On January 7, 1598, Russia abruptly changed dynasty with the death of Tsar Feodor I, son of Ivan IV the Terrible. With no direct heir, the throne passed to his brother-in-law and regent, Boris Godounovwho became the first elected tsar in Russian history. This accession marked the end of the Rurikid dynasty and ushered in a period of profound instability known as the "Time of Troubles".
The end of the Rurikids
Since the death of Ivan the Terrible in 1584, real power was wielded by Boris Godunov, as Feodor I, of frail health and averse to governing, reigned without ruling. When the latter died in January 1598, no obvious dynastic succession emerged. The young Tsarevich DimitriFedor's last brother died in 1591 under mysterious circumstances, raising suspicions of political assassination. With Fedor's death, a thousand-year-old lineage came to an end, plunging the Muscovite state into a crisis of legitimacy.
An elected tsar, a fragile legitimacy
Faced with a power vacuum, Boris Godunov was chosen by a Zemsky Sobor, an assembly of boyars, clergy, and city representatives. His election, confirmed by Patriarch Job, broke with hereditary tradition and immediately weakened his authority. Aware of this weakness, Godunov sought to sacralize his power: he demanded that the oath of allegiance be sworn in the Dormition Cathedral in the Kremlin, and then had himself solemnly crowned in September 1598. He also attempted to link his family to the great European royal houses through marriage proposals, which, however, failed one after another.
A reformist but contested reign
Once he became tsar, Boris Godunov pursued an ambitious policy. He promoted Russia's religious independence, achieved as early as 1589 with the creation of the Patriarchate of Moscow, strengthened the borders against Sweden, and encouraged eastward expansion, accelerating the colonization of Siberia. He also sought to open Russia to the West, sending young nobles to study in Europe. However, these initiatives met with internal resistance, particularly from the boyars, who were hostile to the concentration of power.
The Shift Towards the Time of Troubles
Beginning in 1601, a terrible famine struck the country for three years, causing tens of thousands of deaths and an explosion of popular discontent. In this climate of distress, a pretender, the "False Dmitry," emerged, supported by Polish and Lithuanian forces, who presented himself as the miraculously surviving Tsarevich. Although Boris Godunov managed to repel him militarily, his authority was permanently weakened. His sudden death in April 1605 precipitated the collapse of central power and ushered in a decade of civil wars, usurpations, and foreign interventions.
January 7, 1598, remains a pivotal date in Russian history. By ascending the throne, Boris Godunov inaugurated a new form of sovereignty, based on election rather than blood, but also an era of turmoil from which Russia would only emerge with the rise of the Romanovs in 1613.
