In 1830 - 1831 the west of the Russian Empire was shaken by an uprising in Poland. The national liberation war began against the backdrop of an ever-increasing infringement of the rights of its inhabitants, as well as revolutions in other countries of the Old World. The speech was suppressed, but its echo rang through Europe for many years and had the most far-reaching consequences for Russia's reputation in the international arena.
Background
Most of Poland was annexed to Russia in 1815 according to the decision of the Vienna Congress after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. For the purity of the legal procedure, a new state was created. The newly founded Kingdom of Poland has entered into a personal union with Russia. According to the then reigning emperor Alexander I, this decision was a reasonable compromise. The country retained its constitution, army and diet, which was not in other areas of the empire. Now the Russian monarch also bore the title of Polish king. In Warsaw, he was represented by a special governor.
The Polish uprising was only a matter of time under the policies that were conducted in St. Petersburg. Alexander I was known for his liberalism, despite the fact that he could not decide on radical reforms in Russia, where the positions of the conservative nobility were strong. Therefore, the monarch implemented his bold projects on the national margins of the empire - in Poland and Finland. However, even with the most complacent intentions, Alexander I behaved extremely inconsistently. In 1815, he granted the Kingdom of Poland a liberal constitution, but after a few years began to oppress the rights of its inhabitants, when they, with the help of their autonomy, began to put sticks in the wheels of the policy of Russian governors. So in 1820, the Sejm did not abolish jury trials, which Alexander wanted.
Shortly before that, preliminary censorship was introduced in the kingdom. All this only brought closer the uprising in Poland. The years of the Polish uprising fell on the period of conservatism in the politics of the empire. Reaction reigned throughout the state. When the struggle for independence broke out in Poland, cholera riots caused by the epidemic and quarantine were in full swing in the central provinces of Russia.
Storm approaching
The coming to power of Nicholas I did not promise the Poles any relief. The reign of the new emperor began demonstratively with the arrest and execution of the Decembrists. In Poland, meanwhile, the patriotic and anti-Russian movement intensified. In July 1830, the July Revolution took place in France , overthrowing Charles X, which further agitated the proponents of dramatic change.
Gradually, the nationalists enlisted the support of many famous tsarist officers (including General Joseph Khlopitsky). Revolutionary sentiment also spread to workers and students. For many dissatisfied with the stumbling block, right-bank Ukraine remained. Some Poles believed that these lands belonged to them rightfully, since they were part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, divided between Russia, Austria and Prussia at the end of the 18th century.
Then the governor in the kingdom was Konstantin Pavlovich - the elder brother of Nicholas I, who refused the throne after the death of Alexander I. The conspirators were going to kill him and thus give a signal to the country about the beginning of the riot. However, the uprising in Poland was postponed over and over again. Konstantin Pavlovich knew about the danger and did not leave his residence in Warsaw.
Meanwhile, another revolution broke out in Europe - this time a Belgian one. The French-speaking Catholic part of the population of the Netherlands advocated independence. Nicholas I, who was called the "gendarme of Europe", in his manifesto announced his rejection of the Belgian events. Rumors spread around Poland that the king would send her army to crush the uprising in Western Europe. For the doubting organizers of the armed uprising in Warsaw, this news was the last straw. The uprising was scheduled for November 29, 1830.
The beginning of the riot
At 6 p.m. on the appointed day, an armed detachment attacked the Warsaw barracks, where the guard lanterns were quartered. The massacre of officers who remained faithful to the tsarist regime began. Among those killed was Minister of War Mauricius Gauke. Konstantin Pavlovich considered this Pole his right hand. The governor himself was saved. Warned by the guards, he fled from his palace shortly before the Polish detachment appeared, demanding his head. Leaving Warsaw, Konstantin gathered Russian regiments outside the city. So Warsaw was completely in the hands of the rebels.
The next day, permutations began in the Polish government - the Governing Body. All pro-Russian officials left him. Gradually, a circle of military leaders of the uprising took shape. One of the main characters was Lieutenant General Joseph Khlopitsky, who was briefly elected dictator. Throughout the confrontation, he tried as best he could to reach an agreement with Russia through diplomatic methods, as he understood that the Poles could not cope with the entire imperial army if it was sent to suppress the rebellion. Khlopitsky represented the right wing of the rebels. Their demands came down to a compromise with Nicholas I, based on the constitution of 1815.
