Adashev Alexey Fedorovich (? - 1551)
The famous favorite of Ivan the Terrible was the son of insignificant origin service man. Historians of subsequent centuries considered Alexei Fedorovich “an example of a philanthropist and humanist of the 16th century.”
Adashev was first mentioned in 1547 at the royal wedding (February 3) in the position of lieutenant and movnik, that is, he laid marriage bed sovereign and accompanied the newlywed to the bathhouse. Adashev began to enjoy great influence on the Tsar together with the famous priest Sylvester after the terrible fires of Moscow (in April and June 1547) and the indignant people killed the Tsar’s uncle Yuri Glinsky, accused of bribery and other abuses. From that time on, the tsar, who was not disposed towards the noble boyars, brought the low-born ones, Sylvester and Adashev, closer to him. John found in them, as well as in Queen Anastasia and Metropolitan Macarius, moral support; they helped him restrain his nature, which had been spoiled since childhood.
The time of the so-called reign of Sylvester and Adashev was marked by the diversified activities of the government: the convening of the First Zemsky Sobor to approve the Code of Law in 1550, the convening of the Church Council of Stoglav in 1551, the conquest of Kazan in 1552 and Astrakhan in 1557; the granting of charters that determined the self-government of communities; a large expansion of estates, which strengthened the maintenance of service people.
In 1550, John granted Adashev a okolnichy and at the same time gave him a speech by which it is best to judge the tsar’s attitude towards his favorite: “Alexey! I took you from the poor and from the youngest people... I instruct you to accept petitions from the poor and offended and analyze them carefully. Do not be afraid of the strong and glorious, who steal honors and destroy the poor and weak with their violence; do not look at the false tears of the poor, who slander the rich, who want to be right with false tears, but consider everything carefully and bring the truth to us, fearing the judgment of God; elect truthful judges from the boyars and nobles.”
At the same time, Alexey Adashev was in charge state archive, kept the state chronicle and participated in the compilation of a set of rank books and the “sovereign genealogy”. In 1553 - 1560, being not separated from the tsar, according to Kurbsky, “he was extremely useful to the common thing.” Adashev also appeared outstanding diplomat of its time. He was entrusted with conducting many negotiations: with the Kazan king Shig-Aley (1551 and 1552), with the Nogais (1553), with Livonia (1554, 1557, 1558), with Poland (1558,1560), with Denmark (1559).
The importance of Sylvester and Adashev at court also created enemies for them, the main of them were the Zakharyins, relatives of Queen Anastasia. They took advantage of the circumstances that were unfavorable for Adashev during the Tsar’s illness in 1553. The Tsar wrote a spiritual letter and demanded that his cousin Prince Vladimir Andreevich Staritsky and the boyars swear allegiance to his son, the infant Dmitry. Alexey Adashev swore unquestioning allegiance to Dmitry, but his father announced to the sick king that they did not want to obey the Romanovs, who would rule the country during Dmitry’s childhood. John recovered, and from then on his cooling towards his former friends began. In May 1560, relations between the tsar and his advisers became so strained that Adashev found it inconvenient to remain at court and went into honorable exile in Livonia as the third commander of a large regiment led by Prince Mstislavsky and Morozov.
After the death of Queen Anastasia (August 7, 1560), John’s dislike for Adashev intensified; the king, stricken with grief, accused him and Sylvester of poisoning the queen. Ivan the Terrible ordered his former favorite to be transferred to Dorpat and placed in custody. Here Adashev fell ill with a fever and soon died.
Bibliography
To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://ezr.narod.ru/
Alexey Fedorovich Adashev, son of a boyar Fedor Grigorievich Adashev and brother of Daniil Fedorovich, played outstanding role in the initial, bright period of the reign of Ivan IV the Terrible. An example of a philanthropist and humanist of the 16th century, Alexey Adashev, with his kindness, charmed everyone around him. There is reason to think that he was for several years older than Ivan IV. Aleksey Adashev was initially a solicitor and a bedspreader, and in 1550 he became a bed guard and the head of the newly established Petition Prikaz, where it was ordered to accept complaints from all the oppressed and offended. Adashev stood at the head of the court party (the Chosen Rada), to which Ivan the Terrible temporarily submitted after the Moscow fire on June 21, 1547.
