Why the reign of Vasily Shuisky ended with his overthrow, you will learn from this article.

Reasons for the overthrow of Vasily Shuisky

Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky (years of life 1552-1612) is a descendant of the Rurikids and the Russian Tsar from 1606 to 1610.

It should be noted right away that those times were quite vague. Boris Godunov, False Dmitry I, False Dmitry II and others fought for power and the throne. Shuisky himself was in secret opposition to Boris Godunov, at the same time supported False Dmitry I and then coordinated a conspiracy against him and took the Russian throne. The tsar from the boyar entourage suppressed the loud uprising of Bolotnikov and in 1607 signed a decree regarding a 15-year investigation of the peasants. The power of Vasily Shuisky was shaken. When False Dmitry II appeared on the arena, Shuisky, wanting to cope with a competitor as quickly as possible, concluded an agreement with Sweden in 1609. The terms of the treaty ultimately did not lead to anything good. Muscovites deposed him from the throne and forcibly tonsured him a monk. After he was handed over to Poland as a prisoner, where he died.

Why was Vasily Shuisky overthrown?

Vasily Shuisky was overthrown for the following reasons:

• He expressed the will and interests of a part of the boyars, which was not included in the number of the Boyar Duma of False Dmitry II. Shuisky's reign took on the character of a civil war.
• The concluded treaty with Sweden led to the Polish intervention.
• Rumor has it that Vasily poisoned his nephew Skopin-Shuisky in order to get rid of another competitor.
• On June 24, 1610, the Poles fought the Russians. Under Klushin, Shuisky's troops were defeated, which finally undermined his authority.

We hope that from this article you have learned why Vasily Shuisky was overthrown.

Vasily IV (Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky) (1552-1612), Russian Tsar (1606-1610).

Prince Vasily Ivanovich belonged to ancient family, according to its nobility equal to the Moscow house of Rurikovich. The Shuiskys had enormous land wealth and colossal influence.

In the 80s. 16th century they started a fight with the brother-in-law and favorite of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich Boris Godunov, which ended in failure. The Shuiskys fell into disgrace. In 1586, Prince Vasily Ivanovich was recalled from Smolensk, where he was governor, and sent into exile.

In 1591, Godunov needed the help of disgraced aristocrats. Under mysterious circumstances, the brother of Fyodor Ivanovich, Tsarevich Dmitry, died in the city of Uglich. Prince Vasily Ivanovich stood at the head of the commission of inquiry. He came to the unequivocal conclusion - an accident.

When, ten years later, False Dmitry I invaded the Moscow state, Shuisky proclaimed: "Dmitry escaped the machinations of Boris Godunov, and instead of him the son of a priest was killed and buried princely."

In 1605 the impostor was married to the kingdom. The Poles gained great influence, "pushing" him to the throne. The position of the Russian aristocracy became precarious. Shuisky organized a conspiracy against False Dmitry, but the plans of the conspirators were violated by arrests. Shuisky himself went up to the chopping block. However, at the last moment, False Dmitry pardoned him. This frivolous decision cost the impostor power and life. At the end of May 1606, Shuisky struck. The conspirators aroused popular discontent and broke into the royal chambers. The widespread beating of Polish soldiers began, False Dmitry and his entourage fell.

Shuisky's finest hour has come. He was elected king and soon married. Such haste damaged the cause: the Zemsky Sobor was not convened, which could give Shuisky's power more legitimacy. Soon, several new "royal offspring" appeared in the country at once; one of them, False Dmitry II, received the support of the Polish gentry. In the southern lands, the uprising of I. Bolotnikov (1606-1607) was growing.

Under these conditions, Vasily Ivanovich decided to take a risky step: in Uglich, the relics of the "innocently murdered" Tsarevich Dmitry were found, who was canonized as a martyr. This was to convince everyone and everyone: the prince is dead, and the new impostors are just troublemakers.

