Time of Troubles. beginning of the Romanov dynasty. Time of Troubles (Troubles). Main events Personality of False Dmitry I

In 1604, a man who pretended to be the miraculously saved son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, who is usually called False Dmitry I, enlisted the support of the Polish magnates Prince Vishnevetsky, the Sandomierz governor Yuri Mniszek, with a detachment of Ukrainian and Don Cossacks, Polish gentry and Russians who fled to Poland , invaded the Seversk land.

In 1604, a man who pretended to be the miraculously saved son of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, who is usually called False Dmitry I (apparently, this was a fugitive monk Grigory Otrepyev), enlisted the support of the Polish magnates Prince Vyshnevetsky, the Sandomierz governor Yuri Mnishek, with a detachment of Ukrainian and Don Cossacks, Polish gentry and Russians who fled to Poland, invaded the Seversk land. According to various sources, at the beginning of the campaign, False Dmitry had from 2 to 8 thousand people. On October 21, he occupied the first city on Russian territory - Moravsk (Moroviysk). Soon the impostor opened the gates of Chernihiv. The people, devastated by several decades of wars, which had plagued the country for several years in a row, wanted to see in the "miraculously saved Dmitry" a "good king" who could lead him to prosperity. Tsar Boris at first underestimated the danger posed by False Dmitry, and limited himself to announcing his imposture.

Meanwhile, the army of False Dmitry approached Novgorod-Seversky, which was defended by a garrison of 600 archers, led by okolnichy Basmanov. It was not possible to take the city, the besieged fought off all the attacks. But Putivl recognized the power of the impostor without a fight. Godunov's troops remained passive, while Rylsk and Sevsk, Belgorod and Kursk, Kromy, Livny, Yelets, Voronezh and a number of other cities took the side of False Dmitry. Seeing that the position of the Moscow government was deteriorating, and fearing that Rus' would be under Polish political influence, the Swedish king Charles IX, whose right to the throne was contested by the Polish king Sigismund, offered military assistance to Boris Godunov, but the Russian tsar refused it.

Boris sent a message to Sigismund, accusing him of violating the terms of the truce. The Polish king denied the violation, stating that the Poles, Lithuanians and Ukrainian Cossacks who were in the troops of False Dmitry acted as private individuals, without the official approval of the royal authority. In fact, the government of Poland was interested in weakening Rus' and did not prevent the impostor from recruiting subjects of the Commonwealth into his detachments. And the weakness of the royal power in Poland did not allow her to interfere with the willful actions of the magnates.

Boris ordered Prince Mstislavsky to form an army in Kaluga. Six weeks later, he set out with an army to Bryansk, where he joined up with the army of the governor Dmitry Shuisky. Together they went to the rescue of Basmanov. Under the command of Russian governors there were up to 25 thousand people. At the Uzrui River, they were met by a 15,000-strong army of the impostor. Some of Miloslavsky's soldiers ran to False Dmitry before the battle, but Governor Godunov still had an almost twofold numerical superiority. However, their army was not eager to engage in battle with those who were suspected of being the legitimate heir to the throne.

The battle took place on December 21st. The first attack of the army of the impostor was repelled by the Russian army, but could not withstand the repeated blow of the Polish cavalry against the regiment of the right hand. This regiment mingled with the larger regiment, and both of them retreated in disorder. The steadfastness of the left wing of the Russian rati could not save the situation. Miloslavsky was wounded and barely escaped captivity. The impostor did not dare to pursue the superior forces of the enemy. Miloslavsky's army took refuge in the forest, surrounding the camp with an earthen rampart.

The next day, 4,000 foot Zaporizhzhya Cossacks arrived at False Dmitry, and another 8,000-strong detachment with 14 guns was on the way. However, it was not possible to take Novgorod-Seversky, and the impostor retreated to Sevsk. Part of the Polish-Lithuanian detachments left him and returned to Poland. Miloslavsky at that time went to Starodub. There, he was joined by the army of Prince Vasily Shuisky, who was ordered by the tsar to take decisive action and crush the impostor.

On January 21, 1605, a new battle took place near the village of Dobrynichi. Miloslavsky and Shuisky had about 30 thousand people, the impostor - 15 thousand, including 7 Polish horse banners and 3 thousand Don Cossacks. The artillery of the parties was approximately equal: 14 guns - for the Russian troops, 13 - for False Dmitry. The impostor learned that the entire enemy army had gathered for the night in one small village, and decided to attack suddenly, after setting fire to Dobrynichi. However, the Russian patrols caught the arsonists, and the tsarist troops managed to get ready for battle.

