Time of Troubles in Russia. Reasons, essence, stages, results.
Causes:
1 ) The establishment of a 5-year period for the search and return of fugitive peasants is another step on the path to serfdom.
2 ) Three lean years in a row (1601-1603), which led to famine, aggravating the internal situation in the country to the limit.
3 ) Dissatisfaction of everyone - from peasants to boyars and nobles - with the rule of Boris Godunov.
4 ) The mass of peasants and townspeople of the central and northwestern regions, devastated by war, the plague epidemic and the oprichnina.
5 ) The departure of peasants from villages and cities; economic decline.
6 ) Intensification of the class struggle.
7 ) Development of contradictions within the ruling class.
8 ) Deterioration of the international position of the state.
9 ) The crisis situation in the economic and political life countries.
First stage (1598-1605)
At this stage there were the first signs of destabilization of the system, but controllability remained. This situation created the conditions for a controlled process of change through reform. The absence of a contender with firm rights to the throne after the death of Fyodor Ioannovich was extremely dangerous under autocratic, unlimited power. It was important to ensure continuity of power. In 1598. The Zemsky Sobor took place, its composition was wide: boyars, nobles, clerks, guests (merchants) and representatives of all “peasants”.
The Council spoke in favor of crowning Boris Godunov, who actually ruled the country. The Boyar Duma met separately from the Zemsky Sobor and called for allegiance to the Duma as the highest authority. Thus, an alternative arose: either elect a tsar and live as before, or swear allegiance to the Duma, which meant the possibility of changes in public life. The outcome of the struggle was decided by the street, speaking out for Boris Godunov, who agreed to the kingdom.
The situation of the majority of the people was disastrous. At the beginning of the 17th century Agriculture fell into disrepair, and natural disasters added to this. In 1601, a terrible famine broke out, which lasted three years (only in Moscow were they buried in mass graves). more than 120 thousand people). In difficult conditions, the authorities made some concessions: it was restored St. George's day, the distribution of bread to the hungry was organized. But these measures did not ease the tension. In 1603, the uprisings became widespread.
Second stage (1605-1610)
At this stage the country was plunged into the abyss of civil war, the state collapsed. Moscow has lost its significance as a political center. Except old capital, new, “thieves’” ones appeared: Putivl, Starodub, Tushino. The intervention of Western countries began, attracted by the weakness Russian state. Sweden and Poland were rapidly moving inland. State power found itself in paralysis. In Moscow, False Dmitry I, Vasily Shuisky, and the Boyar Duma took turns, whose reign went down in history as the “Seven Boyars.” However, their power was ephemeral. False Dmitry II, who was in Tushino, controlled almost half the country.
At this stage the opportunity The Europeanization of Russia is associated with the name of False Dmitry I. In 1603, a man appeared within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, calling himself the name of the son of Ivan IV Dmitry, who had been considered killed for twelve years. In Russia it was announced that the fugitive monk of the Chudov Monastery, Grigory Otrepiev, was hiding under this name.
Election as king Mikhail Romanov testified that the majority in society supported the restoration of the Muscovite kingdom with all its features. The Troubles brought an important lesson: the majority was committed to the traditions of community, collectivism, strong centralized power and did not want to give them up. Russia began to slowly emerge from social catastrophe, restoring social system, destroyed during the Time of Troubles.
Consequences of the Troubles:
1 ) Temporary strengthening of the influence of the Boyar Duma and the Zemsky Sobor.
2 ) The positions of the nobility were strengthened
3 ) Lost coast Baltic Sea and the lands of Smolensk.
4 ) Economic devastation, poverty of the people.
5 ) Russia's independence preserved
6 ) The Romanov dynasty began to rule.
