A comet set the city Moscow on fire in 1812?

Altair

Ambassador
Ambassador
FOTCM Member
There is a wide-spread official opinion that the Russians themselves set the whole Moscow on fire shortly before leaving it so that the city would't get into the hands of coming French troops.
The 1812 Fire of Moscow broke out on September 14, 1812 in Moscow on the day when Russian troops and most residents abandoned the city and Napoleon's vanguard troops entered the city following the Battle of Borodino. The fire raged until September 18, destroying an estimated three-quarters of Moscow.

Before leaving Moscow Count Rostopchin gave orders to have the Kremlin and major public buildings (including churches and monasteries) either blown up or set on fire. But this was not the foremost cause of the conflagration that destroyed the city. As the bulk of the French army moved into the city, there were some fires. Their cause has never been determined and both neglect as well as Rostopchin's orders may be among possible reasons. Today, the majority of historians blames the initial fires on Russian sabotage.

Source: _https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_of_Moscow_%281812%29

This version has never made any sense to me so here is what I found after quick research:

“Almost in the center of this sky, above the Prichistensky boulevard, surrounded and convoyed on every side by stars but distinguished from them all by its nearness to the earth, its white light and it’s long uplifted tail, shone the huge brilliant comet of the year 1812 – the comet which was said to portend all manner of horrors and the end of the world” interior narrative of Pierre in Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” It is easy to imagine the fatalistic and superstitious thoughts in the minds of the Moscow populace as the French army drew close and the events of 1812 unfolded. Events which were to provide an experience to match the fatalistic fears.

The sculpture of Moscow is based upon the 1812 map depicting the damage caused by the burning of Moscow. The work incorporates that latter half of the aforementioned quote, this quote is carved into the form of the Moskva river and the line of the medieval walls that enclosed the interior of Moscow at the time. The work is constructed from segments of Tchaikovsky’s famous 1812 overture. The overture was written in 1880 to commemorate the defense of the Russian motherland and can be interpreted as a fairly literal depiction of the campaign.

Moscow had twice been burnt before, the fire of 1547 under Ivan the Terrible and the fire of 1626 under the reign of Mikhail 1 Romanoff. In both cases a tempest of extraordinary strength had arisen and multiplied the disaster. On the morning of September 16 1812 a hurricane was blowing over Moscow, many believed a curse was hanging over the city especially in conjunction with the sense of foreboding imparted by the great Comet.

The fire itself attained such a monstrous size as to seem almost supernatural. Montesquieu “It was pitch dark and the sight was terrifying and grandiose, almost sublime, so closely did it resemble the Apocalypse…one saw volcanoes whose immeasurable eruptions had no limits but the skies”. The heat was so intense that molten copper and lead ran in the streets. Napolean commented “The entire city looked like one vast whirlwind of fire that rose in a swirling spiral to the sky and coloured it brilliantly” later he is said to have uttered the words “This betokens great misfortunes for us” prophetic words indeed.. for most of his army were to perish in one of the coldest winters on record.

Source: _http://matthewpicton.com/moscow-1812/

The causes of the famous Moscow fire of 1812 discussed reluctantly. For Russian fact putting to shame the ancient capital of Napoleon's troops was extremely unpleasant and unnecessary reminder not welcomed.

For the French, a story of a huge fire was too shameful event inconsistent with the role of an advanced civilized nation, which they considered themselves. And witness the fire that can clearly and in detail tell about what happened - had a little, Muscovites, especially the educated classes, left the city, many of the invaders were killed during the infamous flight from Russia.

Prevail in three versions: Moscow deliberately burned the French, Moscow deliberately burned Russian patriots, Moscow caught fire from neglect and invaders, and remains very small population. In the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy, in examining the possible versions, came to the conclusion that Moscow could not be burned because of the order in the absence of any solid, even a small fire threatens city-wide conflagration.

Recent discovery allows us to state a new, completely unexpected suggestion.

Several years ago, Moscow official launched acquired estate in southern France, near Toulon. After the entry into ownership, he started repairing the old mansion, and preparing for the restoration of furniture, one of the secret drawers of his desk discovered diary of a Charles Artois, a lieutenant in Napoleon's army. The diary described events in Moscow and the details of the return of the Army of Russia. Now the manuscript goes through a series of examinations, but excerpts from it, courtesy of the owner, managed to get acquainted.

"I was standing in the courtyard of the big Russian home. A low sun flooded Moscow with golden light. Suddenly caught fire a second sun, bright, white, dazzling. It was located twenty degrees above the first, true, and shone no more than five seconds, but it has managed to singe person Paul Berger, relaxing on the balcony.

