Who is Boris Godunov? Biography of Tsar Boris Fedorovich Godunov

In modern people, the question "Who is Boris Godunov?" Will hardly be a problem. His name and place, occupied by a series of other Russian autocrats, are too well known. But here the personal evaluation of this bright historical character is sometimes ambiguous. Paying tribute to the state mind and the political line that for a hundred years preceded the reforms of Peter I, it is often reproached for usurping power and even in infanticide. The personality of Boris Godunov has been the subject of discussion for several centuries now.

The way to power

According to legend, the genus Godunov originates from one of the numerous Tatar princes, in the time of Ivan Kalita settled in Moscow and serving the Grand Duke faith and truth. The same future ruler of Russia, Boris Feodorovich Godunov, whose life story is an example of an extraordinary social upsurge, was born in 1552 in the family of a small landowner Vyazemsky Uyezd. If it were not for a happy coincidence, his name would never have appeared on the pages of Russian history.

But, as you know, the case loves those who know how to use it. Young and ambitious Boris was just from such people. He took advantage of the protection of his uncle, who became one of the royal princes at the time of Ivan the Terrible, and, having joined the ranks of the oprichniki, who left a gloomy and bloody trail in history, achieved the autocrat's position by making his way to his closest associates. When he became son-in-law of Malyuta Skuratov, one of the most powerful and most odious representatives of the elite of that era, his position was finally consolidated.

The death of the Tsar, which opened up new prospects for Boris

The next step to the summit of power was the marriage of his sister Irina with the heir to the throne, the son of Ivan the Terrible, the weak-willed and weak Tsarevich Fedor. This allowed the small Vyazemsky landlord to become one of the most powerful people of that time. Historians agree that in the last years of his life the willful and despotic king took most of the decisions under the influence of Godunov.

But the real time Boris Godunov began after the death of Ivan the Terrible and the accession to the throne of his son. Adopting a royal crown by the law of succession to the throne, Fedor could not rule the country because of mental retardation, and to perform this function, a regency council was created. The young monarch's father-in-law did not enter it, but, through all sorts of intrigues, practically controlled the state during all fourteen years of the reign of his son-in-law.

Works for the welfare of the state

This time was marked by many of his progressive endeavors. Thanks to Godunov, the Russian Orthodox Church became autocephalous. It was headed by Patriarch Job, which increased the world prestige of the country. Within the state over these years, the construction of cities and fortresses has been widely developed. Clever and prudent ruler, Godunov invited from abroad the most talented architects, which gave impetus to the development of Russian architecture.

In the very capital of his works was introduced unheard of for those times innovation - a water pipe, equipped with pumps and connected the Moscow River with the Stables yard. To protect the city from the Tatar invasions, Godunov initiated the construction of a nine-kilometer wall of the White City and a line of fortifications that were then on the site of the present Garden Ring. Thanks to them, the capital was saved during the raid of Khan Kazi-Giray in 1591.

Death of a minor heir to the throne

In the same year of 1591, an event occurred, as a result of which the question of who Boris Godunov for Russia is a benefactor or a villain can not get an unambiguous answer until today. The fact is that on May 11, under mysterious and unexplained circumstances, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible died - Tsarevich Dimitry, who by right was the heir to the throne. Everyone knew that Godunov long dreamed of the throne of the king, and therefore the popular rumor declared him guilty of a serious crime.

The conclusion of the investigative commission, sent to Uglich, where the tragedy occurred, did not help either. In vain, its chairman, Prince Vasily Shuisky, called the cause of death an accident. This only strengthened the rumors that a conspiracy was carried out in the palace with the goal of erecting a usurper and child killer, Godunov Godunov, to the throne. Even the successes in foreign policy and the lands returned to them, lost during the Livonian War, did not change the general dislike.

Realization of dreams

In September 1598 (the biography of Godunov Boris Fedorovich - a direct confirmation of this), the life of this man changes abruptly - after the death of Tsar Fedor Ioannovich Zemsky, the Council handed him the ancient cap of Monomakh. The countdown of the seven-year reign began. From the very first days the new tsar's policy was oriented toward rapprochement with the West, which gives the right to find in it common features with the reign of the future autocrat Peter I, who realized it fully.

Like the future transformer of Russia, Godunov tried to attach his subjects to the achievements of world civilization. To this end, he wrote to Moscow many foreigners who subsequently left a notable mark in the history of the country. Among them, along with scientists and architects, were also representatives of the trade community, who became the founders of famous merchant families. The Russian army, which was replenished by many foreign military specialists, also benefited from this policy.

Opposition - secret and explicit

But, despite all the good beginnings of the tsar, his political opponents, in the person of representatives of the oldest boyar families, united in opposition and strove to overthrow the sovereign who was hated by him. They secretly and clearly tried to counteract all his actions. When in 1601 the country experienced a severe drought that lasted three years and took the lives of thousands of people, the boyars circulated a rumor among the people that it was God's punishment for the blood of the innocent murdered Tsarevich Dimitri.

Trying to counteract his internal enemies, Godunov was forced to resort to repression. Many boyars were executed in those years or sent into exile. But their relatives remained, who hated the tsar and posed a grave danger for him. They also tried to set up a dark masses against Boris.

A sad ending to life and reign

The main misfortune for him was the appearance of False Dmitri, who pretended to be the saved Tsarevich Dimitri. The impostor everywhere spread false information about where he came from and who he was. Boris Godunov, as he could, tried to resist him, but his attempts were vain - the opposition did its job. The people willingly believed the stories spread and hated it.

The biography of Tsar Boris Fedorovich Godunov contains many mysteries. One of them is the circumstances of his death, which came on April 13, 1605. Despite the fact that the prince's health by this time was thoroughly undermined by overwork and nervous stress, there is reason to believe that Boris's death was violent. Individual researchers see it as a voluntary withdrawal from life.

Many questions related to this, far from ordinary, historical personality are still waiting for their coverage. We only superficially know who Boris Godunov is, but what lies in the depths of his multifaceted personality is hidden from our eyes.