False Dmitry II (“Tushinsky thief”) (1572-1610) - an impostor of unknown origin. From 1607 he pretended to be the allegedly saved Tsar Dmitry (False Dmitry I). In 1608-09 he created the Tushino camp near Moscow, from where he unsuccessfully tried to capture the capital. With the beginning of open Polish intervention, he fled to Kaluga, where he was killed.

Instead of the deceased False Dmitry I, gentry-lord Poland put forward a new adventurer, known as False Dmitry II. In July 1607, an impostor posing as Tsarevich Dmitry, who allegedly escaped in 1606, appeared in the border town of Starodub. He arrived from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where he had previously been in prison.

In September 1607, when Tula was still defending itself against the troops of Vasily Shuisky, False Dmitry II with a detachment of Polish nobles moved from Slarodub to the upper reaches of the Oka. The fall of Tula in October 1607 forced False Dmitry II to flee to the Sevsk region (Komaritskaya volost). From here he again began to move north and at the beginning of 1608 he stayed in Orel, where he began to gather troops.

During the winter and summer of 1607-1608. Significant Polish-Lithuanian detachments gathered around False Dmitry II. A relative of the Lithuanian Chancellor Lev Sapieha, Jan Sapieha, with the permission of the king, openly gathered troops for a new campaign. The Polish government, trying to get rid of the participants in the gentry uprising - the “rokoshans”, gave them the opportunity to leave within the Russian state. So one of the participants in the “roar,” Lisovsky, ended up in the army of False Dmitry II. Following the large Polish gentlemen - princes Rozhinsky, Vishnevetsky (former patron of False Dmitry I) and others, were small Polish and Lithuanian nobles and all sorts of adventurers. In addition to the main Polish-Lithuanian military core, those who continued the fight against Shuisky’s government began to join False Dmitry II. In the Chernigov-Seversky cities, small service people joined him, then Cossack detachments approached, and even later the remnants of Bolotnikov’s defeated detachments joined him, including Ataman Zarutsky, who became the leader of the Cossack detachments. Having defeated the tsar's troops near Volkhov in the spring of 1608, the troops of False Dmitry II approached Moscow on June 1 and began its siege. The main headquarters of the interventionists was set up 12 km from Moscow, in the village of Tushino. Therefore, the nickname “Tushino thief” was established for False Dmitry II. Soon, Marina Mnishek found herself in the Tushinsky camp, “recognizing” her late husband False Dmitry I in the new impostor. Moscow service people, as well as individual representatives of the boyar families, dissatisfied with Vasily Shuisky - the Trubetskoys, Romanovs and others - began to pour into the camp one by one and in whole groups. Tushino formed its own royal court, the boyar duma. The actual power in the Tushino camp belonged to the “commission of decemvirs”, consisting of 10 Polish nobles. The Roman Catholic Church closely followed what was happening in Russia, hoping to use False Dmitry II for its own purposes. The boyar-noble group in the Tushino camp increased in number. The peasants and slaves who had attached themselves to False Dmitry II after the defeat of Bolotnikov’s uprising, on the contrary, moved away from him. The policy of the authorities of the Tushino camp and the actions of the Polish detachments showed the working population the true face of the Tushino “tsar,” who was a toy in the hands of the Polish nobility and part of the Moscow boyars, who had linked their fate with the interventionists. Not being able to capture Moscow, the Tushino people began to blockade it. They began to expand their area of ​​operations. At first, the population of some cities, who opposed the boyar government of Shuisky, voluntarily went over to the side of False Dmitry II. Very soon, further expansion of the territory became possible only through the armed capture of cities. Tushino residents were especially attracted to a number of rich northern and Volga cities: Rostov, Suzdal, Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Vologda and other cities. By the fall of 1608, they had captured and plundered 22 cities. Shuisky's government, unable to lead the fight against the interventionists, was increasingly losing influence in the country. It was during this period that in a number of regions (Pskov, Volga Pomorie, Western Siberia) the struggle against serfdom and the Shuisky government that personified it unfolded. The Tushins robbed not only the captured cities, but with no less zeal they robbed the peasants. False Dmitry II distributed rural areas and cities to his followers, who subjected the population to complete ruin. The real role of the Polish adventurer False Dmitry II was revealed to the Russian people. Already at the end of 1608, the townspeople and peasants responded to the violence of the Tushin people with a spontaneously rising people's war.

In the summer of 1609, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth began military operations against Russia. Her troops entered Russian lands, and the first city on the way of the Polish troops was Smolensk. The city, which then had 80 thousand inhabitants, was defended by a 5.4 thousand garrison led by governor Mikhail Shein. Before the arrival of the Poles, Shein ordered to burn out the settlement, and its population also took refuge behind the walls of Smolesk. The surrounding peasants also took refuge in Smolensk, thereby increasing the city’s population to 110 thousand people. Hetman Stanislav Zholkiewski, who directly led the Polish army, after discussing at the military council the methods of capturing the fortress, was forced to report to the king that the army did not have the necessary forces and means for this, suggested that Sigismund III limit himself to the blockade of Smolensk, and the main forces to go to Moscow. The king, having decided to take possession of Smolensk at any cost, rejected this offer. Carrying out his will, the hetman ordered the assault to begin. The assault began on September 27, 1609. During the night attack, Polish miners crept up to the Avraamievsky Gate and blew it up with a firecracker. But the soldiers of the garrison repelled the infantry rushing into the gap with cannon fire. In winter, the Poles tried to make tunnels. But they failed, because the Smolensk people had eavesdroppers on the walls in the ground. Smolensk miners dug to the Polish gallery and blew it up. In underground battles on January 16 and 27, the Smolensk people drove the Poles out of the galleries and then blew up the mines. Defeat in the mine war deprived the Polish troops of hope for quick success. The staunch defense of Smolensk pinned down the main forces of the interventionists, preventing them from moving towards Moscow. This allowed M.V. Skopin-Shuisky to win a number of victories, clear vast areas in the north-west of the country from the enemy, liquidate the Tushino camp of False Dmitry II and in March 1610 liberate Moscow from the siege. However, in the summer of 1610 the situation changed dramatically in favor of the Polish side. After the brutal defeat of the Russian troops coming to the aid of Smolensk near Klushino on June 24, 1610, nothing stopped Sigismund from directing all his efforts to capture the fortress. In July, siege artillery was brought to the Polish camp, and the Poles resumed shelling the city. On July 19, after gunfire made a hole in the wall, the besiegers launched an attack, but the assault was repulsed. On July 20, the assault was resumed, but failed again. On August 11, Sigismund made another attempt. Having lost over a thousand people, the Poles were forced to retreat this time too. Meanwhile, on the night of September 21, 1610, the boyar government allowed the Poles into Moscow, thereby committing an act of national treason. The position of the defenders worsened even more. However, the assault carried out on November 21 also ended in failure for the Poles. After the losses suffered, Sigismund did not take any more risks and moved on to the siege. Negotiations to persuade the townspeople to capitulate in September 1610 and March 1611 did not bring the desired results. However, the forces of the defenders were melting away, and by the summer of 1611, only 8 thousand people remained alive in the city, and the number of people capable of holding weapons was 200 people. It was at this moment that the traitor Dedeshyn ran across to the Poles’ camp. He spoke about the plight of the garrison and pointed out the weakest point of defense in the western part of the fortress wall. On the evening of June 2, enemy troops took up their starting position for the final decisive assault. Exactly at midnight, maintaining silence, the enemy moved forward. In the area of ​​the Avraamievsky Gate, he managed to unnoticed climb the assault ladders onto the wall and break into the fortress. At this time, German mercenaries tried to penetrate the fortress through a hole made in the wall the day before. But here their road was blocked by several dozen Russian soldiers, led by governor M.B. Shein. In a fierce battle, almost all of them died the death of the brave. Only a few people, including the governor wounded in battle, were captured. Having blown up part of the fortress wall in the place where the traitor indicated, the enemy burst into the city from the west. A fierce struggle ensued on the streets of the burning city. The forces were clearly unequal. By morning the enemy captured Smolensk. Its last defenders retreated to Cathedral Hill, where the majestic Assumption Cathedral stood. The fortress's gunpowder reserves were stored in its basements. Up to 3,000 townspeople took refuge within the walls of the cathedral. When all those who defended the Cathedral Hill fell in an unequal battle, and the brutal Landsknechts burst into the cathedral, a powerful explosion was heard. Under the smoking ruins, the Smolensk people who were there and did not want to surrender died along with their enemies. These unknown Russian patriots chose death over captivity. So, after a 20-month heroic defense, having completely exhausted its defensive capabilities, Smolensk fell. During the defense, the entire garrison of the fortress was killed. Of the 110 thousand people who were in the city at the beginning of the siege, practically no one remained alive. However, the Poles did not know that not only the people, but also the Earth itself had a historical memory, and when, 330 years later, prisoners were brought to Smolensk land Poles, the memory of the Earth has awakened - the descendants of those who burned and trampled the Smolensk region found their death here. But these victims were not enough to atone for previous atrocities, and after another seven decades, the top of the Polish elite crashed onto the Smolensk land.