The walls and roof of the house began to smoke. I ordered the soldiers to pour out on the roof of a few dozen buckets of water, and only because these measures could save the estate. In other estates that are closer to the latter-day luminary, the fire started. It is this mysterious celestial flash, and was the cause of the terrible fire that destroyed Moscow. "

Curious description of Napoleon's troops fled from Russia. As you know, the French retreat (actually the army of Napoleon was a multinational, in fact, the French there were a minority) had ravaged Smolensk on the road. -Lack of food and feed, no winter clothing turned the once mighty army into a crowd of desperate, dying people. But is the "general Claus" and "General Hunger" guilty of hanging over the army? "Around the ongoing fires. Manor where we quartered, survived, but, unfortunately, the new attack struck our ranks. Putrid water, intemperance in eating or some other reason, but our people are suffering from the most severe bloody diarrhea. Weakness in all his limbs, dizziness , nausea turning into uncontrollable vomiting, added misery. And we are not alone in this position - all the battalions of the regiment, all the shelves in Moscow. Healers suspected dysentery or cholera, and recommend to quickly leave the inhospitable city. just now came Pierre Duroy. His squad is in ten miles from the gates of Moscow, are all healthy and happy, however, troubled Russian partisans. Seeing our deplorable condition, he immediately turned back, afraid of catching an infection. "

A week later, the lieutenant says, "We started losing his hair. Sim I shared a sad discovery to Zhirdenom, but He has the same trouble. Fear, soon our entire squad - but that squad, the whole band - will become bald regiment."

"Many horses are sick, that is confusing to veterinarians. As healers bipedal, they argue that the whole reason in malignant miasma, dissolved in the Moscow air." "Finally, a decision made: we leave Moscow. Leave, did not know anything, afflicted, weak, feeble, impotent. One only hopes to see native France gives courage, or else we'd rather just lie down and die - before bad our state" .

Pages describing the French way back, heavy and sorrowful: detachment Artois losing people every day, but not in battle - to fight they were not able to - and from weakness and exhaustion, caused by a mysterious illness. Even the meager provisions, which could get, did not go for the future, they just could not stomach it. Soldiers were covered with ulcers and sores. Killed both people and horses. Russian fought back from the parts that were not in Moscow, but the numbers appear to be dwindling, while the Russian army would grow stronger.

Most of Napoleon's army perished in the vast Russia. Charles Artois disease made invalid. Immediately on his return to France he was dismissed, but lived long and died at the age of thirty-two years, without children.

Source: _http://redmercuri.com/blog/1268486_Napoleons_army_was_killed__from_radiation_sickness.html

Here is more detailed article for Russian readers: _http://kometa-vozmezdie.ru/372-kosmicheskie-tayny-sgorevshih-stolic.html

Is it possible that a comet devastated Moscow just 2 centuries ago?!
 
Altair said:
Is it possible that a comet devastated Moscow just 2 centuries ago?!

Absolutely!

We suspect that something similar happened to Chicago just 1.5 centuries ago:

http://www.sott.net/article/148414-Comet-Biela-and-Mrs-O-Learys-Cow
http://www.sott.net/article/148432-The-Comet-and-the-Chicago-Fire

Interesting find, Altair. It makes much more sense than the Muscovites themselves burning it to the ground. It's one thing to retreat into the Siberian wilderness - and maybe burn whatever foodstuffs you can't take with you - but another to utterly destroy the city to its foundations.

The winter of 1816 was notoriously cold:

http://www.sott.net/article/313782-The-year-without-a-summer-1816

...but so were several preceding winters, not least 1812, when Napoleon's troops allegedly reported birds freezing mid-flight and falling out of the sky.

Across the pond, the New Madrid earthquakes also took place in the winter of 1811-1812. One theory is that they were in fact the result of - or accompanied/caused by - cometary events...

http://www.sott.net/article/226380-1811-12-New-Madrid-Earthquakes-A-NEO-Connection
 
Something related I've found with qucik search:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B0%D1%83%D1%81%D1%81,_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BB_%D0%A4%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B4%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%85
1811: there is a new comet. Gauss quickly and very precisely counts her orbit. Begins work on the complex analysis, opens (but doesn't publish) the theorem later reopened by Cauchy and Weierstrass: the integral from analytical function on the closed contour is equal to zero.

1812: research of the hyper geometrical row generalizing decomposition practically all the known then functions.

The well-known comet of "the fire of Moscow" (1812) is observed everywhere, using Gauss's calculations.

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9B%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9,_%D0%9D%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B9_%D0%98%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87

In 1811, having graduated from the university, Lobachevsky has received the master's degree on physics and mathematics with honors and has been left at university; before it him have forced to confess for "bad behavior" and to make the promise from now on to behave approximately. Scientific work of Lobachevsky is continued. At the end of August, 1811 Litres together with Lobachevsky and Simonov observes a comet.

