Prince Feodor Ivanovich. The last one before the Troubles

People often believe that the highest state power and deep Christian faith are incompatible, that a ruler simply cannot act according to the Gospel - he inevitably has to be a cynic, break the commandments “for the sake of state interests.” There are indeed many examples of this. But there are also counterexamples, which, unfortunately, few people know about. Historian Dmitry Volodikhin talks about Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible.

Split syndrome

Some historical figures who are included in our textbooks, and in the Russian classical tradition, and in the mass consciousness, seem to have two faces. Generation after generation of intellectuals try to prove that one of these faces is true, and the other is nothing more than a mask, and not even a mask, but a random antics.

In Russia they know two Ivans the Terrible - the wise statesman And bloody maniac; two Peters the Great - a reformer and a tyrant; two Nicholas the First - the gendarme of Europe and the enlightened guardian; two Georgiev Zhukovs - a tyrant who thoughtlessly wastes soldiers' lives, and a talented commander... Are these the only figures that are doubled? Oh no, only the loudest examples were heard.

Attempts to find a golden mean, to go between the Scylla of one myth and the Charybdis of another only lead to the fact that instead of an integral personality, the infinite grows: “on the one hand, it is impossible not to notice, but on the other, it is impossible not to recognize.” In such cases, seemingly wise moderation leads to emptiness, to vagueness. And the debate flares up with renewed vigor.

Probably the most reasonable thing in such cases is to lay out all the main arguments, and then honestly and openly speak out in favor of one of two fundamentally different points of view: “I believe that the arguments in favor of this position outweigh.”

Sovereign Fyodor Ivanovich (1584–1598), or, according to church tradition, Theodore Ioannovich, is just such a “double” person in Russian history. It's interesting that the main point both images of this sovereign were succinctly formulated for the educated public by one person - Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy.

IN satirical poem“The History of the Russian State from Gostomysl to Timashev” he outlined in one quatrain the silhouette of the popular opinion about Fyodor Ivanovich:

Fedor began to reign after him,
A living contrast to my father;
Was not a vigorous mind,
It’s just too much to call.

What appearance do these lines give to the last sovereign, Rurikovich? Fool, blessed, perhaps weak-minded...

But the same A.K. Tolstoy dedicated the famous, repeatedly staged play “Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich” to the sovereign. And there the king appears in a completely different light. This is a tragic figure, not without charm, and also bathed in the light of grace. Not blessed - blessed! Not a fool, but a truly kind, selfless, deeply religious person.

What he is can be seen from the tsar’s own remark, uttered in a dispute with Godunov:

What kind of king am I? me in everything
It’s easy to confuse and deceive.
There is only one thing I will not be deceived about:
When between what is white and black,
I must choose - I will not be deceived.
There is no need for wisdom here, brother-in-law, here
In good conscience you just have to do it.

As the play progresses, Prince Ivan Petrovich Shuisky, the enemy of the monarch, who rates his human qualities very low, is forced to admit his mistake:

No, he's a saint!
God does not command you to climb it -
God does not command! I see simplicity
Yours from God, Fyodor Ioannych, -
I can't climb you!

Fyodor Ivanovich’s “doubling” continues to this day. For the Russian Orthodox Church, he is, first of all, a saint, a person of high morality and great piety. Back in the first half of the 17th century, he was included in the calendar as the “Moscow miracle worker.”

But if this monarch is discussed in secular journalism, then in most cases disparaging reviews are heard. You don't have to look far for examples. Thus, in the latest book by Pyotr Romanov, “Successors: from Ivan III to Dmitry Medvedev” (2008), exactly this passage is found: “Were the Russians lucky to have successors? Sometimes yes. More often than not, not so much. It happened that Russia had to get rid of a successor “surgically.” And it happened that the country endured for decades something that was embarrassing to remember. Usually this happened when the interests of the retinue began to dominate at the top of the power pyramid. Then questions of intelligence, professionalism and integrity of the successor, not to mention the interests of the state and the people, faded into the background... And so holy fools (Fyodor Ioanovich), former laundresses (Catherine I), and not the most educated rulers (Anna Ioannovna) appeared at the head of the country. ...", etc. The successor of Ivan the Terrible is called here a "foolish fool", but not in the sense of foolishness for Christ's sake, but as a living disgrace for the country.

Which is closer to the truth?

It's worth hearing both sides.

Eyewitness accounts

The roots of arrogant, derogatory opinions regarding mental abilities sovereigns go back to the 16th century.

The English sales agent Jerome Horsey wrote about Fyodor Ivanovich that he was “simple in mind.” A French mercenary in the Russian service, Jacques Margeret, wrote somewhat more harshly: “... power was inherited by Fyodor, a very simple-minded sovereign, who often amused himself by ringing bells, or spent most of his time in church.” The most detailed description of the Russian sovereign comes from the pen of Giles Fletcher, an English diplomat. In particular, he writes: “The current Tsar (named Feodor Ivanovich) regarding his appearance: small in stature, squat and plump, weak in build and inclined to be watery; he has a hawk-like nose, his gait is unsteady due to some relaxation in his limbs; he is heavy and inactive, but he always smiles, so that he almost laughs. As for his other properties, he is simple and weak-minded, but very kind and good at handling, quiet, merciful, has no inclination towards war, has little ability for political affairs and is extremely superstitious. Besides the fact that he prays at home, he usually goes on pilgrimage every week to one of the nearby monasteries.”

