"Young Hero"

Who was behind the mysterious death of the outstanding commander Prince Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky and why was his name forgotten for many years?

Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky. Parsuna of the 17th century

Even at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, folklorists named two main characters in folk songs and laments from among the real historical heroes - this is the ataman Stenka Razin and the young governor Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky.

The first one is clear. Why was the second one so attractive, on the contrary, he fought with the freemen? Ivan Bolotnikova?

It seems that the collective folk memory did not store these facts of his biography at all. For the people, the “young hero” (N.M. Karamzin’s expression) Skopin-Shuisky was a victim of the tsar’s treachery. “The Genius of the Fatherland” (another expression of Karamzin), the savior of the state and the Orthodox faith, villainously poisoned in return for gratitude, who, if not he, corresponded to the legend of the good “tsar”, but ruined by the traitor-boyars? Songs about Skopin-Shuisky were sung all over Russia - from Terek to Onega...

And then the boyars got into trouble,
At that hour they did the deed:
Supported the potions of Lyutov,
They poured it into the drain, into sweet honey...
“And you ate me, godfather of the cross,
Molyutina Skurlatov's daughter!
And arrogantly she gave me a glass of potion,
You ate me, you subterranean snake!”

The story of the mysterious death of Skopin-Shuisky (poisoned, as legends say, by the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov Ekaterina Shuiskaya) is somewhat reminiscent of the no less mysterious death of another Mikhail - the famous commander Skobelev. Both had too many obvious opponents and secret envious people, and both could move Russian history along a different path...

Portrait without retouching

Rurikovich in the twenty-second generation, fourth cousin of Tsar Vasily Shuisky, Mikhail Vasilievich Skopin-Shuisky was born in November 1586 to the ringing of bells in honor of the feast of the Council of the Archangel Michael and other ethereal Heavenly Powers. Whether this happened in Moscow, or in Novgorod, where his father was governor that year, or, perhaps, in the ancestral Kokhomskaya volost near Shuya is not known for sure.

The prince absorbed the glory of his ancestors with his mother's milk. His family descended from Andrey Yaroslavich, Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1248–1252, younger brother Alexander Nevsky. The Prince of Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod Vasily Kirdyapa became the ancestor of the Shuiskys, and one of his descendants - John Vasilyevich Skopa - gave rise to the Skopin-Shuisky branch. Although the origin of the surname is linked to the location of his estate in the Ryazan region, where a large number of birds of prey of the hawk family of the same name were found and where Skopinskaya Sloboda (now the city of Skopin) would later arise, the family nickname perfectly matched the image of his great-grandson-commander. Long circling around and near the enemy, a well-thought-out choice of target, a sudden strike and defeat of the enemy - these were the typical tactics of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky.

Ivan Bolotnikov in front of Tsar Vasily Shuisky in 1607

His father Vasily Fedorovich, governor of the Watch Regiment during the campaign in Livonia, was granted a boyar status in 1577. From 1579, he was a governor in Pskov and in 1581–1582, together with Prince Ivan Petrovich Shuisky, he led the famous defense of this city, besieged by the army of the Polish king Stefan Batory. The boyar’s bravery and fortitude were glorified by the author of a military story dedicated to these events. In 1584, Vasily Skopin-Shuisky was appointed governor of Novgorod - this position was inherited by his son a quarter of a century later. Once again he would be appointed Novgorod governor in the troubled year of 1591, at the height of the aggravation of Russian-Swedish relations. Vasily Fedorovich had military clashes with Pontus Delagardie, whose son would become not just an ally, but also a friend of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky...

Prince Vasily died in 1595, adopting the schema with the name of Jonah. He was buried, like his father, in Suzdal, in the family crypt in the cathedral church of the Nativity of the Virgin. After the death of Vasily Skopin-Shuisky, Mikhail’s uncle, Prince Boris Petrovich Tatev. Both of them (the young prince was awarded the rank of swordsman) took part in Moscow in May 1606 in the wedding of False Dmitry I with Marina Mnishek. Pole Stanislav Nemoevsky remembered young Mikhail “with a sword drawn, long and wide, in a brocade fur coat, lined with unimportant sables.” We also see him in the painting kept in the Vishnevetsky castle, with a sword in his hands standing behind the impostor groom, with a beard, not at all similar to the textbook image on the famous parsuna.

The wedding, as we know, resulted in a bloody hangover... When an armed crowd burst into the impostor’s chambers, he grabbed the sword, “which was always next to him, but that night it was not there.” “The young swordsman, most likely, also turned out to be a participant in the conspiracy,” historian V.N. came to this conclusion. Kozlyakov.

Skopin-Shuisky vs Bolotnikov

The well-known myth about Skopin-Shuisky says that he did not lose a single battle. Let's assume that this is true in relation to major battles under his command. But at the dawn of his military career, the prince still lost some battles.

He received baptism of fire on September 23, 1606. In a brutal battle near Kaluga, at the confluence of the Ugra and the Oka, troops of Bolotnikovites inflicted serious damage on the troops led by the royal brothers Dmitry and Ivan Shuisky. Skopin-Shuisky and his uncle barely escaped.

A little later, having taken Serpukhov, Ivan Bolotnikov first encountered the young commander. Having gathered a reserve and skillfully using artillery, he managed to hold the occupied line. As soon as the enemy retreated, Skopin-Shuisky tried to block the Kolomenskaya road, but in the end he again had no choice but to retreat to Moscow. Mikhail Vasilyevich, appointed governor of the “sally,” had to fight on the outskirts of Zamoskvorechye.

Having defeated the vanguards of the Bolotnikovites near the village of Kotly, Skopin-Shuisky blocked the main location of their forces in Kolomenskoye and began powerful artillery shelling of the rebel fortifications. In this battle, such a technical innovation was used as a combination of “fiery” (incendiary) cannonballs with explosive bombs. After three days of shelling, Bolotnikov was forced to retreat. For these differences, the tsar granted Mikhail Vasilyevich boyar dignity.

In the early summer of 1607, 20-year-old Skopin-Shuisky was appointed first governor of the Great Regiment. On June 12, in a bloody battle on the Voronya River, he broke through the rebel defenses at Malinova Zaseka, ensuring the beginning of the siege of Tula. It lasted until October 10 and ended with the construction of a dam on the Upa River, the flooding of the city, and then the surrender of Bolotnikov and his comrades to the mercy of the winner in the person of Vasily Shuisky himself.

For his valor near Tula, Skopin-Shuisky received as a reward the volosts of Charonda and Vaga, which were previously in the possession of the Godunovs. According to tradition, very profitable Vazh (Shenkur) lands were granted to persons especially close to the king.

On January 17, 1608, 57-year-old Vasily Shuisky married the daughter of the late Belgorod governor Maria Buinosova-Rostovskaya. At the wedding a young princess Alexandra Skopina-Shuiskaya(nee Golovina) was one of the bride’s two big matchmakers, and Prince Mikhail himself was one of Tsar Vasily’s two friends. Hence, later in his title the definition of “close friend” of the sovereign appeared.

With Delagardie against Tushinsky thief

In April 1608, detachments of False Dmitry II set out from Orel to Moscow.

“The New Chronicler” reports: “Tsar Vasily sent the boyar Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Shuisky Skopin and Ivan Nikitich Romanov against the Thief. They came to the Neznan River and began to send military detachments from themselves. The thief came to Moscow the wrong way.”

Siege of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery by the Poles in 1608

The fact is that the main army of the impostor, approaching Moscow from the west, set up camp in the village of Tushino, while Skopin-Shuisky was expecting the enemy beyond the Oka along the Kashirskaya road. On May 25, the prince had to engage in battle with the Tushins on the Khodynka River. The battle went on with varying degrees of success, but in the end the Big Regiment managed to drive the enemy beyond the Khimka River. The main outcome of the battle was False Dmitry’s refusal to take Moscow with a “cavalry charge.”

A long-term siege of the city began by the Tushins, who had not only their own Boyar Duma and court, but also their own queen (who arrived in early September Marina Mnishek, the widow of the first impostor) and his patriarch (brought in mid-October from Rostov by Filaret).

Skopin-Shuisky by that time was no longer in the capital. In August 1608, he, at the head of a small cavalry detachment, left Moscow by a roundabout route and managed to get to Novgorod. The main purpose of his trip was to gather military men from the Novgorod Pyatina and negotiate with the Swedes about a military alliance. Mikhail Vasilyevich successfully coped with both tasks.

March 11, 1609, after the signing of the Treaty of Vyborg by ambassadors-representatives Charles IX and Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, the Swedes set out on a campaign.