The guard regiment was attacked by the main forces of the impostor and driven back to Dobrynich. False Dmitry struck the main blow on the right wing of the enemy, hoping to throw him back across the Sev River. His cavalry attacked in two lines. In the first line there were Polish banners, in the second - Russian cavalry, to distinguish themselves from government troops, wearing white shirts over armor. Mstislavsky ordered his right wing to also go on the offensive in order to stop and overturn the enemy. In the first line of Russian troops were detachments of German and Dutch mercenaries. The cavalry of the impostor pressed the mercenary infantry, and then threw back the Russian cavalry standing behind it. After that, the shock detachment of False Dmitry collapsed on the center of Mstislavsky's army - the archers, who had settled in Dobrynich for hay carts. They met the cavalrymen with fire from squeakers and cannons and put the enemy to flight. The example of the cavalry was followed by foot Cossacks on the right flank of False Dmitry, who decided that the battle was lost.

The Russian cavalry, seeing that the enemy was fleeing, launched a counterattack and completed the rout. The reserve of False Dmitry, consisting of a foot detachment of Don Cossacks and artillery, was surrounded and almost completely destroyed. The persecution of the army of the impostor was carried out for 8 km. He managed to escape to Rylsk with the remnants of the army. In the battle near Dobrynichy, False Dmitry lost 5-6 thousand killed and no fewer prisoners, as well as all his 13 guns. Miloslavsky's army lost 525 people killed.

However, Mstislavsky did not use his major success and did not organize a persistent pursuit of the defeated troops of the impostor. As a result, he escaped captivity and again managed to gain a considerable number of supporters. From a military point of view, the battle of Dobrynichy is significant in that in it the Russian army (Mstislavsky) first used a linear battle formation.

The tsarist army approached Rylsk only a few days later, when False Dmitry had already managed to escape to Putivl. The Poles were going to leave him, but the Russian supporters of the "named Dmitry", who, in case of defeat, had nothing to lose but their own heads, insisted on continuing the fight. The impostor turned to Sigismund for help, but he refused to fight with Moscow. Then False Dmitry sent letters to the peasants and townspeople, promising them release from duties. In the southern steppes, many fugitive peasants accumulated, replenishing the army of the impostor. A 4,000-strong detachment of Don Cossacks returned to him, and the garrisons of Oskol, Valuyek, Belgorod, Tsarev-Borisov and some other cities went over to the side of False Dmitry.

Meanwhile, the tsarist governors failed to take Rylsk, whose garrison the impostor reinforced with 2,000 of his Russian supporters and 500 Poles. Difficulties in supply forced Miloslavsky to lift the siege after 15 days. Because of the difficulties with the delivery of food, he generally wanted to disband the army, but the king categorically forbade him to do this.

Rati of Mstislavsky was ordered to go to Kromy, where the garrison that had gone over to the side of the impostor was besieged by the army of governor Sheremetev. False Dmitry also sent 4,000 Don Cossacks under the command of Ataman Korela to help the Kroms. The Cossacks preempted Mstislavsky and at the end of February broke into Kromy with a large convoy of food. They moved on sledges through the frozen swamps.

In early March, Mstislavsky approached the Kroms. Government troops burned the wooden fortifications with artillery fire and captured the rampart, but then retreated for some unknown reason. The Cossacks took advantage of this, poured a new earthen rampart and surrounded the city with a moat. On the reverse slope of the shaft, they dug dugouts, where they hid from enemy nuclei. Among the besiegers there were many supporters of False Dmitry, who secretly supplied Krom with gunpowder and food.

The situation in the country changed dramatically after Tsar Boris died suddenly on April 13, 1605. He was succeeded by his 16-year-old son Fedor, but many boyars were afraid that he, having no paternal experience and intelligence, would not be able to cope with the turmoil. They were more and more inclined to support the impostor, hoping that, having become king, he would be able to curb the Cossack and peasant freemen. Under Kromy, the tsarist governor Basmanov arrived with reinforcements. He made a conspiracy in the army in favor of the impostor. When on May 7 the vanguard of False Dmitry approached Kromy, consisting of 3 Polish banners and 3 thousand Russian militias, the entire tsarist army went over to his side. The way to Moscow was open. On June 10, False Dmitry entered the capital and was proclaimed king. Before that, the boyars strangled Tsar Fedor.

Together with False Dmitry, several thousand Poles, Lithuanians and Cossacks came, who were engaged in robbery, which the new tsar was in no hurry to stop. He held the throne for eleven months.

On May 2, 1606, the bride of False Dmitry Marina Mnishek arrived in Moscow, and with her a 2,000-strong Polish detachment. By that time, the people were already disappointed in the “good king”, who did not take any measures to alleviate the situation of the peasants, but only granted his most prominent supporters new lands. The boyars were also burdened by the "bad-born tsar." They plotted against False Dmitry. The arrival of a new detachment of Poles was used by the conspirators to stir up anti-Polish sentiments among Muscovites. False Dmitry was suspected by the people of accepting Catholicism. On the night of May 17, an uprising broke out in the capital, during which many Poles, Lithuanians and other foreigners were killed. The Kremlin was captured by a crowd of people. The conspirators took advantage of the turmoil and killed False Dmitry, proclaiming Prince Vasily Shuisky tsar. The surviving Poles were released to their homeland, but all the captured booty was taken from them.

