Federal Agency for Education

St. Petersburg State Mining Institute

them. G.V. Plekhanov

(technical university)

Department of Historical Sciences and Political Science

Abstract

Boris Godunov: personality, politician, sovereign

Discipline: “National History”

Completed by: student gr.EG-09 _________ /Y.S. Trufanova/

(signature) (full name)

GRADE: _____________

Date: __________________

CHECKED BY: k.i. Sc., Associate Professor ________ /F.L.Sevastyanov/

(signature) (full name)

Saint Petersburg

Introduction

The personality of Boris Godunov has always been of interest to contemporaries, historians, writers, poets, artists, and musicians. This is not surprising; his fate still causes a lot of controversy. Having started his service as an ordinary nobleman under Ivan the Terrible, Boris took the post of ruler under the feeble-minded Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, and then became the ruler of a huge power. Many historians agree on one thing: Boris Godunov was an amazing person in whom good and evil were mysteriously combined. But is there as much “evil” in him as is believed? Versatile statements speak of the duality of understanding of Boris’s personality and his policies. The historical material concerning his personality is so ambiguous and full of various ambiguities that it is impossible to give an unmistakably fair assessment of his moral and political qualities. Boris’s life was accompanied by many dramatic events, both in the history of Russia and in his private life, and above all, he was haunted by accusations of involvement in the tragic death of the young Tsarevich Dmitry in Uglich. However, numerous accusations against Godunov have not been proven by anyone, but the fact that they influenced the attitude of his descendants towards him is a fact.

So who really was Boris Fedorovich Godunov? How did his policy affect the fate of Russia? Let us take a closer look at his fate, the reviews of his contemporaries and various historians about his personal qualities and the changes that he made to the domestic and foreign policy of our state.

General characteristics of the personality of Boris Godunov

Origin

Yesterday's slave, Tatar, Malyuta's son-in-law,

The executioner's son-in-law is an executioner himself at heart,

He will take the crown and barmas of Monomakh...

A.S. Pushkin "Boris Godunov"

Legends about Godunov's Tatar origin are well known. The ancestor of the family was considered to be the Tatar Chet-Murza, who supposedly came to Russia under Ivan Kalita. Its existence is stated in the only source - “The Tale of Chet”. But it should be noted that there are many historical inaccuracies in “The Tale of Chet”, and it is unlikely that the information obtained from this legend is trustworthy. From the information that has reached our time, it has been found that the ancestors of Boris Godunov were neither slaves nor Tatars. Coming from Kostroma, they served the boyars at the Moscow court. Low official position and ignorance saved the Godunovs during the days of the oprichnina. Kinship with the boyars, so highly valued before, could now ruin the career of a service man. Unknown nobles were enrolled in the oprichnina corps, and they received all kinds of privileges.

Boris Godunov was born shortly before the conquest of Kazan, in 1552. His father, Fyodor Ivanovich, was a middle-class landowner. Boris's father and his brother Dmitry jointly owned a small estate in Kostroma. Therefore, after the death of his father, Boris was taken into his family by his uncle. Not only family feelings and the early death of his own children prompted Dmitry Ivanovich to take a special part in the fate of his nephew. It was important to prevent the division of the last family estate. Dmitry Godunov ended up in the oprichnina corps at the time of its formation. The king sought to break out of his old environment: he needed new people, and he opened the doors of the palace to them. So the modest Vyazma landowner became a courtier. His uncle's career successes benefited his nephew Boris. V.O. Klyuchevsky wrote that Boris Godunov did not stain himself with service in the oprichnina and did not lower himself in the eyes of society. But this is not entirely true. In fact, Boris put on the oprichnina caftan when he barely reached adulthood.

By chance (or rather because of Naumov’s death), Dmitry Godunov becomes Ivan the Terrible’s bed-boy. Then, having received the Duma rank of okolnichy, he leaves his previous position to his nephew. In normal times, the head of the inner palace guard was an inconspicuous figure. In an environment of conspiracies and executions, he found himself among the king's close advisers. Even the head of the oprichnina, Malyuta Skuratov, sought the friendship and protection of the influential bed guard. Guided by political calculations, the influential chief of the guardsmen married his daughter to Boris Godunov. The Skuratovs and Godunovs tried at any cost to become related to the royal family. And they managed to marry the heir to the throne, Fyodor Ivanovich, to Evdokia Saburova (the Saburovs and Godunovs trace their origins to Dmitry Zern). And although some time later Evdokia was exiled to a monastery, kinship with the royal family remained - Grozny’s middle son Fyodor married Irina Godunova, Dmitry’s niece. Boris Godunov became a courtier close to the Tsar. He occupied close positions and carried out orders emanating from the sovereign himself, visited Grozny in his closest retinue, and as a “friend” at the royal wedding. At the age of thirty, Boris had already received the rank of boyar and the important position of “kravchiy”. The elevation of individuals and families through kinship with queens was a common phenomenon in Moscow history, but such elevation was often fragile. The relatives of the Ivanov spouses died along with other victims of his bloodthirstiness. Boris himself, due to his closeness to the Tsar, was in danger; they say that the king severely beat him with his staff when Boris stood up for Tsarevich Ivan, who was killed by his father. But Tsar Ivan himself mourned his son and then began to show Boris even more favor than before for his courage, which, however, cost the latter several months of illness. Boris remained in his favor until the king's death.

Having no illusions about Fedor’s ability to govern, closer to death, Tsar Ivan the Terrible did what the Moscow princes did, leaving the throne to his young heirs. He left his son and his family in the care of faithful people, whose names he named in his will. Ivan the Terrible's will dealt a mortal blow to the ambitious plans of the Godunovs. As Fyodor's closest relatives, they were ready to take the reins of power into their own hands. And at that moment, when there was only one step left to take, an insurmountable barrier appeared on their way, erected by the will of the Tsar, Ivan - the regency council.

1.2. Power struggle

Tsar Ivan IV died in March 1584. Boris lacked the nobility to occupy a high position. But ultimately, the appointment to the post of equerry, carried out contrary to the clearly expressed will of Ivan the Terrible, brought Godunov into the circle of the rulers of the state. In the very first two weeks after the death of Ivan the Terrible, an uprising broke out against Bogdan Belsky, the nephew of the royal executioner Skuratov. Rumors were spread that he was going to put the youngest son of Tsar Ivan, baby Dmitry, in power, so Ivan’s widow, Maria Nagaya, with one and a half year old Dmitry and all her relatives were sent to Uglich, which was given to the prince as an inheritance.

A power struggle begins. The discord between Nikita Romanov and Mstislavsky attracted general attention. Having become the successor of the ill Romanov, Godunov waged the fight against Mstislavsky with redoubled energy. The clash ended with the resignation of the most distinguished member of the regency council.

In fact, power ended up in the hands of Boris Godunov. He managed to free himself from competitors: Mstislavsky in 1585. became a monk, N.R. Yuryev died in 1586, and I.P. Shuisky in the summer of 1586 He was captured, sent into exile and killed while trying to carry out a coup and eliminate Godunov.

The Zemshchina did not forgive Godunov for his oprichnina past. (The death of Tsarevich Dmitry in Uglich also added fuel to the fire). Godunov felt more and more acutely the fragility of his position. Many considered Boris to be nothing more than a temporary worker. Meanwhile, Fyodor Ioannovich was in poor health. He was sick and almost died in the first year of his reign. Boris understood perfectly well that the death of Fedor would lead to the rapid collapse of his career.

The fate of the Godunovs seemed to hang by a thread. Boris became more and more determined to seek salvation abroad. Under pressure from the zemshchina, Boris disbanded the “yard” guards and thereby lost the opportunity to maintain order and control the situation in the capital. The camp of his supporters was melting before our eyes.

