The Time of Troubles in the history of Russia was a deep crisis affecting the foreign policy, social, economic and spiritual sphere of the country's life. Beginning at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, it coincided with the confrontation of the boyar groups, each of which sought power. Almost a disaster is the Time of Troubles in Russia.
The reasons for the crisis were the economic ruin of the state, the growing social tension that arose as a result of the Livonian War (from 1558 to 1583) and the oprichnina. The main features of this period should include intervention, imposture, anarchy. Some authors tend to consider the Time of Troubles in Russia as the first civil war.
This period was estimated by contemporaries as the era of "precariousness", "confusion of minds", as a result of which caused conflicts and bloody clashes.
The Time of Troubles in Russia began with a dynastic crisis. Tsar Ivan the Terrible killed his son Ivan. The second came to power - Fedor. The third son Dmitry died. Many at that time were convinced that the latter was stabbed to death by the minions of Boris Godunov, who in fact was playing the role of the ruler of the country. After the death of the childless Fedor, Godunov came to power. Thus, the state lost the last heir to Rurikovich.
Godunov was considered the ruler energetic and wise, but he could not stop the boyar intrigues.
This was followed by a crop failure that caused hunger. As a result, the first social explosion arose. Along with this, Russia's weakness hastened to use the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Polish-Lithuanian association). At the same time, False Dmitry I appeared in Poland (Grigory Otrepiev, a Galich nobleman who declared himself the surviving son of Ivan the Terrible).
After the sudden death of Godunov and the ruler’s non-recognition of his son Fedor, False Dmitry I at the end of 1604 entered Russia with a small army. As a result, the impostor ruled the country for almost a year. False Dmitry I was overthrown. Tsar was appointed Vasily Shuisky.
Near Moscow, having settled in the village of Tushino in 1608, the new False Dmitry II (his origin is unknown), besieged Moscow.
The Time of Troubles in Russia in 1609 is characterized by a split in the country. In Muscovy there were two rulers, two Dumas, two patriarchs (Filaret in Tushino and Germogen in Moscow). Thus, two territories were formed. One recognized the power of False Dmitry II, and the second was loyal to Shuisky.
In 1610, in July, Shuisky was overthrown and tonsured a monk by force. Temporarily the power passed to the "Semiboyarschina". This government signed an agreement with Sigismund III (the Polish king) on the enthronement of Vladislav (son of Sigismund III).
The year 1611 is characterized by an increase in patriotic sentiments, an increase in calls for the restoration of the unity of the state and the end of discord. In the same year, the First Militia was formed. However, he failed to free Moscow from the power of the "Seven Boyars". The first militia broke up. At the same time, Pseudo Dmitry III was proclaimed king in Pskov.
By the fall, the Second Militia was formed at the initiative of Minin and Pozharsky. As a result of a campaign in Moscow in 1612 (October 26), the capital was liberated. In 1613, the Zemsky Cathedral was elected ruler of the sixteen-year-old Mikhail Romanov. In addition, Patriarch Filaret (Mikhail's father) returned from captivity to Russia.
In 1617, the Stolbovsky Peace Treaty was signed, as a result of which Sweden received the coast of the Gulf of Finland and the Korelu fortress. The following year, a truce was concluded with Poland, as a result of which Russia gave it Chernihiv, Smolensk and some other cities.
Despite significant territorial losses, the grave and long crisis ended. However, the consequences that caused the Time of Troubles in Russia, affected for the next decade.