The Board of Boris Godunov

In the "stateless" time after the death of Ivan the Terrible, with the sick and weak Fedor the boyars began an open struggle for power. The strongest of them was the former oprichnik Godunov. After the death of Theodore, Patriarch Job assembled the Zemsky Sobor for the election of a new sovereign. At this council the council of the patriarch, boyar duma and servicemen and representatives of the commercial and industrial population of Moscow gathered. The most likely candidates were two people: the Tsar's brother-in-law Boris Fedorovich Godunov and the cousin of the Tsar Fedor, the eldest son of Nikita Romanovich - Fyodor Nikitich Romanov.

Years of Boris Godunov fell at a difficult time in the history of the Russian state. This was the period from 1598 to 1605. In fact, the future tsar was in power even with the sick son of Ivan the Terrible - Fedor.

The reign of Boris Godunov began unevenly. In February 1598, the Council offered the throne to Boris, but he refused. That he agreed, a religious procession was organized in the Devichy Monastery, where he was with his sister Boris. The future king was forced to consent to ascend the throne. Thus, the election of Godunov was nationwide. However, there was an opinion that he secretly resorted to threats and bribes to achieve this.

Boris was married to the kingdom only on September 1, making sure of the strength of the people's election. The rule of Boris Godunov throughout its duration was very careful. He was afraid of attempts on his power, eliminated all the suspicious boyars. His real rival was only Fyodor Nikitich Romanov, as a result of which all the Romanovs were brought to trial on charges of conspiring against the sovereign. The boyars disliked the tsar, considering him a successor of Grozny with his persecution of the nobility.

The reign of Boris Godunov was a continuation of Fedor's policy, more precisely what Godunov did with him. By all measures, he sought to restore the people's welfare, which was violated in the era of Grozny. In foreign policy, he sought to avoid clashes, to refrain from new wars. He cared for the strengthening of justice, he wanted to be a good ruler for the people. He really gave many benefits to the common people. For three consecutive years, since 1601, there has been a crop failure, the bark has led to massive starvation. Boris arranged a free distribution of bread to the hungry from the tsarist treasury, began large buildings in the capital to give people a living.

The reign of Boris Godunov was accompanied by famine, robbery, but this was not his fault. However, this contributed to the growth of discontent with the tsar. Behind the famine was the second misfortune - a popular uprising for the self-styled Tsarevich Dmitry. During this struggle, Boris Godunov suddenly died (1605).

Godunov attached great importance to European enlightenment. The king communicated with foreign specialists in the field of technology and medicine, he willingly took them to the civil service. He sent young people to foreign countries, he planned to arrange Moscow schools for a foreign way. He formed a military detachment of Germans on a foreign model. Under Godunov, the Moscow government was obviously traced to closer contacts with the enlightened West and the assimilation of European knowledge.

So the rule of Boris Godunov is briefly described by most historians. Many doubt how lawfully he got power, believing that his handiwork was the murder in Uglich of the youngest son of Grozny, Tsarevich Dmitry.