Russian Civilization

They baked the Pretender in a Polish oven, but fermented it in Russia.

Klyuchevsky

The history of False Dmitry originates in 1601 in Poland. On November 1, 1601, the papal nuncio came to the Polish king Sigismund 3 and informed him that a Russian appeared on the estate of Adam Vishnevetsky, who calls himself Tsarevich Dmitry, who survived after Uglich, and who now intends to regain the Russian throne with the help of Tatars and Cossacks. The king ordered that the applicant be brought to Krakow to verify his identity. A meeting took place during which a young man, who called himself Tsarevich Dmitry, showed his readiness to convert to Catholicism and begin preparations for a campaign in Russia.

Around the same time, the impostor became known in Russia. Boris Godunov directly accused the boyars of the fact that the impostor was their work and the result of their intrigue. The specific name of the traitor was also named - Grigory Otrepyev. This name was connected by Godunov with the Romanovs. It is significant that Godunov entrusted the fight against the impostor to those boyars who hated the Romanovs: the Shuiskys, Galitsyns and Mstislavskys.

False Dmitry 1 is Grigory Otrepyev?

Who was the impostor False Dmitry 1? The version that it was Grigory Otrepiev, to put it mildly, is doubtful. Otrepiev did not in any way pull on the role of an impostor, because Grigory was already over 30, and the impostor was just over 20 years old. Hence the difference is 10-12 years. And there is no direct evidence that this is the same person. Therefore, one should distinguish between False Dmitry 1 and Otrepyev, since there is no reliable information that this is one and the same person in the history of Russia.

The story of Grigory Otrepyev is as follows. His father was a centurion who was stabbed to death in a fight while drunk. Grishka was a very capable person from a young age. He had good handwriting, he copied books, was distinguished by great artistry, entered the service of Romanov the Elder, took part in the battle at the Romanov courtyard in 1600, and escaped from the gallows. At the age of 20 he was tonsured a monk. From Suzdal, in an incomprehensible way, he ended up in the Chudov Monastery. In 1602 he ended up in Lithuania, where, as is commonly believed, he declared himself Tsarevich Dmitry.

It must be said that the Romanovs cleaned up the history of Russia very well over the centuries of their reign. Historians call many documents of that time outright fakes. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Pretender was Otrepiev, but it is extremely small. But what was actually the reign of False Dmitry 1 and who he was - we still do not know for sure. And we will most likely never know.

Communication of False Dmitry with the Mnishek family

Once in Poland, False Dmitry fell in love with the daughter of the local governor, Marina Mnishek. Her father, Yuri Mnishek, was a thieving man (he was caught more than once). Therefore, False Dmitry promised that:

1. After accession to issue 1 million złoty to pay off the debts of Mniszek.
2. Give Marina full possession of Novgorod and Pskov
3. To promote the transition of their future subjects to Catholicism.

These were the terms of the deal between False Dmitry and the Mnishek family. After that, the engagement took place. The Poles began to prepare for the campaign. It is very interesting that Sigismund 3 distanced himself from the campaign of False Dmitry 1 to Russia, immediately writing a letter to Boris Godunov stating that there is an impostor who gathers people, but these are all volunteers, and Sigismund 3 has nothing to do with this.

The beginning of the campaign to Russia

On October 13, 1604, the army of False Dmitry went on a campaign to Russia. The army consisted of Poles 2000 Don Zaporozhye Cossacks, who crossed the Dnieper. What measures did Boris take? He sent a man to Maria Nagoya and Maria (that is, Dmitry's mother) made a statement that Dmitry really died in Uglich, and an impostor was coming to Russia. Uncle Otrepyev was sent to Lithuania to expose his nephew, but he was not allowed to see False Dmitry.

Map of the movement of False Dmitry

Meanwhile, the army of False Dmitry easily occupied territory beyond the territory. The people, especially the Cossacks, who hated Godunov joyfully greeted him and said: "Our red sun is rising, Dmitry Ivanovich is returning to us!" And in just 2 weeks, under the rule of False Dmitry, there were vast territories under the basin of the Desna and the Seversky Donets up to the upper reaches of the Oka. Moravsk and Chernihiv were taken from large cities. That is, almost all of southern Rus' rose against Godunov. It was not so much the success of False Dmitry as the defeat of Godunov. It has already become clear that the beginning of the reign of False Dmitry 1 in Russia is just a matter of time.