1.3. Start of a career

The path to the throne for Godunov was not easy. In the appanage city of Uglich, the heir to the throne, Dmitry, the son of the seventh wife of Ivan the Terrible, grew up. On May 15, 1591, the prince died under unclear circumstances. The official investigation was conducted by boyar Vasily Shuisky. The reasons for what happened came down to the “negligence” of Nagikh, as a result of which Dmitry accidentally stabbed himself with a knife while playing with his peers. The prince was seriously ill with epilepsy. Giving such a child a knife was, in fact, criminal. The chronicle accuses Godunov of the murder of Boris, because Dmitry was the direct heir to the throne and prevented Boris from advancing to him, but this version is not officially supported by anything. On January 7, 1598, Fedor died, and the male line of the Moscow branch of the Rurik dynasty was cut short. The only close heir to the throne was Maria, the daughter of Fyodor’s cousin. On February 17, 1598, the Zemsky Sobor elected Boris Godunov to the throne. The close relationship outweighed the distant relationship of possible contenders for the throne. No less important was the fact that Godunov had actually ruled the country on behalf of Fedor for a long time, and was not going to let go of power after his death.

Boris was crowned king, even more magnificently and solemnly than Theodore, since he accepted Monomakh's utensils from the hands of the ecumenical patriarch. During the wedding, Boris said: “Father, great patriarch Job! God is my witness that in my kingdom there will be neither the orphan nor the poor,” and, shaking the top of his shirt, he said: “I will give this last one to the people.” This is how his reign began, about which historians even of our time have no clear opinion.

2. Domestic policy of Boris Godunov

2.1. Persecution of boyars

Very often in historical literature, when describing the period of Boris Godunov’s reign, such an aspect of his activity as “Persecution of the Boyars” is considered. After analyzing several different sources, I have formed my opinion on this issue. As we already know, Godunov’s policy constantly encountered mute resistance among the appanage and boyar nobility. Boris's discord with the boyars, the discontent of the "decreasing" nobles and city uprisings gave rise to a policy that in some ways resembled the oprichnina. Boris’s activities, in fact, at first glance, acquired a distinct anti-boyar character. But the clash with the nobility still did not lead to a repetition of the oprichnina. A pupil of Grozny was able to defeat the boyars in a different way. He also owed his triumph to the success of political centralization achieved by the end of the sixteenth century. Without the support of a strengthened administrative apparatus, Godunov would hardly have been able to cope with the surge of aristocratic reaction. The originality of Godunov’s political course was that he refused the services of the privileged security corps and tried to find a strong support among the entire mass of the nobility.

The history of Godunov’s rise to power is outlined above. The path to power was not easy: Godunov had to fight with four regents left to him by Ivan the Terrible. But the difference between Godunov and Grozny is that, having defeated his opponents, he never finished them off. Ivan IV, having defeated another boyar family, slaughtered it down to the fifth generation, including children. As comrade wittily said. Stalin “Ivan the Terrible made one mistake: he did not finish off the last five boyar clans!”

Boris Godunov did not even execute any of his direct opponents. He always limited himself to references and, moreover, only to party leaders (Mstislavsky, Shuisky, Romanov, etc.).

The only separate cases are the cases of Ivan and Andrei Shuisky, as well as the Romanov brothers. For a very long time, throughout 1596, I. Shuisky demanded the head of B. Godunov from the Boyar Duma in connection with the “Austrian Affair.” He was also a constant instigator of “manifestations of popular indignation” in Moscow. Godunov actually killed him shortly after his exile to Beloozero. The younger Shuisky - Andrei (the one with whom Godunov had a fight in the Duma) - was killed in prison. But this is where the repression against the Shuiskys ended. And 5 years after the “Austrian Case,” Andrei’s brother, Vasily Shuisky, headed the investigation into the “Uglich Case,” which was fundamental for Godunov.

The real tragedy happened only with the Romanovs. Before his death, Regent Romanov transferred his rights as regent to B. Godunov. Since then, the Romanovs have been the closest allies of the Godunovs for 10 years. The breakup occurred a year before the death of Tsar Feodor. The Romanovs did not want to put up with the role that Godunov assigned for them, and slowly began to intrigue. Feeling this, Boris quickly pushed them aside (after all, it was the Romanovs, and not the Godunovs, who came to power in the event of Fedor’s death). Subsequently, the Romanovs continued their policy to the end, creating trouble for Godunov in the Duma, and then, during the famine, openly inciting rebellion, and paid for it. Fyodor Romanov (the main contender for the throne, the future patriarch) was imprisoned in a monastery. Alexander, Mikhail and Vasily Romanov died in exile. But not a single one was executed according to the verdict! The last of the brothers, Ivan, was returned from exile a year later and received a position. Having already come to power, the Romanovs did everything to take revenge on Boris Godunov, even after his death. Godunov was subjected to total blackening. This is especially observed in the works of the historian K. Valishevsky, who is under the patronage of the Romanovs. In them, Godunov appears as a real “fiend of hell.” Klyuchevsky refutes this in his works, and Karamzin, Solovyov, and Platonov came to the same conclusion independently of him at different times. No, Boris Godunov was not “...an executioner in the soul...”. Fortunately for Russia.

Godunov’s gentleness aroused contempt among his enemies (albeit mixed with fear). The former regent B. Belsky, having returned from exile, having gone to fulfill his post on the Russian border, arrived at the place and began to openly declare: “Godunov’s power is in Moscow, and Belsky’s power will be here!” It’s hard to even imagine what Grozny would have done to him for something like this... Godunov took the denunciation against Belsky without attention. Just a fantastic example for that time

Having finally quarreled with the chief zemstvo clerk and his teacher, Andrei Shchelkalov, Godunov achieved his removal from office and transferred the post to Andrei’s brother, Vasily Shchelkalov. One can imagine how Ivan the Terrible would behave in such a situation. Most likely, the very name of the Shchelkalov family would have remained only in the memorial sheets of some remote monastery.

2.2. Establishment of the Patriarchate

Anti-feudal uprisings, feuds between boyars and the complete incapacity of Tsar Fedor weakened the autocratic system of government. Discord between the secular and spiritual authorities and the deposition of Metropolitan Dionysius aggravated the crisis. The government sought to smooth out contradictions and avoid new clashes with church leaders. The situation of acute social crisis required the revival of a strong church organization. In such a situation, the secular authorities took the initiative to establish a patriarchate in Russia. Boris Godunov managed to elevate his protege Job to the metropolitan see. But the new metropolitan did not enjoy authority and popularity. After Job’s accession to the patriarchal table, the authorities drew up the so-called approved letter of his election. It contained an indication of the historical role of the Russian state as a stronghold of the universal Orthodox Church. “Moscow is the third Rome,” with all its pretentiousness, expressed the advantage of the desire to eliminate the inferior position of Moscow in relation to other centers of Orthodoxy. The establishment of the patriarchate strengthened the prestige of the Russian Church and reflected a new balance of power within the ecumenical Orthodox hierarchy.

2.3. "Saved Summers"

The formation of serfdom in Rus' was a long and irreversible process. It began under Ivan III (with the introduction of St. George's Day) and ended under Alexei Mikhailovich Quiet. The era of the Romanovs thus became the “era of serfdom” and peasant wars. Godunov actually made a small contribution to this great process. But much more significant than this contribution were the decrees adopted during his reign, freeing the territories of Siberia, the Russian North, Cossack villages, and some other areas from serfdom. And this was incommensurably more global than the notorious decree of 1597, which would have been adopted anyway, had Godunov or someone else been in power.