Another leader was Michael Radziwill. His position remained the exact opposite. More radical rebels (including him) planned to conquer Poland, divided between Austria, Russia and Prussia. In addition, they saw their own revolution as part of a pan-European uprising (the July revolution was their main guideline). That is why the Poles had many ties with the French.
Conversation
The first priority for Warsaw was the issue of a new executive branch. On December 4, the uprising in Poland left an important milestone behind - the Provisional Government was created, consisting of seven people. Its head was Adam Czartoryski. He was a good friend of Alexander I, was a member of his secret committee, and also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia in 1804 - 1806.
Despite this, the very next day Khlopitsky declared himself a dictator. The Sejm opposed him, but the figure of the new leader was extremely popular among the people, so the parliament had to retreat. Khlopitsky did not stand on ceremony with opponents. He concentrated all power in his hands. After the events of November 29, negotiators were sent to St. Petersburg. The Polish side demanded compliance with its constitution, as well as an increase in the form of eight voivodships in Belarus and Ukraine. Nikolai did not agree with these conditions, promising only an amnesty. This response has led to even greater conflict.
On January 25, 1831, a decree was adopted on the detronization of the Russian monarch. According to this document, the Kingdom of Poland no longer belonged to the Nikolaev title. A few days before Khlopitsky lost power and remained to serve in the army. He understood that Europe would not openly support the Poles, which meant that the defeat of the rebels was inevitable. The diet was more radical. Parliament transferred executive power to Prince Mikhail Radziwill. Diplomatic tools were discarded. Now the Polish uprising of 1830 - 1831. it turned out in a situation where the conflict could be resolved only by force of arms.
Balance of power
By February 1831, the rebels managed to draft about 50 thousand people into the army. This figure was almost the same as the number of troops sent to Poland by Russia. However, the quality of volunteer units was noticeably lower. The situation was particularly problematic in artillery and cavalry. To suppress the November uprising in St. Petersburg sent Count Ivan Dibich-Zabalkansky. Events in Warsaw were unexpected for the empire. In order to concentrate all the loyal troops in the western provinces, the count needed 2 to 3 months.
It was a precious time that the Poles did not have time to use. Khlopitsky, put at the head of the army, did not begin to attack first, but dispersed his forces along the most important roads in the controlled territories. Meanwhile, Ivan Dibich-Zabalkansky was gaining more and more troops. By February, he had already under arms about 125 thousand people. However, he made unforgivable mistakes. In a hurry to deliver a decisive blow, the count did not waste time organizing supplies of food and ammunition to the army, which over time had a negative effect on her fate.
Grokhov battle
The first Russian regiments crossed the Polish border on February 6, 1831. Parts moved in different directions. The cavalry under the command of Cyprian Kreitz went to the Lublin Voivodeship. The Russian command planned to arrange a distracting maneuver, which was supposed to finally disperse the enemy forces. The national liberation uprising really began to develop according to a plot convenient for imperial generals. Several Polish divisions headed towards Serock and Pultusk, breaking away from the main forces.
However, suddenly the weather intervened in the campaign. The debauchery began, which prevented the main Russian army from taking the intended route. Dibich had to make a sharp turn. On February 14, a clash between the squads of Jozef Dvernitsky and General Fedor Geismar occurred. The Poles won. And although it did not have much strategic importance, the first success markedly encouraged the militias. The Polish uprising took on an indefinite character.
The main rebel army stood near the city of Grochov, defending the approaches to Warsaw. It was here that on February 25 the first general battle took place. The Poles were commanded by Radzville and Khlopitsky, the Russians were commanded by Dibich-Zabalkansky, who had become field marshal a year before the start of this campaign. The fight lasted all day and ended only in the late evening. The losses were approximately the same (among the Poles 12 thousand people, among the Russians 9 thousand). The rebels had to retreat to Warsaw. Although the Russian army achieved a tactical victory, its losses exceeded all expectations. In addition, ammunition was wasted, and new deliveries were not possible due to poor roads and disorganized communications. In these circumstances, Dibich did not dare to storm Warsaw.
