The reign of Mikhail Romanov (briefly)
The reign of Mikhail Romanov (briefly)
The first ruler of Russia from the new Romanov dynasty was the chosen one of the Zemsky Sobor in 1613, Mikhail Romanov. His parents were Ksenia Ioannovna Shestova and Fyodor Nikitich Romanov. Thus, it was Mikhail who turned out to be the closest in kinship to the former Russian tsars. It is necessary to clarify that the Polish prince Vladislav and the Swedish prince Karl-Philip also laid claim to the Russian throne at that time. After the liberation of Moscow by the militia of Pozharsky and Minin, the future ruler and his mother lived in the Ipatiev Monastery, and Mikhail’s father, under the name Filaret, would later become patriarch (after the coronation of his son). Throughout the entire period, until 1633, the state was actually ruled by Patriarch Filaret.
Having learned about the election of a new king, the Poles tried to prevent this with a small detachment. But on the way to the monastery they met Ivan Susanin, who, at the cost of his life, directed the Poles along the wrong road into the forest, where he was killed by them, but did not tell them how to get to the monastery.
The economy of the state, which was in decline after the very unsuccessful beginning of the seventeenth century for Russia, began to gradually recover. In 1617, a peace treaty was concluded with Sweden, which returned the previously captured Novgorod region. After the actual signing of the treaty with Poland in 1618, Polish troops were completely removed from Russian soil. However, the Smolensk, Seversk and Chernigov territories were lost. Prince Vladislav, refusing to accept the new Russian Tsar, styled himself nothing less than the ruler of Russia.
Frequent raids of the Tatars, which were provoked by Türkiye, lead to the formation of abatis lines in the South of Russia. In order to fight them, the Don Cossacks were brought in. At the same time, warm relations were established with Persia, and the lands of the Russian state increased significantly due to the conquest of Siberian territories. During the reign of Mikhail Romanov, taxation of the townspeople was significantly increased.
In addition, during this period an attempt is being made to form a regular army. It should be noted that foreign specialists acted as officers in this army. At the very end of the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the so-called dragoon regiments were formed, which guarded the external state borders.
The end of the biography of this ruler comes in 1645, and his power passes to his son Alexei.
The main directions of Mikhail Romanov's policy:
From the Romanov dynasty. At the end of February 1613, he would be elected ruler of the Russian kingdom at the Zemsky Sobor. He became king not by family heritage, not by seizing power, and not by his own will.
Mikhail Fedorovich was chosen by God and people, and at that time he was only 16 years old. His reign came at a very difficult time. By the will of fate, Mikhail Fedorovich had to solve serious economic and political problems: to lead the country out of the chaos in which it was after the Time of Troubles, to raise and strengthen national economy, preserve the territories of the Fatherland, which is being torn apart. And the main thing is to organize and consolidate the House of Romanov on the Russian throne.
Romanov dynasty. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov
In the Romanov family, boyar Fyodor Nikitich, who later became Ksenia Ivanovna (Shestova), had a son on July 12, 1596. They named him Mikhail. The Romanov family was related to and was very famous and rich. This boyar family owned extensive estates not only in the northern and Central Russia, but also on the Don and in Ukraine. At first, Mikhail and his parents lived in Moscow, but in 1601 his family fell out of favor and fell into disgrace. Boris Godunov, the ruler at that time, was informed that the Romanovs were preparing a conspiracy and wanted to kill him with the help of a magic potion. The reprisal followed immediately - many representatives of the Romanov family were arrested. In June 1601, at the meeting, a verdict was passed: Fyodor Nikitich and his brothers: Alexander, Mikhail, Vasily and Ivan should be deprived of their property, forcibly tonsured into monks, exiled and imprisoned in various places remote from the capital.
