4. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev (04/17/1894-09/11/1971)
Soviet state and party leader. First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR from 1958 to 1964. Hero Soviet Union, Three times Hero of Socialist Labor. The first laureate of the Shevchenko Prize, years of government 07.09.1. (Moscow).
Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was born in 1894 in the village of Kalinovka, Kursk province, in the family of miner Sergei Nikanorovich Khrushchev and Xenia Ivanovna Khrushcheva. In 1908, having moved with his family to the Uspensky mine near Yuzovka, Khrushchev became an apprentice fitter at a factory, then worked as a fitter at a mine and, as a miner, was not taken to the front in 1914. In the early 1920s, he worked in the mines, studied at the working faculty of the Donetsk Industrial Institute. Later he was engaged in economic and party work in the Donbass and Kyiv. From January 1931 he was at party work in Moscow, in the years he was the first secretary of the Moscow regional and city committees of the party - the Moscow Committee and the Moscow City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. In January 1938 he was appointed First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine. In the same year he became a candidate, and in 1939 - a member of the Politburo.
During the Second World War, Khrushchev served as a political commissar of the highest rank (a member of the military councils of a number of fronts) and in 1943 received the rank of lieutenant general; supervised partisan movement behind the front line. In the first post-war years, he headed the government in Ukraine. In December 1947, Khrushchev again headed the Communist Party of Ukraine, becoming the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CP (b) of Ukraine; he held this post until his move to Moscow in December 1949, where he became the first secretary of the Moscow Party Committee and secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). Khrushchev initiated the consolidation collective farms(collective farms). After Stalin's death, when the chairman of the council of ministers left the post of secretary of the Central Committee, Khrushchev became the "master" of the party apparatus, although until September 1953 he did not have the title of first secretary. Between March and June 1953, he attempted to seize power. In order to eliminate Beria, Khrushchev entered into an alliance with Malenkov. In September 1953, he took the post of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU. In June 1953, a struggle for power began between Malenkov and Khrushchev, in which Khrushchev won. In early 1954, he announced the start of a grandiose program for the development of virgin lands in order to increase grain production, and in October of that year he headed the Soviet delegation in Beijing.
The most striking event in Khrushchev's career was the 20th Congress of the CPSU, held in 1956. At a closed meeting, Khrushchev condemned Stalin, accusing him of mass extermination of people and an erroneous policy that almost ended in the liquidation of the USSR in the war against Nazi Germany. The result of this report was unrest in the countries of the Eastern bloc - Poland (October 1956) and Hungary (October and November 1956). In June 1957, the Presidium (formerly the Politburo) of the Central Committee of the CPSU organized a conspiracy to remove Khrushchev from the post of First Secretary of the Party. After his return from Finland, he was invited to a meeting of the Presidium, which, by seven votes to four, demanded his resignation. Khrushchev convened a Plenum of the Central Committee, which overturned the decision of the Presidium and dismissed the "anti-Party group" of Molotov, Malenkov and Kaganovich. He strengthened the Presidium with his supporters, and in March 1958 he took the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, taking all the main levers of power into his own hands. In September 1960, Khrushchev visited the United States as head of the Soviet delegation to the UN General Assembly. During the assembly, he managed to hold large-scale negotiations with the heads of governments of a number of countries. His report to the Assembly contained calls for general disarmament, the immediate elimination of colonialism, and the admission of China to the UN. During the summer of 1961 the Soviet foreign policy became more and more rigid, and in September the USSR interrupted a three-year moratorium on testing nuclear weapons by conducting a series of explosions. On October 14, 1964, Khrushchev was relieved of his duties as First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and a member of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee by the Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU. He was replaced, becoming First Secretary Communist Party, and became the Chairman of the Council of Ministers. After 1964, Khrushchev, while retaining his seat on the Central Committee, was essentially retired. Khrushchev died in Moscow on September 11, 1971.
On the image you can see the succession of the successive rulers of Russia, as well as their numerous relatives: sons, daughters, sisters and brothers. The genealogical tree of the Ruriks, the scheme of which begins with the Varangian prince Rurik, is interesting material for the study of historians. This is what helped the researchers figure out Interesting Facts about the descendants of the Grand Duke - the founder of the Old Russian state, has become a symbol of the unity of family members, the power and continuity of generations.
Where does the tree of the Rurik dynasty originate from?
Prince Rurik himself and his wife Efanda are semi-mythical figures, and among historians there are still disputes about their possible origin. The most common version, based on the Tale of Bygone Years, says that a native of the Varangians was voluntarily invited to reign, although some suggest that Rurik and his squad captured Novgorod during one of their campaigns. There are also opinions that the founder of the royal dynasty had Danish roots and was called Rorik. According to the Slavic version, the origin of his name is associated with the designation of a falcon in the language of one of the tribes. There are those who believe that the prince, as a historical figure, did not exist at all and was a fictional character.