The famous Russian historian V.N. Tatishchev believed that Godunov enslaved the peasants with a special law of 1592. After the death of the ill-fated Boris, the text of his law was lost, so thoroughly that no one could find it. The weakness of the “decree” theory was that it was based not on strictly verified facts, but on guesses. Noting this circumstance, V.O. Klyuchevsky called the opinion about the establishment of peasant bondage by Godunov a historical fairy tale. “It was not government orders,” he argued, “but the real living conditions, the debt of the peasants that put an end to peasant transitions.” But this theory was shaken when documents about “reserved years” were discovered in the archives. Sources paint a rather unexpected picture. During the reign of Godunov, the serfdom regime began to acquire clear contours for the first time. The mechanism of “reserved years” arose not from a legislative act, but from practical orders of the authorities. Finance has become one of the main springs of this mechanism. And Boris Godunov was destined to play the sinister role of the serf owner. The authors of the historical reference of 1607 claimed that the pious Fyodor enslaved the peasants at the instigation of Boris. In reality, everything happened differently. The foundations of the serfdom regime were laid by the administrative department of clerk Andrei Shchelkolev. Having removed the actual co-ruler, Boris appropriated the fruits of his many years of efforts. Three years after the resignation of the clerk, Godunov put Shchelkolev’s provisions on a 5-year period for searching the peasants into the form of a detailed legislative act. The publication of the law of 1597 meant that the system of measures to streamline finances finally degenerated into a system of attachment to land. This was the mechanism for enslaving the multi-million Russian peasantry. The serfdom law of 1597 was issued on behalf of Tsar Feodor. But Fyodor was living out his last days, and his contemporaries knew very well from whom the personal decree came. The serfdom policy brought Boris widespread support from the feudal nobility.

Foreign policy. Boris Godunov as a diplomat

Godunov's government continued Grozny's foreign policy on the Baltic issue. But it refrained from active actions in the Baltic states while there was a danger of a union between Poland and Sweden. As soon as this danger lost its real character, Russia immediately struck Sweden. She intended to regain the Russian lands captured by the Swedes, and most importantly, to revive “Narva navigation”.

In January 1590, Russian regiments occupied Yan, blocked Koporye and advanced to Narva. Boris Godunov took control of the siege of the enemy fortress. His ill-wishers then suspected him of treason. But in fact, Godunov’s orders under the walls of Narva were explained not by his sympathy for the enemy, but by his complete lack of combat experience. On February 19, the Russians launched a general assault. Having a huge numerical superiority, they attacked the fortress at once at 7 points. The position of the Swedes was such that a rapid onslaught could decide the fate of the fortress in a matter of hours. But Boris, finding himself at the mercy of the military element with its constant companion - risk, did not feel confident. He chose the path of negotiations, hoping to persuade the Swedes to capitulate. Under the terms of the truce concluded under the walls of Narva, the Swedes cleared the Russian fortresses of Ivan-Gorod and Koporye that they had previously captured. Russia regained the sea coast between the Narva and Neva rivers. But she failed to capture the port of Narva and restore “Narva navigation”. Thus, the main goal of the offensive was not achieved. The Swedish king Johan III did not want to admit defeat in the war with Russia and was preparing for revenge. He entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khanate, and Moscow became the target of the enemy invasion. Early in the morning of July 4, 1591, the Tatars reached Moscow along the Serpukhov road and occupied Kotly. The Russian regiments settled down near the Danilov Monastery in a mobile fortification - the “walk-city”. There was a battle during the day, and at night the Tatars retreated. As during the siege of Narva, Boris Godunov showed neither determination nor energy in the war with the Tatars. However, all the glory after the victory went to him. The capital and court honored him as a hero. Boris longed for the glory of a great military leader. But the noise of praise and awards did not deceive anyone. In the florid expressions usual for that time, contemporaries wrote that Godunov “was not skilled in fighting”, “but was not skilled in weapons.” Godunov's eastern policy was marked by great successes. Russia repelled the attack of the Tatars and strengthened the security of its southern borders. In a short time, new border fortresses were built: Voronezh (1585), Livny (1586), Yelets (1592), Belgorod, Oskol, Kursk (1596). The defensive line was pushed south into the “wild field.”

In general, many historians note Boris Godunov as a talented diplomat. During the years of his reign, the agreement on free trade of Danish merchants in Russia was renewed, monetary assistance was provided to Austria to fight Mohammed (“the enemy of Christianity”), favorable relations were established with England: Boris gave a new charter for free and duty-free trade between England and Russia , Germany, Boris refused duty-free trade and the construction of Catholic churches on Russian soil.

4. Reviews from contemporaries

It is worth noting that contemporaries considered Godunov an amazing speaker. People who knew Boris admired his speeches. “By nature he is endowed with a sonorous voice and the gift of eloquence,” Thorius wrote about the ruler. Boris’s younger contemporary, Semyon Shakhovskoy, called him a “very sweet-tongued” man. The Englishman noted Boris’s manners, the beauty of his face and his constant friendliness in his manner. According to Shakhovsky, Boris “bloomed with splendor” and “surpassed many people in his image.” Possessing an indestructible will, Boris gave the impression of a gentle person. In moments of emotional excitement, tears welled up in his eyes. Godunov amazed his contemporaries with his constancy in family life and affection for children. Listing the tsar’s virtues, Russian writers emphasized his aversion to “ungodly wine drinking.”

Even his enemies, paying tribute to Godunov, wrote that he could have accomplished many great things if unfavorable circumstances had not prevented him. This opinion was expressed by both foreigners and Russian writers. Of course, in order to appreciate this or that praise, you need to imagine who it comes from. Boris's admirers were nobles, who were especially admired by his generosity towards serving people. Russian writers fully appreciated Boris's merits after his death, when his insignificant successors took the throne. “Although other smart kings appeared after Godunov,” I. Timofeev diplomatically noted, “their mind was only a shadow of his mind.” Having taken possession of the crown, Boris brought upon his own head the indignation of the nobility. However, thanks to a flexible policy, he managed to rally the elite around the throne. The hatred of the lower classes turned out to be fatal for the Godunov dynasty. Boris erected a throne on a volcano.

5. Tragic end

5.1. The attitude of the people towards Tsar Boris Godunov

Living power is hateful to the mob,

They only know how to love the dead.

A.S. Pushkin, "Boris Godunov".

The beginning of Boris's reign seemed unusually prosperous. But this was only an appearance. For the first two years, Boris was a good king in the eyes of his people, and the cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, Avraamy Palitsyn, who lived during Boris’s time, says that “for the sake of his nation-wide buildings, Boris was kind to everyone.”

The subsequent reign of Godunov was marked by great disasters for Russia: a terrible crop failure caused widespread famine. In Moscow alone, 120,000 people died in two years. The Tsar fought the disaster with all his might and finally ordered bread to be distributed for free in Moscow; but this measure had very sad consequences: a great many parasites came to Moscow who did not want to work, since it was possible to feed in the capital for nothing. As a result of a terrible famine, many robbers appeared in the state, from whom civilians suffered near Moscow itself.

The people hiccupped for the culprits of all the disasters and finally found them in the person of Tsar Boris himself: already in 1601 they began to quietly talk about the fact that the wrath of God was punishing the Russian people for putting up with a child-killer tsar on the throne. The Moscow people openly show their dislike: they spit after Godunov’s carriage, adding the offensive word “thin.” Boris learns about these rumors, and his bright mind is darkened by gloomy anger: he looks for his enemies, encourages all sorts of slander. The life of the enemies becomes unbearable. Two boyars will quarrel, and one, in anger at the other, will report that he is plotting against the tsar, and that’s enough: the unfortunate man is seized, tortured, and sometimes executed. Slaves and servants, dissatisfied with something about their masters, run and slander them. Through the denunciation of his own slave, the Romanov family was destroyed by Godunov. Boris believed the words of the yard man, one of the Romanov brothers. He remembered well that the eldest of the brothers, Fyodor, was his rival when elected to the kingdom, and decided to get rid of the family that was dangerous to him. The Romanov brothers were subjected to cruel imprisonment, and the eldest of them, Fyodor, was forcibly tonsured a monk under the name of Philaret: by this they wanted to deprive him forever of the opportunity to take the throne. His wife Ksenia Ivanovna, with the name Martha, was also forced to become a monk. Their five-year-old son Mikhail was separated from his parents and, together with his aunt Anastasia Nikitichna, was exiled to Beloozero. Mikhail Nikitich Romanov experienced a particularly difficult imprisonment: he was kept in an earthen pit prison in the village of Nyrobe (now Perm province, Cherdyn district). The heavy iron shackles in which the unfortunate boyar was shackled are still preserved there. Of the five Romanov brothers, only monk Filaret and Ivan Nikitich endured a difficult prison sentence and remained alive.