During the conquest of Kazan, Alexey Fedorovich Adashev took an active part in all events: he placed cannons against the city, dug under the Kazan cache, from where the besieged took water. He negotiated with the Kazan ambassadors, went to Kazan first to imprison and then depose Shig-Aley from the Kazan throne. In 1553, Adashev received the high rank of okolnichy and thanks to this he received independent position in the Duma. Now he began to manage diplomatic relations, received ambassadors, and led negotiations with them. In addition, he was given charge of the state archive and kept the state chronicle.
Alexey Fedorovich Adashev at the monument “1000th anniversary of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod
From 1553 to 1560, Alexey Adashev lived constantly in Moscow, traveled only with the sovereign and accompanied him everywhere on all campaigns; his influence grew stronger. Since the death of the queen Anastasia Romanovna(August 7, 1560) a revolution begins in the relations of Adashev and the entire Chosen Rada with the Tsar. Ivan IV began to feel burdened by his advisers. Various misunderstandings arose between them and Grozny, among other things, on the issue of the conquest of the Crimea, which Adashev and the Rada were striving for instead of the Livonian War planned by the tsar. The situation became increasingly tense, as a result of which Adashev, as they say, at his own request in May 1560, was sent to Livonia as the third commander of a large regiment.
In September of the same year, Adashev was left as governor in the newly taken Livonian city Felline, this was already a clear fall from grace. As a result of a local dispute that arose between Adashev and Polev, Ivan satisfied the latter and, thus inflicting a new insult on Adashev, transferred him to Dorpat. In 1560, Adashev’s estates were assigned to the sovereign, and he himself was imprisoned. A fierce search began, ending with the extermination of all the boyars of the Adashev family and their closest relatives. Alexey Fedorovich himself escaped execution due to the fact that he died (under unknown circumstances) in Dorpat at the beginning of 1561.
Remembering the history of past centuries, we most often talk about rulers, forgetting that a sovereign is unlikely to be able to rule successfully without devoted executors and advisers. It was on them that a significant part of the concerns about the state rested. One of the most prominent statesmen of the era was Alexey Adashev. A brief biography of this associate of the great Russian Tsar will become the subject of our study.
early years
About early years Almost nothing is known about Alexey Adashev. Even the date of his birth remains a mystery to us. Therefore, the exact years of life cannot be given.
At the same time, it is known that Alexey was the son of the boyar and governor Fyodor Grigorievich Adashev, who came from the not very noble Kostroma family of the Olgovs. The mother's name is also a mystery. In addition, Alexey had younger brother Daniel.
The first mention of Alexey Adashev in the chronicles dates back to his mature age, namely by 1547.
First steps in the service of the sovereign
So, as mentioned above, Alexei Adashev first came to the attention of chroniclers in 1547, when he performed the position of liaison and lieutenant at the wedding of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, whose duties included making the wedding bed. His wife Anastasia is also mentioned there.
After this event, Alexey Adashev became a constant character in various annals and chronicles; he advanced more and more in his career, getting closer to the sovereign and influencing him.
Turning events
The turning point that finally determined the rapprochement between Alexei Adashev and Ivan the Terrible was the famous Moscow fire of 1547 and the events that followed it.
Erupted in the summer " great fire"Destroyed more than 25,000 Muscovites' houses. People began to blame the Glinsky family, Tsar John’s maternal relatives, who by that time had enormous influence on him, for the “punishment of God.” The discontent of the people spilled over into an uprising, as a result of which one of the representatives of the Glinsky family was torn to pieces by a crowd, and the property of the family was plundered.
In the end, the rioters were persuaded to stop the outrages. But nevertheless, this uprising made a significant impression on the young Ivan the Terrible and forced him to radically reconsider his policy. He alienated the Glinskys and other noble boyars, but brought closer new people who were not of such high origin. Among them was Alexey Adashev.
Government activities
After these events, the rapid rise of Alexei Adashev began. Together with him, another humble person, the priest Sylvester, approached the king. They had a significant influence on the sovereign and helped him in governing the country.
In 1549, Adashev became the leader. It was a kind of government that Ivan the Terrible had just created. Years of work The chosen one is pleased were marked by a number of ongoing reforms. It was at this time that the first in Rus' was convened Zemsky Sobor- an estate-representative body, somewhat reminiscent of a modern parliament. In 1551, a church was held. In addition, Aleksey Fedorovich Adashev took an active part in the development of the Code of Laws, which was published in 1550. In the same year, Ivan the Terrible awarded him the title of okolnichy.
