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Boris Godunov, 1552-1605

Дата публикации: 20 сентября 2007
Публикатор: Научная библиотека Порталус
Рубрика: RUSSIA (TOPICS) - Muscovy →
Источник: (c) http://russia.by
Номер публикации: №1190294537


Born: 1552
Died: 1605
Occupation: Tsar

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Russian tsar


Russian tsar who attempted the modernization and expansion of Russia but fell victim to famine and the ghost of a dead child.

Wishing to make Russia a "modern" nation, Ivan IV (1530-84) conquered the Tatar Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan (1552-56); supported the invasion and colonization of Siberia; invited Europeans to come to Russia as merchants, teachers, and artisans; and attempted to secure control of Livonia (northern Latvia and Estonia). For his accomplishments, he was awarded the title Grozni--"The Awe-Inspiring."

Since the reigns of Ivan III (1462-1505) and Basil IV (1505-33), the Grand Princes of Moscow had been engaged in a bloody conflict with the other Russian princes. When Ivan IV's father died, Ivan was three years old and his mother Helena became regent. Attempting to reassert their power, the princes poisoned Helen in 1538, and took her son prisoner. For the next five years Ivan was humiliated, until he issued an order on December 29, 1543, which was obeyed: the leading prince, Andrei Shuiski, was arrested, murdered, and his corpse thrown to the dogs. The other princes bided their time. So did Ivan. He turned the government over to his relatives until January 16, 1547, when he was crowned Tsar, Grand Prince and Autocrat of All the Russias, marking the first time a Russian Grand Prince had ever taken the title Tsar-Emperor. It would remain, however, a hollow title for as long as the princes held their power.

On February 13, 1547, Ivan married Anastasia Romanovna, daughter of a non-titled landowner. Ivan made it clear that he intended to appoint non-princely advisors (boyars). Among his early supporters was another non-titled landowner by the name of Dmitri Ivanovich Godunov.

The origins of the Godunov family are shrouded in legend. It is written that around 1330 Chet-Murza, a Tatar emir, came to Russia, converted to Christianity, entered the service of the Prince of Moscow, and was granted lands near the town of Kostroma. Chet-Murza's descendants took many family names, one of which was Godunov. By 1550, the Godunovs were one among thousands of non-titled landowners, a position Dmitri Ivanovich hoped to improve by his support of the Tsar.

Little is known of the early life of Dmitri Ivanovich's nephew Boris Fedorovich Godunov. He was born in 1552, his sister Irina was born five years later and, in 1560 or so, they were orphaned and settled in Kostroma with their uncle.

Ivan IV, meanwhile, continued his struggle with the princes, creating in 1550 the Streltsy (Musketeers)--a standing army under his control. This small force of approximately 3,000 was not only to protect Russia from invasion but also to be used against the princes whose military force was cavalry and bow-and-arrow infantry. The Tsar also established a private chancery and invited Dmitri Ivanovich to live behind the stone walls of the Kremlin; thus, Godunov and his sister Irina became playmates to the Tsar's sons: Ivan, born in 1554, and Fedor, born in 1557. Then in 1565, Ivan divided Russia--half to be ruled by the princes, the other half which became known as the 0prichnina, ruled by himself.

Dmitri Ivanovich became part of the Tsar's inner circle, and in 1570, his nephew Boris Godunov married Maria Maliuta, daughter of Grigorii Maliuta-Skuratova, the leader of Ivan's terror squad against the princes. On October 28 of the following year, Ivan married his third wife (Anastasia died in 1560, his second wife in 1569). Boris served as best man and was promoted to the position of Kravchi--food taster.

When the bride died within three weeks and Ivan quickly remarried, it sparked concern in the Orthodox Church. By Canon Law only three marriages were legal, and any issue from the fourth marriage would be considered a bastard. Meanwhile, a marriage was arranged between the Tsar's heir, Ivan Ivanovich, and Evdokiia Saburova, a relative of the Godunovs, while Boris Godunov was appointed his uncle's assistant in the chancery.