Ambition pushed the descendants of Rurik to internecine wars and murders. In the battle for the throne, the strongest won, the loser was waiting for death. The bloody divisions of the lands were accompanied by fratricide. The first happened between the sons of Svyatoslav: Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. Each of the princes wanted to get power in Kyiv and for this purpose was ready for any sacrifice. So, Yaropolk killed Oleg, and he himself was destroyed by Vladimir. The winner became the Grand Duke of Kyiv. This bright historical figure deserves to be told about her in more detail.
Coming to power of Vladimir Svyatoslavich
A photo of the family tree of Rurikovich with dates of reign shows that the reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich's son, Prince Vladimir, falls at the end of the 10th century. He was not a legitimate son, since his mother was the housekeeper Malusha, but according to pagan customs he had the right to inherit the throne from his father of princely origin. However, the story of his birth caused many smiles. For his low birth, Vladimir was dubbed "robichich" - the son of a slave. Vladimir's mother was removed from raising the child and the boy was handed over to the combatant Dobrynya, who is Malusha's brother.
When Svyatoslav died, a struggle for power broke out in Kyiv between Yaropolk and Oleg. The latter, retreating during the battle with his brother, fell into a ditch and was crushed to death by horses. The throne of Kyiv passed to Yaropolk, and Vladimir, having learned about this, moved with Dobrynya to the Varangian lands to gather an army.
Together with his soldiers, he conquered Polotsk, which was at that time on the side of Kyiv, and decided to marry Yaropolk's bride, Princess Rogneda. She did not want to take the son of a slave as her husband, which greatly offended the prince and aroused his rage. He forcibly took the girl as his wife and killed her entire family.
To overthrow Yaropolk from the throne, Vladimir went to the trick. He lured his brother into negotiations, where Kyiv prince Vladimir's soldiers stabbed to death with swords. So power in Kyiv was concentrated in the hands of the third son of Svyatoslav Igorevich, Grand Duke Vladimir. Despite such a bloody background, in his reign a lot was done for the development of Russia. The most significant merit of Vladimir is considered to be the baptism of Russia in 988. From that moment on, our state turned from pagan into Orthodox and received new status in the international arena.
Branching of the family tree of the Rurik dynasty
The direct heirs through the line of the first prince were:
- Igor
- Olga
- Svyatoslav
- Vladimir
There are documents in which you can find references to Igor's nephews. According to sources, their names were Igor and Akun, but little is known about them. Branching in the scheme of the Rurikovich tree began after the death of the great Kyiv prince Vladimir. In the formerly single clan, a struggle for power began between the princes, and feudal fragmentation only aggravated the situation.
So, the son of the Kyiv prince Vladimir, Svyatopolk the Accursed, in the battle for the throne killed his brothers Boris, Gleb and Svyatoslav. However, another figure claimed power, which can be seen in the photo of the family tree of the Rurik dynasty. Svyatopolk's opponent was Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Between the two pretenders to the throne, a destructive internecine war was waged for a long time. It ended with the victory of Yaroslav in the battle on the Alta River. Kyiv passed into the power of Yaroslav the Wise, and Svyatopolk was recognized as a traitor to the Rurik dynasty.
Yaroslav the Wise died in 1054, after which the tree changed radically. Over the years of Yaroslav's reign, the unity of the clan came to an end, the state was divided into destinies with its own way of life, laws, power and government. Most of the inheritance and lands were divided among the three sons of the Wise:
- Izyaslav - Kyiv, Novgorod
- Vsevolod - Rostov-Suzdal possessions and the city of Pereyaslavl
- Svyatoslav - Murom and Chernihiv
As a result, the previously unified power split and the so-called triumvirate was formed - the rule of the three princes of Yaroslavich.
In specific lands, local dynasties began to form. The photo shows that it was from this period that the genus began to expand greatly. This happened mainly due to the large number of dynastic marriages that princes entered into in order to increase their authority, maintain and consolidate power. Previously, only the most influential and significant princes could afford to look for a spouse abroad. Now, many people have begun to use this privilege.
Family tree of Rurikovich: branching scheme
There could no longer be any talk of the original unity of the genus, the branches multiplied and intertwined. Let's take a closer look at the largest of them.
Izyaslavichi of Polotsk
The line got its name from the founder of the branch - Izyaslav, son of Vladimir Yaroslavich and Princess Rogneda of Polotsk. According to legend, Rogneda decided to take revenge on her husband for what he did to her and her family. At night, she snuck into his bedroom and wanted to stab him, but he woke up and repelled the blow. The prince ordered his wife to put on an elegant dress and stood in front of her with a sword in his hands. Izyaslav stood up for his mother and Vladimir did not dare to kill his wife in front of his son.
