Times of Troubles 1598 – 1613

Russia has seen its fair share of troublesome times throughout its history but no doubt the most difficult of those was between the years of 1598 and 1613. As Russia entered the 17th century they were left with the death of the last Russian Tsar of the Rurik Dynasty, Feodor Ivanovich, and this troublesome period eventually culminated in the establishment of the Romanov Dynasty.

Those years will always be remembered as some of the toughest that the nation has ever faced and it is even studied in Russians schools, as a reminder of just what this country was built on. Here are just some of the dreadful events which took place during that time.

Russian Famine

Most know Russia to be a bountiful and abundant land yet this was not always the case and during the years of 1601 and 1603 the nation went through a great famine which killed hundreds of thousands across the country. This was caused owing to a mixture of one of the poorest harvests in generations, caused from the climate change with the explosion of the Huaynaputina volcano in Peru had caused.

False Dmitri

In 1603 a man who called himself Dmitri — first of many False Dmitris — and professing to be the rightful heir to the throne, appeared before the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Dmitri had been stabbed to death prior to his brother Feodor’s death, allegedly ordered by Godernov; but the mysterious individual who was impersonating him was regarded as the rightful heir by many of the population. Oddly enough he gained support from Russia and many more countries in the Commonwealth and remained in power for many years, used as a tool by the wealthiest.

Second Occupation and Ingrian Wars

Further hundreds of thousands of Russians lost their lives in the Ingrain wars which were fought between Russia and Sweden, not to mention the Second Occupation of the country at the hands of the Poles.

This generation of Russia was bloody, hard and absolutely filled with death and destruction, a vital chapter in our search for independence.