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| Tsar Michael Romanov |
After
fifteen years of violence and chaos brought by the Time of Troubles, Russia
finally had a ruler - a Tsar. Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov ascended to the
throne with the task of rebuilding Russia. But he must rebuild Russia beyond
its borders. He must re-establish Russia as a sovereign and stable country in
the international stage. He had to handle how Russia could achieve peace from
foreign interventions and invasions that started a decade ago. The task seemed
to be overwhelming, but Mikhail Romanov or Tsar Michael to step up to the
challenge; otherwise, Russia might cease to exist as a free, independent and
sovereign state.
Michael Feodorovich Romanov
Mikhail Feodorovich
Romanov, founder of the Romanov Dynasty, became Tsar at a very young age – just
16 years old - otherwise, a teenager. He ruled the Tsardom of Muscovy from 1613
to 1645, leading the country to recovery after the terrible and dark period in
Russian history known as the Time of Troubles. Born in 1596. Mikhail or Michael
was the son of the Boyar Feodor Nikitivich Romanov and Xenia Shestova. Their
family became powerful, after one of the Romanovs, Anastasiya, married Tsar
Ivan IV “the Terrible” and his son, Feodor assumed the throne in 1584. In 1600,
Michael became separated from his parents when Tsar Boris Godunov cracked down
on rival powerful boyar families, including the Romanovs. The Tsar forced
Michael’s parents to divorce and take their vows in their respective
monasteries. Feodor took the name Filaret and Xenia took the name Martha.
Mikhail grew up alone for few years until his mother took him back after the
death of Tsar Boris in 1605. They lived in fear for their lives, not to mention
amidst the crisis after crisis that Russia suffered. In 1613, even though
young, the National Assembly or the Zemsky
Sobor, composed of men from various sectors of society, elected Mikhail
Feodorovich Romanov as the new Tsar and Autocrat of all the Russia.
Time of Troubles
Michael took over the
country that was tired from the Time of Troubles. The Time of Troubles began
with Tsar Feodor’s demise in 1698. He had no children and no brothers,
especially when the last of which, Dmitry, passed away in 1691 due to the
stabbing of his own neck caused by an epileptic attack. A Zemsky Sobor elected a new Tsar, Boris Godunov. Godunov crashed the
Romanovs by sending its prominent member, Feodor, to take his vows as a monk
under the name of Filaret. Tsar Boris’ reign became rattled with famine,
banditry, rebellion and rival claims. Claims coming from other boyars and
imposters who declared themselves as the dead Prince Dmitry. Three appeared.
Foreign countries
took advantage of Russia’s weakness. Sweden invaded Russian provinces in the
Gulf of Finland. Poland supported the claims of the False Dimitrys and invaded
western provinces of the Muscovite Tsardom.
Peasant and Cossack rebellions made things worse. In 1610, Russia had no Tsar. Boyars complicated
diplomatic matters when they offered the throne to the princes of the two
invading countries – Prince Wladyslaw of Poland and Prince Karl Philip of
Sweden. Filaret Romanov took part in a diplomatic embassy to offer the throne
to the Polish Prince. But then the Polish King Sigismund rejected the proposal
and arrested the mission along with Filaret and sent them back to Poland. The
Poles eventually took Moscow in 1611 but then got kicked out in 1612. After the
Russians united to defeat the Poles, they elected Michael Romanov as Tsar,
which marked the end of the Time of Troubles, or at least end of the worst of
it. Nevertheless, Russia faced problems from their foreign invaders – the
Swedes and the Poles.
Relations with Sweden and Poland
Sweden and Poland,
two great European powers, had become major players in Russian affairs. During
the Time of Troubles, Sweden had advanced in northwestern Russia, taking Livonia,
the economically strategic city of Novgorod and Ingria, a region that connected
Russia to the Baltic Sea and ultimately Europe. In addition to territorial
gains, Sweden also had a contender to the Russian throne, Prince Karl Philip,
who became a candidate for the throne, after Boyars and rebels offered the
Swedish prince the Tsardom.
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| Prince Wladyslaw, later King of Poland |
Hence, successfully
setting up diplomatic relations with Poland and Sweden defined the security of
Russia as well as the position of Michael and the faith of the newly
established Romanov Dynasty.