The battle with the princes continued. In October 1575, Ivan abdicated, naming the Christianized ex-Khan of Kasimov, Simeon Bekbulatovich as Tsar, and retired to his Oprichnina lands where he instituted a reign of terror against the princes. Slowly, the meaning of Grozni changed from "The Awe-Inspiring" to "The Terrible." For a year, Tsar Simeon reigned while Ivan wreaked havoc on the countryside; then suddenly Ivan removed Simeon and resumed his office.

Ivan's fourth wife died, and wives numbers five and six each lasted for a few weeks before being exiled to a convent. In 1581, he took his seventh wife, Maria Nagaia, daughter of a minor landowner. It was a double wedding: Ivan had ordered his second son, Fedor, to marry Godunov's sister, Irina.

A family quarrel changed Boris Godunov's future and that of Russia. In November 1581, Ivan and his heir argued and Godunov tried to intercede. The Tsar was furious. In a rage, he clobbered his son, Ivan Ivanovich, with the scepter. Godunov attempted to stay a second blow, but he too was felled. Sobered, Ivan clutched the bloodied heir while Godunov summoned a physician. Four days later the Tsarevich died, and Fedor became the heir.

Ivan IV understood Fedor's limited ability, and secretly planned a Regency Council which eventually had five members: Prince Ivan Mstislavski, Prince Ivan Shuiski (relative of the unfortunate Prince who had been fed to the dogs), Nikita Romanov (brother of Anastasia), Bogdan Belskii, and Boris Godunov. To make matters worse, on October 19, 1582, Maria Nagaia gave birth to Dmitri, a son who posed a potential threat to Fedor even though he was legally a bastard. About the same time, Godunov's wife gave birth to a daughter, Xenia.

On March 18, 1584, as Ivan sat down to play chess with Bogdan Belskii, the Tsar suddenly keeled over, dead. When word of Ivan's death reached Maria's family, the Nagoi's planned a coup to place Dmitri on the throne. But when the Regency Council learned of the plot, the Nagoi clan were arrested and exiled to Uglich, where they were permitted to have a small court for the Tsarevich under the surveillance of Council appointed administrators. Attempting to usurp the leadership of the Council, Belskii was foiled by Mstislavski and Nikita Romanov before being exiled to Nizhni-Novgorod.

On May 31, 1584, Fedor was crowned. He was flanked by his uncle, Nikita Romanov, and his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov; just behind them stood his cousin, Prince Mstislavski. After the ceremony Godunov was named "Master of the Stable," "Privy Grand Boyar," and Governor of Kazan and Astrakhan, titles accompanied by vast estates giving Godunov an income equal to that of any of the princes.

The English merchant Giles Fletcher described Fedor as "simple and weakminded, hardly capable of formulating policy and extraordinarily superstitious." Likewise, the Lithuanian Ambassador noted that Fedor had "little intelligence." In reality it was the Council that ruled, but the Council was divided. Godunov and Nikita Romanov, considered parvenues by the princes, united against Ivan and Basil Shuiski who wanted to remove Fedor and have either Mstislavski or "Tsar" Simeon, who had married Mstislavski's sister, ascend the throne. But Mstislavski refused to betray Fedor and the Shuiski princes left Moscow in December 1584.


Godunov Directs National Affairs

In August of the following year, Nikita Romanov became ill and slowly withdrew from state affairs. Mstislavski had been deprived of most authority after the Shuiski plot, which left Godunov to direct national affairs. He ordered the building of a string of fortresses along the lower Volga to protect Russia from Tatar, Turkish, or Persian attack. The chief fortress was Tsaritzn (Stalingrad), named in honor of his sister Irina. A truce was arranged with Poland, and taxes were levied on princely and religious estates.

