Coronation of Feodor Ivanovich, last representative of Rurik dynasty

May 31 (10 June) 1584, at the Assumption Cathedral of Moscow Kremlin, took place the coronation of Feodor Ivanovich - the last of the Rurik dynasty.

Fyodor Ivanovich was born in May 1557 in Moscow. His father was Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, mother - the tsarina Anastasia Romanova. After the death of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich, the eldest son of Ivan IV the Terrible, Feodor Ivanovich became heir to the throne.

The coronation of Feodor Ivanovich was the first ceremony that thoroughly complied with the coronation order of Byzantine emperors. The main part of the ceremony was a "great" appearance of the emperor and his retinue at the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin (for "great" coronation appearance was used first the Golden, later the Red Porch of the Faceted Chamber). Inside the Assumption Cathedral, by the western door, was arranged a special tsar’s place ("a chamber of 12 steps") where Metropolitan Dionysius was supposed to lay the crown on the head of the tsar.

It was then that Russian tsar was first awarded with the orb ("globus cruciger") as a coronation regalia with a finial in the form of a cross as a symbol of power over all the lands of the Orthodox world. After anointing and the communion at the altar, there was the procession of emperor from the Assumption Cathedral to the Archangel Cathedral. The coronation was accompanied by a military celebration at the Devichye Pole (Maiden’s Field).

According to the memoirs of contemporaries, Tsar Feodor Ivanovich was an inactive and sickly man, who preferred the church service and various entertainment activities to state affairs. All administration of the state passed into the hands of the tsar's brother-in-law, Boris Godunov. Feodor Ivanovich paid much attention to the palace household, including the Armory; he restored the Kremlin Palace, built the Golden Chamber for Tsarina Irene. In 1586 master A. Chokhov casted in bronze the Tsar Cannon. In 1588 St. Basil's side chapel was attached to the Pokrovsky Cathedral. Stone walls of the White City were built. Due to Crimean khan Kaza Giray’s attack against Moscow, the suburbs of Moscow were reinforced with wooden walls with loopholes. In 1591 the Don Monastery was founded (in memory of the liberation of Moscow from the raid of the Crimean Khan).

The reign of Feodor Ivanovich was characterized by a gradual rise of the economic life of the country, overcoming the effects of the crisis of 1570-1580 and unsuccessful Livonian War (1558-1583). At that time rose the enslavement of peasants (decrees of 1586, 1592-1593, 1597), increased state taxes on the tax-paying urban population. The Western Siberia was finally annexed to Russia, Russian fortresses headed by the city of Tobolsk were built; the southern border areas and the Volga region were successfully developed, the role of Russia in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia increased. One of the important events of the reign of Tsar Feodor was the establishment of the patriarchate in 1589. Moscow metropolitan ascended to the level of patriarchy. As a result, the Russian Orthodox Church became independent of the Greek Orthodox Church in canonical and legal respect, Metropolitan of Job was elected patriarch.

During the reign of Feodor in 1589 was issued a Code of Law, which was compiled for the needs of the northern peasantry, and was a collection of statutes and laws, defining the rights and obligations of peasants; for the basis was taken the Code of Law of Ivan IV. The new chapters presented the rules on the gathering of the peasants, land borders, investigation of those responsible. The article dealt with the most important aspects of the farm: horse stealing, agricultural land, the distinction between possessions, inheritance, etc.

Under Feodor Ivanovich the international position of Russia improved: after the Russian-Swedish War (1590-1593), under the Treaty of Teusina (1595) Russia restored the cities and districts of the Novgorod land, seized by Sweden during the Livonian War. However, the contradictions in Russia's relations with Poland, Sweden, the Crimean Khanate, the Ottoman Empire were growing.

Feodor Ivanovich died on 7 (17) January, 1598 and was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. He was the last of the Moscow branch of the Rurik dynasty - descendants of Ivan Kalita.

LIt.: Андреев А. И. О происхождении Судебника 1589 года. Пг., 1922; Карамзин Н. М. Царствование Фёодора Иоанновича. СПб, 1884; Морозова Л. Е. Фёдор Иванович // Вопросы истории. 1994. № 2; Морозова Л. Е. Два царя: Фёдор и Борис. М., 2001; Павлов А. П. Государев двор и политическая борьба при Борисе Годунове (1584-1605). СПб., 1992.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Владимирский-Буданов М. Ф. Судебник 1589 года: Его значение и источники. Киев, 1902;

Судебник царя Фёдора Иоанновича 1589 г. М., 1900;

Boris Godunov elected the Tsar of Russia // On this day. 27 February 1598