The reign of Ivan the Terrible greatly weakened Russia. The Tsar did not leave an heir who could cope with the governance of Russia in this difficult time. The eldest son Ivan was killed by the tsar in a fit of anger. Another son, Fyodor, who took the throne after the death of his father, dreamed of becoming a monk and had little interest in state affairs. In fact, his relative, the smart and strong-willed boyar Boris Godunov, ruled instead of him. The youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, Dmitry, died under unclear circumstances, but popular rumor blamed Boris Godunov for his death.In 1598, after the death of the childless Tsar Fedor, the Rurik dynasty, which ruled Russia for more than seven centuries, came to an end. The Zemsky Sobor elected Godunov to the throne. His reign began successfully, but several terrible lean years greatly weakened Godunov’s power. The people began to consider him an unrighteous, unreal king, although he made every effort to feed the hungry. Only a spark was enough to ignite a fire of popular unrest in Russia.
At the beginning of the 17th century, a man appeared in Poland who called himself the “miraculously saved” Tsarevich Dimitri. But it was not Dmitry, but the fugitive monk Grigory Otrepiev. That's why they call him False Dmitry. Having gathered an army, False Dmitry went on a campaign against Moscow. His army included detachments of Polish soldiers and Russian nobles dissatisfied with Godunov. But Godunov’s army defeated the motley Russian-Polish army of False Dmitry. And only the unexpected death of Godunov saved the impostor.
Moscow opened its gates to him, and False Dmitry became king. But he ruled for only a year. The boyars, dissatisfied with the fact that the Poles who came with him became the main advisers of False Dmitry, organized a conspiracy. False Dmitry was killed, and boyar Vasily Shuisky, a cunning intriguer, was named king, but weak ruler. The people did not consider him a legitimate king. New impostors appeared, calling themselves the names of various “miraculously escaped” Russian tsars. And each of them with his army ravaged and plundered Russian lands.
The foreign enemies of Russia - the Poles and Swedes - took advantage of this situation. The Polish army occupied significant territories and, with the help of some of the boyars, captured Moscow. The Swedes, meanwhile, captured the Novgorod lands. The question arose about the existence of an independent Russian state.
Many Russian people believed that foreigners and impostors should be expelled from the borders of Rus'. Gathered in Nizhny Novgorod civil uprising, every Russian person had to give a fifth of his property for its creation. The militia was led by townsman Kozma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky.
In 1611 people's army occupied Moscow. Two years later, the Zemsky Sobor met, at which Mikhail Romanov was elected the new Tsar.
One of the most difficult periods in the history of the state is the Time of Troubles. It lasted from 1598 to 1613. It was at the turn of the XVI-XVII centuries. there is a severe economic and political crisis. Oprichnina, the Tatar invasion, the Livonian War - all this led to the maximum increase in negative phenomena and increased public indignation.
Reasons for the start of the Time of Troubles
Ivan the Terrible had three sons. He killed his eldest son in a fit of rage; the youngest was only two years old, and the middle one, Fyodor, was 27. Thus, after the death of the tsar, it was Fyodor who had to take power into his own hands. But the heir is a soft personality and was not at all suitable for the role of ruler. During his lifetime, Ivan IV created a regency council under Fedor, which included Boris Godunov, Shuisky and other boyars.
Ivan the Terrible died in 1584. Fedor became the official ruler, but in fact it was Godunov. A few years later, in 1591, Dmitry (the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible) dies. A number of versions of the boy's death have been put forward. The main version is that the boy accidentally ran into a knife while playing. Some claimed that they knew who killed the prince. Another version is that he was killed by Godunov’s henchmen. A few years later, Fedor dies (1598), leaving no children behind.
Thus, historians identify the following main reasons and factors for the beginning of the Time of Troubles:
- Interruption of the Rurik dynasty.
- The desire of the boyars to increase their role and power in the state, to limit the power of the tsar. The boyars' claims grew into an open struggle with the top government. Their intrigues had a negative impact on the position of royal power in the state.
- Economic situation was critical. The king’s campaigns of conquest required the activation of all forces, including production ones. In 1601–1603 there was a period of famine, which resulted in the impoverishment of large and small farms.
- Serious social conflict. The current system rejected not only numerous fugitive peasants, serfs, townspeople, city Cossacks, but also some parts of the service people.
- Domestic policy of Ivan the Terrible. The consequences and results of the oprichnina increased distrust and undermined respect for law and authority.
