Kholmsky's speech at the meeting
In 1803, the magazine “Bulletin of Europe” published the story of the 37-year-old poet and prose writer Nikolai Karamzin “Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod.” The author wrote a story about the events that occurred in 1471. The narration is told on behalf of a noble Novgorodian whose manuscript the writer allegedly found.
The story consists of three chapters. It begins with the appearance of the Moscow boyar Kholmsky in Novgorod. He spoke at the meeting and read a letter from John III with the following content:
- The Moscow Tsar seeks to free Rus' from the power of the Golden Horde and for this he wants to unite all the Slavic lands. Kholmsky called on Novgorodians to join the Moscow state.
- The boyar reproached the citizens of Novgorod for separating from their brothers. Taking advantage of their remoteness from borders, they engage in trade and think only about their own benefit.
- Kholmsky reported that the Moscow Tsar became aware of the conspiracy of the Novgorodians with Lithuania and Poland. He shamed them for attracting foreigners whom they met with the sword in other lands.
- The boyar called on Novgorod to unite with other Russian lands and act together against the enemies of Rus'. If its inhabitants resist, the Russian Tsar will stop at nothing to pacify the rebels.
Ambassador
It was Prince Kholmsky, who was supposed to announce to the Novgorod residents that they must peacefully submit to the demands of the Grand Duke of Moscow and not lead the conflict to bloodshed. He told them that only savage people love independence, and wise people love order, which is impossible to achieve in the state without autocracy.
He continued that within the walls of Novgorod the autocracy of the Russian land was born and established. The magnanimous Rurik began to create justice and truth here, thanks to this Varangian hero, other peoples began to fear the Novgorodians.
The ambassador’s speech was very passionate and furious, he appealed to people’s conscience and reproached them for abandoning their Russian brothers to be torn to pieces by the Horde, while they themselves were prospering and drowning in luxury. Moscow, Kyiv, Vladimir are shedding the blood of their defenders. The Russians, armed with a sword, greet the foreigners, and the selfish Novgorodians accept them into their arms, coveting their exquisite goods, gold and silver.
The main characters of the work “Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod” have a very strong effect on the people with their speeches. The summary continues with the fact that Prince John learned about the secret agreement of the Novgorod rulers with the enemy principalities of Lithuania and Poland and warned that these foreigners would enslave them, because this always happens to those who recklessly demand independence from their brothers. He believes that fragmentation of the Russian state can no longer be allowed, because all its troubles come from here. Having finished his speech, Kholmsky left the front and demanded an answer so that people would quickly choose between peace or war.
Speech by Marfa Boretskaya
After the boyar’s speech, there was silence at the meeting. But suddenly there were shouts: “Martha! Marfa!” After them, the mayor’s widow, Marfa Boretskaya, a well-known defender of the freedom of her native city, rose to the front. She gave the following arguments:
After these speeches, the Moscow boyar declared war on the Novgorod Republic. The alarm of the veche bell informed all residents of the city about this. Martha the Posadnitsa went for advice to her grandfather, the hermit Theodosius. The old hermit predicted disasters for Novgorod , but Boretskaya said that you need to act in the present so as not to reproach yourself in the future. She brought with her a young warrior, Miroslav, to whom she decided to entrust the army. The wise old man blessed the knight for battle and handed him the sword of his ancestor, the brave Ratmir.
Karamzin: “Martha the Posadnitsa”, summary of the plot
The Novgorodians foresaw that such a confrontation would bring them a lot of grief, but they could not give up their pride. And now the city veche bell calls all the townspeople to immediately gather on the Great Square.
People rushed there from all over, their alarmed roar drowned out by the ringing of bells. People gathered and began to demand that the meeting begin.
Opposite the white stone house of Yaroslavov, posadniks with medals on their chests, boyars with banners, elders with silver axes and many other people gathered.
Suddenly, on the forehead, or, otherwise, on Vadimov, the place where the marble image of the knight Vadim towered, a messenger appeared - a trusted prince of Tsar John.
Preparing for battle
The next day the militia gathered. Karamzin describes the unprecedented enthusiasm with which the citizens of the republic intended to defend their freedom. Boretskaya proposed Miroslav as leader, and the Novgorodians approved of her decision. Citizens of 10 free German cities brought rich gifts and fielded 700 warriors, ready to fight together with the Novgorodians against their enemy.
Inspired, Martha wrote a letter on behalf of the city asking for military assistance to the neighboring Pskov Republic.
