So-called vorovskiye listki (black lists), which contain…

So-called vorovskiye listki (black lists), which contain the names of those responsible for economic misfortunes, suddenly appear on the night of July 25 posted in several neighborhoods of Moscow.

They include the names of the "traitors": boyars and merchants accused of causing economic collapse after the introduction of copper money and having secret ties with Catholic Poland.

The Copper Riot begins on the early morning of July 25 and continues until afternoon.

Up to ten thousand people take part in the civil unrest, mostly Muscovites.

After having read their proclamation, the insurgents make their way to Kolomenskoye to meet with Tsar Alexis.

They demand the surrender of the "traitors" to the people and that steps be implemented to stabilize the economy.

The tsar and boyars promise to lower the taxes and conduct an investigation in accordance with the demands of the petition and proclamation, presented by the angry crowd.

The insurgents take the tsar’ at his word and rush back to Moscow, where, in the meanwhile, people are destroying the households of the most hated merchants.

After meeting halfway between Moscow and Kolomenskoye, the two groups of insurgents return to the tsar’s residence, and by the time they reach Kolomenskoye, a large military force (six thousand to ten thousand soldiers) has already been assembled to counter the rebels.

The Tsar orders a merciless suppression of the unrest.

As a result, up to one thousand men are killed, hanged, or drowned in the Moscow River.

Several thousand people are arrested and later exiled after a brutal investigation.