And the Welcome to Russian History retold. Episode 126, The Belavin Rebellion.

Piece of music you just heard, we've played before.

It's called The Candleite Trio from Sheherazade by Rimsky Corsicov, one of the most beautiful pieces of classical music I think out there.

Last time, we told the story of the rebellion led by the Don Cossack Stanker-Razin.

While the rebellion was brutally put down with many of its members tortured and executed,

it did not, as we shall see today, cause the people to stop

fighting against the oppressive Russian government. The Bolovin rebellion is the smallest of the

four I will talk about, but surprisingly enough, it could

have been the most successful because of the circumstances of the day.

If the few seemingly small decisions had been made differently, Peter the Great may have been just another despotic ruler overthrown by his own people.

Now, no discussion can be made describing the Belavinlet uprising without discussing

the reign at Peter the 1st.

The son of Zara Alexis would carry on his father's Westernization of Russia in hyperdrive.

While Alexis focused on the modernization of the military, Peter took a much broader stroke

and went after every conceivable aspect of Russian society.

One of the most disliked changes Peter would introduce was the shaving of beards. Many a peasant, especially Cossacks, would rather die than give up his beard.

Another group that prized their beards and despised Peter was the Strelsy.

Remember way back in episode 26 when the Strelsy revolted and killed a number of Peter's

relatives including his favorite uncle? Well you can be sure that Peter didn't forget.

To him, the Strelsy were a backward band of old believers, were exactly the kind of people

who held Russia behind.

The Strelsy was also vehemently opposed to the modernization of the military with all the

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