Fyodor Nikitich was sent to the Anthony-Siysky Monastery, which was located in a deserted, deserted place 165 versts from Arkhangelsk, up the Dvina River. It was there that Father Mikhail Fedorovich was tonsured a monk and named Philaret. The mother of the future autocrat, Ksenia Ivanovna, was accused of complicity in a crime against the tsarist government and was sent into exile in the Novgorod district, in the Tol-Egoryevsky churchyard, which belonged to the Vazhitsky monastery. Here she was cut into a nun, named Martha and imprisoned in a small building surrounded by a high palisade.
Exile of Mikhail Fedorovich on Beloozero
Little Mikhail, who was six years old at the time, was exiled along with his eight-year-old sister Tatyana Fedorovna and his aunts, Marfa Nikitichna Cherkasskaya, Ulyana Semyonova and Anastasia Nikitichna, to Beloozero. There the boy grew up in extremely harsh conditions, was malnourished, suffered deprivation and poverty. In 1603, Boris Godunov somewhat commuted the sentence and allowed Mikhail’s mother, Marfa Ivanovna, to come to Beloozero to visit her children.
And some time later, the autocrat allowed the exiles to move to the Yuryev-Polsky district, to the village of Klin - the native patrimony of the Romanov family. In 1605, False Dmitry I, who seized power, wanting to confirm his relationship with the Romanov family, returned its surviving representatives from exile to Moscow, including Mikhail’s family and himself. Fyodor Nikitich was granted the Rostov Metropolitanate.
Troubles. The state of siege of the future tsar in Moscow
During difficult times, from 1606 to 1610, Vasily Shuisky ruled. During this period, many dramatic events happened in Russia. This included the emergence and growth of the “thieves” movement, a peasant uprising led by I. Bolotnikov. Some time later, he teamed up with a new impostor, the “Tushino thief” False Dmitry II. The Polish intervention began. Troops of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth captured Smolensk. The boyars overthrew Shuisky from the throne because he thoughtlessly concluded the Vyborg Treaty with Sweden. Under this agreement, the Swedes agreed to help Russia fight against False Dmitry, and in return received the territories of the Kola Peninsula. Unfortunately, the conclusion of the Vyborg Treaty did not save Russia - the Poles defeated the Russian-Swedish troops in the Battle of Klushin and opened their approaches to Moscow.
At this time, the boyars ruling the country swore allegiance to the son of the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Sigismund, Wladyslaw. The country split into two camps. In the period from 1610 to 1613, an anti-Polish popular uprising arose. In 1611 it was formed under the leadership of Lyapunov, but it was defeated on the outskirts of Moscow. A second militia was created. It was headed by D. Pozharsky and K. Minin. At the end of the summer of 1612, a terrible battle took place, in which Russian troops won. Hetman Khodkevich retreated to the Sparrow Hills. By the end of October, the Russian militia cleared Moscow of the Poles who had settled there, awaiting help from Sigismund. Russian boyars, including Mikhail Fedorovich and his mother Martha, captured, exhausted by hunger and deprivation, were finally freed.
Attempted murder of Mikhail Fedorovich
After the most difficult siege of Moscow, Mikhail Fedorovich left for the Kostroma estate. Here the future tsar almost died at the hands of a gang of Poles who were staying in and looking for a way to Domnino. Mikhail Fedorovich was saved by the peasant Ivan Susanin, who volunteered to show the robbers the way to the future tsar and took them in the opposite direction, to the swamps.
And the future tsar took refuge in the Yusupov monastery. Ivan Susanin was tortured, but he never revealed Romanov’s location. This is how difficult the childhood and adolescence of the future king were, who at the age of 5 was forcibly separated from his parents and, while his mother and father were still alive, became an orphan and experienced the hardships of isolation from outside world, the horrors of the state of siege and hunger.
