Prince Dmitry Pozharsky is the leader of the people's militia, who expelled from Moscow in 1612 from the Polish and Lithuanian invaders. This man became one of those who were able to defend the sovereignty of the country in a difficult period for her.
Pozharsky's life under Godunov and Vasily Shuisky
Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky was born on November 1, 1578. His father came from the princely family of Starodubsky and was a descendant of the famous Yuri Dolgoruky, and therefore Rurik.
In 1593, the fifteen-year-old prince Pozharsky (who, by the way, received a fairly good education for the seventeenth century) entered the court service. In 1598, when Boris Godunov officially ascended the throne, Pozharsky had the honorary rank of solicitor. And in 1602 he was promoted to steward - that was the name of the people whose job was to serve the master's meal.
After the mysterious death of Tsar Godunov in April 1605, the Polish protege False Dmitry I, who pretended to be the "miraculously saved" child of Ivan the Terrible, seized power. This, however, did not greatly affect the position of Pozharsky - he, as before, remained at court.
In the late spring of 1606, the impostor was killed, Vasily Shuisky became tsar, and Dmitry Pozharsky swore allegiance to him without hesitation.
In December 1606, Prince Dmitry participated as a hundredth head in battles with the peasant army of Bolotnikov near the village of Kotly near Moscow. Pozharsky, to all appearances, showed himself brilliantly in these battles, and as a reward his local salary was raised. In addition, the autocrat made Pozharsky the governor of Zaraysk.
Participation in two militias
In July 1610, Vasily IV Shuisky was removed from the throne in the course of a conspiracy. The real power was seized by seven boyars, who made up the backbone of the boyar duma.
In January 1611, the townspeople of Zaraysk, inspired by the example of their neighbors from Kolomna, wished that Pozharsky would go over to the side of the very influential False Dmitry II at that time. The voivode courageously refused, saying that he had only one king - Vasily Shuisky. He also did not welcome the decision of the capital's boyars to give the empty throne to the Pole - the young prince Vladislav.
At the beginning of 1611, the citizens of Nizhny Novgorod sent letters to many cities in order to create an army to fight the invaders. In the second decade of March, several very impressive detachments of militias, responding to the call, found themselves at the Moscow walls. Pozharsky also arrived here - as part of the Ryazan detachment. It is interesting that many Muscovites, having learned about the militias standing nearby, also began preparations for a battle with the Polish invaders.
On March 19, a general riot broke out in the capital. Pozharsky bravely fought with the enemies, but at a certain moment he was wounded and he was taken to the rear. To improve his health, the prince spent some time in his family estate.
The first militia almost succeeded, but ultimately lost. Internal strife is considered one of the key reasons for this defeat today.
In the fall of 1611, a delegation headed by the Orthodox Archimandrite Theodosius came to Pozharsky's estate. His task was to persuade Dmitry Mikhailovich to lead a new militia. At first, the prince was not sure that he would cope with such a mission, but then he nevertheless agreed to the guests' proposal.
In August 1612, troops led by Pozharsky and Minin reached Moscow. For three days, from 21 to 24 August, there was a bloody battle between the militia and the Poles and the forces of the hetman from Lithuania Chodkevich. By the end of the third day, the invaders were completely defeated. However, then for about seventy days the struggle between the militia and the invaders hiding in Kitay-Gorod continued. But in the end they were chased away. This victory made it possible to organize the Zemsky Sobor, at which a new autocrat was elected in 1613.
The fate of the prince after the Troubles
At the end of the Time of Troubles, Pozharsky no longer played such a significant role in the fate of the country as before. From 1619 to 1640, he held various government and military posts - he was the governor of Nizhny Novgorod, ruled the Robber, Yamsk, Judgment and Local orders …
There is also information that during this period Pozharsky lost his first wife Praskovya and became a widower. She died in 1835; Pozharsky had six children with her. Soon he created a new family - he married Princess Theodora Golitsyna. They lived in a joint marriage until the death of Pozharsky. This legendary man died on April 20, 1642.