Boyars take the side of False Dmitry and Poland

While Pyotr Basmanov and Bogdan Belsky (the one who was plucked one hair from his beard) became the mentors of Godunov's son, the Godunov clan very quickly lost control over the army. And Basmanov arranged a conspiracy against the Godunovs. The tsarist troops fled from near Krom, and the impostor, who was already in a hurry to escape from Russia, returned and began to move towards Moscow. On June 1, the envoy of False Dmitry Gavrila Pushkin (the ancestor of the poet) arrived in the village of Krsnoye near Moscow and raised a long overdue anti-Godunov uprising. Bogdan Belsky, who was the chief investigator in the case of the death of Dmitry in Uglich, and who swore before that that Dmitry had died, publicly said here that he was lying, because he saved the prince, whom the scoundrel Godunov wanted to kill. But Belsky saved the boy.

Vasily Shuisky also swore an oath to this, saying that he would recognize Tsarevich Dmitry. Most importantly, Maria Nagaya recognized her son, who had previously sworn twice that her son had died and was buried. Fyodor Godunov and his wife were arrested and placed in the house of Malyuta Skuratov, where they were soon strangled.

Entry of the impostor to Moscow

On June 20, 1605, Muscovites enthusiastically greeted False Dmitry Ivanovich as he solemnly entered the city (naturally, we now say that this is False Dmitry, and then the people met Dmitry Ivanovich). The new tsar immediately returned the Romanovs and other boyars who had suffered under Godunov to the court. Fyodor Romanov, father of the future Tsar Mikhail, was also returned and appointed Patriarch of Rostov. In fact, it was on June 20 that the reign of False Dmitry 1 in Moscow began.

On May 8, 1606, False Dmitry married Marina Mnishek. This happened on Friday and on Nikolin's day, which was against the charter of the Orthodox Church. At the same time, the impostor is not in a hurry to fulfill his promises to the Poles. He did not turn into a Polish protege, and in general (surprisingly) behaved like a natural king, as if he had been a king all his life: he knew etiquette very well, spoke foreign languages, called himself emperor long before Peter 1, advocated expanding contacts with West, established free courts. The boyars did not like False Dmitry in view of his great activity, and also in view of the fact that he began to distance the boyars from governing the country as much as possible.

The end of the reign of False Dmitry 1

False Dmitry 1 did not fulfill his promises to the Poles and did not become his own for the Moscow boyars. Therefore, by the summer of 1606, he was in a vacuum. False Dmitry no longer had support abroad. The boyars decided to take advantage of this by conspiring. It was organized by the Shuiskys. But the plot was uncovered, and the Shuiskys were arrested. The judges sentenced Vasily Shuisky to death.

But at the request of Maria Nagoya and other influential boyars, False Dmitry not only pardoned Vasily Shuisky, but completely forgave him. As a result, Shuisky remained where he was, and immediately began to weave a second conspiracy. On May 16, 1606, the Shuiskys spread a rumor about the danger to the tsar from the Poles, and they themselves entered the Kremlin on May 17 under the guise. Basmanov and the impostor were killed (you need to understand that it was a tandem). The mutilated corpse of False Dmitry was left at the place of execution, Naguya was brought in, who was once again asked if this was her son or not. She masterfully turned around, saying: "Now, what it is - of course not mine." The body of False Dmitry was burned, the ashes were stuffed into a cannon and fired towards Poland. Marina Mnishek fled from Moscow.

Since 1598, since the death of Ivan the Terrible (the last representative of the Rurik dynasty), the Time of Troubles begins in the history of Russia, characterized by natural disasters, economic decline, a crisis in the political and social system of the state, wars with the Poles and Swedes.

Background of the Troubles (1598–1613):

After the "leaving" of the last Rurikovich, a fierce struggle for power began among the boyar and noble families. This was facilitated by the death in Uglich under unclear circumstances of the young Tsarevich Dmitry, as well as the death of the childless and unpopular Tsar Fedor;

The aggressive policy of Ivan the Terrible, as well as depleted the material resources of the state. The Great Famine of 1601-1603 was added to the difficult economic situation. during the reign, which engulfed the European part of the Russian state and ruined thousands of peasant farms;

Consequences that led to an unstable social situation in the country, which undermined the foundations of power and law. This resulted in the speeches of peasants, serfs, ruined townspeople, Cossack freemen, etc.

Thus, fertile ground appeared for rumors about the miraculously saved “good Tsarevich Dmitry”.

Personality of False Dmitry I

False Dmitry I, who called himself Tsarevich (Tsar) Dmitry Ivanovich or Emperor Dimitri, ruled from June 1, 1605 to May 17, 1606.

Versions of the origin of False Dmitry

Historians still argue about the origin of the adventurer's personality today, most believe that he is the son of an impoverished nobleman Otrepyev from Galich. Having taken tonsure and wandered around the monasteries, Grigory found himself in the "elite" Miracle Monastery in Moscow, where he was instructed to copy books and manuscripts.

According to the version of the court scientist of the Swedish king Charles IX, the future tsar was known as an adventurer-monk who wanted to get the Russian throne with the help of his masters, the Poles, by cunning and deceit, and using an external resemblance to Tsarevich Dmitry.

