Dmitry Karakozov

Karakozov was born in the family of a minor Nobleman in Kostroma . He studied at the Kazan University in 1861 - 1864 and at the Moscow State University in 1864 - 1866 . In early 1866 he became a member of the "revolutionary wing" of the Ishutin Society , founded by his cousin Nikolai Ishutin in Moscow in 1863 . In the spring of 1866, Karakozov arrived in St.Petersburg to assassinate Alexander II . He circulated his hand-written Proclamation called ''"Друзьям-рабочим"'' ("To Friends-Workers"), in which he incited people to revolt.

On April 4 , 1866, Dmitry Karakozov made an unsuccessful attempt on the life of Tsar Alexander II at the gates of the Summer Garden in St.Petersburg. The attempt was thwarted by Osip Komissarov, a pesant-born hatter's apprentice, who jostled Karakozov's elbow right before the shot was fired . Contemporary monarchists argued that Komissarov's action proved the people's love for their tsar while contemporary radicals and later Soviet historians argued that Komissarov's involvement in the event was either an accident or an outright government fabrication.

Karakozov tried to flee instead of using the second cartridge in his double barreled gun, but was apprehended. The Supreme Criminal Court sentenced him to death by Hanging and he was executed in St. Petersburg on September 3 , 1866. Komissarov was ennobled and given a generous stipend, but proved to be an embarrassment to the government due to his boorishness and incoherence and had to be politely removed to the countryside.

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Dmitry Karakozov