With the death of Nikita Romanov in April 1586, Godunov became sole ruler. But his authority still rested on his being the Tsar's brother-in-law. The Shuiski princes, using Metropolitan Dionisii (Bishop of Moscow) as a cat's-paw, tried to convince Fedor to divorce Irina because she had not provided an heir--there had been three miscarriages and two stillbirths. Fedor refused and, in October 1586, the Metropolitan was deposed and exiled to a monastery. Aware of the precariousness of his power base, Godunov sent letters to Queen Elizabeth of England and Emperor Rudolph II of Germany seeking medical personnel to aid Irina. The Queen sent a doctor.

By 1587, Godunov ruled while Fedor reigned. Queen Elizabeth addressed Godunov as "most glorious prince and beloved cousin"; the Habsburgs referred to him as "most lofty privy councillor of the whole Russian land." Georgian kings and the Persian Shah sought his favors. When the Polish king died, the Polish nobility suggested that Godunov convince Fedor to accept that position. Fedor refused, and the Poles elected Zygmunt Vasa, son of John III of Sweden, an election that posed a threat to Russia. Godunov countered by seeking alliances with England, Spain, and Austria, while constructing stone walls around Smolensk and Moscow.

In July 1588, Jeremiah, Patriarch of Constantinople, arrived in Moscow complaining of his treatment by the Sultan. "If they wish, I shall remain here as Patriarch," he told one of his entourage. But Godunov did not wish a Greek patriarch in Moscow; he suggested that Jeremiah could reside in the ancient See of Vladimir if he established an independent Moscow Patriarchate. The haggling began. Godunov "was in all things able, intelligent and cunning. He managed everything and everyone obeyed him," reported Greek Metropolitan Herotheus, and it soon became evident that Jeremiah would not be permitted to leave Russia without creating an independent Patriarchate. On January 26, 1589, Moscow's Metropolitan Job was consecrated patriarch and placed after the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria in the Orthodox hierarchy. Godunov then had the Russian Church reorganized and Moscow declared "The Third Rome," the true center of Christianity.

Godunov became a national hero. He was called Privatel (ruler) and addressed as "Your Majesty." As Prince Zvenigorodski informed Shah Abbas of Persia, "No one is like unto Boris Fedorovich." After the birth of his son, Fedor Borisovich, in 1589, Godunov began an extensive building program. New towns were established on the eastern and southern periphery: Voronezh, Belgorod, Kursk, Samara, Ufa, Tobolsk; new churches were built, including the Great Belfry, the tallest building in Moscow; and streets were widened and paved with logs.

In the evening of May 17, 1591, word reached Moscow that Tsarevich Dmitri was dead and that a mob had butchered all government agents in Uglich. Troops were dispatched immediately, and a commission chaired by Basil Shuiski was convoked to investigate. The investigators arrived in Uglich on May 19 and began taking testimony.

Dmitri had been an epileptic who suffered frequent seizures. On Saturday, May 15, having recovered from a seizure on Wednesday, he was permitted to play with four friends. The children, with two nurses, went into the castle courtyard to play a game called tychka (something like mumblety-peg) in which a small knife is tossed in the air, then flips and sticks in the target. Dmitri took his turn and collapsed, falling onto the knife which lodged in his throat. The nurses tried to help, the children screamed, the castle was aroused. Dmitri's uncle Mikhail arrived, yelling that the boy had been murdered by Godunov's agents. Maria arrived, charging that the nurses were in on the plot. A mob gathered as Mikhail harangued. Government agents were hunted and murdered, and Mikhail replaced the toy knife with a dagger.

When the commission arrived, Grigori Nagoi, another uncle, disputed the murder tale. Shuiski gathered the evidence and presented it on June 2 to Tsar Fedor, who passed it to Metropolitan Job. A Church Council ruled the death "an act of God," but blamed Mikhail for the murder of the officials. Mikhail was exiled and Maria was forced to become a nun, taking the name Martha.

