The essence of autocracy in Russia is inherently vicious in that the fate of a vast country depends on the personal qualities of a single person. The frank weakness of the heir, the lack of clear laws of succession to the throne - all this led to bloody confusion and the rise of mercenary and greedy noble clans. Tsar Ivan the Fifth Romanov is an example of such a weak ruler who voluntarily withdrew from government and only watched the struggle for power.
A child at the center of the power struggle
In 1682, Tsar of Russia Fedor Alekseevich died. He did not leave after the male descendants, and the throne was to be inherited by his younger brother. Ivan the Fifth Alekseevich Romanov was born in August 1666, his father was Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, his mother was Maria Ilyinichna Miloslavskaya.
The situation was complicated not only because of the tender age of the successor Fedor. The heir was a weak and painful child, he suffered from scurvy, which many of his relatives suffered from, and he was poorly seen.
Due to poor vision, he later began his education than other royal sons. Also, many contemporaries spoke very unflattering about his intellectual abilities, almost openly calling him weak-minded. The biography of Ivan the Fifth is characterized not so much by his actions as by the events that unfolded around him.
From childhood, he preferred solitude and prayer to crowded receptions and meetings, never showing attention to state affairs.
An attempt to eliminate Ivan
A huge role in those years in Russia was played by the closest circle of the royal people, numerous relatives of the wives of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. On the one hand there was a clan of Miloslavskys, relatives of the first Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna. They were opposed by the Naryshkins, the most capable and energetic of which was Ivan Kirillovich - the brother of Natalya Kirillovna, who was the second wife of Alexei Mikhailovich and the mother of Peter, who later became emperor.
The Naryshkins loudly declared that Ivan was physically unable to rule the state and demanded the accession of Peter. A real scandal erupted, which some boyars and Patriarch Joachim tried to calm down. The latter proposed to bring the decisive issue to the court of the people. On April 27, both princes - Peter and Ivan - were taken out onto the porch in front of Red Square, and a peculiar vote took place. More shouts from the crowd gathered in front of the Kremlin were for Peter, only individual voices were heard for the unfortunate Ivan.
However, the time of Peter the Great had not yet arrived; his accession to the throne had to be postponed.
Streletsky riot
Tsarevna Sofya, Ivan's imperious sister, did not accept defeat. She and her relatives Miloslavsky took advantage of the unrest that was growing among the archers. They were delayed by a salary, they were unhappy, and it was very easy to raise a riot. Sophia announced that the “traitors” of the Naryshkins strangled the lawful Tsar Ivan the Fifth.
Misled, archers with drumming and weapons in their hands on May 15 broke into the Kremlin and demanded the extradition of traitors. Trying to calm the angry soldiers, Natalya Kirillovna brought both brothers to the porch to convince everyone of Ivan's good health. However, the archers, incited by the Miloslavsky, demanded the blood of the Naryshkins. Until May 17, the massacre continued, as a result of which all the Naryshkins were killed.
Having taken real power into their own hands, the streltsy proclaimed Ivan the king, and Princess Sophia - the rightful ruler of the young monarch.
Anointing to the throne of brothers
The boyars and the clergy had no choice but to recognize the accession of the sick and weak Ivan Alekseevich. However, they demanded a joint anointing on the throne of Ivan and his brother Peter. In Russia, a unique situation arose when two kings were legally placed over the country. The birth of this first tandem in the history of the country took place on June 25.
Especially for such an unprecedented event, a special double throne was built, with a secret room behind for Princess Sophia. During the coronation, Ivan got the authentic hat of Monomakh and his vestments, and skillful copies were made for Peter.
Despite the fact that Ivan was not the sole autocrat, but had to share this burden with his younger brother, the real power in the country belonged to Sophia and Miloslavsky. All significant government posts were entrusted to their nominees. The Naryshkins were politically destroyed, and the Dowager Queen Natalya Kirillovna had no choice but to leave the capital. She retired with her son Peter to Preobrazhenskoye, where the formation of the future emperor began.
Under the rule of Sophia
Having come to power on the bayonets of archers, the Miloslavskys and Sophia soon faced the fact that organized armed people felt a taste of power and realized their enormous influence on the rulers. For a long time the archers raged in Moscow, they even swung at the reform of the church and religion. Fallen under the influence of the Old Believers, they embarked on a new campaign against the Kremlin and demanded the recognition of the "old faith."
However, Sophia called for help the noble militia and the rebellion was suppressed. Sagittarius sent their representatives to Sophia asking for forgiveness, and she pardoned the rebels, setting the condition to no longer interfere in the affairs of the state. So in 1683, Sophia finally took all power in her hands.
Ivan the Fifth Romanov by that time had reached the age of majority, but still eschewed the government. His participation in politics was limited to formal representation at receptions and ceremonies. All real affairs were managed by his sister and her favorites, among which the greatest influence was enjoyed by Prince V.V. Golitsyn and the Duma clerk Shaklovity. Peter clearly disagreed with this situation.
The formation of Peter
While in Preobrazhensky, Peter did not waste time in vain, devoting much time to his education and the creation of a faithful guard. The amusing battalions created as training troops for Peter's entertainment became a real military force with which he could count on returning to power. From the place of his exile, Peter repeatedly wrote letters to Ivan, in which he urged his brother to recall his royal dignity and take control of the country in his hands. However, the weak monarch could not do anything and spent all his time in prayers.
Tsarevna Sofya, feeling the vulnerability of her position, tried to become a real autocrat and be officially anointed to the kingdom. However, a strong party of loyal people had already formed around Peter. Among them, the leading position was occupied by Lev Naryshkin and Prince B. Golitsyn.
The overthrow of Sophia
A good moment for the seizure of power has ripened by 1689. Sophia's companion V.V. Golitsyn organized a campaign to the Crimea, which ended in complete disaster and the defeat of the army.
Peter brought in the capital Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky battalions and demanded an investigation into the causes of failure and punishment of those responsible. Tsarevna Sofya tried to use the support of the archers and defeat Peter. She tried to mislead her brother Ivan and claimed that Peter wanted to kill him. He first believed his sister, but then he took the side of his brother and supported him.
Peter won, the trial of V.V. Golitsyn and the clerk Shaklovit took place. The first escaped with exile, and Shaklovity was executed.
In the shadow of a great brother
So, in 1689, the reign of Sophia came to an end, and Peter managed to gain real power. Not wanting to give cause for further unrest and unrest, the future emperor assumed the formal seniority of his brother, and in all documents of that period the signature of Ivan the Fifth is before Peter's autograph.
In general, complete harmony and mutual understanding reigned between the two monarchs. Ivan the Fifth calmly gave real power into the hands of Peter, telling his family that he was more worthy to bear the burden of the ruler. In turn, Peter did not object to the fact that officially he was forced to share the crown with his brother.
This balance was maintained until 1696, when the monarch died, and his younger brother became a full autocrat. Many contemporaries say that already at the age of 27, Ivan looked like a decrepit old man, had difficulty seeing and was partially paralyzed. At thirty years old he died, already being completely exhausted.
