The Romanovs and the Decembrist Revolt of 1825

The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History · Jun 9, 2026 · 7m · transcript

In December 1825, as Russia mourned the death of Tsar Alexander I, a group of young aristocratic officers led a rebellion in Senate Square in St. Petersburg. They were called the Decembrists, and their revolt was the first modern challenge to autocracy in Russia. This episode explores the secret societies that planned the uprising—the Union of Salvation, the Union of Welfare, and the more radical Southern Society led by Pavel Pestel. We discuss the succession crisis between Nicholas I and his brother Konstantin, the chaotic day of the revolt itself, the brutal repression that followed, and…