False Dmitry II. From the London edition of 1698

The expeditionary force was headed by the commander-in-chief of the royal troops in Finland, the 25-year-old count Jacob Pontus Delagardie, who already had a reputation as an experienced warrior. On April 24, Delagardie's army arrived in Novgorod. According to various estimates, it numbered from 4 thousand to 12 thousand people, including mercenaries from the Hanseatic cities, England, Scotland and Ireland, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and France. The name of one of the “Skotz Germans” is widely known: this is the young Scot Georg Lermont, from whom the line of Russian nobles the Lermontovs later descended.

From Torzhok to Kalyazin

On June 27, 1609, the combined forces of Skopin-Shuisky and Delagardie fought a decisive battle for Torzhok, as a result of which the Tushin troops retreated to Tver. In the fierce battle for Tver on July 21–23, the allies captured the city walls, behind which the defenders were hiding. For 40 miles, the attackers pursued the enemy, who was retreating to Klin and Volokolamsk... And only a rebellion of foreign mercenaries due to non-payment of salaries prompted Mikhail Vasilyevich, instead of rushing to Tushino, to move in the direction of the Trinity Kalyazin Monastery.

The advanced units of Skopin-Shuisky, reinforced by the Kashin nobles, who arrived earlier than the main army from the direction of Tver along the Bezhetsk road, drove the Tushino regiment out of the monastery.

The Kalyazin monastery was turned into a well-fortified military camp. On the right bank of the Volga, at the mouth of the Zhabnya River, in Nikolskaya Sloboda, a wooden fort and trenches were built with a picket fence and slingshots positioned against the cavalry. Large militia forces began to flock to Kalyazin from all sides. On the banks of Zhabnya on August 28–29, 1609, a victory was won, which became a huge moral incentive for Russian soldiers.

Skopin-Shuisky's headquarters at the Trinity Kalyazin Monastery operated for several weeks. According to the New Chronicler, “they came from all cities with treasury and gifts to Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich at the Kalyazin Monastery.” Foreign ambassadors were received here and new treaties with the Swedes were signed. Delagardie returned here from near Novgorod, and the royal secretary from Stockholm, Karl Olofson, arrived here. But the most important thing is that the prince managed to assemble a significant zemstvo army of up to 20 thousand people. It must have been here, in consultation with the governors, that the commander’s plan for the liberation of Moscow was developed.

On September 10, Semyon Golovin, Skopin-Shuisky's brother-in-law, took Pereslavl by storm, and on the night of October 19-20, Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda, drowning up to a hundred Tushino residents in the Seraya River. The long-awaited union of forces between Skopin-Shuisky and the boyar took place in Alexandrovskaya Sloboda Fedora Sheremetev, moving with battles from Astrakhan. From October 29 to November 4, near the village of Karinskoe, on a hilly area on the outskirts of the commander’s new headquarters, the allies confronted the troops of Hetman Jan Peter Sapieha, who came out to meet them from the besieged Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The Sapezhinites were forced to retreat to their original positions. And in January 1610, the remnants of Sapieha’s troops left and the 16-month siege of the monastery of St. Sergius was lifted. The prince put checkmate in this chess game Boris Lykov-Obolensky and voivode David Zherebtsov, who completed the defeat of the hetman’s troops in Dmitrov, as a result of which the Tushino camp disintegrated, and the impostor fled to Kaluga.

Death of Samson-Hector-Achilles

The regiments of Skopin-Shuisky and Delagardie solemnly entered the saved Moscow on March 12, 1610. The author of “The Tale of the Victories of the Moscow State” testified: “Tsar Vasily Ivanovich greatly rejoiced at his arrival. And the sovereign sent his boyar, Prince Mikhail Fedorovich [Kashin.] to meet him. – Ya. L.], ordered to meet him with great honor. The people of the city of Moscow, having learned about the arrival of the boyar, from young to old, all rejoiced in their hearts, were filled with unspeakable joy and could not hold back their tears from great joy. And everyone joyfully went to meet him, wanting to see the governor sent by God, the sovereign boyar Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Shuisky-Skopin, adorned with nobility, wisdom, and intelligence. And leaving the city of Moscow, all the people were waiting for the boyar’s appearance, as if after pitch darkness they wanted to see the light and were expecting consolation from much suffering and sadness.

Meeting of Prince Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky with the Swedish commander Delagardi

“HIS MIND EXCEEDED HIS AGE. HIS ADVICE WAS A LITTLE VOIDING, and more at first he let others speak and interpret, but when he announced his [plan], there was an exact conclusion, since there was rarely a reason to challenge it, for which both Russians and foreigners loved him heartily,” wrote V.N. Tatishchev

And there was great joy in the city of Moscow, and they began to ring the bells in all the churches and send up prayers to God, seeing God’s great mercy and the arrival of the boyar.”

The Tsar granted Prince Mikhail a broadsword decorated with gold, silver and precious stones (by the way, in 1647, Prince Semyon Prozorovsky donated the broadsword along with the saber of Dmitry Pozharsky to the Solovetsky Monastery, and now this weapon is kept in the State Historical Museum in Moscow). They didn’t forget about the allies: on March 18, in the Faceted Chamber of the Kremlin, a gala dinner was given in honor of the “voivode Karlus, King of Sviskovo, Yakov Pontusov,” that is, in honor of Delagardie.

However, the celebrations gave way to suspicion. According to V.N. Tatishchev, Vasily Shuisky “soon after Skopin’s arrival, calling him to him, he unexpectedly began to tell him that he was allegedly looking for the kingdom and wanted him, having imprisoned him, to accept it himself, and supposedly he had already made a promise to the people asking him.” Prince Mikhail frankly denied the accusations. Tatishchev was convinced that the monarch, “pretending,” was having a “conversation” with a distant relative “very touchingly,” but in fact, “he was cruelly kindled with secret anger at him.” Even “Delagardie, seeing that Skopin was in great danger, constantly told him to leave Moscow immediately, declaring to him secret intentions against him,” the historian wrote.

On the pages of the “Diary of the Campaign of Sigismund III near Smolensk,” an entry dated May 3, 1610 contains the earliest news of the death of Skopin-Shuisky, which occurred on April 23: “... the wife of Dmitry Shuisky poisoned him at the christening, how is still unknown, but he I was sick for two weeks and couldn’t recover.” The information was received by the Poles from defectors - two Moscow boyar children who arrived from Mozhaisk. Almost all sources and apocrypha point to the poisoning of the young commander at a feast at Prince Ivan Vorotynsky on the occasion of the christening of his son Alexei, whose successors were Prince Mikhail himself and Boris Godunov’s sister-in-law, Dmitry Shuisky’s wife Ekaterina Grigorievna, née Skuratova-Belskaya.

Sudden death befell Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky in 1610

In the “Tale of the Victories of the Moscow State” we read: “And throughout the reigning city of Moscow there was a cry and noise and inconsolable crying of Orthodox Christians groaning in grief - from young to old everyone cried and sobbed. And there was not a person who at that time did not cry about the death of the prince and his repose. All his soldiers from the Russian regiments and all the Muscovites wept and sighed with all their hearts, grieving and wondering what to do.”

“WE BOLSHEVIKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN SUCH HISTORICAL PERSONALITIES SUCH AS BOLOTNIKOV, RAZIN, PUGACHEV...”- Stalin said. This was enough for an unspoken taboo to be placed on the name Skopin-Shuisky

Contemporaries compared the deceased with whomever - from Alexander the Great and “Ektor and Achilus” (Abraham Palitsyn) to Joshua, Gideon, Barak and Samson (“Scripture on the repose and burial of Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Shuisky, recommended by Skopin”). Note: the insidious Delilah was involved in the death of one of those mentioned above, namely the Old Testament winner of the Philistines, Samson.

Man and steamship

Since the late 1890s, Volgarians have admired the beautiful steamship Skopin-Shuisky, built by the Samolet society. In 1908, Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich himself (poet K.R., President of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg) with his children and sister, Queen of the Hellenes Olga Konstantinovna, would travel on it from Tver to Nizhny Novgorod.

Let's try to understand the history of oblivion and attempts to rehabilitate the hero prince. After all, before the ship was named in his honor, the good name of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky was more than once wanted to be called into question.

Among the Tushino nobility, as noted by historian S.F. Platonov, “the first place belonged to Filaret Romanov.” The boyar, forcibly tonsured a monk by Boris Godunov and in the future the father of the first tsar from the Romanov dynasty, was not only recognized as patriarch by False Dmitry II, but also recognized the “tsar” himself. Thus, Filaret (in the world Fyodor Nikitich) contributed to both political and spiritual dual power. “There is no doubt that Filaret did not believe in the authenticity of this tsar,” Platonov continued, “but he did not want to serve Shuisky either. He did not follow the Thief when he fled from Tushin to Kaluga; but he did not go to Moscow when he could have done so, during the collapse of the Tushino camp. Both Filaret himself and the Tushino nobility, which grouped around him, preferred to enter into relations with King Sigismund.” However, the Tushino patriarch was unable to take an immediate oath to the Polish prince Vladislav, since on the way to Smolensk in May 1610 he was taken into custody by people sent by Shuisky to intercept him and brought to the capital.