The prince decided to send Rogneda and Izyaslav to live in the Polotsk lands. Hence the line of the Izyaslavichs of Polotsk appeared. There is evidence that some descendants of Izyaslav made attempts to seize power in Kyiv. So, Vseslav and Bryacheslav tried to press Yaroslav the Wise, but their expectations were not destined to come true.
Rostislavichi
They originate from Prince Rostislav. He was an outcast and had no right to claim the throne after the death of his father, but with the help of wars he managed to gain power in Tmutarakan. He left behind three sons:
- Vasilko
- Volodar
- Rurik
Rurik left no descendants, and the sons of Vasilko ruled Terebovlya and Galich. The son of Volodar - Vladimirko, seeking to expand the estates of the Rostislavichs, annexed Galich to the lands. His cousin Ivan Galitsky helped him. He added Terebovl to his possessions. Thus, a large and influential Galician principality was formed. The branch of the Rostislavichs was interrupted when Vladimir Yaroslavich, the son of the famous prince Yaroslav Osmomysl, died. After this event, Roman the Great, one of the heirs and descendants of Yaroslav the Wise, began to rule in Galich.
Izyaslavichi Turovskie
Another descendant of the Wise, Izyaslav Yaroslavich, ruled in Turov. The prince died in 1078, his brother Vsevolod began to rule in Kyiv, and his younger son Yaropolk began to rule in Turov. However, a fierce struggle was waged for these lands, as a result of which the descendants of Izyaslav died one after another. In the end, they were forever expelled from their possessions by Vladimir Monomakh. Only in 1162, a distant descendant of Izyaslav, Yuri, was able to get back the lost possessions and strengthen them for himself. According to some sources, some Lithuanian-Russian princely dynasties originate from the Izyaslavichs of Turov.
Svyatoslavichi
This branch of the family tree of the Rurikovich originates from Svyatoslav, one of the participants in the triumvirate, formed after the death of Yaroslav the Wise. The sons of Svyatoslav, after the death of their father, fought with their uncles Izyaslav and Vsevolod, as a result of which they were defeated. However, one of the sons, Oleg Svyatoslavich, did not lose hope of regaining power and expelled Vladimir Monomakh. The lands that rightfully belonged to the Svyatoslavichs were divided among the surviving brothers.
Monomakhovichi
The line was formed from Vladimir Monomakh, the son of Prince Vsevolod. He also had a brother who died fighting the Polovtsy. Thus, all princely power was concentrated in the hands of Vladimir. The princes of Kyiv gained control and influence in all Russian lands, including Turov and Polotsk. But the fragile unity did not last long. With the death of Monomakh, civil strife resumed and power in the destinies again became fragmented.
It is noteworthy that Prince Yuri Dolgoruky was a descendant of the Monomakhovich branch on the family tree of the Rurik dynasty. It is he who is indicated in the annals as the founder of Moscow, which later became the collector of Russian lands.
The Rurik family tree is full of tyrants, murderers, traitors and conspirators. One of the most cruel sovereigns of Russia is consideredJohn IV the Terrible. The atrocities that took place during his reign in the Russian lands are still remembered with a shudder. Murders, robberies, raids on the civilian population, which, with the permission of the tsar, were repaired by guardsmen - these are bloody and terrible pages in the history of our state. No wonder the sculpture of Ivan the Terrible is missing from the Millennium of Russia monument erected to the glory of the great sovereigns of our country.
There were also wise rulers among the Rurikovichs - the pride of the family and the defenders of their state. This isIvan Kalita- Collector of Russian lands, brave warriorAlexander Nevskiyand liberated Russia from the Tatar-Mongol dependence, Grand DukeDmitry Donskoy.
Compose family tree Rurik dynasties with dates and years of reign is a difficult task for historians, requiring deep knowledge and lengthy research. The point here is the remoteness of the era, and the numerous interweaving of surnames, genera and branches. Since the grand dukes had many descendants, it is now almost impossible to find a person on whom royal dynasty finally ended and ceased to exist. It is only known that the last kings From this ancient family before the coming to power of the Romanovs were Fedor Ioannovich and Vasily Shuisky. It is difficult to answer the question whether there are now descendants of the first Russian prince or whether the family has sunk into oblivion forever. Researchers tried to find out with a DNA test, but there is still no reliable data on this matter.
