Vasily Shuisky can hardly be classified as one of the brightest historical figures. Meanwhile, he played a significant role in the political life of the late 16th - early 17th centuries, supporting and betraying the rulers on the Russian throne. In the end, he himself managed to become king. Shuisky got the opportunity to keep the throne for the Rurikovichs, but missed his historic chance.
Milestones in the biography
Vasily was born in 1552. His father is Ivan Andreevich Shuisky, his mother is Anna Fedorovna. Subsequently, four more sons appeared in the family.
The Shuisky belonged to the Rurikovichs and acted as a junior branch in relation to the ruling house of the Moscow princes. Vasily did not have to make a career: his high origin provided him with ranks and ranks at the royal court and in the army.
Under Ivan IV the Terrible (ruled 1547-1584), the activities of the young Shuisky were not marked by any outstanding achievements. But he did not suffer during the Oprichnina era, while his brother Andrei fell into disgrace.
In 1884, when Ivan IV was succeeded to the throne by his son Fedor, Shuisky became a boyar. Since the new king was a weak ruler, the actual power in the state belonged to his entourage. The championship was seized by the tsar's clever and ambitious brother-in-law, Boris Godunov, and Vasily and his relatives fell into disgrace.
1587-1591 Vasily Ivanovich spent in exile, but then was returned by Godunov to Moscow. The Shuisky resigned themselves to the omnipotence of Boris. Anyway, for the sake of appearance.
Soon, Vasily had the opportunity to serve Godunov. In May 1591, the youngest son of Ivan IV, eight-year-old Dmitry, died in Uglich. Rumor blamed the Tsar's brother-in-law for the death of the boy: they say, Boris got rid of the heir to the throne (Fyodor Ivanovich had no sons).
The death of Dmitry was investigated by Vasily Shuisky. He came to the conclusion: the prince stabbed himself, being in an epileptic seizure. The guilt or innocence of Godunov in this case is still a controversial issue. But there is no doubt that Shuisky's conclusions were in favor of Boris.
In 1598 Godunov took the Russian throne, Shuisky continued to serve him regularly. And when "the miraculously escaped Tsarevich Dmitry" appeared and, with the support of the Poles, went with an army to Moscow, Vasily Ivanovich opposed the impostor as a voivode.
After the sudden death of Boris in April 1605, Shuisky at first remained on the side of Godunov's heir Fyodor. But only luck tilted in favor of False Dmitry, Vasily recognized him as a true Russian tsarevich.
But the Shuisky brothers did not want "Dmitry Ivanovich" on the throne either. When False Dmitry entered Moscow, they tried to revolt. The conspiracy was revealed, Vasily was sentenced to death.
However, when Shuisky was already facing the executioner, the "tsarevich" showed magnanimity and replaced the execution with exile. By the end of the same year, "Dmitry Ivanovich" (already crowned king) brought the boyar back to Moscow. Unfortunately, as it turned out.
Basil began latently intriguing against the new sovereign, sowing evil rumors and discontent. The main target was non-observance of Russian traditions and customs, its "western" values. Shuisky led a conspiracy, as a result of which in May 1606 False Dmitry was brutally killed.
The last Rurikovich on the throne
Vasily Shuisky was elected the new tsar. The boyars agreed with his candidacy on the condition that he would rule with their consent and in their interests. Vasily Ivanovich agreed with the restrictions and took a special oath.
The Zemsky Sobor for the election of the head of state, as it was under Godunov, was not going to. In Moscow, the people were simply called together, and the people who had been arranged in advance from the crowd “shouted out” the name of Vasily.
The new sovereign first of all began to prove the imposture of his predecessor. The remains of Tsarevich Dmitry were brought to Moscow. However, it was not possible to calm the country down.
Former supporters of False Dmitry in 1607 found a new "miraculously saved". An army of Poles and Russians moved to Moscow. They could not take the capital, so they camped in Tushino near Moscow.
Vasily Ivanovich, as he could, strengthened the power. Main events within the country:
- a new set of laws - Cathedral Code;
- new military regulations in the tsarist army;
- suppression of a major uprising led by Bolotnikov.
Shuisky concluded a truce with King Sigismund III of Poland, convincing him not to support the new impostor. A recent adversary, Sweden, was called in to help fight the Tushins. At the same time, they had to make serious concessions, including territorial ones.
But the alliance between the Russians and the Swedes displeased the Polish king. In 1609 he invaded the territory of Russia with troops. Now I had to fight both the internal enemy and the external one.
At the same time, the finances of the Muscovy were completely upset. The civilian population was in no way protected from the tyranny of the armed groups. Both nobility and common people were dissatisfied with Tsar Vasily.
The sudden death of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, a popular relative of the sovereign, added fuel to the fire. At 23, he was already a prominent commander, to whom Vasily owed most of his military successes. There was a rumor that the boyar was poisoned by the Shuiskys out of envy (which is likely).
In June 1610, the Poles defeated the Russian army and began to attack Moscow. An uprising arose in the capital, as a result of which Vasily IV was deposed. He was forcibly tonsured into a monk. Power was seized by the Seven Boyars - a kind of provisional government from among the boyars.
Vasily Ivanovich spent his last years in captivity with the Poles. He died in 1612. Subsequently, the remains of the last Tsar-Rurikovich were transferred to the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
Personal qualities, appearance
Historians characterize Vasily Shuisky in very impartial colors. It is indicated that he had the following qualities:
- cunning
- not too big mind
- intrigue
- phoning
- conservatism, rejection of Western trends
Vasily Ivanovich hardly had a good education. If his prominent contemporaries spoke Polish and Greek, studied Latin, then we do not find such information about Shuisky. But it is known about his superstition.
At the same time, Vasily Ivanovich was not a coward. When under False Dmitry I they brought him to execution, Shuisky behaved firmly and courageously, without humiliating his princely dignity. Perhaps this is what prompted the impostor to spare the boyar at the last moment.
Vasily's appearance is described as unattractive. According to the description of N. I. Kostomarov, by the time of his accession Shuisky was a "stocky, hunched over old man" with an ugly wrinkled face, a sparse beard and hair. It was impossible to say whether it was really so, since the lifetime portraits of Vasily Ivanovich have not reached us.
Personal life
Not much is known about the personal life of Vasily Shuisky. His first wife was Princess Elena Mikhailovna Repnina-Obolenskaya. The exact date of the wedding has not been set.
The marriage turned out to be childless and, presumably, because of this, Vasily could divorce his wife. Or he was widowed in 1592.
Godunov forbade Shuisky to remarry. Apparently, Boris feared the appearance of potential contenders for the throne from among the Rurikovichs.
In January 1608, Tsar Vasily Ivanovich married Princess Ekaterina Buinosova of Rostovskaya (date of birth is unknown). At the same time, the spouse received a new name - Maria, which was considered more suitable for the status of a queen.
The 56-year-old king needed a new marriage to continue the dynasty. However, Maria managed to give birth to only two daughters - Anna and Anastasia. Both died in the first year of life.
After the deposition of Tsar Basil, Mary was also tonsured. Like her husband, she did not consent to the ceremony. The former queen died in 1626.