The unseemly role of Filaret in the Time of Troubles and the preservation in the ruling elite of the Moscow state of the day before yesterday’s Tushins and yesterday’s participants in the hated Minin and Pozharsky of the Seven Boyars during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich could not in any way contribute to the elevation to the pedestal of a hero of the commander Skopin-Shuisky, who defeated the supporters of False Dmitry II. And after Filaret’s return in 1619 from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, his new elevation to patriarchy and his combination of the highest ecclesiastical rank with the title of great sovereign, another reminder of the laurels of the chief governor Vasily Shuisky was completely impossible. Historian L.E. Morozova suggested that the planned glorification of Skopin-Shuisky, in connection with which his life and images were written (by misunderstanding, classified as a secular portrait), was stopped by Filaret.

The rehabilitation of the commander, begun by Tatishchev and Karamzin and continued by Nestor Kukolnik in the drama “Prince Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky”, Alexey Khomyakov in the tragedy “Dimitri the Pretender”, Alexandra Ishimova in “History of Russia in Stories for Children” and Olympiada Shishkina in the novel “Prince Skopin” -Shuisky, or Russia at the beginning of the 17th century” (the basis for these works was primarily the 12th volume of Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State,” which was published almost three years after the historian’s death, in 1829), returned him to his rightful place in historiography and fiction.

The popular writer Mikhail Zagoskin, whose novel “Yuri Miloslavsky, or the Russians in 1612” (1829) was reprinted many times in huge editions, mentioned Skopin-Shuisky in passing, but in what words! “Miloslavsky witnessed the momentary glory of the Fatherland; he himself, with his loyal squads under the leadership of the heroic youth, the immortal Skopin, smashed the enemies of Russia...” the novelist says about his hero. And the bold exclamation mark was placed by the sculptor Mikhail Mikeshin, who placed the figure of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky next to the figures of other outstanding figures of Russian history (Citizen Minin and Prince Pozharsky, Ivan Susanin, Ermak Timofeevich, etc.) in the complex composition of the monument “Millennium of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod.

"We Bolsheviks..."

It would seem that this memory will last forever, but it turned out completely differently. In a conversation with the German writer Emil Ludwig, Joseph Stalin said: “We Bolsheviks have always been interested in such historical figures as Bolotnikov, Razin, Pugachev...”

This was enough for an unspoken taboo to be placed on the name Skopin-Shuisky. “The Tale of Bolotnikov” by Georgy Storm (1930) also appeared, the fame of which was brought by the phrase dropped by Stalin: “A good book.” In several cities at once, including Moscow and Tver liberated by Skopin-Shuisky, streets were named after the leader of the uprising, once defeated by a commander. And when the historian I.I. Smirnov was awarded the Stalin Prize for 1949 for his monograph “Bolotnikov's Rebellion”; Skopin-Shuisky was even considered a reactionary.

Cover of the book “Beloved governor of the Russian people, Prince M.V. Skopin-Shuisky. Ed. partnership I.D. Sytina, 1905

Thus, in the Stalinist pantheon, the rebel Chapaev and the guardian Suvorov, Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible were bizarrely united, but there was no place in it for Skopin-Shuisky. It is not surprising that in Natalya Konchalovskaya’s book “Our Ancient Capital,” written for the 800th anniversary of Moscow, there was not a single line about the prince, while a whole chapter was devoted to the “peasant revolutionary” Bolotnikov. The second oblivion of the prince came.

And only today is his name returning to history again. The first monument to Skopin-Shuisky by sculptor Vladimir Surovtsev was installed in October 2007 opposite the western monastery wall in the village of Borisoglebsky near Rostov the Great. The second monument, the author of which was the Tver sculptor priest Evgeny Antonov, was inaugurated in Kalyazin on August 29, 2009, on the 400th anniversary of the prince’s most significant battle. Finally, in the city of Kokhma, next door to Ivanov, a foundation stone was laid for the future monument to an outstanding fellow countryman, fundraising for which continues.

In the 1930s, Ivan Bolotnikov was declared a hero

However, as before, despite the holding of annual solemn funeral services in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (the first of them took place in 2010, exactly one hundred years after one was served in 1910 on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the death of Skopin-Shuisky ), there is no access to his tomb in the southern aisle of the Conception of John the Baptist. Perhaps the time has come to open the way to the tomb of a national hero?

Yaroslav Leontyev, Doctor of Historical Sciences

He died at the age of 23, poisoned by envious people and intriguers. If it were possible to characterize his life very briefly, then perhaps there would be only one word for this - “service”. Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky (11/08/1586 - 04/23/1610), an outstanding military leader, at the turning point of Russia’s fate in the Time of Troubles, turned out to be a man capable of not only bringing her military victories, but also diplomatic victories. His presence inspired the people. People knelt before him and, moved with emotion, kissed the stirrup.

Skopin-Shuisky did not know defeat in battles, actually pursuing foreign policy instead of his ungrateful and ignoble reigning uncle Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky. Maddened by atrocities and fueled by fear, the Tsar-Boyarin deprived the life of not just his nephew, but also the hope of all of Russia.

The biography of Skopin-Shuisky is the subject of this article.

Prologue. Troubled times

After Ivan the Terrible was strangled in 1584 and his 42-year-old son Fyodor was poisoned in 1598, the royal branch of the Rurikovichs was cut short. For the crown - the trump card in the conspiratorial party - the struggle of the boyar clans began: the Godunovs, Mstislavskys, Romanovs, Shuiskys. The first to take the royal throne was in 1598 the former guardsman Boris Godunov.

However, upon reaching adulthood, the son of Ivan the Terrible’s seventh wife, Dmitry, was supposed to become king. The unfortunate teenager was threatened with death at the hands of pretenders to the throne. This is what happened, as Vasily Shuisky, who officially conducted the investigation, subsequently established. Dmitry “playfully, fatally stabbed himself with a knife.”

The intrigue of the boyar struggle for power continued. The fate of Boris Godunov, who “took the monarchy against his rank,” was also a foregone conclusion. On April 13, 1605, 53-year-old Tsar Boris, being in good health, having dined with appetite, climbed the tower to enjoy the overview of Moscow. He soon became ill, his nose and throat began to bleed, and he died. This was the handwriting of the poisoners from the Shuisky family. Everything was done so clumsily and obviously that the boyars had to start a rumor that the “tsar, tormented by his conscience,” himself took poison.

Tsar-schemer

In the same 1605, the impostor False Dmitry came to power over Muscovy for six months. This whole story with the liar was originally orchestrated by the Shuiskys and the Romanovs. It is no coincidence that Grigory Otrepiev was formerly a servant of the Romanovs, and he is accompanied to Lithuania by the trusted monks of the Shuiskys. However, to spite the boyars, False Dmitry, who ascended the throne at their will, showed himself to be an active monarch, not at all willing to give up power.

The conspiratorial boyars killed him too, and then crowned Vasily Shuisky at their secret council. He swore to rule them nominally, subordinate to the boyar Duma. At this time, the hero of our article, Prince Skopin-Shuisky, served under his influential cousin Vasily. He guarded it personally and ensures the safety of the travel of important people.

Bolotnikov's uprising

Soon something happened that neither the Shuisky nor Mstislavsky boyars expected. Cossack Ivan Isaevich Bolotnikov, playing on the Cossacks’ dissatisfaction with the “boyar tsar”, started an uprising.

Initially, the impostor gathered 12,000 Cossacks and enlisted the support of the governor of Putivl, Prince Shakhovsky. The rebels, relying on the masses of discontented peasantry, aimed to capture Moscow and overthrow the boyar tsar Vasily Shuisky. The Rzeczpospolita secretly supported the troublemakers.

The royal army, commanded by the royal brother Fedor, was completely defeated. The rebel Cossack approached Moscow.

“Half-Tsar,” as Vasily was popularly called, made the only wise decision during his reign: he radically changed the court career of his protégé, and nineteen-year-old Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, like his father and grandfather, became the Moscow governor.

Defense of Moscow

Mikhail was wise beyond his years; he was a tall, strong young man with a direct, piercing gaze. From childhood, he trained himself as a warrior, mastering shooting weapons, combat equestrian dressage, and artillery to perfection.

However, he was not deprived of intelligence either. Skopin-Shuisky immediately upon his appointment showed himself to be a sensitive politician and organizer. It was as if it was given to him from above to feel the spirit of the army and influence it. By that time, the Moscow army was in a sad state; it did not want to shed blood for the “boyar tsar.” Skopin identified and arrested the main troublemakers: Ivan Troekurov, Yuri Trubetskoy, Ivan Katyrev.

During the siege of the army of Ivan Bolotnikov stretched across the capital, Skopin-Shuisky chose a win-win tactic. Rapid forays of heavy cavalry created an overwhelming advantage in the attack sectors.

