Everything is ours forever: what we celebrate on National Unity Day
The victory of the patriotic forces in the autumn of 1612 laid the foundations for the development of our country as a sovereign state, which is capable of defending its independence and its path in any trials. On this day, Russian banners of the 17th century rise before our eyes, warhorses make their way through the mud, stern bearded men tightly clutching weapons in their hands. And the bell tolls greet the liberators of Belokamennaya. Izvestia recalled the origins of the holiday.
Two steps away from disintegration
Overcoming the Troubles was not a matter of one day. The recovery of the state from "vacillation and disorder" lasted for several years. One of the main achievements of this time was the liberation of Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders and domestic traitors. The subtext of the holiday is a historical drama of the early 17th century.
Our country was then two steps away from disintegration. That is why the story of the second people's militia, which was led to the walls of Moscow by Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, is so important to us. The scale of historical events, as a rule, becomes clear from a long time distance, when their consequences become apparent. In 1612, the militia defended a great future. Russia developed and outgrew the scale of the 17th century, and an important stage in this path was the victory over the interventionists who occupied Moscow.
At the beginning of the 17th century in Russia, "the link of time was broken." After the death of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, the Rurik dynasty, the house of Ivan Kalita, was interrupted. The elected tsar Boris Godunov passed away at a difficult time, when battles were taking place on the western borders of Russia with the troops of Dmitry the Impostor, mainly Polish-Lithuanian. Having seized power, False Dmitry began to pursue a pro-Polish policy. A period of conspiracies and coups began, which went down in history as the Time of Troubles. The situation was aggravated by the fact that the country was exhausted by famine and pestilence caused by a sharp cold snap. The neighbors — Poles, Lithuanians, and Swedes - took advantage of this.
Under the conditions of anarchy in divided Russia, adventurers began to flourish. One by one, new impostors appeared, armed gangs gathered around them, tearing apart the country. Neither the Godunovs nor the Shuisky's were able to stop the disintegration process. In 1610, the Boyar Duma elected Vladislav, the Polish prince, who did not intend to convert to Orthodoxy. The Moscow Kremlin was run by a Polish military garrison. Vladislav's accession could result in a complete loss of Russian sovereignty. Patriarch Hermogenes, who became a prisoner, resolutely opposed the Seven-Boyars. Vladislav's supporters failed to assemble a Zemsky Sobor that would approve the election of a new autocrat. Cossacks and military men rose up against Polish rule. The first people's militia, which tried to liberate Moscow from foreigners, was led by Prokopy Lyapunov, Dmitry Trubetskoy and Ivan Zarutsky. Rivalry and discord between the militia commanders predetermined the failure of their march on Moscow. In September 1611, a second militia arose in Nizhny Novgorod, which, thanks to the political maturity of its leaders, proved successful. In the spring of 1612, they marched from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow, replenished with volunteers from various cities and towns.
The militia acted cautiously and prudently, tried to protect the life of every soldier, sought to arm, equip the militia, and provide it with everything necessary. Monasteries helped, which became hospitals and food warehouses for the army. Pozharsky was accused of being slow. He really took his time, realizing how expensive rash haste could be. Not all the feudal lords and military leaders were ready for autocracy. The prince constantly had to smooth out contradictions. They were united by a lofty idea — to overcome the enemy, to restore order. In the autumn of 1612, the militia defeated the Poles in several stubborn battles and liberated Moscow. On November 4, the invaders retreated from Kitay-gorod.
In 1649, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, this day became a holiday in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which was considered the patroness of the Russian army in 1612. Her image was in the militia. In fact, it was the first state holiday in pre-revolutionary Russia, a holiday associated with the historical identity of the people.
Feel like a nation
The people's militia displayed fundamental values that will always be relevant to us: citizenship, love for the Fatherland, for our traditional way of life, for our native culture (at that time it was primarily associated with the Orthodox faith). And — courage, determination, firmness, without which it is impossible to protect these values.
