As a result, Boris moved to the Novodevichy Convent. From January 20 to February 10, 1598, processions organized by Patriarch Job went to him there. Those who came asked Boris for the kingdom. Boris set a condition - to convene a Zemsky Sobor. By the way, this is what Godunov is all about - outwardly he says: “No, I don’t want to be elected only by a narrow circle, I want to be elected at the Zemsky Sobor.” He understood perfectly well that he would never be elected in a narrow circle, so he needed to convene a wide Zemsky Sobor, and at it, beat the Boyar Duma.
Zemsky Sobor against the Boyar Duma
On February 17, the Zemsky Sobor met and elected Boris Godunov to the throne. But that didn't mean anything yet. Because the Boyar Duma was supposed to register this, but it refused to do so. That is, the Zemsky Sobor elected Boris, and the Boyar Duma rejected his candidacy. She proposed introducing Boyar rule in the country (in other words, an oligarchy), but the Zemsky Sobor opposed this.
The split at the top led to the issue of succession to the throne being taken to the streets. And here Godunov had an advantage, because while controlling political investigation, he had a lot of agents who began actively campaigning for him on the streets.
On February 20, a procession was organized to Boris and Irina so that Boris would take the throne. But Godunov categorically refused. He tied a scarf around his head, saying that he would rather hang himself than become an illegally elected king.
On February 21, the demonstration was repeated, and, finally, Godunov gave his consent. However, the Duma stood its ground and on February 26, Boris returned to Moscow and Job blessed him to reign. Formally, the reign of Boris Godunov began, but the Duma still remained silent. That is, it turns out that Godunov is still an illegal tsar. As a result, Boris again leaves for the Novodevichy Convent.
Godunov's trick in the fight against the Duma
Members of the Boyar Duma began to weave a new intrigue. They decided to bet on Simeon Bekbulatovich. Let me remind you that at some point Ivan the Terrible installed Simeon Bekbulatovich, a baptized Tatar, as the Grand Duke of Moscow. At the time of the beginning of the Time of Troubles, he was already a completely old man, but the Boyar Duma (maybe because of this) relied on him. And then Godunov came up with a very interesting move (the fact that it was a move that I slept later). Suddenly the messengers galloped up and said: “The Crimean threat. Crimeans are marching on Moscow!” Godunov began to gather an army for a campaign. Since ancient times, this order has existed in Rus' - all prominent representatives of the boyar duma automatically became military commanders. And all the military leaders before the start of the campaign took an oath of allegiance to the king. If you do not take the oath of allegiance to the king before a military campaign, then you are a traitor and automatically: either exile or the chopping block. Since Boris Godunov was blessed by the patriarch and the Zemsky Sobor to reign, the Boyar Duma had to kiss the cross and swear allegiance to Godunov. The Cossack army marched to the Oka, but there were no Crimeans there. So Godunov outplayed the Boyar Duma. After returning from the “campaign,” they were again forced to kiss Boris’s cross, and then the real inauguration of the Tsar took place.
Boris Godunov secretly gave lunch to the boyars for 5 years not to shed blood under any circumstances, no matter what they did. The young king understood that the future of his dynasty depended on the nobility. Therefore, he sought to show the boyars that he was their king. He returned to the Boyar Duma those who suffered from the Oprichnina, and tried to make them a counterweight to the Shuiskys and Romanovs. After all, at that time the Shuiskys and Romanovs acted as allies.
Maria Skuratova
Historians were little interested in the figure of Maria Skuratova, in the future Godunova. Little information has been preserved about her place of birth and details of her life. The most probable date of her birth is considered to be 1552. The girl's father was Malyuta Skuratov, who was in good standing with Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
In addition to Maria, there were two more sisters in the family, and the main goal for their father was to successfully marry off his daughters. And as soon as the girls turned 15 years old, they began to look for a profitable match. Skuratov married his eldest daughter to a nobleman who suffered from dementia, but had a good income and was a relative of the tsar on his mother’s side.
After Malyuta became related to Ivan the Terrible, finding a profitable match for the other two daughters was not difficult. The Tsar himself advised that Maria should be married to his former solicitor Boris Godunov. That's what they decided on.
One fine day Godunov came to woo Maria. The girl’s father met him, and she stood modestly next to him. Maria was short with long black hair. The groom liked the girl. It was not customary to ask the bride’s opinion at that time, but she did not regret such an alliance.
