Ivan Vasilyevich, the penultimate of the Rurik dynasty and the first king of his kind, was an outstanding personality. In him, in an amazing way, traits of character opposite to human nature coexisted. The early deaths of his father and mother, the lawlessness of the boyar clans in the struggle for power and other important reasons left their indelible imprint in the formation of the person of the future Tsar Ivan IV, later nicknamed the Terrible.
Birth of an heir
As many as twenty years of the married life of Vasily III with Solomonia Saburova were in vain. A long marriage did not lead to the birth of the coveted heir to the throne. In this scenario, power would have passed either to Yuri Ivanovich Dmitrovsky, or to Andrei Ivanovich Staritsky - the brothers of the Grand Duke. To whom Vasily III did not turn: to doctors, healers, healers … All in vain. Then the Grand Duke decided to heed the advice of Metropolitan Daniel, who recommended a divorce from Solomonia Saburova. The current situation called for it. A twenty-year marriage in the fall of 1525 was annulled, and the ex-wife was tonsured by force and sent to a monastery. NewElena Glinskaya, the niece of Prince Mikhail Glinsky, a native of Lithuania, became the life partner of the Grand Duke. The marriage took place in January 1526. The choice of a new wife was not accidental. Having listened to the advice of Metropolitan Daniel, Vasily III longed not only for an heir. In the future, the Grand Duke could also lay claim to the Lithuanian throne, as well as establish ties with Western European powers. The desired son had to wait another 4 years. In August 1530, the long-awaited boy was born, who was given the name Ivan. By that time, Vasily III was 51 years old. A couple of years later, the second son, Yuri, was born. Unfortunately, the father's joy lasted 3 years. In December 1533, the Grand Duke passed away.
Childhood and Regency period
The grand-ducal title passed to 3-year-old Ivan Vasilyevich. Naturally, he could not rule on his own. Nominally, Elena Glinskaya ended up in power, and her uncle Mikhail officially ruled the country. But the latter was then deposed (starved to death in prison) by the favorite of the princess, Ivan Fedorovich Ovchina-Telepnev-Obolensky. First of all, the mother of the young Grand Duke decided to save her son from competitors, who were his own uncles, the brothers of Vasily III. Yuri Ivanovich Dmitrovsky was imprisoned in December 1533, where he soon died. Andrei Ivanovich Staritsky, in 1537, organized a riot, which was suppressed, and its organizer was arrested, and soon died of starvation in prison. Having got rid of the main contenders for power, Elena Glinskaya and her supporters set about reforming activities. Cities and fortresses were rebuilt. ATIn 1538, a monetary reform was carried out, which actually led the country to a single monetary system. This transformation had many opponents among the boyar stratum. In 1538, Princess Elena Glinskaya died. Some sources claim that she was poisoned by the Shuiskys. Soon her favorite Ivan Ovchina-Telepnev-Obolensky was captured and imprisoned (he died of starvation). Other opponents of the coup were also eliminated. A fierce struggle began between the Shuiskys, Belskys and Glinskys for the right of guardianship. And the young Grand Duke for many years witnessed lawlessness, intrigue, humiliation, violence and lies. All this was deeply imprinted in the memory of the inquisitive orphan and his younger brother. The Shuiskys were especially distinguished, who, after the death of Elena Glinskaya, actually usurped power and did not deny themselves any pleasures, wasting the state treasury and taxing the people with exorbitant taxes. The growing up Grand Duke was more and more imbued with hatred for the boyar stratum. However, it was then that for the first time cruelty began to appear in him. At the age of 13, Ivan Vasilyevich decided to show the conceited guardians their place. The Grand Duke ordered the dogs to kill the eldest of the Shuiskys - Andrei. After this incident, some boyars began to be afraid of the rising ruler. However, his uncles Glinsky took advantage of the situation. They began to get rid of competitors by exile.
The First Tsar of All Russia
Watching all the arbitrariness that was happening before his eyes,the growing grand duke became more and more convinced that an unlimited absolute monarchy is an ideal form of government in the fight against boyar lawlessness. One of the supporters of this idea was Metropolitan Macarius. It was to him that the young prince turned with a double request. At the age of 16, he felt himself independent enough for the sole leadership of the country and asked the metropolitan to crown him king. In addition, Ivan Vasilyevich also intended to marry as soon as possible. On January 16, 1547, the official wedding ceremony took place in the Assumption Cathedral. The Grand Duke became the first tsar from the Rurik dynasty. In addition, by title, he now stood on a par with other European monarchs. On February 3, Ivan Vasilyevich married Anastasia Romanova Zakharyina-Yuryeva. This woman managed to bring harmony into the life of her husband, significantly taming the violent temper in him. None of the following wives had as much influence on the king as his first life partner. The beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (well, not quite the Terrible yet) would have turned out to be ideal, if not for the events that happened already in the summer of that year.