• There are two versions among Polish bibliographers:

  • False Dmitry was of Polish origin, knew the language, etiquette, knew how to ride a horse, fence, etc.
  • False Dmitry was tongue-tied, illiterate, professed Orthodoxy.
• There was a theory that False Dmitry was the real Tsarevich Dmitry, who was saved by his uncle Afanasy Nagoy. This is confirmed by the fact that he was recognized by the former tsarina (the last wife of Ivan the Terrible) Maria Naga (who later retracted her words).

False Dmitry at the Polish court and his connection with the Mnishek family

Having ambitious plans and having fled to Poland, Otrepyev, calling himself the surviving Tsarevich Dmitry, received the support of the Polish aristocrats and the Catholic Church in the struggle for the "return" of the Russian throne.

His “acquaintance” with Poland began with the service of Prince Vishnevetsky. False Dmitry was able to convince the Polish king Sigismund III and his patron Adam Vishnevetsky of his divine origin with the help of the golden cross of Mary the Naked (stolen from her, according to historians).

Having met Vishnevetsky's relative, Yuri Mnishek, and falling in love with his daughter Marina, the future tsar was ready to accept Catholicism and go "reclaim" his throne. Mercantile Mniszeki sided with him.

To prove his loyalty to the Polish king, False Dmitry converted to Catholicism, promising the Mnishek family to give back the primordially Russian cities of Pskov and Novgorod, as well as Chernigov and Seversk land.

Hike to Russia

Yuri Mnishek, with the support of the Polish king Sigismund III, gathered 4 thousand people to march on Moscow.

Despite the unfavorable conditions, the army of the false tsar was able to conquer Chernigov, as well as Novgorod-Seversky (the defense was in charge of the favorite of Boris Godunov, boyar Pyotr Basmanov, who later went over to the side of False Dmitry and died with him). During the forced "sitting" in Putivl, the future sovereign did not waste time: he received Polish and Russian clergy, sent letters to the boyars, and prepared the ground for his accession to the throne.

Feeling the support of the Muscovites, on June 20, 1605, Dmitry solemnly entered the Kremlin, collecting "honors" from both the common people and the nobles along the way.

During 1603–1604 False Dmitry:

• accepted the catholic faith
• promised to introduce Catholicism in Rus' (in case of victory),
• promised to give Poland the Siversky and Smolensk lands,
• promised help to the Polish king Sigismund III in the fight against Sweden.

At the end of 1604, with the support of Polish and Lithuanian troops, False Dmitry entered the territory of the Russian state in the Chernigov region. He was supported by peasants and townspeople, as well as most of the tsarist army.

• April 23, 1605 Boris Godunov died,
• On June 1, his son Fedor was overthrown,
• On June 20, the army of False Dmitry entered Moscow,
• On July 30, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, the wedding of the new Tsar Dmitry Ivanovich (False Dmitry I) took place.

Domestic and foreign policy of False Dmitry I

Conspiracy and assassination of False Dmitry I

By the summer of 1606, the situation in the country was tense. In winter, rumors swept through Moscow about the imposture of the tsar. A monk from the Chudov Monastery was captured and interrogated, who swore that the tsar was Grishka Otrepiev, however, there was no direct evidence.

Princes Vasily Shuisky, Golitsyn, Kurakin and others, dissatisfied with the policy of the impostor, pushed the people to revolt. The dissatisfied charged the tsar with the guilt of non-observance of church posts, disregard for Russian customs, wearing foreign clothes, and marrying a Pole Marina Mniszek.

The number of conspirators offended by False Dmitry grew.

On January 8, 1606, the first attempt was made on the king, which failed, and the crowd tore the conspirators to pieces.

On May 8, 1606, False Dmitry married a Polish Panna Marina Mnishek and crowned her. The treasury was devastated by expensive gifts and wedding celebrations. A huge number of Polish guests, disregard for Russian traditions, looting and arbitrariness of foreigners during wedding celebrations were the last straw that led to the murder of False Dmitry.

Dmitry was warned about the impending conspiracy, but he did not believe the rumors.

On May 17, 1607, Otrepiev was killed, and the body was abused - they filled a cannon with the burnt remains of the tsar and fired towards hated Poland.

Board results

False Dmitry I is the first impostor who took the Russian throne for almost a year.

During this period he:

• expanded diplomatic ties with the Western world,
• tried to fight bribery,
• abolished executions,
• did not give the promised lands to Poland and did not introduce Catholicism, for which he was left without the support of the Poles,
• due to the disdain for Russian traditions, he lost support among all segments of the Russian population,
• unable to consolidate his power,
• did not stop the turmoil marching through Rus', but only strengthened it with his death.