Events of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was a huge shock for the state., which affected the foundations of power and political system. Historians identify three periods of unrest:
- Dynastic. The period when there was a struggle for the Moscow throne, and it lasted until the reign of Vasily Shuisky.
- Social. The time of civil strife between the popular classes and the invasion of foreign troops.
- National. The period of struggle and expulsion of the interventionists. It lasted until the election of a new king.
The first stage of the turmoil
Taking advantage of the instability and discord in Rus', False Dmitry crossed the Dnieper with a small army. He managed to convince the Russian people that he was Dmitry, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible.
A huge mass of the population followed him. Cities opened their gates, townspeople and peasants joined his troops. In 1605, after the death of Godunov, the governors took his side, and after a while the whole of Moscow.
False Dmitry needed the support of the boyars. So, on June 1 on Red Square, he declared Boris Godunov a traitor, and also promised privileges to the boyars, clerks and nobles, unimaginable benefits to merchants, and peace and quiet to the peasants. An alarming moment came when the peasants asked Shuisky whether Tsarevich Dmitry was buried in Uglich (it was Shuisky who headed the commission to investigate the death of the prince and confirmed his death). But the boyar already claimed that Dmitry was alive. After these stories, an angry crowd broke into the houses of Boris Godunov and his relatives, destroying everything. So, on June 20, False Dmitry entered Moscow with honors.
It turned out to be much easier to sit on the throne than to stay on it. To assert his power, the impostor consolidated serfdom, which led to discontent among the peasants.
False Dmitry also did not live up to the expectations of the boyars. In May 1606, the Kremlin gates were opened to the peasants, False Dmitry was killed. The throne was taken by Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky. The main condition for his reign was the limitation of power. He swore that he would not make any decisions on his own. Formally, there was a restriction state power . But the situation in the state has not improved.
The second stage of the turmoil
This period is characterized not only by the struggle for power of the upper classes, but also by free and large-scale peasant uprisings.
So, in the summer of 1606, the peasant masses had a leader - Ivan Isaevich Bolotnikov. Peasants, Cossacks, serfs, townspeople, large and small feudal lords, and servicemen gathered under one banner. In 1606, Bolotnikov’s army advanced to Moscow. The battle for Moscow was lost, and they had to retreat to Tula. Already there, a three-month siege of the city began. The result of the unfinished campaign against Moscow was the capitulation and execution of Bolotnikov. From this time on, peasant uprisings began to decline.
Shuisky's government sought to normalize the situation in the country, but peasants and servicemen were still dissatisfied. The nobles doubted the ability of the authorities to stop peasant uprisings, and the peasants did not want to accept serfdom. At this moment of misunderstanding, another impostor appeared on the Bryansk lands, who called himself False Dmitry II. Many historians claim that he was sent to rule by the Polish king Sigismund III. Most of his troops were Polish Cossacks and nobles. In the winter of 1608, False Dmitry II moved with an armed army to Moscow.
By June, the impostor reached the village of Tushino, where he camped. Such people swore allegiance to him big cities, like Vladimir, Rostov, Murom, Suzdal, Yaroslavl. In fact, two capitals appeared. The boyars swore allegiance either to Shuisky or to the impostor and managed to receive salaries from both sides.
To expel False Dmitry II, the Shuisky government concluded an agreement with Sweden. According to this agreement, Russia gave the Karelian volost to Sweden. Taking advantage of this mistake, Sigismund III switched to open intervention. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth went to war against Russia. Polish units abandoned the impostor. False Dmitry II was forced to flee to Kaluga, where he ingloriously ended his “reign.”
Letters from Sigismund II were delivered to Moscow and Smolensk, in which he stated that, as a relative of the Russian rulers and at the request of the Russian people, he was going to save the dying state and the Orthodox faith.
Frightened, the Moscow boyars recognized Prince Vladislav as the Russian Tsar. In 1610, a treaty was concluded in which the basic plan was discussed government structure Russia:
- inviolability Orthodox faith;
- restriction of freedom;
- division of power of the sovereign with the Boyar Duma and the Zemsky Sobor.