The feeling of hostility towards the sovereign was also fueled by skillfully spread rumors about the non-accidental death of Tsarevich Dmitry. Rumors were spread by opponents of Godunov Nagimi. Many historians of past years, including Karamzin, considered Godunov guilty of the death of the prince, and the great Russian poet Pushkin in his work “Boris Godunov” even described the mental anguish of the king: “And the boys are bloody in the eyes...”. However, in fairness, it is worth noting that there is no direct evidence of the involvement of the future king in the death of the boy. But rumors about Boris’s alleged crime spread throughout Russia and penetrated abroad.

Godunov soon began to move away from the Russians, abolished the regulations of ancient times: he did not want to go out to the people on holidays and listen to their complaints. Suspicions began to awaken in Boris that they wanted to kill him, expel him from the throne, “dreamed of secret feats against himself, poison, sorcery.” Subsequently, as Karamzin noted, “the voice of the Fatherland was no longer heard in private, selfish praise, and the silence of the people, serving as a clear reproach for the Tsar, announced an important change in the hearts of the Russians: they no longer loved Boris!”

5.2. Death

At the beginning of 1602, on the Russian-Swedish border, a letter from a foreigner from Narva was intercepted, in which it was written that Ivan the Terrible’s son Dmitry was not killed in 1591, but was happily saved and is now with the Cossacks and is soon going to Moscow with a large army. It was False Dmitry I. The ghost of the prince was revived by circles close to the Romanovs. The true face of False Dmitry was the fugitive of the Chudov Monastery, Grigory Otrepiev.

When Boris was informed about the appearance of an impostor in Poland, he did not hide his feelings and told the boyars in the face that it was their doing and it was conceived to overthrow him. It seems incredible that Godunov later entrusted the army to the same boyars and sent them against the impostor. The explanation is that popular movements threatened to overthrow the foundations of the feudal regime that was born, but not yet strengthened. In such a situation, the dominant feudal class, willy-nilly, had to rally around the dynasty in order to protect its own interests.

Grigory Otrepyev found himself at the crest of the popular movement. He tried to play the role of a Cossack chieftain and people's leader, but the true interests of the people were deeply alien to him. Several low-ranking governors went over to the side of False Dmitry. The fortresses were surrendered by the rebel Cossacks and townspeople.

Agitation in favor of the “good” Tsar (False Dmitry) spread among the people like a fad. Overwhelmed by fear of the impostor, Godunov more than once sent secret assassins to his camp. Later, he ordered Dmitry’s mother to be brought to Moscow and asked her for the truth: whether the prince was alive or had been gone for a long time.

At this time, Tsar Boris himself changed dramatically. Usually active and actively involved in governing the country, he retreated more and more from business. His long-standing illness, gout, made itself felt more and more often. Moreover, those around him began to notice his unusual irritability and suspiciousness. The king devoted more and more time to prayers; witches and fortune tellers appeared in the palace, whom the king asked about his future and the future of his family.

On April 13, 1605, Boris Godunov died under unclear circumstances in his palace in the Kremlin. After attending a diplomatic dinner with foreign ambassadors in the Golden Chamber, Boris ascended to the balcony in the upper chambers of his palace. Here he was overtaken, according to the official version, by an apoplexy. Blood gushed from the mouth, nose and ears. The doctors who came running could no longer help him. The Tsar only managed to bless his son Fedor for the kingdom.

The death of Boris Godunov facilitated the capture of Moscow by False Dmitry I and the reprisal of his supporters against the family of the former tsar. They didn’t leave Boris’s ashes alone. They removed the corpse from the Archangel Cathedral and buried it along with the remains of his wife and son in an abandoned cemetery outside the city.

Conclusion

Tsar Boris not only visits me, but also sits with me inseparably and graciously turns in all directions so that I can see him. Seeing him so close, I admit, I fell in love with him.

A.K. Tolstoy.

Thus, we can conclude that Boris's dominance and power were not based only on court dexterity and intrigue, as is sometimes mistakenly believed. Boris Godunov had an extraordinary mind and talent for government. His political fate cannot be envied: the country fell to him during the years of the gravest crisis. The lost war (1558-1583), which exhausted the state; the disorder of the population and the collapse of landowners in the center, the oprichnina terror with its grave consequences - all this created the most difficult situation. He constantly tried to normalize the situation in the country and achieved some success.

If you do not pay attention to the rumors and slander that accompany the life of the Tsar, you can see a man who truly cares not only about his well-being, but also about the good of his Fatherland. Boris Godunov was destroyed by a fateful combination of circumstances and the hatred of his own people. Godunov is an ambiguous personality, but, nevertheless, as Platonov wrote, it is the direct duty of historians to morally rehabilitate him.

List of used literature

Valishevsky K. Time of Troubles. - M., 1993.

Klyuchevsky V.O. Historical portraits. – M., 2008.

Klyuchevsky V.O. Russian history. Full course of lectures. - M., 1996.

Platonov, S. F. Boris Godunov. The sage and the criminal. - M., 2006.

Pushkin A.S.. Works in three volumes. - M., 1986.

Skrynnikov R.G. Boris Godunov. - M., 1992.

Soloviev S.M. Readings and stories on the history of Russia. - M., 1990.

Encyclopedia of the Russian Monarchy - M., 2002.

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Cheat sheet >> Literature and Russian language
1st floor 19th century Pushkin – “ Boris Godunov". Center. prod. trilogy-tragedy O. “... to see people. shortcomings sovereign(indecision, for example... cunning, self-confident. politician, portrait character - ... as the main one personality. Personality historical figure appears...
Ivan the Terrible era and personality
Abstract >> History
Ivan the Terrible: era and personality Completed by: 1st year student... was transformed into “ Gosudarev yard." As a result of the oprichnina politicians, emergency, drastic measures in... 88 1 Kostomarov N.I. Publication by: Boris Godunov(“Motherland”, 1989, No. 10.P.62.

One of the most difficult and controversial eras of Rus' lasted from the end of the 16th century. and until the beginning of the 17th century. This is the so-called Time of Troubles, which became a turning point in the future fate of the great state, when the ground was created for a tough political struggle. In the spring of 1584, Tsar Ivan the Terrible dies. A large number of people claim the royal throne. The throne goes to his middle son Fedor.

Godunov

According to historical information, there is a version that Grozny personally killed his eldest son Ivan. At this time, mass uprisings began (from 1584 to 1586), a brutal struggle for power and political influence.

The lot fell on his group, indicating that in the future he becomes a co-ruler of Tsar Feodor and begins to have full state power.

Some time later, in 1591, Ivan Vasilyevich’s youngest son, Tsarevich Dmitry, born of the tsar’s seventh wife, tragically dies in Uglich. A commission specially created on this occasion was unable to determine the circumstances of his death. In an epileptic fit, he allegedly fell on a knife.

Boris Godunov. Historical portrait

Boyar Vasily Shuisky accuses Godunov of murdering the young prince. The real truth of this case remains unknown to this day.

Tsar Fedor had no heirs. His two-year-old daughter died. The wife remained on the throne for a short time and then retired to a monastery. Among the contenders for the throne were her brother Boris Godunov, relatives of Tsar Fedor (the Romanov boyars), and the noble princes Shuisky and Mstislavsky. In the winter of 1598, Tsar Fedor dies. The Rurik dynasty ends with it.

