One of the most difficult and controversial eras of Russia lasted from the end of the XVI century. and until the beginning of the XVII 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 sources, there is a version that Grozny personally killed his eldest son Ivan. At this time, mass uprisings began (from 1584 to 1586), a fierce struggle for power and political influence.
The lot fell on the group of Boris Godunov. His historical portrait suggests that in the future he becomes co-ruler of Tsar Fedor and begins to possess full state power.
After some time, in 1591, the youngest son of Ivan Vasilyevich, Tsarevich Dmitry, born of the seventh wife of the tsar, tragically dies in Uglich. A specially created commission on this occasion could not determine the circumstances of his death. In a fit of epilepsy, he allegedly fell on a knife.
Boris Godunov. Historical portrait
Boyarin Vasily Shuisky accuses Godunov of killing the young prince. The true truth of this case is still unknown.
Tsar Fedor had no heirs. His two year old daughter has died. The wife spent a short time on the throne, and then retired to the monastery. Of the pretenders to the throne, her brother Boris Godunov, relatives of Tsar Fedor (the Romanov boyars), noble princes Shuisky and Mstislavsky remained. In the winter of 1598, Tsar Fedor dies. On it, the Rurik dynasty breaks off.
Godunov was a co-ruler of the tsar for a long time, and it was he who wanted to take power into his own hands. In the same year, the Zemsky Cathedral unanimously elected Boris as the new Tsar. For the first time in the history of Russia, Godunov’s power was not inherited, but by a popular decision.
Historical composition. Boris Godunov: Unified State Exam
Godunov’s unprecedented rise and tragic death attracted the great attention of writers, historians, poets, artists, 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 Tsar and Grand Duke Fedor Ioannovich."
In his work, he glorifies two persons, since he was then a faithful ally of Tsar Fedor and his right hand, Boris. Patriarch Job was overthrown from the throne by the False Dmitry appeared in 1605.
One can only guess that this work was born precisely in January 1598, since this work tells of the death of Fedor, but does not mention Tsar Boris Godunov. It was written during the acute struggle for the throne.
The patriarch writes about the virtues 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 equestrian.
Merits of Godunov to the Fatherland
Godunov’s foreign tsars were honored equal to the tsar of Russia himself. He was a construction innovator. And many churches and monasteries, fortifications, merchants' chambers, etc. were erected.
Boris Godunov, together with the king of Livonia, very successfully beat the Swedes. He annexed several Baltic cities to Russia. Rugodivsky campaign (Narva) allowed to do this. The victory was solemnly celebrated in Moscow.
Patriarch of Russia Job also did not forget to mention that the co-ruler of Tsar Godunov successfully defended Moscow from the raids of the Crimean Tatars in 1591. This business was very risky, since the main troops were in Novgorod. Godunov went to the trick. He put carts with guns and ordered his people to constantly shoot from guns. This greatly frightened the khan, who decided that it was the Novgorod troops who came to the aid on time. And then he stepped back in fear. Chroniclers write about this event as a miracle and a sign of God.
Contemporaries about the Time of Troubles
In works written later, you can read that Tsar Fedor was poisoned by Boris Godunov. But nevertheless, it is more correct to assume that he died his death, since he was very ill. He handed his sovereign scepter (since he had no heirs) to his wife, Tsarina Irina, Patriarch Job writes about this.
So who is Boris Godunov? Many contemporaries tried to compose a historical portrait, expressing their opinions in novels, lives, chronographs, etc. But all the information collected was controversial, as there was no unequivocal opinion. Contemporaries of the Troubles gave their assessment of their political and class conviction.
In high school, they study the historical portrait of Boris Godunov (grade 7, briefly) and give an analysis of his political activities.
Biography
A well-known fact is that Godunov’s pedigree comes from the Tatar khan Chete. The ancestors of Boris Godunov were boyars. His father was a middle-earth landowner. Godunov was born in 1552, that is, before Grozny conquered Kazan.
Then still not so noble Boris Godunov was enlisted as an oprichnik in the corps, and then received the rank of head of the Bed Order at court. He was a witness at a wedding ceremony with Ivan the Terrible with Marfa Sobakina. And in the same year, Boris married the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. In 1578, he becomes kravchim and follows the serving of drinks and food to the king on the table.
Two years later, Godunov’s sister marries the second son of Ivan the Terrible, Fedor. 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 approximate and had a huge influence at court. Some historians claim that it was Godunov who strangled Grozny in 1584. After all, he and Belsky were in the last minutes near the king, they were the first to announce the news of his death in the square.
End of life
How did Boris Godunov end his life? In the historical portrait of the king, the culmination is his sudden death at 53 years old. It is still unknown why he died.
Having a hearty meal and in a good mood, he decided to climb the tower to survey Moscow, but suddenly he suddenly felt unwell. When the king descended from the tower, he was bleeding from the ears and nose. Godunov lost his senses and died. Shortly before his death, he took monastic tonsure.
The next king was his son Fedor, a very intelligent and educated man who was overthrown and killed with his mother, and his own sister Ksenia was at first the concubine of the enemy, then a nun. Today, the remains of the Godunov family are kept in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
Conclusion
At the school, in history lessons, they study the period of Troubles and the rule of Tsar Boris Godunov. The exam in literature also contains tasks on this rather complicated topic. The events of that time are too saturated with conflicting points, and here you need to be careful in the conclusions. The Pushkin tragedy "Boris Godunov" in the historical portrait writes that Godunov was the killer of the only heir - Tsarevich Dmitry. Pushkin wrote it under the influence of the works of N. M. Karamzin about Russia.
A very strong personality was Boris Godunov. His political portrait can be drawn up over the thirteen years of his reign. At that time, it was a rather long time, Tsar Boris showed himself very worthily.