Modern Encyclopedia
RURIKOVICH, descendants of Rurik, a dynasty of Russian princes, including the grand princes of Kyiv, Vladimir, Moscow, and Russian tsars (late 9th-16th centuries; the last Rurikovich from the dynasty of Moscow grand dukes, Tsar Fedor Ivanovich). From the kind of Nizhny Novgorod ... ... Russian history
Rurikovichi- RURIKOVICH, princes, according to chronicles, the descendants of the leader of the Varangians Rurik, who ruled in the 2nd half of the 9th century. in Novgorod. Headed the Old Russian state; great and specific principalities (princes of Kyiv, Vladimir, Ryazan, ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Large encyclopedic Dictionary
Russian princely family, fragmented over time into many branches. The branching begins with St. Vladimir, and the line of the Polotsks, the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated first of all. After the death of Yaroslav the Wise (1054) his ... ... Biographical Dictionary
- (inosk.) The most ancient Russian nobles (a hint of Rurik, one of the founders of Russia). Wed All of you, gentlemen, are nothing but yesterday's nobles against me, for I come from Rurik. D. P. Tatishchev To the magnates in Vienna, in a dispute about their antiquity ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)
Exist., Number of synonyms: 1 dynasty (65) ASIS Synonym Dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary
Russian princely family. shattered over time into many branches. Branching begins with St. Vladimir, at which, first of all, the line of the princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated. After the death of Yaroslav the Wise (1054) his ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
The dynasty of Russian princes, including the Grand Dukes of Kyiv, Vladimir, Moscow and Russian tsars (late 9th-16th centuries, the last Rurikovich Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich), who were considered descendants of Rurik. Some noble families also belonged to the Rurikovichs ... ... Political science. Vocabulary.
The clan of Russian princes and tsars, who were considered descendants of Rurik, including the great princes of Kyiv, Vladimir, Moscow, Tver, Ryazan (IX XVI centuries); the last Rurikovich from the dynasty of Moscow grand dukes and tsars, Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich. From… … encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- Rurikovich, Volodikhin Dmitry Mikhailovich. The Rurik dynasty ruled Russia for seven and a half centuries. The fate of our country is tightly intertwined with the fate of this kind. The personalities belonging to him had a noticeable influence on politics, ...
- Rurikovich, Volodikhin D. The Rurik dynasty ruled Russia for seven and a half centuries. The fate of our country is tightly intertwined with the fate of this kind. The personalities belonging to him had a noticeable influence on politics, ...
In March 1584, after a serious illness, one of the most merciless rulers of the Russian state, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, died. Ironically, his heir turned out to be complete opposite tyrant father. He was a meek, pious man and suffered from dementia, for which he even received the nickname Blessed ...
A blissful smile never left his face, and in general, although he was distinguished by extreme simplicity and imbecility, he was very affectionate, quiet, merciful and pious. He spent most of the day in church, and as entertainment he liked to watch fistfights, jesters' fun and fun with bears ...
Born for the cell
Fedor was the third son of Ivan the Terrible. He was born on May 11, 1557, and on that day the happy tsar ordered the foundation of a temple in honor of the heavenly patron of the son of St. Theodore Stratilat in the Feodorovsky Monastery of Pereslavl-Zalessky.
It soon became clear that the boy, as they say, "is not of this world." Looking at his growing son, Ivan the Terrible even once remarked:
- He was born more for a cell and a cave than for sovereign power.
Fyodor was small, plump, weak, pale-faced, with an unsteady gait and a blissful smile constantly wandering on his face.
Tsar Fedor I Ioannovich
In 1580, when the prince was 23 years old, Ivan IV decided to marry him. At that time, brides for royal people were chosen at special bridesmaids, for which girls from the most noble families came to the capital from all over the state.
In the case of Fedor, this tradition was broken. Grozny personally chose his wife - Irina, the sister of his favorite former guardsman Boris Godunov. However, the marriage turned out to be happy, since Fedor adored his wife until his death.
The only contender
Despite the fact that Fedor was completely unsuited to become the head of state, after the death of Ivan the Terrible, he turned out to be the only contender for the throne. Two of the king's sons, Dmitry and Vasily, died in infancy.
A worthy successor to Ivan the Terrible could be the second son, the namesake of his father, Tsarevich Ivan, who helped his father to rule and participated in military campaigns with him. Yes, only he died unexpectedly three years before the death of Ivan IV, leaving no offspring. It was rumored that in anger, without wanting it, the king killed him.
Another son, who, like the one who died in infancy, was named Dmitry, was not even two years old by the time of Grozny's death, of course, he still could not accept the power. There was nothing left to do but place the 27-year-old blessed Fyodor on the throne.