These three statements were made by foreigners who had no reason to treat Fyodor Ivanovich with special affection or, on the contrary, with hatred. From their words one can see the general opinion: the Russian monarch is “simple” and does not shine with intelligence, but he is a kind, calm and pious person.

Unfortunately, for several generations now, domestic historians and publicists have mostly based their conclusions not on this evidence, but on others, much more radical. They are quoted much more often - and with some strange, “artistic” pathos. Thus, a phrase from a Swedish source is endlessly cited, according to which Fyodor Ivanovich is crazy, and his own subjects call him the Russian word durak. Who, when and for what reason called the sovereign this way remains outside the scope of this statement, that is, it is contextless. However, people with a penchant for accusatory judgments love him very much... Another favorite phrase from the same series belongs to the Polish envoy Sapega, who considered that Fyodor Ivanovich had no reason at all. It probably makes no sense to once again emphasize that both the Polish-Lithuanian state and the Swedish crown were then in strained relations with Russia, and the conflict with the Swedes was ultimately resolved by the force of Russian weapons. Neither one nor the other had the slightest reason to experience any good feelings to the enemy ruler.

However, there are also clearly friendly reviews from foreigners, where the emphasis is shifted from Fyodor Ivanovich’s “simplicity of mind” to his religiosity. Thus, the Dutch merchant and trade agent in Moscow Isaac Massa speaks with all certainty about the Russian Tsar: “very kind, pious and very meek.” And further: “he was so pious that he often wanted to exchange his kingdom for a monastery, if only this were possible.” Not a word about dementia. Konrad Bussow (a German Landsknecht who co-wrote the Chronicle of Events 1584–1613 with Lutheran pastor Martin Baer) was extremely hostile to Orthodoxy in general. But still, he recognized Fyodor Ivanovich as a “very pious” man and “in their Moscow way” fearing God, noting that the tsar was more interested in matters of faith than in matters of government.

So, if you use only foreign sources, the picture turns out to be uneven and lacking integrity. Let's say no one denies the piety of Fyodor Ivanovich. In exactly the same way, no one talks about his ability to independently decide government issues. But the level of his mental development is assessed differently. Some consider him crazy, while others do not see any intellectual deficiency or, in the worst case, note “simplicity of mind.”

Russian sources paint Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich in a different light. The famous publicist of the 17th century Ivan Timofeev, author of the historical and philosophical treatise “Vremennik”, wrote about the son of Ivan the Terrible with admiration, in tones superlatives. Ivan Vasilyevich himself did not receive even a third of such praise - Timofeev treated him without much reverence.

In order to understand how far Ivan Timofeev’s delight extended, it is worth citing an extensive quotation from his work: “With his prayers, my king kept the land unharmed from the enemy’s machinations. He was meek by nature, very merciful and blameless to everyone and, like Job, in all his ways he protected himself from every evil thing, most of all loving piety, church splendor and, after the holy priests, the monastic order and even the least brothers in Christ, blessed in the Gospel by the Lord himself. It’s easy to say - he devoted himself entirely to Christ and throughout his holy and venerable reign; not loving blood, like a monk, he spent in fasting, in prayers and entreaties with kneeling - day and night, exhausting himself with spiritual exploits all his life... Monasticism, united with the kingdom, without being separated, mutually adorned each other; he reasoned that for the future (life) one is no less important than the other, [being] an unharnessed chariot leading to heaven. Both were visible only to the faithful, who were attached to him with love. From the outside, everyone could easily see him as a king, but inside, through his feats of monasticism, he turned out to be a monk; In appearance he was a crowned man, but in his aspirations he was a monk.”

The state chronicle contains a description initial days the reign of this sovereign. No signs of weak-minded behavior are visible anywhere - on the contrary, when the ceremony of coronation took place, Fyodor Ivanovich twice publicly made speeches, asserting his desire to repeat this ceremony, first introduced under his father. Of course, it is now difficult to judge how accurately the chronicler conveyed the content of the royal speeches. But the very fact of their utterance does not raise any doubts: the Englishman Horsey, an impartial witness of what was happening, also writes that the king made a speech in public.

Is it possible to imagine a weak-minded person as a speaker?

The results of a quiet life

Evidence of unofficial, in other words, private, evidence is extremely important. historical monument— “Piskarevsky chronicler.” From a chronicle narrative not controlled by the government, it is natural to expect assessments that radically diverge from those “brought down from above.” Indeed, “Piskarevsky Chronicler” is filled with revealing statements. So, a lot of bitter words were written there about the oprichnina. Its introduction is reproached to Ivan IV. And this sovereign himself appears, to put it mildly, as a flawed figure: the chronicler did not forget to list six (!) of his wives. A Orthodox person You are not supposed to get married more than three times...