Documentary writings of Ioann Ioannovich Milovsky, son of the priest of the Nizhny Novgorod province:
http://feb-web.ru/feb/rosarc/raj/raj-1342.htm
[...]image of the great comet which was in 1812 brightly was imprinted in my mind and imagination so I throughout my life could note the being comets separately from the first, and in one of it to meet similar. I saw an image of the violent people which have attacked Russia and I heard their dialect, unclear for me, in different languages, and the banished prisoners who had a lodging for the night and day's rest in the place of my residence — the village of Ichalkakh...". Milovsky remembers this comet: "In 1812 the great comet which beams, like a dense tree have been majestically stretched to top has been seen. Being at 8 o'clock in the evening in the northwest and in autumn dark nights, I represented an amazing show because dominated a majestic and special look over all cathedral of stars..." In other place of notes Milovsky compared great comets of 1812 and 1858: "The comet of 1812 was slightly more, more clearly, is more red or ognisty, and had beams up densely as sparks, straming from fire light-and it is clear. The comet of the 58th year was less in a point, yellow or pale had beams, much vozvyshenny comets of the 12th year, but these beams were pale and weak, [..] This comet the people have read as freedom's herald..."
 
Just reading the description makes me think that the inhabitants / soldiers, and their horses were suffering from readiation sickness, but they could have no way of knowing what it was that was affecting them.

A worthy question for the C's.
 
Niall said:
Altair said:
Is it possible that a comet devastated Moscow just 2 centuries ago?!

Absolutely!

We suspect that something similar happened to Chicago just 1.5 centuries ago:

http://www.sott.net/article/148414-Comet-Biela-and-Mrs-O-Learys-Cow
http://www.sott.net/article/148432-The-Comet-and-the-Chicago-Fire

Interesting find, Altair. It makes much more sense than the Muscovites themselves burning it to the ground. It's one thing to retreat into the Siberian wilderness - and maybe burn whatever foodstuffs you can't take with you - but another to utterly destroy the city to its foundations.

The winter of 1816 was notoriously cold:

http://www.sott.net/article/313782-The-year-without-a-summer-1816

...but so were several preceding winters, not least 1812, when Napoleon's troops allegedly reported birds freezing mid-flight and falling out of the sky.

Across the pond, the New Madrid earthquakes also took place in the winter of 1811-1812. One theory is that they were in fact the result of - or accompanied/caused by - cometary events...

http://www.sott.net/article/226380-1811-12-New-Madrid-Earthquakes-A-NEO-Connection

Thank you for the links, Niall. It's very discouraging to see that power elites are able to completely hush up not only those but also MUCH MORE recent events like for example the connection between 1918 spanish "flu" pandemic and possibly comet Encke or Haley's comet:
HALEY'S COMET & A KILLER VIRUS

In 1910, Haley's comet blazed across the skies, and 4 years later Europe was caught up in the fever of war. Thirty seven million would lose their lives by war's end, many killed not by bullets but plague.

On Saturday, March 9, 1918, the skies turned black in Kansas, and great winds filled the air with a stinking yellow haze. Men and women who had been healthy that morning, fell sick and died. A killer virus spread across the country, hospitals overflowed, death carts were heaped with corpses which were dumped into mass graves. Over 20 million people died world wide, among them 680,000 American dead.

COMET ENCKE & THE 1918 FLU EPIDEMIC

There is no obvious link to Haley's comet. In fact, a more likely candidate is Comet Encke which made extremely close approaches to Earth on June 16, 1908, and again on October 27 1914, and was at perihelion on 1918. And with each approach, Comet Encke shed ice, rock and dust which streaked through the atmosphere of the Earth. Some scientists believe that a large piece of Comet Encke broke off, fell to Earth, and exploded above the Tunguska, Russia, in 1908, leveling forests for hundreds of miles.

On April 20th, 2007 comet Encke suffered was struck by a mass of material blasted from the corona of the sun which was so powerful it broke off the comet's tail and swept it away into deep space. In late June and early July and again in November, of that year pieces of comet Encke rained down upon the Earth.

There is as yet no way to determine if a comet played a role in the plague of 1918. However, it is now known that this epidemic began in birds which were the first to die, infected with some mysterious disease that fell from the sky.

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT RESURRECTS THE 1918 FLU VIRUS

In 2005, scientists from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C., resurrected the 1918 virus from bodies that had been preserved in the permanently frozen soil of Alaska. They soon discovered that a completely new virus had combined with a old virus, exchanging and recombining genes, creating a hybrid that transformed mild strains of the flu virus into forms far more deadly and pathogenic. They also confirmed that the 1918 Spanish flu virus originated in the sky, first infecting birds and then spreading and proliferating in humans.

Source: _http://cosmology.net/Comets.html

Interesting that all that coincided with the period of some major wars. Just wondering how much similar events we still don't know about. There must have been something similar during WWII, I guess.
 
Across the pond, the New Madrid earthquakes also took place in the winter of 1811-1812. One theory is that they were in fact the result of - or accompanied/caused by - cometary events...

This school teacher, who wrote a book about the New Madrid earthquakes, mentions a descriptions that people from those times gave about what they saw. And it does sound like something more than an earthquake was happening. She mentions lightning in the sky, bad smells, dark horizon with burning flames. She gave an interesting talk in which she says that these earthquakes are practically forgotten in modern society.

 
Back
Top Bottom