The first trials for the king
The beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, in short, turned out to be blurred by the summer of 1547. On June 21, a fire of unprecedented proportions began in Moscow, which lasted about 10 hours and covered most of the city. Most of the buildings burned down, and many people died. But the disasters didn't end there. The enraged people blamed all the disastersGlinsky, close relatives of the king. On June 26, residents of Moscow began an open protest. The tsar's uncle, Yuri Glinsky, fell victim to the maddened crowd. The rest of the Glinskys hastily left the city. On June 29, the rebels went to the village of Vorobyevo in the Moscow region, where the sovereign was, intending to find out from him the whereabouts of his relatives. It took a lot of effort for the newly minted monarch to persuade the people to calm down and disperse. After the last spark of the uprising went out, the young king ordered the organizers of the performance to be found and executed. Thus, 1547, the year of the beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, further convinced the young tsar of the need for reforms.
Chosen Rada
The reforms of the Chosen Rada and the beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible started at the same time period not by chance. The young king was far from the only person who believed that the country needed transformation. One of his first supporters was Metropolitan Macarius. By 1549, the royal confessor Sylvester, nobleman A. Adashev, clerk I. Viskovaty, clerk I. Peresvetov, princes D. I. Kurlyatev, A. M. Kurbsky, N. I. Odoevsky, M. I. Vorotynsky and other lesser-known personalities. Later, the prince called this circle the Chosen Rada, which was a non-state advisory and executive body.
Domestic policy and reforms
The main reason for the reforms were… the boyars, or rather the elimination of the consequences of their government in previous years. The mayhem they have committed recently, an almost empty treasury full ofturmoil in the cities is the result of the short-lived boyar leadership of the state.
Starting from February 1549, the reforms of the beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible start with the convocation of Zemsky Sobors in the country - this is a class-representative council that replaced the People's Assembly. The first such cathedral was assembled personally by the king on February 27. Then Ivan IV ordered the complete abolition of the rule of governors in some regions of the country. This process was finally completed in 1555-56. decree of the sovereign on "feeding", which was replaced by local self-government. In the more developed agrarian regions, labial elders were appointed.
Early 1550s the importance and number of orders (the ministries of that time) increased. The petition order was engaged in receiving complaints and requests to the king and their consideration. A. Adashev was appointed the head of this inspection body. Ivan Viskovaty was in charge of the embassy order. The local order was responsible for agriculture and land distribution. Rogue, on the other hand, searched for and punished criminals and defectors. There have also been significant changes in the military structure. The striking force of the tsarist army is the cavalry, assembled from the upper strata of society. The recruitment of the noble equestrian militia and the appointment of the commander (voivode) was carried out by the Discharge Order, which at first was led by I. Vyrodkov. Localism was abolished when the chief was appointed. The Streltsy Prikaz worked on the creation of a Streltsy army, which received a salary directly from the royal treasury, like the gunners (artillerymen). The people's militia also survived. Well,finally, the Grand Ward de alt with financial matters.
To legitimize the ongoing reforms and decrees of the king required a new collection of laws. They became the new Sudebnik of 1550. It differed from the previous one (1497) in the orderliness of articles, tougher measures for violations both for peasants and landowners, as well as for robbery and corruption. Also in this collection of laws there were new chapters related to the centralization of power: careful monitoring of the regions, the introduction of a general state tax, and much more.
In 1551, with the direct participation of the tsar and the metropolitan, the Stoglavy Council of the church was convened, which positively assessed the new Sudebnik and the reforms carried out by Ivan IV.
Foreign policy
During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, foreign policy set itself 3 goals:
- The capture of the khanates formed after the collapse of the Golden Horde (primarily Kazan and Astrakhan).
- Provisions for the country of access to the B altic Sea.
- Providing security from attacks from the south by the Crimean Khanate.