Alexey Adashev also distinguished himself in diplomatic activities. He negotiated with the Kazan Khanate, the Nogai Horde, the Kingdom of Poland and Denmark. In addition, he took an active part in 1552, supervising engineering work.
Confrontation with the Romanovs
At this time, thanks to the marriage of Tsar John to Anastasia Romanovna, the Zakharyin family rose to prominence, later known as the Romanovs, which gave Russia whole line kings and emperors. They began to compete fiercely in the struggle for influence on the Tsar with Adashev and Sylvester.
The turning point in this struggle came in 1553, when Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich became seriously ill. Then he demanded that all the courtiers swear allegiance to his son from Anastasia Romanovna, Dmitry, as the future king. This should also have been done by the tsar’s cousin Vladimir Andreevich Staritsky, who, according to the old custom, had the primary right to the throne. Those close to the sovereign were divided into two parties: one unquestioningly swore allegiance to the prince, and the other sided with Vladimir Staritsky.
Aleksei Fedorovich Adashev immediately swore allegiance to Dmitry, but his father Fyodor Grigorievich refused to do so, fearing the further strengthening of the Romanovs. After this incident and the recovery of Ivan the Terrible, the tsar ceased to treat the Adashev family with the same favor.
Despite the cold snap in Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich’s attitude towards Alexei Adashev, the latter still long time had a significant influence on government affairs.
Opal
Nevertheless, this state of affairs could not continue forever, and Alexey Fedorovich understood this perfectly well. 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 increasingly strengthened their positions, and Adashev and Sylvester faded into the background. Despite the death of Tsarevich Dmitry in the same 1553, the Romanovs began to exert even more influence on the sovereign.
The tension between the tsar and Alexei Adashev reached its peak in 1560. Just shortly before that, the Livonian War began in the Baltic states, and Alexey Fedorovich chose to go there, away from the court. This event could be considered a kind of honorary exile. Alexey Adashev was given the rank of governor. His immediate commander was Prince Mstislavsky.
But Alexei Fedorovich failed to conquer military honors in the fields of Livonia, since in the same year Queen Anastasia died, which made King John even more embittered towards the Adashev family. Therefore, Alexey Adashev was sent to the Dorpat fortress on the territory of modern Estonia and taken into custody.
Death
It was while in captivity in Dorpat that Alexey Adashev died in 1561. Death occurred due to fever, which former manager The chosen one was ill for two months. At the time of his death, there were no relatives, relatives, or friends near Alexei Fedorovich. Thus ended the years of life of one of the most active people our Fatherland of our time.
However, similar death, quite possibly, saved him from the more difficult fate that Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the Romanovs were preparing for him. Evidence of this may be that soon after the death of Alexei Adashev, his brother Daniil was executed along with his son Tarkh. A similar fate befell other representatives of the Adashev family, which practically ceased to exist. The father of Alexei and Daniil Adashev, Fyodor Grigorievich, died back in 1556 of natural causes.
Performance evaluation
Of course, not every figure of the 16th century was so bright in national history as Alexey Adashev. The description of his activities by most historians is quite positive. He is credited with establishing a number of state institutions and broad reform practices. True, this time did not last long. Moreover, in contrast to the period active work Adashev looks like the era of oprichnina and rampant obscurantism that came after his removal from government affairs.
Of course, the deeds for the benefit of the Fatherland of Alexei Adashev, as well as his biography, are worthy of detailed study.
(Duma nobleman, falconer, bed guard), head of the government of the Chosen Rada.
Year and place of birth are unknown. He came from the Kostroma nobles, was considered a “not very noble family, but good”, associated with the Moscow boyars.