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square
It is symbolic that after the Patriotic War of 1812 and the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, a monument was erected in Moscow... To Minin and Pozharsky. They remained the main heroes of the country, symbols of national unity in the struggle for independence, in the struggle "for the Russian land." By that time, Moscow was one of the largest cities in Europe. But the tradition of sculptural monuments in Russia has been slow to establish itself. The first was a monument dedicated to overcoming the Troubles, the most important event in history.
Work on it has been going on for a long time. Fundraising for the construction of the monument began in 1803. Initially, the do-gooders intended to erect a monument in Nizhny Novgorod. Emperor Alexander I also adhered to this concept. The sculptor Ivan Martos presented his sketches to the public, which inspired the audience. In the end, the whole world decided to erect a sculptural monument in Moscow on Red Square, and to install an obelisk in Nizhny Novgorod. And so it was done.
Monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Nizhny Novgorod
In many ways, it was then, in the struggle against foreign interventionists and supporters of the treacherous Seven-Yarder, that the Russian people felt like a people. The nobility, merchants, clergy and peasantry — representatives of each estate made a significant contribution to overcoming the Troubles. And each estate has put forward an iconic hero. Prince Pozharsky, Patriarch Hermogenes, farmer Ivan Susanin... The Council of All the Earth (very accurate name!), the government formed in Yaroslavl and exercising political power in the territory liberated from the invaders, was a gathering of very different people who were united by the desire to revive the country. These are Dmitry Pozharsky, the "elected man" Kuzma Minin, Metropolitan Kirill of Rostov, duma officials, stolniks, lawyers, Moscow nobles, clerks, city nobles and boyar children, posadsky people, Tatar murzas, Cossacks... The "prime minister" in this areopagus was the most proactive, Minin.
He did not come from the wealthiest merchants. In the 19th century, he was often called Kuzma Zakharovich and the family nickname Sukhoruk was added to the surname. But, most likely, Minin (Minich) was the patronymic from which, having become a celebrity and a nobleman, Kozma derived his surname. The leader of the people's militia himself was most likely a beef farmer, that is, engaged in the meat trade.
There were heroes in Russia in those fateful days. We remember their names. But another thing is equally important — thousands and thousands of people rose up to defend the Fatherland, ready to endure trials in order to preserve the unity of the Fatherland. The consciousness of that time assumed submission to the feudal lord regardless of his qualities. But the civic consciousness was awakening in the Russian people.
This is national unity.
History lessons
Of course, national unity manifested itself not only during the days of confrontation with the Polish-Lithuanian invaders and overcoming the Troubles. We do not forget about the great confrontation of 1812, the Great Patriotic War, and how the country was reborn after devastating wars. Each time, the people showed the features of the Minin and Pozharsky militias. And on National Unity Day, we remember not only the year 1612, but also all the historical milestones that have become the pillars of our self-awareness.
Unity does not mean like-mindedness. Sometimes it is a unity of opposites. We value the diversity of opinions, interests, and traditions. This only expands Russia's capabilities. The world is beautiful with its blossoming complexity. Such is our country. Different time zones, climatic diversity from the Arctic to the Caucasus, and the fusion of many peoples and cultures that preserve their uniqueness are not a hindrance, but our wealth. Over the years, we have become more and more aware of the priceless legacy that our ancestors, the builders of the Russian state, handed down to us. On this day, it is important to realize how important it is to protect our unique country. The militias of 1612 showed that when unity and harmony prevail among the people, there are no barriers to development.
The holiday, which we celebrated publicly for the first time on November 4, 2005, has been firmly ingrained in our minds and in our lives for two decades. There are many interesting traditions associated with this day. Folk craft fairs, concerts, and gala evenings are held throughout Russia for the holiday. But we admit that we don't know the history of the holiday deeply enough. Not every student can even tell the story of the victorious people's militia in general terms. It's too early for us to rest on our laurels. But perseverance and determination will help you overcome everything. This is one of the lessons of National Unity Day. For all time.
The author is the deputy editor—in-chief of the magazine "Historian"
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