Bolotnikov's uprising was successfully suppressed. The fight against the detachments of False Dmitry II dragged on. In 1609 polish king Sigismund III openly invaded Russian territory and laid siege to Smolensk. Shuisky turned to the Swedish king for help. The combined Swedish-Russian forces, led by the talented commander M.V. Skopin-Shuisky, inflicted a number of defeats on the enemy.

In the spring of 1610, the situation began to improve, Shuisky's energetic policy seemed to bear fruit. However, at that moment Skopin-Shuisky died unexpectedly. On June 24, Russian troops suffered a crushing defeat from the Poles near the village of Klushina (between Vyazma and Mozhaisk).

In July 1610, representatives of other aristocratic families rebelled and overthrew Shuisky. The king was forcibly tonsured a monk. The aristocratic government handed him over to the Poles. Vasily Ivanovich died in captivity.

Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky came from Rurikovich. He was born around 1553, when Ivan IV the Terrible ruled, lived under Boris Godunov. Vasily Shuisky, whose reign as king brought a lot of worries and anxieties, rose during the Time of Troubles. But everything ended tragically.

Rise to the throne

In 1604, when Godunov was still alive, an impostor appeared in the south, who called himself Tsarevich Dmitry (False Dmitry I), who had survived in Uglich. Unexpectedly, Tsar Boris died, and at the Tula headquarters Dmitry received guests, including the boyars from Moscow, who invited him to the kingdom. As a result, feeling the support of the political elite and the people, on June 20, 1605, he solemnly entered the Kremlin.

At first he sentenced Shuisky to death, then he sent him into exile, and then he forgave him and returned him. But the reign of False Dmitry was not long - he lasted less than a year.

The intrigues of Shuisky and his supporters

The fickle people, seeing that the new tsar welcomed foreigners and married a Pole, at the signal of Shuisky and his accomplices, began to beat the Poles throughout the capital, and Vasily Shuisky himself, claiming the throne, entered the Kremlin with the people. Dmitry tried to escape through the window, but fell out and crashed to death.

In the morning, Vasily Shuisky was shouted at the kingdom. His reign began with an unprecedented act. In the Assumption Cathedral, he swore on the cross that he would only exercise power together with the boyars. Obviously, in order to get a bit of power, he was ready to give up everything. Vasily Shuisky, whose rule became contractual, gave access to power to the boyar elite.

Reign

Vasily Shuisky began his reign by sending letters of letters throughout the country. They announced what crimes Dmitry had committed. The free south took them incredulously. Fermentation began in the minds, and the rebels gathered an army. It was headed by Ivan Bolotnikov and went to Moscow. He assured everyone that he met with the escaped Dmitry. Near Kolomensk, and this is already almost at the walls of Moscow, Bolotnikov's forces split.

The poor - the dregs of society - began to rob everything. The nobles who took part in the campaign wisely went over to the side of the king.

The position of the nobility during the reign of Vasily Shuisky is briefly characterized by one word - "discontent". No wonder they joined Bolotnikov's detachments. First, they didn't like boyar tsar". Secondly, they began to defend their rights: the government began to pay daily "feed money" to all the ruined nobles and paid the salaries of the warriors. Tsar Vasily Shuisky, whose reign is characterized by the expansion of unrest, as it turned out, did not sit firmly on the throne.

New impostor

In 1606, a certain Ileyka Muromets appeared on the Don. He began to call himself the son of Tsar Fedor Ioannovich and led an army to Moscow. His detachments moved to Tula, where Bolotnikov fortified. There they ended. Shuisky's army blocked the Upa River and flooded the Tula Kremlin. The surrendered Bolotnikov and all his accomplices were drowned.

Tushinsky thief

The reign of Vasily Shuisky is very difficult, as he turned out to be a hostage to the turmoil that he himself sowed when going to power. A new impostor appeared - False Dmitry II, who, having gathered an army of gentry, marauders and all sorts of scum, moved towards Moscow and camped in Tushino. By the way, thanks to this, he received the nickname - Tushinsky thief. The Romanovs, Trubetskoys, and Saltykovs, who were hungry for power, joined him.