What does the “Piskarevsky Chronicler” say about Fyodor Ivanovich? So many good things have been said about him that none of the Russian rulers received. He is called “pious,” “merciful,” “pious,” and the pages of the chronicle contain a long list of his works for the benefit of the Church. His death is perceived as a real catastrophe, as a harbinger of the worst troubles of Russia: “The sun is darkened and has ceased from its course, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars have fallen from the sky: for the many sins of Christianity, the last luminary, the collector and benefactor of all the Russian lands, the sovereign, has passed away. king and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich...” Turning to the previous reign, the chronicler speaks with extraordinary tenderness: “And the faithful and Christ-loving Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich reigned... quietly and righteously, and mercifully, without mercy. And all people were in peace and in love, and in silence, and in prosperity during that summer. In no other year, under any king in the Russian land, except for the Grand Duke Ivan Danilovich Kalita, has there been such peace and prosperity as under him, the blessed king and Grand Duke Theodore Ivanovich of all Russia.”

He was such a fool!

It seems that Fyodor Ivanovich seemed weak-minded only to those who were accustomed to the caustic, mocking wisdom and merciless cruelty of his father. Of course, after the “thunderstorm” inherent in the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich, his son could look like a weak ruler in the eyes of the serving aristocracy... But with his “weakness,” “simplicity” and “piety,” the affairs of the state worked out better than under a frantic parent.

It was under Fyodor Ivanovich that the patriarchate was introduced in Rus'.

During all the years of his reign, the Crimeans were unable to break through the Russian defense, but Ivan Vasilyevich in 1571 allowed them to burn the capital.

In the Urals and Western Siberia, the subjects of the Russian Tsar managed to gain a foothold only under Fyodor Ivanovich. Ataman Ermak, who started the war with Crimean Khanate Even under Ivan Vasilyevich, as you know, he was killed and his army was destroyed. But service people with less famous names managed to successfully move in the same direction a few years later.

Finally, Ivan the Terrible lost main war of his life - Livonian. He not only lost everything he had won through incredible efforts, but also gave up part of the Novgorod region to the enemy. Under Fyodor Ivanovich it struck new war. The king personally went on a campaign and took part in the fighting. Would the ruler be released with his regiments if he were a helpless idiot? And who could be inspired by such a figure in the troops? Obviously, in the eyes of tens of thousands of military people, the sovereign did not look like a “holy fool” or “crazy.” As a result of a fierce struggle, Russia then recaptured Yam, Koporye, Ivangorod and Korela from the Swedes. Moscow managed to achieve partial revenge for the previous defeat in Livonia.

It remains to summarize. Fyodor Ivanovich was a man of an unusually pure, moral life, and in piety he was equal to monks from distant monasteries. Foreigners, especially those who had reasons for enmity with the Russian state, sometimes spoke of the tsar as a madman or a real simpleton. But the facts indicate otherwise. The Emperor was neither crazy nor weak-minded. His “simplicity,” most likely, was not the simplicity of a mentally retarded person, but of a blessed one, a “man of God.”

Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich (also known by his nickname "Blessed") was the son of Ivan the Terrible and Anastasia Romanovna.

After the tragic death of the heir to the throne, John, in 1581, the twenty-year-old young man Fyodor the Blessed, who was completely unprepared for reign, became king (even his father said about him that his place was not in power, but in his cell).

According to researchers, Fyodor Ivanovich was in very poor health (both physically and psychologically). Moreover, he took no part in the public administration, relying in this complex matter on the opinions of Godunov’s brother-in-law Boris and nobles. It was Godunov, according to historians, who ruled the state through the words of the Blessed One (he became the successor after the death of Fyodor Ivanovich).

Tsar Feodor the Blessed married Irina Godunova, from whom they had a daughter, who died at the age of one. Fedor did not wait for an heir.

Literary monuments of that time describe Fyodor Ivanovich this way: overweight, short in stature, unprepossessing with a heavy, uncertain gait. However, he is always smiling (for this he was nicknamed Blessed). The king never raised his tone, was not rude, was superstitious and did not like manifestations of aggression. He spent most of his time in a nearby monastery in prayer. Fyodor also got up very early and began the day with a conversation with his confessor and washing himself with holy water. He also loved fun: buffoonery, songs and stories after Vespers.

Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich was very fond of the ringing of church bells and was even a bell ringer himself at one time. He walked around the monasteries, however, the fatherly disposition was also in his nature - the king liked battles with strong bears, as well as fist fights.

All of the above was also known to diplomats from other countries visiting Fedor, but who asked for an audience with Boris Godunov.

In 1598, Tsar Fedor Ivanovich died of a fatal illness. At the same time, the Moscow Rurik family was also ended. During the reign of Tsar Fyodor, the towers and walls of the White City were erected, the authorship of which is attributed to the talented architect Fyodor Savelyevich Kon. In addition, during the same period, the famous foundry man A. Chokhov cast the Tsar Cannon.

Under Tsar Fyodor the Blessed, the international situation also improved slightly. As a result of the Russian-Swedish war, some Novgorod lands were returned.