In a desperate situation, the violent Lyapunov brothers again decided to overthrow Vasily Shuisky. This plan was approved by the agents of False Dmitry II, who promised to simultaneously depose their Thief in order to later reconcile with the Muscovites and the entire Russian land to elect a common tsar. On July 17, 1610, a crowd of people led by Zakhar Lyapunov burst into the palace and demanded that Vasily Shuisky “put down the royal staff.” Vasily refused. The conspirators then went out into the street and called the people, who passed a general sentence to beat Shuisky with his forehead so that he would come down from the throne. Tsar Vasily could no longer resist the desire of all Moscow. The overthrown Shuisky and his wife left the Kremlin. The next day the news came that False Dmitry’s people had deceived the Muscovites and did not want to renounce their “tsar.” The Lyapunovs, however, were in a hurry to consolidate the coup that had taken place in Moscow. On July 19, their people came to Shuisky and forcibly tonsured him as a monk.

Power in Moscow passed to the "Seven Boyars", which, not getting along with False Dmitry, entered into negotiations with Hetman Zholkiewski, who had already approached the city. The boyars agreed to transfer the Russian throne to the son of King Sigismund, Vladislav. Residents of the city took the oath to Vladislav, the Seven Boyars allowed the Polish garrison into Moscow. Having arranged matters to the benefit of the Poles, Zholkiewski went to the king, who continued to besiege Smolensk. He brought Sigismund Vasily Shuisky and his brothers from Moscow (October 30) as prisoners to the camp. Presented to the king, Shuisky behaved quite proudly, saying that he was captured not because of the victories of the Poles, but because of the betrayal of his boyars.

With the blessing and advice of His Holiness Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia [and the consecrated cathedral and by the verdict of all service people, F. I. Mstislavsky and the boyars entered into an agreement with representatives of the king and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth on the following conditions]:

The Great Sovereign Zhigimont will grant the king his son, Vladislav Zhigimontovich, for Vladimir and Moscow and for all the great states of the Russian kingdom.

And to the sovereign prince Vladislav Zhigimontovich, when the sovereign comes to the reigning city of Moscow, to be crowned with the Vladimir and Moscow state and all the great and glorious states of the Russian kingdom with a royal crown and diadem from His Holiness Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and from everything consecrated to the council of the Greek faith according to to their former rank and property, just as the former great sovereigns, the kings of Moscow, were married.

And being the sovereign prince Vladislav Zhigimontovich in the Russian state, the Church of God in Moscow and in all cities and villages in the Moscow state and in the entire Russian kingdom is to be honored and decorated in everything according to the previous custom and protected from ruin from any kind.

And worship and honor the holy icons of God and the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints and miraculous relics. And the hierarchical and priestly ranks and all Orthodox Christians continue to be in the Orthodox Christian faith of the Greek law.

And the Roman faith and other religious churches and all other religious prayer churches should not be erected anywhere in the Moscow state, both in cities and villages. And what the hetman said in response to the royal response, so that in the reigning city of Moscow at least one Roman church could serve the people of Poland and Lithuania, who will be procrastinating under the sovereign prince, about that to the sovereign prince with the patriarch, and with all the clergy, and with the boyars, and talk to all thoughtful people.

And our Christian Orthodox faith and the Greek law are not to be destroyed or dishonored in any way. And do not introduce any other faiths, so that our holy Orthodox faith of the Greek law has its integrity and beauty as before.

And the Russian state should not divert Orthodox Christian people from the Greek faith to the Roman faith and to any other by force and necessity and by any other measures.

And Jews should not enter the entire Russian state for bargaining or any other business.

It is a great honor for Prince Vladislav Zhigimontovich to have the celibate coffins and relics of saints.

And His Holiness Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, as well as metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, archimandrites and abbots, priests and deacons, and priestly and monastic ranks, and the entire consecrated council of our Christian Orthodox faith, honor and cherish the Greek law in everything.

And do not interfere in spiritual matters of any kind. And other faiths, other than the Greek faith, should not be placed in the spiritual rank.

And what was given to the churches of God and to the monasteries of estates or estates, and what went under the former kings of foreign grain, and money, and all kinds of land - and that tribute of all the former sovereigns of Moscow, and the boyars, and all sorts of people, the tribute of the churches of God and the monasteries is not take it away, keeping everything as before, without violating anything.

And do not destroy any church or monastic ranks in any way. And all kinds of church and monastic dues, which were previously given from the state treasury, are all given as before from the state treasury.

And for the sake of the great God, for the sake of mercy, add every kind of giving to churches and monasteries.

Boyars, and okolnichy, and nobles, and clerks of the Duma, and chashniki, and stewards, and solicitors, and clerks, and all sorts of clerks in all orders in all government affairs in zemstvo affairs, and in cities, governors, and clerks, and all sorts of clerks people and all ranks will continue to be as before, as was customary in the Moscow state under the former great sovereigns.