Polish intervention

Shuisky, being locked up in Moscow, asked for help from the Swedes. Very distinguished in the fight against Bolotnikov and the new contender for the throne, the young smart commander Skopin-Shuisky. With a small detachment, which included several hundred Swedes, he successfully crushed the bands of marauders.

But the king of Poland, Sigismund, declared war on Rus' under the pretext of its alliance with the Swedes. His army stood near Smolensk. Tushino camp quickly ran to him. The siege was lifted from Moscow. Skopin-Shuisky was greeted everywhere as a hero, moreover, he freed the Trinity-Sergius Monastery from the siege.

The boyars of Moscow decided to open the city to Sigismund. Skopin-Shuisky returned to fight him, but did not manage to do anything: he was poisoned.

The fall of Shuisky

The Moscow boyars organized a conspiracy against the tsar and forcibly tonsured him a monk.

Vasily Shuisky, whose years of rule fall on 1606-1610, was transferred to the Commonwealth. Humiliated and broken, he died in captivity in 1612.

Events of the reign of Vasily Shuisky

The main events under Tsar Vasily Shuisky can be briefly listed as follows:

• Shuisky's promise on the cross (the “cross-kissing record”) will only work with the consent of the boyar Duma. That is, the boyars ruled the country, not the king.
• Rebellion of Ivan Bolotnikov.
• concessions to the nobility. Thus, the period of search for runaway peasants increased to 15 years.
• Continuous struggle with impostors, groups of bandits and other scum.

The reign of Shuisky was difficult due to the constant invasion of interventionists.

Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky. Born in 1552 - died on September 12 (22), 1612. Russian Tsar Vasily IV Ioannovich (1606-1610). The last king of the Rurik family.

Vasily Shuisky was born in 1552.

Father - Prince Ivan Andreevich Shuisky (1533-1573), Russian statesman and military leader, boyar (since 1566), governor in Smolensk (1569), son of Prince Andrei Mikhailovich Shuisky, who was killed by kennels.

Mother - Anna Feodorovna, her origin is unknown.

Brothers: Andrei Ivanovich, Dmitry Ivanovich, Alexander Ivanovich, Ivan Ivanovich (Button).

The entire influential Shuisky clan was represented at court.

Since 1584, Vasily Shuisky has been a boyar and head of the Moscow Judicial Chamber.

In the campaigns of 1574, 1576, 1577 and 1579 - a rynda with a large saidak (squire-bodyguard of the Grand Duke).

In the summer of 1581 - governor of the Big Regiment during a campaign to Serpukhov.

In July 1582 - governor of the Big Regiment on a campaign to Novgorod (under his brother Andrei).

Voivode of the regiment of the right hand on a campaign to Serpukhov in April 1583.

Governor of Smolensk in 1585-1587.

For unknown reasons, he was in a short exile in 1586.

During the persecution of the Shuiskys by the tsar, from 1587 he was in exile in Galich. In 1591, Boris Godunov, no longer seeing the danger in the Shuiskys, returned them to Moscow. Since then, the Shuiskys have generally behaved loyally.

In 1591 he conducted an investigation into the case of Tsarevich Dmitry. Being under the strict supervision of Godunov, Shuisky recognized the cause of the prince's death as suicide - an accident. From the same year, he was again introduced to the Boyar Duma. After that he was governor of Novgorod. In 1598 - the first governor of the regiment of the right hand in the army of Mstislavsky in the Crimean campaign to Serpukhov.

From January 1605 he was the commander of the regiment of the right hand in the campaign against False Dmitry I, and won the battle of Dobrynich. However, not much desiring Godunov's victory, by inaction he allowed the impostor to strengthen.

After the death of Godunov, he tried to carry out a coup, but was arrested and exiled along with his brothers. But False Dmitry I needed boyar support, and at the end of 1605 the Shuiskys returned to Moscow.

During the armed popular revolt on May 17 (27), 1606, organized by Vasily Shuisky, False Dmitry I was killed, and on May 19 (29) a group of followers of Vasily Ivanovich “called out” Shuisky as king.