Feodor I Ioannovich, also known by the name Theodore the Blessed, (May 11, 1557, Moscow - January 7 (17), 1598, Moscow) - Tsar of All Rus' and Grand Duke of Moscow from March 18 (28), 1584, the third son of Ivan IV the Terrible and Tsarina Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yuryeva, the last representative of the Moscow branches of the Rurik dynasty. Canonized by the Orthodox Church as "Holy Righteous Theodore I Ioannovich, Tsar of Moscow." Memory January 7 (20), Sunday before August 26 (old style) / September 4 (new style), i.e. first Sunday in September (Cathedral of Moscow Saints).

  • 1 Biography
  • 2 Death
  • 3 Main events during the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich
  • 4 Written sources about Fyodor Ioannovich
  • 5 Ancestors
  • 6 Memory
    • 6.1 Orthodox Church
    • 6.2 Sculpture
    • 6.3 Burial
  • 7 Notes
  • 8 Literature

Biography

Upon the birth of his son, Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a church in the Feodorovsky Monastery in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky. This temple in honor of Theodore Stratilates became the main cathedral of the monastery and has survived to this day.

On November 19, 1581, the heir to the throne, Ivan, died from a wound, according to one unconfirmed version, inflicted by his father. From that time on, Fedor became the heir to the royal throne.

In the words of Ivan the Terrible himself, Fyodor was “a faster and a man of silence, born more for his cell than for sovereign power.” From his marriage to Irina Fedorovna Godunova, he had one daughter (1592), Feodosia, who lived only nine months and died the same year (according to other sources, she died in 1594). At the end of 1597 he became mortally ill and died on January 7, 1598 at one o'clock in the morning. It ended the Moscow line of the Rurik dynasty (descendants of Ivan I Kalita).

Most historians believe that Fedor was incapable of government activities, according to some sources, weak in health and mind; took little part in governing the state, being under the tutelage first of the council of nobles, then of his brother-in-law Boris Fedorovich Godunov, who from 1587 was actually a co-ruler of the state, and after the death of Fedor became his successor. Boris Godunov's position at the royal court was so significant that overseas diplomats sought an audience with Boris Godunov; his will was law. Fedor reigned, Boris ruled - everyone knew this both in Rus' and abroad.

The historian and philosopher S. M. Solovyov in “History of Russia since Ancient Times” describes the usual daily routine of the Sovereign as follows:

“He usually gets up around four o’clock in the morning. When he gets dressed and washed, the spiritual father comes to him with the Cross, to which the Tsar venerates. Then the clerk of the cross brings into the room the icon of the Saint celebrated on that day, in front of which the Tsar prays for about a quarter of an hour. The priest enters again with holy water, sprinkles it on the icons and the Tsar. Returning from the church, the Tsar sits down in a large room, where the boyars, who are in special favor, come to bow... At about nine o'clock the Tsar goes to mass, which lasts two hours. After lunch and sleep he goes to vespers... Every week the Tsar goes on a pilgrimage to one of the nearby monasteries.”

Death

Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich died on January 7, 1598. According to the testimony of Patriarch Job, in his dying languor the tsar talked with someone invisible to others, calling him the great Saint, and at the hour of his death a fragrance was felt in the Kremlin chambers. The Patriarch himself performed the sacrament of consecration of oil and communed the dying King of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Theodore Ioannovich died without leaving any offspring, and with his death the Rurik dynasty on the royal throne in Moscow ended. He was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Main events during the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich

Reconstruction of Gerasimov

The Moscow Zemsky Sobor in 1584 elected the middle son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich, as tsar.

In 1584, the Don Cossacks swore an oath of allegiance to Tsar Fyodor Ioanovich.

In 1585-1591, the Russian architect Fyodor Savelyevich Kon erected the walls and towers of the White City. The length of the walls is 10 kilometers. Thickness - up to 4.5 meters. Height - from 6 to 7 meters.

In 1586, the Russian cannon foundry Andrei Chokhov cast the famous Tsar Cannon.

1589 - the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia, Job, an ally of Boris Godunov, became the first patriarch.

1590-1595 - Russian-Swedish war. Return of the cities to Russia: Yama, Ivangorod, Koporye, Korela.

The founder of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, was a cousin of Fedor I (since Fedor’s mother, Anastasia Romanovna, was the sister of Mikhail’s grandfather, Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin); The Romanovs' rights to the throne were based on this relationship.

Written sources about Fyodor Ioannovich

According to the British diplomat Giles Fletcher:

“The current Tsar (named Feodor Ivanovich) regarding his appearance: small in stature, squat and plump, weak in build and inclined to be watery; his nose is like a hawk, his gait is unsteady due to some relaxation in his limbs; he is heavy and inactive, but he always smiles, so that he almost laughs. As for his other properties, he is simple and weak-minded, but very kind and good at handling, quiet, merciful, has no inclination towards war, has little ability for political affairs and is extremely superstitious. Besides the fact that he prays at home, he usually goes on pilgrimage every week to one of the nearby monasteries.”

Dutch merchant and trading agent in Moscow Isaac Massa:

Very kind, pious and very meek... He was so pious that he often wanted to exchange his kingdom for a monastery, if only this were possible.

