Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky
Encyclopedia
Prince
Mikhail Vasiliyevich Skopin-Shuisky (1587 – 23 April OS
(3 May NS
) 1610) was a youthful Russia
n statesman
and military figure during the Time of Troubles
. He was the last representative of a cadet branch of the House of Shuya.
, he was appointed stolnik
(tsar
's assistant). False Dmitriy I
made Mikhail his mechnik (sword carrier), and asked him personally to bring Marfa Ivanovna - mother of Mikhail I - to Moscow
from exile
. During the reign of Vasili IV
, Skopin-Shuisky became a close associate of his cousin, the Tsar.
, whom he would defeat twice, first near the Pakhra River
with a small unit at his disposal (after Bolotnikov had crushed the Muscovite army led by Mstislavsky
and other boyar
s) and then at Kotly
. After the second defeat, Bolotnikov and his men fled to Tula
. Skopin-Shuisky took an active part in a successful siege
of Tula alongside the Muscovite army.
When False Dmitriy II appeared on the political horizon, Vasili IV decided to seek help from the Swedes
and sent Skopin-Shuisky to Novgorod to negotiate with them. Despite some obstacles, Skopin-Shuisky managed to persuade the Swedes to help the Russian tsar
.
On 14 April 1609, Skopin-Shuisky left Novgorod with 12,000 Swedish
soldiers under the command of Jacob De la Gardie
to save the Russian throne. Skopin-Shuisky captured Oreshek, Tver
and Torzhok
and cleared the north of the country from the enemies. He defeated Hetman
Jan Piotrus Sapieha at Kalyazin
and made him abandon the Siege of the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra.
Mikhail's actions were often impeded by lack of funding for the Swedish mercenaries
and necessity to train his own army. Nevertheless, many supporters of False Dmitriy II chose to flee at the sight of Mikhail's army and this gained him a reputation of the saviour of the fatherland. At one point, Prokopy Lyapunov
's companions came to Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky and offered him the Russian throne, but he declined the offer.
s.
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...
Mikhail Vasiliyevich Skopin-Shuisky (1587 – 23 April OS
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
(3 May NS
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
) 1610) was a youthful 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 statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
and military figure during the Time of Troubles
Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles was a period of Russian history comprising the years of interregnum between the death of the last Russian Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, in 1598, and the establishment of the Romanov Dynasty in 1613. In 1601-1603, Russia suffered a famine that killed one-third...
. He was the last representative of a cadet branch of the House of Shuya.
Life
Having lost his father, Vasili Feodorovich Skopin-Shuisky, at an early age, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky was educated by his mother. During the reign of Boris GodunovBoris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
, he was appointed 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....
(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...
's assistant). False Dmitriy I
False Dmitriy I
False Dmitriy I was the Tsar of Russia from 21 July 1605 until his death on 17 May 1606 under the name of Dimitriy Ioannovich . He is sometimes referred to under the usurped title of Dmitriy II...
made Mikhail his mechnik (sword carrier), and asked him personally to bring Marfa Ivanovna - mother of Mikhail I - to 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...
from exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
. During the reign of Vasili IV
Vasili IV of Russia
Vasili IV of Russia was Tsar of Russia between 1606 and 1610 after the murder of False Dmitriy I. His reign fell during the Time of Troubles....
, Skopin-Shuisky became a close associate of his cousin, the Tsar.
Military career
He began his military career in 1606 with the appearance of Ivan BolotnikovIvan Bolotnikov
Ivan Isayevich Bolotnikov was the leader of a popular uprising in Russia in 1606–1607 known as the Bolotnikov rebellion . The uprising was part of the Time of Troubles in Russia.-Biography:...