He was first mentioned in 1547 at the royal wedding in the positions of “false man” and “mover”, that is, he made the sovereign’s wedding bed and accompanied the newlyweds to the bathhouse. He gained great influence on the tsar during the Moscow fire of 1547, when the tsar began to bring people who were not well-born, but loyal, closer to him. Thanks to his talents and devotion to the autocrat, Adashev found himself among the leaders of the “Chosen Rada” - royal advisers, reasonable and perfect men (N.M. Karamzin), who actually became an unofficial government in the 1540s–1550s. Created in 1549, the Elected Rada (led by Adashev, who had the status of a Duma nobleman in it) temporarily pushed the Boyar Duma away from governing the country, and Adashev himself, “united” with the priest of the Annunciation Cathedral Sylvester, advanced to the largest statesmen. The time of the Chosen Council, led by Adashev, was a period of broad and fruitful activity for both the tsar himself and his government. The name of Adashev and his government is associated with a number of reforms that strengthened royal power(the first Zemsky Sobor, the church's Stoglavy Sobor, was convened, “statutory charters” were granted, which strengthened the position of service people). Together with other members of the Chosen Rada, A.F. Adashev actively participated in the development of Code of Law 1550. During these same years, he was promoted to falconer.
In the early 1550s, what began at the end of the 15th century continued. creation of industry management bodies state life- orders. The Tsar put Adashev in charge of the highest control body - the Petition Order. Adashev personally considered many of the petitions received from the localities. The sources preserved his personal characteristics (stern, domineering, forced those who did not obey him to be brought into service, “shackled”). His contemporary Prince Andrei Kurbsky considered him “like an earthly angel,” since Adashev was known as an ascetic, fair and deeply religious man. Surrounded by the tsar, he (along with Sylvester, Kurbsky and others) belonged to the circle of convinced reformers - oppositionists of the noble boyars and was therefore “very useful to the common cause” (A. Kurbsky).
Adashev pursued a policy of reforms that reflected the interests of significant circles of feudal lords and contributed to the centralization of power. He contributed greatly to the abolition of the feeding system and the implementation military reform(the creation of a “chosen thousand” warriors from the nobles, who were provided with land near Moscow). An intelligent and energetic worker, he (as a bed servant) was so close to the king that he became his keeper personal archive And state seal"for urgent and secret matters."
Around 1550 he became treasurer and headed the financial department.
Supervised the writing of official Bit books And Sovereign's genealogist, and Chronicler of the beginning of the kingdom.
Constantly participated in negotiations with foreign ambassadors, including the Kazan king Shig-Aley (1551 and 1552) and Nogai horde(1553). He pursued an active foreign policy, led the diplomatic preparations for the annexation of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates, and engineering work during the siege of Kazan in 1552.
In the spring of 1553, Tsar Ivan IV became seriously ill, made a spiritual will and demanded that he swear allegiance to his young son Dmitry. The Tsar's will was challenged only by two courtiers - cousin the tsar by the Staritsky prince Vladimir Andreevich and the father of A.F. Adashev, the okolnichy Fyodor Adashev. Personally, A.F. Adashev swore allegiance to Dmitry (as the tsar wanted), but his father announced to the sick Ivan IV that he did not want to obey the Romanovs, who would rule the country during Dmitry’s minority.
When the tsar recovered, his attitude towards the Adashev family changed dramatically. Despite his past merits, A.F. Adashev was sent to diplomatic work and thereby alienated from the affairs of the capital. In 1555–1556, Adashev led negotiations justifying annexation to Russia Astrakhan Khanate. After the successful completion of this mission, he insisted on continuing the fight against Crimean Tatars and development of this direction foreign policy. However, Ivan IV chose to start the Livonian War for access to Baltic Sea (1558–1584).
Disagreeing with this decision of the tsar, Adashev nevertheless repeatedly participated together with I.M. Viskovaty in negotiations with Livonia (1554, 1557, 1558), and then with Poland (1558, 1560) and Denmark (1559), that is, unconditionally carried out all the diplomatic assignments of the king at the first stage Livonian War. However, despite such devotion, in May 1560 Adashev was sent by Ivan IV into honorable exile - all to the same Livonia as the commander of a large regiment. The Tsar's disgrace was caused by the growing morbid suspicion of Ivan IV at that time, as well as by the fact that the policy of the Chosen Rada no longer reflected the interests of the growing nobility. Adashev himself increasingly turned into an oppositionist. Formally, his government fell as a result of disagreements with Ivan the Terrible in the conduct of foreign policy. In fact, the end of the 1550s brought an end to the long-standing rivalry between the tsar and the reformers who rejected violence and terror on the paths of centralization.
On August 7, 1560, the wife of Ivan IV, Anastasia Romanova-Zakharyina, died. The Tsar believed rumors that she was poisoned by people associated with A.F. Adashev, and exiled the suspect to Dorpat (Tartu). There Adashev was placed under secret surveillance and died two months later under unclear circumstances (allegedly from a fever).