The Cossacks and other motley infantry of Ivan Bolotnikov did not have time to prepare their artillery for battle and suffered losses.

Mission to the North

Meanwhile, near Novgorod there was a real danger of losing territories and the fall of tsarist power. Tsar Vasily sent his nephew Mikhail there. The governor, who rode to the northern city, discovered that the situation was extremely ambiguous. Bolotnikov’s agents managed to convince some of the local boyars and nobles of the insolvency of the “half-tsar”. The situation was also aggravated by the fact that the neighboring cities of Ivangorod and Pskov had already changed their Moscow citizenship.

Fortunately, the Novgorod governor Tatishchev remained loyal to the tsar, and together with Skopin-Shuisky they developed a plan of action. The embassy from Novgorod, led by the Tsar's missionary, met at negotiations with the head of the Swedish army, Jacob Delagardie, concluding an allied agreement with him against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Skopin-Shuisky strengthened the spirit of the Novgorod army, therefore, when the regiments of the Polish lord Kozinetsky approached the city walls, hoping for an easy victory, they were met not by open gates, but by cannon salvoes from the Novgorod walls. Pan had to return, having slurped unsalted.

Battle of Cauldrons

Returning to Moscow, the Tsar's nephew, skillfully maneuvering, forced the army of Ivan Bolotnikov to a decisive battle near the village of Kotly near Moscow on December 2, 1806. In a fierce battle against the Cossack light cavalry, relying on reserves and expecting a counter cavalry attack from Skopin, as at the walls of Moscow, the young commander used tactics unexpected for the rebels.

Instead of saber cutting, the horse lava was met with grapeshot volleys. The maneuverable artillery, which was lined up in battle formation during the course of the battle (the archers called it “walk-field”), showed its power. Then the formation of demoralized Bolotinsky soldiers was cut along the flank by a directed blow of heavy cavalry.

The army of the Cossack chieftain, having suffered losses, avoiding encirclement, retreated through Serpukhov to Kaluga. However, M.V. Skopin-Shuisky continued to implement his offensive strategy of continuous raids. In June 1607, on the Voronya River, three of his regiments broke through the line of defense of the troublemakers, who retreated to Tula and settled there.

Capture of Tula

The city with solid walls, food and weapons depots turned out to be a tough nut to crack for the royal army. And Ivan Bolotnikov, a man of action, did not look like a whipping boy. Skopin-Shuisky tried to take it by storm, but was repulsed.

The king's nephew understood the advantages of the defenders' position and their artillery. He simulated a siege, actually implementing another, more cunning plan. Commander Skopin Shuisky secretly ordered the construction of a dam upstream of the river on which Tula stood. When the water level rose, it was destroyed. The defenders flooded artillery warehouses and supplies. The subsequent assault on Tula was successful. Bolotnikov's horde was finished.

However, an even greater threat hung over the royal throne in Moscow.

False Dmitry II. War with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Polish magnates, seeing the weakness of Muscovy, did not give up hopes of depriving it of sovereignty. It didn’t take long to find the idea for a new campaign. This is how a protege of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth appeared, an insignificant and controlled person - a cover for a campaign against Moscow. The basis of the army that marched on the fictitious mission was the regiments of Sapieha and Ruzhinsky, numbering 14,000 soldiers. They were joined by the Cossack detachments of Trubetskoy and Zarutsky (who were in the army of the first False Dmitry). This army initially moved towards Tula in order to connect with Bolotnikov, but did not have time.

Tsar Vasily sent Skopin-Shuisky for help to the Novgorod and Swedish allies.

In May 1609, the Russian-Swedish army of Skopin and Delagardi, moving towards Moscow, began to press back the nobles. He was joined by the regiments of the governor of Smolensk Shein.

The interventionists were driven back from Staraya Rusa and Toropets. In the battle of Tver, the tactical talent of the royal nephew was fully demonstrated. Voivode Zborovsky, who believed his deceptive maneuver, lost about 5,000 troops.

However, after such striking victories, the alliance of Jacob Delagardie and Skopin-Shuisky fell apart. The Swedes were indifferent to the political goals of Muscovy, they were interested in trophies. Together with the Russian army, the regiment of Christer Somme, a fifth of the allied army, remained. Thus, the Russian army was outnumbered by the interventionists, but maintaining a unified strategy was more important for Prince Mikhail.

Commander

Skopin-Shuisky by that time was very popular among the people, therefore, after he stopped near Kalyazin and sent out messengers, reinforcements and money began to flow to him from everywhere from communities and monasteries. Meanwhile, the commander successfully trained the motley arriving army for battle according to the Swedish model, achieving discipline and skill. With a lack of cavalry, the emphasis was placed on walk-towns bristling with guns. The infantry learned to deprive the cavalry of maneuver and suppress it with fire.

Under the leadership of Skopin-Shuisky, the battle of Kalyazin took place near the Trinity Monastery (Makaryev) with an army of noblemen Jan Sapieha and Zborovsky equal in strength. The interventionists attacking the Muscovite battle formation suffered significant losses during the seven-hour battle and retreated.

The Russians moved forward, recapturing Pereyaslav-Zalessky and they strengthened: the Moscow governor spent the money granted by the monasteries on Delagardi’s mercenaries.

Meanwhile, the Poles regrouped. 20 thousand selected troops of Sapieha opposed Skopin-Shuisky. However, the battle on the Karinsky field ended in victory for the Russians and Swedes. They stoically withstood the crazy frontal attack of the Polish hussars, holding them back with wooden and earthen fortifications, in order to then overthrow them with flank attacks.

Defeat of Sapieha's troops

The victories of Skopin-Shuisky forced the Polish king to show his true face and declare war on Muscovy, on whose throne he decided to install. He sent his army to the main bridgehead of Muscovy - Smolensk.

However, the greatest danger was not the royal army, but the army of Sapieha, located dangerously close to Moscow, near Tushino (hence the historical nickname of False Dmitry II - “Tushino thief”). However, Prince Mikhail did not leave the enemy alone. The forays of the Skopino governors even before the arrival of the main army forced the Poles to retreat from Tushin to Dmitrov.

In February 1610, Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky began the decisive battle to relieve Moscow. His swift military leadership is a match for Russia's later military leader, Suvorov. In the shortest possible time, he forms a ski regiment of archers, who, thanks to an unexpected high-speed maneuver, destroy the forward outpost of the Poles and turn their guns in the opposite direction. Immediately (it was February 20), the Russian army arrived in time without losses and immediately overthrew Sapieha’s army, destroying most of it. The surviving nobles flee to Smolensk in order to unite with the royal army.

Instead of a conclusion

Having victoriously completed the winter campaign of 1610, the boyar and governor-prince M.V. Skopin-Shuisky returns to Moscow in glory. He was cheerful and cheerful, anticipating the decisive campaign against Smolensk.

The boyars are shocked: this young fair-haired and powerful Russian god of war enjoys such popular love that they have never even dreamed of. They see in him a more obvious competitor to their power than the gentry. Villainy lurks in the plans of the family of the royal brother Dmitry, who lays claim to the throne. He deliberately gives rise to rumors that Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky wants to become a monarch. The “half-king,” being himself a villain by nature, authorizes the murder of his nephew.

Skopin-Shuisky is warned of the danger by his friend, the Swede Jacob Delagardie, persuading him to start an anti-Polish campaign in early spring. However, the young hero is in no hurry.

What was certain was that his murder had been planned in advance. He was appointed during the baptism of the newborn son of Prince Vorotynsky. Skopin-Shuisky was invited to be the godfather, and his poisoner (the wife of Tsarevich Dmitry Ekaterina, daughter of Malyuta Skuratov) to be the godmother. The glass of wine she offered decided everything. The symptoms of poisoning were similar to those manifested by Boris Godunov. However, Prince Mikhail’s powerful body tried to resist the deadly poison for another two weeks.

Thus, the Shuisky brothers, distraught from atrocities, destroyed with their own hands a man capable of saving their dynasty, who was Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky. His life was short but bright. At his death, all of Moscow dressed in mourning, mourning a truly national hero. The Swedish knight Delagardie complained that he could not meet his best friend anywhere, neither in Russia nor in his homeland.

The hero's uncles, his murderers, who had no talent to either rule Muscovy or lead its army, soon found themselves captured by the Poles, and the capital city was taken shamefully, without a fight.

Mikhail Skopin Shuisky (1586-1610) is an outstanding military leader and politician who clearly showed himself during the Time of Troubles in the Moscow Kingdom. This outstanding man died at the age of 23 years and 5 months. But in such a short life span, he accomplished many glorious deeds, and the people called him “the hope of Rus'.”

The future famous commander was born in November 1586 in the family of boyar Vasily Fedorovich Skopin-Shuisky and his wife Princess Elena Petrovna, née Tateva. As the legend says, the old prophetic women present at the birth drew attention to the old pearls in the boyar’s house. After the baby made his first cry, he suddenly regained his former shine and seemed to come to life. The old women said that this was a good sign, and the born boy would live a headlong life, filled with military exploits.

