What did the Decembrists hope to achieve by rebelling against the tsar?

On December 26, 1825, the ‘Northern Society’ of noble conspirators attempted to overthrow Nicholas I, who had just ascended to the throne in St. Petersburg. A few days later, the ‘Southern Society’ began to rebel in Ukraine.

The Decembrists, as the rebels were called, dreamed of creating a new Russia. But, they had different views on what it should be.

According to Nikita Muravyov's ‘Constitution’, the empire would be a federation of 13 "states" and two regions, with the bicameral People's Assembly exercising supreme legislative power and the emperor, who would be declared the "supreme official", exercising executive power.

Pavel Pestel, author of ‘Russkaya Pravda’ (‘Russian Truth’), took a much more radical position. He advocated the abolition of autocratic rule and the proclamation of a republic. All estates would be abolished and all citizens would be equal before the law.

Pestel's People's Assembly was unicameral. A Supreme Council, composed of the most authoritative and distinguished citizens, was established to oversee its activities.

Pestel categorically rejected the idea of ​​a federation and advocated for a "single and indivisible" state. On the issue of abolishing the "shameful" serfdom, ‘Russkaya Pravda’ and ‘Constitution’ were unanimous.

Muravyov's project was adopted by the Northern Society, while Pestel's plan was favored by members of the Southern Society. Furthermore, on the eve of the uprising in St. Petersburg, Sergei Trubetskoy, the conspirators' "dictator", prepared a ‘Manifesto to the Russian People’, which abolished the monarchy and transferred power to a "temporary government".

However, the Decembrist uprising failed. Five leaders, including Pestel, were arrested and executed. Muravyov and Trubetskoy, meanwhile, were among those sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. The other conspirators were stripped of their ranks and nobility and sent to the Caucasus as privates. Several thousand soldiers from the rebellious regiments were also punished.