N.M. Karamzin wrote about Adashev: “This temporary worker is the beauty of the century and humanity.” Many Russian pre-revolutionary historians assessed Adashev as a philanthropist and humanist of the 16th century. Immortalized on the Monument to the 1000th Anniversary of Russia in Novgorod (1862). Soviet researchers tried to emphasize the class nature of the policy of the government led by Adashev.
Lev Pushkarev, Natalya Pushkareva
Adashevs, 1) Fyodor Grigorievich, boyar, governor and ambassador to Vasily III and Ivan IV. 2) Alexey Fedorovich, bed-keeper of Grozny, an influential favorite from the party of Archpriest Sylvester, supporter internal reforms. From the death of Queen Anastasia in disgrace, he died in custody in Dorpat in 1561. 3) Danilo Fedorovich, brother of Alexei, governor, fought near Kazan, in the Crimea, in Livonia under the command of Kurbsky; executed in 1561
Small encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich(?-1561), okolnichy (from 1553). Brother of D. F. Adashev. One of the closest advisers to Tsar Ivan IV. He headed the Chosen Council. Since the late 40s. led diplomatic relations With eastern states, from the mid-50s. - all foreign policy. Initiator of reforms in the late 40s - early 50s. XVI century, strengthened central government.
Encyclopedic Dictionary “History of the Fatherland from Ancient Times to the Present Day”
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich(?-1560) - a major statesman during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, son of F. G. Adashev. In the late 40s. XVI century - one of the king’s most influential advisers, a member of the Chosen Rada. Under his leadership, important reforms were carried out that strengthened the central government. Among the most important titles and positions were the following: okolnichy, head of the Petition Prikaz, bed servant and keeper of the tsar’s personal archive along with the seal “for quick and secret matters.” He supervised the work on compiling the official book of the “sovereign genealogy”, edited the materials of the official chronicle - “The Chronicler of the Beginning of the Kingdom.” With his active participation, the khanates of Kazan (1552) and Astrakhan (1556) were annexed to the Russian state. Together with clerk I.M. Viskovaty, he led the diplomatic preparations for the Livonian War of 1558-1583. In 1560 he was sent by the third governor with a large regiment to Livonia, to Viljandi, after the siege and capture of which he was left there by the first governor. In the same year he fell into disgrace due to his opposition to the continuation of the war. In Yuryev (Dorpt) he was first taken into custody, then put under house arrest and soon died.
V. V. Boguslavsky, V. V. Burminov.
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich(d. 1561, Yuryev (Tartu) - statesman. Descended from the Kostroma nobles - a family not very noble, but “good”. One of the leaders of the Chosen Rada - the government of the tsar’s “advisers, wise and perfect men”, which arose around 1549. He was known for his asceticism and deep religiosity. He pursued a policy of reforms that reflected the interests of wide circles of feudal lords and contributed to the centralization of power. He carried out reforms in the army: he limited localism, laid the foundation for the Streltsy army. Participated in the creation of the Code of Law of 1550. At this time, the work begun under Ivan was continued III creation governing bodies of branches of public life - orders. The highest control body - the Petition Order - was controlled by Adashev himself. He was stern and domineering: he once ordered a person who did not obey him to be sent to service “shackled.” Adashev was also a bed-keeper who was in charge of the personal archive of Ivan IV and edited the materials of the official chronicle - “The Chronicler of the Beginning of the Kingdom.” Around 1550 he became treasurer and headed the financial department. From the same year, he constantly participated in negotiations with foreign ambassadors. He pursued an active foreign policy, led the diplomatic preparations for the annexation of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates, and engineering work during the siege of Kazan in 1552. In 1560, Adashev, suspected of poisoning Queen Anastasia, was removed from power by the tsar and sent to serve in Livonia, where he died from the "fire disease". Formally, Adashev's government fell as a result of disagreements with Ivan IV in the conduct of foreign policy. In fact, a line was drawn under the long-standing rivalry between the tsar and the reformers who did not want accelerated centralization with the inevitable terror.