Maneuvers of the Poles
Over the next two months, the armies barely moved. On the outskirts of Warsaw, clashes broke out every day. In the Russian army, due to poor hygiene conditions, an epidemic of cholera began. At the same time, a guerrilla war was going on all over the country. In the main Polish army, the command from Mikhail Radzville passed to General Jan Skrzyลski. He decided to attack the detachment under the command of the brother of Emperor Mikhail Pavlovich and General Karl Bistrom, who was in the vicinity of Ostroleka.
At the same time, an 8-thousandth regiment was sent to meet Dibich. He was to distract the main forces of the Russians. The bold maneuver of the Poles came as a surprise to the enemy. Mikhail Pavlovich and Bistrom with their guard retreated. Dibich did not believe for a long time that the Poles decided to advance, until he finally found out that they had captured Nur.
Battle of Ostroleka
On May 12, the main Russian army left their apartments to overtake the Poles who had left Warsaw. The persecution was conducted for two weeks. Finally, the vanguard overtook the Polish rear. So on the 26th the battle at Ostroleka began, which became the most important episode of the campaign. The Poles were separated by the Narew River. The first superior Russian force was attacked by a detachment on the left bank. The rebels began to hastily retreat. Dibichโs forces crossed Narew in Ostroleka itself, after finally clearing the city of rebels. They made several attempts to attack the attackers, but their efforts ended in nothing. The Poles who marched on forward were beaten off by the detachment under the command of General Karl Mandershtern.
With the onset of the afternoon, reinforcements joined the Russians, who finally decided the outcome of the battle. Of the 30 thousand Poles, about 9 thousand died. Among the dead were generals Heinrich Kamensky and Ludwik Katsky. The onset of darkness helped the remnants of the defeated rebels flee back to the capital.
The fall of Warsaw
On June 25, Count Ivan Paskevich became the new commander in chief of the Russian army in Poland. At his disposal was 50 thousand people. In St. Petersburg, the count was required to complete the defeat of the Poles and recapture Warsaw from them. The rebels in the capital left about 40 thousand people. The first serious test for Paskevich was the crossing of the Vistula River. It was decided to cross the water border near the border with Prussia. By July 8, the crossing was completed. At the same time, the rebels did not put up any obstacles to the advancing Russians, relying on the concentration of their own forces in Warsaw.
In early August, another castling occurred in the Polish capital. This time, instead of the defeated at Osterlenka Skrzyntseky, Henryk Dembinsky became commander in chief. However, he also resigned after the news came that the Russian army had already crossed the Vistula. Anarchy and anarchy reigned in Warsaw. Pogroms started, inflicted by an angry mob, demanding to extradite the military, responsible for the fatal defeats.
On August 19, Paskevich approached the city. The next two weeks passed in preparation for the assault. Separate detachments captured nearby cities in order to finally surround the capital. The assault on Warsaw began on September 6, when Russian infantry attacked the line of fortifications erected in order to detain the advancing. In the ensuing battle, Commander-in-Chief Paskevich was injured. However, the Russian victory was obvious. On the 7th, General Krukovetsky withdrew the 3200th army from the city with which he fled to the west. September 8, Paskevich entered Warsaw. The capital was captured. The rout of the remaining scattered rebel squads was a matter of time.
Summary
The last armed Polish formations fled to Prussia. October 21 surrendered to Zamosc, and the rebels lost their last stronghold. Even before this, the mass and hasty emigration of rebel officers, soldiers and their families began. Thousands of families settled in France and England. Many, like Jan Skrzynetsky, fled to Austria. In Europe, the national liberation movement in Poland was greeted by society with sympathy and sympathy.
Polish uprising of 1830 - 1831 led to the fact that the Polish army was abolished. Authorities carried out administrative reform in the kingdom. The voivodships were replaced by areas. Also in Poland a common system of measures and weights, as well as the same money, appeared with the rest of Russia. Prior to this, right-bank Ukraine was under the strong cultural and religious influence of its western neighbor. Now in St. Petersburg they decided to dissolve the Greek Catholic Church. The โwrongโ Ukrainian parishes were either closed or became Orthodox.
For residents of Western states, Nicholas I became even more consistent with the image of a dictator and despot. And although not a single state officially interceded for the rebels, the echo of Polish events rang out for many years in the Old World. Escaped immigrants did much to ensure that public opinion about Russia allowed European countries to freely begin the Crimean War against Nikolai.