Aleksandr I, Proclamations During The War Of 1812
Easily the single most important event in the reign of Aleksandr I was Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Russia in 1812. Although the two Emperors originally had seen eye to eye on a number of issues, their relationship soured. Both sought to dominate Europe (Napoleon militarily and economically, Aleksandr spiritually) and the incompatibilty of their objectives meant that a falling-out was inevitable. The proximate issue was Aleksandr's withdrawal from the Continental System, an multinational economic boycott of British goods organized by Napoleon that proved to hurt the Russian economy far more than the British. Charges of betrayal were hurled by both sides, diplomatic relations deteriorated rapidly, and by 1812 Napoleon had 600,000 soldiers marching towards Moscow. For more on the War itself, specifically its decisive battle of Borodino, see the excerpt from Leo Tolstoi's epic War And Peace on this website. The present texts bookend the campaign to oust the French. The former is Aleksandr's call to arms as the invasion got under way; the latter is a victory statement to his forces.
1. How does Aleksandr I describe the origin of the war? Why does he say Napoleon is invading?
2. What concrete responses to the invasion does Aleksandr mandate?
3. What symbols does he invoke, and why?
4. What justifications does Aleksandr give for rewarding his troops with medals? Do you think they were satisfied with the decorations and the explanation for them?
Aleksandr I, Proclamation To The Nation
The enemy has crossed the frontier and carried his arms into the interior of Russia. Since double-dealing cannot destroy an Empire that has existed with ever-greater honor for so many generations, he has determined to attack it by violence, and to assault the Empire of the Tsars with the forces of the continent of Europe. With duplicity in his heart and loyalty on his lips, he flatters the ears of the credulous while he ties their arms. And if his captives should discover the ropes under the flowers, the spirit of domination comes out of hiding, and he calls forth war to finish the work of betrayal! But Russia has seen through him. She still walks the path of loyalty. She has invoked the protection of God. She opposes the plots of her enemy with an army strong in courage, eager to drive from her territory this plague of locusts that is swarming the land (a plague the earth will reject, finding it too heavy a burden to sustain).
We call out sufficient armies to annihilate the enemy. Our soldiers are like lions who fall on their prey. However We do not hide from Our faithful subjects that the intrepid courage of Our men actually under arms needs to be supported by a reserve. The means ought to be in proportion to the goal. The task before you is to overthrow a tyrant who wishes to overthrow all the earth.
We have called on Our ancient city of Moscow, the first capital of Our empire, to make decisive efforts. She is accustomed to make them, by sending her sons to the Empire’s aid. After her, We call on all Our subjects of Europe and Asia to unite themselves for the cause of humanity! We call on all Our civil and religious communities to cooperate with Us in a general rising against the universal tyrant.
Wherever he turns his steps in this Empire, he will be assured of finding Our native subjects laughing at his frauds, scorning his flattery and his falsehoods, trampling on his gold with the indignation of offended virtue, and paralyzing his legions of slaves with the passion of true honor. In every noble Russian he will find a Pozharskii, (1) in every ecclesiastic a Palitsyn, (2) in every peasant a Minin. (3)
Nobles! You have been in all ages the defenders of our country! Holy Synod! Members of Our Church! Through your intercessions, you have always called down Divine protection for our Empire! Russian people! Intrepid descendents of the Sclavonians! (4) This is not the first time you have yanked out the teeth from the head of a lion, one who sprung on you as prey and met his own destruction! Unite yourselves! Carry the cross in your hearts and the sword in your hands, and no human force can prevail against you.
We have delegated the organization of the new levies to the nobles of every province. We have charged the gentlemen from whom the officers will be selected with assembling the brave patriots who are presenting themselves voluntarily for the defense of the country. The number of those assembled should be sent to Moscow, where it will be made available to the commander-in-chief.
Given at Our camp of Polotsk, the 18th of July, 1812.
Aleksandr I, Victory Proclamation To The Army
Soldiers! The year has ended -- a year forever memorable and glorious, and one in which you have trampled the pride of the insolent aggressor into the dust. The year has passed, but your heroic deeds survive. Time will not erase their traces. They are with your contemporaries now; they will live in posterity.
At the price of your blood, you have purchased the deliverance of your country from the hostile powers joined against its independence.
You have acquired rights to the gratitude of Russia, and to the admiration of mankind. You have proven by your fidelity, your valor, and your perseverance that when hearts are filled with the love of God, and devotion to their Sovereign, the efforts of the most formidable enemies resemble the furious waves of the ocean. They break in impotent lashings against indestructible rocks, and leave behind only confused sounds.
Soldiers! Wishing to distinguish all those who have participated in these immortal exploits, We have ordered silver medals to be struck. These have been blessed by Our Holy Church and bear the date of the memorable year 1812. Suspended by a blue ribbon, they will decorate the warrior breasts which have served as shields of the country.
Each individual of the Russian army is worthy to bear this honorable reward for valor and constancy.
You have all shared the same fatigues and dangers. You have had but one heart and one mind. You will all be proud to wear the same distinction. It will proclaim every where that you are the faithful children of Russia, children on whom God the Father will pour His benedictions.
Your enemies will tremble on seeing these decorations. They will know that the hearts beating under these medals are animated with unconquerable valor and imperishable, not because of ambition or impiety but on account of the immutable foundation of patriotism and religion.
Aleksandr.
Notes:
(1) Pozharskii = Dmitrii Pozharskii, a service noble and military leader (voevoda) who led the military campaign that ousted an invading army of Poles during the Time of Troubles.
(2) Palitsyn = Avraam Palitsyn, a steward of the Troitskii Monastery during the Time of Troubles. His historical tract "An Account Of The Events Of The Time Of Troubles" describes the 18-month siege of the monastery by the Poles in 1608-10. During this the monks "made bold to put the chain-mail coat over their monastic garb, and with weapons in hand went up onto the walls of the holy monastery, warding off the enemy."
(3) Minin = Kuz'ma Minin, a Nizhni Novgorod merchant active in organizing resistance to "foreign invaders" (Poles and Cossacks) during the Time of Troubles. Minin also headed the Provisional Government that ended the Time of Troubles by electing Mikhail Romanov as Tsar.
(4) Sclavonia = a medieval term for present-day Croatia. Aleksandr is apparently alluding to a well-known incident in 1202: Crusaders and Venetians joined forces in besieging and then sacking the Sclavonian city of Zadar, until its destruction a powerful rival of Venice. The point would seem to be that Orthodoxy once again was under attack by Christian Europe.
Source: Translations in General Sir Robert Wilson, Narrative of Events During The Invasion of Russia by Napoleon Bonaparte and the Retreat of the French Army, 1812, 2nd edition as edited by Herbert Randolf (London: 1860), pp. 46-48, 368-369. Revised (syntax clarifications, re-punctuation, annotations, other emendations) by Jon Bone.