Zemsky Sobor 1613 Election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the kingdom
After the expulsion of the interventionists by the boyars and the people's militia led by Prince Pozharsky, it was decided that it was necessary to choose a new king. On February 7, 1613, during the preliminary election, a nobleman from Galich proposed to enthronement Filaret’s son, Mikhail Fedorovich. Of all the applicants, he was closest in kinship to the Rurik family. Messengers were sent to many cities to find out the opinion of the people. On February 21, 1613, the final elections were held. The people decided: “Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov should be sovereign.” Having made this decision, they equipped the embassy to notify Mikhail Fedorovich of his election as tsar. On March 14, 1613, the ambassadors, accompanied procession of the cross, came to the Ipatiev Monastery and nun Marfa. Long persuasion was finally crowned with success, and Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov agreed to become king. Only on May 2, 1613, the sovereign’s magnificent ceremonial entry into Moscow took place - when, in his opinion, the capital and the Kremlin were already ready to receive him. On July 11, a new autocrat, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, was crowned king. The ceremony took place in the Assumption Cathedral.
Beginning of the reign of the sovereign
Mikhail Fedorovich took the reins of government of a torn, destroyed and impoverished country. In difficult times, the people needed just such an autocrat - generous, charming, gentle, kind and at the same time generous in spiritual qualities. It’s not for nothing that people called him “meek.” The personality of the tsar contributed to the strengthening of the power of the Romanovs. Domestic policy Mikhail Fedorovich at the beginning of his reign was aimed at restoring order in the country. An important task was to eliminate the gangs of robbers rampaging everywhere. A real war was waged with the Cossack ataman Ivan Zarutsky, which ultimately ended in capture and subsequent execution. The issue of peasants was acute. In 1613, state lands were distributed to those in need.
Important strategic decisions - armistice with Sweden
Mikhail Fedorovich's foreign policy was focused on concluding a truce with Sweden and ending the war with Poland. In 1617, the Stolbovo Treaty was signed. This document officially ended the war with the Swedes, which lasted for three years. Now the Novgorod lands were divided between the Russian kingdom (the captured cities were returned to it: Veliky Novgorod, Ladoga, Gdov, Porkhov, Staraya Russa, as well as the Sumer region) and the Kingdom of Sweden (it received Ivangorod, Koporye, Yam, Korela, Oreshek, Neva). In addition, Moscow had to pay Sweden a serious amount - 20 thousand silver rubles. The Stolbov Treaty cut off the country from the Baltic Sea, but for Moscow the conclusion of this truce allowed it to continue its war with Poland.
The end of the Russian-Polish war. Return of Patriarch Filaret
The Russo-Polish War lasted with varying degrees of success starting in 1609. In 1616, an enemy army led by Wladyslaw Vaza and Hetman Jan Chodkiewicz invaded Russian borders, wanting to overthrow Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich from the throne. It was only able to reach Mozhaisk, where it was stopped. Since 1618, the army of Ukrainian Cossacks, led by Hetman P. Sagaidachny, joined the army. Together they launched an assault on Moscow, but it was unsuccessful. Detachments of Poles retreated and settled next to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. As a result, the parties agreed to negotiations, and a truce was signed in the village of Deulino on December 11, 1618, which put an end to the Russian-Polish war. The terms of the treaty were unfavorable, but the Russian government agreed to accept them in order to stop internal instability and restore the country. According to the agreement, Russia ceded the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to Roslavl, Dorogobuzh, Smolensk, Novgoro-Seversky, Chernigov, Serpeisk and other cities. Also during the negotiations, it was decided to exchange prisoners. On July 1, 1619, an exchange of prisoners was carried out on the Polyanovka River, and Filaret, the king’s father, finally returned to his homeland. Some time later he was ordained patriarch.
Dual power. Wise decisions of two rulers of the Russian land
The so-called dual power was established in the Russian kingdom. Together with his father-patriarch, Mikhail Fedorovich began to govern the state. He, like the Tsar himself, was given the title of “Great Sovereign.”
At the age of 28, Mikhail Fedorovich married Maria Vladimirovna Dolgorukaya. However, a year later she died. For the second time, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich married Evdokia Lukyanovna Streshneva. Over the years of their marriage, she bore him ten children. In general, the policy of Mikhail Fedorovich and Filaret was aimed at centralizing power, restoring the economy and filling the treasury. In June 1619, it was decided that taxes would be taken from the devastated lands according to sentinels or scribe books. It was decided to conduct a population census again to establish the exact amounts of tax revenues. Scribes and patrolmen were sent to the area. During the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov for improvement tax system The compilation of scribe books was carried out twice. Since 1620, governors and elders began to be appointed locally to keep order.