The prophets were not mistaken. Contemporaries of Mikhail Vasilyevich noted that he was a young man of tall stature, heroic in stature, possessed of a strong spirit and wisdom. At the age of 17 he received the court rank of steward. In 1606, his uncle Vasily Ivanovich Shuisky took the royal throne, and his young nephew became a governor.

Time of Troubles in Rus'

Historian V. Klyuchevsky wrote: “After the overthrow of the impostor False Dmitry I, Prince Vasily Shuisky was elevated to the throne. But it was erected without the participation of the Zemsky Sobor, but only by a party of noble boyars and Muscovites loyal to the prince.

Having ascended the throne, Tsar Vasily limited his power. He vowed to execute anyone without trial, and to subject the criminal’s relatives to disgrace and to confiscate their property if they did not participate in the crimes. Don’t listen to denunciations, punish false informers, resolve all cases with the help of court and investigation.”

Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, who was 20 years old at the time, was sent by the Tsar against the army of Ivan Bolotnikov. On the Pakhra River, near Moscow, the young governor won the battle, and the sovereign immediately appointed him to command the army that was besieging Tula. This city was Bolotnikov’s last stronghold.

And again the young prince showed himself to be a talented commander. Tula was defended bravely and stubbornly, but still the city fell. And Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky received the rank of boyar for his valor.

In the spring of 1607, the Polish lords resumed military operations against Russia. This time they nominated False Dmitry II into the political arena. The invaders reached Moscow, besieged it, operated in the north of the country and even appeared in the Volga region. Vasily Shuisky was unable to organize a worthy rebuff to enemy troops.

In March 1608, he instructed boyar Mikhail to conduct political negotiations with the Swedes in Veliky Novgorod. These negotiations were a complete success. The Swedes agreed to act together with Russia against the Poles and False Dmitry II.

After a short time, Mikhail Vasilyevich gathered an army. But it consisted of young and inexperienced nobles, free peasants and Cossacks. There was no time to thoroughly prepare them for military action, since Moscow urgently asked for help.

It was with such an army that Skopin-Shuisky came to the aid of the capital of the Moscow kingdom. Already in July 1609, a young and talented commander liberated Tver. Military success contributed to the fact that detachments from the Volga region, Nizhny Novgorod and northern Russian lands joined the poorly trained army. They consisted of people more experienced in military affairs, and the army soon began to represent a serious military force.

The successful actions of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky forced the invaders to lift the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, which lasted 8 months. It was after the liberation of the famous monastery that Michael began to be called “the hope of Rus'.”

In March 1610, the young commander defeated enemy troops on the outskirts of Moscow and, at the head of his army, solemnly entered the capital to the ringing of bells. Residents of the Mother See met the liberator with tears of joy in their eyes. But in the royal palace, ill-wishers began to weave intrigues against the successful and talented boyar.

The intriguers were led by Mikhail’s uncles. They began to whisper to the sovereign that the young boyar wanted to take the royal throne. And Vasily Shuisky’s attitude towards his nephew changed dramatically, although until that time the tsar loved his talented relative and generously rewarded him for military and diplomatic successes.

The Polish lords also had a negative attitude towards Skopin-Shuisky. They were afraid of the brilliant Russian commander and decided to strike him preemptively. But not on the battlefield in a fair fight, but meanly and secretly in Moscow itself.

Ekaterina Shuiskaya gives Skopin-Shuisky a cup with poisoned wine

There is an opinion that the Ryazan nobleman Prokopiy Lyapunov was bribed to kill Mikhail Sergeevich. In 1605, he served with False Dmitry I, and during the Bolotnikov uprising he was his right hand. After the defeat of the rebels, Lyapunov defected to Tsar Vasily.

In the days of victorious triumph, when Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky received congratulations from Muscovites, Procopius invited the popular commander to remove the sovereign and sit on the throne himself. After this, rumors about an imaginary conspiracy spread throughout the royal palace. They reached the ears of the king, which greatly frightened him.

In the 18th century, the historian V. Tatishchev wrote that Vasily Shuisky summoned Mikhail Vasilyevich and directly asked whether he wanted to reign and remove his uncle from the throne? To this, the nephew replied that he had never even thought of such a thing. The Emperor pretended to believe his nephew, but in his heart he harbored a grudge against his relative, who was extremely popular among the people.

It was not only Lyapunov who fueled the Tsar’s discontent. Princess Ekaterina Grigorievna Shuiskaya, Mikhail’s aunt, also played a significant role in this. She was the wife of Dmitry Shuisky, the brother of the sovereign, and was the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov (that’s why they called her “Skuratovna” behind her back). There were rumors that at the very beginning of April 1610, a stranger secretly appeared to this woman. She handed the princess a bag of pearls.

It should be noted here that the gift of the seas and rivers in those days was used not only for decorations. In Europe, strong poisons were made, which included pearls processed in a special way. The minerals were kept for several days deep underground in some kind of solution, then crushed into powder and boiled with herbs.

A couple of weeks before the next military campaign, the son of Prince Vorotynsky was baptized. He asked Mikhail Vasilyevich to become his godfather. Ekaterina Shuiskaya became the godmother. During the celebration, she treated her nephew to a glass of intoxicating mead. He drank, but the taste of honey seemed unusual to the young man. After some time, blood started coming from his nose. The boyar was taken home, and after ten days of torment, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky died.

After the death of the popular commander, unrest began in Moscow. The people blamed Skuratovna for his death. Crowds of people moved to the house of Prince Dmitry Shuisky and Catherine. But a military unit arrived in time and prevented the massacre.

Fall of the Shuiskys

After the death of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, dark days came for the Shuisky families. In April 1610, Russian military forces were led by Dmitry Shuisky. But he turned out to be an incompetent military leader. On June 24, 1610, the Russian-Swedish army under the command of Dmitry and the Swedish commander Jacob Delagardie was completely defeated by the Polish army under the command of Hetman Zolkiewski in the Battle of Klushin.

Less than a month after this event, Vasily Shuisky was overthrown. The coup was led by Procopius Lyapunov's brother Zakhary. Boyar rule began in the country. It went down in history as Seven Boyars. Already in August 1610, the newly established government concluded an agreement with the Poles, shameful for the Muscovite kingdom, and the Polish lords entered Moscow.

The former Tsar Vasily and his brothers were captured by the Poles and taken to Warsaw. The overthrown autocrat was imprisoned in Gostynsky Castle, where he died. And Prokopiy Lyapunov was hacked to death by a Cossack with a saber. His brother Zakhary was sheltered by Ekaterina Shuiskaya. She hid this man in the basement of her palace.

But Ekaterina or Skuratovna herself briefly outlived her relatives. She soon died, and rumors spread throughout Moscow that she was poisoned with the same poison with which she poisoned her nephew. As for Zakhary, he was found strangled with a belt on one of the Moscow streets.

When they were sorting out the jewelry left after the death of Ekaterina Shuiskaya, a handful of gray powder was found in one of the boxes. They poured it into the water and gave it to the dog to lap at. She immediately started bleeding from her nose, and soon the poor animal died. So the version that it was Catherine who poisoned Mikhail Vasilyevich looks quite plausible.

Alexey Starikov

Fourth cousin, son of a boyar and prince, famous statesman and military leader, Mikhail Vasilyevich Skopin-Shuisky was born in Moscow in 1586. He lost his father at an early age, so, being kind to his mother, he received an almost “female” education at home at that time. He studied the "sciences" and then became a courtier.

The fate of this man, who survived several kings, is interesting. During the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich the Fourth (the Terrible), he played a very significant role at court, but during that time he fell into disgrace, although he was his steward. Under False Dmitry the First, he was promoted to great swordsman, and it was Mikhail Vasilyevich who was instructed by the new tsar to bring Queen Martha to the capital city. And under Tsar Vasily Shuisky, he, as a relative, was a person very close to the throne.

In military matters, Skopin-Shuisky first showed himself in 1606 with the appearance of Bolotnikov in the political arena, with whom he had to fight twice, and twice Mikhail Vasilyevich defeated him. The first time this happened was when the main Moscow army, led by Mstislavsky and other boyars, was defeated by Bolotnikov. Then a small detachment led by Skopin-Shuisky saved the situation by winning the Battle of the Pakhra River.

For the second time, Mikhail Vasilyevich won a victory over Bolotnikov already at the Kotlah tract. It was after this second defeat that Bolotnikov decided to sit down in. It was Mikhail Vasilyevich’s advanced troops that largely contributed to the capture of this city. Skopin-Shuisky also went to Novgorod to negotiate with the Swedes in order to ask them for help and, despite a number of obstacles and difficulties, he managed to achieve his goal.

