Ivan Nikitich Khovansky
Encyclopedia
Prince
Ivan Nikitich Khovansky (died 1675) was a Russia
n boyar
and voyevoda, nephew of Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky
and cousin of Taratui.
Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was first mentioned in historical documents as a stolnik
in 1625. It is also known that he commanded a Tula
regiment between March 20 of 1628 and October 1 of 1629. In 1634, Ivan Nikitich was appointed regiment voyevoda in Borovsk
and a year later relocated to Tula to guard the city from the Crimean Tatars
and Nogais
, where he would remain until 1637. Upon Alexei Mikhailovich's ascension to the throne in 1645, Ivan Nikitich was sent to Mozhaisk and Vyazma
to get their pledge of allegiance to the new tsar
. That same year, however, he would be exiled to Siberia
for his refusal to "kiss the cross" (that is, to pledge his allegiance to the tsar). This pledge of allegiance explicitly stated that "one should not want to serve foreign sovereigns, kings, or princes other than his own Russian tsar". For reasons still unclear, Khovansky kept company with Prince Valdemar of Denmark
(a bastard son of Christian IV of Denmark
), who was resisting the conversion to Orthodox Christianity
before marrying Irina, the elder daughter of the previous tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. Ivan Nikitich Khovansky tried to make Prince Valdemar stay in Moscow
and to assure the tsar that the prince would convert. In 1648, the government had to deal with the Salt Riot
, which probably influenced the tsar’s decision to send for Khovansky and summon him back to Moscow. Curiously, upon his return to the capital, Ivan Khovansky was granted the title of a boyar, by-passing the rank of okolnichiy.
In 1650, there was an uprising in Novgorod
and Pskov. Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was ordered to suppress them. Without entering Novgorod, Khovansky and his army stopped at Khutyn Monastery
and tried to reason with the insurgents through negotiations. A few days later, the Novgorodians laid down their arms, and Khovansky slowly proceeded with arrests. The tsar was unhappy with such deliberation, but Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod
intervened on the part of Khovansky saying it was him who had advised Ivan Nikitich to conduct an unhasty search for the ringleaders in order to avoid armed confrontation. After having dealt with Novgorod, Ivan Khovansky led his army to Pskov. He had too little troops under his command to take the whole city, but he managed to rebuff the sallies organized by the Pskovians. With the help of a Zemsky Sobor
delegation, the city would soon submit to the authorities without resorting to violence. For his achievements, Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was rewarded with a gilded velvet fur coat, a goblet, and salary raise. On March 20 of 1652, he was sent to Solovetsky Monastery
together with Metropolitan Nikon with a mission to bring the relics of Metropolitan Philip II to Moscow. In 1654, the Russo-Polish War
began, and Ivan Nikitich Khovansky joined the tsar in the siege of Smolensk
. After Alexei Mikhailovich’s departure to Moscow in March of 1655, Khovansky remained in Smolensk as a voyevoda. In 1660, he defeated the Polish army at the village of Malchami.
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
Ivan Nikitich Khovansky (died 1675) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
and voyevoda, nephew of Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky
Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky
Prince Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky was a Russian boyar who led the Streltsy during the Moscow Uprising of 1682, alternatively known as the Khovanshchina. His life was dramatized by Modest Mussorgsky in the eponymous opera...
and cousin of Taratui.
Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was first mentioned in historical documents as a stolnik
Stolnik
Stolnik was a court office in Poland and Muscovy, responsible for serving the royal table.- Stolnik in Crown of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania : In Crown of Poland under the first Piast dukes and kings, this was a court office....
in 1625. It is also known that he commanded a Tula
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
regiment between March 20 of 1628 and October 1 of 1629. In 1634, Ivan Nikitich was appointed regiment voyevoda in Borovsk
Borovsk
Borovsk is a town and the administrative center of Borovsky District of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located just south from the oblast's border with Moscow Oblast. It is situated on the Protva River, about southwest of Moscow.Population: 12,000 ....
and a year later relocated to Tula to guard the city from the Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
and Nogais
Nogais
The Nogai people are a Turkic ethnic group in Southern Russia: northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Astrakhan Oblast; undefined number live in Chechnya...
