On March 3, 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom. How was the first tsar from the Romanov family elected, who was behind this, and could a different decision be made?
Candidates
There were many contenders for the Russian throne. Two of the most unpopular candidates - the Polish prince Vladislav and the son of False Dmitry II - were “weeded out” at once. The Swedish prince Karl-Philip had more supporters, among them was the leader of the Zemsky army, Prince Pozharsky. Why did the patriot of the Russian land choose a foreign prince? Perhaps, the antipathy of the "thin-born" Pozharsky to the domestic applicants - the noble boyars, who in the Time of Troubles more than once betrayed those to whom they swore allegiance, had an effect. He feared that the “boyar tsar” would sow the seeds of new turmoil in Russia, as happened during the short reign of Vasily Shuisky. Therefore, Prince Dmitry stood for the vocation of the "Varangian", but most likely it was Pozharsky's "maneuver", since in the end only Russian applicants - noble princes - took part in the struggle for the royal throne. The leader of the notorious "seven-boyars" Fyodor Mstislavsky compromised himself by cooperation with the Poles, Ivan Vorotynsky renounced his claim to the throne, Vasily Golitsyn was in Polish captivity, the leaders of the militia Dmitry Trubetskoy and Dmitry Pozharsky were not distinguished by nobility. But the new tsar must unite the country split by the Troubles. The question arose: how to give preference to one family so that a new round of boyar feuds does not begin?so that a new round of boyar strife does not begin?so that a new round of boyar strife does not begin?
Mikhail Fedorovich did not pass the first round
The candidacy of the Romanovs as the main contenders did not arise by chance: Mikhail Romanov was the nephew of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. Mikhail's father, Patriarch Filaret, was respected among the clergy and Cossacks. Boyar Fedor Sheremetyev actively campaigned in favor of the candidacy of Mikhail Fedorovich. He assured the obstinate boyars that Mikhail was "young and will be our favorite." In other words, it will become their puppet. But the boyars did not allow themselves to be persuaded: in the preliminary voting, the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov did not receive the required number of votes.
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When Romanov was elected, an overlap arose: the Cathedral demanded the arrival of the young applicant to Moscow. The Romanov party could not allow this: an inexperienced, timid young man inexperienced in intrigues would have made an unfavorable impression on the delegates of the Council. Sheremetyev and his supporters had to show miracles of eloquence, proving how dangerous the path from the Kostroma village of Domnino, where Mikhail was staying, to Moscow. Was it not then that the legend of the exploit of Ivan Susanin, who saved the life of the future tsar, arose? After heated debate, the Romanovites managed to convince the Cathedral to cancel the decision on Mikhail's arrival.
Tightening
On February 7, 1613, the orderly tired delegates announced a two-week break: "February was postponed from February 7 to 21 for a large fortification." Messengers were sent to the cities "in all sorts of people, see them out." The voice of the people, of course, is the voice of God, but isn't it not enough two weeks to monitor public opinion in a large country? For example, it is not easy for a messenger to get to Siberia in two months. Most likely, the boyars expected the most active supporters of Mikhail Romanov - the Cossacks - to leave Moscow. The villagers will get bored, they say, to sit idle in the city, they will disperse. The Cossacks really dispersed, so much so that the boyars did not seem to be enough …
Role of Pozharsky
Let's go back to Pozharsky and his lobbying for the Swedish claimant to the Russian throne. In the fall of 1612, the militia captured a Swedish spy. Until January 1613, he languished in captivity, but shortly before the beginning of the Zemsky Cathedral, Pozharsky frees the spy and sends him to Novgorod, occupied by the Swedes, with a letter to the commander Jacob Delagardie. In it, Pozharsky says that he himself and most of the noble boyars want to see Karl-Philip on the Russian throne. But, as subsequent events showed, Pozharsky misinformed the Swede. One of the first decisions of the Zemsky Sobor was that a foreigner should not be on the Russian throne; the sovereign should be elected "from Moscow families, God willing." Was Pozharsky so naive that he did not know the mood of the majority? Of course not. Prince Dmitry deliberately fooled De la Gardie's "general support" for the candidacy of Charles-Philippe,to prevent Swedish interference in the election of the king. The Russians could hardly repulse the Polish onslaught; the march on Moscow for the Swedish army could also prove fatal.
Pozharsky's "cover operation" was successful: the Swedes did not budge. That is why on February 20, Prince Dmitry, happily forgetting about the Swedish prince, proposed to the Zemsky Sobor to elect a tsar from the Romanov family, and then put his signature on the cathedral charter on the election of Mikhail Fedorovich. During the coronation of the new sovereign, it was Pozharsky that Mikhail showed a high honor: the prince presented him with one of the symbols of power - the royal power. Modern political strategists can only envy such a competent PR move: the savior of the Fatherland entrusts the power to the new tsar. Handsomely. Looking ahead, we note that until his death (1642) Pozharsky faithfully served Mikhail Fedorovich, taking advantage of his constant location. It is unlikely that the tsar would have favored someone who wanted to see on the throne of the Rurikovich not him, but some kind of Swedish prince.
Cossacks
Cossacks play a special role in the king's election. An interesting story about this is contained in the "Tale of the Zemsky Sobor in 1613". It turns out that on February 21, the boyars decided to choose the tsar by casting lots, but the hope for "maybe", in which any forgery is possible, angered the Cossacks. Cossack orators smashed the boyar "tricks" to smithereens and solemnly proclaimed: "By God's will, there will be a Tsar, Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhailo Fedorovich in the reigning city of Moscow and all Russia!" This cry was immediately picked up by the supporters of the Romanovs, and not only in the Cathedral, but also among the large crowd of people in the square. It was the Cossacks who cut the "Gordian knot", having achieved the election of Mikhail. The unknown author of The Tale (probably an eyewitness to what is happening) does not regret the colors, describing the reaction of the boyars: “Bolyar at that time was obsessed with fear and trembling,and their faces are changed with blood, and no one can do that."
Only Mikhail's uncle, Ivan Romanov, nicknamed Kasha, who for some reason did not want to see his nephew on the throne, tried to argue: “Mikhailo Fedorovich is still young and not fully aware”. To which the Cossack witches objected: "But you, Ivan Nikitich, are a mile old, in full reason … you will be a strong force for him." Mikhail did not forget to his uncle's assessment of his mental abilities and subsequently removed Ivan Kasha from all state affairs. The Cossack demarche came as a complete surprise to Dmitry Trubetskoy: "His face is blackened, and falling into ailment, and lying for many days, not leaving his courtyard from the abyss, that he exhausted the treasury as a Cossack, and they are flattering in words and deceit." The prince can be understood: it was he, the leader of the Cossack militia, who counted on the support of his comrades in arms, generously endowed them with "treasury" - and suddenly they were on the side of Mikhail. May be,Did the Romanov Party pay more?
British recognition
On February 21 (March 3), 1613, the Zemsky Sobor made a historic decision: to elect Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom. The first country to recognize the new sovereign was England: in the same year, 1613, the embassy of John Metrick arrived in Moscow. This is how the history of the second and last tsarist dynasty of Russia began. It is significant that throughout his reign, Mikhail Fedorovich showed a special attitude towards the British. So, after the Troubles, Mikhail Fedorovich restored relations with the British "Moscow Company" and although he curtailed the freedom of action of the British merchants, he nevertheless put them on favorable terms not only with other foreigners, but also with representatives of Russian "big business".