1605-1606 Tsar of Russia.
He was the most successful usurper of the Russian throne in the Time of Troubles. He remains the only tsar ever to have acquired his throne by means of military invasion.
Background
Lived: 1581-1606.
His real name was Grigory Otrepyev.
Usurpation
After the great hunger of 1601-03, tsar Boris Godunov struggled to put down the people’s rebellion in Moscow. The people believed that the hunger had been God’s punishment for Godunov’s alleged murder of the tsarevich Dmitry 12 years earlier.
In 1603, Grigory Otrepyev, a runaway monk, appeared in Poland and claimed to be Dmitry. He also claimed to have miraculously escaped Godunov’s murder attempt and declared he was going to Russia to seek revenge. He was supported by the Polish-Lithuanian nobles and the King Sigismund III Vasa. Many Russians seized the opportunity and joined him.
Tsardom
In 1605, Boris Godunov unexpectedly died and left his son Fyodor II Godunov to succeed him as tsar. False Dmitry deposed and murdered Fyodor II and his mother. False Dmitry was a surprisingly well-educated and capable ruler. His reign lasted for about a year.
Death
In 1606, about 200 Russian boyars lead by Vasily Shuisky attacked False Dmitry as he wed Marina Mniszech. He was murdered, his body was dragged to the Red Square and burned, and then his ashes were shot with a cannon towards Poland.
False Dmitry
1605-1606 Tsar of Russia.
He was the most successful usurper of the Russian throne in the Time of Troubles. He remains the only tsar ever to have acquired his throne by means of military invasion.
Background
Lived: 1581-1606.
His real name was Grigory Otrepyev.
Usurpation
After the great hunger of 1601-03, tsar Boris Godunov struggled to put down the people’s rebellion in Moscow. The people believed that the hunger had been God’s punishment for Godunov’s alleged murder of the tsarevich Dmitry 12 years earlier.
In 1603, Grigory Otrepyev, a runaway monk, appeared in Poland and claimed to be Dmitry. He also claimed to have miraculously escaped Godunov’s murder attempt and declared he was going to Russia to seek revenge. He was supported by the Polish-Lithuanian nobles and the King Sigismund III Vasa. Many Russians seized the opportunity and joined him.
Tsardom
In 1605, Boris Godunov unexpectedly died and left his son Fyodor II Godunov to succeed him as tsar. False Dmitry deposed and murdered Fyodor II and his mother. False Dmitry was a surprisingly well-educated and capable ruler. His reign lasted for about a year.
Death
In 1606, about 200 Russian boyars lead by Vasily Shuisky attacked False Dmitry as he wed Marina Mniszech. He was murdered, his body was dragged to the Red Square and burned, and then his ashes were shot with a cannon towards Poland.
Vasily IV Shuisky