Alexei Adashev - the approximate Ivan the Terrible: biography, family

Remembering the history of the past centuries, we often talk about rulers, forgetting that the sovereign is unlikely to be able to successfully rule without dedicated performers and advisers. It was on them that a significant part of the worries about the state held. One of the most prominent statesmen of the era of Ivan the Terrible was Alexei Adashev. A brief biography of this associate of the great Russian Tsar and will be the subject of our study.

early years

About the early years of Alexei Adashev, practically nothing is known. Even the date of his birth remains a mystery to us. Therefore, the exact years of life can not be called.

At the same time, it is known that Alexei was the son of a boyar and voevoda Fedor Grigorievich Adashev, who comes from the not very noble Kostroma clan of the Olgovs. Mother's name is also a mystery. In addition, Alexei had a younger brother, Daniel.

The first mention of Alexei Adashev in the chronicles refers already to his mature age, namely by 1547.

The first steps in the service of the Sovereign

So, as already mentioned above, Alexei Adashev first came to the attention of the chroniclers in 1547, when he performed at the wedding of Tsar Ivan the Terrible the position of the fork and falsity, whose duty it was to cover the marriage bed. There is also mentioned his wife Anastasia.

After this event Alexei Adashev became an invariable character of various chronicles and chronicles, he was increasingly promoted, approaching the sovereign and influencing him.

Crucial Events

The turning point, which finally determined the rapprochement between Alexei Adashev and Ivan the Terrible, was the famous Moscow fire of 1547 and subsequent events.

The "great fire" that erupted in summer destroyed more than 25,000 houses of Muscovites. People began to blame for the "penalty of God" the clan of Glinsky, the relatives of King John of the mother, who by that time had a huge influence on him. Discontent of the people splashed out in an uprising, as a result of which one of the representatives of the clan of Glinski was torn to pieces by the crowd, and the property of the clan was plundered.

In the end, the rebels managed to persuade to stop the excesses. But nevertheless this uprising made a significant impression on the young Ivan the Terrible and forced him to radically revise his policy. He alienated the Glinsky and other noble boyars, but brought new people who did not have such a high background. Among them was Alexei Adashev.

Government Activities

After these events, the rapid rise of Alexei Adashev began. Together with him another noble person approached the king - the priest Sylvester. They exerted a considerable influence on the sovereign and helped him in governing the country.

In 1549, Adashev became the head of the elected Council. It was a kind of government that Ivan the Terrible had just created. The years of work of the Elected Rada were marked by a number of ongoing reforms. It was at this time that the first Zemsky Sobor was convened in Russia - the estate representative body, something reminiscent of the modern parliament. In 1551 the church Stoglavy Cathedral was held . In addition, Adashev Alexey Fedorovich took an active part in the development of the Code of Law, which was published in 1550. In the same year, Ivan the Terrible gave him the title of Okolnichy.

Alexey Adashev also distinguished himself in diplomatic activities. He negotiated with the Kazan Khanate, the Livonian Order, the Nogai Horde, the Polish Kingdom and Denmark. In addition, he took an active part in the capture of Kazan in 1552, leading engineering work.

Confrontation with the Romanovs

At that time, thanks to the marriage of Tsar John on Anastasia Romanovna, the Zakharyin family, later known as the Romanovs, rose up, giving Russia a whole series of kings and emperors. They began to compete hard in the struggle for influence on the king with Adashev and Sylvester.

The turning point in this struggle was the year 1553, when Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich became seriously ill. Then he demanded that all the courtiers swear allegiance as the future king to his son from Anastasia Romanovna - Dmitry. This was to be done, among other things, by the cousin of the Tsar Vladimir Andreevich Staritsky, who, according to the old custom, had the first right to the throne. Approximate sovereign divided into two parties: one implicitly swore allegiance to the tsarevich, and the other joined Vladimir Staritsky.

Adashev Alexey Fedorovich swore at once Dmitry, but his father Fyodor Grigorievich refused to do so, fearing further strengthening of the Romanovs. After this incident and the recovery of Ivan the Terrible, the tsar ceased to treat the Adashov family with the same favor.

Despite the cold weather with regard to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich to Alexei Adashev, the latter had a considerable influence on state affairs for a long time.

Opal

Nevertheless, this state of affairs could not continue all the time, and Alexei Fedorovich perfectly understood this. He was not even misled by the fact that his father soon after the recovery of Ivan the Terrible received the rank of boyar. The Romanovs strengthened their positions more and more, while Adashev and Sylvester stepped back into the background. Despite the death of Tsarevich Dmitry in the same year 1553, the Romanovs began to influence the Emperor even more.

The limit of the heat between the Tsar and Alexei Adashev fell on 1560. Just before the Livonian War had begun in the Baltics, Alexei Fedorovich preferred to go there, away from the court. This event could be considered a kind of honorable reference. Alexei Adashev was given the rank of governor. His immediate commander was Prince Mstislavsky.

But Alexei Fyodorovich could not win military honors in the fields of Livonia, since in the same year Queen Anastasia died, which further embittered Tsar John in regard to the Adashevs. Therefore, Alexei Adashev was sent to the fortress of Dorpat in the territory of modern Estonia and imprisoned.

Death

It was while in prison in Dorpat, died in 1561 Alexei Adashev. Death came because of the fever, which the former head of the Elected Rada had been ill for two months. At the time of his death, along with Alexei Fedorovich, there were no relatives, no relatives, no friends. This is how the years of life of one of the most active people of our Motherland of their time ended.

However, such a death, it is quite possible, saved him from the heavier fate, which he prepared for Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the Romanovs. Evidence of this may be that shortly after the death of Alexei Adashev, his brother Daniel was executed along with his son Tarkh. A similar fate befell other members of the Adashev family, who practically ceased to exist. Father Alexis and Daniil Adasheva, Fedor Grigorievich, died as far back as 1556 as a natural death.

Evaluation of activities

Of course, not every 16th-century figure was so vivid in Russian history as Alexei Adashev. The characteristic of its activity by the majority of historians is given rather positive. He is credited with the establishment of a number of state institutions and extensive reform practice. True, this time did not last long. Especially in contrast to the period of active activity of Adashev, the epoch of oprichnina and the revelry of obscurantism that has come after its removal from state affairs appears.

Certainly, the deeds for the benefit of the Fatherland of Alexei Adashev, like his biography, deserve a detailed study.