What Was The Salt Riot That Occurred In Moscow In The 17th Century About?

The Salt Riot also known as the Moscow Uprising occurred in 1648 in Moscow, Russia; the riot took place due to the taxation policies of the Tsar's administration. According to the arrangement a universal salt tax was to be collected in place of the other taxes to boost the earnings from taxation.

The new tax laws were going to affect the general population as the price of salt increased manifold due to the increased taxation. The protests and demonstrations of the people against the tax laws led them to being revoked; however the decision to collect the arrears of the past three years further aggravated the situation.

When the Tsar was found to be unreceptive the people along with the guardsman of the Kremlin, known as Streltsy took the matter in their own hands and on June 2, 1648 broke in to the Kremlin and demanded the surrender of the officials who had harassed the people while collecting taxes.

Several officials and merchants who had exploited the people were accordingly executed by the rioters who then set fire to various parts of the city. However when the government offered several concessions and the postponement of collection of arrears the riot speedily came to an end.