Realizing that his son was not capable of ruling, Ivan the Terrible, before his death, managed to appoint a regency council to govern the state. It included Grozny's cousin Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, the illustrious military leader Prince Ivan Shuisky, the Tsar's favorite Bogdan Belsky, and Nikita Zakharyin-Yuriev, the brother of Ivan IV's first wife.
However, there was one more person, although not included in the number of regents of the new blessed tsar, but also thirsty for power - Boris Godunov.
Council power
The reign of the regency council began with repression. Ivan the Terrible died on March 18, 1584, and the very next night the Supreme Duma dealt with all objectionable new government former royal associates: some were put in prison, others were expelled from Moscow.
Meanwhile, a rumor swept through the capital that Ivan the Terrible did not die a natural death. It was rumored that Bogdan Belsky poisoned him! Now the villain, being the regent of Fedor, wants to exterminate his son in order to put his son on the throne best friend- 32-year-old Boris Godunov.
Portrait of Boris Godunov
A rebellion broke out in Moscow. It got to the point that the rebels laid siege to the Kremlin and even rolled up cannons, intending to take it by storm.
- Give us the villain Belsky! the people demanded.
The nobles knew that Belsky was innocent, however, in order to avoid bloodshed, they convinced the "traitor" to leave Moscow. When the people were informed that the criminal had been expelled from the capital, the rebellion ceased. Nobody began to demand the head of Godunov. Still, he was the brother of the queen herself!
Fedor was horrified at the sight of a popular uprising. He sought support and found it - next to him was Boris, the brother of his beloved wife Irina, who, without any malicious intent, contributed to his friendship with the young tsar. Soon Boris became perhaps the main figure in the state.
"God's Man"
On May 31, 1584, as soon as the six-week prayer service for the repose of the soul of Ivan IV ended, Fedor was crowned king. On this day, at dawn, a terrible storm with a thunderstorm suddenly hit Moscow, after which the sun suddenly shone again. Many regarded this as "an omen of future disasters."
The regency council appointed by Ivan the Terrible was in power for a short time. Shortly after the flight of the first regent Belsky, Nikita Zakharyin-Yuriev fell seriously ill. He retired and died a year later. The third regent, Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, contacted the conspirators, dissatisfied with Godunov's rise.
Alexey Kivshenko "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich puts on Boris Godunov golden chain". 19th century painting
Mstislavsky agreed to lure Boris into a trap: invite him to a feast, but in fact bring him to assassins. Yes, as soon as the plot was revealed, and Prince Mstislavsky was exiled to a monastery, where he was forcibly tonsured a monk.
So, of the regents appointed by Ivan IV, only one remained - Prince Ivan Shuisky. However, he did not have much power. By that time, everyone understood that only Godunov, who was already openly called the ruler, was at the head of the state.
And what about the king? Ascension to the throne did not affect Fedor's attitude to state affairs. He "avoided worldly fuss and dokuki", relying entirely on Godunov. If someone addressed a petition directly to the tsar, he sent the petitioner all to the same Boris.
Tsar Fedor Ioannovich. Sculptural reconstruction of the skull.
The emperor himself spent his time in prayers, walked around the monasteries on foot, and received only monks. Fyodor loved the bell ringing and was sometimes seen personally ringing the bell tower.
Sometimes in the character of Fedor, the features of his father were still traced - despite his piety, he liked the contemplation of bloody games: he liked to watch fistfights and fights between people and bears. However, the people loved their blessed tsar, because in Russia the feeble-minded were considered sinless, "God's people."
Childless Irina
Years passed, and hatred for Godunov, who had usurped power, grew more and more in the capital.
- Boris left Fedor only the title of king! - both the nobility and ordinary citizens grumbled.
It was clear to everyone that Godunov occupied such a high position only thanks to his relationship with the tsar's wife.
“Let’s remove the sister, we’ll remove the brother as well,” Boris’s opponents decided.
Moreover, Irina herself did not suit many. After all, she did not sit in the tower with folded arms, as a queen should, but like her brother, she was engaged in state affairs: she received ambassadors, corresponded with foreign monarchs, and even participated in meetings of the Boyar Duma.
However, Irina had a serious drawback - she could not give birth in any way. During the years of marriage, she became pregnant several times, but she could not bear the child. This fact and decided to use the opponents of the Godunovs.
The wife of the most quiet and humble Russian Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, Tsarina Irina Fedorovna Godunova.
In 1586, a petition was delivered to the palace: “ Sovereign, for the sake of childbearing, accept a second marriage, and let your first queen go to the monastic rank". This paper was signed by many boyars, merchants, civil and military officials. They asked to send childless Irina to a monastery, as his father had done with one of his childless wives.
The Moscow nobles even picked up a new bride they liked for the tsar - the daughter of Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, the very regent whom Godunov exiled to a monastery. However, Fedor flatly refused to part with his beloved wife.