After the wedding, Maria Skuratova moved into her husband’s house and began to organize the household.
Personality of Boris Godunov
Being a sickly and superstitious person, Godunov was very afraid of damage. It seemed to him that his opponents were casting a spell on him. And since there was distrust on both sides, sooner or later this “abscess” had to break out. And it broke. Bogdan Bilsky was the first to fall. He was put in the pillory, his entire beard was plucked out one hair at a time, and he was sent into exile in Nizhny Novgorod. Then, in October 1600, the Romanovs were accused of malicious intent regarding the life of the Tsar. Opponents of the Romanovs from among the noble boyars were specially selected for the Duma commission to solve this problem. Why were the noble boyars chosen? Because from the point of view of the table of ranks, the Godunovs stood much higher than the Romanovs. Fyodor, the leader of the Romanov clan, was tonsured a monk under the name Filoret (the father of Mikhail Romanov, the future Russian Tsar), and his three brothers were sent to Siberia, where they all died in difficult conditions.
It must be said that Boris, for all his merits, was a very suspicious person. He was afraid of assassination attempts and damage, taking this very seriously.
Klyuchevsky
What can we say about Boris himself? Contemporaries, even those who were not favorable to him, wrote that he had a very good face, that he had very good manners and friendly speeches. Boris had an indestructible will, which he hid under the guise of a soft, doubtful and hesitant person. He was a very good actor, was a great speaker and was a very good family man. Godunov was the first Russian Tsar who sent the children of the boyars to study abroad. He sent 10 people to study - not a single one returned. It is even known that one of these “children” later became a pastor in Scotland. Under him, a water supply system appeared in the Kremlin, new bridges and stone benches were built. Therefore, even Boris’s opponents say that if he had been a little luckier and had a little more time at his disposal, he could have done a lot of good things.
But Godunov was unlucky. The fact is that his main strategy was “undercover games.” There he was a real master. “Under the carpet” he feels very good, but the problem is that the king also needs to act “above the carpet.” Intrigues alone are not enough. Sometimes you need to go out to people and instill in them respect, trust and veneration. Boris couldn't do this. His personality brilliantly corresponded to the era that preceded the Time of Troubles, but when the Time of Troubles in Russia had already begun, Godunov could not be the king of the people. He was rather weak for the turmoil, because here the games were already over, and it was necessary to be ready for the battle for the throne. He was unprepared.
Maria Skuratova-Belskaya - wife of Boris Godunov
Maria Grigorievna’s family life was successful. Some historians believe that the marriage was more beneficial to Godunov than to Skuratova-Belskaya herself, but this is a very subjective assumption. It so happened that Boris Godunov could neither read nor write, but he was distinguished by excellent memory, intelligence, dexterity and political acumen. Maria became his wife and assistant, assisting him in business, thanks to her education and ambition. With the help of this wedding, Boris Godunov strengthened his position at court, becoming a relative to the head of the Bed Order, and Maria Skuratova received even more respect and honor - together with her mother, becoming a matchmaker at the royal wedding of Ivan the Terrible and Martha Sobakina in 1571.
Boris Godunov with his wife Maria and son Fyodor, artist. B.V. Zvorykin, 1910
Isaac Mass, a traveler and merchant, describes the union of Godunov and Skuratova as follows:
“This woman, named Mary, having the heart of Semiramis, constantly strived for exaltation and dreamed of becoming a queen over time, and her hopes increased, for Queen Alexandra had no children; and [Maria] constantly convinced her husband that no one but him could ascend the throne after the death of Fedor, although others were still alive, namely Demetrius, the tyrant’s son from his seventh wife Martha.
Portrait of Isaac Abrahams Massa - Hals France
(...) They may think how Boris, who could neither read nor write, was so dexterous, cunning, cunning and smart. This came from his extensive memory, for he never forgot what he had once seen or heard; he also recognized well after many years those whom he had seen once; Moreover, his wife helped him in all his undertakings, and she was more cruel than he; I believe he would not have acted with such cruelty and would not have acted in secret if he had not had such an ambitious wife, who, as was said above, possessed the heart of Semiramis.”
So, Maria Skuratova-Godunova gave birth to three children: Ivan (died in infancy), Fedor and Ksenia. The children received the best education for those times - teachers invited from Europe taught the “seven wisdoms”, as well as the history of Rus' and other countries. Particular attention in the family was paid to spiritual development and education - reading spiritual literature, pilgrimages and prayers.
