From childhood, school textbooks exclaimed in unison: Boris Godunov is a negative character, period. Time of Troubles, Great Famine, the establishment of cruel serfdom, what else do you want? And we believed meekly. However, if you take a closer look at the biography of the first elected Russian tsar, you can find there not only black spots on our history, but also quite progressive reforms, which, as he planned, should have benefited the state.
So who was Boris Godunov? Why was he chosen to rule? How did it happen that he was first loved, and then hated by everyone around him? Was Godunov really that cunning and calculating? And how did Boris Godunov's rule affect the history of our country?
1. A sly rogue or a reformer?
And yet, over the years, the rule of Boris Godunov is assessed by many historians as a whole exclusively from the negative side. Like, he made his way to the throne with a snake, lied, stuffed his pockets with gold, and nothing more.
However, if you look at the reforms of Boris Godunov, study his domestic and foreign policies, it becomes clear that not all the initiatives of the first elected Russian tsar were negative. On the contrary, it becomes clear that the reforms that Boris Godunov initiated during his reign were aimed at strengthening the Russian state, and they can even be considered very promising and can be compared with the reforms of Peter the Great.
2. Where did the Godunov family come from?
Promotional video:
Of course, the reign of Boris Godunov was for him and his entourage truly, as they say now, fat years, a period of exorbitant enrichment.
Where did Boris Godunov come from? Does he have some royal roots that he was so quickly promoted to the kingdom?
No, the blue blood in the veins of Boris Godunov and his family did not flow. Not at all. On the contrary, the ancestor of the Godunov family was the Tatar murza Cheta. He was a well-known defector and is said to have left the Horde and came to Russia during the reign of Ivan Kalita. Already here, Murza was baptized, and then founded the famous Ipatiev Monastery. This information, however, is indicated only in one single source - "The Legend of the Couple". Now historians argue that this source cannot be called one hundred percent reliable. The "Legend of the Couple" was compiled by the monks of the Ipatiev Monastery, which later served as the family tomb of the Godunovs.
3. How the reign of Boris Godunov began
Tsar Ivan the Terrible died in 1584. His son Fyodor ascended the throne, who at that time was not able to rule Russia. Then it was decided to create the so-called regency council, which included Bogdan Belsky, Nikita Yuriev (Romanov), Ivan Mstislavsky and Ivan Shuisky. They became Fyodor's advisers.
However, there was a constant struggle between the high-ranking boyars. And in 1598 Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich died without leaving an order for an heir. In fact, having eliminated rivals, Boris Godunov was already the ruler under Fedor Ioannovich.
Since the Rurik dynasty was interrupted, the Zemsky Sobor after the death of Fedor elected Boris Godunov to the kingdom. The patriarch also gave his blessing. Boris, like Ivan IV in his time, was crowned king. Only one boyar Duma opposed this in every possible way. But Boris Godunov was a cunning man, and with the help of political tricks and his weight between the boyars and the army, he managed to make the Duma swear allegiance to him.
4. Death of Tsarevich Dmitry
However, the beginning of the reign of Tsar Boris Godunov was overshadowed by many factors. First, the death of Ivan the Terrible was shrouded in mystery, and many believed that the king, who was sick, had been strangled. Among those who were with Grozny at the time of his death was Boris Godunov.
Likewise, nature seemed to resist the reign of Godunov. The first two years of his reign became barren for agriculture. The unprecedented drought provoked mass famine, primarily among ordinary people, and, as a result, an increase in mortality.
In addition, many said about Godunov that he was the culprit in the death of Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich - the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, the only direct heir to the Terrible.
Dmitry lived with his mother Maria Naga (the seventh wife of Grozny) in the town of Uglich on the Volga. In 1591, Dmitry died under very strange circumstances. The official version announced to the people: during the game, the boy came across a knife and stabbed himself. Godunov, of course, organized an investigation into the death of the tsarevich, including Bogdan Belsky and Vasily Shuisky. The investigation issued a verdict that the boy's death was accidental. But despite this, people continued to condemn Boris Godunov's death.
5. Major reforms of Boris Godunov
Rapprochement of Russia with the West and the invitation of foreigners to the service.
Peace with Poland, a return to the positions at the Gulf of Finland, which were torn away as a result of the Russian-Swedish war.
The long-awaited establishment of the Patriarchate, which strengthened the position of Russia and made it possible for the Russian Orthodox Church to separate from the Byzantine Patriarchate. Godunov in 1588 made it so that Metropolitan Job was appointed patriarch in Russia.
Decree on "reserved years", prohibiting the exit of peasants (cancellation of "St. George's Day")
The decree on "lease years", according to which fugitive peasants were subject to search and return to the owner within 5 years
Formation of the Strelets' order.
Extensive development of construction. Among other things, he built printing houses and developed book printing.
Strengthening serfdom, in which Boris Godunov saw a way out of the economic crisis.
6. Who is False Dmitry
After the death of Tsarevich Dmitry, which no one saw, conspiracy theories arose, the main of which was: Dmitry did not die, but was sent to Poland.
And in 1604, the first impostor appeared in Poland, Grigory Otrepiev, who calls himself the legitimate tsar, a descendant of Ivan the Terrible - Dmitry. Enlisting the support of the Polish nobility, False Dmitry gathers an army and moves towards Moscow.
Tsar Boris Godunov finds out about this, but does not attach much importance to the news. False Dmitry at this time, in 1605, crosses the border of Russia. However, Boris Godunov will never know - after a long illness, he dies. This ends the reign of Boris Godunov.
7. Death of Boris Godunov
Reading historical treatises, you can find out that the first mention of Boris Godunov's poor health appeared already in 1599. And since 1600, his ailments only worsened. The books say that death came unexpectedly, but it is not. The death was the result of a long illness.
Why unexpected? Yes, that's why. On April 13, 1605, Boris Godunov was very mobile, even energetic, ate a lot and with appetite, joked. Then, according to eyewitnesses, he climbed a special tower, from which all of Moscow was like a palm. There he did not stand for long, going down and complaining of faintness. After the doctor came to the tsar, Godunov felt worse, bleeding from his nose and ears …
Tsar Boris Godunov died in 1605 at the age of 53.
Buried Boris Godunov Tsar Boris Godunov was buried in the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral, but later his remains were dug up and transferred - first to the Varsonofievsky monastery, and then to the Trinity-Sergius.