As a result, to save the throne, Skopin-Shuisky marched together with a twelve-thousandth Swedish army led by J. Delagardie. With their help, the Russian governor managed to conquer the entire north from his enemies, taking Oreshek and. He forced Hetman Sapega to leave the Trinity Lavra, which he was besieging, by defeating him in the battle of Kalyazin and taking the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. There was only one “but” in this enterprise. The complete success of this enterprise was greatly hampered by the fact that Skopin-Shuisky did not have enough funds to pay salaries to the Swedish mercenaries, as well as the need to train the troops themselves during the war.

But, despite all these significant obstacles, Mikhail Vasilyevich managed to put the Tushins to flight, after which, in the eyes of the common people, Skopin-Shuisky turned into a real father of the fatherland and a true savior. Envoys even came to him from Lyapunov with an offer of the royal crown, which, however, Mikhail Vasilyevich rejected.

Upon the winner’s return to the capital city, Skopin-Shuisky was given an extremely honorable reception. But, as usually happens, his well-deserved triumph gave rise to envy and annoyance in the hearts of many. His relatives were no exception. Particularly angry and annoyed was Mikhail Vasilyevich’s uncle, Dmitry Ivanovich Shuisky, who now, after his nephew’s victory, had to cede to him his command of the Moscow army, which was equipped for Smolensk.

So, bypassing the tsar, it was decided to get rid of Mikhail Vasilyevich. At the banquet given by the Vorotynskys, the wife of Dmitry Shuisky poured poison into the hops of the glorious governor, from which Mikhail Vasilyevich died after two weeks of agony (04.23.(05.93). 1610. The Emperor ordered Skopin-Shuisky to be buried in the Archangel Cathedral, although not near royal tombs, but in a separate, new chapel.

Interstate relations, like people, change little. As soon as the state weakens for some reason, close and distant neighbors immediately remember their grievances, hidden grievances and unfulfilled fantasies. Those who are suddenly caught in a neighbor's crisis have to compose and formulate their demands already in the process. The fate of those whose once strong hands are shackled by weakness is not easy and tragic. The neighbors will not help - unless they take guardianship of the territories for an appropriate fee. And there is nothing to oppose to the offenders who are unceremonious to the point of impudence: instead of infantry columns - flattering letters, instead of armored cavalry - embarrassed ambassadors. And the people may not say their weighty word - behind the work and troubles they will not even notice what is happening in the high chambers. And does it really matter to a simple plowman under what banners the cavalry rushes, trampling a field cultivated with such difficulty, or who the soldiers serve, inspecting simple peasant belongings? Empires and kingdoms collapse, crowns and scepters fall into the mud, and only the tiller unshakably walks behind the skinny horse pulling the plow. But there is a line beyond which the people will no longer be just observers, silent statists. And it’s good when there are those who will take on the burden of leading it. Although power will ultimately go to those who stood at a distance, shifting from foot to foot. But that will come later.

Without much exaggeration, the troubled times of the early 17th century in Rus' could be called tragic. A country crumbling before our eyes, where the vacant place of any kind of power and order was firmly occupied by stakes and axes, and along the roads marched gangs resembling the size of armies, and armies strikingly similar to gangs. Hunger, ruin and death. It seemed to many that Russia had come to its hopeless end. There were all the prerequisites for such conclusions. But everything happened differently. One of those who prevented the country from falling into a skillfully dug abyss was Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky.

From an early age in military service

This military leader came from the Shuisky family, who are descendants of the Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod princes. Vasily Shuisky, who lived in the 15th century, had a son, Ivan Skop, who had estates in the Ryazan region, from whom came a branch with the double surname Skopin-Shuisky. This family gave the country several governors in the 16th century: Skopa’s son, Fyodor Ivanovich Skopin-Shuisky, served for a long time on the restless southern borders, resisting regular Tatar raids. The next representative, the boyar and prince Vasily Fedorovich Skopin-Shuisky, became the continuer of the military traditions (the young nobles did not have much of an alternative). He fought in Livonia, was one of the leaders of the famous defense of Pskov from the army of Stefan Batory, and in 1584 he was appointed governor of Novgorod, which was very honorable at that time. Despite their nobility, members of the Skopin-Shuisky family were not noticed in court intrigues and struggles for power, and they simply did not have enough time for military concerns. The repressions and disgrace of Ivan the Terrible bypassed them, and Vasily Fedorovich even made a mark in the sovereign's oprichnina court.

Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky continued the tradition of military service. There is little information about his childhood and youth. The future commander was born in 1587. He lost his father early - Vasily Fedorovich died in 1595, and his mother, née Princess Tatev, was involved in raising the boy. According to the traditions of that time, from childhood Mikhail was enrolled in the so-called “royal tenants,” one of the categories of service rank in the Russian state. Residents were supposed to live in Moscow and be ready for service and war. They also carried out various official tasks, for example, delivering letters.

In 1604, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky was mentioned as a steward at one of the feasts organized by Boris Godunov. During the reign of False Dmitry I, the young man also remained at court - it was Mikhail who was sent to Uglich for the mother of Tsarevich Dmitry, the son of Ivan the Terrible, so that she would come to Moscow and recognize False Dmitry as her son. Russia was going through difficult times. With the death of Fyodor Ioannovich, the Moscow branch of the Rurikovichs was cut short. Having had colossal personal power and influence even during the Tsar’s lifetime, Boris Godunov easily filled the vacant position of monarch. His position was not firm; in addition, a colossal crop failure gave rise to a disaster in the form of the famine of 1601–1603, mass riots and uprisings.

At the height of the increasingly turmoil that was sweeping the country in October 1604, the western Russian border, together with Polish troops, mercenaries and seekers of gold and adventure, was crossed by a man who went down in history as False Dmitry I. A character whose identity still raises questions today is too complex and ambiguous. After the death of Boris Godunov and the deposition of his son, resistance to the impostor comes to naught - armies and cities swear allegiance to him. In 1605, False Dmitry I entered Moscow to the joyful cries of the crowd. The reign of False Dmitry I was marked not only by attempts to reform the state apparatus and administrative system, but primarily by the extraordinary dominance of foreigners who arrived in the capital along with the “miraculously saved prince.”

The popular euphoria caused by the arrival of the “true king” and the spontaneous destruction of wine cellars and taverns soon subsided. The Poles and subjects of other monarchs behaved like owners in Moscow, not particularly limiting themselves either in behavior or in ways to improve their financial situation. The metropolitan nobility, who until recently had boldly sworn allegiance to the impostor and vying with each other to show him their devotion, finally began to think about the consequences and personal prospects. The latter looked increasingly gloomy. As a result, the nobility hatched a conspiracy to overthrow False Dmitry I, who at that time continued to celebrate his long-awaited wedding with Maria Mnishek. The head of the impending coup was the boyar Prince Vasily Shuisky. On the night of May 16-17, 1606, their supporters gathered at the Shuiskys' courtyard: boyars, nobles, and merchants. Young Skopin-Shuisky was also present here. About a thousand Novgorod nobles and military slaves arrived in the city. Moscow bells rang the alarm, a crowd of people, armed with anything, rushed to the Kremlin. Its energy was redirected by the conspirators to the Poles, they say, “Lithuania wants to kill the boyars and the tsar.” Throughout the city, reprisals began against the Poles, who had long annoyed everyone.

While the embittered people were exterminating the foreigners, who, out of obvious naivety, considered themselves masters over the Muscovites, the conspirators captured and killed False Dmitry. As expected, Vasily Shuisky ascended the throne. After this, the life and career of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky underwent significant changes. And not at all because of distant, but family ties. Contemporaries, primarily foreigners who communicated with Skopin-Shuisky, describe him as an intelligent man, thoughtful beyond his years and, above all, knowledgeable in military affairs. Mikhail Vasilyevich himself did not leave his descendants any notes, memories, or any other written sources about himself. His short life was entirely devoted to military and state affairs, which in the conditions of Russia at the beginning of the 17th century was one and the same.

Against the Internal Troubles

Rumors that the “prince”, or rather the tsar, had miraculously escaped, began to spread again among the population the very next day after his murder. Even displaying the tortured body for several days did not help. Cities and entire regions began to emerge from centralized subordination to Moscow. A large-scale uprising began under the leadership of Ivan Bolotnikov, more reminiscent of a civil war in scope and number of participants. An army of thousands of rebels, which even had artillery, moved towards Moscow. Government troops sent to meet Bolotnikov were defeated.

On behalf of Tsar Vasily, Skopin-Shuisky, together with the boyar Boris Tatev, at the head of a new army, was sent to block the rebels’ shortest path to the capital. In the fall of 1606, a stubborn and bloody battle took place on the Pakhra River - Skopin-Shuisky managed to force Bolotnikov to retreat and move to Moscow by a longer route. Nevertheless, the rebels laid siege to the capital. Skopin-Shuisky is in the city and receives the appointment of a foray commander, that is, his functions included organizing and carrying out forays outside the fortress walls. The prince also distinguished himself during the great battle in December 1606, as a result of which Bolotnikov was forced to lift the siege and retreat to Kaluga. The actions of the young governor were so successful that he was appointed commander of the entire army advancing to Tula, where the rebels had retreated from Kaluga.