IN 1601 and 1602 The country suffered severe crop failures. Hunger took on unprecedented proportions, and a cholera epidemic raged. On the outskirts, dissatisfaction with the policy of the center was ripening. It was especially restless southwest, where masses of fugitives accumulated on the border with the Commonwealth and a favorable environment arose for the development of an impostor adventure.

However, in 1603 the uprising swept the center. Crowds of hungry people smashed everything that came to hand in search of food. At the head of the rebels was a certain Khlopko, judging by his nickname - a former serf. In the fall, the government sent an entire army against him, led by the governor Basmanov, who managed to win in a bloody battle. Khlopko was wounded, captured, and then executed.

As early as 1602, news began to come about the appearance in the Polish borders of Tsarevich Dmitry, who allegedly escaped from the murderers. This was a runaway monk of the Moscow Chudov Monastery, Grigory Otrepiev, who served with the Romanov boyars before becoming a monk. The defrocked monk found himself influential patrons among the Polish nobility. The first of them was Adam Wisniewiecki. Then the impostor was very actively supported by Yuri Mnishek, with whose daughter Marina the impostor became engaged. The magnates helped False Dmitry to gather troops for a campaign against Moscow. The Cossacks also joined: in Zaporozhye, the formation of detachments began; contacts were established with Don.

IN At the end of October 1604, False Dmitry invaded the Chernihiv region, where he was supported by the fugitives in the Komaritskaya volost. His advance to Moscow began. It was by no means a triumphal procession - the impostor suffered defeats, but his popularity grew. Faith in the true tsar was already very strong among the Russian people, being the result of a historical journey of several centuries. The impostor skillfully used this faith, sending out incendiary appeals.

IN In April 1605, Boris Godunov, who had long suffered from a serious illness, died. His The 16-year-old son became a victim of a conspiracy and a popular uprising, along with his mother, Queen Mary, he was killed. The government troops besieging the Cossacks of False Dmitry in Kromy went over to the side of the impostor, who entered Moscow in June. The Shuiskys, who led the Boyar Duma, fell into disgrace, being suspected

V conspiracy against the impostor.

We must pay tribute to the impostor - he tried to lead his reign according to a certain program, trying to create the image of a "good king". On certain days, he received complaints from the population, distributed money to the nobles, and ordered the compilation of a consolidated Sudebnik. The economic situation of the country improved under him, and the power of the sovereign increased significantly. However, he cannot destroy the old traditions and get rid of the guardianship of the Boyar Duma.

managed. Moreover, the conflict began to ripen. False Dmitry's popularity among the people was not added by his disrespectful attitude towards the Orthodox Church, his marriage to a Catholic Marina Mniszek, and the abuses of the Poles who arrived with him.

In May 1606, an uprising broke out in Moscow, one of the organizers of which was Prince Vasily Shuisky. Otrepiev tried to escape, but was captured by the conspirators and killed. Shuisky (1606-1610) became the new tsar, who dispensed with the Zemsky Sobor, being "shouted out from the crowd." But the population of the southwestern "Ukraine" did not at all have sympathy for the new tsar. Putivl becomes the center of a new uprising, initiated by Prince G. Shakhovskoy and M. Molchanov, a former favorite of False Dmitry. The military leader was Ivan Isaevich Bolotnikov, who acted as governor of the tsar who allegedly escaped in Moscow. Another impostor went to connect with him - he called himself the son of Tsar Fedor, Tsarevich Peter, who never existed in nature. Ryazan noblemen also joined Bolotnikov under the leadership of Prokopiy Lyapunov.

In the spring of 1606, the rebels began the siege of Moscow, but the Bolotnikovites did not have enough strength. In addition, Muscovites did not believe Bolotnikov and remained faithful to Vasily Shuisky. Lyapunov went over to the side of the government. Shuisky managed to defeat the enemy and besiege him in Kaluga. From here, Bolotnikov was helped to get out by False Peter, who came to the rescue from Putivl. But soon the united army was besieged in Tula, which, after a long siege, fell on October 10, 1607.

False Dmitry II.

And the impostor intrigue went on as usual. Back in July, False Dmitry II appeared in the Western Russian city of Starodub.

According to R.G. Skrynnikov, a new impostor intrigue was organized by Bolotnikov and False Petr, who started it during the siege of Kaluga. It is believed that this time under the mask of Dmitry, a certain Bogdanko, a vagabond, a baptized Jew, was hiding. Having recruited an army all from the same residents of the southwestern "Ukraine" and mercenaries, the new "Dmitry" moved towards Moscow. He went to the aid of Bolotnikov, besieged in Tula. The defeat of the "royal voivode" created confusion in the army of the impostor, but soon the movement began to gain strength again. He was joined by large Cossack detachments from the Don, Dnieper, Volga and Terek, and at the end of 1607, after the defeat in the fight against the king, members of the Rokosh - the opposition movement - began to arrive from Poland. These were battle-hardened "seekers of glory and booty", who, led by their colonels, made up a serious force.

