In 1825, Nicholas I became Czar,
the emperor of Russia. Soon after, a rebellion broke out. The rebels
demanded modernization of the country, improvement of industries and
civil structures, as in the contemporary Europe. To crush this
rebellion, the emperor captured one of its leaders, Kondraty Releyev
and sentenced him to death.
On the day of execution, Ryleyev
stood on the gallows with the noose around his neck. When he was
hanged, his body dangled and the rope broke dashing him to the ground,
alive!
According to the convention at
that time, such events were considered as mercy of Providence and the
Heavenly will to pardon, which the Czar would exercise. Injured and
soiled, Ryleyev got on his feet, looked around and shouted to the
crowd, "You see, in Russia, they don�t know how to do anything
properly, not even how to make rope!"
This news reached the Czar in
his winter palace. Disappointed by the failed attempt and irritated by
Ryleyev�s outburst in the public, the emperor broke the routine
convention; cancelled the pardon and re-sentenced him to death.
Accordingly Ryleyev was hanged again the next day, taking care that
this time the rope didn�t break. Thus, a rightful voice for the
national cause was silenced by merciless cruelty.
A real hero is never afraid of
death. He awaits an opportunity and is always ready to depart. His
bones may lie hidden in the grave but the memory of his gallant deeds
remains evergreen in history.