Clerk Ivan Timofeev gives Fedor the following assessment:

“With his prayers, my king kept the land unharmed from the enemy’s machinations. He was meek by nature, very merciful and blameless to everyone and, like Job, in all his ways he protected himself from every evil thing, most of all loving piety, church splendor and, after the holy priests, the monastic order and even the least brothers in Christ, blessed in the Gospel by the Lord himself. It’s easy to say - he devoted himself entirely to Christ and throughout his holy and venerable reign; not loving blood, like a monk, he spent time in fasting, in prayers and supplications with kneeling - day and night, exhausting himself with spiritual exploits all his life... Monasticism, united with the kingdom, without being separated, mutually adorned each other; he reasoned that for the future (life) one thing matters no less than the other, an unharnessed chariot leading to heaven. Both were visible only to the faithful, who were attached to him with love. From the outside, everyone could easily see him as a king, but inside, through his feats of monasticism, he turned out to be a monk; In appearance he was a crowned man, but in his aspirations he was a monk.”

The evidence of an unofficial, in other words, private historical monument - the “Piskarevsky Chronicler” - is extremely important. So many good things have been said about Tsar Fedor that none of the Russian rulers have ever received. He is called “pious,” “merciful,” “pious,” and the pages of the chronicle contain a long list of his works for the benefit of the Church. His death is perceived as a real catastrophe, as a harbinger of the worst troubles of Russia: “The sun is darkened and has ceased from its course, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars have fallen from the sky: for the many sins of Christianity, the last luminary, the collector and benefactor of all the Russian lands, the sovereign, has passed away. Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich...” Turning to the previous reign, the chronicler speaks with extraordinary tenderness: “And the faithful and Christ-loving Tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich reigned... quietly and righteously, and mercifully, carelessly. And all people were in peace and in love, and in silence, and in prosperity during that summer. In no other year, under any king in the Russian land, except for the Grand Duke Ivan Danilovich Kalita, has there been such peace and prosperity as under him, the blessed king and Grand Duke Theodore Ivanovich of all Russia.” A contemporary and close to the Sovereign’s court, Prince I.M. Katyrev-Rostovsky, said about the Sovereign this way:

“Being noble from his mother’s womb and caring for nothing except spiritual salvation.” According to his testimony, in King Theodore, “the kingdom and the kingdom were intertwined without division, and one served as an adornment to the other.”

The famous historian V. O. Klyuchevsky wrote about Saint Theodore:

“...blessed on the throne, one of those poor in spirit, to whom the Kingdom of Heaven, and not the earthly one, belongs, whom the Church so loved to include in its calendar”

In an article dedicated to the glorification of Patriarchs Job and Tikhon as saints, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) noted:

“Tsar Feodor Ioannovich was an amazing, bright man. It was truly a saint on the throne. He was constantly in contemplation and prayer, was kind to everyone, church service was his life, and the Lord did not darken the years of his reign with disorder and turmoil. They started after his death. Rarely has the Russian people loved and pitied a tsar so much. He was revered as a blessed and holy fool, and was called the “sanctified king.” It was not for nothing that soon after his death he was included in the calendar of locally revered Moscow saints. The people saw in him the wisdom that comes from a pure heart and in which the “poor in spirit” are so rich. This is exactly how Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy portrayed Tsar Fyodor in his tragedy. But to someone else's eyes, this sovereign was different. Foreign travelers, spies and diplomats (such as Pearson, Fletcher or the Swede Petreus de Erlesund) who left their notes on Russia call him, at best, a “quiet idiot”. And the Pole Lev Sapega argued that “it is in vain to say that this sovereign has little reason, I am convinced that he is completely devoid of it.”

Ancestors

Fedor I Ioannovich - ancestors
Vasily II the Dark
Ivan III
Maria Borovskaya
Vasily III
Thomas Paleologus
Sofia Paleolog
Ekaterina Zaccaria
Ivan the Terrible
Lev Borisovich Glinsky
Glinsky, Vasily Ivanovich
Elena Glinskaya
Stefan Jaksic
Anna Jaksic
Milica Belmushevich
Fedor Ioannovich
Zakhary Ivanovich Koshkin
Yuri Zakharyevich Koshkin
Roman Yuryevich Zakharyin-Yuryev
Ivan Borisovich Tuchko-Morozov
Irina Ivanovna Tuchkova
Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yuryeva
Ulyana Fedorovna

Memory

In the Orthodox Church

The veneration of the blessed Tsar began soon after his death: the holy Patriarch Job (†1607) compiled “The Tale of the Honest Life of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich”; icon images of St. Theodore in a halo have been known since the beginning of the 17th century. “The Book of the Verb Description of the Russian Saints” (1st half of the 17th century) Tsar Theodore was installed as one of the Moscow Wonderworkers. Some handwritten calendars also list his wife, Queen Irina, monastic Alexandra (†1603) among the Moscow saints. The memory of Saint Theodore is celebrated on the day of his repose, January 7 (20), and on the Sunday before August 26 (September 8) in the Cathedral of Moscow Saints.

Sculpture

On November 4, 2009, a monument to Tsar Fyodor I Ioannovich was unveiled in Yoshkar-Ola, during whose reign the city was founded (sculptor - People's Artist of the Russian Federation Andrei Kovalchuk).

Burial

He was buried in the Archangel Cathedral together with his father and brother Ivan, on the right side of the altar, behind the iconostasis of the cathedral.