Before the tragic events, Posadnitsa decided to marry her daughter Ksenia to Miroslav. The wedding took place in St. Sophia Cathedral. Touched Martha told her daughter what a meek and gentle wife she herself was, but after the death of her husband she decided to devote all her strength to the fight for the freedom of her native city .
All the people joyfully celebrated the wedding of Miroslav and Ksenia, and Martha presented a rich treat. At night, a mysterious guest appeared in the secluded mansion of Boretskaya - an envoy of the Polish king Casimir. He offered help in the fight against Moscow, but for this Novgorod would have to come under Polish rule. The Russian patriot indignantly rejected this proposal.
Soon a response came from the Pskov Republic. The Pskovites refused military assistance to Novgorod and advised them to surrender to the mercy of the Moscow Tsar. Having learned about this, the Novgorodians began to arm themselves even more diligently.
Martha's speech
Then the summary twists its plot even more interestingly. Martha the Posadnitsa quietly and majestically entered the iron steps of the execution chamber to the sounds of exclamation. Sorrow and greatness were visible on her face. She calmly began her inspired speech and said that she could rightfully be a defender of liberty, since it was her father and husband who laid down their lives fighting for this glorious city.
The people listened to her with bated breath. And she continued her speech by saying that her people should not be blamed for the fact that they did not participate in internecine wars and themselves fought off the Mongol-Tatar conquerors when the ferocious Batu wanted to tear their city to pieces. She also remembered the fathers who knew that they would die in battle, but would not become slaves, and sharpened their swords without timidity. Now Veliky Novgorod is thriving, and many foreign merchants, coming to their homes, say that they have never seen a city of such beauty anywhere else. And it is not surprising that now John, seeing all the greatness and beauty of Novgorod, wants to rule it.
And even a brief summary of the plot heats up the plot to the limit. Martha the Posadnitsa further says that Heaven is just, and if selfishness drives them, and not virtues and glory, then the last hour will soon strike their freemen, and with the loss of freedom, the source of prosperity will dry up, the glory of the city will fade, and it will turn into sad ruins. The people trembled in indignation and shouted: “War on John! We will die for our Fatherland and freedom!”
The Moscow ambassador wanted to say something else, but in vain - the crowd did not want to listen and almost tore him apart. Then, with great emotional sorrow, he uttered his last decisive words: “Let there be war!” - and quickly left the city with his squad.
Expectation
A formidable silence settled in the city in anticipation, only the churches did not close their doors, the remaining people knelt down, prayer readings sounded. There was no news for a long time. On the day of the decisive battle, Martha saw a cloud of dust from a high place on the forehead. Closing her eyes, she said: “Miroslav died, John became the winner!”
Miroslav's body is brought to the city on a chariot, and wounded soldiers talk about terrible battles. Russians were against Russians, warriors on both sides wanted to prove that they were Slavs. Their mutual malice is the most terrible thing! Martha's two sons also died.
But the battle continued, John was unable to defeat the Novgorod knights in a direct clash, so he went on a long siege. The city began to starve, the defenders of freedom began to die.
Elder Theodosius, leaving his retreat, came to the city and again became a mayor, but after the victory he himself handed the keys to the city to King John and asked him for mercy for the people, in return promising that these people would serve him faithfully.
Pardon
The Prince of Moscow decides to pardon the Novgorodians, but the summary does not end there. Martha the Posadnitsa and her daughter Ksenia will not escape their terrible punishment. A scaffold is soon built for them, onto which Martha proudly ascends and announces to the people that she is dying as a citizen of Novgorod, while they have become subjects of John.
At the same time, the bell is removed from the ancient tower and taken to Moscow.
The work “Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novgorod” is unique in its own way. The summary, unfortunately, cannot convey that bright ancient style and extraordinary flavor, so it is better to read this work in full.
War
The story “Martha the Posadnitsa” describes the preparations for war in an unusually interesting way; a brief summary of the plot goes on to say that when the alarm bell rang, the people began to prepare to take on the last battle. And Martha immediately hurried to the pious righteous elder Theodosius, who, after 70 years of service to his fatherland, retired from the vain world into a dense forest. It was he who told her about the imminent trouble, but Martha was adamant. She brought with her the young lad Miroslav and wanted to receive the elder’s blessing for the battle. After this, Martha was in a hurry to marry him to her daughter Ksenia. Before the battle, they played a wedding, and the bishop himself married the newlyweds in the St. Sophia Cathedral. So Miroslav became the leader of the Novgorod knights.
Martha hoped that Pskov would not stand aside, would become their ally and give them its army, but they refused to support the rebellion of the Novgorodians. Soon news came that John with the best army advanced to the great city. Miroslav's regiments advanced to meet them.