And the Polish and Lithuanian people in Moscow will not have any Zemstvo reprisals, and in the cities they will not be voivodes or clerks, and Polish and Lithuanian people will not be allowed to serve as viceroys and elders of cities.

[Vladislav could reward the Poles and Lithuanians of his retinue with money and estates. Russian service people - from boyars to gunners - he had to have] all according to their dignity in honor, and in salary, and in favor... the former customs and ranks that were in the Moscow state cannot be changed, and the Moscow princely and boyar families foreigners are visiting in the fatherland [of birth] and it is an honor not to oppress or depress.

<Владислав обязывался сохранять за владельцами прежние поместья, вотчины и казенные оклады и изменять их лишь по совету с Думой, как и юридические нормы; важные судебные решения, особенно смертные приговоры, новый царь мог выносить только вместе с боярским судом.

Peace and a military alliance were assumed between Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was forbidden to avenge those killed on both sides during the overthrow of False Dmitry I; all prisoners were returned without ransom. Taxes and trade rules remained the same. Serfdom was mutually strengthened.>

There will be no way out for trading and arable peasants to Lithuania from Rus' and from Lithuania to Rus', and there will be no way out for Christians among themselves in Rus'. Boyars, and nobles, and all ranks keep serfs according to the old custom, in fortresses...

<О казаках должны были принять особое решение - быть им или не быть. От иноземцев и «воров» очищались все территории Российского государства, «как были до нынешния Смуты». Королю выплачивалась контрибуция. Лжедмитрия II следовало «изымати или убити», Марину Мнишек вернуть в Польшу.>

And Hetman Stanislav Stanislavovich (Zholkiewski) should not let Polish, Lithuanian, German, and all sorts of military people who are with him and who are with Jan Sapieha into the city of Moscow without orders from the boyars and without doing anything...

And about Smolensk, the hetman was beaten with his forehead and sent to the great sovereign Zhigimont, the king, so that the king would not order a beat in Smolensk and would not order any crowding to be done to the city.

And about baptism, so that the sovereign prince Vladislav Zhigimontovich would be granted baptism into our Orthodox Christian faith of the Greek law and life in our Orthodox Christian Greek faith, and about other non-contractual articles and about all sorts of matters [send an embassy to Sigismund and Vladislav].

The first source is Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich and his work “History of the Russian State” Volume 12, Chapter 4. Thus, the first violation of the treaty occurred, according to which the Hetman had to retreat to Mozhaisk. They used cunning. Fearing the fickleness of the Russians and wanting to quickly have everything in his hands, the Hetman persuaded not only Mikhail Saltykov with the Tushino traitors, but also Mstislavsky and other light-minded, although honest, Boyars, to demand the entry of the Lyakhs into Moscow to pacify the rebellious mob, as if ready to summon False Dmitry . They did not listen to either the Patriarch or the most prudent nobles, who were still zealous for State independence. They let the foreigners in at night; They ordered them to fold their banners and walk silently in the silence of the empty streets - and at dawn the inhabitants saw themselves as if they were prisoners among the Royal soldiers: they were amazed, indignant, but calmed down, believing the solemn announcement of the Duma that the Poles would not rule among them, but serve: to preserve the life and property of Vladislav's subjects. These imaginary guardians occupied all the fortifications, towers, gates in the Kremlin, China and the White City; They took possession of cannons and shells, settled down in the royal chambers and in the best houses with whole squads for safety.

False Dmitry II, Also Tushinsky or Kaluga thief(date and place of birth unknown - died on December 11 (21), Kaluga) - an impostor who posed as the son of Ivan IV the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry and, accordingly, as Tsar False Dmitry I, who was allegedly miraculously saved on May 17 (27). The real name and origin have not been established, although many versions exist. Before the announcement of his royal name in the Russian city of Starodub, for a short time the impostor pretended to be Andrei Nagogo, a relative of Tsar Dmitry who never existed. At the height of his influence, the impostor controlled a significant part of the Russian Tsardom, although he failed to take Moscow, which remained under the control of the administration of the official Tsar Vasily IV Shuisky. In Russian historiography (unlike False Dmitry I), False Dmitry II is usually not considered a tsar, since he did not control the Kremlin, although a significant part of Russia swore allegiance to him.

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Subtitles

Hopes and rumors

Rumors about a “miraculous rescue” and the imminent return of the tsar began to circulate immediately after the death of False Dmitry I. The basis for this was the fact that the body of the impostor was brutally mutilated, and soon after being exposed to shame, it was covered with dirt and sewage. Muscovites were essentially divided into two camps - those who rejoiced at the fall of the impostor recalled, among other things, his marriage to a “filthy Pole” and behavior that was little in keeping with the status of the Russian Tsar. In the depths of this group, rumors were born that a cross was found in the boot of the murdered man, on which the “undressed” blasphemously stepped with every step, that animals and birds abhor the body, the earth does not accept it and rejects fire. Such views corresponded to the interests of the boyar elite who overthrew the impostor, and therefore, among other things, to please the adherents of ancient splendor, the corpse of False Dmitry was taken to the village of Kotly and burned there; The ashes of the former king, mixed with gunpowder, were shot towards Poland, where he came from. On the same day, “hell” was burned to the ground - an amusing fortress built by an impostor.

But there were more than enough adherents of the deposed tsar in Moscow, and stories immediately began to circulate among them that he had managed to escape from the “dashing boyars.” A certain nobleman, looking at the body, shouted that it was not Dmitry in front of him, and, whipping his horse, immediately rushed away. They recalled that the mask did not allow one to see the face, and the hair and nails of the corpse turned out to be too long, despite the fact that the king cut his hair short shortly before the wedding. They assured that instead of the tsar, his double was killed; later even the name was named - Pyotr Borkovsky. Konrad Bussow believed that these rumors were partly spread by the Poles, in particular, the former Tsar’s secretary Buchinsky openly claimed that there was no noticeable sign on the body under the left breast, which he allegedly saw clearly when he washed with the Tsar in the bathhouse.

A week after the death of the “defrocked” man, “letters of honor” appeared in Moscow at night, written allegedly by the tsar who had escaped. Many leaflets were even nailed to the gates of boyar houses, in which “Tsar Dmitry” announced that he “ escaped from murder and God himself saved him from traitors».

Circumstances of appearance

“The Jews were part of the impostor’s retinue and suffered during his deposition. According to some reports... False Dmitry II was a cross from the Jews and served in the retinue of False Dmitry I."

Starodubsky camp

However, in the initial period, the number of Polish mercenaries in the army of False Dmitry II was small and barely exceeded 1 thousand people. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was on the eve of a decisive battle between supporters of Sigismund III and the rebellious gentry, and at that moment the Poles had no time for the impostor. Trying to attract as many service people as possible to his side, False Dmitry II confirmed all the previous grants and benefits of False Dmitry I to the Seversky destinies.