Peace with Sweden
Russia needed peace
or Michael faced trouble. Russia had been weakened by the internal strife and
foreign invasion. The people felt tired and wanted to recoever and to rejuvenate.
But the country cannot recover if foreigners threatened her existence. Thus, Michael
placed peace talks as his main priority in dealing with Sweden and Poland.
Nevertheless, he needed an advantage or at least an equal playing field so that
Russia could achieve an acceptable peace terms. But Michael prepared himself
that peace had its price – either land or money.
Handling Sweden
proved to be an easier task. Sweden substantially gained vital lands from
Russia, including Novgorod. The problem of Charles Philip as a rival to the
throne dissipated immediately when Michael proved to be able to maintain his
throne. But the issue of Swedish incursions to Russian territory seemed to be
harder to solve. In 1615, Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus or Gustav II Adolf
besieged Pskov. Luckily for Michael, Pskov successfully resisted the Swedes.
Russian reinforcements rushed in to relieve the city.
On the aftermath, the
battle for Pskov proved to be costly for both sides and both wanted a peaceful settlement.
The Dutch and the English mediated the negotiation between Russia and Sweden.
John Merrick served as the representative of the Dutch and English and mediated
the talks of the two sides. The arduous negotiations ultimately led to the
Treaty of Stolbovo. It ended the war between Russia and Sweden over the Gulf of
Finland and the lands called Ingria. For Russia, it got back the cities of
Novgorod, Staraia Rusa, Porkhov, and Sumersk. But Sweden, however, remained in
control of Karelia, Ingria, Oresheck, Iam, and Ivangorod. In addition, Russia
needed to pay an indemnity of 20,000 Rubles to Sweden. In the end, Russia lose
its window to the Baltic, lose money, but won her most desired peace. Over the
years, Russia established relatively peaceful relations with Sweden.
Truce with Poland
Relations with Poland,
however, proved to shakier than with Sweden. In 1613, Russian forces attempted
to retake the city of Smolensk. It failed. In 1618, the Polish prince Wladyslaw
decided to take the previous Russian offer of Tsardom and led a mercenary army
to conquer Moscow. He also received support from the rebellious Ukranian
Cossacks for his campaign. In September of 1618, Prince Wladyslaw besieged
Moscow. For months, Moscow and Tsar Michael resisted the invaders. Eventually,
the Russian winter set in and the battle ended up with a stalemate.
Both sides agreed to
negotiate for a ceasefire between Poland and Russia, resulting to the agreement
known as the Truce of Deulino in December 1618. It established a truce that
would last for 14 years. Under the conditions of the truce, major cities of
Smolensk and Chernigov and 30 other towns remained in Polish hands. Polish
lands in Russia ended in the town of Kaluga. Furthermore, Prince Wladyslaw
refused to renounce his claim to the Russian throne.
For Tsar Michael, the
Truce of Deulino brought personal gains. Poland agreed to return Russian
prisoners captured during the Time of Troubles. In other words, Poland returned
Michael’s father Filaret. The return of Filaret dictated the relation of Poland
and Russia from that point on.
Filaret became an
influential figure in Russian politics. After his return, his son, Tsar Michael
appointed him the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. With this position,
he governed the country alongside his son. But his strong figure resulted much
of the state affairs being handled by him. Personally, Filaret had desired a
vendetta towards the Poles. His captivity in their hands drove this desire for
revenge. He reformed Russia’s economy, finance, and military in order to build
up for a future war that they knew would come after the Truce of Deulino ended
in 1632.
Under Filaret’s Influence
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| Patriarch Filaret Romanov |
In preparation for
their revenge against Poland, Filaret and Michael forged an alliance with
enemies of the Poles – Sweden and the Ottoman Empire. Religious difference as
well as political advantages drove them into forming those alliances. Sweden
needed the Poles to be distracted in their Russian frontier so that they would
not interfere in their future engagement in Germany as part of its commitment
in the Thirty Years’ War on the side of the Protestants. The Ottomans desired
to weaken the Catholic Poles who had interfered in the Muslim Empire’s conquest
in Western Europe.