Ivan the Terrible “during his lifetime he prepared for himself a burial place in the deaconnik Archangel Cathedral, turning it into a side chapel church. The Tsar himself and his two sons, Ivan Ivanovich and Fyodor Ivanovich, subsequently found rest there. The frescoes of the tomb are the little that have been preserved from the original painting of the 16th century. Here in the lower tier are presented the compositions “Farewell of the Prince to his Family”, “Allegory of Sudden Death”, “Funeral Service” and “Burial”, which make up a single cycle. It was called upon to remind the autocrat of unhypocritical judgment, of the futility of worldly vanity, of the constant remembrance of death, which does not distinguish “whether there is a beggar, or a righteous person, or a master, or a slave.”

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Holy Blessed Theodore I Ioannovich, Tsar of Moscow, commemorated January 7 (20).
  2. 1 2 3 4 Dmitry Volodikhin. . Magazine "Foma" (September, 21 2009 08:11).
  3. Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov). Patriarchs of troubled times.
  4. Burials of Ivan the Terrible and his sons

Literature

  • Zimin A.A. the eve of terrible upheavals. - M., 1986.
  • Pavlov A.P. Sovereign's court and political struggle under Boris Godunov (1584-1605). - St. Petersburg, 1992.
  • Morozova L. E. Two Tsars: Fyodor and Boris. - M., 2001.
  • Volodikhin D. Tsar Feodor Ivanovich. - M., 2011.

Feodor I Ioannovich Information About

Anastasia Romanovna

Victor Vereshchagin. Portrait of Ivan the Terrible

May 20, 1557 Ivan the Terrible andAnastasia Romanovnason was bornFedor. By birthsonIvan the Terrible ordered the construction of a church in the Feodorovsky Monasterycity ​​of Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. This temple is in honor of Theodore Stratilatesbecame the main cathedral of the monastery and has been preserved to this day.


Feodorovsky (Fedorovsky) Monastery

The monastery in a pre-revolutionary photo by Prokudin-Gorsky

On November 19, 1581, the heir to the throne, Ivan, died from a wound inflicted by his father. From that time on, Fedor was the heir to the royal throne. After the death of Ivan the Terrible (March 18, 1581), Fyodor Ioannovich became the Tsar of the Russian state.

Feodor I Ioannovich
Russian Tsar in 1584-1598

Fyodor Ioannovich - Russian Tsar, the last Rurikovich on the throne by right of inheritance, the son of Ivan the Terrible and Anastasia Romanovna. The king paid great attention to the palace economy and the decoration of the palace chambers. His patronage and generous grants to numerous monasteries and churches are known. The candidacy of Fyodor Ioannovich was nominated (1573 - 1574 and 1587) for the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The first years of his reign were accompanied by a fierce palace struggle, during which theestablished by Ivan the Terrible shortly before his death to govern the countryThe Regency Council, which included princes Mstislavsky and Shuisky, Zakharyin-Yuryev, Godunov, Belsky. Stepbrother Fyodor Ioannovich, Tsarevich Dmitry, was exiled (1584) to Uglich. Since 1587, during the reign of Tsar Fedorhis brother-in-law took an active part- “servant and stable boyar” Boris Godunov. The reign of Tsar Fedor was characterized by a gradual rise in the country's economic life, overcoming the severe consequences of the crisis of the 70s - 80s, the unsuccessful Livonian War. At this time, there was a sharp increase in the serfdom of the peasants. State taxes on taxes, the city, and the population have increased. All this led to an aggravation of contradictions within the ruling class: between secular and spiritual feudal lords, between the palace nobility and the Moscow high nobility - on the one hand, and provincial service people - on the other.



Under Fyodor Ioannovich, Russia's international position improved somewhat: as a result, the Russian-Swedish. the wars of 1590-1593, the cities and regions of the Novgorod land captured by Sweden during the Livonian War were returned (according to the Treaty of Tyavzin 1595); finally annexed Western Siberia; the southern border regions and the Volga region were successfully developed; Russia's role in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia has increased.But subsequently, contradictions grew in relation toyakh Russia with Poland, Sweden, the Crimean Khanate and Turkey, inas a result, during the reign of Fyodor Ioannovicha knot of class and internationalcontradictions thatat the very beginning of the 17th century led to great turmoil.

Reconstruction of the appearanceIrina Godunova, wife of Fyodor Ioannovich.

Tsarina Irina Feodorovna in the Russian historical tradition was a kind, intelligent, literate and pious empress. She was called the “Great Empress” and it was she who was Fedor’s co-ruler, and not her brother. The king was sincerely attached to his queen and did not want to part with her for anything. Almost all of her pregnancies ended in miscarriages. The only daughter of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich and Irina, Feodosia, lived less than two years.

In his life, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich was simple and accessible to everyone who came to him, he loved to pray, and he himself performed Divine services daily.

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The first wife of Ivan the Terrible was Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yuryeva, who came from an ancient boyar family, from which the first representative of the House of Romanov, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, also came. Three sons were born from her. The eldest of them, Dmitry, died in infancy, the middle one, Ivan, was killed in a fit of anger by his own father, and the youngest, Fyodor, was saved by fate, and as the years passed, he inherited the Russian throne.