Tula campaign, siege of Bryansk

In 1607-1608, False Dmitry II issued a decree on slaves, giving them the lands of the “traitorous” boyars and even allowing them to forcibly marry boyar daughters. Thus, many serfs, having sworn allegiance to the impostor, received not only freedom, but also became nobles, while their masters in Moscow had to starve. Due to non-payment of salaries to Polish mercenaries, a coup took place in the military leadership of the rebel army, led by the Lithuanian prince Roman Rozhinsky. Hetman Mechowiecki was displaced and expelled from the camp, and about 4 thousand Polish mercenaries left with him. Prince Roman Rozhinsky was proclaimed the new hetman of the impostor.

The number of the army of False Dmitry II in the Oryol camp was about 27 thousand people, of which there were about 5.6 thousand Polish mercenaries, 3 thousand Zaporozhye Cossacks, 5 thousand Don Cossacks, the rest apparently consisted of archers, nobles, boyar children, military slaves and Tatars.

First Moscow campaign

In the spring, the rebel army moved from Orel to Moscow. In the Battle of Zaraisk, the detachment of Pan Alexander Lisovsky defeated the tsarist army. After which Lisovsky’s army occupied Mikhailov and Kolomna. In a two-day battle near Bolkhov on April 30 (May 10) - May 1 (11), Hetman Rozhinsky defeated Shuisky’s army (led by the Tsar’s brothers, Dmitry and Ivan). The warriors who fled from the battlefield spread terrible rumors that “Tsar Dmitry” had an innumerable army. There were rumors in Moscow that Shuisky allegedly intended to surrender the capital due to numerous failures. The cities of Kozelsk, Kaluga and Zvenigorod solemnly opened their gates to False Dmitry II. Tula, who just recently kissed the cross of Tsar Vasily, also swore allegiance to the impostor. Local nobles, fearing the decree on the slaves of False Dmitry II, left the cities with their families and went to Moscow or Smolensk.

An eyewitness and writer of the troubled times, Konrad Bussov, noted that if False Dmitry II had immediately approached the capital after the Battle of Bolkhov, the terrified Muscovites would have surrendered to him without a fight. However, the impostor hesitated, and this gave Vasily Shuisky a chance to strengthen his positions in Moscow, as well as prepare a new army, led by his nephew Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky. Prince Skopin hoped to defeat False Dmitry II on the closest approaches to Moscow, but treason was discovered in his army - princes Ivan Katyrev, Yuri Trubetskoy and Ivan Troekurov plotted in favor of the impostor. Mikhail was forced to return to the capital and arrest the conspirators there.

Meanwhile, the impostor's army captured Borisov and Mozhaisk. The tsarist commanders, who were guarding False Dmitry II on the Tver road, lost the battle to him, and in early June the impostor appeared near Moscow. On June 25 (July 5), a clash between the troops of False Dmitry and the tsar’s troops took place on Khodynka, the rebels won the battle, but they failed to take Moscow.

Tushino camp

In the summer of 1608, Tushino became the residence of False Dmitry. Hetman Rozhinsky and his captains hoped to starve out the capital. Their troops tried to block all roads to Moscow and completely isolate the capital. But still they failed to intercept all the roads, and on June 28 (July 8) of the year, in a fierce battle with Pan Lisovsky, government troops were able to recapture Kolomna.

False Dmitry II actually ruled Russia - he distributed land to nobles, considered complaints, and met foreign ambassadors. The official Tsar Vasily Shuisky was locked in Moscow and lost control over the country. To fight the Tushino “king”, Shuisky concluded an agreement with the ambassadors of King Sigismund III, according to which Poland was to recall all Poles supporting False Dmitry, and oblige Marina Mniszech not to recognize False Dmitry II as her husband, and not to call herself the Russian empress. The Mnisheks gave their word that they would immediately leave Russia and promised to take all measures to end the civil war. Vasily IV equipped a detachment to escort them to the line. However, Hetman Rozhinsky and others refused to leave the work they had begun; moreover, the army of False Dmitry continued to be replenished with Poles, and in the fall Jan Sapega came with his people, rebelling against Sigismund III due to non-payment of salaries. In addition, the Tushins twice tried to besiege Kolomna in order to completely blockade Moscow, but the royal detachment under the command of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky inflicted a severe defeat on the impostor’s troops.

Having learned that the Mnisheks were released from Yaroslavl to Poland in fulfillment of the agreement, False Dmitry decided to recapture them from the accompanying royal army. This was done, but Marina for a long time did not want to join the camp of False Dmitry, remaining with Sapieha, and Yuri Mnishek agreed to recognize him as her son-in-law, only after receiving a note that the impostor, having received power, would give Yuri 30 thousand rubles. and the Seversk Principality with 14 cities. Finally, the Mnisheks recognized the Tushino “thief”. On September 1 (11), Hetman Sapega brought them to Tushino, where Marina Mnishek “recognized” her late husband False Dmitry I in the new impostor and secretly married him. A palace staff was created for them, modeled on the Moscow one. Jan Sapieha was recognized as the second hetman of False Dmitry II along with Rozhinsky. Spheres of influence were divided between them. Hetman Rozhinsky remained in the Tushino camp and controlled the southern and western lands, and Hetman Sapega, together with Pan Lisovsky, became a camp near the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and began to spread the power of “Tsar Dmitry” in Zamoskovye, Pomerania and Novgorod land.

Thus, a vast territory came under the rule of the Tushino king. In the north-west, Pskov and its suburbs, Velikie Luki, Ivangorod, Koporye, Gdov, and Oreshek swore allegiance to the impostor. Severshchina and the south with Astrakhan still remained under the rule of False Dmitry II. In the east, the power of the Tushino “thief” was recognized by Murom, Kasimov, Temnikov, Arzamas, Alatyr, Sviyazhsk, as well as many northeastern cities. In the central part, the impostor was supported by Suzdal, Uglich, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vladimir and many others. Of the major centers, only Smolensk, Veliky Novgorod, Pereslavl-Ryazansky, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan remained loyal to Vasily Shuisky. In Kostroma, Polish detachments, forced to swear allegiance to False Dmitry, first destroyed the Epiphany-Anastasia Monastery, and then occupied the Ipatiev Monastery, which supported them, but were captured as a result of a successful assault on this monastery (the walls were required to be blown up, which was carried out by two suicide bombers). From Rostov, Metropolitan Filaret (Romanov) was brought to the impostor, whom False Dmitry II elevated to patriarch.

The state now had two kings, two Boyar Dumas, as well as two patriarchs and two administrations, in addition, the government of False Dmitry II minted its own coin, which differed from the Moscow coin in increased weight. The catastrophe was not only political, but also moral: the words “flights” and “shifters” appeared, denoting those who easily and without remorse moved from one camp to another and back. New impostors also came here - the false princes Augustus and Lavrenty, who voluntarily came to join the troops of False Dmitry II, and even at first were hospitably greeted in Tushino. But soon the “king” ordered these “relatives” to be hanged for reprisals against the boyars. At this time, one after another, new Cossack “princes” appeared, posing as the grandchildren of Ivan the Terrible, who plundered the south of Russia. In his manifestos, False Dmitry II was extremely dumbfounded by so many “relatives” and ordered them all to be executed. Thus, the Tushino “thief” executed seven more “nephews”. Trying to involve free Cossacks in the tsarist service, the government of False Dmitry II created a Cossack order, which was headed by the ataman and “Tushino boyar” Ivan Zarutsky. The ataman completely subjugated the Cossack freemen to “Tsar Dmitry” and Hetman Rozhinsky.