Godunov was the tsar’s co-ruler for a long time, and it was he who wanted to take power into his own hands. In the same year, the Zemsky Sobor unanimously elected Boris as the new Tsar. For the first time in the history of Rus', power was given to Godunov not by inheritance, but by popular decision.

Historical essay. Boris Godunov: Unified State Examination in History

Godunov’s unheard-of rise and tragic death attracted enormous attention from writers, historians, poets, artists, and musicians. It would seem that some ordinary boyar becomes the king of a great power.

One of the first creations during the Time of Troubles was the work of the first Russian Patriarch Job (1589) “The Tale of the Honest Life of the Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ioannovich.”

In his work, he glorifies two people, since he was then a faithful ally of Tsar Feodor and his right hand, Boris. Patriarch Job was overthrown from the throne by False Dmitry, who appeared in 1605.

One can only guess that this work was born precisely in January 1598, since this work tells about the death of Fyodor, but does not talk about Tsar Boris Godunov. It was written during a period of intense struggle for the throne.

The Patriarch writes about the virtue and wisdom of Tsar Fedor, and also turns his attention to the senior boyar Boris Fedorovich Godunov. He writes that he is a worthy, wise and reasonable co-ruler of Tsar Fedor. He was his brother-in-law, servant and equerry.

Godunov's services to the Fatherland

Foreign tsars accorded Godunov honor equal to that of the Tsar of Rus' himself. He was a construction innovator. And many churches and monasteries, fortifications, merchant chambers, etc. were erected.

Boris Godunov, together with the Tsar of Livonia, very successfully beat the Swedes. He annexed several Baltic cities to Rus'. The Rugodiv campaign (Narva) made it possible to do this. The victory was solemnly celebrated in Moscow.

Patriarch of Rus' Job also did not forget to mention that the co-ruler of Tsar Godunov successfully defended Moscow from the attacks of the Crimean Tatars in 1591. This business was very risky, since the main troops were in Novgorod. Godunov used a trick. He placed carts with guns and ordered his men to fire their guns constantly. This greatly frightened the khan, who decided that it was the Novgorod troops who came to the rescue in time. And then he retreated in fear. Chroniclers write about this event as a miracle and sign of God.

Contemporaries about the Troubles

In works written later, you can read that Tsar Fedor was poisoned by Boris Godunov. But it is still more correct to consider that he died a natural death, since he was very sick. He gave his sovereign scepter (since he had no heirs) to his wife - Patriarch Job writes about this.

Thus, many contemporaries tried to create a historical portrait, expressing their opinions in stories, lives, chronographs, etc. But all the information collected was contradictory, since there was no clear opinion. Contemporaries of the Troubles gave their assessment based on their political and class convictions.

At school in high school they study the historical portrait of Boris Godunov (7th grade, briefly) and give an analysis of his political activities.

Biography

A well-known fact is that the Godunovs’ ancestry comes from the Tatar Khan Chete. Boris Godunov's ancestors were boyars. His father was a middle-class landowner. Godunov was born in 1552, that is, even before the conquest of Kazan by the Terrible.

At that time, not yet so noble, Boris Godunov was enlisted as a guardsman in the corps, and then received the rank of head of the Bed Order at the court. He was a witness at the wedding ceremony of Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible with Marfa Sobakina. And in the same year, Boris married the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. In 1578, he became a steward and monitored those serving drinks and food to the king’s table.

Two years later, Godunov’s sister marries Ivan the Terrible’s second son, Fyodor. And then the king granted him the title of boyar. Boris was careful and smart. In the last years of the king, he was his close confidant and had enormous influence at court. Some historians claim that it was Godunov who strangled Grozny in 1584. After all, he and Belsky were next to the Tsar in the last minutes, and they were the first to announce the news of his death in the square.

End of life

How did Boris Godunov end his life? The historical portrait of the Tsar culminates in his sudden death at age 53. It is still unknown why he died.

Having eaten heartily and in a good mood, he decided to climb the tower to survey Moscow, but suddenly suddenly felt unwell. When the king came down from the tower, he was bleeding from his ears and nose. Godunov fainted and died. Shortly before his death, he took monastic vows.

The next king was his son Fedor, a very smart and educated man, who was overthrown and killed along with his mother, and his sister Ksenia was first a concubine of the enemy, then a nun. Today the remains of the Godunov family are kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.

Conclusion

At school, in history lessons, they study the period of the Troubles and the reign of Tsar Boris Godunov. The Unified State Examination in literature also contains tasks on this rather complex topic. The events of that time are too full of contradictory moments, and here you need to be careful in drawing conclusions. Pushkin's tragedy "Boris Godunov" enters into the historical portrait that it was Godunov who became the murderer of the only heir - Tsarevich Dmitry. Pushkin wrote it under the impression of N.M. Karamzin’s works about Russia.

Boris Godunov was a very strong personality. His political portrait can be drawn from the thirteen years of his reign. At that time, this was quite a long period of time, and Tsar Boris showed himself very worthy.

2-03-2018, 15:46 |

Boris Fedorovich Godunov

Boris Fedorovich Godunov is a controversial figure in Russian history. His chances of being on the throne of the Moscow state were very slim. Of course, his rise to power does not apply to the saying “from rags to riches,” but nevertheless. He came from a very ancient family, but not entirely noticeable among other noble princely and boyar families.

Boris Fedorovich was a man who had seen a lot. Even the circumstances at the beginning of his life were very difficult. On the way to power, to the throne, he overcame many obstacles. He did this thanks to his charisma, extraordinary mind, as well as his ability to look for the best solutions in any, even the most seemingly hopeless situation.

Personality of Boris Godunov

As has already been said, the Godunov family was not as noble as, for example, the family of the second elected tsar - Vasily Shuisky. However, despite this, even in his youth Boris managed to experience all the “delights” of the oprichnina regime. One might say that he was then in the thick of all the main events. The personality of Boris Godunov is unique in that, having survived the period, he was able to eventually receive royal regalia and the Monomakh Cap.

The following factors probably helped him in this:

His own decisions and actions;
Events of his personal life;
His acquaintances and family connections.

These factors are typical of the political elite of the time. However, not everyone manages to take full advantage of, for example, the same acquaintances and family connections. Members of the Boyar board or administrative apparatus did not always manage to use their personal qualities for their own benefit, or use connections to advance their careers. Boris Godunov was able to do this. He managed, mainly through cunning and maneuvering, to use all his personal qualities and connections, and ultimately find himself at the top.

All titled families came from the descendants of Rurikovich, Gidemin and Olgerd. The bulk of the titled and untitled nobility were represented by various surnames of the Moscow and Tver nobility. But not everyone, of course, was represented in the Boyar Duma. But all political orders developed only recently, starting with the reign of Ivan III, some were presented in his Code of Laws.

It is worth remembering that Muscovite Rus' at that time was an autocratic monarchy. But already under IvanIII, the status of such an important political institution as the Boyar Duma changed. It became the representative body of titled and not so titled boyar aristocratic noble families. Based on this, political life and its space have changed, and quite significantly. There was no longer an open confrontation between Tver and Moscow, there were no civil strife. All this stabilized the political situation.

Origin and career of Boris Godunov

Oprichnina and its rules became decisive, as it later became clear, in the career of Boris Fedorovich Godunov. She allowed him and his family to rise and get closer to power. There was not a single Godunov in the Duma until approximately 1574. The origin of Boris Godunov, namely his family, comes from the same branch as such surnames as:

Saburovs;
Vilyaminov-Zernov;

Portraiture did not yet exist as a separate art, so it is almost impossible to find a portrait that would resemble the real Boris Fedorovich. He was born around 1550-1552. Having lost his father early, Boris and his younger sister Irina began to be looked after by their uncle Dmitry Ivanovich Godunov, who was not the last person to help Boris move up the career ladder.

