"But the tsar is not real!", Or The most famous impostors in the history of Russia

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In Russia, fake tsars periodically appeared. Forty "Petrov III", "Tsarevich Alexei" in large numbers, False Dmitry, False Vashki … Who are these people and how did they decide on this? Why were there so many impostors who were attracted by the royal throne, and who did not hesitate to do anything to get their way? Read who were called "peasant princes", who are the False Ladies and what they are known for, and how an official Ankudinov paid with his life for wanting to become the son of the tsar.

The first impostors or "peasant princes"

It is worth starting with the most famous impostor - Osinovik. The daredevil claimed to be the grandson of the great and terrible Ivan the Terrible. The "false son" appeared in the city of Astrakhan, in 1607. The same deceivers, false princes Laurentius and Augustine became companions. Three swindlers were able to persuade the Cossacks to go in search of the truth to Moscow. There is a version that while the campaign lasted, a quarrel arose between them, during which Osinovik was killed. What these people argued about, today no one will know, perhaps they argued to each other that each of them is more suitable for the role of a prince. Or maybe it was an ordinary squabble from scratch.

However, there is one more assumption: in that troubled time, the dashing Cossacks did not forgive their commander for the defeat in the battle of Saratov and hanged him to the gallows without any pity. August, Lawrence and Osinovik are noted in the annals and are called "peasant princes".

Who are the False Dmitry and the False Vashki and how many were there

After Tsarevich Dmitry (son of Ivan the Terrible) went to the other world, troubled times came. The impostors appeared one after the other. For example, Grigory Otrepiev, a monk on the run, became the first of the False Dmitry. He enlisted the support of Polish troops and even managed to ascend the throne in 1605. Surprisingly, the swindler was even recognized by his mother, Maria. Grishka ruled the state for a whole year, and then he was mercilessly torn to pieces by the boyars. But it was not there! Soon a new adventurer appeared, claiming that it was he who was False Dmitry I, who miraculously escaped from the boyars. The second “false” Dmitry was nicknamed the “Tushino thief”. Only six years passed, and the Third False Dmitry, "the thief of Pskov", began to claim the throne. Their attempts ended in failure.

There were not only False Dmitriy, but also False-women. This was the name of the children of Maria Mnishek, who managed to be the wife of both false princes. There is a version that the real son of Mary, Ivan "Voronok", was mercilessly hanged in Moscow. Perhaps the loop did not tighten due to the low weight, but with a great probability the boy froze and died. Years passed, and the Polish gentry Jan Luba began to talk about how he miraculously escaped. He was extradited in 1645, but after confessing to imposture, he was pardoned. In 1646, in hot Istanbul, a new False Woman appeared - it was the Cossack Vergunenok named Ivan.

Pretender by chance Timofey Ankudinov

Another well-known impostor is Timofey Ankudinov, a Vologda official. Having squandered state funds, he found no other way out but to take all the money, burn down his house (and his wife with him, because she was going to give him over) and flee abroad. For nine years Timofey traveled around Europe, calling himself the prince of Great Perm, the invented son of Tsar Vasily IV Shuisky.

Ankudinov was artistic and inventive. He used all his abilities and, as a result, was believed by such persons as Queen Christina of Sweden and even Pope Innocent the Tenth. The swindler scattered promises: after his ascension to the throne, donate some territories, as well as make other gifts. He boldly signed false decrees using his own seal. It all ended with the fact that Timofey was handed over to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. After being transported to Moscow, the impostor was quartered.

How the people believed in the substituted Tsar Peter and the miraculous salvation of Tsarevich Alexei

The people did not always understand the progressive reforms of Peter the Great. Rumors spread that it was not a primordially Russian tsar who was sitting on the throne, but some foreign "substituted German". As a result, new, supposedly real sovereigns began to emerge. The first False Peter, Terenty Chumakov, traveled around the country. Most likely, it was a mentally unhealthy person. He claimed that he secretly studied his lands and followed what the people said about him, the great king. This story ended in Smolensk, Chumakov died under torture.

There was also False Peter, a merchant from Moscow with a simple name Timofey and a funny surname Kobylkin. Once he went to Pskov, but on the way robbers attacked and robbed him. The poor fellow went home on foot, stopping at taverns to rest. There he introduced himself as the captain of the Preobrazhensky regiment, Pyotr Alekseev, and in return received a respectful attitude and abundant food. This could have ended. But Kobylkin got carried away and began to send menacing letters to local governors. It all ended sadly: the stupid adventurer was arrested, tortured, and then beheaded.

Peter the Great suspected his son Alexei of treason to the Russian state and conspiracy against himself, so the first-born was sentenced to death. Soon there were rumors that the prince had miraculously escaped. There appeared "heirs" claiming the throne. Historians speak of seven such "Petrov's descendants". Despite their insanity or alcoholism, they were sentenced to death.

And another ruler, Peter III, who was removed from rule by his own wife. After the death of the king, counterfeit sovereigns appeared almost immediately. For example, the fugitive soldier Gavrila Kremnev took advantage of the fact that the people did not believe in the death of the tsar. He gathered an army of 1,500 people and went to Moscow, accompanied by the sound of bells and the cheering of the crowd. But it all ended quickly: as soon as a regular army appeared, the soldiers of the liar gave a fight. Catherine was merciful and did not condemn the swindler to death, but ordered them to burn the letters "BS" on his forehead, which meant a fugitive and an impostor. After that, the poor fellow began to be carried around the settlements, in which he sowed confusion and flogged with a whip in the presence of a large crowd of people. In the end, Kremnev was sent to hard labor, forever.

Of course, impostors were not only in Russia. 8 most famous impostors who changed history