The oath of Moscow to Vladislav took place on August 17, 1610. A month before these events, Shuisky was forcibly tonsured a monk and exiled to the Chudov Monastery. To manage the boyars, a commission of seven boyars was assembled - seven-boyars. And already on September 20, the Poles entered Moscow without hindrance.
At this time, Sweden openly demonstrates military aggression. Swedish troops occupied most of Russia and were already ready to attack Novgorod. Russia was on the verge of the final loss of independence. The aggressive plans of the enemies caused great indignation among the people.
The third stage of the turmoil
The death of False Dmitry II greatly influenced the situation. The pretext (the fight against the impostor) for Sigismund to rule Russia disappeared. Thus, Polish troops turned into occupation. Russian people unite to resist, the war began to acquire national proportions.
The third stage of the turmoil begins. At the call of the patriarch, detachments come from the northern regions to Moscow. Cossack troops led by Zarutsky and Grand Duke Trubetskoy. This is how the first militia was created. In the spring of 1611, Russian troops launched an assault on Moscow, which was unsuccessful.
In the fall of 1611, in Novgorod, Kuzma Minin addressed the people with a call to fight against foreign invaders. A militia was created, whose leader was Prince Dmitry Pozharsky.
In August 1612, the army of Pozharsky and Minin reached Moscow, and on October 26 the Polish garrison surrendered. Moscow was completely liberated. The Time of Troubles, which lasted almost 10 years, is over.
In these difficult conditions, the state needed a government that would reconcile people of different political sides, but could also find a class compromise. In this regard, Romanov’s candidacy suited everyone.
After the grandiose liberation of the capital, letters of convocation of the Zemsky Sobor were scattered throughout the country. The council took place in January 1613 and was the most representative of all medieval history Russia. Of course, a struggle broke out for the future tsar, but as a result they agreed on the candidacy of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov (a relative of the first wife of Ivan IV). Mikhail Romanov was elected Tsar on February 21, 1613.
From this time begins the history of the Romanov dynasty, who was on the throne for more than 300 years (until February 1917).
Consequences of the Time of Troubles
Unfortunately, the Time of Troubles ended badly for Russia. 
Territorial losses were suffered:
- loss of Smolensk a long period;
- loss of access to the Gulf of Finland;
- eastern and western Karelia are captured by the Swedes.
The Orthodox population did not accept the oppression of the Swedes and left their territories. Only in 1617, the Swedes left Novgorod. The city was completely devastated; several hundred citizens remained in it.
Time of Troubles led to economic and economic decline. The size of arable land fell 20 times, the number of peasants decreased 4 times. Cultivation of the land was reduced, the monastery courtyards were devastated by the interventionists.
The number of deaths during the war is approximately equal to one third of the country's population. In a number of regions of the country, the population fell below the level of the 16th century.
In 1617–1618, Poland once again wanted to capture Moscow and enthrone Prince Vladislav. But the attempt failed. As a result, a truce with Russia was signed for 14 years, which marked the refusal of Vladislav’s claims to the Russian throne. The Northern and Smolensk lands remained for Poland. Despite the difficult conditions of peace with Poland and Sweden, the end of the war and the desired respite came for the Russian state. The Russian people unitedly defended the independence of Russia.
After the death of Ivan the Terrible, the country plunged into real chaos. The heir to the throne, Fyodor Ivanovich, was not capable of conducting political affairs in the country, and Tsarevich Dmitry was killed in infancy.
It is this period that is commonly called the Time of Troubles. For several decades, the country was torn apart by potential heirs to the throne, seeking to gain power by any means. And only with the Romanovs coming to power in 1613 did the Troubles begin to subside.
What uprisings took place at this time, and is it possible to highlight their key moments?