Maria’s sisters were also not devoid of royal ambitions: the eldest (name not preserved) became the wife of Tsar Ivan’s cousin, Prince Ivan Mikhailovich Glinsky; Catherine married the brother of the future tsar, Dmitry Ivanovich Shuisky; Elena was married to Ivan Kelmamaevich, a prince of Tatar origin (some sources indicate this sister with a mark of early death in her youth, along with her husband).
Domestic and foreign policy of Godunov
The main stages of Russian domestic policy during the reign of Boris Godunov are as follows:
- "Tax amnesty". All debts to the state were forgiven to the population.
- The death penalty was abolished for 5 years (it is noteworthy that Godunov’s reign itself lasted a little more than 5 years).
- Improvement of the Kremlin and Moscow. Construction of fortresses in the south of the country.
- Education of boyar children in Europe (a failed idea).
- Attempts to open mass educational institutions for everyone. The attempt was unsuccessful.
↑ Brief biography of Boris Godunov
The future tsar was born around 1551 and came from a family of Godunov boyars, descended from the Tatar prince Chet, who arrived in Moscow under Ivan Kalita.
Once at the court of Ivan IV, Boris Godunov, possessing a strong-willed and purposeful character, quickly made a court career, becoming the favorite of the formidable king.
In 1571, Boris married the daughter of the all-powerful Malyuta Skuratov, Maria. In 1580, Tsar Ivan chose Boris Godunov’s sister, Irina, as his wife for his son Fyodor, and Boris himself became a boyar.
After the death of Ivan IV in 1584, Fyodor Ioannovich ascended the throne, in need of an experienced and intelligent adviser. This is Boris Godunov, who soon became the practical ruler of Russia until the death of Fedor in 1598.
Difficulties of Godunov's reign
What was working against Godunov then? It seemed like everything. The reign of Boris Godunov was marked by a severe famine in 1601-1602. That's what led to this. At the beginning of the 17th century, the “Little Ice Age” began in Europe. This is due to many factors, ranging from systematic volcanic eruptions in the Pacific Ocean, which continued throughout the second half of the 16th century, to more serious climate movements. In Russia, the summer of 1601 was cold and rainy. In the spring of 1602 frosts struck, which destroyed the seed fund. As a result, 1602 and 1603 saw a severe crop failure. If at the end of the 16th century bread was sold for 3-4 kopecks per “Quarter”, then already in 1603 for 3-4 rubles. As a result, the population began to die en masse from hunger.
Godunov tried to solve the problems - he expanded construction work and organized the distribution of grain. In the context of the famine of 1601-1602, he announced the temporary restoration of St. George's Day. Why was this done? So that the peasants who were considered poor by landowners could move to those who were richer, in order to simply survive the famine. But as a result, Godunov, with this decision, turned against himself that part of the nobles who were poor. That is, Godunov found himself in a very difficult situation when he had no useful steps. In chess this is called "zugzwang". He makes 1 move, solves one problem, but it creates another (sometimes several). As a result, in 1603 Godunov reversed his decision regarding the peasants. Now the peasants are dissatisfied because they cannot go to work for a rich landowner. That is, the socio-economic situation in the country was deteriorating sharply.
Fight against False Dmitry 1
The army of False Dmitry was weak. After the first serious skirmish that ended in a draw on the banks of the Desna in December 1604, the Poles, the famous Polish hussars, decided that it would not be an easy walk here, and let False Dmitry go further on his own. On January 21, 1605, the Battle of Dobrynichi took place. In it, the royal troops defeated the troops of the impostor. Moreover, False Dmitry himself acted very bravely. He distinguished himself in the battle, but the outcome was decided by the royal infantry. A third of the impostor’s army died, and he himself fled (they initially thought that he had died and only later found out that he had fled). The Russian governors were convinced that this had solved the problem of False Dmitry and won the final victory.
Boris Godunov ordered, however, to continue hostilities and his governors Sheremetyev, Shuisky, Mstislavsky began the siege of the city of Kromy. The Allied army settled in Kromy, which consisted of 200 people and 500 Cossacks. Only 700 people. They were surrounded by an army of 80 thousand, which could not break the resistance of the besieged. The army and governors did not want to fight so much. Therefore, this army began to disintegrate, which also led to another source of distrust in Godunov.