Rebuilding Moscow
During the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich, the capital and other cities destroyed during the Time of Troubles were gradually restored. In 1624, a Stone Tent and a striking clock were built over the Spasskaya Tower, and the Filaret Belfry was also built. In 1635-1636, stone mansions were erected for the king and his offspring in place of the old wooden ones. 15 churches were built on the territory from Nikolsky to Spassky Gates. In addition to restoring destroyed cities, the policy of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was aimed at further enslaving the peasants. In 1627, a law was created that allowed nobles to transfer their lands by inheritance (for this it was necessary to serve the king). In addition, a five-year search for fugitive peasants was established, which was extended to 9 years in 1637, and to 10 years in 1641.
Creation of new army regiments
An important area of Mikhail Fedorovich’s activity was the creation of a regular national army. In the 30s In the 17th century, “regiments of the new order” appeared. They included free people, and foreigners were accepted as officers. In 1642, training of military people in foreign systems began. In addition, Reitar, soldier and cavalry regiments began to form. Two Moscow elective regiments were also created, which were later named Lefortovo and Butyrsky (from the settlements in which they were located).
Industrial development
In addition to creating an army, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov sought to develop various industries in the country. The government began to call upon foreign industrialists (miners, foundries, gunsmiths) on preferential terms. A German settlement was founded in Moscow, where engineers and foreign military personnel lived and worked. In 1632, a plant was built for casting cannonballs and cannons near Tula. Textile production also developed: the Velvet Court opened in Moscow. Velvet making training took place here. Textile production was launched in Kadashevskaya Sloboda.
Instead of a conclusion
Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov died at the age of 49. This happened on July 12, 1645. The result of his government activities was the calming of the state, agitated by the Troubles, the establishment of centralized power, raising welfare, and restoring the economy, industry and trade. During the reign of the first Romanov, wars with Sweden and Poland were stopped, and, in addition, diplomatic ties were established with European states.
Candidates
There were many contenders for the Russian throne. The two most unpopular candidates - the Polish prince Vladislav and the son of False Dmitry II - were “weeded out” immediately. The Swedish prince Karl Philip had more supporters, among them the leader of the zemstvo army, Prince Pozharsky. Why did the patriot of the Russian land choose a foreign prince? Perhaps the antipathy of the “artistic” Pozharsky towards domestic contenders - high-born boyars, who during the Time of Troubles more than once betrayed those to whom they swore allegiance, was reflected. He feared that the “boyar tsar” would sow the seeds of new unrest in Russia, as happened during the short reign of Vasily Shuisky. Therefore, Prince Dmitry stood for the calling of the “Varangian”, but most likely this was Pozharsky’s “maneuver”, since in the end only Russian contenders – high-born princes – took part in the struggle for the royal throne. The leader of the notorious “Seven Boyars” Fyodor Mstislavsky compromised himself by collaborating with the Poles, Ivan Vorotynsky renounced his claim to the throne, Vasily Golitsyn was in Polish captivity, the militia leaders Dmitry Trubetskoy and Dmitry Pozharsky were not distinguished by nobility. But the new king must unite the country divided by the Troubles. The question was: how to give preference to one gender so as not to start new round boyar feuds?
Mikhail Fedorovich did not pass the first round
The candidacy of the Romanovs as the main contenders did not arise by chance: Mikhail Romanov was the nephew of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. Mikhail's father, Patriarch Filaret, was respected among the clergy and Cossacks. Boyar Fyodor Sheremetyev actively campaigned in favor of the candidacy of Mikhail Fedorovich. He assured the obstinate boyars that Mikhail “is young and will be liked by us.” In other words, he will become their puppet. But the boyars did not allow themselves to be persuaded: preliminary voting Mikhail Romanov's candidacy did not win the required number votes.