The reign of Vasily Shuisky

Vasily IV Shuisky was crowned on June 1 (11), 1606 Metropolitan Isidore of Novgorod At the same time, he gave a cross-kissing record that limited his power. In early June, the Shuisky government declared Boris Godunov the murderer of Tsarevich Dmitry.

Shuisky tried to strengthen the army after the humiliating defeats inflicted tsarist army supporters of False Dmitry. Under him, a new military charter appeared in Russia - the result of processing German samples. At the same time, centrifugal tendencies intensified, the most noticeable manifestation of which was the Bolotnikov uprising, which was suppressed only in October 1607.

In August 1607, Bolotnikov was replaced by a new contender for the throne - False Dmitry II. The tsarist troops were defeated near Bolkhov (May 1, 1608). The tsar with his government was locked up in Moscow, under its walls an alternative capital arose with its own governmental hierarchy - the Tushino camp.

By the end of 1608, Shuisky did not control many regions of the country. The Vyborg treaty of early 1609 promised territorial concessions to the Swedish crown in exchange for armed assistance to the tsarist government. The command of the Russian-Swedish army was taken over by Prince M.V. Skopin-Shuisky. Many saw the young and energetic commander as the successor to the elderly and childless sovereign.

The overthrow and captivity of Vasily Shuisky

Despite the fact that most of the country was liberated from anti-government forces by March 1610, in September 1609, the Polish-Lithuanian king Sigismund III invaded Russia, besieging Smolensk. Tsar Vasily Shuisky himself was not popular among the people. In addition, anti-Shui sentiment in Moscow was fueled by the unexpected death of the young commander Skopin-Shuisky.

The defeat of the troops of Dmitry Shuisky near Klushino from the army of Sigismund on June 24 (July 4), 1610 and the uprising in Moscow led to the fall of Shuisky. July 17 (27), 1610 part of the boyars, the capital and provincial nobility Vasily IV Ioannovich was deposed from the throne and forcibly tonsured a monk, moreover, he refused to pronounce monastic vows himself. In September 1610, he was extradited - not as a monk, but in lay clothes - to the Polish hetman Zolkiewski, who took him and his brothers Dmitry and Ivan in October to Smolensk, and later to Poland. In Warsaw, the tsar and his brothers were presented as prisoners to King Sigismund and took a solemn oath to him.

former king died in custody in the Gostynin castle, 130 miles from Warsaw, a few days later his brother Dmitry died there. The third brother, Ivan Ivanovich Shuisky, subsequently returned to Russia.

In 1635, at the request of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the remains of Vasily Shuisky were returned by the Poles to Russia. Vasily was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Vasily Shuisky. Time of Troubles

Personal life of Vasily Shuisky:

Was married twice.

First wife - Princess Elena Mikhailovna Repnina(d. 1592), daughter of the famous boyar Prince Mikhail Petrovich Repnin, who was executed in 1564 by Ivan the Terrible for refusing to put on a funny mask and be a jester (he was stabbed to death right in the church, at the altar).

Why Shuisky married the orphan Repnina is not clear. According to historians, this marriage with the daughter of the executed boyar looks illogical, especially when you consider that another brother, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, was married to the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. The first marriage was childless, which ended in divorce.

Second wife - Princess Maria Petrovna Buynosova-Rostovskaya, nee Catherine, monastic Elena (d. 1626), daughter of Prince Peter Ivanovich Buynosov-Rostovsky.

The second marriage took place after the accession to the throne. The second marriage, to which Tsar Vasily Ivanovich did not aspire too much, took place only for reasons of dynastic expediency.

Two daughters were born in it - Anna and Anastasia.

Princess Anna Vasilievna(1609 - 26 September 1609), died in infancy. She was buried in the Ascension Monastery in the Moscow Kremlin, after its destruction by the Bolsheviks, the remains, along with others, were transferred to the underground chamber of the southern annex of the Archangel Cathedral, where they are now. The tomb was found in the course of work on the study of the necropolis of the Ascension Monastery in the Kremlin. The researcher of the necropolis of the Ascension Monastery T. D. Panova cites an inscription on the lid of the sarcophagus: “September 7118, on the 26th day, in memory of the Holy Apostle Ivan the Theologian, the daughter of the Tsar and Grand Duke Vasily Ivanovich of All Rus', the princess and Grand Duchess Anna Vasilievna of All Rus', was reposed.”