Period of the uprising | Main characters | Results of the uprising |
|---|---|---|
1598-1605 | Boris Godunov | After the death of Fyodor Ivanovich, the Rurik dynasty came to an end, and a real war unfolded over the succession to the throne. From 1598, the country began to experience long days of crop failure, which continued until 1601. During this period, the first anti-feudal actions of slaves occurred. Since Boris Godunov was not the true heir to the throne, his right to the throne was disputed in every possible way, and the appearance of False Dmitry I became the reason for the overthrow of Godunov. |
1605-1606 | False Dmitry I, Marina Mnishek, Vasily Shuisky | The people wanted to believe that the royal dynasty had not ended, and therefore, when Grigory Otrepiev began to convince everyone that he was the true heir to the throne, the people believed it with pleasure. After the wedding with Marina Mnishek, the Poles began to commit outrages in the capital, after which the power of False Dmitry I began to weaken. Led by Vasily Shuisky, the boyars raised a new uprising and overthrew the impostor. |
Vasily Shuisky, False Dmitry II, Marina Mnishek | After the overthrow of False Dmitry I, Vasily Shusky seized power. After a series of vague reforms, the people began to grumble, as a result of which the belief that Tsarevich Dmitry was alive was revived. In 1607, False Dmitry II appeared, who tried to impose his power until 1610. At the same time, the widow of False Dmitry I, Marina Mnishek, also laid claim to the throne. |
|
1606-1607 | Ivan Bolotnikov, Vasily Shuisky. | Dissatisfied residents of the country rose up in rebellion against the rule of Vasily Shuisky. The uprising was led by Ivan Bolotnikov, but despite the initial successes, Bolotnikov’s army was eventually defeated. Vasily Shuisky retained the right to govern the country until 1610 |
1610-1613 | F. Mstislavsky, A. Golitsyn, A. Trubetskoy, I. Vorotynsky | After Shuisky suffered several serious defeats from the Poles in the Russian-Polish War, he was overthrown, and the Seven Boyars came to power. 7 representatives of the boyar families tried to establish their power by swearing allegiance to the Polish king Vladislav. The people did not like the prospect of serving the Poles, so many peasants began to join the army of Dzhedmitry II. Along the way, militias took place, after which the power of the Seven Boyars was overthrown. |
January-June 1611 - First militia September-October - Second militia. | K. Minin, D. Pozharsky, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov | At first, the militia broke out in Ryazan, but there they were able to suppress it quite quickly. Afterwards, the wave of discontent spread to Nizhny Novgorod, where Minin and Pozharsky stood at the head of the militia. Their militia was more successful, and the interventionists even managed to capture the capital. However, already in October 1613, the interventionists were driven out of Moscow, and after the Zemsky Sobor of 1613, the power of the Romanovs was established in Rus'. |
As a result of several decades of the Time of Troubles, the situation in the country was worse than ever. Internal uprisings weakened the state, making Ancient Rus' a tasty morsel for foreign invaders. The establishment of power by a new royal family was inevitable, and after lengthy debates, the Romanovs were in power.
Ahead of the country lay 300 years under the rule of the Romanovs, technological progress and the Age of Enlightenment. All this would have been impossible if the Time of Troubles had not been suppressed and disputes over the throne had continued.
The beginning of the 17th century was marked for Russia by a series of difficult trials.
How the Troubles Began
After Tsar Ivan the Terrible died in 1584, the throne was inherited by his son Fyodor Ivanovich, who was very weak and sickly. Due to his state of health, he did not rule for long - from 1584 to 1598. Fyodor Ivanovich died early, leaving no heirs. The youngest son of Ivan the Terrible was allegedly stabbed to death by Boris Godunov's henchmen. There were many people who wanted to take the reins of power into their own hands. As a result, a struggle for power developed within the country. This situation gave rise to the development of such a phenomenon as the Troubles. Reasons and beginning of this period in different time interpreted differently. Despite this, it is possible to identify the main events and aspects that influenced the development of these events.
Main reasons
Of course, first of all, this is the interruption of the Rurik dynasty. From this moment on, the central government, which has passed into the hands of third parties, loses its authority in the eyes of the people. The constant increase in taxes also served as a catalyst for discontent among townspeople and peasants. For such a protracted phenomenon as the Troubles, the reasons have been accumulating for more than one year. This also includes the consequences of the oprichnina, the economic devastation after Livonian War. The last straw was the sharp deterioration in living conditions associated with the drought of 1601-1603. Troubles became for external forces the most opportune moment for the liquidation of Russian state independence.