In 1630, Russia
consented to an agreement with Sweden through its ambassador Anton Monier. In
the agreement, Russia would sell Sweden its rye in exchange for the latter’s
modern weapons. To the Turks, Russia asked the Ottoman Sultan Murad IV to
constrain their Crimean Khanate allies in the south to cease their raids in
order for the Russians to concentrate their forces towards Poland. With all of
this arrangements Russia mobilized for war as the time of the truce enforced in
Deulino loomed.
Smolensk War
The Smolensk War in
1632 concluded the Truce of Deulino. At the end of the fourteen year ceasefire,
Tsar Michael, under the urging of his towering father Filaret, declared war
against Poland. Coincidently, Polish King Sigismund III passed away. Filaret
estimated that Poland would be leaderless for a while and Russia could take
advantage of the situation. With her newly rebuild army, the Russian army
marched 30,000 strong men under the command of Mikhail Shein to retake the
strategic city of Smolensk. In October 1632, the siege of Smolensk began.
Although reformed and rebuild the army lacked the equipment and proper
leadership to truly execute an effective siege.
For almost a year,
the Russians besieged the fort city to no avail. Filaret’s hope of a long time kingless
Poland did not materialize. Prince Wladyslaw took the Polish throne as King
Wladyslaw IV. The new king quickly mobilized a 20,000 strong army to relieve
Smolensk. The Russian attempted to hold back the Polish army. The Russian
besiegers became surrounded by the Poles. For months, the battle for Smolensk
continued. In March 1634, Russian commander Mikhail Shein, felt the dire
situation that his army fell into and decided to surrender. King Wladyslaw
allowed the Russians to be free to go home but they must leave their equipment
and supplies. The siege drained Russia’s resources and the Boyars and Tsar
Michael needed a scape goat for the catastrophic defeat in Smolensk. As Mikhail
Shein returned, the Tsar ordered his arrest and trial for negligence and
incompetence, resulting ultimately to a guilty verdict and execution.
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| Mikhail Shein surrendering to the Poles in Smolensk |
The Treaty of
Polianovka emerged as the armistice of the war that began during the Time of
Troubles between Russia and Poland. Poland kept its gains from 1618. Smolensk,
Chernigov, and Sversk remained in Polish hands. Russia also had to pay 20,000
Ruble indemnity. Nevertheless, Michael secured his position and that of the
Romanov Dynasty when King Wladyslaw IV dropped his claim to the Russian throne.
The Treaty marked a shift in Russia’s focus in its foreign policy from Europe
towards the south.
Russia’s European Affairs
Russia, nevertheless,
continued to engage in smaller matters in European affairs. In the 1640’s a
coalition started to form between Denmark, Poland, and Russia to challenge
Sweden’s domination of the Baltic Sea.
In 1643, Tsar Michael
and King Christian IV consented to a marriage between the Romanov Princess
Irina to marry the Oldenburg Prince Waldemar to seal an alliance between the
two countries. Prince Waldemar began his long journey to Russia. While on his
way, in October 1643, Sweden launched a pre-emptive strike against Denmark.
Denmark stood in a dangerous position. In January 1644, Prince Waldemar
received a message from King Christian IV ordering him to pressure the Russian
Tsar Michael in attacking the Swedes in the Gulf of Finland to provide much
needed diversion for Denmark. Waldemar arrived in Russia and gave the demands
to the Tsar. But Tsar Michael feared that the country wasn’t ready to go to war
yet, especially against much superior force. Michael then had second thoughts
about the marriage. He replied to Waldemar’s demands with another ultimatum:
Waldemar to convert to Russian Orthodoxy and even so, Russian intervention
could not still be counted. Tsar knew Waldemar would not agree. Indeed,
Waldemar rejected it. In order to throw away any Swedish suspicions of possible
Russian engagement, Tsar Michael ordered the arrest of Waldemar in the name of
national security and peace. Tsar Michael could not afford to imbalance Russian
stability yet.
Shift to the South
Russia engaged with
its southern neighbors after the peace of Polianovka in 1633. It had a
complicated but also good relation with some factions in that region. Crimean
and other Tatar Khanates, Ottoman Empire, and the Persians engaged the
Russians. But there existed smaller autonomous groups whom Russia had
connections with as well, such as the Cossacks.