, where he would remain until 1637. Upon Alexei Mikhailovich's ascension to the throne in 1645, Ivan Nikitich was sent to Mozhaisk and Vyazma
Vyazma
Vyazma is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk and Mozhaysk. Throughout its turbulent history, the city defended western approaches to the city of Moscow...
to get their pledge of allegiance to the new tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
. That same year, however, he would be exiled to Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
for his refusal to "kiss the cross" (that is, to pledge his allegiance to the tsar). This pledge of allegiance explicitly stated that "one should not want to serve foreign sovereigns, kings, or princes other than his own Russian tsar". For reasons still unclear, Khovansky kept company with Prince Valdemar of Denmark
Prince Valdemar of Denmark
Prince Valdemar of Denmark, GCTE was a member of the Danish Royal Family, the youngest son of Christian IX of Denmark and his wife Luise of Hesse-Kassel...
(a bastard son of Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
), who was resisting the conversion to Orthodox Christianity
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
before marrying Irina, the elder daughter of the previous tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich. Ivan Nikitich Khovansky tried to make Prince Valdemar stay in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and to assure the tsar that the prince would convert. In 1648, the government had to deal with the Salt Riot
Salt Riot
The Salt Riot, also known as the Moscow Uprising of 1648 , was a riot in Moscow in 1648, triggered by the government's substitution of different taxes with a universal direct salt tax for the purpose of replenishing the state treasury, which, in turn, made salt a much more expensive commodity.-The...
, which probably influenced the tsar’s decision to send for Khovansky and summon him back to Moscow. Curiously, upon his return to the capital, Ivan Khovansky was granted the title of a boyar, by-passing the rank of okolnichiy.
In 1650, there was an uprising in Novgorod
Novgorod Uprising of 1650
The Novgorod Uprising of 1650 was an uprising in Novgorod, caused by the Russian government's bulk purchasing of grain and the resulting increases in the price of bread....
and Pskov. Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was ordered to suppress them. Without entering Novgorod, Khovansky and his army stopped at Khutyn Monastery
Khutyn Monastery
Khutyn Monastery of Saviour's Transfiguration and of St. Varlaam used to be the holiest monastery of the medieval Novgorod Republic. The monastery is situated on the right bank of the Volkhov River some 10 km north northeast of Velikiy Novgorod, in the village of Khutyn, whose name is perhaps...
and tried to reason with the insurgents through negotiations. A few days later, the Novgorodians laid down their arms, and Khovansky slowly proceeded with arrests. The tsar was unhappy with such deliberation, but Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod
Patriarch Nikon
Nikon , born Nikita Minin , was the seventh patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church...
intervened on the part of Khovansky saying it was him who had advised Ivan Nikitich to conduct an unhasty search for the ringleaders in order to avoid armed confrontation. After having dealt with Novgorod, Ivan Khovansky led his army to Pskov. He had too little troops under his command to take the whole city, but he managed to rebuff the sallies organized by the Pskovians. With the help of a Zemsky Sobor
Zemsky Sobor
The zemsky sobor was the first Russian parliament of the feudal Estates type, in the 16th and 17th centuries. The term roughly means assembly of the land. It could be summoned either by tsar, or patriarch, or the Boyar Duma...
delegation, the city would soon submit to the authorities without resorting to violence. For his achievements, Ivan Nikitich Khovansky was rewarded with a gilded velvet fur coat, a goblet, and salary raise. On March 20 of 1652, he was sent to Solovetsky Monastery
Solovetsky Monastery
Solovetsky Monastery was the greatest citadel of Christianity in the Russian North before being turned into a special Soviet prison and labor camp , which served as a prototype for the GULag system. Situated on the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea, the monastery braved many changes of fortune...
together with Metropolitan Nikon with a mission to bring the relics of Metropolitan Philip II to Moscow. In 1654, the Russo-Polish War
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
began, and Ivan Nikitich Khovansky joined the tsar in the siege of Smolensk
Siege of Smolensk (1654)
The Siege of Smolensk was one of the first great events of the Russo-Polish War . Smolensk , which had been under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during 1404-1514 and since 1611, was besieged by a Russian army in June 1654...
. After Alexei Mikhailovich’s departure to Moscow in March of 1655, Khovansky remained in Smolensk as a voyevoda. In 1660, he defeated the Polish army at the village of Malchami.