Godunov was furious at this news. He quickly revealed the names of those who were plotting evil. As it turned out, the conspiracy was headed by the last of the royal regents, Prince Ivan Shuisky, as well as his relatives and friends. As a result, not Irina, but her opponents were forcibly sent to the monastery.
End of the line
Meanwhile, another heir to Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, was growing up in Uglich. It was he who should have taken power if Fedor did not have children.
And suddenly, in 1591, a tragedy occurred. Eight-year-old Dmitry played with his friends “poke” - they threw a sharp nail into the ground from behind the line. As eyewitnesses later claimed, when the turn came to the prince, he had an epileptic attack, and he accidentally hit himself in the throat with a nail. The wound proved fatal.
Since then, Fedor has remained the last of his family. And since, apart from Irina, he refused to accept another woman, all the hope of the state was on her. A year after the death of Tsarevich Dmitry, she still managed to give birth to a child, however, not an heir, but an heiress.
The granddaughter of Ivan IV was named Theodosia. However, she did not live long. Blessed Fyodor never had any other children. Therefore, when at the end of 1597 the 40-year-old tsar became seriously ill and in January next year died, along with his departure, the famous family of Moscow rulers was interrupted.
Thus ended the rule of the Rurik dynasty, which ruled Russia for 736 years.
Oleg GOROSOV
The Rurikovichs were for sure, but was there Rurik ... Most likely he was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.
The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the calling of Rurik by the Eastern Slavs. It was according to the "Tale" in 862 (although the chronology in Russia in those years was different, and the year actually was not 862). Some researchers. and this can be seen in particular from the diagram below, Rurik is called the ancestor of the dynasty, but its foundation is considered only from his son Igor. Probably, during his lifetime, Rurik did not have time to realize himself as the founder of the dynasty, because he was busy with other things. But the descendants, on reflection, decided to call themselves a dynasty.
Three main hypotheses have been formed regarding the origin of .
- The first - the Norman theory - claims that Rurik with his brothers and squad were from the Vikings. At the time, as proven by research, the name Rurik really existed among the Scandinavian peoples (meaning "illustrious and noble husband"). True, there are problems with a specific candidate, information about which is also available in other historical stories or documents. There is no unequivocal identification with anyone: for example, the noble Danish Viking of the 9th century, Rorik of Jutland, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands, is described.
- The second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of obodrites from the West Slavic lands. There is evidence that one of the Slavic tribes living on the territory of historical Prussia was then called the Varangians. Rurik, on the other hand, is a variant of the West Slavic “Rerek, Rarog” - the name is not personal, but the name of the Obodrite princely family, denoting “falcon”. Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of the Rurikovich was just a symbolized image of a falcon.
- The third theory believes that Rurik did not really exist at all - the founder of the Rurik dynasty emerged during the struggle for power from the local Slavic population, and two hundred years later, his descendants, in order to ennoble their origin, ordered the author of The Tale of Bygone Years a propaganda story about the Varangian Rurik.
The princely dynasty of Rurikovich over the years was split into many branches. Few European dynasties can compare with her in branching and numerous offspring. But such was the very policy of this ruling group, they did not set the task of sitting firmly in the capital, on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.
The branching of the Rurikoviches begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (who calls him as Saint, and who - Bloody), and first of all the line of princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated.
Very briefly about some of the Ruriks
After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of the young son of Rurik - Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the Russian disparate principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and militancy, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv and made the latter his capital city. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed little Igor to the glades:
"Here is the son of Rurik - your prince."
As you know, according to legend, he died from a snake bite.
Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kyiv. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among the Eastern Slavs, the expansion of the power of the Kyiv prince to the East Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. But in the end he turned out to be a greedy ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.
Olga, Igor's wife, cruelly avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and conquered their main city of Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare mind and great abilities. In her declining years, she adopted Christianity and was later canonized as a saint.
One of the most famous princesses in Russia.
Svyatoslav. Known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik dynasty, for the most part, he did not sit still, but was on military campaigns. his son Yaropolk blamed for the death of his brother Oleg, who tried to claim the throne of Kyiv.
But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.
the same Vladimir that Russia baptized. The Kyiv Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was at first a fanatical pagan, he is also credited with such traits as vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness. At least he did not spare his brother and got rid of him in order to take the princely throne in Kyiv.
His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history added the nickname “Wise”, was a really wise and diplomatic ruler of the Old Russian state. The time of his reign is not only internecine feudal wars between the closest relatives, but also attempts to withdraw Kievan Rus on the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, the construction of new cities. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the development Slavic culture, a kind of golden period of the Old Russian state.