Vasily IV Ivanovich Shuisky is known in Russian history as the king ruling from 1606 to 1610. The ruler came from the princely Shuisky family and was the last descendant of the Rurikovichs on Russian throne. In 1552, a son, Vasily, was born into the princely family of Ivan Andreevich and Anna Fedorovna Shuisky. The boy was not an only child, the future ruler grew up with his brothers - Andrei, Dmitry and Ivan. Little is known about the prince's childhood and youth.

At a young age, Vasily IV became interested in politics. Shuisky enters the Moscow Judicial Chamber, and later seeks a promotion in the service. Vasily Ivanovich was named boyar. The prince took part in military campaigns, once he was even sent into exile at the request of the Godunov family.

Beginning of the reign

The reign of Vasily Shuisky did not start easy. It is known that the political career of Vasily IV began at the time when he was on the throne. At this time, Tsarevich Dmitry, the future tsar, who allegedly escaped by a miracle, appeared. Shuisky did not like this, so the boyar began to weave intrigues against a possible future ruler. Soon Boris Godunov dies, and a man hated by Vasily IV ascends to the throne.

Basil IV keeps hatred inside himself and prepares a plan to overthrow the false king. In the meantime, he helps rule, supports the undertakings of False Dmitry. Twice the boyar tried to overthrow the ruler. For the first time, the plot was revealed, after which the future king was sentenced to death. But the gracious false sovereign took pity on Vasily and returned him to the service.

The second plot was successful. In 1606 False Dmitry I was killed. The boyars immediately elevated Vasily Shuisky to the throne. In return, the new tsar promised the Boyar Duma the transfer of part of his powers.

Domestic politics

The years of the reign of Vasily Shuisky became part of Russian history, which is called the Time of Troubles. Conspiracies were woven against the authorities, and the onslaught European states hindered the establishment of internal relations. Despite this, Vasily IV managed to make a number of changes in the life of the Russian state.

Shuisky's domestic policy began with the introduction of methods to strengthen power. The king signs the cross-kissing record. The document significantly limited the possibilities of the prince, but such was the desire of the boyars, who chose Vasily IV as ruler. To improve the mood among the nobles, in order to win their favor, Vasily IV introduces a 10-year investigation of the peasants. But even this did not help to keep the boyars on the side of the ruling power after the arrival of False Dmitry I.

Shuisky began to strengthen the troops. Special attention the ruler gave discipline within the troops. The basic rules were specified in the military charter. Basil IV took an example from the Germans. The manual prescribed the rules of conduct for soldiers and leaders. Popular discontent gradually gained momentum, despite the attempts of the government to pacify the subjects. IN different parts countries were constantly in unrest. Shuisky saw the only correct solution to the problem in the enslavement of the peasants.

Foreign policy

Vasily Shuisky was of aristocratic origin. Having become king, Vasily IV tried to please the boyars, who wanted to make an alliance with the Poles. The primary task in foreign policy for Shuisky there was a rapprochement with the Commonwealth. But diplomatic negotiations with the Polish rulers did not bring the expected result.

The uprisings organized by I. Bolotnikov only interfered with the establishment of peace with the Poles, since False Dmitry, together with disgruntled citizens, captured the citizens of the Commonwealth. Poland and Moscow were on the verge of hostilities. The Poles urged the Russian authorities to return the captured foreigners.

But the authorities in the person of Vasily Shuisky preferred to choose a different path - rapprochement with the Swedes. The Swedish ruler Charles IX put pressure on the Russian Tsar. The European sent letters in which he announced the imminent attack on the Commonwealth, urged Muscovites to join. In the second letter, the Swede announced plans to overthrow Shuisky. The organizers of the rebellions were Poles.

