The dynastic and social causes of the Time of Troubles

The causes and beginning of the Time of Troubles refer to one of the most troubled and defining moments of Russian history. The turbulence of the early 17th century had a decisive influence on the further development of our state.

The dynastic causes of the Time of Troubles in Russia

This episode of Russian history was both natural and, to some extent, accidental. The objective causes of the Time of Troubles did indeed take place. At the same time, this time was marked by a number of unfavorable circumstances and coincidences. At the end of the XVI century, Ivan the Terrible dies . The dynasty of the Rurik people is interrupted, which is the beginning of the dynastic crisis in the state. In the last years of the reign of Ivan IV at court a strong group of boyars was formed, headed by Boris Godunov, known for his connections with oprichnina. After the death of the tsar, he managed to eliminate all the rivals on the way to power and get elected as a boyar council to the throne of the king. However, the dubious legitimacy of the power of Boris Godunov very soon attracted a number of candidates, who wanted to take the throne. Thus, in 1601 an impostor appeared in Poland, who was called Dmitry, the son of the late Tsar Ivan IV.

Spilled himself a connection with the oprichniki, Boris Godunov very soon loses the authority of the boyars. In 1605 he becomes a victim of betrayal, and the throne passes into the hands of False Dmitry I. However, the impostor soon loses support, which Vasily Shuisky took advantage of, who raised the insurrection and took power into power in 1606. As you can see, the dynastic crisis became the most obvious prerequisite of the Troubles. At the same time, there were other important causes of the Time of Troubles. Since the crisis was not only at the top, but also in the position of the masses.

Socio-economic causes of the Time of Troubles

An important precondition for the events described above was the Livonian War, which was unsuccessful for the state of Ivan the Terrible . She exhausted and ruined the Moscow kingdom. The consequences of this conflict seriously affected the fate of the Russian population. The so-called "trash" of the late 16th century caused by the war (as well as by the oprichnina) led to the desolation of many important economic centers of the country: Moscow, Pskov, Novgorod and some others. The population was forced to flee from these territories. Substantially Declined lands, the country has sharply increased prices, taxes. In the 1570-71's. A severe economic collapse was supplemented by the plague epidemic. Many peasant farms were undermined. A famine broke out in the country. In such conditions, the landowners tried to increase their incomes through increased exploitation. The state reinforced the landlord class by enslaving the peasants, issuing a number of relevant decrees at the end of the sixteenth century. Of course, this leads to a decrease in the authority of the tsar and popular riots, which only play into the hands of pretenders to the throne. It is advantageous for them that as long as possible continue the Time of Troubles, the causes and consequences of which could be used for their own purposes.