The third son of the formidable king

Was born future king Fyodor Ioannovich May 31, 1557 in the Sobilka tract, located 6 km from Pereslavl-Zalessky. Two monuments to this event, erected by order of Ivan the Terrible himself - a cross-chapel at the birthplace of his son and a temple in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates in the Pereslavl-Zalessky Feodorovsky Monastery - have survived to this day.

Tsarevich Fyodor knew his mother only in early childhood. On August 7, 1560, she died under very strange circumstances, suggesting poisoning. The death of his beloved wife and the associated experiences caused a deep psychological breakdown in the king. short term, turning him from a good Christian into a bloody tyrant, as he entered Russian history.

The end of the Rurik dynasty

From birth, Tsarevich Fedor was not the heir to the throne, since this honor went to his elder brother Ivan, and only after him tragic death which followed in 1581, he received this status. It is known that even in his personality he was not suitable for the role of an autocrat. Quiet, deeply pious and, as contemporaries testify, weak-minded Fyodor, according to his father, was created for a monastic cell, and not for the throne. This is eloquently evidenced by the nickname of Fyodor Ioannovich, under which he went down in history, Theodore the Blessed.

In 1557, Fyodor Ioannovich married Irina Fedorovna Godunova, sister the closest associate and favorite of Ivan the Terrible - Boris Godunov. This marriage was arranged by the father himself, wanting to make his son related to the boyar family most loyal to him. Until the age of 35, the couple did not have children, for whom they prayed to God, regularly making pilgrimages to monasteries near and far. Only in 1592 a daughter was born, but she was destined to live only 9 months.

Since their union did not bring to the Russian throne the next heir, it was Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich who became the last representative of the Rurikovich family. It ended the dynasty that ruled Rus' for 736 years. Nevertheless, her marriage to Irina played an important role in the further history of the country - thanks to him, her brother Boris Godunov, who later ascended to the Russian throne, rose to extraordinary prominence.

Since under Ivan the Terrible the heir to the throne was his eldest son Ivan, no one prepared the younger one, Fyodor, for this high mission. From childhood, left to his own devices, he spent his time in endless prayers and trips to monasteries. When Ivan was gone, we had to quickly make up for lost time.

This is where Boris Godunov came to court, who was his brother-in-law by relationship, but, in addition, managed to become his closest confidant and mentor. His role especially increased after the death of Ivan the Terrible, which opened the path to power for his son.

From the moment the formidable tsar suddenly died in March 1584, rumors spread throughout Moscow about his violent death. They were started by clerk Ivan Timofeev, who openly accused two boyars of murder - Bogdan Belsky and Boris Godunov. Whether he had real grounds for this or not is unknown, but nevertheless a number of researchers believe that in this way Godunov helped accelerate his pupil’s rise to power.

Royal favors and donations

Being an extremely religious man, immediately after the death of his father, Fyodor Ioannovich first of all took care of the repose of his soul. For this purpose, they were sent 1000 rubles. to Constantinople, as well as generous gifts to Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch, from where Patriarch Joachim soon arrived in Moscow. By the way, the head of the Russian Church, Metropolitan Dionysius of Moscow (the patriarchate had not yet been established in Russia) received him very arrogantly, showing that he was superior to him in his wealth and position under the tsar.

On the day of his coronation, which took place on June 10, 1584, the new sovereign of all Rus' showered Godunov with royal favors. He was granted the rank of equerry, as well as the honorary title of closest and great boyar. To top it all off, the sovereign appointed him governor of the Astrakhan and Kazan kingdoms.

The fight for a place at the throne

Due to the fact that from the very first days Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich showed himself completely incapable of ruling the country, a regency council consisting of four people was created in his person. It included the boyars Bogdan Belsky (the same one who was the possible killer of Ivan the Terrible), Nikita Romanovich Yuryev, Ivan Petrovich Shuisky (the future tsar) and Ivan Fedorovich Mstislavsky.

At the throne of the weak-willed and feeble-minded king, they formed a very strong group, and in order to gain full power into their hands, Boris Godunov faced a difficult struggle, culminating in his victory. By skillfully manipulating the selfish aspirations of each member of the regency council, he managed to ensure that in the same year B. Belsky, accused of treason, was sent into exile, Mstislavsky was forcibly tonsured a monk, and Shuisky, his most powerful competitor, fell into disgrace. His complete triumph was facilitated by the sudden death of Nikita Yuryev.

After this, for all 14 years during which Tsar Fedor I Ioannovich was on the throne, the actual management of the country was carried out by Boris Godunov. This real state of affairs was well known not only in Russia, but also abroad, so foreign diplomats, having presented their credentials to the tsar, first of all tried to establish relations with his closest boyar Godunov.

Glory that outlived the king

In fairness, it should be noted that even if Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich turned out to be unable to lead the country, he was quite smart enough not to interfere with the reign of the more reasonable and talented Boris, who perfectly managed the huge state. Thanks to this, during the Time of Troubles, everyone unanimously declared that under him (Fedor Ioannovich - all the laurels went to him) the state prospered, and the people were happy and satisfied with their ruler.