His first mention is in the oprichnina ranks of the army; he appears as a solicitor in 1567. It is important to understand that at that time the Sovereign’s court had already been formed, which consisted of:

Duma ranks:
- Members of the Boyar Duma;
- Officials of the palace departments;
Moscow ranks:
- Moscow nobles;
- Stolniks are young people serving official receptions (feasts, embassies);
- Solicitors - served the royal family (they were involved in organizing those who directly looked after the royal family).

Godunov was just such a lawyer, then he is mentioned in 1570-1572, where Boris already acts as steward of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich the Young. During the same period, he married Maria Grigorievna Belskaya, daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. Malyuta Skuratov was then close to Boris, which was beneficial for Boris himself.

Board of Boris Godunov

The reign of Boris Godunov, his presence directly in power can be considered back to 1575-76. under Tsar Ivan IV. It so happened that his marriage with Skuratov’s daughter, as well as the marriage of his sister with Tsarevich Fyodor Ivanovich in the fall of 1574, became favorable. Boris Fedorovich was now part of the tsar’s closest circle of friends.

In 1577, he received the position of kravchiy, that is, responsible for the sovereign’s drinking during meals. He was involved in organizing production and purchasing drinks. This position also implied direct communication with the sovereign. In 1580, Boris Fedorovich finally became a boyar.

March 1584 - death of Ivan IV, he died very quickly 5-6 hours after signs of illness appeared. They began to think and decide what to do next. All the Nagi were immediately escorted out of the Kremlin, except for the last wife Maria and son Dmitry. Then the Nagiye were appointed governors to the most distant cities of the North and Siberia. Many close associates were removed, and the Godunov surname did not claim anything at all.

Bogdan Belsky began to play a special place, but an uprising occurred to prevent him from coming to power. Many boyars organized an alliance against Belsky, he found himself in disgrace and exiled. Then the political struggle continues. It includes two important events:

The Metropolitan blesses. On May 31, 1584, the Council takes place - the wedding;
A little earlier, Dmitry and his mother were sent to Uglich, plus they were provided with a full staff of servants.

Two political movements emerged that laid claim to power, not in the literal sense, of course. They laid claim to a place next to the future tsar, who most likely would be Fyodor Ivanovich. On the one hand, this is Boris Godunov, his uncle and Nikita Zakharyin-Yuryev and the rest, and on the other, such famous boyar families as the Shuiskys, Mstislavskys and others. From the end of May, Godunov began to be in charge of the stables, which was very important and prestigious.

Politics of Boris Godunov

The political struggle continued until 1587. Boris Fedorovich's victory was achieved thanks to his alliance with Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuryev. When Nikita Romanovich fell ill, Boris promised to take care of his children. Such cooperation provided support for Godunov from the children, relatives and friends of Nikita Zakharyin-Yuryev.

In 1591, a raid was carried out by the Crimean Khan. The army was about 100 thousand people. Sweden also supported the Khan. Khan reached the capital and settled in Kolomna. There was a siege regiment in Gulyai-Gorod, commanded by Boris Godunov. He managed to repel the attacks of the Crimean Khan. This victory brought unprecedented glory to Godunov; he was given many gifts. Fyodor Nikitich Romanov, on behalf of the Tsar, informed Boris Fedorovich that he was complaining about the title of servant. It was very honorable; there were only three such people in Russia:

Prince Starodubsky;
Prince Ivan Vorotynsky;
Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky.

Boris Godunov's policy was smart, subtle and calculating. The title of servant made Godunov actually the steward of the Sovereign.

Godunov gradually removed all the Shuisky princes from power, in particular Ivan Petrovich, who was in opposition to Boris;
1591 - in Uglich, the investigation commission was headed by Vasily Shuisky, who had recently returned from exile. Maria Nagaya was tonsured a nun, and Dmitry's death was declared accidental;
Several large fires occurred in the capital. It was discovered that these were deliberate arson attacks. Godunov gave the order to quickly restore the burned areas, which was carried out.

Under Boris Fedorovich, relations with England, in particular trade, strengthened; an important truce was concluded with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for 12 years. A long truce made it possible to maintain calm in the West of Muscovite Rus'. After the failure of the Crimean Khan, Sweden also calmed down, and peace was made with it. And then with the Crimean Khanate. Muscovite Rus' gradually stabilized relations with its neighbors.

Death of Tsarevich Dmitry in Uglich. May 1591

Crowning of Boris Fedorovich Godunov

1595 - introduction of a 5-year period for searching fugitive peasants. This is only one of the steps towards the enslavement of the peasants. The 5-year period of investigation did not completely enslave the peasants. This will be done only in the Council Code of 1649 under Alexei Mikhailovich. Only draft peasants were subject to this rule, but not their children, for example. In addition, the investigation was carried out not by the state, but by the peasant owner himself.

In 1598, on January 6-7, Fyodor Ivanovich died; they had no heirs in the male line. We began to think about how to proceed. For some time after the death of her husband, Irina ruled, but soon she decided to go to the monastery. This was quite common during that time period. She did this on the 9th day according to custom.

By mid-February, the Zemsky Sobor was meeting, mainly representatives of the Sovereign's court were present. The main decision that needed to be made was to choose a new king. On February 17, the Council decision was made. The crowning of Boris Fedorovich Godunov took place in September 1598. Patriarch Job took the most active part in making this decision.

In 1598 the culmination of his political career was reached. The crowning of the kingdom became the pinnacle that Boris Fedorovich had been striving for for many years. He was ready to take on the burden of power, but many circumstances occurred that prevented him from staying on the throne for a long time.

Tsar Boris Godunov

Tsar Boris Godunov became the ruler who was elected by the Zemsky Sobor for the first time in the history of our country. In 1599-1600 became a period of intensified political struggle. The peak and culmination of this struggle was the disgrace against the Romanovs, which dates back to November 1600. The disgrace was supported by various accusations, in particular, the Romanovs were accused of witchcraft and the intention to poison the tsar's family. All the Romanovs found themselves in disgrace. However, after two or three years, many began to be returned from exile.

In 1601-1604. This is a period of disaster in the agricultural sector. Immediately there was a crop failure for 4 years in a row, resulting in famine and uprisings. The uprisings did not happen immediately, but only after the situation had stabilized a little.

Active “trades” of robbers;
Khlopko's uprising - 1602-1603;
The first appearance on the territory of Muscovite Rus' of False Dmitry I (Grigory Otrepiev).

In such a situation, many people supported False Dmitry, and not Boris Fedorovich. False Dmitry I also had Polish troops with him. He appeared on the territory of the country just at the most opportune moment - a moment when many representatives of different social strata became disillusioned with the new king and his rule.

In 1605, there was already an open military confrontation between False Dmitry and Boris Godunov, in which the tsarist army was unable to completely defeat the troops. In addition, during these military operations in April 1605, Boris suddenly dies. Fyodor's son was immediately crowned king, but he ruled for only a couple of months. In early June, during an uprising in the capital, he and his mother were killed.

Boris's body was taken from the Archangel Cathedral to another monastery, and later the tomb of the Godunovs was built in the Trinity Sergius Monastery. This is how the life and reign of the first elected Tsar, Boris Godunov, ended.

Boris Fedorovich Godunov video

We will try to give a brief historical portrait of Boris Godunov in this article. He was outwardly handsome, smart, calculating, skilled with words and the gift of persuasion, but very selfish and selfish. Everything he did was solely for the sake of his own interests, leading to enrichment, strengthening of his power, and advancement of his family. But name one of the greatest politicians in the world who does not possess these qualities.

The historical portrait of Boris Godunov can be supplemented by other features. He was very cunning and calculating: he knew how to wait, take advantage of the right moment, sometimes remaining in the shadows, sometimes acting decisively, to show himself to be virtuous and inspire trust in people. His prudence boiled down to the fact that he never committed rash acts without first examining the current situation.

