The mother of Ivan IV (the Terrible) Elena Glinskaya is rarely mentioned today. But her life story is inextricably linked with Russia. Thanks to the efforts of this woman-ruler, the state was able to survive the time of turmoil and revolts without irreversible damage.
The Glinskys are considered the descendants of the famous Khan Mamai. After the victory of the Russians at the Kulikovo field, one of the Khan Mamai family, having converted to Orthodoxy, began to serve the Lithuanian prince. Subsequently, he received the title of Prince Glinsky. In terms of nobility, the Glinsky family was second only to the reigning dynasties.
The Glinskys ended up in Russia thanks to Prince Mikhail Lvovich Glinsky, who was called to serve by the Russian tsar, offering a large salary, assistance to him and his close relatives. Therefore, Prince Glinsky brought his family with him to his new place of residence. Indeed, the Tsar kept his promise and endowed Glinsky with lands and even two cities (Medyn, Yaroslavl). Unfortunately, the prince did not get along on Russian soil and wanted to return to Lithuania. But it was not so: he was immediately imprisoned for a long time in a dungeon, accused of treason.
It is not known exactly whether Elena Glinskaya was born in Moscow or was brought in as a child. It is known for certain that she met with Tsar Vasily III at the age of eighteen. Elena Glinskaya possessed not only amazing beauty, but was also smart, received an excellent education: she spoke Polish, German, knew Latin. Vasily III was delighted with young Elena. Why the king chose Helen as his wife is unknown. But her candidacy was quite suitable for the closest associates of the sovereign: the family of the future queen was not tied by ties with any boyar families. The Tsar needed an heir, and Elena always dreamed of taking a higher position in society. And as subsequent events showed, the emperor sincerely fell in love with his young wife. For the sake of young Helen, the tsar changed many established customs, bringing them closer to European fashion. It cannot be saidthat the environment was against such changes. Many enjoyed shaving their beards, wearing European clothing, adorning themselves with jewelry, and using incense.
The first wife of Vasily III could not give birth to an heir. And this became the reason for the divorce. They say that the tsar ordered the construction of the Novodevichy Convent for her. Four months after the tonsure of his first wife as a nun, Vasily III married Elena Glinskaya.
Despite the sovereign's marriage to Elena, the fate of Mikhail Lvovich Glinsky did not immediately change - he was still in prison. Only the persistent requests of his wife were able to soften the king's heart, and he gave freedom to the captive and introduced him into his entourage.
Prince Ivan Telepnev-Obolensky was considered the closest associate of the tsar at this time. A handsome man, a wonderful military leader, did not take his loving gaze from the young queen. Over time, he will become the closest person to Elena.
In the meantime, in all the temples it is ordered to pray that the Lord will grant the reigning couple an heir. The spouses themselves also made pious trips to monasteries to see miraculous icons, attended church services and presented gifts to the poor. The heir was born only four years later, after the wedding in 1530. Everyone was sure that this long-awaited event happened thanks to the intervention of divine forces. The firstborn was baptized in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and named John. The baby's nurse was the sister of Prince Obolensky.
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Vasily III dearly loved and cared for his son. Even while leaving Moscow, he constantly demanded to report to him about the boy's health.
Soon a second son, Yuri, was born in the royal family. And five weeks after this joyful event, Vasily III fell ill and died: according to the official version, from blood poisoning.
After the death of the sovereign, Elena Glinskaya found herself in a difficult situation: her son Ivan did not reach the age when it was possible to take the Russian throne, and she was considered a foreigner and the daughter of a Lithuanian governor, whom the sovereign accused of treason. She did everything possible to secure her son's right to the throne. A ceremony was held to declare young Ivan the Grand Duke. Messengers were sent through the cities with orders to swear allegiance to the new Grand Duke.
Her husband's brothers became open opponents of Elena Glinskaya and her son, who were hindered by the board of trustees, which ruled on behalf of the young sovereign. This council was created during the life of Vasily III and no one could influence its activities, including Elena Glinskaya herself. The young ruler needed serious support. And it was provided by Ivan Telepnev-Obolensky. Until now, the reason for such a rapprochement between the famous governor and the ruler remains a mystery. Perhaps the sister of the voivode and at the same time the nurse of the young Ivan Vasilyevich played her role in this, or a love affair existed between the tsarina and the nobleman for a long time during the life of Vasily III. Whatever the reason, Telepnev and Elena ended up together at this historical interval, welded together by the same fate.
To preserve the throne for her son, Elena Glinskaya took cruel measures against those who were hatching plans to prevent Ivan from accessing the Russian throne. She physically destroyed her opponents. The uncle of the ruler, Mikhail Glinsky, who did not come to terms with the fact that Elena interfered in the government and reproached her for cohabitation with Telepnev-Obolensky, also fell under punishment. The ruler hid her relative in prison, and after him deprived all members of the board of trustees of power. Only the Shuisky and Vasily III's brother, Andrei Staritsky, survived, who did not interfere with Elena's rule and lived quietly in Moscow. But, as it turned out, not for long. Andrei Staritsky demanded from Elena the city for his inheritance, having received a refusal, fled from Moscow, fearing for his life. Once a refugee, Andrei began to be perceived by Elena and her voivode Obolensky as a threat. Andrey Staritsky was caught and imprisoned. The same fate befell the wife and son of the disgraced prince.
Simultaneously with the internal struggle, the ruler also waged external wars. The troops under the leadership of Obolensky attacked the Polish and Lithuanian lands, as a result of victories and defeats, it was possible to conclude a temporary truce. The weakening of power led to the fact that Kazan residents attacked the Russian estates. It was not possible to avenge the Kazan citizens for the robbery of the Kostroma district: the Crimean Khan threatened Moscow. It was necessary for six-year-old Ivan to receive Kazan ambassadors and offer peace.
Elena Glinskaya ruled the state as best she could. New fortresses appeared on the borders of Russia, and the old ones were reinforced anew. Three hundred families of refugees from Lithuania were placed on Russian lands. A struggle was waged against counterfeiters, and a new coin was introduced into use, on which the heir to the throne Ivan is depicted with a spear in his hand (a penny). Kitay-gorod was upset and strengthened.
It seemed to Elena that life was gradually returning to a calm channel: internal enemies were destroyed, and external ones did not bother … Her unexpected death in April 1538 surprised everyone. The annals claim that the Grand Duchess was poisoned by the boyars who hated her. Until now, no one can explain why Elena Glinskaya was buried the next day and why there is no mention of the Metropolitan conducting a funeral service over the body of the ruler. Neither the people nor the boyars expressed grief for the deceased princess. Only a little son and Prince Obolensky mourned Elena Glinskaya.
Seven days after the death of the Grand Duchess, the boyar council, ruled by Shuisky, decided to imprison Prince Obolensky in prison, where he soon died of hunger and cold. Russia for a long time passed into the hands of all kinds of boyar groups. The situation was changed only by Ivan Vasilievich. Having entered the government of the country, he burned out his enemies with "blood and iron."
It is still doubtful that Ivan IV was the son of Vasily III. For his contemporaries, the close relationship between Elena Glinskaya and Obolensky was not a secret, so Ivan the Terrible could well have been the son of Voivode Telepnev-Obolensky. Perhaps the difficult years of childhood, the loss of parents were deposited on the character of the future Russian tsar. Ivan IV (the Terrible) has remained in the memory of generations as the most cruel ruler who does not disdain the most barbaric methods of government.
But a bright memory remained of his mother, because although she was from the principality of Lithuania, she became the Russian queen and showed herself as a real patriot of the new homeland.