A. P. Shikman.
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich ( died 1561), Russian statesman. He came from Kostroma nobles, related to the Moscow boyars. Since the late 40s. XVI century one of the leaders of the government of the Elected Rada, which contributed to the implementation most important reforms, strengthening the central government. Adashev was a okolnichy, the head of the Petition Prikaz and a bed-keeper (court rank), who was in charge of the personal archive of Tsar Ivan IV and kept the seal “for quick and secret matters.” He supervised the work on compiling the official rank book and the “sovereign genealogy book”, edited the materials of the official chronicle - “The Chronicler of the Beginning of the Kingdom.”
A supporter of an active foreign policy towards the Tatar khanates, Adashev led the diplomatic preparations for the annexation of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates; headed engineering work during the siege of Kazan in 1552. Together with I.M. Viskovaty, he led diplomatic preparations for the Livonian War of 1558-1583. and was in charge of Russia's foreign relations in the first years of the war. He contributed to the conclusion of a truce with Livonia that was unfavorable for Russia in the spring of 1559. In May 1560 he was sent as a governor to Livonia. Adashev opposed the further intensification of the war, as well as the strengthening of the influence of the Zakharyins, the queen’s relatives, which could have been the reason for his disgrace. In 1560 he was taken into custody in Yuryev (Tartu), where he died.
Literature: Zimin A. A., Reforms of Ivan the Terrible, M., 1960; Smirnov I. I., Essays political history Russian state of the 30-50s. XVI century, M.-L., 1958; Shmidt S. O., Government activities of A. F. Adashev, “ Scientific notes Moscow State University", 1954, c. 167; his, Eastern policy of Russia on the eve of the “Capture of Kazan”, in the collection: International relationships. Policy. Diplomacy of the XVI-XX centuries. (Collected article on the 80th anniversary of Academician I.M. Maisky), M., 1964.
S. O. Schmidt.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Adashev Alexey Fedorovich(?-1561), Duma nobleman, okolnichy (from November 1553), bed servant. From Kostroma nobles. Since the late 40s. XVI century led the Elected Rada. Associated with his name government reforms late 40-50s XVI century, which determined the features of the century government controlled in Russia. He combined government duties with court duties (bed attendant), and was the custodian of the tsar’s personal treasury and his seal “for urgent and secret matters.” He headed the Petition Order, which directed and controlled the activities of other institutions under him and at the same time served as the personal office of the tsar. Conducted diplomatic preparations for the annexation of the Kazan Khanate. He supervised the compilation of the official Rank Book and the “Sovereign's Genealogist”, and edited the official chronicle. Supporter of active eastern policy Russian state. Together with I.M. Viskovatov was in charge of Russia's foreign relations at the beginning of the Livonian War of 1558-1583, but resisted further intensification of military operations in the west. In 1560 he was a governor in Livonia, died in Yuryev in disgrace caused by the struggle for power among court factions. The reason for his disgrace may have been Adashev’s resistance to the continuation of the war, the fight against the influence of the Zakharyins, relatives of Queen Anastasia.
Literature: Schmidt S.O., Government activities A.F. Adasheva, “Scientific Notes of Moscow State University”, 1954, c. 167.
S.O. Schmidt.
Encyclopedia "Moscow"
Adashev, Alexey Fedorovich, a famous favorite of Ivan the Terrible, the son of a serviceman of insignificant origin, Fyodor Grigorievich Adashev. “This personality, perhaps less talented than some of his contemporary political businessmen, shines so bright light kindness and purity, is such an example of a philanthropist and humanist of the 16th century that it is not difficult to understand her charm for everything around her” (N. P. Likhachev). Adashev was first mentioned in 1547 at the royal wedding (February 3) in the position of lieutenant and mover, i.e. he made the sovereign’s wedding bed and accompanied the newlywed to the bathhouse. Adashev began to enjoy great influence on the Tsar together with the famous Annunciation priest Sylvester after the terrible Moscow fires (in April and June 1547) and the murder of the Tsar’s uncle Yuri Glinsky by the indignant people. From that time on, the tsar, who was not disposed towards noble boyars, brought two unborn, but the best people of his time, Sylvester and Adashev. John found in them, as well as in Queen Anastasia and Metropolitan Macarius, moral support and restraint of his nature, which had been spoiled since childhood. The time of the so-called reign of Sylvester and Adashev was a time of diversified government activities (convening the first Zemsky Sobor to approve the Code of Law in 1550, convening the Church Council of Stoglav in 1551, conquest of Kazan in 1552 and Astrakhan in 1557; granting charters , which determined the self-government of communities; the large expansion of estates, which strengthened the maintenance of service people). In 