In the spring of 1608, the government army suffered a crushing defeat in the two-day battle of Bolkhov. The new "Dmitry" reached the capital of the Russian state, but could not take it and settled in Tushino near Moscow. A new courtyard was formed, where all those dissatisfied with the rule of Vasily Shuisky fled. One of the pillars of the new court were numerous mercenary detachments from Poland, as well as the Don Cossacks under the leadership of Ataman I. Zarutsky. Marina Mniszek arrived at the camp of the impostor, who, for a decent bribe, "recognized her husband."

So, two government centers arose in Russia: in the Moscow Kremlin and in Tushino. Both tsars had their own court, the Boyar Duma, a patriarch (Vasily had Hermogenes, a former Kazan metropolitan, False Dmitry had Filaret - before being tonsured Fyodor Nikitich Romanov). False Dmitry II was supported by many settlements. Detachments of townspeople and Cossacks hurried to Tushino from different parts of the country. But in the Tushino camp, especially with the arrival of the elite troops of Jan Sapieha, the Polish force prevailed. The Poles began to besiege the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in order to organize a blockade of Moscow.

The so-called bailiffs, which were created by the Poles and Cossacks, brought a great burden to the Russian people. The taxable population was supposed to provide them with "food". Naturally, all this was accompanied by a lot of abuse. The uprising against the Tushinos swept a number of regions of Russia. Vasily Shuisky decided to rely on foreigners. In August 1606, the tsar's nephew M.V. was sent to Novgorod. Skopin-Shuisky to conclude an agreement on military assistance with Sweden. Swedish detachments, mostly mercenaries, turned out to be an unreliable force, but Mikhail Skopin was supported by the Russian people themselves. It was his participation that led to the success of Shuisky's rati in military operations: he defeated the Tushins in Zamoskvorechye. However, soon the young commander, popular among the people, died, and there were rumors among the people that he was poisoned by his uncles, who saw him as a competitor.

Under the influence of the victories of Skopin-Shuisky, the Tushino Duma split, and False Dmitry II fled to Kaluga. Most of the Tushino boyars, led by Filaret, turned to the Polish king with a request to put Prince Vladislav on the Russian throne - the king agreed. The people of Tushino embarked on the path of national treason.

The Polish king hoped to regain the Swedish throne, considering himself his rightful heir. Taking advantage of the fact of the union of Russia and Sweden, he launched an offensive against Russia and laid siege to Smolensk, the key point of the entire Russian defense in the west. Back in the reign of Boris Godunov, the city was surrounded by new powerful walls, the construction of which was led by the architect Fyodor Kon. The heroic defense of Smolensk could have turned the tide of events, but near Klushino the combined forces of the Moscow tsar (represented by commander Dmitry Shuisky) and the Swedish commander Jacob Delagardie were defeated.

The defeat of Shuisky's troops increased the authority of False Dmitry II, who continued to be supported by the population of a number of cities and counties. He gathered his detachments and, approaching Moscow, settled down in Kolomenskoye. Not without the participation of the "thieves' boyars" the Zemsky Sobor was hastily convened, which deposed Vasily Shuisky. Power in Moscow passed to the Boyar Duma, headed by the seven most prominent boyars. This government began to be called the "seven boyars."

The country was in a difficult situation. Smolensk was besieged by the Poles, Novgorod was in danger of being captured by the Swedes. In this difficult situation, an agreement was reached between the Moscow boyars and the Tushinites: to ask the Polish prince Vladislav to the throne. But the near future showed that the king wants to try on Monomakh's hat for himself, without observing any conditions that the boyars set for him. In the eyes of the people, the boyars, having called on the Polish prince, finally compromised themselves. They could only continue to get closer to the Poles. In Moscow, a new government was actually formed, in which the Pole A. Gonsevsky was the main one.

Soon, False Dmitry was killed on a hunt by a Tatar prince, and the banner of Ataman Zarutsky, who had already ruled everything during the life of the false tsar, was the "french" - the recently born son of Marina. Passionate calls are heard in Moscow to stand up for the defense of the Motherland. They belonged to Patriarch Hermogenes. However, the center of the fight against foreigners at this time becomes the southeastern "Ukraine" - the Ryazan land. A militia was created here, headed by P. Lyapunov, princes D. Pozharsky and D. Trubetskoy. Zarutsky's Cossacks also joined them. Zemstvo militia besieged Moscow. In June 1611, the leaders of the militia promulgated the verdict, which proclaimed the supreme power in the country "the whole Earth." In the Moscow camp there was a government - the Council of the whole land. In this body of power, born in the very depths of the East Slavic people's rule, the decisive vote belonged to the provincial nobility and the Cossacks. The council tried to resolve the confusing land issue. All mobilized service people were given fixed land salaries.