Events unfolded for Vasily IV in an unfavorable way. On the one hand, the possible crusade”to the country of Charles IX, on the other hand, strange relations with the Poles. Shuisky tried to avoid direct answers to the questions asked by the Swedish side. He got off with general phrases, such as "there will be no violation of the peace, but he cannot confirm peace with Sweden either."

Foreign rulers continued to put pressure on the Russian Tsar. Some wanted land and the opportunity to trade in Russia, others wanted to return Mniszek and the detained Poles. As a result, Shuisky reached peace with the Commonwealth. But the king understood that the agreement could be violated at any moment.

The doubts of the Russian ruler were confirmed later, when people who opposed the alliance with Moscow came to power among the Poles. Historians believe that the Poles contributed to inciting internecine wars inside the country, the appearance of False Dmitry II. Poland exerted pressure on the Cossacks, whom it saw as the destroyers of the government foundations in Russia.

The reign of Vasily Shuisky turned out to be restless. Mnishek and False Dmitry II opposed the current government. The Poles, meanwhile, occupied Tushino and opposed Moscow. The Russian tsar did not have the opportunity to confront the impending threat alone, so Vasily IV is moving closer to the Swedes. The Swedish king still wants to expand his influence in the Russian lands. In exchange for Sweden's cooperation, Kola, Ivangorod, Korela should withdraw. History has preserved the letters sent by Charles IX to the commissioners:

“Such an opportunity has come to take advantage of the troubles of Russia for the territorial enrichment of the Swedish crown that it is impossible to miss it; this would mean making a political oversight, from which one cannot justify oneself either before God or before people.

Intervention in such conditions became more and more real. In addition to fighting the Swedes, Vasily Shuisky had to confront the Tushinos. The king felt the need for additional military personnel, but it was possible to get help only in the Horde. The Tatars liberated Oskol and Liven for Vasily IV.

New money transfers to the Horde did the trick: the Tatars attacked False Dmitry II in the Borovsky district. Despite the regular replenishment of the Horde treasury at the expense of Moscow, Vasily Shuisky did not receive a positive result from cooperation with the Horde. The Horde decided that there was too little money from Moscow, and began to rob the common people.

The prince tried in every possible way to defend the capital and the Russian state. The reign of Shuisky did not bring visible changes in foreign policy. The Swedes tried to get Russian lands, the Horde robbed the people, the Poles, together with False Dmitry II, organized conspiracies against Vasily IV.

Overthrow

In 1609, relations with the Poles deteriorated completely. This was evidenced by the fact that the Polish-Lithuanian king Sigismund III laid siege to Smolensk. With his own forces, the Moscow tsar was able to liberate most of the Russian lands from the invaders. Despite this, Vasily Shuisky was not popular among the people, contemporaries considered him an illegal ruler.

The desire to overthrow the king grew. The death of the commander Skopin-Shuisky added confidence to the townspeople. An uprising broke out, which made it possible to remove the ruler from the throne. Basil IV was forced to pronounce monastic vows and was tonsured a monk.

Personal life

The biography of Vasily Shuisky describes two marriages. The first union did not produce heirs. The king did not have a desire to marry again, therefore, after the death of his wife, the ruler walked a bachelor for a long time. The second wife of the king was the daughter of Prince Peter Ivanovich Buynosov-Rostovsky Maria.

There was no love between husband and wife, as marriage was required to continue the dynasty. Tsar Boris insisted on the union, who did not want to transfer the throne to strangers. The marriage brought the ruler two daughters who died at a young age. The Belsky Chronicler says:

“Tsar Vasily Ivanovich of All Rus' had only two daughters, and they died in infancy; tacos are called the essence of Nastasya and Anna.

Death

Shuisky after the overthrow was in the hands of the Polish hetman. The ex-king, along with his brothers, is brought to Smolensk, after which they are transported to the Commonwealth and presented to King Sigismund. The princes had no other choice but to take the oath to the Polish ruler.

During the imprisonment in the Gostyninsky castle, the ex-sovereign dies. A few days later, they announced the death of brother Dmitry. Only Ivan Shuisky managed to return to his native lands. Decades later, Vasily's remains are transported at the request of Mikhail Fedorovich to the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.