, whom he would defeat twice, first near the Pakhra River
Pakhra River
The Pakhra River is a river in the Moscow Oblast in Russia, a right tributary of the Moskva River. It is 135 km in length. The area of its basin is 2580 km². The Pakhra River freezes up in November - December and stays under the ice until the late March - April. Main tributaries: Mocha,...
with a small unit at his disposal (after Bolotnikov had crushed the Muscovite army led by Mstislavsky
Mstislavsky
Mstislavsky was a Russian princely family of Gediminid origin who prior to their move to Russia ruled the principality of Mstislavl. In the following, the Mstislavsky family produced some notable military commanders such as Ivan Mstislavsky who fought in the Livonian War...
and other 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....
s) and then at Kotly
Kotly
Kotly, also known as Upper and Lower Kotly is a locality in the south of Moscow on the right bank of the Moskva River.The name Kotly comes from two extinct villages. The locality has been existing since the late 14th century under the name of Kotyol , a village on the Kotlovka River...
. After the second defeat, Bolotnikov and his men fled to 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:...
. Skopin-Shuisky took an active part in a successful siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Tula alongside the Muscovite army.
When False Dmitriy II appeared on the political horizon, Vasili IV decided to seek help from the Swedes
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and sent Skopin-Shuisky to Novgorod to negotiate with them. Despite some obstacles, Skopin-Shuisky managed to persuade the Swedes to help the Russian tsar
De la Gardie Campaign
The De la Gardie Campaign refers to the actions of a 15,000-strong Swedish military unit, commanded by Jacob De la Gardie and Evert Horn in alliance with the Russian commander Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Polish–Muscovite War...
.
On 14 April 1609, Skopin-Shuisky left Novgorod with 12,000 Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
soldiers under the command of Jacob De la Gardie
Jacob De la Gardie
Field Marshal and Count Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie was a statesman and a soldier of the Swedish Empire....
to save the Russian throne. Skopin-Shuisky captured Oreshek, Tver
Tver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
and Torzhok
Torzhok
Torzhok is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, famous for its folk craft of goldwork embroidery. Population: Torzhok has twenty-two large and medium-sized industrial enterprises. Two of them are especially significant...
and cleared the north of the country from the enemies. He defeated Hetman
Hetman
Hetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
Jan Piotrus Sapieha at Kalyazin
Kalyazin
Kalyazin is a town and the administrative center of Kalyazinsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River, southeast of Kashin, north of Sergiyev Posad, and southwest of Uglich . Population:...
and made him abandon the Siege of the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra.
Mikhail's actions were often impeded by lack of funding for the Swedish mercenaries
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
and necessity to train his own army. Nevertheless, many supporters of False Dmitriy II chose to flee at the sight of Mikhail's army and this gained him a reputation of the saviour of the fatherland. At one point, Prokopy Lyapunov
Prokopy Lyapunov
Prokopy Petrovich Lyapunov was a Russian statesman of Rurikid stock, who helped deliver Moscow from Polish interventionists.After the death of Boris Godunov, Prokopy and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov sided with False Dmitriy I. In early 1606, he took part in the Bolotnikov Uprising on the side of...
's companions came to Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky and offered him the Russian throne, but he declined the offer.
Death
All of this made his cousin Dmitry Ivanovich Shuisky, who previously had to surrender his post of the commander of the Muscovite army in favour of Mikhail, envious. It appears that the tsar decided to get rid of his 23-year-old rival. During a celebration, Dmitriy Shuisky's wife poisoned her husband's food. He died on 23 April 1610 two weeks later. Vasili IV ordered to bury him in the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, but away from other royal cryptCrypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
s.
See also
- Dmitry PozharskyDmitry PozharskyFor the ship of the same name, see Sverdlov class cruiserDmitry Mikhaylovich Pozharsky was a Rurikid prince, who led Russia's struggle for independence against Polish-Lithuanian invasion known as the Time of Troubles...
- Prokopy LyapunovProkopy LyapunovProkopy Petrovich Lyapunov was a Russian statesman of Rurikid stock, who helped deliver Moscow from Polish interventionists.After the death of Boris Godunov, Prokopy and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov sided with False Dmitriy I. In early 1606, he took part in the Bolotnikov Uprising on the side of...