1550, John granted Adashev a okolnichy and at the same time gave him a speech by which it is best to judge the tsar’s relationship with his favorite: “Alexey! I took you from the poor and from the youngest people. I heard about yours good deeds, and now I have sought you beyond your measure for the sake of helping my soul; although your desire is not for this, I wished for you, and not only you, but also others like you, who would quench my sorrow and look upon the people given to me by God. I instruct you to accept petitions from the poor and offended and analyze them carefully. Do not be afraid of the strong and glorious, who steal honors and destroy the poor and weak with their violence; do not look at the false tears of the poor, who slander the rich, who want to be right with false tears: but consider everything carefully and bring the truth to us, fearing the judgment of God; elect truthful judges from the boyars and nobles.” At the same time, he was in charge of the state archive, kept the state chronicle and participated in the compilation of a set of discharge books and the “sovereign genealogy”. In 1553-1560, being not separated from the tsar, according to Kurbsky, “he was extremely useful to the common cause.” Issued and diplomatic activity Adashev in conducting many negotiations entrusted to him: with the Kazan king Shig-Aley (1551 and 1552), Nogais (1553), Livonia (1554, 1557, 1558), Poland (1558, 1560), Denmark (1559). The importance of Sylvester and Adashev at court also created enemies for them, of which the main ones were the Zakharyins, relatives of Queen Anastasia. These enemies especially took advantage of the circumstances that were unfavorable for Adashev during the tsar’s illness in 1553. Having become dangerously ill, the tsar wrote a spiritual letter and demanded that his cousin Prince Vladimir Andreevich Staritsky and the boyars swear allegiance to his son, the infant Dmitry. Alexey Adashev, however, swore unquestioning allegiance to Dmitry, but his father, the okolnichy Fyodor Adashev, directly announced to the sick king that they did not want to obey the Romanovs, who would rule during Dmitry’s childhood. John recovered, and from then on the king began to cool off towards his former friends. In May 1560, relations between the tsar and his advisers became so strained that Adashev found it inconvenient to remain at court and went into honorable exile in Livonia, the third commander of a large regiment led by Prince Mstislavsky and Morozov. After the death of Queen Anastasia (died August 7, 1560), John’s dislike for Adashev intensified; the king ordered him to be transferred to Dorpat and placed in custody. Here Adashev fell ill with a fever and died two months later.
Adashev, Alexey Fedorovich(?-1560) - a famous Russian statesman from the time of Ivan the Terrible (Duma nobleman, falconer, bed guard), head of the government of the Chosen Rada.
Year and place of birth are unknown. He came from the Kostroma nobles, was considered a “not very noble family, but good”, associated with the Moscow boyars.
He was first mentioned in 1547 at the royal wedding in the positions of “false man” and “movnik”, that is, he made the sovereign’s wedding bed and accompanied the newlyweds to the bathhouse. He gained great influence on the tsar during the Moscow fire of 1547, when the tsar began to bring people who were not well-born, but loyal, closer to him. Thanks to his talents and devotion to the autocrat, Adashev found himself among the leaders of the “Chosen Rada” - royal advisers, reasonable and perfect men (N. M. Karamzin), who actually became an unofficial government in the 1540-1550s. Created in 1549, the Elected Rada (led by Adashev, who had the status of a Duma nobleman in it) temporarily pushed the Boyar Duma away from governing the country, and Adashev himself, “together” with the priest of the Annunciation Cathedral, Sylvester, became a major statesman. The time of the Chosen Council, led by Adashev, was a period of broad and fruitful activity for both the tsar himself and his government. The name of Adashev and his government is associated with a number of reforms that strengthened the tsarist power (the first Zemsky Sobor, the Church Council of the Hundred Heads were convened, “statutory charters” were granted, which strengthened the position of service people). Together with other members of the Chosen Rada, A.F. Adashev actively participated in the development of the Code of Laws of 1550. During these same years, he was promoted to falconer.
In the early 1550s. continued what began at the end of the 15th century. creation of governing bodies for sectors of public life - orders. The Tsar put Adashev in charge of the highest control body - the Petition Order. Adashev personally considered many of the petitions received from the localities. The sources preserved his personal characteristics (stern, domineering, forced those who did not obey him to be brought into service, “shackled”). His contemporary Prince Andrei Kurbsky considered him “like an earthly angel,” since Adashev was known as an ascetic, fair and deeply religious man. Surrounded by the tsar, he (along with Sylvester, Kurbsky and others) belonged to the circle of convinced reformers - oppositionists of the noble boyars and was therefore “very useful to the common cause” (A. Kurbsky).