No-show
When electing Romanov, a problem arose: the Council demanded that the young candidate come to Moscow. The Romanov party could not allow this: an inexperienced, timid, unskilled young man in intrigue would make an unfavorable impression on the Council delegates. Sheremetyev and his supporters had to show miracles of eloquence, proving how dangerous the path from the Kostroma village of Domnino, where Mikhail was, to Moscow was. Was it not then that the legend about the feat of Ivan Susanin, who saved the life of the future tsar, arose? After heated debates, the Romanovites managed to convince the Council to cancel the decision on Mikhail’s arrival.
Tightening
On February 7, 1613, the rather tired delegates announced a two-week break: “for a large strengthening, they postponed February from the 7th of February to the 21st.” Messengers were sent to the cities “to inquire into all sorts of people’s thoughts.” The voice of the people, of course, is the voice of God, but isn’t two weeks enough to monitor public opinion? big country? For example, it is not easy for a messenger to get to Siberia in two months. Most likely, the boyars were counting on the departure of Mikhail Romanov’s most active supporters – the Cossacks – from Moscow. The villagers, they say, will get bored of sitting idle in the city, and they will disperse. The Cossacks actually dispersed, so much so that the boyars didn’t think it was enough...
The role of Pozharsky
Let's return to Pozharsky and his lobbying of the Swedish pretender to the Russian throne. In the fall of 1612, militia captured a Swedish spy. Until January 1613, he languished in captivity, but shortly before the start of the Zemsky Sobor, Pozharsky freed the spy and sent him to Novgorod, occupied by the Swedes, with a letter to the commander Jacob Delagardie. In it, Pozharsky reports that both he himself and the majority of noble boyars want to see Karl Philip on the Russian throne. But, as subsequent events showed, Pozharsky misinformed the Swede. One of the first decisions of the Zemsky Sobor was that a foreigner should not be on the Russian throne; the sovereign should be elected “from Moscow families, God willing.” Was Pozharsky really so naive that he did not know the mood of the majority? Of course not. Prince Dmitry deliberately fooled Delagardie with “universal support” for the candidacy of Karl Philip in order to prevent Swedish interference in the election of the Tsar. The Russians had difficulty repelling the Polish onslaught; the campaign against Moscow also Swedish army could prove fatal. Pozharsky’s “cover operation” was successful: the Swedes did not budge. That is why, on February 20, Prince Dmitry, happily forgetting about the Swedish prince, suggested that the Zemsky Sobor elect a tsar from the Romanov family, and then put his signature on the conciliar document electing Mikhail Fedorovich. During the coronation of the new sovereign, Mikhail showed Pozharsky a high honor: the prince presented him with one of the symbols of power - the royal power. Modern political strategists can only envy such a competent PR move: the savior of the Fatherland hands over the power to the new tsar. Beautiful. Looking ahead, we note that until his death (1642) Pozharsky faithfully served Mikhail Fedorovich, taking advantage of his constant favor. It is unlikely that the tsar would have favored someone who wanted to see not him, but some Swedish prince, on the Rurik throne.