In September 1608, the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery began. Moscow, however, did not give up, and in Tushino they had to build an entire city with a “royal” tower. At the same time, the impostor increasingly lost real power; in December 1608, a “commission of decemvirs”, consisting of 10 Polish nobles, stood at the head of the camp. They established strict control over the income and expenses of the Tushino “thief”, and also sharply limited the rights of the “thief” duma, orders and Tushino district governors. In the territory subject to False Dmitry II, requisitions in kind and money were carried out in favor of his troops, lands and serfs were distributed to his followers, which contributed to the decline in the authority of the impostor.

In Severshchina, the position of the impostor became much more difficult. In the disintegrating Tushino camp on February 4 (14), near Smolensk, the Tushino Patriarch Filaret and the boyars concluded an agreement with Sigismund III, according to which the king’s son, Vladislav Zhigimontovich, was to become the Russian Tsar; a prerequisite was the prince's acceptance of Orthodoxy. Acting on behalf of Vladislav, Sigismund III generously granted lands to the Tushins that did not belong to him. In April 1610, Polish troops captured Starodub, Pochep, Chernigov and Novgorod-Seversky, bringing the population of these cities to swear allegiance to Vladislav. At the beginning of May, the residents of Roslavl swore allegiance to the prince.

Meanwhile, the situation in Tushino itself was becoming critical. In the south, in Kaluga, troops loyal to False Dmitry II concentrated; in the north, near Dmitrov, Skopin-Shuisky and the Swedes pressed, barely restrained by the Tushins. In such conditions, Hetman Rozhinsky decided to retreat to Volokolamsk. On March 6 (16), the army set fire to the Tushino camp and set out on a campaign. The siege of Moscow finally ended. Two days later, the hetman’s army was in Volok, where Rozhinsky died from “exhaustion.” His detachment, left without a leader, completely dispersed. The troops of Hetman Sapieha, having visited the king near Smolensk and having achieved nothing from him, returned to the service of the impostor.

Second Moscow campaign

In the summer, a strong Polish-Lithuanian detachment of crown hetman Zolkiewski moved towards Moscow, and the tsarist army under the command of Dmitry Shuisky, who came out to meet them, was defeated in a battle near the village of Klushino. Russia's military situation was deteriorating from day to day. The power of Vasily IV became illusory. The capital's residents, having gathered in large crowds under the windows of the palace, shouted to Shuisky: “You are not our sovereign!” The frightened king did not dare to appear in public.

Zholkiewski's army entered Vyazma and was approaching the Russian capital from the west. False Dmitry II hurried from the south to Moscow. His troops captured Serpukhov, Borovsk, Pafnutyev Monastery and reached Moscow itself. Supporters of the impostor suggested that the capital's population depose Tsar Vasily Shuisky and promised to do the same with their “king.” After this, they declared, everyone would be able to jointly, with the whole earth, choose a new sovereign and thereby put an end to the fratricidal war.

Part three

Moscow ruin

Chapter first

The death of the Kaluga "thief"

Among the supporters of the “thief” [False Dmitry II] was the Kasimov Tsar. He pestered him while he was staying near Tushino. When the “thief” had to flee from Moscow, the Kasimov king drove away from him, came to Zholkiewski and, together with the hetman, went to Smolensk. His son, his mother and grandmother stayed with the “thief” and went with him to Kaluga. After living for several weeks near Smolensk, the king missed his family and went to Kaluga, with the intention of distracting his son from the “thief”. He himself liked the reception from the Poles. Arriving in Kaluga, the father pretended to be in front of the “thief” and pretended to be devoted to him as before; but the son made friends with the “thief” sincerely and told him that his father was deceiving him and, in fact, had come only to take his family, and then go back to the Poles. The “thief” invited the old man to go hunting with dogs and set a day. The “thief” rode forward across the Oka River and sent to ask the Kasimov king to come to him. The king left with two Tatars. The “thief” treated him friendly, then left his hounds away, took two friends with him, Mikhail Buturlin and Ignatius Mikhnev, and drove along the banks of the Oka. The Kasimov king rode next to him; suddenly all three attack him, and the “thief” kills him with his own hands. The body was thrown into the Oka. Then the “thief” jumps in alarm to his other people and shouts: “The Kasimov king Urmamet wanted to kill me; I left him a little. He has now fled to Moscow. Catch him and catch him." People set off in pursuit, and, of course, they could not catch up with anyone. Since then, the “thief” made it seem as if Urmamet had disappeared somewhere and was unknown where he was: but did those who together with him send the old man to Oka let it slip, or did people begin to guess on their own - only Urmamet’s friend, baptized Tatar Pyotr Urusov reproached the “thief” to his face with the murder of the Kasimov king. The "thief" put him in prison and kept him there for six weeks. At the beginning of December it happened that his Tatars had a skirmish with a detachment that was under the command of Chaplitsky, defeated them and brought prisoners to Kaluga. This made the “thief” happy. The Tatars loved Urusov very much. It was necessary to do something for them in gratitude. Marina and the boyars begged to release Urusov. This man had been useful to him before. The “thief” made peace with him and treated him kindly.

On December 10th, the “thief” went across the Oka River for a walk with a small squad of Russians and Tatars. Urusov was with him. The “thief” often took such walks: they were noisy and cheerful. Once sober, he now changed his lifestyle: he loved feasts and partying, and drank wine in large quantities. Noise, songs, and screams of drunks were often heard. The “thief” rode on a sleigh, stopped more than once, shouted for wine, and drank to the health of the Tatars. His companions rode on horseback. Suddenly Urusov, who was also riding behind the “thief,” presses his horse on his sleigh, and then hits him with a saber: on the other side of the sleigh, Urusov’s younger brother at the same instant cut off the “thief’s” head. The boyars raised the alarm; the Tatars drew their sabers at them. There were fewer boyars; They got scared and shouted: have mercy, have mercy! According to some news, the Tatars beat some of the Russians who saw off their tsar; according to others, on the contrary, Urusov did not order them to be touched. The Tatars stripped the body of the “thief” and left him in the snow, while they themselves ran away with Urusov. Returning to Kaluga, the boyars notified the townspeople about the incident. It was already evening then.

The whole city was outraged. “Beat all the Tatars,” shouted the Kaluga residents. Marina, who was walking during the last days of her pregnancy, rushed out of the city, sat down with the boyars on a sleigh, picked up her husband’s headless body in the field, and brought it to the city. At night, grabbing a torch, Marina ran bare-chested in the middle of the crowd, screaming, tearing her clothes and hair, and, noticing that the Kaluga residents were not too sensitive to her grief, she turned to the Don Cossacks, begging them for revenge. They were led by Zarutsky, who was not indifferent to Marina. He inspired his Cossacks; They attacked the Tatars they met in Kaluga and killed up to two hundred people.