The inviolability of the formed serf system was confirmed. Fugitive peasants and serfs were subject to immediate return to their former owners. Only for those who became Cossacks and took part in the Zemstvo movement, an exception was made. However, conflicts arose within the militia. The Cossacks demanded the immediate election of a tsar and the payment of "the sovereign's salary." Zarutsky proposed a “Vorenka” to the throne, Lyapunov objected to this. The conflict ended in a bloody drama: the Cossacks killed Prokopy Lyapunov in their circle. The militia broke up.

However, the camps near Moscow did not run away. Zarutsky managed to take power into his own hands and even throw Hetman Khodkevich from Moscow, who was trying to break into Moscow with a large army. But in autumn

nobles began to leave the militia, and the Cossacks lost their authority in the eyes of the people.

The prologue for the creation of a new militia was the district message of Patriarch Hermogenes. Under the influence of the patriarch's ardent appeals, the townships of the Volga region rose: correspondence began between the largest cities in this region: Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. The palm gradually passed to the Lower. Here the Zemstvo movement was headed by the headman Kuzma Minin. He called for donations to benefit the militias. A connoisseur of military affairs was also found - Dmitry Pozharsky, who healed wounds in his estate near Nizhny Novgorod.

The militia was ready for the campaign when news came from Moscow about unrest in Zarutsky's camps. This forced the militia to move not to Moscow, but to Yaroslavl, where it stayed for four whole months. A zemstvo government was created here with its own orders. Detachments flocked here from all sides, replenishing the forces of the militia.

Having accumulated strength and concluded a non-aggression pact with the Swedes, the militia moved to Moscow. Having learned about the approach of the militia, Zarutsky tried to seize the initiative and subjugate its leaders to his will. When this failed, he fled to Ryazan with two thousand of his supporters. The remnants of the first militia, led by Trubetskoy, merged with the second militia.

Under the walls of the Novodevichy Convent, a battle took place with the troops of Hetman Khodkevich, who was going to help the Poles besieged in Kitai-Gorod. The hetman's army suffered heavy losses and retreated, and Kitay-gorod was soon taken. The Poles, besieged in the Kremlin, held out for another two months, but then capitulated. By the end of 1612, Moscow and its environs were completely cleared of the Poles. Sigismund's attempts to change the situation in his favor did not lead to anything. Near Volokolamsk, he was defeated and retreated.

Letters of convocation of the Zemsky Sobor were sent around the country. The main problem that worried the council, which met in January 1613, was the question of the throne. After lengthy discussions, the choice fell on Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. By his mother, Anastasia, the first wife of Ivan the Terrible, Mikhail's father, Filaret Romanov, was a cousin of Tsar Fedor. This means that his son Mikhail was brought to Tsar Fedor by a cousin-nephew. This, as it were, preserved the principle of the transfer of the Russian throne by inheritance.

February 23, 1613 Michael was elected king. A number of researchers believe that Mikhail was erected on the initiative of the Cossacks. Perhaps more importantly, the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov turned out to be convenient for all the opposing "parties". It was the Cossacks that became the main problem for the new government. One of the largest leaders of the Cossacks - Zarutsky - along with Marina Mnishek wandered around Russia, still

hoping to put a "Vorenka" on the throne. After a rather intense struggle, this company was neutralized; they were arrested and executed.

No less dangerous for the new government was the movement of Cossack detachments in the north-east of the country under the leadership of Ataman Ivan Balovnya. The Cossacks reached the very capital. Deception destroying the Cossack leadership, managed to eliminate this danger. It was more difficult with external enemies. In 1615 the new Swedish king Gustav-Adolf laid siege to Pskov. The Poles also made a deep raid on the central regions of the country.

IN In these difficult conditions, the government is trying to rely on the Zemstvo. In 1616, the Zemsky Sobor met in Moscow, which agreed to a new militia. It was decided to put the former heroes at its head. However, Minin, called from Nizhny Novgorod, fell seriously ill on the way and soon died. Prince Pozharsky had to work hard for two, and his activities bore fruit: in 1617, the Stolbovsky peace was concluded with the Swedes.

Under the terms of this peace, Novgorod was returned to Russia, but the Baltic coast departed to Sweden: Russia lost access to the Baltic Sea and important border fortresses. But it managed to avoid a war on two fronts.

IN At the end of the same year, Prince Vladislav and Hetman Khodkevich moved to Rus'. At the head of the main Russian forces was the mediocre boyar B. Lykov, whose army was blockaded in Mozhaisk. Only the military talent of Pozharsky saved the situation. He helped Lykov get out of the encirclement, and then led the defense of the capital. The assault on Moscow by the Poles in September 1618 was repulsed.

The Poles began a systematic siege of the city, but then a war broke out in the West (which then became thirty years old), and the king was no longer up to Russia. In December, a 14-year truce was signed in the village of Deulino, not far from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Russia lost about 30 Smolensk and Chernigov cities, but gained peace, so necessary for the restoration of the devastated and plundered country. The troubled times are over.