Cossacks
The Cossacks played a special role in the election of the Tsar. A curious story about this is contained in “The Tale of the Zemsky Sobor of 1613.” It turns out that on February 21, the boyars decided to choose a tsar by casting lots, but relying on “maybe”, in which any forgery is possible, seriously angered the Cossacks. Cossack speakers tore to pieces the boyars’ “tricks” and solemnly proclaimed: “According to God’s will, in the reigning city of Moscow and all of Russia, let there be a tsar, sovereign and Grand Duke Mikhailo Fedorovich! This cry was immediately picked up by Romanov supporters, not only in the Cathedral, but also among the large crowd of people in the square. It was the Cossacks who cut the “Gordian knot”, achieving the election of Mikhail. The unknown author of the “Tale” (surely an eyewitness of what was happening) does not spare any color when describing the reaction of the boyars: “The boyars at that time were possessed with fear and trembling, shaking, and their faces were changing with blood, and not a single one could utter anything.” Only Mikhail’s uncle, Ivan Romanov, nicknamed Kasha, who for some reason did not want to see his nephew on the throne, tried to object: “Mikhailo Fedorovich is still young and not fully sane.” To which the Cossack wits objected: “But you, Ivan Nikitich, are an old man, full of reason... you will be a strong blow to him.” Mikhail did not forget his uncle’s assessment of his mental abilities and subsequently removed Ivan Kasha from all government affairs. The Cossack demarche came as a complete surprise to Dmitry Trubetskoy: “His face turned black, and he fell into illness, and lay for many days, without leaving his yard from the steep hill that the Cossacks depleted the treasury and their knowledge was flattering in words and deceit.” The prince can be understood: it was he, the leader of the Cossack militia, who counted on the support of his comrades, generously gave them “treasury” gifts - and suddenly they found themselves on Mikhail’s side. Perhaps the Romanov party paid more?
British recognition
On February 21 (March 3), 1613, the Zemsky Sobor made a historic decision: to elect Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom. The first country to recognize the new sovereign was England: in the same year, 1613, the embassy of John Metrick arrived in Moscow. Thus began the history of the second and last royal dynasty of Russia. It is significant that throughout his reign, Mikhail Fedorovich showed a special attitude towards the British. Thus, Mikhail Fedorovich restored relations with the British “Moscow Company” after the Time of Troubles, and although he curtailed the freedom of action of English merchants, he still put them on preferential terms not only with other foreigners, but also with representatives of Russian “big business”.
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Biography, life story of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov
The first Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty was Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. Mikhail Fedorovich was born in Moscow in 1596 on December 12. His reign lasted 32 years (1613 - 1645). His father was a boyar, then Moscow Patriarch Filaret. His name was Fyodor Nikitich Romanov. Mikhail Fedorovich’s mother’s name was Ksenia Ivanovna Romanova. Mikhail Fedorovich was the cousin-nephew of Fyodor Ivanovich (Russian Tsar from the Rurikovich dynasty).After the Poles were ousted from Moscow, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Fedorovich to the royal throne. This event occurred in 1613 on February 21st. Among the contenders for the throne there were several other candidates. Firstly, Wladyslaw is a Polish king, and secondly, Karl Philip is a Swedish prince. Mikhail was elected king for the reason that he was related to the Rurik dynasty. At this time, the nobility tried to prevent the boyars (aristocracy) in its desire to establish a monarchy in Russia, following the example of Poland.
The Romanov family was one of the most noble families. The metropolitan's son in the form of Michael met all the interests of the church. It was planned that Mikhail would become a symbol of a return to peace, order, and antiquity.
In 1613, on March 13, the ambassadors of the Council arrived in Kostroma. Mikhail at this time was with his mother in the Ipatiev Monastery. There he was informed that he had been elected to the throne.
Having found out about this, the Polish government tried to prevent Mikhail from arriving in Moscow. A small detachment of Poles went to the monastery to deal with him. However, this detachment got lost along the way, as Ivan Susanin, a simple peasant, began to show the way to the monastery and led the Poles into an impenetrable forest.
The wedding for the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich took place in 1613 on June 11 in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral. Celebrations on the occasion of the reign took place for three whole days. According to contemporaries, the king gave a sign of the cross with a promise not to rule without Boyar Duma and the Zemsky Sobor.
At first, the Saltykov boyars and Mikhail’s mother ruled on behalf of their son. And by 1619, the king’s father, who returned from Polish captivity, actually began to rule the country. He was elected Patriarch Filaret. From the very beginning of the tsar's reign, the main task was to end hostilities with Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. A peace treaty with Sweden was signed by 1617. Then, in 1618, a truce was concluded with Poland (Deulin Truce). According to this truce, the Polish king had to withdraw his troops from Russian lands. However, the Seversk, Chernigov and Smolensk lands remained with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Poles did not recognize Michael on the Russian throne. Vladislav, the son of Sigismund III, called himself the Russian Tsar. The Nogais came out from under the obedience of Russia. They began to ravage the border areas.
