On the spring morning of April 28, 1634, Moscow people flocked to Red Square in noisy crowds. Even here, in the capital, accustomed to the sight of executions, the upcoming event caused general excitement - it's no joke, the main tsar's governor Shein, and with him his assistant Artemy Izmailov and his son Vasily, were to rise to the scaffold. What led to the chopping block of these yesterday surrounded by honor people?
Young careerist - heir to an ancient family
There is no information about where and when the governor Shein Mikhail Borisovich was born, but, according to some sources, researchers tend to believe that this event happened in the late 70s of the 16th century. It is known that he came from an ancient family of noblemen Sheins, mentions of which are found in chronicles starting from the 14th century.
Voivode Shein began his journey to the top of the court hierarchy as a squire under Tsar Boris Godunov during his Serpukhov campaign against the hordes of the Tatar Khan Gaza Giray. He strengthened his position by marrying the daughter of one of the closest relatives of the tsar, Maria Godunova. Having become related, thus, with the autocrat, he went abruptlyup the career ladder, and soon received a very honorable at that time position of a cup-maker, that is, an official in charge of the sovereign's wine cellars.
Beginning of the Polish intervention
From the barrels of overseas wines, young nobleman Mikhail Shein was torn off by hostilities that unfolded in connection with the invasion of the Polish-Lithuanian troops in 1604 and the appearance of the impostor False Dmitry I in Russia. Participating in the battle of Novgorod-Seversky, he covered himself glory, having saved the commander of the Russian troops, Prince Fyodor Mstislavovich, from the inevitable death. For this feat, the sovereign granted him the boyars and appointed him the chief governor of the city recaptured from the enemy.
The subsequent events unfolded in such a way that due to the death of Boris Godunov and the mass transfer of a significant number of residents of neighboring cities and villages to the side of False Dmitry I, Shein was also forced to swear allegiance to the impostor, and only the imminent fall of the latter saved him from this forced oath.
New fights and another appointment
Voivode Shein also played a very prominent role in suppressing the uprising of Ivan Bolotnikov, which broke out during the reign of Ivan Shuisky. As part of the troops sent to pacify the rebel, who left only blood and destruction on the path of his hordes, he participated in all the main battles of that campaign. He had a chance to fight near Yelets, and on the Pakhra River, and near the walls of the Moscow Kremlin, where he led a regiment of Smolensk nobles. There was a young governor and among the squad that besieged Tula,which became the last stronghold of the Bolotnikovites.
When in 1607 there was a threat of the capture of Smolensk by the troops of the Polish king Sigismund, then by decree of the king, the governor Shein was appointed head of the city. The defense of Smolensk was the most important strategic task, since it lay on the enemy's path to Moscow. In this regard, the governor had a great responsibility.
Approach of the enemy army
In anticipation of the approach of the enemy, which, according to reports, was expected at the walls of the city in early September 1609, Governor Shein carried out extensive preparatory work aimed at strengthening the city. In particular, on his orders, a fortress wall was built, erected under Boris Godunov, and several additional internal defensive lines were created. In order to deprive the enemy of the opportunity to use Zadneprovsky Posad for their accommodation, all its buildings had to be burned, and residents of more than 600 households were placed inside the fortress.
In early October, Sigismund's army approached Smolensk, numbering 12.5 thousand people. They were opposed by 5.5 thousand defenders of the city. The defense of the city, unparalleled in its heroism, began, lasting 20 months. According to the conclusion of many military historians, it was an example of a number of new tactics that were little mastered in Russian practice.
Defense ended in defeat
In particular, we are talking about the so-called underground war that unfolded near the walls of the city, when mines dug under the walls of the fortressgalleries were opened and undermined, inflicting considerable losses on the Poles. The reflection of numerous assaults undertaken by the besieging troops also went down in history. They also used a new tactic for those times, which was developed by the governor Shein.
Defense of Smolensk, however, every month was an increasingly difficult task, since the besieged did not receive outside help, and their own resources were coming to an end. As a result, in the spring of 1611, when only 200 out of 5,500 defenders of the fortress survived, the Poles captured the city.
Captivity and subsequent return to Moscow
Some of the inhabitants, fleeing from enemies, locked themselves in the main city temple - the Monomakh Cathedral, and died as a result of the explosion of the powder magazine located under it. The Poles themselves captured the governor Shein and sent him to Poland, where he spent eight years in prison, until the conclusion of the Deulino truce, one of the conditions of which was the exchange of prisoners.
Voivode Shein was among those who returned to their homeland. The photo that reproduces his image in the painting of the famous Russian artist Yuri Melkov (placed at the beginning of the article), if it does not pretend to be a portrait resemblance, then, in any case, conveys his appearance in the eyes of the people, who saw in him the defender of the Fatherland, similar to epic heroes. The war was not over, and high hopes were pinned on yesterday's captive.
Under the walls of Smolensk again
In Moscow, Governor Shein enjoyed universal respect andthe location of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich himself. He was instructed to lead the detective order, but the voivode wholeheartedly rushed to the troops, and in 1632, when the Deulinsky truce expired, he was sent by the sovereign to liberate Smolensk, so memorable to him.
Despite the fact that under his command there was an army that far outnumbered the forces of the defenders of the fortress, this task turned out to be impossible for the governor. Researchers studying this dramatic episode in Russian history put forward several versions to explain what happened.
A new defeat
According to many of them, the reason for the failure was the criminal sluggishness of military officials who were responsible for bringing powerful wall-beating guns to the besieged Smolensk, with the help of which the besiegers could penetrate the city. Others point to the constant interference in the course of hostilities by Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, who is incompetent in this area, and to the mistakes he made. There are also supporters of the version, according to which, the fault lies largely with the voivode Shein himself.
One way or another, but the moment favorable for the liberation of the city was missed, and the army of Sigismund III, who soon approached the city, forced the besiegers to ask him for a truce. It was received and allowed Shein and the troops entrusted to him to leave the walls of Smolensk, but on humiliating conditions for them.
Life cut short on the scaffold
In Moscow, the defeated governor was expected by more than a cold reception. All the blame for the militaryfailure was blamed on him. In addition, yesterday's favorite of the king was charged with treason, based on rumors that, allegedly, being in Polish captivity, he swore allegiance to King Sigismund III. Many modern researchers believe that the reason lay in the desire of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich to blame his own mistakes in directing the military operation on the voivode subject to him. One way or another, but urgently convened boyar commission sentenced him to death.
The news that Governor Shein was convicted for the defeat he suffered under the walls of Smolensk was perceived by the then society extremely ambiguously. Many of the military people who had previously fought under the command of Shein were openly indignant and threatened to leave the army forever, but there were those who could hardly restrain their gloating. Especially many of them were surrounded by the king. It is possible that it was precisely the victim of their intrigues that the once revered voivode Shein fell, whose brief biography formed the basis of our story.
