In Russian folk tales, if the tsar had to marry his daughter-princess, then real contests and contests were always organized, in which applicants for the bride's hand with half a kingdom in addition lined up in long queues. But how the tsars themselves got married is hardly ever told. Well, perhaps, the tsar gave his sons-tsarevich arrows with a bow and … Well, then everyone remembers.
How did the kings get married? To find a wife, the Russian tsars of the 16th-17th centuries. arranged brides' shows, to which only the most beautiful and healthy virgins were allowed. Boyar families competed among themselves for the opportunity to marry their fiancee. The fate of eminent families and even the course of the history of the Moscow kingdom depended on the results of this medieval casting.
Of course, the wedding of the tsar was adjusted to political moments, choosing a party that was profitable for political reasons as his wife. But if the king decided to find himself a wife in his kingdom, all the beauties of the state were at his service. And it happened like this …
In the XV-XVI centuries. Russian tsars had many problems when choosing a bride. European royals were reluctant to send their daughters to this wild, isolated land. They also did not want their godly princesses to be baptized into the Orthodox faith.
It was not much easier to become related to the noble families of Russia. Although the Moscow tsars were considered omnipotent, in fact they were dependent on the boyar families. Here, marital issues were constantly interfered with by intrigue and power struggles.
In 1505, the future Tsar Vasily III decided to hold the first bride brides in Russia in order to choose the ideal life partner. This custom, borrowed from the Byzantine Empire, became popular in Russia for the next two hundred years. And it became a tradition already under John IV, who later became the Terrible. By the way, he conducted, as contemporaries write, such shows more than once: Ivan the Terrible was married seven times.
At the first stage of the "selection", representatives of the king traveled to all corners of the country with a special royal decree. It instructed to present all young girls to "regional shows". Tsarist ambassadors selected candidates in many ways. The Tsar's bride had to be tall, beautiful and healthy. Much attention was paid to the presence of many children with her parents. Naturally, the "political reliability" of the girl's family was checked.
From 500 to 1500 selected girls went to Moscow to participate in the next round of selection. The rivals appeared before a jury of courtiers and doctors, where they were eliminated in several rounds. Here the court intrigues had already begun. Noble families promoted their female relatives and tried to get them to the finals. At the same time, collusion was even organized against especially promising candidates for the title of queen.
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Several dozen girls who passed the previous stages of the selection reached the final round. It was very similar to the television show The Bachelor.
They were settled in a large beautiful house, all dressed in beautiful dresses. Finally, when the king arrived, the future brides came to his room and bowed at his feet. The king gave each of the girls a scarf embroidered with gold or silver thread and pearls.
The tsar watched the candidates, when they all dined together at the same table, as well as in private communication, in order to make the right choice from this wonderful company. When the king made his choice, he gave the betrothed a gold ring. In 1505, Solomoniya Saburova became the first queen to undergo a similar casting of Tsar Vasily III.
The rest of the finalists were taken into wives by influential boyars, or they were sent home with money and expensive gifts, but they could also be sent to Siberia - depending on the mood of the tsar.
Bride shows fell out of fashion at the end of the 17th century. The Romanovs increasingly began to marry European princesses, and Russia entered the political life of Western Europe. The custom of viewing brides for the Russian monarch is widely reflected in the paintings of Russian artists.