Boris Godunov through the eyes of his contemporaries

The historical portrait of Boris Godunov, like, perhaps, any person, has a dual characteristic. It has both positive and negative features. Contemporaries pointed out that Boris was virtuous, but the “thorn of envious malice” darkened this quality. This is a belief in denunciations and slanderers, as a result of which a large number of innocent people suffered. This caused the indignation of the “officials” of the Russian land, who rebelled against him and deposed him.

You can also read from the memoirs of his contemporaries that he was magnificent, surpassed everyone in appearance and intelligence, “a wonderful and sweet-tongued man,” he organized many things in the Russian state worthy of praise: he did not like bribery, fought against robbery, theft, but could not get rid of tavern, was pure in soul, merciful and loved to eat abundantly.

Historical portrait of Boris Godunov, given by Russian historians

The historian Karamzin N.M. wrote about Boris Godunov that if he had been born into a family of monarchs, he would have become the best ruler of the world. According to a prominent historian, who saw only a legitimate autocrat as the ruler of the country, those who seized power by killing a child were doomed to an inglorious death.

A.S. Pushkin, studying the materials, saw the tsar in a different light; he believed that Godunov’s tragedy lay in the attitude of the Russian people towards him, who turned away from him. Klyuchevsky V.O., accusing him of many bloody crimes, presented him as an intelligent and undoubtedly talented person, whom his contemporaries suspected of duplicity, but in fact he was an insidious and heartless person.

Soloviev, treating him as a tyrant and a villain, spoke of him as an intelligent and talented politician. Russian S.F. had a different opinion. He denied Boris Godunov’s involvement in the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry; in his view, he was a champion of the interests of the state, expressing the aspirations of the middle class. He believed that there were no documents in Russian history that could prove his involvement in infanticide. All rumors and unfounded accusations denigrate him in the eyes of his descendants. As you can see, it is quite difficult to compose a historical portrait of Boris Godunov.

Appearance at the Moscow throne

Boris Godunov's rise to power is full of tragic events. He appeared at the court of Tsar Ivan the Terrible as a guardsman and made a rapid career. At first he was Ivan the Terrible's friend at his wedding with Maria Sobakina, then he married the daughter of the Tsar's favorite Malyuta Skuratov. His sister Irina became the wife of the weak-minded Tsarevich Fyodor.

Thanks to his character and family ties with the Tsar’s family, Godunov makes a dizzying career at court. After the death of Ivan the Terrible, who, according to the Englishman D. Horsey, was strangled, he becomes regent under the weak-minded tsar. Many historians do not exclude the possibility that there was a conspiracy against Grozny. It was Boris and B. Belsky who were at the bedside of the dying man.

Regent

Afterwards, Tsarevich Fyodor, suffering from dementia, and young Dmitry and his mother Martha, the legal wife of Ivan the Terrible, became direct contenders for the throne. Two opposing sides were formed: on the one hand - Godunov, N. Romanov, princes I. Miloslavsky and P. Shuisky, on the other hand - B. Belsky, Dmitry’s teacher, and the boyars Nagy.

After the announcement of the death of Ivan the Terrible, an internecine struggle began between the two groups. Belsky tried to rouse the people of Moscow by announcing that if Fyodor Ivanovich was elected to the throne, other people would rule the country. Godunov, being proactive, sends the Tsarina and Tsarevich Dmitry from Moscow to Uglich, and then deals with Nagimi. Belsky, an active participant in the Troubles, is saved from death by Boris Godunov and sent into exile.

A year and a half later, having sent Miloslavsky to the monastery, he exiles and kills Shuisky and becomes the sole regent under the weak-minded Tsar Fyodor. Godunov was actually the sole ruler for 13 years. After the death of the king, who, according to many historians, was strangled, he becomes king.

Reign of Tsar Boris

With his accession to the throne, the “crossing of the Ryurevechi” takes place; the historical portrait of Boris Godunov was supplemented with one more touch, which his contemporaries blame him for. With his coronation, the line of descendants counting from the Rurikovichs was interrupted. According to clerk Ivan Timofeev, it was only because of this that God’s punishment followed and the time of Troubles came to Russia.

Being a regent and being on the throne, Boris Godunov did a lot for the Russian state. Under him, the first water supply system was built in Moscow, and the construction of fortresses began in the Wild Field in southern Russia. Subsequently, these became the following cities: Samara, Tsaritsyno, Saratov, Voronezh, Livny, Belgorod. The city of Tomsk was founded in Siberia. New fortifications were built in Moscow, which made it possible to repel the invasion of Khan-Girey.

During the reign of Godunov, the enslavement of the peasants took place; in 1597, a decree was issued on “fixed years”, according to which serfs who fled before 5 years were ordered to be caught and handed over to the landowners.

Especially a lot has been done for Russia in foreign policy. The conclusion of the Russian-Swedish peace treaty made it possible to return to Russia Korela, Koporye and Yam, lost in the Livonian War. Foreigners came to Russia, its authority was strengthened.

The Great Famine and Death of Boris Godunov

Today, young people make up a historical portrait of Boris Godunov in the 7th grade, but it is unlikely that at this age it is possible to evaluate the entire tragedy of the Russian people in the Time of Troubles, which began with the reign of this tsar, and give it an objective description.

During his reign, the difficult situation in foreign policy was resolved in favor of Russia, trade developed, cities were built, and the first industrial enterprises appeared. Therefore, it is difficult to judge by those rumors and speculations, denunciations of foreign agents who were interested in a weak and fragmented Russia.

The Russian people turned away from him, who, exhausted by the great famine that struck Russia, lasting 3 years (1601-1604), and constant rumors about the atrocities of Godunov, for which God sent Russia a terrible punishment, believed it. Godunov could not do anything about this, although he helped the starving people in every possible way. The uprising led by Khlopok, the appearance of False Dmitry - all this together undermined his strength.

We should not forget about the Poles and Swedes, who pursued a policy of undermining Russia. Therefore, it is difficult to give an objective description of this ruler, who died suddenly at the age of 53 for an unknown reason. According to the report of the English embassy, his death was strange. His wife and son Fyodor, who took the throne after him, were killed, his daughter Ksenia was given as a concubine to the impostor False Dmitry, and Russia plunged into the abyss of terrible turmoil.

PERSONALITY OF BORIS GODUNOV

Introduction

The beginning of the journey

It's time for testing

Persecution of boyars

Establishment of the Patriarchate

Foreign policy successes

Uglich drama

"Saved Summers"

Zemsky Sobor of 1598

Successful start to Boris's reign

Great famine. The collapse of Godunov.

References

Introduction

The personality of Boris Godunov, his unheard-of rise and tragic end captured the imagination of his contemporaries and attracted the attention of historians, writers, poets, artists, and musicians. This is not surprising. The life path of Boris Godunov is extremely unusual. Having started his service as an ordinary nobleman, Boris took the post of ruler under the weak-minded tsar, and then became the ruler of a huge power.

At this time, Russia entered a period of difficult trials. Major natural disasters undermined its productive forces for decades. A long war completed the matter. Indescribable devastation reigned in the country. After the conquest of Narva, the Russians owned a seaport on the Baltic for almost a quarter of a century. Having lost the Livonian War, the state lost the “Narva navigation” necessary for the development of trade in Western Europe. The military defeat undermined Russia's international position.

External failures aggravated the acute internal crisis. Its origins were rooted in the relations between the two main classes of feudal society - landowners and peasants. At the end of the 16th century, the selfish interests of the nobility triumphed. The shackles of serfdom bound the million-strong Russian peasantry.

The oprichnina storm cleared the field of activity for many noble nobles. Boris Godunov was among them. He owed his first successes to the oprichnina. Ivan the Terrible's idea split the feudal class into two rival camps. She left behind many difficult problems. As a ruler, Godunov came face to face with them.