A few days later, Marina gave birth to a son, who was named Ivan. She demanded an oath to him as the rightful heir. Then Jan Sapega, having learned that the one bearing the name of Dmitry had been killed, approached Kaluga on the first day of Christmas and demanded change in the name of the king. Negotiations lasted for three days, and on the fourth day, when Sapieha once again sent his people to negotiate, the Kaluga residents made a sortie. The battle with Sapega lasted until the evening. Sapega stood near Kaluga until December 31st. The Kaluga residents never wanted to give up.

Marina had a bad time. Only the Don people and Zarutsky were for her. The Kaluga residents hated her, “she began to feel like she was in captivity. She wrote a letter to Sapieha with the following content:

“For God's sake, deliver me; I won’t be able to live in the world for two weeks. You are strong; deliver me, deliver me, deliver me: God will pay you!”

The answer of the Kaluga residents to Sapega was such that he already had nothing left to do near Kaluga: the Kaluga residents promised to kiss the cross to the one who would be king in Moscow, and Vladislav was recognized in Moscow. And Sapega moved away from Kaluga to Przemysl. The rethink gave in to him. Odoev surrendered behind him, and the elected officials sent from there kissed Vladislav’s cross in front of Sapieha.

The death of the “thief” made a turning point in the troubled era and was an event unfavorable for Sigismund, instead of being useful to him. The growing discontent against the king up to that time was twofold: some stood by his ready rival, whoever he might be; others, not wanting to obey the deceiver, thought to find or create another point of support against Polish claims. If the one whom many still called Dmitry had been alive, then two camps would have stood against the Poles for a long time, hostile to each other at the same time. Now Sigismund no longer had this rival, and all those dissatisfied with Sigismund could unite together in agreement and harmony, inspired by one thought - to free the Russian land from foreigners.

The news of the death of the said Dmitry did not spread so quickly throughout the distant countries of Russia: in Kazan, back in January 1611, they armed themselves in his name against the Poles. Kazan was followed by Vyatka. And they didn’t want to obey the Poles. And there the name of Dmitry still served as a pretext, while other cities were already rising under a different banner. But as soon as Kazan and Vyatka learned that Dmitry was no longer in the world, they too became at one with other cities. In Moscow, the news of the death of the “thief” brought joy. Opponents of the Poles ceased to be afraid of Kaluga, from which they expected hindrance to the success of efforts against the Poles; Dmitry's supporters lost hope in Kaluga and saw the need to look for it in Moscow. The people suddenly began to grow, they felt their strength; Neither the Poles, who rode as victors through the streets of Moscow, nor the traitor boyars, who spied and eavesdropped on where the enmity towards the king lay, seemed fearless. They began to gather in houses, they explained that the king was deceiving the Muscovites - all that remained was for the entire Moscow land to stand together against the Polish and Lithuanian people and to ensure that the Polish and Lithuanian people all left the Moscow land.

The boyars, loyal to Sigismund, knowing the patriarch’s dislike for the Polish cause, although they freed him from the guards, advised Gonsevsky to keep an eye on him and warned that things were not calm in Moscow. The winter holidays have arrived, a noisy time in Moscow. Then people flocked to Moscow, as once to Jerusalem from Palestine, from Russian lands for the holiday. Many city residents had relatives in the capital, and they went to visit her on holidays; others came to the end of the holidays to look at the rite of the Epiphany blessing of water. This was the day when Russian residents from other cities had the opportunity to look at the Tsar, at the Patriarch, and see the entire court in its festive splendor. So it became a custom on these days to come from everywhere to the capital, but this time there was neither the king nor the royal court, but, out of habit, a lot of people still began to flock. The Poles began to be afraid of such a crowd: they imagined that the alarm would suddenly ring, as happened during the death of the “undressed”, and Moscow people, both old and young, both big and small, would rush to beat them. Guards constantly stood along the walls and towers; In the winter cold it was not fun to perform these duties, especially on days like these when we were accustomed from childhood to walking and feasting. But it is no longer a question of a belt, the Poles said, but of a whole skin. As soon as some kind of gathering gathers, or fresh people begin to flow into the city, the Poles will now become alarmed, sound the alarm, and run in crowds in one direction or the other. Russian people came to the patriarch from different regions. The Patriarch blessed everyone to stand for the faith and for the Russian land, saying to everyone: “You swore allegiance to the prince only so that he would be baptized into the Russian faith, and if he is not baptized and the Lithuanian people do not leave the Moscow state, then the prince is not our sovereign.” He wrote these same speeches in his letters and sent them out. One such letter, says a contemporary, was intercepted by some Pole Vashchinsky, sent with seven hundred horsemen to see what was happening in Rus'. After that, the Poles gave an order that none of the Moscow residents should keep weapons, and those who had them should take them to the royal treasury. They caught the cabbies who were carrying grain bread, but under the grain there were long guns; Probably, some of the Moscow residents, instead of delivering the weapons they had left to the Poles, decided it would be better to take them to another place, where they could serve the Russians against the Poles. Gonsevsky ordered these cab drivers to be put under ice. Then they began to oppress the patriarch again, took away his clerks and clerks, took away his paper so as to prevent him from writing letters, they also took the servants so that there would be no one to send with letters, but they did not look after him; He couldn’t write, but he could still talk with Russian people. The people of Nizhny Novgorod, the son of the boyar Roman Pakhomov and the townsman Rodion Mokeev, came to him under his blessing. He told them in words: “I can’t write: the Poles took everything, and they plundered my yard; and you, remembering God and the Most Pure Mother of God and the Moscow miracle workers, stand together against our enemies.” When this news was brought by envoys to Nizhny Novgorod, a council was formed there; They invited the Balakhonians, and together with them the Nizhny Novgorod residents swore an oath on the cross to stand for Moscow and go as a militia against the Poles and Lithuanian people. This decision was sent to Lyapunov.

The story of the life and death of False Dmitry 2

False Dmitry 2 - (unknown when born - death December 11 (21), 1610) impostor of unknown origin. He was called the Kaluga or Tushinsky thief. Since 1607, he pretended to be his son, Tsarevich Dmitry, who allegedly escaped (False Dmitry I). In 1608–1609 he created the Tushino camp near the capital, from where he unsuccessfully tried to capture Moscow. With the beginning of open Polish intervention, he fled to Kaluga, where he was killed.

The appearance of False Dmitry 2

Having appeared in Starodub in mid-1607, False Dmitry 2 was a person not at all suitable for the throne. “A rude man, with disgusting customs, foul language in conversation,” is how the Polish captain Samuel Maskevich described him. The origin of this husband is truly “dark and modest” - either a school teacher from the Belarusian town of Shklov, or a Russian immigrant, or a priest, or a baptized Jew, or even an unbaptized Jew (which is completely incredible). Some historians explain his appearance by the desire of the Polish lords to sow confusion in the Moscow state.