The Crimean Khanate
posed the greatest threat to Russian security. Even as far back as the arrival
of the Mongols in the Russian steppes, the Tatars had raided time and again
Russian towns. Under the Muscovy Tsardom, Tatars became a thorn in Russian
southern borders. The Crimean Khanate, the most stand out among the Tatar
Khanates caused the failure of the Smolensk campaign and Russian diversion to
southern Russian affairs.
In 1632, the Crimean
Khan Janibek Girey lose control over his nobles or Mirzas and chieftains or
Beys. Crimean Tatars ravaged the southern frontiers of Russia. In 1633, a
30,000 strong army attacked the Abatis Line – the line of defensive
fortifications with the objective of halting any northward advance of the
Tatars. Kolomna and Riazan fell to the invading Tatars. Russia sought the
Ottomans help by asking them, the Tatar’s overlords, to cease any further raids
in southern Muscovy. But many Tatar rulers had decided not to listen to their
Ottoman overlords and even viewed themselves as independent. With Ottoman calls
for a stop of Tatar incursions, Russia shifted its focus from Poland and Europe
to the Tatars.
After the Smolensk
War ended, Russian regular forces marched down south. They repaired and
reinforced the Abatis Line. New fortified towns, interconnected with each
other, were founded such as Chernavsk, Kozlov, Verkhny, Lomov, Nizhny, Tambov,
and Efremov. The Russians even started to build a new fortification lines like
the Belgrade Line. The problem of the Tatars was never fully settled at the
time of Michael. The issue fell in the hands of Michael’s successors.
Russia developed good
relations with other Khanates, for example, the Bukhara Khanate, despite the
terrible conditions with the Crimean Khanate. Tsar Michael and Bukhara Khan
Imam-Quli Khan (ruled from 1611 to 1641) developed good relations. Tsar Michael
received a mission in 1619 from Imam-Quli. He also received a gift of good
faith from the Khan in form of the return of Russian slaves bought by Bukhara
from Noghai and Crimean raiders. Michael then sent Ivan Danilovich Khoklov to
return with the Bukhara mission of 1619 and serve as Moscow’s ambassador to
Khan Imam-Quli.
Russia also had a
shaky relation with the Ottoman Empire. As stated above, they developed an
alliance against the Poles during the prologue to the Smolensk War. Tsar
Michael also asked the Ottomans to help in quelling or at least reducing Tatar
incursions to Russian towns. Nevertheless, the two countries almost went to war
against each other.
In 1637, Don Cossacks, although Russian but doesn’t submit
completely to Moscow, attacked and captured the port of Azov. In addition,
during the siege, the Cossacks murdered an Ottoman diplomat, Foma Cantacuzene.
Michael played carefully. He knew the great strategic value of Azov to Russian
access to the sea Azov, but also the trouble of war with the Ottoman Empire.
And so he played a two prong approach. He supplied the Don Cossacks in Azov but
still pushing for peace with Ottoman Sultan Murad IV. Michael hoped that the
Ottomans would let go of the port. But it proved to be wrong. In 1641, the new
Sultan Ibrahim sent an expeditionary force to recapture Azov. It failed. The
new Sultan proved to be aggressive and won’t hesitate to go to war. Michael on
the other hand wanted to maintain peace. In March 1642, Sultan Ibrahim demanded
Michael to order the Don Cossacks to leave Azov or face war. Michael had no
choice but to comply. Don Cossacks withdrew and in September, Ottoman forces
retook Azov. It would take more than 50 years before the Russians would take
the port again.
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| Shah Abbas I's Court |
Michael’s foreign
policies resulted to Russia’s return to the international stage and solving the
problem of foreign intervention. Although some problems remained, such as the
issue of Smolensk and the problem of Tatar raids, Russia achieved peace. He
ended the war with Sweden retaking major cities. He ended the Polish threat to
his Tsardom and got back his father Filaret, even though he failed to retake
Smolensk. He brought Russia as a player in the world stage. His foreign policy
contributed to Russia’s revival from the Time of Troubles.
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Press, 2014.
Kotilaine, Jarmo
& Poe, Marshall (eds.). Modernizing Muscovy: Reform and Social Change in
Seventheenth-century Russia. New York, New York: Routledge Curzon, 2005.
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