It was decided to proceed with the implementation of the assigned tasks immediately. Kazan was captured on October 1, 1552 from the 3rd attempt. Astrakhan was taken in 1556. Chuvashia and almost all of Bashkiria joined Russia without a fight, and the Nogai Horde recognized its dependence on the Russian Tsar. The Volga trade route passed into the use of Russia. With the Siberian Khanate, things were more complicated. Khan Yediger in the mid-1550s recognized dependence onIvan IV, but Kuchum Khan, who replaced him in 1563, refused to submit. The merchants Stroganovs, who received approval from the tsar, in 1581 equipped the Cossacks, led by Yermak, on a campaign. In 1582, the capital of the khanate fell. However, due to strong resistance, it was not possible to completely occupy the khanate, and in 1585 Yermak died in battle. The final annexation of the Siberian Khanate took place in 1598, after the death of Ivan the Terrible.
Things did not work out in the western direction, although everything started well. The Livonian Order stood on the way to the cherished dream of Ivan IV - access to the B altic Sea. On their side were Poland, the Principality of Lithuania, Sweden and Denmark. In 1558, the Livonian War began, which lasted 25 years. Until 1560, hostilities unfolded in favor of the Russian army. The Livonian Order collapsed, the army, having captured a number of cities, approached Riga and Revel (Tallinn). Failures began after the entry into the war of the allies of the order. Under the Lublin Union, Poland and Lithuania united to form the Commonwe alth. Sweden captured Narva and moved to Pskov. The Danes also joined the Swedes. The war dragged on for years. Attacks on Pskov were repulsed. The army was exhausted, the treasury was also devastated. I had to accept defeat. The Treaty of Yam-Zapolsky was concluded with the Commonwe alth. I had to give Livonia. With the Swedes in 1583 they concluded the Peace of Plus. Russia gave all the conquests in the B altic. I had to part with the dream of going to the sea.
As for the southern neighbor - the Crimean Khanate, here in the late 1550s. Zasechnaya line was built - a protective complex of fortresses andobstacles.
End of the Elected Rada
Relations between the young tsar and supporters from the Chosen Rada began to deteriorate already in 1553, when Ivan IV suddenly fell seriously ill. All close associates and relatives were gathered around the sovereign. They began to think about a successor. The tsar demanded to swear allegiance to his son Dmitry Ivanovich (he died in an accident a year later). However, the nobility and associates of Ivan IV in the Chosen Rada considered it wrong to kiss the cross to an infant, preferring the cousin of Tsar Vladimir Staritsky to the baby. Also, those close to the sovereign did not get along with the Zakharyins, relatives of Empress Anastasia Romanova. The king soon recovered. Completely lost confidence in those close to him. Ivan IV began to lean more and more towards absolute monarchy. The reform activity, which ended in 1559, also curtailed. The queen died in 1560. The king was very upset by the death of his beloved. He suspected that his wife had been poisoned. The fate of those close to him was sealed. Sylvester was sent into exile in a monastery in 1560. A. Adashev and his brother were sent to the war in Livonia, but then they were taken into custody. In prison, he died of a fever. A. Kurbsky, realizing that his turn would come to him, in 1565 fled to the Principality of Lithuania, where he corresponded with the tsar for a long time. The remaining members of the Rada were either exiled or executed. And the sovereign's cousin was executed in 1569 along with his family. The era of Ivan the Terrible has begun.
Oprichnina
At the beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, only 2 reasons held backhis fits of madness and rage: a loving wife and faithful adherents in the matter of reforms. Having lost his faithful companion in life and disappointed in his subjects, the king lost control of himself, became unpredictable, felt treason everywhere. The sovereign no longer needed advisers, he needed faithful dogs to follow his orders and the slightest whims. The brothers Aleksey and Fyodor Basmanov, Afanasy Vyazemsky, Vasily Gryaznoy, Malyuta Skuratov and others became such for him.
In the beginning of 1565, the tsar went from the village of Kolomenskoye to the Moscow region, to Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. From here he sent 2 letters to the capital. The content of the first message was that Ivan the Terrible, due to the betrayal of the boyars, renounces power and insisted on transferring to him a certain area (oprichnina) for management. The second message was intended for the citizens of Moscow. In it, the king reported that he did not hold a grudge against the people and was ready to return if he was asked. His expectations were justified. Ivan IV returned to the capital, but dictating his own conditions for managing the oprichnina - a number of strategically important and rich cities in Russia, where he appointed nobles loyal to him. The oprichnina army was also created. They looked like monks. Dog heads and brooms were attached to the saddle. The less developed territories went to the boyars and were called zemshchina. In fact, the country was divided into 2 parts, which were at enmity with each other. Oprichnina has come - 7 years of terror, violence, numerous executions and destruction. The victims were not only the boyars, but also the common people, and sometimes the guardsmen who contradicted the will of the tsar. Autumn 1569Ivan the Terrible led a 15,000-strong army against recalcitrant Novgorod. For more than a month, the faithful dogs of the tsar killed and robbed Novgorodians and destroyed villages on their way. In the end, Novgorod was burned down.
