Boris Godunov

Boris Godunov

There were few people that sparked the interest and gained the trust of Ivan the terrible. One of those few men was Boris Godunov. From the time he was a trusted confidant in the Russian court until his death in 1605, Boris managed to bring about positive change and a balanced structure to the Russian government.

Born Boris Fyodorovich Godunov in c.1551, he was a member of an ancient Russian family that migrated to Muscovy in the 14^th century. Boris gained a position in Ivan the Terrible’s court as an archer of the guard.  Ivan chose Irene, Boris’ sister to be the bride for his son, Theodore. On his deathbed, Ivan appointed Boris as co-guardian and successor for his son Theodore. After Ivan’s death, Boris used his connections to slyly make decisions that helped to ensure him becoming the next Tsar of Russia. It was speculated he had Theodore’s other guardian killed to eliminate any competition to the throne.

Under the Tsar Theodore, Boris exercised his full power of being a member of the court. The competency level of Theodore was evidently lacking which is how Boris managed to inadvertently rule Russia even before he was elected Tsar. Boris was an intelligent man who looked around and realized that the west was prospering and growing through the means of trade and if Russia did not take advantage of this, they would hastily fall behind. Boris exempted English merchants from tolls as a means of encouraging trade. This proved to be a wise decision. Trade was opened with the west. The Tatar and Finnic tribes proved to be a threat, so Boris , as a way to protect against them, built towns and fortresses which civilized the borders of Moscovy. Boris also worked vigorously at recolonizing Siberia.

                The Muscovite church was strongly under the influence of the metropolitan of Kiev. It was because of Boris that the Muscovite church was granted its patriarchate which led to its emancipation from the Kievs. Of the many accomplishment of Boris his most important reform was the Ukaz in 1587. This law, summed up, was a way of keeping the poor man down.  It prohibited peasants from transferring from one land owner to another. They were literally binded to the soil. They could not go with another land owner who may pay them more.

                All this was accomplished by Boris while only holding the title of Sluga. While this was an extraordinary title, he still was not Tsar yet. He did not become Tsar until the death of Theodore on January 7, 1598. Boris was unanimously elected Tsar on February 21, and officially crowned Tsar on September 1, 1598.

                He was very popular and well liked in the first years of his reign. Boris realized Russia was not intellectually as inclined as the West, so he imported foreign teachers. He was the first Tsar to ever do this and also the first to send young Russians to study abroad. He was also the first Tsar to allow Lutherans to build churches in Russia. These were all prominent accomplishments that encouraged the advancement of Russia.

                As powerful as he was, Boris was not above falling victim to paranoia of being overthrown. Due to this uneasiness, he would not allow his greatest boyars to marry. He also encouraged a Gestapo like system where he used informants to report anyone acting or talking suspicious.  When the informants “found” someone, they were punished without just cause. These acts began to hurt his popularity and eventually led to Boris not being considered a successful Tsar.

                Boris suddenly died on April 13, 1605. He left only one son, Theodore II who succeeded Boris as Tsar.