Godunov had little time to dwell on the incident because a Tatar army had invaded. But on July 4, when Tatar khan Kazy Girei saw his opponent's artillery, he withdrew without a battle, and Godunov relaxed. If he heard the rumor that it was not Dmitri who had died, he paid no heed. Even the accession of Zygmunt to the Swedish throne posed no problem because his spies had reported that Lutheran Sweden would never accept a Catholic sovereign. When Irina gave birth to Fedosia in 1592, all seemed tranquil. Unfortunately, Fedosia died before her second birthday.

The line of Muscovite princes that had started in 1325 with Ivan I came to its end when Tsar Fedor died at 1 a.m., January 7, 1598. Job announced later that day that Fedor had "handed the scepter to his lawful wife"; Irina, however, had no desire to reign. Who was to reign? Tsar Simeon had been proclaimed Tsar by Ivan IV; both Mstislavski and Basil Shuiski were descendants of the royal family; Fedor Romanov claimed the throne as the nephew of Ivan IV's wife Anastasia. All observers, however, agreed that Boris Godunov was both the most able and popular, but he refused to accept the throne unless it were granted by a Zemski Sobor, a national council.


Godunov Becomes Tsar

While Irina entered a monastery from whence she acted as interim head of state, Metropolitan Job summoned a national council and tried on February 17 to convince the council to elect Godunov. But Shuiski objected and the council was adjourned. Three days later, Job asked Godunov, who also had entered a monastery, to assume the throne. When he refused, Job again summoned the council and threatened to excommunicate all who refused to accept Godunov. Returning to the monastery the next day, Job threatened Godunov with excommunication if he did not accept the throne. Irina supported Job's plea. Four days later Godunov accepted the "offer" and went to the Kremlin, only to return to the monastery the following day, insisting on a formal offer from the Zemski Sobor. Finally, the council made the offer and, on April 30, Godunov returned to Moscow.

Meanwhile, word arrived that Tatar Khan Kazy Girei was again on the march. On May 2, Godunov left Moscow with his army and the two forces prepared for battle June 29. As before, the Tatar saw the strength of the imperial force and retreated without battle.

Boris Godunov was crowned on September 1, 1598. For the next two years, there was peace and prosperity. New cities were established, trade increased, and the new Tsar sought suitable mates for his children, who had been educated along West European models. Through English merchants he asked Queen Elizabeth to send "any lord of spirit whom [she] might vouchsafe to call cousin." Christian III of Denmark sent his younger brother, Hans, who unfortunately died shortly thereafter. The only other blot on this flourishing period was a persistent rumor that Dmitri had never really died and was being hidden by the Romanovs.

The rains came in April 1601, and for the next four months the Russians did not see a day of sun. The frost came in late August, ruining the crops. The price of rye increased 600%; the cost of wheat jumped 25-fold. Attempting to cosntrol prices, Godunov distributed grain from the royal granary and issued an edict to "have the poor kept warm." But a hard winter was followed by a cold, wet spring, and famine led people to the unspeakable. Wrote one French soldier: "To see a wife kill her husband or a mother her children in order to eat them were ordinary occurrences." Cannibalism was a last resort, noted a Dutch merchant, but all the "cats and dogs" had been eaten. In Moscow, 120,000 died of starvation.


The "Ghost" of Dmitri Appears

Reports of Dmitri's escape increased, as peasants and urbanites fled to the forests or the steppes where they became brigands, and the unburied dead piled up. In early summer of 1603, a servant informed a Polish prince that he was the Tsarevich, and the prince sent the man claiming to be Dmitri to Zygmunt; if this "Dmitri" became a Catholic, the Poles might help. On April 24, 1604, the youth sent Pope Clement VIII a letter stating his "obedience and submission." A compact was made: Polish landowner Jerzy Mnishek would advance 100,000 florins; in return "Dmitri" would marry Mnishek's daughter Marina, grant the Mnishek family the cities of Pskov and Novgorod, and surrender the fortress of Smolensk to Poland.