In mid-July, a major battle took place between the tsarist troops and the rebels on the outskirts of this city. This time, Bolotnikov took a defensive position behind the Voronya River, whose muddy banks were reliable protection from the noble cavalry; in addition, the rebels built numerous abatis. The battle lasted three days - numerous cavalry attacks were repulsed by the defenders, and only when the archers were able to cross the river and dismantle part of the ambushes, the outcome of the battle became certain. Both sides suffered significant losses, Bolotnikov retreated to Tula, which he decided to defend to the last opportunity.

Numerous troops were drawn to the city, Vasily Shuisky himself arrived at the camp. The siege was long and cost both sides great casualties. While some Russians were killing others, a new danger appeared on the Severskaya side, in the city of Starodub. Rumors about the salvation of False Dmitry persistently circulated among the people. And not just rumors. The ranks of the “miraculously saved princes” were steadily replenished with new members and significantly exceeded in number the modest society of the children of the later famous lieutenant. Most of the “princes” ended their careers in the basements of local governors and governors or in nearby taverns. And only a few were destined to go down in history.

The man, better known as False Dmitry II, managed to convince the elders of his authenticity. Letters of appropriate content with calls to go to Moscow, where “there will be a lot of good things,” played a big role. False Dmitry II behaved confidently, made a lot of promises and promised great benefits to his supporters. From Poland and Lithuania, sensing an opportunity to make their skinny wallets heavier, various adventurers, poor nobles and other individuals without any special rules flocked. Ataman Zarutsky arrived from near Tula from Bolotnikov as a delegate, recognizing False Dmitry II as the “real tsar”, for which he was introduced to the pocket “boyar duma”, which met in Starodub. In September 1607, he began to take active action. Bryansk greeted the impostor with the ringing of bells, Kozelsk, where a large amount of booty was taken, was taken by storm. With the first successes, supporters began to flock to False Dmitry. Vasily Shuisky, who was under siege of Tula, at first did not attach any importance to the appearance of the next “son of Ivan the Terrible,” and then the unattended problem quickly turned from a regional one into a state one. Tula was finally taken after a difficult and stubborn siege, but ahead was a struggle with the impostor, whose appearance was increasingly reminiscent of foreign intervention.

For his successful activities during the siege of Tula, the tsar granted Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky the rank of boyar. Throughout the winter of 1607–1608. he spends in Moscow, where he marries Alexandra Golovina. Soon Tsar Vasily Shuisky himself will get married, and Mikhail was among the guests of honor at the wedding. However, the time of celebrations quickly came to an end - the strengthened False Dmitry II began active action in the spring of 1608. The Tsar's brother Dmitry Shuisky was sent to meet him with an army of 30 thousand. In April, a two-day battle took place near Bolkhov, in which government troops were defeated. The incompetence and cowardice of Dmitry Shuisky led to defeat, the loss of all artillery and almost the entire convoy. After the victory, many cities went over to the side of the impostor.

The Tsar was forced to send a new army, which was now led by Skopin-Shuisky. The instructions given to him stated that the enemy must be met on the Kaluga road, along which the army of False Dmitry was allegedly moving. However, this information turned out to be incorrect. The army took up positions on the banks of the Neznan River between the cities of Podolsk and Zvenigorod. However, it turned out that the enemy was moving further south, following a different road. The opportunity arose to strike at the flank and rear of the impostor’s army, but new difficulties arose. In the army itself, fermentation began on the topic of joining the “true king”. Some of the boyars were not against participating in the conspiracy and were at the stage of transition from theory to practice. In such difficult circumstances, Skopin-Shusky showed will and character - the conspiracy was nipped in the bud, and the perpetrators were sent to Moscow.

Soon an order came from the capital from the king to return. Vasily Shuisky felt the precariousness of his position and wanted to have armed force at hand. False Dmitry quite successfully approached Moscow, but he did not have the strength and means to besiege such a large and well-fortified city. After maneuvering around the area for some time, the impostor, with the help of his numerous Polish advisers and strategists, chose the village of Tushino as his main base. A somewhat stalemate situation developed: the Tushins could not take Moscow, and Shuisky did not have enough forces to eliminate the hornet’s nest, which had grown greatly in size. It was necessary to look for help in other regions of the country, primarily in the Novgorod lands that had not yet been devastated. For this difficult and dangerous mission, the king chose the most trusted, courageous and talented person. This man was Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky.

On North

Around Moscow itself, detachments of Tushinites and simply gangs of various sizes and nationalities operated in abundance. In fact, regular communication with other regions of the country was interrupted. There was no definite information which city remained faithful and which abandoned. The Skopin-Shuisky mission had to make its way to Novgorod along remote forest paths, without showing itself to anyone. Time was running out - one of the “field commanders” of the impostor Jan Sapega captured Rostov, Astrakhan and Pskov recognized the power of False Dmitry. Upon arrival in Novgorod, Skopin-Shuisky received information that the situation in the city was not stable. It became known that Pskov and Ivangorod were going over to the side of the impostor. Fearing an open rebellion, the Novgorod voivode Mikhail Tatishchev insisted on leaving Novgorod. Heeding the admonitions of the governor, on September 8, 1608, Skopin-Shuisky left the city.

Soon, unrest really began there: supporters of the central government and the impostor fought among themselves. In the end, the government party won and a delegation was sent to Skopin-Shuisky, located near Oreshek, expressing loyalty and allegiance to the tsar. The voivode returned to the city as the tsar’s sovereign representative; very soon he would actually become the head of the entire Russian north. The danger that arose was quickly realized in Tushino, and Polish Colonel Kerzonitsky with a detachment of four thousand was sent to Novgorod. After trampling around the city for two months and having completely destroyed the surrounding area, the Tushino residents were forced to fold up and retreat in January 1609.

Armies from other cities pulled up to Novgorod, and just people who were tired of the foreign lawlessness that was happening in the country also came. In fact, in the center of Russia, only Moscow was under the rule of the tsar, and entire regions either recognized the impostor as tsar, or were close to doing so. However, the vigorous activity of the organization in Tushino had an impact and made an impression greater than the piles of royal letters with calls to fight the impostor. False Dmitry's accomplices did not disdain the most dirty and bloody acts, and on a massive scale. Little by little, even the most enthusiastic supporters of the next “prince” began to lose the ecstatic veil from their eyes, fortunately the Tushino residents tried hard for this. Cases of armed resistance to interventionists and looters became more frequent - more and more often the gangs saw in front of them not the fear of fleeing peasants and their screaming wives, but armed militias. Already in the autumn of 1608, the reverse process began. Representatives of the impostor are beginning to be expelled from many cities and villages.

In Novgorod, Skopin-Shuisky had to solve a very difficult problem. Indeed, the uprising against the hated impostor and his European patrons and accomplices expanded, and the number of people ready to take up the cause increased. However, these were still scattered detachments, loose, poorly armed and poorly organized. They were just about to become an army. By the spring of 1609, from the available human resources, Skopin-Shuisky was able to organize, form and bring to combat-ready condition an army of five thousand. Gradually Novgorod becomes a center of resistance to the impostor and foreign intervention. Since February 1609, representatives of the tsarist authorities were sent to the rebel cities along with armed detachments, thus, control over spontaneous uprisings on the ground was concentrated in the hands of Skopin-Shuisky and acquired an increasingly organized character.

Prince Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky meets the Swedish governor Delagardi near Novgorod 1609

The problem was that the governor still did not have a large and well-trained army to give the enemy battle in the field. The available forces were enough to defend Novgorod, but no more. Then Tsar Vasily authorized Skopin-Shuisky to negotiate with representatives of Sweden in order to attract its army for military operations against the impostor and the Poles. On February 28, 1609, a Russian-Swedish treaty was signed in Vyborg, according to which the Swedes pledged to place a 15,000-strong army under direct subordination to Skopin-Shuisky for the impressive sum of one hundred thousand rubles per month. In addition, Russia ceded the city of Korelu and its district to Sweden. At the beginning of March, the Swedish army, consisting mainly of European mercenaries under the command of Jacob Delagardie, entered Russia. From the very beginning, Delagardie acted slowly, bided his time, demanded an advance payment and provisions. Only the persistence and strength of character of Skopin-Shuisky, combined with a certain amount of hard cash, forced the allies to do something more productive than bivouac entertainment. The vanguard of the Russian-Swedish army marched to Staraya Russa in May and soon took possession of it.