As a result of this, after the untimely death of Tsar Fedor, not only Moscow, but all of Russia wanted to see the successor of his deeds on the throne. Immediately and without the slightest hesitation, power was offered to Irina, the widow of the late sovereign, and when she refused, Boris Godunov became the only candidate. It was while basking in the glory of his predecessor that he managed to ascend to the Russian throne.

When, after his own death, a struggle for power flared up, each of the contenders tried to justify their rights to the throne with references to their previous closeness to Fyodor Ioannovich. By the way, the candidacy of the first tsar from the Romanov family - Mikhail Fedorovich - was approved by the Zemsky Sobor precisely because of his relationship with him.

The idea of ​​establishing a patriarchate

The brightest historical event, which marked the years of the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, was the establishment of the patriarchate in Rus'. Despite the fact that after the capture of Constantinople by the Turkish army in 1453, the Russian Church practically left its control, its status remained lower than the other Orthodox churches located in the territories Ottoman Empire. This greatly reduced its international authority.

In 1586, at a meeting of the Boyar Duma, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich made a proposal to turn to Patriarch Joachim of Antioch, who was then in Russia, with a request for assistance in establishing his own patriarchy in Rus'. The difficulty was that to implement the plan, the consent of the primates of the remaining Eastern Orthodox churches was required.

The first patriarch in Rus'

Thanks to his assistance, the Council of the Greek Church made a positive decision on this issue, and then, in 1588, Patriarch Jeremiah of Constantinople arrived in Moscow to perform the sacred rite. Struck by the splendor and luxury of the royal palace, he initially intended to stay in Russia forever and take over the management of two patriarchates at once - Constantinople and Moscow, but since the Russians wanted to see their compatriot at the head of the church, he had to abandon his plan.

At the Consecrated Church Council, held on January 29, 1589, out of three contenders for the patriarchal throne, Metropolitan Job of Moscow was elected, who became the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. His election was facilitated in every possible way by Emperor Fyodor I Ioannovich, who had the deepest respect for him as his confessor and adviser.

Tightening of serfdom

The domestic policy of Fyodor Ioannovich was marked by the further enslavement of the peasants. This was expressed in his decrees, which limited most of them from moving from one landowner to another on the basis of the law on St. George's Day.

The fact is that, according to the previously adopted code, November 26 of each year ( Orthodox holiday St. George's Day) the peasants, having completed field work and paid the master, had the right to leave him for another owner. However, during the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, significant restrictions were introduced on the categories of persons subject to this law, and a five-year search period for fugitive peasants was established.

In addition, the measures he took contributed to the even greater enslavement of the peasants who were unable to pay their master in due time. According to the decree of 1586, all debt (bondage) records began to be formalized and received proper legal force.

Foreign policy of Tsar Fedor

In foreign policy matters, the activities of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich were aimed at establishing strong trade and diplomatic relations with a number of countries, including special place occupied by Holland and France. As a result, in the spring of 1585, Moscow and Paris exchanged ambassadors.

Relations with recent enemies - Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - were no less successful. The peace treaty concluded in 1587 made it possible to withdraw troops from the Polish-Lithuanian border and, with their help, put an end to the territorial claims of the Swedish king.

Return of previously lost lands and conquest of Siberia

A significant achievement of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich’s diplomats was the conclusion of the Tyavzin Agreement in May 1595, as a result of which Russia regained Ivangorod, Korely, Koporye and Yam. As mentioned above, despite the fact that the entire initiative was in the hands of Boris Godunov, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich gained fame and gratitude from his descendants.

His biography would be incomplete without mentioning one more important event - the final annexation of Siberia. This process, which began during previous reigns, was completed under him. In the vast territories stretching beyond the Ural ridge, new cities appeared one after another - Tyumen, Narym, Surgut, Berezov and many others. Every year the sovereign treasury received a generous yasak - a tribute from the indigenous inhabitants of this rich but wild region.

Death of a young prince

The history of the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich was overshadowed by the death of his younger brother, the heir to the throne, Tsarevich Dimitri, who was sent along with his mother, the sixth wife of Ivan the Terrible, Maria Naga, to Uglich. The circumstances of the death suggested a deliberate murder, for which popular rumor hastened to accuse Boris Godunov. However, the investigative commission headed by Vasily Shuisky did not find any evidence of this, as a result of which the question of the real reason the death of the heir to the throne remains open to this day.

End of life and reign

The death of Fyodor Ioannovich, which followed on January 17, 1598, was the result of a serious illness, due to which recent months he never got out of bed in his life. The sovereign was buried next to his father and older brother Ivan on the right side of the altar of the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. Russian Orthodox Church He was canonized as the holy blessed Theodore I Ioannovich Tsar of Moscow, whose memory is celebrated twice a year - on January 20 and on the first Sunday in September, when the Council of Moscow Saints is celebrated.

And one last thing. Many people are interested in what the surname of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich was. There can be no answer to this question, since neither he nor his ancestors had a surname as such. All representatives of the princely-royal family that was interrupted by it could answer this question with the words from the popular film “Ivan Vasilyevich changes his profession”: “We are Rurikovichs!”



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