Adashev pursued a policy of reforms that reflected the interests of significant circles of feudal lords and contributed to the centralization of power. He contributed greatly to the abolition of the feeding system and the implementation of military reform (the creation of a “chosen thousand” warriors from the nobility, who were provided with land near Moscow). An intelligent and energetic worker, he (as a bed servant) was so close to the tsar that he became the custodian of his personal archive and the state seal “for urgent and secret matters.”
Around 1550 he became treasurer and headed the financial department.
He supervised the writing of the official Rank books and the Sovereign's genealogy, as well as the Chronicler of the beginning of the kingdom.
Constantly participated in negotiations with foreign ambassadors, including the Kazan king Shig-Aley (1551-1552) and the Nogai Horde (1553). He pursued an active foreign policy, led the diplomatic preparations for the annexation of the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates, and engineering work during the siege of Kazan in 1552.
In the spring of 1553, Tsar Ivan IV became seriously ill, made a spiritual will and demanded that his young son Dmitry swear allegiance. The Tsar's will was challenged only by two courtiers - the Tsar's cousin, Staritsky Prince Vladimir Andreevich, and A. F. Adashev's father, the okolnichy Fyodor Adashev. Personally, A.F. Adashev swore allegiance to Dmitry (as the tsar wanted), but his father announced to the sick Ivan IV that he did not want to obey the Romanovs, who would rule the country during Dmitry’s minority.
When the tsar recovered, his attitude towards the Adashev family changed dramatically. Despite his past merits, A.F. Adashev was sent to diplomatic work and thereby alienated from the affairs of the capital. In 1555-1556. Adashev led negotiations justifying the annexation of the Astrakhan Khanate to Russia. After the successful completion of this mission, he insisted on continuing the fight against the Crimean Tatars and developing this area of foreign policy. However, Ivan IV chose to start the Livonian War for access to the Baltic Sea (1558-1584).
Disagreeing with this decision of the tsar, Adashev nevertheless repeatedly participated together with I.M. Viskovaty in negotiations with Livonia (1554, 1557, 1558), and then with Poland (1558, 1560) and Denmark (1559 .), that is, he unconditionally carried out all the diplomatic orders of the tsar at the first stage of the Livonian War. However, despite such devotion, in May 1560 Adashev was sent by Ivan IV into honorable exile - all to the same Livonia as the commander of a large regiment. The Tsar's disgrace was caused by the growing morbid suspicion of Ivan IV at that time, as well as by the fact that the policy of the Chosen Rada no longer reflected the interests of the growing nobility. Adashev himself increasingly turned into an oppositionist. Formally, his government fell as a result of disagreements with Ivan the Terrible in the conduct of foreign policy. In fact, the end of the 1550s. drew a line under the long-standing rivalry between the tsar and the reformers who rejected violence and terror on the paths of centralization.
On August 7, 1560, the wife of Ivan IV, Anastasia Romanova-Zakharyina, died. The Tsar believed rumors that she was poisoned by people associated with A.F. Adashev, and exiled the suspect to Dorpat (Tartu). There Adashev was placed under secret surveillance and died two months later under unclear circumstances (allegedly from a fever).
N. M. Karamzin wrote about Adashev: “This temporary worker is the beauty of the century and humanity.” Many Russian pre-revolutionary historians assessed Adashev as a philanthropist and humanist of the 16th century. Immortalized on the Monument to the 1000th Anniversary of Russia in Novgorod (1862). Soviet researchers tried to emphasize the class nature of the policies of the government led by Adashev.
Literature: Bakhrushin S.V. “The Chosen Rada” by Ivan the Terrible. - In the book: Bakhrushin S.V. Scientific works, t. 2. M., 1954; Zimin A.A. Reforms of Ivan the Terrible. M., 1960; Smirnov I.I. Essays on the political history of the Russian state of the 30-50s. XVI century M.-L., 1958; Schmidt S.O. Government activities of A.F. Adashev. - In the book: Scientific notes of Moscow State University, v. 167. M., 1954.
Lev Pushkarev, Natalya Pushkareva
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