Izyaslav - I- the eldest son of Yaroslav, after the death of his father, took the throne of Kyiv, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians, he was driven out by the people of Kiev, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kyiv again.
Vsevolod - I could be a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Ruriks, but it did not work out. This prince was pious, truthful, very fond of education and knew five languages, but the raids of the Polovtsians, famine, pestilence and troubles in the country did not favor his principality. He stayed on the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.
Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav-I, who inherited the throne of Kyiv after Vsevolod-I, was characterized by spinelessness and was not able to pacify the civil strife of the princes for the possession of cities. At the congress in Lyubich, Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross "to each own his father's land", but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.
The princes gathered again for a congress in Vyatichenia in 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, they decided at the Dolobsky congress, in 1103, to undertake a joint campaign against the Polovtsians, the Russians defeated the Polovtsians on the Sala River (in 1111) and took a multitude of people: Cattle, sheep, horses, etc. Some of the Polovtsian princes killed up to 20 people . The fame of this victory spread far among the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.
Vladimir Monomakh. A well-known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatopolk II, after the death of Svyatopolk II, Vladimir Monomakh was elected to the throne of Kiev, who, according to the chronicle, "wished well the brethren and the whole Russian land." He stood out for his great abilities, rare intelligence, courage and tirelessness. He was happy in campaigns against the Polovtsians. He humbled the princes with his severity. Remarkably left by him is the “teaching to children”, in which he gives a purely Christian moral teaching and a high example of the service of the prince to his homeland.
Mstislav - I. Resembling his father Monomakh, the son of Monomakh, Mstislav I, lived in harmony with his brothers in mind and character, inspiring respect and fear in recalcitrant princes. So, he expelled the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him to Greece, and instead of them in the city of Polotsk he planted his son to rule.
Yaropolk, brother of Mstislav, Yaropolk, the son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the strife that arose from here, the “Monomakhovichi” lost the Kyiv throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - the “Olegovichi”.
Vsevolod - II. Having achieved the great reign, Vsevolod wanted to secure the throne of Kyiv in his own way and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the people of Kiev and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.
Izyaslav - II. The people of Kiev recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who, with his intelligence, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness, vividly resembled his famous grandfather Monomakh. With the accession to the throne of Izyaslav-II, the concept of seniority, which was rooted in ancient Russia, was violated: In one way, a nephew during the life of his uncle could not be a Grand Duke.
Yury Dolgoruky". Prince of Suzdal from 1125, Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1149-1151, 1155-1157, founder of Moscow. Yuri was the sixth son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. After the death of his father, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal Principality and immediately began to strengthen the borders of his inheritance, building fortresses on them. So, for example, during his reign, the fortress of Xiantin, as modern Tver was called before, arose. By his order, the cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first annalistic mention of Moscow dated 1147 is also associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. Younger son Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than a specific principality. As an inheritance, he received the Rostov Principality, which became prosperous under Yuri. Many settlements arose here. The indefatigable son of Monomakh received his nickname "Long-armed" for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people's affairs and for the constant desire to seize foreign lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri always sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all, he dreamed of taking possession of Kyiv. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, reinforcing his squad with mercenary Polovtsian detachments. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov principality.
The Suzdal prince occupied Kyiv three times, but he never managed to stay there for a long time. The struggle for a great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Three times Yuri entered Kyiv as the Grand Duke, but only the third time he remained so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was due to the fact that Yuri had resorted to the help of the Polovtsy more than once and was almost always a troublemaker during periods of struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a "newcomer" for the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the people of Kiev plundered his rich mansions and killed the Suzdal detachment that came with him.
Andrey Bogolyubsky. Having taken the grand ducal title, Andrey Yuryevich transferred the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and since then Kyiv began to lose its leading position. The stern and strict Andrei wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without a vecha and squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they plotted on Andrei's life and killed him.
Alexander Nevskiy". Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently pursued a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Russia and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still the prince of Novgorod (1236-1251), he showed himself to be an experienced commander and a wise ruler. Thanks to the victories won in the “Battle of the Neva” (1240), in the “Battle on the Ice” (1242), as well as numerous sorties against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from wanting to take over the northern Russian lands.
Alexander conducted an opposite policy towards the Mongols-Tatars. It was a policy of peace and cooperation, the purpose of which was to prevent a new invasion of Russia. The prince often traveled to the Horde with rich gifts. He managed to achieve the release of Russian soldiers from the obligation to fight on the side of the Mongol-Tatars.
Yuri - III. Having married the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy Agafya, Yuri gained great strength and help in the person of the Tatars who were related to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail, who was tortured by Khan, he had to appear for a report to the horde. Here, at the first meeting with Dmitry, Yuri was killed by him, in revenge for the death of his father and for the violation of morality (marrying a Tatar).