Oprichnina eradicated political fragmentation, but significantly shook the already fragile economy of the state. In addition, hunger and disease spread rapidly throughout the country. The Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey took advantage of the weakness of his northern neighbor, who in 1571 invaded Russia, reached the capital and staged a pogrom there. The oprichniki could not interfere with anything. Seeing the consequences of the decision, the tsar liquidated the oprichnina in 1572. Even the slightest mention of her was punishable by death. The country has become one again. But this did not mean that the king no longer gave vent to his madness. No one canceled the execution. And because of the escapes of the peasants, Ivan the Terrible issued a decree on serfdom, placing the former in a completely dependent position on their masters.
The personal life of the king
As mentioned above, Ivan the Terrible was an unpredictable personality. He could execute a couple of dozen people, then go to church to repent, and then take up the bloody craft again. During the beginning of the reign of Ivan 4 the Terrible, only his first wife managed to restrain his outbursts of anger and madness. One of these attacks cost the life of his loved one. In November 1581, in a rage, he accidentally stabbed the heir to the throne, Ivan Ivanovich, with a staff in the temple. The prince died 4 days later. There was no limit to the grief and despair of the king, because his youngest son Fedor did not have characterruler (according to other sources, he was weak-minded). Ivan the Terrible was married 7 times, although the legality of some of the marriages is questioned. From the second marriage, with the Kabardian princess Maria Temryukovna, there were no children, so the tsar married for the third time - to Marfa Sobakina. However, the new wife died less than a month later. The fourth marriage, with Anna Koltovskaya, in 1572 also did not last long. A year later, the sovereign's wife was tonsured and sent to a monastery. The fifth queen, Anna Vasilchikova (1575), died after 4 years, and there is little information about the sixth, Vasilisa Melentyeva. Only the seventh wife, Maria Nagaya (1580), 2 years later gave birth to a boy to the tsar, who, like the very first child, was named Dmitry. However, as with the namesake, the boy died in an accident. It happened in Uglich in 1591.
Illness and death of the king
Anthropological studies conducted by Mikhail Gerasimov confirmed that Ivan the Terrible at the end of his life had osteophytes (s alt deposits) on his spine, which made the sovereign's slightest step full of hellish pain. A year before his death, it got to the point that he could not move independently. In 1584, not long before his death, it turned out that he was also undergoing a process of internal decomposition, a stench emanated from him. Some of the historians believe that Boris Godunov and Bogdan Bel'eva, close associates of Ivan IV, mixed a poisonous substance into the tsar's medicine. In addition, the body was covered with bleeding calluses. March 17, 1584 during a game ofchess king suddenly fell. He didn't get up again. Ivan the Terrible died at the age of 53, but due to illness he looked at all 90. The Tsar of All Russia was gone.
Results of the reign of Ivan the Terrible
The situation in the state at the beginning and end of the reign of Ivan the Terrible looked completely different. Given the strangeness of the character of the king, this is not surprising. He changed his mind more than once, forgave, then executed, then repented of his sins, and further in a circle. If we talk about the pros and cons of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, then there is a clear advantage in the negative direction. Yes, Ivan IV managed to somewhat expand the borders of the state. But the dangerous and hopeless Livonian War largely predetermined the further decline. Oprichnina, in the end, finished off the country. Even the cessation of executions in 1578 and the frequent visits of the king to the church could not change much. And finally, the peasantry of Russia finished off the introduction of reserved years (a veto on the transfer of peasants to another landowner on St. George's Day). The beginning of the reign of Ivan the Terrible, in short, turned out to be much better than his end. After all, the ongoing reforms gave results. Only certain reasons forced him to cross out all previous successes and embark on the path of chaos and madness, which, after his death, after some time led to the Time of Troubles. The young years of Ivan the Terrible and the beginning of his reign, until 1560, were the best in the history of Russia in the 16th century. Perhaps if his reign were interrupted this year, he would go down in history as a reformer tsar, and not as a tyrant tsar.