Boris's life was accompanied by many dramatic events. In the first years of his reign, Tsarevich Dmitry, the last scion of a three-hundred-year-old Moscow dynasty, died in Uglich. The mysterious double of the deceased became a source of irreparable trouble for Godunov and his family. The fragile dynasty was driven from the throne by an impostor.

The writer and historian N.M. Karamzin once argued that Godunov could have earned the fame of one of the best rulers in the world if he had been born on the throne.

In Karamzin's eyes, only legitimate autocrats were the bearers of state order. Bori usurped power by killing the last member of the royal dynasty, and therefore providence itself doomed him to death.

The noble historiographer’s judgments about Godunov were not very deep. A.S. Pushkin understood the historical past incomparably better. He saw the origins of Godunov's tragedy in the attitude of the people to power. Boris died because his own people turned away from him. The peasants did not forgive him for canceling the ancient St. George's Day, which protected their freedom.

Beginning with V.N. Tatishchev, many historians considered Godunov the creator of the serfdom regime. V. O. Klyuchevsky held a different view: “... The opinion about the establishment of serfdom among the peasants belongs to our historical fairy tales.” Klyuchevsky dismissed Godunov’s accusations of many bloody crimes as slander. With bright colors he painted a portrait of a man endowed with intelligence and talent, but always suspected of duplicity, deceit and heartlessness. A mysterious mixture of good and evil - that’s how he saw Boris.

S. F. Platonov dedicated a book to Godunov that has not lost its significance today. He also did not consider Boris the initiator of the enslavement of the peasants. In his politics, Platonov argued, Godunov acted as a champion of the national good, linking his fate with the interests of the middle class. Numerous accusations against Boris have not been proven by anyone. But they tarnished the ruler in the eyes of his descendants.

The beginning of the journey

Godunov’s ancestors are natural Kostroma residents who have long served as boyars at the Moscow court. The eldest branch of the family, the Saburovs, flourished until the time of Ivan the Terrible, while the younger branches, the Godunovs and Velyaninovs, withered and fell into decay. The former Kostroma boyars Godunovs eventually became Vyazma landowners. Driven out of the narrow circle of the ruling boyars into the category of provincial nobles, they ceased to receive court ranks and responsible voivodeship appointments.

Boris Godunov was born shortly before the conquest of Kazan, in 1552. His father, Fyodor Ivanovich, was a middle-class landowner. Fedor's career was not successful. Fedor and his brother Dmitry jointly owned a small estate in Kostroma. This played a special role in Boris’s life. After his father's death, his uncle took him into his family. Not only family feelings and the early death of his own children prompted Dmitry Ivanovich to take a special part in the fate of his nephew. It was important to prevent the division of the last family estate. Low official position and artistry, one might say, saved the Godunovs in the days when the oprichnina thunderstorm broke out. Dmitry Godunov survived all the trials and ended up in the oprichnina corps at the time of its formation. The king sought to break out of the old environment. He needed new people, and he opened the doors of the palace to them. So the modest Vyazma landowner became a courtier. His uncle's career successes benefited his nephew Boris.

Dmitry Godunov did not belong to the galaxy of founders of the oprichnina. He received his first Duma rank thanks to an accidental circumstance - the sudden death of the bed servant Naumov. Godunov took the vacant post of head of the Bed Prikaz at a time when the first pages of the oprichnina history were already filled.

Now, encouraged by the tsar’s successes, the boyars demanded a complete abolition of the oprichnina. The upper classes of the feudal class expressed dissatisfaction. The throne shook. Ivan sought in vain for reconciliation with the Zemshchina. And here the frightened leaders of the oprichnina for the first time resorted to mass executions. The wave of terror brought to the surface such adventurers as Malyuta Skuratov and Vasily Gryaznoy. Malyuta Skuratov occupied one of the lowest levels in the monastic hierarchy: he was listed as a sexton. But the fame of his exploits spread throughout the country. The last victims of the oprichnina were its own creators. Among the highest palace ranks, only one bed servant, Godunov, survived. The union of Skuratov and Godunov arose under the roof of the Bed Order. Only an efficient and omnipresent person, capable of furnishing the life of the royal family with unheard-of luxury, could be a bed-maker. Dmitry Godunov was quite suitable for such a role. Tsar Ivan valued home comforts and could not do without his services. The bed order was responsible for the protection of the royal chambers at night. Guided by political calculations, Skuratov married his daughter to his nephew Dmitry Godunov. So Boris turned out to be the son-in-law of the all-powerful chief of the guardsmen.

V. O. Klyuchevsky once wrote that Boris Godunov did not stain himself with service in the oprichnina and did not lower himself in the eyes of society. But this is not entirely true. In fact, Boris put on the oprichnina caftan when he barely reached adulthood. While serving in his uncle's department, he soon received his first court rank. As a solicitor, Boris performed chamberlain duties at court. The troubled oprichnina times were not very conducive to Boris's education. His younger contemporaries considered him completely illiterate. But be that as it may, in his youth Boris received only the beginnings of an education. Contemporaries could not forgive him for his poor knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. So, by the standards of the 16th century, Godunov was a poorly educated gentleman. With the abolition of the oprichnina and the death of Malyuta, the life of the court underwent great changes. Unable to maintain kinship with Tsarevich Ivan, the Godunovs decided to establish themselves at the court of his younger brother, Tsarevich Fyodor. Entering into his fifth marriage, Tsar Ivan announced that he intended to marry his youngest son. Dmitry Godunov hastened to take matters into his own hands and wooed his niece Irina Godunova to the prince. All of Fyodor’s vices were of little importance in the eyes of the bed guard and his nephew. Tsar Ivan, having defeated an imaginary conspiracy in the “yard” Duma, began organizing a new oprichnina, which received the name “usat”. At the end of his life, the tsar almost completely stopped filling both dumas with boyars. An exception was made for the Godunovs alone. Former Vyazma landowner Dmitry Godunov was awarded the rank of boyar. His many years of service as part of the oprichnina, the “court” and the “destiny” received the highest rating. Thirty-year-old Boris Godunov did not have any state merits, but the tsar elevated him to boyar dignity. The Tsar constantly entrusted the Godunovs with the care of their youngest son. When going on military campaigns, he left Fedor in a safe place under their supervision. Boris's position was very honorable, but it limited his field of activity to the walls of the palace. And Boris diligently comprehended the secrets of palace intrigue.

At the end of the Livonian War, events occurred in the royal family that radically changed the fate of the Godunovs. In November 1581, the king quarreled with his eldest son and, in a fit of anger, beat him. From a terrible nervous shock and beatings, Tsarevich Ivan fell ill and soon died. The death of his elder brother opened the path to the throne for Fedor. This death was extremely beneficial for Fedor’s entourage.

Ivan the Terrible's will dealt a mortal blow to the ambitious plans of the Godunovs. As Fyodor's closest relatives, they were now preparing to take the reins of power into their own hands. To achieve power, there was only one step left to take. It was at this moment that an insurmountable obstacle arose on their way, erected by the will of Tsar Ivan - the regency council. During the life of Ivan the Terrible, his will had a decisive influence on events. But with his death - and Ivan IV died in March 1584 - everything changed. Fearing unrest, the government tried to hide the truth from the people and announced that there was still hope for the sovereign’s recovery. But despite the efforts of the authorities, the news of the king’s death still spread throughout the city and caused unrest among the people. Fear of an imminent uprising prompted the boyars to rush to resolve the issue of Ivan the Terrible's successor. In the dead of night they took the oath to the heir, Tsarevich Fyodor. On May 31, 1584, the capital solemnly celebrated the coronation of the new king. Feodor was crowned according to the ceremony of the Byzantine emperors. The long ceremony tired him. Without waiting for the end of the coronation, he handed over the Monomakh cap to the boyar Prince Mstislavsky, and the heavy golden apple (“power”) to Boris Godunov. This insignificant episode shocked those present. During the coronation days, Fyodor elevated his brother-in-law to the rank of equerry.