When Godunov learned of the proceeding, he had Dmitri's mother, Martha, brought to Moscow, where she refused to state whether her son were dead or alive. Declaring that the imposter "Dmitri" was in reality the defrocked monk Grishka Otrepev, the Russian Church excommunicated him. Scholars, however, remain in doubt as to "Dmitri's" actual identity. A few accept that he was the real Dmitri, most accept that he was Grishka, while still others reject both suggestions but have no named candidate of their own.

Regardless of his true identity, the man known as Dmitri invaded Russia in October 1604, and thousands joined his standard. Godunov, increasingly ill, having suffered a stroke in the spring of 1603, dispatched the imperial army. In January of the following year, "Dmitri's" forces were defeated, but to little avail; he regrouped and grew stronger. During February and March the imperial troops continued to defeat groups of insurgents, but their numbers only increased as peasants, landowners, and Cossacks joined their ranks.

At 1 a.m., on April 13, 1605, Godunov suddenly rose from the supper table, blood gushing from his nose, mouth, and ears. Two hours later he was dead. The next day the Muscovites took the oath to Tsar Fedor Borisovich, Godunov's son. On April 17, the army swore allegiance; ten days later Basil Shuiski and Mistislavski swore to defend Tsar Fedor. But it was not to be. On May 17, the imperial generals joined "Dmitri." By June 2, Shuiski announced that the 1591 report was a lie: Dmitri had not died. Arrested on June 10, Tsar Fedor was murdered a week later along with his mother and cousins; his sister was sent to a convent. "Dmitri" entered Moscow, and on July 18, Martha embraced her son.

But the throne was still not secure. Within a year, Shuiski and Martha recanted, claiming that Dmitri had, indeed, been murdered on Godunov's orders. The new Dmitri was then murdered; the body of the real Dmitri was brought to Moscow for canonization, and Basil Shuiski became Tsar Basil V. Other "Dmitris" appeared; the Poles invaded. Shuiski was captured and sent to a Polish prison. The Swedes invaded to fight the Poles. Civil war and guerrilla warfare ensued. The Poles were defeated. The brigands then joined the guerrillas in a war of national liberation sponsored by the Church. Monk Philaret, the former Fedor Romanov, called for national unity.

On February 21, 1613, Fedor's son Michael Romanov was elected Tsar, and on January 24, 1619, he appointed his father Patriarch of Russia. The Romanovs had inherited Godunov's legacy.

FURTHER READINGS


Barbour, Philip. Dmitry. Macmillan, 1967.

Fletcher, Giles. Of the Russe Commonwealthe. Edited by Richard Pipes, Harvard University Press. 1966.

Graham, Stephen. Boris Godunof. Yale University Press, 1933.

Grey, Ian. Boris Godunov. The Tragic Tsar. Scribner, 1973.

Margeret, Jacques. The Russian Empire and Grand Duchy of Muscovy. Edited and translated by C. S. L. Dunning. University of Pittsburgh Press, 1983.

Massa, Isaac. A Short History of the Muscovite Wars. Edited and translated by G. E. Orchard. University of Toronto Press, 1982.

Platonov, S. F. Boris Godunov. Translated by L. R. Pyles. Academic International Press, 1973.

Skrynnikov, R. G. Boris Godunov. Translated by H. F. Graham. Academic International Press, 1982.

Berry, L. E., and R. O. Crummey, eds. Rude & Barbarous Kingdom. University of Wisconsin Press, 1986.

Emerson, Caryl. Boris Godunov: Transpositions of a Russian Theme. Indiana University Press, 1986.

Platonov, S. F. The Time of Troubles. Translated by J.T. Alexander. University Press of Kansas, 1970.

Pushkin, A. S. Boris Godunov (play). Translated by Alfred Hayes. Viking, 1982.

Опубликовано на Порталусе 20 сентября 2007 года

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