Mordovian Joan of Arc, the nun Alena Arzamas: ally Stepana Razina, treated with penicillin

This woman combines disparate XVII century things — she was a nun, a rebel and a witch. It is shot from a bow, treat people with mold and had among ordinary people, an incredible authority. Like many other extraordinary personalities who come from the people, Alena Arzamas his life ended tragically, but even her death was a singular and instructive.

Three centuries later, for the right to call Alain Arzamas their fighting three people: Russians, Mokshan and Erzyan. This woman was born in Mordovia in Cossack family, but became a heroine for all who have lived and live between the Oka and Volga.

Family life girls did not last long — soon the husband fell ill and died. The second time to get married at that time was hard, and to live a life worse, so Alena chose a simple and dignified way — went to Nicholas monastery in Arzamas.

Honestly, it was then Alena got its name under which we know it as something that was given to her at birth was unknown. Life in the monastery went Kozachok good. There, she not only learned to read and write, but have mastered the healing business.

In the XVII century in the monasteries was treated with herbs and prayers, as everything else was considered witchcraft and censured. But Alena approach to the treatment was special — she used as drugs blue mold, which was collected in the monastery bath. Ointment made from the substances considered in people, useless and even harmful, they heal the festering wounds and skin diseases.

Local farmers were willing to be treated by Alena, but between them was talking shit without her help is not complete. Bath, where he took his medicine woman, has traditionally been considered the abode of evil spirits. But the fact that the healer living in a convent, somewhat reassured. Played a role and the fact that many aid Alena was the last hope for a cure.

Historical sources say that Alan had been in the monastery for at least 20 years, helping anyone who spoke to her treatment. To leave their abode she decided on a very unusual reason — imbued with the ideas of Stepan Razin, which spoke in 1667.

The decision to take part in the peasant war of the nun Alena came in 1669. She took a bow and arrows, mounted the horse and rode to neighboring villages to gather a militia. The authority of the woman allowed her to put together a squad of 300-400 people, with whom the woman won their first victory against the Royal troops.

Stepan Razin. V. I. Surikov. 1906

In 1670 squad Alena has teamed up with a group of peasants Fedor Sidorov and its population amounted to 700 people. With this impressive by the standards of the time force, she defeated the army of Arzamas magistrates Leontius Shishkova and captured the town of Temnikov.

Citizens have supported Alena — her detachment was increased to 2 000 people and got good service. It was already a small army, which could not fight using guerilla tactics, and quite openly. But Alena, not having knowledge in military Affairs, made a serious mistake. She refused to mobile warfare and settled with his people in Temnikov.

Two months former nun ruled the city until Temnikova not approached the Royal Governor Yury Dolgorukov with a well-trained and numerous army. After a short street fighting army of peasants and townspeople was broken and the sovereign people began to look for the leader of the rebels.

The last stronghold of Alena and several of her closest companions became the city's Cathedral with a massive oak doors. While the entrance was a fight, Alena rose with the bow to the bell tower and began one after another to hit the arrows of the Royal archers. Arrows was enough for eight, and then the nun dropped their weapons and went down to the altar.

When the temple broke people Dolgorukov, Alena prayed before icons, and take her out of the temple could only force. A woman, along with her weapon, was taken in a bid magistrates court. Legend has it that onion, which so deftly shot an arrow that woman is not able to fully pull no Royal warrior and Moscow's men a few days and had fun trying to shoot out of it.

Battle of rainzi with government troops. N. S. Samokish. 1937

As befits the leader of the rebels were tortured with a hot iron and a rack to repentance, but has not achieved any success. Alena prayed constantly, stopping only to spit in their tormentors. A short investigation revealed that in addition to revolt a runaway nun there were other sins, in particular, the curing mold.

It gave a great reason to declare Alain not only rebellious, but a witch and sentenced to be burned. In the XVII century in Russia rarely burned witches at the stake — it used a more sophisticated method. The condemned were burned in a house, a well logs, towering above ground level.

The blockhouse was good that deprived the audience of the spectacle of suffering put to death, which was considered pious and merciful. Remorse overtook Alain even in the face of death, the woman became well. While the fire was burning of the log not heard a single sound — a courageous nun did not deliver his executioners for any time of the celebration.

Sentenced to burning in a log cabin

The story by Alena Arzamas was so unusual, that is widely known not only in Russia but also in Europe. Famous German historian of the seventeenth century, Johann fish in his book described the execution of this woman with these words:

Despite what is known about Alena Arzamas quite a bit about this woman has written novels, poems and plays. This Mordovian Joan of Arc fought for liberty and justice, left a solid mark in the history of Russian late middle Ages and at home, in Mordovia, revered until now.