CONTINUED BELOW
The Crimean Tatars periodically made trips to Russian lands, even despite the fact that Mikhail sent expensive gifts to Bakhchisarai every year. Crimean Tatars Türkiye pushed for military action with Russian lands. Russia in the period from 1610 to 1620. was virtually in political isolation. In order to get out of this difficult situation, it was possible to marry Michael to a Danish princess. However, negotiations for this wedding were unsuccessful. Then there was an attempt to marry Michael to the Queen of Sweden. But before that, it was necessary for the Swedish queen to convert to Orthodoxy. The Swedish side did not agree to take this step.
After two unsuccessful attempts, Mikhail’s mother, together with the boyars, married him to Maria Dolgorukova. However, this marriage turned out to be childless. The next marriage with Evdokia Streshneva gave Mikhail 7 daughters and 2 sons. The eldest's name was Alexey Mikhailovich. He reigned from 1645 to 1676.
Most important task external Russian politics in the period from 1620 to 1630. there was a reunification of Ukrainian, Belarusian and Western Russian lands into a single Russian state.
The first attempt to solve this problem during the war for the Smolensk lands (1632 - 1634), which began after the death of Sigismund (the Polish king), due to the fact that his son Vladislav aimed at the Russian throne, ended unsuccessfully. At this time, Mikhail ordered the construction of the “notch line” - the Simbirsk and Belgorod fortresses to begin. From 20 to 40 years were installed good relationship with Persia, Turkey, Austria, Denmark and Holland.
In 1637, Mikhail introduced a period of up to 9 years for the capture of escaped peasants. Then Mikhail ordered to increase this period by another year (1641), and those peasants who were taken out by other owners could be searched for up to 15 years. These changes indicated that there was a growing trend in legislation on peasants and land.
During the reign of Mikhail, the creation of military units began. At the end of his reign, cavalry dragoon regiments were created to protect the Russian borders.
Under the reign of Mikhail, Moscow was restored from the interventionist consequences. The Filaret belfry appeared in the Kremlin in 1624 (made by master B. Ogurtsov), a stone tent was built over the Spasskaya Tower, and a striking clock was installed (built by master Goloveev Kh.). The Kremlin cathedrals were re-painted. Under Mikhail, garden roses were first brought to the capital.
Znamensky was also founded monastery by order of Mikhail Fedorovich. The monastery was founded in the courtyard of the Romanov boyars. By this time, Mikhail could not walk on his own; he was carried in a cart. His body was weakened from constant sitting. Mikhail Fedorovich died in 1645 on February 13. He was buried in the Kremlin, in the Archangel Cathedral.
Became a monk under the name Philaret. When Archimandrite Philaret was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan of Rostov, his wife Ksenia, tonsured a nun under the name of Martha, together with their son, Mikhail, settled in the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery, which belonged to the Rostov diocese. During the stay of the Poles in Moscow, Martha and Mikhail were in their hands and endured with them all the disasters of the siege from the Nizhny Novgorod militia, and after the liberation of Moscow they again retired to the Ipatiev Monastery.
Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov in his youth
The Great Zemsky Sobor, convened in Moscow to elect a tsar, after heated debates, disagreements and intrigues, on February 21, 1613, unanimously decided to elect 16-year-old Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom. The main reason What prompted the council to make this choice was probably the fact that Mikhail, through the female line, was the nephew of the last tsar of the old dynasty, Fyodor Ioannovich. Having suffered so many failures in choosing new kings during the turmoil, the people became convinced that the election would only be lasting if it fell on a person connected by a more or less close family connection with the defunct dynasty. The boyars who led the course of affairs at the Council could also persuade him in favor of Mikhail Fedorovich young age and a meek, gentle character.