To Moscow

Jacob Delagardie, commander of the Swedish mercenaries

On May 10, 1609, the main forces under the command of Skopin-Shuisky set out from Novgorod, and the Swedes also left their camp at the same time. The Russian army marched towards Torzhok along the Moscow road, Delagardi moved through Russa. On June 6, both armies united. The importance of the advantageously located Torzhok was understood by both Russians and Tushino residents. In order to prevent further advance of Skopin-Shuisky's troops to Torzhok, detachments of Pan Zborovsky were sent, who, after joining his army with other formations operating in the area, eventually had 13 thousand infantry and cavalry. Intelligence informed the command in time about the actions of the Poles, and reinforcements were sent to Torzhok - Russian warriors and German infantry of Evert Horn.

On June 17, 1609, a battle took place near the walls of the city, in which 5-6 thousand people took part on each side - Pan Zborowski began the matter with the traditional attack of the Polish heavy cavalry, which, however, choked when it hit the dense formation of German mercenaries. However, the Poles managed to crush the Russian and Swedish cavalry standing on the flanks and drive them to the fortress walls. Only a bold foray by the Torzhok garrison was able to neutralize this enemy success, and he retreated. Pan Zborovsky declared the battle of Torzhok his victory, after which he promptly retreated to Tver. He did not complete the assigned task - the offensive of the Russian-Swedish troops continued, and Torzhok could not be recaptured.

On June 27, the entire army of Skopin-Shuisky was concentrated in Torzhok, where it was reorganized into three regiments - large, advanced and guard. Foreign mercenaries were no longer one large contingent, but were evenly distributed among the regiments and were under the command of Russian commanders. The next goal was Tver. The army left Torzhok on July 7, and on July 11 crossed the Volga ten miles from Tver. The interventionists also concentrated their forces in the city area: the same Pan Zborovsky stationed 8–10 thousand people here who stood in fortified positions near the walls of Tver.

Skopin-Shuisky's plan was to cut off the enemy from the fortress walls, press him to the Volga and defeat him. But Zborowski attacked first, using his excellent heavy cavalry. And again the Poles managed to scatter the Russian and Swedish cavalry, which was intended for a cutting blow. Horse attacks against the infantry standing in the center did not bring success to Zborovsky - the battle lasted more than 7 hours, the Poles and Tushino residents returned to their camp. On July 12, both armies put themselves in order.

The battle resumed on July 13. The allied infantry managed to break the stubborn resistance of the enemy and break into his fortified camp. The decisive success was brought by the attack of the reserve - the attack was personally led by Skopin-Shuisky himself. Zborovsky's army was overthrown and fled. She suffered heavy losses and numerous trophies were captured. The victory was complete. However, a foreign factor came into play here. Delagardie's mercenaries did not show much interest in further marching deep into Russia; some of them insisted on an immediate assault on Tver, hoping to get big booty. Since the army did not have siege artillery, the first attacks were naturally repulsed. Leaving the foreign contingent to break their heads against the Tver walls, Skopin-Shuisky marched with the Russian part of the army to Moscow.

Before reaching 150 km to the capital, the governor was forced to return. Firstly, information was received that Zborovsky, covering the path to Moscow, received significant reinforcements, and soon Hetman Jan Sapieha approached him, taking command. Secondly, it became known that the mercenaries camped near Tver had rebelled. Returning under the walls of Tver, the governor discovered the complete decomposition of the foreign contingent, demanding money, loot and return home. Delagardie could not, and did not particularly want to, cope with the situation. Realizing that he could now rely only on his own strength, the governor left the camp near Tver on July 22 and, having crossed the Volga, moved to Kalyazin. Only a thousand Swedes performed with him. The camp near Tver actually disintegrated - only Delagardi, faithful to the instructions of the Swedish king, retreated to Valdai with 2 thousand soldiers, covering the road to Novgorod. The Swedes really wanted to get the money they were owed under the Korelu agreement.

New army, new victories

On July 24, 1609, the Russians entered Kalyazin. Since there were now not enough troops for a field battle, the governor ordered the field camp to be well fortified, protecting it from surprise attacks. Reinforcements came to him from different sides, and by August, according to the Poles, Skopin-Shuisky had at least 20 thousand people. In Tushino they could not ignore this, and on August 14, near Kalyazin, Jan Sapieha became a camp with 15–18 thousand soldiers. In terms of cavalry, the interventionists had an overwhelming superiority, both in quantity and quality.

On August 18, the Poles launched an attack on Russian positions. At first, heavy cavalry fell on the camp’s fortifications over and over again, then infantry took its place. The Russian defense could not be shaken or lure the defenders out from behind the fortifications. Jan Sapieha, being an experienced commander, decided to use a flanking maneuver. On the night of August 19, enemy infantry began to cross the Zhabnya River in order to deliver a surprise attack to the rear of the defenders. However, Skopin-Shuisky foresaw such a maneuver by the Poles and, as soon as the sentinels posted in advance reported the appearance of the enemy, he sent his best troops against him. The sudden attack was a complete surprise for the Poles - they were so sure that they managed to get through secretly. They were overturned, crossed Zhabnya and were driven to the camp. Only the intervention of the Polish cavalry saved Sapieha from complete defeat. Sapega was forced to retreat to Pereslavl-Zalessky.

At the Battle of Kalyazin, the Russians proved it was possible to win without the large-scale participation of foreign mercenaries. However, Skopin-Shuisky still had a lot to do to turn his brave but insufficiently trained army into a strong modern army. The so-called was taken as a basis. “Dutch tactics”, which was owned by Delagardi, who himself fought in the Netherlands. Russian soldiers were taught not only how to handle weapons, but also how to exercise in formation. Much attention was paid to the construction of field wood-earth fortifications instead of the traditional walk-city. Skopin-Shuisky developed vigorous activity in relation to the financial side of the matter: he sent convincing letters to cities and monasteries, from where they began to send monetary donations and payments to the army. At the end of September, the Swedes under the command of Delagardi returned to the camp near Kalyazin - Tsar Vasily confirmed his decision to transfer Korela. The combat effectiveness and strength of the Russian army were at their best, which made it possible to begin the autumn campaign.

On October 6, 1609, Skopin-Shuisky liberated Pereslavl-Zalessky from the Tushins, and on October 10 he entered the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. The active actions of the Russians forced the enemy to think about the consequences and take action. On October 27, Jan Sapega with 10 thousand troops appeared at the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda, and on October 28 a battle took place. And again the Poles attacked the Russian fortified camp - each time with increasing losses. Russian archers fired at them from behind the fortifications, and the wavering enemy was attacked by Russian cavalry. The victory brought Skopin-Shuisky popularity not only among the military and the people. Some boyars began to express the idea that such a person was more worthy of the royal throne than Vasily, who had locked himself in Moscow. The prince was a man of great modesty and suppressed such conversations and proposals.

The finale of the battle path

The successes of the Russian army resonated not only in Moscow, but also in Tushino. Using the agreement between Russia and Sweden as a pretext, the Polish king Sigismund III declared war on the tsar in the fall of 1609. False Dmitry II became an increasingly decorative figure; the need for him became less and less. Confusion began in Tushino, the impostor was forced to flee to Kaluga. Skopin-Shuisky did not weaken the onslaught, forcing Sapega, after a series of battles, to lift the siege from the Trinity-Sergius Monastery on January 12, 1610 and retreat to Dmitrov. The threat to Moscow was eliminated.

Ivanov S. V. “Times of Troubles”

The Russian army began to blockade Dmitrov. On February 20, we managed to lure some of the Poles into the field and defeat them. Sapieha's position became increasingly difficult, and on February 27, having destroyed the heavy artillery and ordered the city to be set on fire, the remnants of the Polish army left Dmitrov and moved to unite with King Sigismund III. On March 6, 1610, the Tushino camp ceased to exist, and on March 12, the Russian army triumphantly entered Moscow.

We met Skopin-Shuisky solemnly and with honors. The king lavished pleasantries in words, but in reality he was openly afraid of the colossal popularity of his nephew. Glory did not go to the head of the governor - he was seriously preparing for the spring campaign against King Sigismund, and regularly conducted exercises. Jacob Delagardie strongly advised his commander to leave the city as soon as possible, since he would be safer in the army than in the capital. The denouement came faster: at a feast on the occasion of the christening of the son of Prince Ivan Vorotynsky, Skopin-Shuisky drank a cup brought to him by the wife of the Tsar’s brother, Dmitry Shuisky. Her name was Ekaterina, she was the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov. After this, the commander felt unwell and was carried home, where after two weeks of suffering he died. According to another version, the prince died of a fever, and the story of poisoning became the fruit of idle speculation, given his popularity.

One way or another, Russia lost its best commander at that time, and this soon had the most unfavorable effect. The clouds of great unrest, which had begun to dissipate, again thickened over Russia. It took more years and incredible efforts to expel the invaders and interventionists from the borders of the Fatherland.

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