They said that the impostor, who left the Lithuanian possessions for the Moscow state, at the instigation of the agent of Mnishek’s wife, Mechovitsky, did not dare to immediately declare himself tsar. At first he was called the Moscow boyar Nagim and spread rumors in Starodub that Dmitry managed to escape. When he and his accomplice, clerk Alexei Rukin, were tortured by the elders, the latter reported that the one calling himself Nagim was the real Dmitry. He assumed a commanding air, waved his stick menacingly and shouted: “Oh, you children, I am the sovereign.”

First victories

The Starodubians and Putivlivtsy rushed to his feet, wailing: “It’s our fault, sir, we didn’t recognize you; have mercy on us. We are glad to serve you and lay down our bellies for you.” He was released and surrounded with honors. He was joined by Zarutsky, Mekhovitsky, with a Polish-Russian detachment, and several thousand Severtsy. With this army, False Dmitry 2 was able to take Karachev, Bryansk and Kozelsk. In Oryol he received reinforcements from Poland, Lithuania and Zaporozhye.

1608, May - the troops of False Dmitry defeated Shuisky near Volkhov. In this battle, the impostor’s army was commanded by the Ukrainian prince Roman Ruzhinsky, who brought under the banner of the new “tsar” thousands of volunteers he recruited in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Soon the impostor approached the capital and settled in Tushino, 12 versts from Moscow (the angle formed by the Moscow River and its tributary Skhodnya), which is why he received the nickname “Tushino thief.”

Tushino camp

Tushino camp

The Tushino period of Russian unrest lasted almost a year and a half. In the camp of the Tushinsky thief there were not only Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian adventurers, but also representatives of the nobility - opponents of Shuisky. Among them, we should mention the Rostov Metropolitan Filaret Nikitich Romanov, who was named patriarch (it seems even against his will). The impostor called the people to his side, giving them the lands of the “traitors” boyars and even allowing them to forcibly marry the boyars’ daughters. The camp soon turned into a fortified city, in which there were 7,000 Polish soldiers, 10,000 Cossacks and several tens of thousands of armed rabble.

The main strength of the “Tushinsky Thief” was the Cossacks, who sought to establish Cossack freedom. “Our king,” wrote one of the Poles who served him, “everything is done according to the Gospel, everyone is equal in his service.” But when high-born people showed up in Tushino, disputes about seniority immediately began to arise, envy and rivalry with each other appeared.

1608, August - part of the Poles released at the request of Sigismund fell into the hands of the Tushino people. Marina Mnishek, who was there, after persuasion from Rozhinsky and Sapega, recognized False Dmitry 2 as her husband and was secretly married to him. Sapega and Lisovsky joined the impostor. The Cossacks continued to flock to him, so that he had up to 100,000 troops.

In Moscow and surrounding cities, the influence of False Dmitry 2 grew steadily. Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vologda, Murom, Kashin and many other cities submitted to him.

The Poles and Russian thieves, who were sent around the cities, soon turned the Russian people against themselves. At first, the impostor promised tarhan letters that freed the Russians from all taxes, but the residents soon saw that they would have to give as much as they wanted to take from them. Tax collectors were sent from Tushino, and after some time Sapega sent his tax collectors there from near Trinity.

Poles and Russian thieves gathered in gangs that attacked villages, robbed them, and abused people. This embittered the Russian people, and they no longer believed that the real Dmitry was in Tushino.

After Sapieha’s failure in front of the Trinity Lavra, the position of the “king” of the impostor was shaken; distant cities began to renounce him. Another attempt to capture Moscow was unsuccessful; Skopin and the Swedes were advancing from the north; in Pskov and Tver the Tushins were defeated and fled. Moscow was liberated from the siege.

Kaluga camp

Siege of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

The campaign of Sigismund III near Smolensk further worsened the position of the “king” - the Poles began to come under the banner of their king. False Dmitry, disguised as a peasant, escaped from the camp. In fortified Kaluga he was received with honors. Marina Mnishek also arrived in Kaluga, under the protection provided by Sapega, the impostor lived in honor. Without the supervision of the Polish lords I felt freer. Kolomna and Kashira swore allegiance to him again.

And at that time, the army of Sigismund III continued to unsuccessfully besiege Smolensk, and the young commander Skopin-Shuisky was able to lift the siege from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. And suddenly Skopin-Shuisky died, according to rumors, poisoned by the wife of one of the royal brothers, Prince Dmitry. The latter was appointed commander of the army sent to help Smolensk.

March on Moscow

Near Klushino, 150 km from the capital, on June 24, 1610, Shuisky’s army was defeated by the Poles under the command of crown hetman Stanislav Zhulkevsky. The path to Moscow was open. Zhulkevsky approached it from the west, Tushinsky the thief - from the south. The impostor took Serpukhov, Borovsk, Pafnutiev Monastery and reached Moscow itself. Marina stayed in the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, and False Dmitry - in the palace village of Kolomenskoye. Again, as in Tushino’s times, the Kremlin was just a stone’s throw away and the royal throne was empty (on July 17 he was “reduced” from the throne, and then forcibly tonsured a monk).

But this time too, history assigned only an unenviable role to the Kaluga “king”. His appearance forced the Moscow boyars to choose the lesser of two evils. On August 17, Zhulkevsky concluded an agreement with them, according to which the son of Sigismund III, Prince Vladislav, was to ascend the Moscow throne. The capital, and after many other Russian cities, swore allegiance to Tsar Vladislav Zhigmontovich. From now on, the Polish garrison introduced into Moscow became an insurmountable obstacle for False Dmitry.

Zhulkevsky, however, tried to settle the matter peacefully. On behalf of the king, he promised the impostor, if he supported the royal cause, to give the city of Sambir or Grodno. But, the hetman wrote indignantly in his memoirs, “he did not think to be content with that, and even more so his wife, who, being an ambitious woman, muttered rather rudely: “Let His Majesty the king yield to His Majesty the king of Krakow, and let His Majesty the king yield to His Majesty Warsaw."

Then Zhulkevsky decided to simply arrest them, but Marina and the impostor fled to Kaluga on August 27, accompanied by 500 Cossacks of Ataman Ivan Martynovich Zarutsky, who first came out on their side.

Death of False Dmitry 2

He died as a result of the revenge of the baptized Tatar Urusov, whom he subjected to corporal punishment. 1610, December 11 - when the impostor, half drunk, went hunting under the escort of a crowd of Tatars, Urusov cut his shoulder with a saber, and Urusov’s younger brother cut off his head. His death caused terrible unrest in Kaluga; All the Tatars remaining in the city were killed. The son of False Dmitry was proclaimed king by the people of Kaluga.

