10th June 1605: False Dmitry I enters Moscow and is recognised as tsar following the death of Boris Godunov

**Scott Allsop** (0:00)
On the 10th of June 1605, Foltz Dmitry I entered Moscow and was recognized as Tsar following the death of Boris Godunov. Welcome to HistoryPod.
False Dmitry's rule took place during the time of troubles following the death of Tsar Feodor I in 1598 This ended the Rurik dynasty that had ruled Russia for centuries and led Boris Godunov, Feodor's brother-in-law, to assume power. At the same time, severe famine caused widespread hardship and weakened confidence in the government. In the midst of this crisis, a claimant to the throne asserted that he was Dmitry Ivanovich, the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, who had been reported dead in childhood. With support from Polish nobles, mercenaries and anti-Godunov factions, False Dmitry entered Russian territory from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1604 Although his military campaign initially faced difficulties, Godunov's support declined rapidly after Boris' sudden death in April 1605
Elements of the Russian military and aristocracy soon transferred their allegiance to the claimant and this allowed him to approach Moscow with limited resistance. On the 10th June, False Dmitry entered the capital and was welcomed by supporters who accepted his claim to the throne. Members of the Godunov family were removed from power and preparations began for his coronation, which took place later that summer. During his reign he attempted to secure support among both Russian elites and foreign allies, but suspicions remained concerning his origins and his connections with Poland and the Catholic Church. Dmitry ruled for less than a year before he was overthrown and killed, after which his body was hacked to pieces, burned, and the ashes fired from a cannon towards Poland. He was succeeded by Vasily IV, who had played a key role in his overthrow.