman fell ill and went with her family to be treated in Odessa. Because of the affairs of the service, the husband could not accompany her, and they did not meet until his imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress.
Participation in the December Uprising
After his wife left, Volkonsky completely devoted himself to the task of preparing the uprising. Despite all the measures taken by the conspirators, information about the existence of a secret society became the property of the authorities. According to the princeās memoirs, Alexander the First himself, during the inspection of the part entrusted to him, warned him against rash acts.
In November 1825, Volkonsky before other officers learned about the kingās illness, as his brother-in-law was one of those who accompanied the emperor during his trip to Taganrog.
He reports this to his head of the secret Southern Society, Pestel, who begins negotiations to agree on a joint performance with the "northerners." In addition, together with Volkonsky, he draws up a plan for "January 1", according to which the Vyatka regiment was to arrest the army authorities and go to St. Petersburg. The 19th Volkonsky Infantry Division was to join him.
The plan failed due to the arrest of Pestel. The prince himself refused the opportunity to revolt in his division and force to free the head of the conspirators.
The investigation into the case of the conspirators was successful, and already on January 7, 1826, Sergei Volkonsky was taken into custody. Before that, he managed to take his wife to give birth to his first-born son in the village. The baby was born on January 2, and Maria became seriously ill, having spent the next 2 months in bed.
After arrest
Sergei Volkonsky (Decembrist), whose biography does not cease to interest researchers studying the history of Russia of the 19th century, was sent to St. Petersburg after being taken into custody and the failure of the uprising on Senate Square .
When his wife Maria recovered after giving birth, she followed them and got a date. However, her efforts did not lead to anything, and the prince was sentenced to 20 years of hard labor and life exile, and also deprived of all awards, titles and title.
Maria Volkonskaya appealed to the tsar for permission to follow her husband. In a response letter, Nicholas II discouraged a young woman, but did not forbid her to do as she pleased. The princeās mother was āeagerā to go for her son, but didnāt even visit him in the fortress.
In hard labor
10 days after the verdict was announced, the Decembrists Trubetskoy and Volkonsky and many other participants in the uprising were already sent to the place of punishment. The prince first appeared at the Nikolaev Salt Plant, and then got to the Blagodatsky mine. There he was held in difficult conditions. In addition, everything was taken away from the convicts, including the Bibles. Volkonsky fell into a deep depression. The only consolation of the prince was the hope that Mary would soon arrive.
Meeting with spouse
At the time of the uprising, out of all the Decembrists, 24 were married. The first to her husband was Yekaterina Trubetskaya. Her feat inspired the rest of the Decembrists. In total, 11 young women went to husbands and grooms to Siberia. Maria Volkonskaya was the second who managed to overcome all obstacles and become a reliable support spouse during his stay in hard labor and in exile.
Together with Ekaterina Trubetskoy, they settled in a small hut near the prison and began to farm as common people.
From the Blagodatsky mine Volkonsky sent to Chita prison, and then to the Petrovsky plant.
In 1837, penal servitude was replaced by a settlement in the village of Urik, and since 1845 the Volkonskys lived in Irkutsk. In exile, they had two children: a son and a daughter.
Return
In 1856, Volkonsky was granted amnesty to move to European Russia, without the right to reside in Moscow or St. Petersburg, and also restored the nobility.
The family officially settled in the suburbs, but in fact Sergey Grigoryevich and Maria Nikolaevna lived in the capital with their relatives.
The elderly Volkonsky spent the end of his life in Ukraine, in the village of Voronki, where he wrote memoirs. His wifeās death undermined his health, and he died 2 years after her, at the age of 76. Volkonsky buried in a rural church built by their daughter. The temple was demolished in the 1930s, and the graves of the spouses were lost.
Now you know what was the fate of the Decembrist Volkonsky and what merits he has before Russia.