The causes and the beginning of the Time of Troubles refer to one of the most restless and defining moments of Russian history. The troubles of the beginning of the 17th century had a decisive influence on the further development of our state.
Dynastic causes of the Time of Troubles in Russia
This episode of national history was both natural and, to some extent, random. The objective causes of the Time of Troubles really took place. And at the same time, this time was marked by a number of unfavorable circumstances and coincidences. Ivan the Terrible dies at the end of the 16th century. The Rurik dynasty is interrupted, which becomes the beginning of a dynastic crisis in the state. In the last years of the reign of Ivan IV, a strong group of boyars formed at the court, headed by Boris Godunov, known for his connections with the oprichnina. After the death of the tsar, it was he who managed to eliminate all rivals on the path to power and achieve election by the boyar council to the tsar's throne. However, the dubious legitimacy of Boris Godunov's power very soon attracted a number of contenders who aspired to take the throne. So, in 1601, an impostor appeared in Poland, calling himself Dmitry, the son of the late Tsar IvanIV.
Stained by his connection with the guardsmen, Boris Godunov very soon loses the authority of the boyars. In 1605, he becomes a victim of betrayal, and the throne passes into the hands of False Dmitry I. However, the impostor soon loses support, which was taken advantage of by Vasily Shuisky, who raised an uprising and seized power in his own hands already in 1606. As you can see, the dynastic crisis became the most obvious prerequisite for the Troubles. However, there were other important causes of the Time of Troubles. Since the crisis was not only at the top, but also in the position of the masses.
Socio-economic causes of the Time of Troubles
An important prerequisite for the events described above was the unsuccessful Livonian War for the state of Ivan the Terrible. She exhausted and ruined the Muscovite kingdom. The consequences of this conflict seriously affected the fate of the Russian population. The so-called “porukha” of the end of the 16th century, caused by the war (as well as the oprichnina) led to the desolation of many important economic centers of the country: Moscow, Pskov, Novgorod and some others. The population was forced to flee these territories. Essential
arable land has declined, prices and taxes have risen sharply in the country. In 1570-71. severe economic collapse was supplemented by a plague epidemic. Many peasant farms were undermined. Famine broke out in the country. Under such conditions, the landlords tried to increase their income by increasing exploitation. The state reinforced the landlord class with enslavementpeasants, issuing a number of relevant decrees at the end of the 16th century. Of course, this leads to a decrease in the authority of the king and popular riots, which only play into the hands of contenders for the throne. It is to their advantage that the Time of Troubles last as long as possible, the causes and consequences of which could be used for their own purposes.