On July 11, 1613, the royal wedding of Mikhail Romanov took place in Moscow. The young king’s first concern was to pacify the state, tormented by enemies from without and within. By the end of 1614, the state was cleared of the Cossack gangs of Zarutsky, Balovnya and others; Lithuanian rider Lisovsky lasted longer, from whom Russia saved him sudden death only in 1616.
It was much more difficult to settle external affairs. With the Swedes capturing Novgorod and continuing offensive operations under the command of King Gustav Adolf, in 1617 the government of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov concluded the Peace of Stolbovo, according to which Russia gave Ivangorod, Yamy, Koporye and Oreshek to Sweden, which again cut off Moscow from the shores of the Baltic Sea. Even more dangerous was the second enemy - Poland, which put forward Prince Vladislav, whom Moscow itself had previously called upon, as a contender for the Moscow throne. But Moscow people of all ranks, “not sparing their heads,” made a last effort and repelled all of Vladislav’s attacks. On December 1, 1618, the Deulin truce was concluded with the cession of Smolensk and Seversk land to Poland, and Vladislav did not renounce his rights to the Moscow throne.
Under this truce, the father of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, Metropolitan Filaret, who was sent in 1610 to Poland for negotiations and detained there, returned to Moscow (in June 1619). Elevated immediately upon his return to the rank of Moscow Patriarch with the title of “Great Sovereign,” he began to rule together with Michael: matters were reported to both and decided by both, foreign ambassadors presented themselves to both together, presented double letters and presented double gifts. This dual power continued until the death of Patriarch Philaret (October 1, 1633).
Patriarch Filaret. Artist N. Tyutryumov
In 1623, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov married Princess Marya Vladimirovna Dolgorukova, but she died that same year, and the following year the Tsar married Evdokia Lukyanovna Streshneva, the daughter of an insignificant nobleman.
The Deulino truce was not durable: Vladislav continued to bear the title of Moscow Tsar, the Polish government did not recognize Mikhail Fedorovich, did not want to communicate with him and insulted him in their letters. In 1632, the second Polish war broke out, for which Moscow had long been preparing. Started very successfully, the war was spoiled by the unfortunate capitulation near Smolensk of the boyar M.B. Shein, who paid with his head for the failure. The government of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov got rid of difficulties only thanks to the approach Turkish army to the Polish borders. The Peace of Polyanovsky on May 17, 1634 left for the Poles all the cities except Serpeisk, ceded under the Deulin truce; the Russians paid 20 thousand rubles in money, and Vladislav renounced his rights to the Moscow throne.
The government of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich was forced to avoid wars in every possible way, so when in 1637 the Don Cossacks took the Turkish fortress of Azov (at the mouth of the Don), then, on the advice of the Zemsky Sobor (in 1642), Mikhail refused to support them and ordered to clear Azov, not willing and unable to wage war against the powerful Turkish Sultan.
Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich sitting with the boyars. Painting by A. Ryabushkin, 1893
The main attention of the government of Mikhail Romanov was paid to the internal structure of the state, to the rise of its economic forces and the streamlining of the financial system. From each city, it was ordered to take to Moscow one person from the clergy, two from the nobles and children of the boyars, and two from the townspeople, who could provide the government with accurate information about the state of the regions and ways to help the devastated residents. Zemsky Sobors, of which there were about 12 under Mikhail Fedorovich, significantly facilitated the work of the government. The need to strengthen the external position of the state forced in 1621–22 to analyze the military service class throughout the state; Even earlier, in 1620, a new cadastre was started. Tens of collapsible and new scribal and sentinel books of this time provide an interesting description of the military, fiscal and economic forces of the state, which suffered from the storms of the troubled times. Attempts to summon learned foreigners, correct liturgical books, and found a government school in Moscow complement the overall picture of the work of the government of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the founder of the dynasty, died on July 12, 1645, leaving 3 daughters and a 16-year-old son, Alexei Mikhailovich, who succeeded him on the throne.