Imposture appeared during times of political and spiritual crises in society. The “miraculous” salvation of royal persons in Russia occurred during periods favorable to the appearance of impostors: during the Time of Troubles (early 17th century), after the palace coups of the first half of the 18th century and the 1917 revolution. The dissatisfaction of the lower layers of the population with the existing structure of life contributed to this phenomenon.
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1
In the Time of Troubles, Russia was struck by a deep domestic ailment. Having taken the name of Tsarevich Dmitry, the son of Grozny, the impostor False Dmitry I served as a destructive force during the development of the Time of Troubles. The question of who was hiding under the identity of False Dmitry I remains a mystery to date, although scientists have made a lot of efforts to solve it. Many historians called the name of the fugitive monk Chudov Monastery Grigory Otrepiev, who turned out to be a pawn in the game of influential Polish magnates and pursuing personal goals of Russian boyars. The political and religious interests of Poland and the Russian boyars who were interested in the overthrow of the Godunov dynasty were different, so the "reign" of False Dmitry turned out to be short, and Polish troops were expelled from Russia.
2
In 1606-1607 False Peter, the invented son of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich (heir to Ivan the Terrible), appeared. The homeland of Lzhepetra was Moore, he was nicknamed Ilya Gorchakov, once a former "working" man and became a Terek Cossack. He was hanged with the peasant leader Bolotnikov.
3
Soon in Starodub, surrounded by Polish and Cossack troops, "Tsar Dmitry" appeared again. Next to False Dmitry II were other adventurers, prince-impostors, executed by him because of fear of competition. False Dmitry II managed to besiege Moscow by setting up a camp in Tushino (for which he received the nickname "Tushinsky thief"). The outrages perpetrated by the "Tushins" began to cause popular discontent. Deprived of the help of the Poles, the impostor retreated from Moscow and soon died at the hands of his own guard.
4
The young son of Marina Mnishek, the wife of False Dmitry I, Ivan is considered the last representative of the impostors of the Time of Troubles. Ivan and Marina Mnishek were executed. In the future, the name of this "prince" served for the birth of new impostors: False I and II.
5
In neighboring states, impostors have been declared more than once. Among them, False Simeon I (who was called either the son or the grandson of Shuisky Timofei Ankudinov), the Pole Vorobyov, under the name of the son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, was among the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks. These impostors were brutally executed in the capital.
6
The popular movement in Russia could not do without the appearance of impostors. After the overthrow of Peter III, the fugitive peasants and soldiers indignant at the common people were hiding under the person of the emperor. The appearance of impostors in 18th-century Russia is not an accident: it was the result of dissatisfaction with the existing order that had accumulated among the masses of the people. Don Cossack Emelian Pugachev, called Peter III, from 1773 to 1775 stood at the head of the peasant war, spreading over the vast territory of the Volga and Urals. After the arrest of Pugachev, a detachment of rebels was operating, led by the peasant Evstafiev, also "Peter III".
7
The literature tells of "Princess Tarakanova", an adventurer who decided to take control of the Russian throne with the help of Pugachev. The "daughter" of Elizabeth Petrovna was arrested.
eight
With the name of Constantine, the brother of Tsar Nicholas I, the people linked their aspirations for "will." The death of Konstantin Pavlovich created among the Ural Cossacks the last significant impostor, who appropriated the name of the Grand Duke.
9
The mystery of the shooting of the last tsarist dynasty in 1918 led to the appearance of many impostors, claiming to be the heirs of the Romanov family. 11 people were called the son of Alexei, but at present only the identity of one Philip Semenov raises doubts of scientists. Anna Anderson considered herself the youngest daughter of the emperor Anastasia. It is with this applicant that lengthy investigations are connected that indicate the absence of convincing evidence. The most famous impostor, who called herself the third daughter of Nicholas I, Maria, was a representative of a respected Spanish family, who until her death did not report their belonging to the Russian royal family. Only her letter, published in 1982 by the grandson, Prince of Anjou, tells about this. Despite the persuasiveness of some legends of impostors posing as children of the last Russian emperor, independent examinations proved the genetic identity of the discovered remains of all members of the Romanov family.
- Impostors in the history of Russia
- The "Impostors" of the Romanovs
- Impostor
