Recalling the history of past centuries, we most often talk about rulers, forgetting that the sovereign is unlikely to be able to successfully rule without dedicated executors and advisers. It was on them that a significant part of the concerns about the state rested. One of the most prominent statesmen of the era of Ivan the Terrible was Alexei Adashev. A brief biography of this associate of the great Russian Tsar will be the subject of our study.
Early years
About the early years of Alexei Adashev almost nothing is known. Even the date of his birth remains a mystery to us. Therefore, the exact years of life cannot be named.
At the same time, it is known that Alexei was the son of the boyar and voivode Fyodor Grigoryevich Adashev, who came from the not very noble Kostroma family of the Olgovs. The mother's name is also a mystery. In addition, Alexei had a younger brother, Daniel.
The first mention of Alexei Adashev in the annals refers to his mature age, namely to 1547.
First steps in the service of the sovereign
So, as mentioned above, Alexei Adashev first came to the attention of chroniclers in 1547, when he performed at the wedding of Tsar Ivan the Terriblethe position of a movnik and a liar, whose duties included covering the marriage bed. His wife Anastasia is also mentioned there.
After this event, Alexei Adashev became an invariable character in various annals and chronicles, he was increasingly promoted, approaching the sovereign and influencing him.
Tipping events
The turning point that finally determined the rapprochement between Alexei Adashev and Ivan the Terrible was the famous Moscow fire of 1547 and subsequent events.
The "great fire" that broke out in the summer destroyed more than 25,000 houses of Muscovites. People began to blame the "punishment of God" on the family of Glinsky, Tsar John's maternal relatives, who by that time had a huge influence on him. The discontent of the people spilled over into an uprising, as a result of which one of the representatives of the Glinsky family was torn to pieces by the crowd, and the property of the family was looted.
In the end, the rebels were persuaded to stop the excesses. Nevertheless, this uprising made a significant impression on the young Ivan the Terrible and forced him to radically revise his policy. He alienated the Glinsky and other noble boyars from himself, but brought new people closer who were not of such a high origin. Among them was Alexei Adashev.
Government activity
After these events, the rapid rise of Alexei Adashev began. Together with him, another obscure person approached the king - the priest Sylvester. They had a significant influence on the sovereign andhelped him in governing the country.
In 1549, Adashev became the leader of the Chosen Rada. It was a kind of government that Ivan the Terrible had just created. The years of work of the Chosen Rada were marked by a number of ongoing reforms. It was at this time that the first Zemsky Sobor in Russia was convened - a class-representative body, somewhat reminiscent of a modern parliament. In 1551, the Stoglav Cathedral was held. In addition, Adashev Alexey Fedorovich took an active part in the development of the Sudebnik, which was published in 1550. In the same year, Ivan the Terrible gave him the title of okolnichi.
Aleksey Adashev distinguished himself in diplomatic activity. He negotiated with the Kazan Khanate, the Livonian Order, the Nogai Horde, the Kingdom of Poland and Denmark. In addition, he took an active part in the capture of Kazan in 1552, supervising engineering work.
Confrontation with the Romanovs
At this time, thanks to the marriage of Tsar John to Anastasia Romanovna, the Zakharyin family, later known as the Romanovs, rose to prominence, giving Russia a number of tsars and emperors. They began to compete fiercely in the struggle for influence on the king with Adashev and Sylvester.
The turning point in this struggle was 1553, when Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich became seriously ill. Then he demanded that all the courtiers swear allegiance as the future king to his son from Anastasia Romanovna - Dmitry. This was to be done, among other things, by the tsar's cousin Vladimir Andreevich Staritsky, according toold custom having a priority right to the throne. Approximate sovereign divided into two parties: one unquestioningly swore allegiance to the prince, and the other joined Vladimir Staritsky.
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich immediately swore allegiance to Dmitry, but his father Fedor Grigorievich refused to do this, fearing the further strengthening of the Romanovs. After this incident and the recovery of Ivan the Terrible, the tsar ceased to treat the Adashev family with the same favor.
Despite the cold snap in relation to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich to Alexei Adashev, the latter had a significant influence on state affairs for a long time.
Opala
Nevertheless, this state of affairs could not continue forever, and Alexei Fedorovich understood this very well. He was not even misled by the fact that his father, shortly after the recovery of Ivan the Terrible, received the rank of boyar. The Romanovs increasingly strengthened their positions, while Adashev and Sylvester faded into the background. Despite the death of Tsarevich Dmitry in the same 1553, the Romanovs began to influence the sovereign even more.
The limit of tension between the tsar and Alexei Adashev came in 1560. Just shortly before that, the Livonian War began in the B altic states, and Alexei Fedorovich preferred to go there, away from the court. This event could be considered a kind of honorary exile. Alexei Adashev was given the rank of governor. His direct commander was Prince Mstislavsky.
But Alexei Fedorovich failedto win military honors in the fields of Livonia, since in the same year Tsarina Anastasia died, which further embittered Tsar John in relation to the Adashev family. Therefore, Aleksey Adashev was sent to the Derpt fortress on the territory of modern Estonia and taken into custody.
Death
It was while imprisoned in Derpt that Alexey Adashev died in 1561. Death came due to a fever, which the former head of the Elected Rada had been ill for two months. At the time of his death, there were no relatives, relatives, or friends near Alexei Fedorovich. Thus ended the years of life of one of the most active people of our Fatherland of his time.
However, such a death, quite possibly, saved him from a more difficult fate, which was prepared for him by Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the Romanovs. Evidence of this may be that shortly after the death of Alexei Adashev, his brother Daniel was executed along with his son Tarkh. A similar fate befell other representatives of the Adashev family, which practically ceased to exist. The father of Alexei and Daniil Adashev, Fedor Grigorievich, died in 1556 of natural causes.
Performance evaluation
Of course, not every figure of the 16th century was as bright in Russian history as Alexei Adashev. The characterization of his activities by most historians is given quite positively. He is credited with the establishment of a number of state institutions and the widespread practice of reforms. True, this time did not last long at all. All the more contrasting with the periodAdashev's vigorous activity looks like the era of oprichnina and rampant obscurantism that came after his removal from public affairs.
Of course, the deeds for the good of the Fatherland of Alexei Adashev, as well as his biography, are worthy of detailed study.