Background from the point of view of historians
It was not only the weakening of the monarchy that contributed to the emergence of such a phenomenon as the Troubles. Its reasons are related to the interweaving of the aspirations and actions of various political forces and social masses, which were complicated by the intervention of external forces. Due to the fact that many unfavorable factors, the country plunged into a deep crisis.
For the occurrence of such a phenomenon as the Troubles, the reasons can be identified as follows:
1. The economic crisis that occurred at the end of the 16th century. It was caused by the loss of peasants to the cities, the increase in tax and feudal oppression. The situation was aggravated by the famine of 1601-1603, which killed about half a million people.
2. Dynasty crisis. After the death of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, the struggle between various boyar clans for the right to stand in power intensified. During this period, Boris Godunov (from 1598 to 1605), Fyodor Godunov (April 1605 - June 1605), False Dmitry I (from June 1605 to May 1606), Vasily visited the state throne Shuisky (from 1606 to 1610), False Dmitry II (from 1607 to 1610) and the Seven Boyars (from 1610 to 1611).
3. Spiritual crisis. The desire of the Catholic religion to impose its will ended in a split in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Internal turmoil marked the beginning of peasant wars and urban revolts.
Godunov's board
The difficult struggle for power between representatives of the highest nobility ended with the victory of Boris Godunov, the Tsar's brother-in-law. This was the first time in Russian history when the throne was acquired not by inheritance, but as a result of victory in elections in the Zemsky Sobor. In general, during the seven years of his reign, Godunov managed to resolve disputes and disagreements with Poland and Sweden, and also established cultural and economic relations with the countries of Western Europe.
His domestic politics also brought results in the form of Russia's advance into Siberia. However, the situation in the country soon worsened. This was caused by crop failures in the period from 1601 to 1603.
Godunov accepted everyone possible measures to alleviate such a difficult situation. He organized public Works, gave permission to slaves to leave their masters, organized the distribution of bread to the starving. Despite this, as a result of the repeal of the law on the temporary restoration of St. George's Day in 1603, a slave uprising broke out, which marked the beginning of the peasant war.
Aggravation of the internal situation
The most dangerous stage of the Peasant War was the uprising led by Ivan Bolotnikov. The war spread to the southwest and south of Russia. The rebels defeated the troops of the new tsar - Vasily Shuisky - moving on to the siege of Moscow in October-December 1606. They were stopped by internal disagreements, as a result of which the rebels were forced to retreat to Kaluga.
The right moment for the attack on Moscow for the Polish princes was the Time of Troubles of the early 17th century. The reasons for the attempts at intervention lay in the impressive support provided to the princes False Dmitry I and False Dmitry II, who were subordinate to foreign accomplices in everything. The ruling circles of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and catholic church Attempts were made to dismember Russia and eliminate its state independence.
The next stage in the split of the country was the formation of territories that recognized the power of False Dmitry II, and those that remained loyal to Vasily Shuisky.
According to some historians, the main reasons for such a phenomenon as the Troubles lay in lack of rights, imposture, internal division of the country and intervention. This time became the first civil war in Russian history. Before the Troubles appeared in Russia, its causes took many years to form. The preconditions were related to the oprichnina and the consequences of the Livonian War. By that time, the country's economy was already ruined, and tension was growing in social strata.
Final stage
Beginning in 1611, there was a rise in patriotic sentiment, accompanied by calls for an end to strife and strengthened unity. A people's militia was organized. However, only on the second attempt, under the leadership of K. Minin and K. Pozharsky, in the fall of 1611, Moscow was liberated. 16-year-old Mikhail Romanov was elected the new tsar.
The Troubles brought enormous territorial losses in the 17th century. The reasons for it were mainly the weakening of the authority of the centralized government in the eyes of the people and the formation of an opposition. Despite this, having gone through years of losses and hardships, internal fragmentation and civil strife under the leadership of False Dmitry impostors and adventurers, the nobles, townspeople and peasants came to the conclusion that strength can only be in unity. The consequences of the Troubles influenced the country even for a long time. Only a century later they were finally eliminated.