False Dmitry 2 - (unknown when born - death December 11 (21), 1610) impostor of unknown origin. He was called the Kaluga or Tushinsky thief. Since 1607, he pretended to be the son of Ivan IV the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, who allegedly escaped (False Dmitry I). In 1608-1609 he created the Tushino camp near the capital, from where he unsuccessfully tried to capture Moscow. With the beginning of open Polish intervention, he fled to Kaluga, where he was killed.
The appearance of False Dmitry 2
Having appeared in Starodub in mid-1607, False Dmitry 2 was a person not at all suitable for the throne. “A rude man, with disgusting customs, foul-mouthed in conversation,” this is how the Polish captain Samuel Maskevich described him. The origin of this husband is truly “dark and modest” - either a school teacher from the Belarusian town of Shklov, or a Russian immigrant, or a priest, or a baptized Jew, or even an unbaptized Jew (which is completely incredible). Some historians explain his appearance by the desire of the Polish lords to sow confusion in the Moscow state.
They said that the impostor, who left the Lithuanian possessions for the Moscow state, at the instigation of the agent of Mnishek’s wife, Mechovitsky, did not dare to immediately declare himself tsar. At first he was called the Moscow boyar Nagim and spread rumors in Starodub that Dmitry managed to escape. When he and his accomplice, clerk Alexei Rukin, were tortured by the elders, the latter reported that the one calling himself Nagim was the real Dmitry. He assumed a commanding air, waved his stick menacingly and shouted: “Oh, you children, I am the sovereign.”
First victories
The Starodubians and Putivlivtsy rushed to his feet, wailing: “It’s our fault, sir, we didn’t recognize you; have mercy on us. We are glad to serve you and lay down our bellies for you.” He was released and surrounded with honors. He was joined by Zarutsky, Mekhovitsky, with a Polish-Russian detachment, and several thousand Severtsy. With this army, False Dmitry 2 was able to take Karachev, Bryansk and Kozelsk. In Oryol he received reinforcements from Poland, Lithuania and Zaporozhye.
1608, May - the troops of False Dmitry defeated Shuisky near Volkhov. In this battle, the impostor’s army was commanded by the Ukrainian prince Roman Ruzhinsky, who brought under the banner of the new “tsar” thousands of volunteers he recruited in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Soon the impostor approached the capital and settled in Tushino, 12 versts from Moscow (the angle formed by the Moscow River and its tributary Skhodnya), which is why he received the nickname “Tushino thief.”

The Tushino period of Russian unrest lasted almost a year and a half. In the camp of the Tushinsky thief were not only Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian adventurers, but also representatives of the nobility - opponents of Shuisky. Among them, we should mention the Rostov Metropolitan Filaret Nikitich Romanov, who was named patriarch (it seems even against his will). The impostor called the people to his side, giving them the lands of the “traitors” boyars and even allowing them to forcibly marry the boyars’ daughters. The camp soon turned into a fortified city, in which there were 7,000 Polish soldiers, 10,000 Cossacks and several tens of thousands of armed rabble.

The main strength of the “Tushinsky Thief” was the Cossacks, who sought to establish Cossack freedom. “Our king,” wrote one of the Poles who served him, “everything is done according to the Gospel, everyone is equal in his service.” But when high-born people showed up in Tushino, disputes about seniority immediately began to arise, envy and rivalry with each other appeared.
1608, August - part of the Poles released at the request of Sigismund fell into the hands of the Tushino people. Marina Mnishek, who was there, after persuasion from Rozhinsky and Sapega, recognized False Dmitry 2 as her husband and was secretly married to him. Sapega and Lisovsky joined the impostor. The Cossacks continued to flock to him, so that he had up to 100,000 troops.
In Moscow and surrounding cities, the influence of False Dmitry 2 grew steadily. Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vologda, Murom, Kashin and many other cities submitted to him.
The Poles and Russian thieves, who were sent around the cities, soon turned the Russian people against themselves. At first, the impostor promised tarhan letters that freed the Russians from all taxes, but the residents soon saw that they would have to give as much as they wanted to take from them. Tax collectors were sent from Tushino, and after some time Sapega sent his tax collectors there from near Trinity.
Poles and Russian thieves gathered in gangs that attacked villages, robbed them, and abused people. This embittered the Russian people, and they no longer believed that the real Dmitry was in Tushino.
After Sapieha’s failure in front of the Trinity Lavra, the position of the “king” of the impostor was shaken; distant cities began to renounce him. Another attempt to capture Moscow was unsuccessful; Skopin and the Swedes were advancing from the north; in Pskov and Tver the Tushins were defeated and fled. Moscow was liberated from the siege.
Kaluga camp
The campaign of Sigismund III near Smolensk further worsened the position of the “king” - the Poles began to come under the banner of their king. False Dmitry, disguised as a peasant, escaped from the camp. In fortified Kaluga he was received with honors. Marina Mnishek also arrived in Kaluga, under the protection provided by Sapega, the impostor lived in honor. Without the supervision of the Polish lords I felt freer. Kolomna and Kashira swore allegiance to him again.

And at that time, the army of Sigismund III continued to unsuccessfully besiege Smolensk, and the young commander Skopin-Shuisky was able to lift the siege from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. And suddenly Skopin-Shuisky died, according to rumors, poisoned by the wife of one of the royal brothers, Prince Dmitry. The latter was appointed commander of the army sent to help Smolensk.
March on Moscow
Near Klushino, 150 km from the capital, on June 24, 1610, Shuisky’s army was defeated by the Poles under the command of crown hetman Stanislav Zhulkevsky. The path to Moscow was open. Zhulkevsky approached it from the west, Tushinsky the thief - from the south. The impostor took Serpukhov, Borovsk, Pafnutiev Monastery and reached Moscow itself. Marina stayed in the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, and False Dmitry in the palace village of Kolomenskoye. Again, as in Tushino’s times, the Kremlin was just a stone’s throw away and the royal throne was empty (Vasily Shuisky was “reduced” from the throne on July 17, and was then forcibly tonsured a monk).
But this time too, history assigned only an unenviable role to the Kaluga “king”. His appearance forced the Moscow boyars to choose the lesser of two evils. On August 17, Zhulkevsky concluded an agreement with them, according to which the son of Sigismund III, Prince Vladislav, was to ascend the Moscow throne. The capital, and after many other Russian cities, swore allegiance to Tsar Vladislav Zhigmontovich. From now on, the Polish garrison introduced into Moscow became an insurmountable obstacle for False Dmitry.
Zhulkevsky, however, tried to settle the matter peacefully. On behalf of the king, he promised the impostor, if he supported the royal cause, to give the city of Sambir or Grodno. But, the hetman wrote indignantly in his memoirs, “he did not think to be content with that, and even more so his wife, who, being an ambitious woman, muttered rather rudely: “Let His Majesty the king yield to His Majesty the king of Krakow, and let His Majesty the king yield to His Majesty Warsaw."
Then Zhulkevsky decided to simply arrest them, but Marina and the impostor fled to Kaluga on August 27, accompanied by 500 Cossacks of Ataman Ivan Martynovich Zarutsky, who first came out on their side.
Death of False Dmitry 2
He died as a result of the revenge of the baptized Tatar Urusov, whom he subjected to corporal punishment. 1610, December 11 - when the impostor, half drunk, went hunting under the escort of a crowd of Tatars, Urusov cut his shoulder with a saber, and Urusov’s younger brother cut off his head. His death caused terrible unrest in Kaluga; All the Tatars remaining in the city were killed. The son of False Dmitry was proclaimed king by the people of Kaluga.
I. Muromov