↑ Godunov's Board
The reign was subordinated to the tasks of strengthening Russian statehood and establishing the prestige of Russia. Objectively assessing the activities of Boris Godunov, it is necessary to admit that he was a talented and far-sighted ruler, but some kind of evil fate dominated him.
In 1591, under unclear circumstances, Tsarevich Dmitry, heir to the throne during the life of Tsar Feodor, died. Rumor, and then the genius of Pushkin, make Godunov the culprit of the death of the prince.
In any case, after the death of Fedor, the line of the Moscow branch of the Rurikovichs was stopped and on February 17 (27), 1598, the Zemsky Sobor elected Boris Godunov as tsar. The next fatal set of circumstances were natural disasters that led to the great famine of 1601-1603.
The Time of Troubles begins, a period of severe spiritual, economic and foreign policy upheavals. The appearance of False Dmitry I in 1603 aggravated the crisis. On April 13 (23), 1605, Boris Godunov suddenly dies, leaving the country to his son Fedor. Alas, the promising young man will soon be killed, and the country will plunge into the abyss of Troubles for eight years.
The end of the reign of Boris Godunov
In fact, after this, the reign of Boris Godunov was over. New uprisings began in the country in the southern regions, in the Bryansk region, and the Cossacks played a special role in this. Godunov regularly received messages that the fighting was not going as it should. As a result, the king was greatly demoralized. He was not the kind of person who could make complex, strong-willed decisions in a difficult situation. He became indifferent to everything. On April 13, 1605, he stood up from the table and began bleeding from his nose, ears and throat. Just 2 hours later he died, having managed to bless his son Fedor for the kingdom.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with brief answers to the main questions from readers that most often come to our website:
- What opportunities opened up for the country during the reign of Boris Godunov? The reign of this tsar did not provide great prospects for Russia. This is due to the fact that the popular movements were too strong, as a result of which great efforts had to be spent on pacifying the situation. The dubiousness of this tsar's claims to the Russian throne ultimately led to the loss of ordinary people.
- What new features appeared in state life for the country during the reign of this king? Among the new features that began to appear in Russia under Godunov, it is necessary to highlight the softening of attitudes towards their subjects. In fact, Godunov refused to pursue a policy of intimidation, which consists of mass repressions. It is also necessary to highlight that it was under this tsar that active uprisings began in Russia, which were largely directed against Tsar Boris.
- Was Boris Godunov involved in the death of Tsarevich Dmitry? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question. The commission that investigated the death of the prince came to the conclusion that Dmitry, while playing with a knife, stabbed himself. This is an absurd assumption, which in no way explains how the wound was received in the form of a deep and long cut in the neck area. Moreover, Dmitry was a legitimate contender for the Russian throne and only his death opened the way there for Godunov. Of course, today it is difficult to find evidence of the involvement of other persons in the death of the young prince, since Godunov himself led the investigation, and his relatives were subordinate to him. It is noteworthy that the residents of Uglich (the place where the tragedy occurred) without trial or investigation killed the officials whom Boris sent to the cities to spy on Dmitry.
- Assess the domestic and foreign policies of Tsar Godunov . The main section of the current article describes in detail the features of domestic and foreign policy in Russia during this period.
How did the reign of Boris Godunov end?
The main reason for the failures of Godunov, and then his son, was the appearance of an impostor posing as the deceased Tsarevich Dmitry. He went down in history as False Dmitry I. In October 1604, he appeared on Russian territory along with an armed army. The impostor received support from Polish magnates.
Despite the victory over the impostor at Dobrynichi in January 1605, it was not possible to suppress the flaring anti-government movement. On April 13, 1605, Boris Godunov died unexpectedly for everyone. Witnesses said he suffered a "stroke" with blood gushing from his mouth, nose and ears. There were a variety of rumors about his death, some spoke of murder, others of suicide.
Like other Russian crown bearers, Boris was initially buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin. But soon False Dmitry ordered his remains to be transferred to the Barsanuphievsky Monastery. In the end, his grave became the family tomb in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
The fate of Godunov’s children was also very sad. His son Fedor stayed in power for only a month and a half, after which he was killed without trial. Daughter Ksenia was tonsured a nun; rumor said that before this, False Dmitry had dishonored her.
Tomb of the Godunovs in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra
