Mikhail Fedorovich became the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty. Despite his young age, he was elected to the kingdom by the Zemsky Sobor. His descendants were destined to rule Russia for the 3rd century.

Reasons for convening the Council

At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, Russia was tormented by the Time of Troubles. This difficult period for the country began with a famine and led to a struggle for power and the appearance of the False Dmitriev impostors. There was a crisis of the dynasty, aggravated by foreign invasion and problems of an economic and political nature. In 1610, in agreement with the boyars, Moscow was captured by the Polish army, with the aim of placing Prince Vladislav on the Russian throne. In 1612, led by and liberated the capital from the invaders. Ruined by long wars and hardships, the state needed a ruler who could ensure peace and prosperity. It was decided to convene the Zemsky Sobor to elect a new sovereign.

Zemsky Sobor

pretenders to the throne

At the beginning of 1613, delegates of all lands and classes began to gather in Moscow from all over the country: clergy, boyars, representatives of cities and counties. There were over 700 of them. The work of the Council began on January 16, 1613. One of the main contenders for the throne were foreign princes: the Polish Vladislav Vasa and the Swedish Carl Philip. These candidates, in agreement with Poland and Sweden, were proposed by the boyars. However, the Zemsky Sobor immediately decided not to put foreigners on the throne.

The candidacy of the young Ivan, the son of Marina Mnishek and was also rejected. A year later, three-year-old Ivan was executed in Moscow by hanging. According to legend, Marina Mniszek, having learned about the death of her son, cursed the Romanov family. Ironically, the last reigning representative of the Romanov family, Emperor Nicholas 2, also died a martyr's death.

The struggle for the Russian throne began among noble Russian families. Many of the contenders even used bribery to get themselves elected. Among the numerous candidates, Fedor Mstislavsky, Ivan Golitsyn, Ivan Vorotynsky stood out.

Advantages of Mikhail Romanov over other applicants

Mikhail Romanov was supported by his relatives and Cossacks, who at that time were in the real capital military force. In favor of Mikhail, his family ties with the last tsar of the Rurikids, Fyodor Ivanovich, spoke. His mother Anastasia Zakharyeva-Yuryeva was a beloved wife and was a relative of Mikhail Romanov. Thus, the continuity of power was maintained. In addition, Mikhail Romanov was only 16 years old, he did not have time to tarnish his name with connections with foreigners in Time of Troubles. Mikhail was related to many noble families, who also spoke out for him.

He ordered the parents of Mikhail Romanov to be forcibly tonsured monks and sent out. So Fyodor Romanov became the monk Filaret, and the mother of the future tsar became the old woman Marfa. Subsequently, for a long time it was Filaret who helped his son to reign and actually ruled the state.

Election of Mikhail Romanov

The candidacy of Mikhail Romanov suited many, and the clergy also supported her. And also princes Trubetskoy and Pozharsky, who had great authority, spoke out for Mikhail Fedorovich. The election of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov as tsar took place on February 17, 1613.

On March 23, the ambassadors arrived in Kostroma and appeared at the Ipatiev Monastery, where the young tsar lived with his mother.

As soon as it became known about the election of Mikhail Romanov, the Poles sent an armed detachment to Kostroma to kill the new tsar. They volunteered to see the peasant Ivan Susanin and. The Poles killed Susanin, but did not get to the king.

At first, Elder Martha persuaded her son to give up the throne, but the ambassadors persuaded him and his mother to agree with the decision of the Council. February 21, 1613 Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was married to the kingdom, becoming the first sovereign of the Romanov dynasty.

The Significance of Election

Mikhail Fedorovich turned out to be good king. He became the legal ruler and was able to bring the country out of the crisis.

• the election to the throne of Mikhail Romanov served as the end of the period of Troubles, which was difficult for Russia;
• during his reign, he managed to conclude peace treaties with Sweden and the Commonwealth;
• Romanov established a centralized local government, raised the economy and trade;
• reorganized the army and annexed new lands in the Baikal region and Yakutia.

Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov died at the age of 49, leaving the throne to his son. Thus began the Romanov dynasty.

After the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow, the leadership of the Second Militia settled in the capital, and the main orders were also located there. It was necessary to collect Zemsky Sobor, designed to solve the main issue: to elect a new head of state. And the letters on the convocation, election and dispatch of delegates to Moscow "ten people of the best, reasonable and constant, with whom it was possible to talk about God and the Zemstvo about a big deal for an agreement" were sent already at the end of November 1612. In addition, the elected delegates had to speak about this public matter "freely and fearlessly, so that they were direct without any cunning." At the end of December 1612 - beginning of January 1613, representatives of all classes and social groups of Russia gathered in Moscow for the Council of the whole Russian land.

The Polish Prince Vladislav and the Swedish Duke Carl Philip continued to be contenders for the Moscow throne. The leaders of the First and Second People's Militias took part in the election campaign: princes Dmitry Pozharsky, Dmitry Trubetskoy, Dmitry Cherkassky and others. Vasily Golitsyn was in Polish captivity, Mstislavsky and Vorotynsky recoiled.

But the main figure turned out to be the 16-year-old youth Mikhail Romanov, the son of the captive Tushino Metropolitan Filaret (in the world of Fyodor Romanov) and the nun Martha (in the world of Xenia Romanova).

A real struggle unfolded around the candidacy of the future king. Each of the boyar groups tried to promote its representative to the throne. Only the Polish and Swedish princes, applicants of "other German faiths and from some non-Orthodox states" and Marinka's son were unanimously rejected. It was decided to put a "natural Russian sovereign" on the Russian throne.
Statements that Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was unanimously elected at the Zemsky Sobor are nothing more than a myth. The fact is that in Moscow on the eve and during the election of the Council there was a complete predominance of the Cossacks (about ten thousand; nobles with slaves about one and a half, and archers and not at all less than a thousand people) and they practically dictated their conditions to the leadership of the Second Militia. It was the dominance of the Cossacks that played a decisive role. Moreover, direct, rude intervention with the use of force, moreover, twice, made the candidacy of Mikhail Romanov not only acceptable to the main part of the deputies of this cathedral, but the only possible one. First, on February 7, at the pre-election, the Cossacks broke into the chamber for meetings and forced Mikhail Romanov to be proclaimed. But before publicly announcing the name of the new king, they conducted, so to speak, a study of the target audience, sending envoys from the Zemsky Sobor to the cities to see if this candidate would be popular there.

Mikhail GORELIK.Cossacks at the Zemsky Cathedral -

Theophylact Mezhakov

If you believe Klyuchevsky, at the most tense moment, the ataman of the Don Cossacks Feofilakt Mezhakov, during a meeting of the Council, put a note on the table with the name of Mikhail Romanov and covered it with a naked saber from above ... Then on February 21, under pressure from all the same Cossacks, the final choice of the king passed much faster. On the same day, Mikhail Fedorovich was approved in this rank by representatives of all Russian lands.

February 21, 1613 Avraamy Palitsyn reads in the Patriarchal chambers of the Moscow Kremlin to the consecrated cathedral,petition to the boyars and voevodas about calling the boyar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the royal throne.

On the porch of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra Avraamiy Palitsynread out the decision of the Zemsky Sobor on the election of Mikhail Fedorovich to the kingdom

The ambassadors of the Zemsky Sobor inform the people and the army about the decision to electMikhail Fedorovich Romanov.The assembled people swear allegiance to the newly elected Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich -

Streltsy at the election of Mikhail Fedorovich

A large delegation from the Zemsky Sobor went to the Ipatiev Monastery near Kostroma, where Mikhail and his mother were at that time. On March 13, 1613, the ambassadors, headed by the Archbishop of Ryazan Theodoret, the cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery Avraamiy Palitsyn and the boyar Fyodor Ivanovich Sheremetev, arrived in Kostroma; On March 14, they were received at the Ipatiev Monastery by Mikhail Romanov and nun Martha and announced the decision of the Zemsky Sobor to elect Mikhail Fedorovich to the Moscow throne.March 14, 1613. The embassy of the Zemsky Sobor informs Mikhail Romanov about his election to the kingdom.

19th century miniature -

The people and the boyars plead in front of the Ipatiev Monastery for Mikhail Romanov and his mother to accept the kingdom.Fragment -

Nun Martha, fearing for the fate of her son, begged him not to accept such a heavy burden. Michael also hesitated. However, after much persuasion, the mother gave her consent to the elevation of her son to the throne. Then the elected tsar, together with his family, the delegation of the Zemsky Sobor, accompanied by a large guard, moved from Kostroma to Yaroslavl, and then along the Yaroslavl road to Moscow.

Vocation to the kingdom of the Romanovs - Mikhail Fedorovich.Alexey KIVSHENKO-

Nun Martha, in the world Xenia Ivanovna Romanova (before Shestova's marriage)

The calling of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom.Grigory UGRYUMOV-

Calling to the kingdom of Mikhail Romanov.Ivan KUZNETSOV-

The illustration is modern.

Just at this time, either in the winter or in the spring of 1613, one of the Polish detachments scouring the country decided to capture Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in order to vacate the throne for his prince Vladislav. Making their way to Kostroma, the Poles took the peasant Ivan Susanin as a guide, who, saving the life of the newly elected tsar, led enemies into a swampy forest, where he was tortured by them for refusing to show the right path.

Ivan Susanin's vision of the image of Mikhail Fedorovich.Mikhail NESTEROV-

Ivan Susanin.Elena DOVEDOVA-

Ivan Susanin.Maxim FAYUSTOV-

Death of Ivan Susanin.Boris ZVORYKIN-

Ivan Susanin.Michael SCOTTI-

The monument to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and Ivan Susanin in Kostroma was destroyed in the 20th century and rebuilt half a century later -

Monument to Susanin in Kostroma

Now the 12-meter monument was built according to the project of the Moscow sculptorON THE. Lavinsky, arch. Markovsky and Bubnov, 1967.

In Savrasov's painting "The Rooks Have Arrived"the Church of the Resurrection in the village of Susanino, Kostroma Region, where the Museum of the Feat of Ivan Susanin is now located, is captured.

Chromolithography by A.V. MOROZOV

May 1613 The consecrated cathedral, the Moscow citizens and the arriving people of all classes solemnly welcome the newly elected Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and the Empress the great old woman Marfa Ivanovna at the Sretensky Gate.From the book "The Romanovs. Three Hundred Years of Service to Russia". -

May 3, 1613. The procession of the higher clergy, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, boyars, nobles and townspeople through the territory of the Moscow Kremlin to the Assumption Cathedral to perform a solemn prayer service in it -

July 11, 1613 Procession of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich to the coronation. Engraving

Procession along the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin.Miniature from the Book of the Election and Crowning of the Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhail Fedorovich-

July 11, 1613. Kingdom wedding.Metropolitan Ephraim in the royal doors of the Assumption Cathedral anoints the newly-married Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich-

The wedding of Mikhail Fedorovich to the kingdom.Boris CHORIKOV-

Regalia

July 11, 12, 13, 1613.A feast in the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin on the occasion of the wedding of Mikhail Fedorovich-

Portrait of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in the Ipatevsky Monastery

(Kostroma).

Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in the Miracle Monastery of the Moscow Kremlin prays at the relics of St. Alexia.Miniature of the 17th century. Engraving, watercolor

The problem of Mikhail Fedorovich was not only that he was not only young, but also that he was not married. In general, this is an unprecedented case for Russia: as a rule, a person whose parent has already died was on the throne. And Russian family traditions in this case provided for guardianship on the part of the father, and so on. pressure on the sovereign and his decisions. But the father, Fyodor Romanov, was in captivity at that moment, and then it suddenly became clear that a woman close to power is also capable of much. Nun Martha, in the world Xenia Ivanovna, the mother of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, who was constantly with her son, proved to be a fairly strong political figure.

She correctly judged that she should nominate faithful people in order to strengthen the position of her son. Thanks to her, the Saltykovs, Mikhail's cousins, began to play the main role at court, and Marfina's nephews, Boris and Mikhail. The monarch himself was by nature an intelligent person, but due to his fanatical piety, melancholy, apoliticality and lack of education (when ascending the throne, he could barely read), he was not able to govern the country and in everything obeyed the will of his mother and temporary workers, did nothing without their consent . Even when in 1616 Mikhail decided to marry Maria Khlopova, the daughter of a poor nobleman, his mother and the Saltykovs opposed this (seeing the uncle of the bride as a competitor to his influence at court), the tsar did not dare to disobey the will of his mother.

To be continued...

1. Crying with great anger

The tsar was Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, who was nicknamed by the people "The Meek", that is, peace-loving, since during his reign the long-awaited peace came to Russia. Already in the sources of that time, his peacefulness and meekness were noted. So in the Pskov legend it is written: "The tsar was young, but he was kind, quiet, meek, humble and benevolent, he loved everyone, had mercy on everyone and was generous."

At the same time, the nickname “Meek” means “Humble,” that is, one who resigned himself to the burden of kingship placed on him by the people and fulfilled God’s will. After all, he became the King not of his own free will and even against his will. When for years the ambassadors from the Zemsky Sobor, headed by the Ryazan Archbishop Theodorit, announced to him the decision of the Zemsky Sobor to be elected to the Kingdom, instead of joyful consent, they received a categorical refusal and even, as the chroniclers testify, heard "weeping with great anger." Martha, the mother of 16-year-old Mikhail, was afraid that her son, who was completely inexperienced in public affairs, would not be able to rule in Russia devastated by the Great Troubles, that his reign could end in inglorious death of both the country and himself.

Mikhail refused to reign three times, and three times Archbishop Theodoret with the elected people served a prayer service and came to him with a request to head the Moscow throne. They came in procession with the miraculous Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. However, Michael refused. And then, raising the icon above his head, the Ryazan saint exclaimed in despair: “Do not heed your prayers! Be your way, the Russian land is in distress, weeping again, the Russian people. But before this holy image, I tell you, Tsar Michael, that from now on the calamity of the Fatherland will fall on you!

And the hearts of Mikhail Romanov and his mother, nun Martha, shuddered. Fulfilling God's will, they agreed with the decision of the Great Council. On March 14/27, 1613, Archbishop Theodoret of Ryazan blessed Mikhail Romanov to reign with the icon of the Fedorov Mother of God.

At the same time, his mother, nun Martha, burst into tears and “many tears before the image of the Most Pure Shed,” said: “Behold, O God, the Most Holy Theotokos, and in your hand, Lady, I betray my child and, as you wish, arrange for him a useful and all Orthodox Christianity."

That is why the "Approved Charter" of 1613 calls Mikhail Fedorovich "God's Chosen Tsar." He became Tsar not by his own will, but by the will of God and the Russian people.

The wedding to the Kingdom and the naming of Michael "Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia" took place on June 21, 1613 in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. So after the reign of the Rurikids, the foundation of a new ruling dynasty of the Romanovs took place. However, continuity was observed, since Mikhail was a cousin-nephew of the last Russian Tsar from the Rurik dynasty, Fedor I Ioannovich. Mikhail's father was Fyodor Nikitich /later Patriarch Filaret/. In 1601, Boris Godunov exiled Fyodor, as a pretender to the Tsar's throne, to the Sophia St. Anthony Monastery, where he was tonsured a monk with the name Filaret. Godunov also disgraced Mikhail's mother. He exiled her to Zaonezhye, where she was tonsured a nun with the name Marfa. Mikhail himself, together with his aunt Martha Nikitichnaya Cherkasskaya, was exiled by Godunov to Beloozero. So the 4-year-old boy was separated from his parents.

The family united and almost until the end of 1608 lived together. In 1610, Filaret was sent along with Prince Golitsyn to negotiate with the Poles, but was captured by them and spent 9 years in captivity. So Mikhail again lost his father for a long time. And soon he himself, along with his mother, was detained by the Poles in the Moscow Kremlin. And only thanks to the victory of the Russian militia under the leadership of Minin and Pozharsky in 1612 they were released from captivity and retired to their fiefdom - the village of Domnino near Kostroma. There they often lived in the Ipatiev Monastery, praying for the release of their father from Polish captivity.

The news of Michael's election to the throne was absolutely stunning for both him and his mother. And they were not only not ready for it, but also internally did not want to change their position. However, they obeyed the will of God. Michael meekly agreed to reign.

2. Praise for "every creature"

It was extremely difficult for the youth to agree to put the "heavy cap of Monomakh" on his head. Russia was devastated, Veliky Novgorod with the northwestern lands was captured by the Swedes. Smolensk and the western lands were captured by the Poles. The south was subjected to constant raids by the Crimean Tatars. Many detachments of free Cossacks began to engage in robbery and robbery. There was practically no control of Russia. It seemed that there was no longer a Russian state. The country lay in ruins, many lands were not cultivated, the peasants left the devastated villages, many died of hunger, taxes were not paid, the treasury was empty.

Who could rule in such a devastated country as Russia was at that time? Only a brilliant commander. Tough, strong-willed, and besides having a powerful army capable of pacifying all enemies. Most of all, a Tsar like Ivan the Terrible would be suitable for occupying the throne. The Dutchman Isaac Maas, a witness of those events, wrote: “I hope that God will open the eyes of the young tsar, as it was with the former tsar Ivan Vasilyevich; for Russia needs such a tsar, otherwise it will perish.”

However, Russia chose a peace-loving, “Meek” Tsar, who has neither an army nor money, to hire an army. Not having even an elementary education (having taken the throne, Mikhail could not write and could hardly read in warehouses). Such a King could be chosen only by God's providence. According to the whole faith of people in God and in the fact that He Himself will appoint a King for them. And, of course, according to popular conciliar prayers, because before the decision to elect Michael to the kingdom, Russia fasted for three days and prayed from young to old. Even the cattle did not receive food to participate in the fasting of "every creature." And the Lord looked down on Russia. And he gave her a pious, meek, humble Tsar, who, being in exile, in the Ipatiev Monastery spent time in prayers for his captive parents. The lad sincerely hoped in God, he believed that if he prayed earnestly, then all the dangers that threatened his mother and father would pass. Michael had great respect for his parents. And he became Tsar for a year, immediately took care of his father, captured by the Poles, sending hegumen Ephraim to him, so that Filaret would not be so lonely in a foreign land. After some time, Mikhail specially sent a boyar, Zhelyabovsky, to him, who was to personally verify the good health of Filaret and take a blessing for his son-Tsar. Michael himself prayed earnestly in the Moscow monasteries for the release of his father. For the same purpose, he undertook pilgrimages to remote holy monasteries.

So, having neither education nor the slightest idea of ​​state government, Mikhail Romanov had another, most important gift - the gift of communication with God, knowledge of His will and acceptance of this will. He put all his trust in the Lord and was not put to shame. When Mikhail went to Moscow to be married to the kingdom, he drove slowly, without haste, visiting holy places and praying to God. And the Lord managed to stop him in large and small cities, and conduct active correspondence with the boyars. Mikhail stayed in Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Trinity Monastery, Rostov, Suzdal. Therefore, the journey from Kostroma to Moscow lasted a long time - a month and a half, but during this time Mikhail completely got used to his new position. Thanks to negotiations and correspondence, he gathered around him just such people who became his faithful assistants in ruling the country. As the Dutchman Max Isaac hoped, "God opened the eyes of the young king."

He also kept his chosen one. So, when the Poles learned about the proclamation of Mikhail Fedorovich as Tsar, they went to the Ipatiev Monastery in order to kill him. By God's Providence, their detachment got lost along the way. And then a simple peasant Ivan Susanin, having given "consent" to show the way, led them into such a dense forest, from which they did not know the way out. They brutally tortured Susanin, trying to find out the right path. However, he died in torture, but did not show the way back. The Poles also perished in the winter forests of Kostroma, never carrying out their evil plan.

3. Terry roses from Hamburg

Having become Tsar, Mikhail Fedorovich, first of all, began to establish government. To do this, he established Orders (a kind of state councils and departments). By 1639, there were as many as 14 orders in Russia, which dealt with both national affairs (petition, Judgment, Pushkar, etc.), and the affairs of estates - Kholopy, Streletsky. There was even a pharmacy order that was in charge of doctors.

Shortly after accession to the throne, Michael established new laws that streamlined the main economic activity of the country - land ownership and land use.

All this led to rapid economic growth. To the amazement of the whole world, Russia began to fully provide itself with grain. Just imagine how many crops the peasants grew! Rye, wheat, barley, millet, buckwheat, peas, oats. Flax and hemp were sown, from which fabrics and oil were made. Horticulture and horticulture flourished. Foreigners who came to Moscow admired Russian gardens. The young Tsar Michael had a great inclination towards gardening. He spent a lot of money on buying expensive plants abroad. The Hamburg merchant Marcelius brought for him terry roses, which had not been in Russia before. They were planted in special hanging gardens, where apple trees, pears, cherries, plums and even walnuts and grapes grew. In general, viticulture under Mikhail Fedorovich received great development. When he learned that in Astrakhan the monks managed to grow several vines, he ordered to plant vineyards at the expense of the treasury. In 1630, as many as 50 barrels of their domestic wine were sent from Astrakhan to Moscow.

Cattle breeding began to develop throughout Russia. Herds of cows, horses, sheep, goats numbered in the thousands! However, fish was considered the main product in Russia at that time, and it was caught and processed in abundance.

In just ten years of the reign of Tsar Michael in economic activity achieved unprecedented results. Already by 1627, Russia was selling bread abroad in thousands of pounds! It was bought by such "civilized countries" as Denmark, Sweden, England, Holland, Holstein. And in 1632, France joined them.

To expand land use, the territories of the Urals and Western Siberia were actively developed. Peasants went there en masse and settled on highly fertile lands in the floodplain of the Lena River. Seeds were given free of charge to the settlers. Everyone could take out loans for the purchase of agricultural implements and horses. In 1618, Russian people reached the Yenisei and founded the city of Krasnoyarsk.

Under Mikhail Fedorovich, the formation of Russian industry began. Qualified specialists were discharged from abroad: metallurgists, gunsmiths, miners. The first ironworks was founded in Tula. A blast-furnace plant, iron-smelting and copper-smelting production appeared in the Urals. The owners of factories received benefits from the Tsar, which contributed to the development of industry. The most important breeders under Mikhail Fedorovich were the Stroganovs.

Light industry also developed - weaving, production of velvet and brocade. Sewing workshops and tanneries worked.

The manufacture of products from precious metals began, coins were minted, weaving improved, velvet and brocade fabrics were produced, sewing workshops and tanneries worked, books were printed, a newspaper with news was published.

And this was under the Tsar, who was separated from his father in childhood, imprisoned in a monastery, and lived in fear of death, without receiving any education! What is there to say? Only the Lord could perform such miracles. Only He could help the 16-year-old boy solve the extremely serious political and economic problems generated by the Great Troubles. No matter how great was the support for the reign of Michael by his father - Patriarch Filaret - no one but the Lord could help solve the problems that were then in Russia. And Tsar Michael understood this, because the main thing in his activity was prayerful standing before God, daily participation in church services, pilgrimages to holy places.

4. A bad peace is better than war

The pious Tsar Michael the Meek, following the commandment “blessed are the peacemakers,” managed to pacify all classes in Russia. With his humility and good-naturedness, he was able to unite everyone.

He did not disgrace anyone, not even his personal enemy Boris Godunov. Carefully looking at his surroundings, he chose efficient, wise people as advisers, was distinguished by tolerance for various political views, and listened to various opinions on how to overcome the crisis. To solve complex political and economic problems, Mikhail Fedorovich convened collective advisory bodies of government - Boyar Dumas and Zemsky Sobors.

However, in solving some problems, he was guided by personal opinion and applied his royal power. So, when the Russian embassy sent to the Crimean Khanate was arrested and shackled, the Zemsky Sobor decided to do the same with the Crimean ambassadors in Moscow. And the Boyar Duma even insisted on a military invasion of the Crimea. However, the Meek Tsarne began to aggravate relations with the Crimea and sent expensive gifts to the khan. At the same time, he indicated that he was doing this to restore friendly relations. The peacefulness of the Meek Tsar gave its results - relations with the Crimea were restored, the apostles were released.

Tsar Michael, although he was Meek, was not weak, cowardly and weak-willed. This is evidenced by the surviving documents of that time. So in a letter from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, he sharply writes that if the authorities called to that do not stop theft, robbery and robbery, then he can refuse to travel to Moscow to ascend the throne. And in a letter dated April 8, 1613, he reprimanded the boyars for the fact that they could not find the means to provide for “service and military people.” Tsar Mikhail reprimanded the Zemsky Sobor for unrest in the country. Not a single document of the first years of Mikhail's reign contains even a hint of the co-government of the boyars, on the contrary, it is emphasized everywhere that they are "serfs", faithful servants and executors of his will.

Mikhail Fedorovich was Tsar-unifier, Tsar-peacemaker. Possession of power did not make him a despot and tyrant. However, the Gentle King, when required, did not sharply scold negligent subjects. Could pass and radical laws. For example, he completely banned smoking in the country and strictly regulated the use of alcohol. Drinking was allowed only four weeks a year. These weeks followed the great holidays of Easter, Dmitriev's Saturday, winter Nikola and Maslenitsa. Drinking at other times was severely fined. Violators paid a lot of money for those times - two rubles. In addition, the drunkard was taken for the first time to the “bargain prison”. It was possible to get out of it only at someone's request. If the drunkard was caught a second time, he was again sent to prison, but for a long time. Malicious drunkards, by decree of the Meek Tsar, were led through the streets, mercilessly beaten with a whip. And as long as the guilty "keeps up with the pernicious passion." And when even these measures did not help, the drunkard was placed in prison until his death - "until he perishes."

Tsar Michael strictly forbade the maintenance of drinking establishments, taverns in the guest yards in large trading cities. The Meek Tsar ordered the disobedient to be beaten with a whip and imprisoned.

However, Mikhail Fedorovich supported his good subjects in every possible way. Donated to those in need. According to the testimony of the Holstein adviser Adam Olearius, "the king is very pious, he does not want to allow at least one of his peasants to become impoverished, the treasury gives benefits to the impoverished."

In foreign relations Tsar Michael the Meek preferred "thin, but peace" to war. Therefore, he concluded peace treaties with neighboring powers, even on conditions that were unfavorable for Russia, which brought peace to the Russian people, tormented by the Time of Troubles. This happened in 1637 during the Azov conflict, when the Don Cossacks, on their own initiative, captured the Turkish fortress of Azov. Their goal was good - to destroy the slave market that existed there, where they traded in captive Russian people. The capture of Azov and the murder of the Turkish ambassador threatened Russia with a war with Turkey, which our state, bled dry by the Time of Troubles, could lose and lose much more than the fortress of Azov. And then Tsar Michael decided to return Azov to Turkey. This made it possible to avoid war and restore friendly relations with the Ottoman Empire.

Under the Meek Tsar, an “eternal peace” was concluded with Sweden. And although access to the Baltic Sea was lost, the Novgorod lands, previously conquered by Sweden, were returned.

After the unsuccessful war of 1632-34. with Poland, an "eternal peace" was concluded with the Commonwealth. At the same time, the Polish king and Grand Duke Lithuanian Vladislav IV renounced their claims to the throne of Moscow.

In general, by the time of the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich, many diplomatic contracts with our country were interrupted - with England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, France, Turkey and Persia. And only thanks to the diplomatic talents of the Meek King, all of them were gradually adjusted. But Mikhail Fedorovich firmly defended the interests of the Russian people. And when the British asked him for permission to travel through Russia to Persia for trade, he did not allow it, although he should have done this, given the importance of friendly relations with England. However, the Russian Tsar was primarily concerned about whether such trade would “damage” the Russian merchants? The Boyar Duma and merchants confirmed his fears. From a conversation with them, Michael realized that the English trade with Persia would cause considerable damage to the merchants, although the treasury could provide a large income. The tsar, despite even the state benefit, reckoned with the interests of the Russian merchants, and refused the British in their request. The same thing happened with the appeal of the French ambassador for permission to trade with Persia. He was denied this for the same reasons as the British.

In the outward arrangement of the Russian kingdom, thanks to the wise policy of Mikhail Fedorovich, the lands of the Lower Urals, the Baikal region, Yakutia and Chukotka were annexed to Russia, access to the Pacific Ocean was made. To put it bluntly, these are the unprecedented achievements of the Meek Tsar, who ruled a devastated country.

However, the Gentle Tsar understood that Russia, having grown stronger, should enter the war and win back the native Russian lands from the Poles and Swedes. Therefore, according to his decree, cannons were cast and powder mills were built. On the Volga and in the village of Dedinovo near Moscow, the construction of "military" ships began.

In 1631-1634, Mikhail Fedorovich carried out a military reform. Regiments of the "new system" were created - Reiters, dragoons, soldiers.

5. Guardian of piety

Having not received an education at one time, Mikhail Fedorovich was keenly interested in various sciences - astronomy, geography, and the structure of the earth. In 1637, by his decree, the book "Cosmography" was translated from Latin into Russian. Scientific work was carried out under the personal control of Tsar Michael. A directory of roads, maps of Russia and the first systematic description of the Russian state were created.

For the development of engineering, the Tsar ordered specialists from abroad. They built ships on the Volga, fortified Russian fortresses. For foreigners, a special settlement was founded in Moscow - the German Quarter. And from Russia, on the initiative of Mikhail Fedorovich, they began to send young people abroad to study medicine.

Thanks to foreigners, diamond and goldsmiths, watchmakers, cannon makers, and masons appeared in the capital. Got it right industrial production leather, a glassworks was launched.

In 1621, by decree of Mikhail Fedorovich, the clerks of the Posolsky Prikaz began to publish the first Russian newspaper, Vestovye Pistachi.

The Russian Tsar was very fond of music. It is known that he ordered from Holland "two organ masters and an organ that was decorated with images of a nightingale and a cuckoo." Moreover, this organ was very skillful. When he played, the birds began to sing. Tsar Michael was delighted with the power and beauty of the sound of the organ and ordered to give the masters an unprecedented amount of 2676 rubles and forty sables each.

Science, culture and music were not ignored by Tsar Michael. And this despite the fact that he had to solve the most difficult state problems of centralizing the state, creating a military-industrial production, creating a legislative system, stabilizing public relations within the country and in relations with aggressive neighbors of the West and South. It is simply amazing how much the Lord gave him statesmanship and noble human qualities!

In gratitude to God, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich the Meek daily participated in church services, prayed for a long time at home, strictly observed fasts, and often went on a pilgrimage. The king was pious. Even in a very difficult time for the country, immediately after accession to the throne, he, first of all, took care of spiritual affairs. Having learned from the priests about the miracles of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan, he ordered the establishment of a new church holiday: the first feast and the “walk from the cross” on July 8, when this icon appeared; the second on October 22, "how cleansed the Muscovite state."

Contemporaries wrote about Tsar Michael the Meek in the following way: “This wretchedly pious zealot is ever-praised, the faithful and Christ-loving Tsar and Grand Duke Mikhail Fedorovich, autocrat of all Russia, be blessed, very meek and merciful ... but beautifying himself with all good deeds, fasting and prayer, truth and chastity, purity and humility of mind, justice ... ".

The ancestor of the royal dynasty of the Romanovs died on July 13 (26), 1645 at the age of 49. His honest remains were buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Virchev’s epitaph to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich reads: “Having a meek and gentle disposition, he always practiced the punishing deeds of his kingdom, supplying the good and meek with dignity, taming the malevolent with fear, and bestowing equality on everyone; and in Siklitzskaya the rank of natural people is worthy of this, but non-pedigree people and unworthy of that rank of being all the days of their kingdom are not allowed, and the rank is firmly preserved.

At the end of 1612, the Zemsky Sobor met in Moscow. The question of choosing a new king was discussed for about two months. The council rejected all foreign candidates for the throne. In the end, they settled on the candidacy Mikhail Romanov.

As a result, the Romanov dynasty was established in Russia, which ruled the country for 300 years (until 1917).

• Firstly, Mikhail Romanov was not involved in the events of the Time of Troubles.
• Secondly, he had family ties with the former Rurik dynasty, was a relative of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich (on the maternal side). The first wife of Ivan the Terrible - Anastasia - was the mother of Tsar Fedor. She came from the Romanov family.
• Thirdly, Mikhail was the son of Filaret Romanov, who suffered from Godunov (he was forcibly tonsured a monk) and, in addition, was captured by the “Tushinsky thief”, and, therefore, suffered from him.
• Fourthly, Mikhail was young, he was 16 years old, and he had a "quiet disposition." There is a legend that one of the boyars said: "Let's choose Mishka Romanov, he is young and not yet wise, he will be habitual (obedient) to us in everything."

The Russian historian V. O. Klyuchevsky put forward the following reasons for choosing Mikhail: “Mikhail was endured ... by family popularity. But most of all, the kinship of the Romanovs with the former dynasty helped Michael in the conciliar elections. Tsar Michael was seen not as a conciliar elect, but as the nephew of Tsar Theodore, a natural, hereditary tsar. This is how the founder of a new dynasty appeared, putting an end to the Troubles.

Having elected the tsar, the people's representatives did not leave him alone with the boyar lust for power and the huge problems of restoring the country. The Zemsky Sobor constantly supported the tsar. Its members were elected for a three-year term. They worked almost without interruption for nine years (three convocations).

Ivan Susanin

Having hardly found a new tsar, Russia almost lost him. According to a number of sources, a Polish detachment was sent to Kostroma to capture the new Muscovite tsar and kill him. However, the local peasant Ivan Susanin, volunteering to escort the Poles to the patrimony of the Romanovs, led them into the dense forests. Meanwhile, Mikhail, warned by well-wishers, managed to move to Kostroma, under the protection of the high walls of the Ipatiev Monastery. For the salvation of the king, Susanin paid with his life.

Historians have long debated the authenticity of this event. But in the memory of the people, the image of the Kostroma peasant Ivan Susanin became a symbol of heroic self-sacrifice in the name of the Fatherland.

Minin and Pozharsky under the Romanovs

Minin Kuzma Zakharyev (nicknamed Sukhoruk), townsman, zemstvo headman from Nizhny Novgorod under Mikhail Romanov, became a duma nobleman. Died 1616

Under Tsar Boris Godunov, Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky had the court rank of steward, under Vasily Shuisky he was governor in the city of Zaraysk. He bravely fought against False Dmitry I I, participated in the first militia in battles against the Poles in Moscow. Under Tsar Mikhail Romanov, he received the boyar rank, headed important orders, and was governor in Novgorod. He died in 1642 and was buried in Suzdal, on the territory of the Spas-Efimiev Monastery.