Dmitry - II. Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed "terrible eyes", for the murder of Yuri III, was executed by the Khan for arbitrariness.
Alexander Tverskoy. Native brother executed in the horde of Dmitry -II Alexander Mikhailovich was approved by the Khan on the throne of the Grand Duke. He was distinguished by his kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tverichians to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the Khan's wrath to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tver returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the Prince of Moscow, John Kalita, Alexander
he was slandered by him before the khan, the khan summoned him to the horde and executed him.
John I Kalita. John -I Danilovich, the cautious and cunning prince, nicknamed Kalita (purse for money) for his thrift, devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the violence of the indignant Tverichians against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Russia for the Tatars, and having greatly enriched himself thanks to this, he bought cities from the specific princes. In 1326, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, the metropolis from Vladimir was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral was laid. Since then, Moscow, as the seat of the Metropolitan of All Russia, has acquired the significance of the Russian center.
John -II Ioannovich, a meek and peaceful prince, followed the advice of Metropolitan Alexei in everything, who used great value in the Horde. During this time, relations between Moscow and the Tatars have improved significantly.
Vasily - I. Sharing with the father of the reign, Vasily I ascended the throne as an experienced prince and, following the example of his predecessors, actively expands the boundaries of the Moscow principality: Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In 1395, Russia was threatened by the danger of an invasion by Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it in the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigei attacked Moscow, but having received a ransom of 3,000 rubles, he lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and the Lithuanian prince Vitovt, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was appointed the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions from Russia.
Vasily - II Dark. Vasily II's infancy was taken advantage of by Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky, who declared his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the smart Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyar hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but was deceived in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in mastering the grand-ducal throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri's son Vasily oblique decided to inherit his father's power, then all the princes rebelled against him.
Vasily II captured him and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, brother of Vasily Kosoy, by cunning captured Vasily II, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Vasily II. During the reign of Vasily II, the Greek metropolitan Isidore accepted the Florentine union (1439), for which Vasily II put Isidore in custody, and Ryazan Bishop John was appointed metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are supplied by a council of Russian bishops. Behind last years great reign, internal organization the grand duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Basil II.
John III. Adopted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilievich ascended the throne as the full owner of Russia. At first, he severely punished the Novgorodians who started to become Lithuanian subjects, and in 1478, “for a new offense,” he finally subdued them. Novgorodians lost at this veche and
self-government, and the Novgorod posadnik Maria and the veche bell were sent to the camp of John.
In 1485, after the final conquest of other appanages more or less dependent on the Moscow principality, John finally annexed the Tver principality to Moscow. By this time, the Tatars were divided into three independent hordes: Golden, Kazan and Crimean. They were at enmity with each other and were no longer afraid of the Russians. In official history, it is believed that it was John III in 1480, having entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore off the Khan's basma, ordered the Khan's ambassadors to be taken to execution, and then, without bloodshed, overthrew the Tatar yoke.
Vasily III. The son of John -III from his marriage with Sophia Paleologus Vasily -III was distinguished by pride and impregnability, punished the descendants of appanage princes and boyars subject to him, who dared to rebuke him. He is "the last collector of the Russian land."
Having annexed the last inheritances (Pskov, the northern principality), he completely destroyed specific system. He fought twice with Lithuania, on the teaching of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered his service, and, finally, in 1514, he took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and the Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended in the punishment of Kazan: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryev fair, which was subsequently transferred to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, the more he aroused the boyars dissatisfied with him. From this marriage, Vasily had a son, John.
Elena Glinskaya. Appointed by Vasily III as the ruler of the state, the mother of three-year-old John, Elena Glinskaya, immediately took drastic measures against the boyars who were dissatisfied with her. She made peace with Lithuania and decided to fight with Crimean Tatars, who boldly attacked Russian possessions, but in the midst of preparing for a desperate struggle, she suddenly died.
John IV the Terrible. Left at the age of 8 in the hands of the boyars, the intelligent and talented Ivan Vasilyevich grew up among the struggle of parties over the rule of the state, among violence, secret murders and incessant exile. He himself often endured harassment from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, violence and violence that surrounded him
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.
In 1552, Kazan, which dominated the entire Volga region, was conquered by John, and in 1556 the kingdom of Astrakhan was annexed to the Moscow state. The desire to establish himself on the shores of the Baltic Sea forced John to start the Livonian War, which brought him into conflict with Poland and Sweden. The war began quite successfully, but ended in the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only did not establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The sad era of "search", disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda and here he surrounded himself with guardsmen, whom John opposed to the rest of the land, the Zemstvo.
