Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-05-23


I% full in the pursuit of their end built
- up after the havoc of the Mongol fury
q new shta around the obscure city Of Moscow
Is one Of the most remarkable in history, Yet in
1911 all their work seemed undonel Ivan w,
prenatarely aged worn out. broken-Aearted hay
ing murdered his eldest son in fit of naniaeal
fury, passed away in circumstances OF the utmost
horror in 1884 For the next twenty years the
real ruler of Muscovy VANS great minister,
Boris Godunov one Of the new mem whom his
reforming zeal had called to the front. Godunov
was in many ways an excellent ruler-he was
perhaps the most enlightened of the pre-Petrine
monarchs of Russia, But the great mobiles dis
liked him, and there is little doubt that be
cleared his path to the throne by making away
with Dmitri the half-brother of the nominal Gear,
Feodor l., and his natural heir The great family
OF the Romanoffs stood near the throne, for Eco
doris mother had been Romanoff. While Fec
dor lived Godunov dared not attack them, but
when the weak monarch died in 1898 and the
minister, despite his more less feigned reluc.
lance elected his successor the whole fam
fly was banished
Suspicion the bane of the otherwise bene-
fetal rule of Boris Finally, an adventurer named
Gregory Otrepev gave out that he was Prince
Dmitri, who had escaped from the assassins Of
Boris and raised formidable instruction. aided
by Sigismund Ill. king Of Poland In the midst
of the war Boris died and the fatal "period of
troubles of Russia began
The supposed Dmitri soon overthrow the
yuutuIul feOuOT liz son OF BOrlS He QrOVPd
admirable ruler but he was Roman Catholic
and was murdered by the nobles Shuiski one
of the conspirators, was elected Car under the
title Of Vasili ", but obtained no firm footing
Revolt everywhere broke out sprang up in every
direction raised armies Of miscellaneous ruflans
and Polish adventures, and spread terror and
devastation to the gates OF Moscow For years
this anarchy lasted. The worst of the pretenders
was the Thief" whose lair was at Tushino near
Moscow, but everywhere the wretched country
was overrun and wasted by gangs of Cossacks
!. e., robbers The desolation was fearful. in
five years the fruits of a century of effort ap
peared to have been hopelessly lost The wretch
ed Shuiski purchased. by the surrender of terri
tory in the Baltic provinces, the aid of Sweden;
but the result TO bring about Polish nva.
sion. In 1909 Smolensk was besieged; next wear
the great Polish general Zokiewski, defeated
ana captured Shuisk, entered Moscow and pro.
claimed Wladislaw, of Sigismund Ill, car.
by skillful diplomacy he occupied the Kremn,
law.
Russia seemed lost Smolensk held out with
bitter desperation for two years. but was at last
taken. THE Thief" was murdered but his fol
lowers heid together and contested the posses
sion OF Moscow desperately with the Poles Hall
the wretched city destroyed in the course
Of the struggle, but the famous Trotsa monastery
near the capital resisted siege after siege dur
ing the anarchy and refused to submit
Here the movement to put an end to the pre
vailing misery first took definite shape TIL,
abbot Dionysius, and the administrator Abraham
Palitsin. took the lead, In October 1911 letter.
were sent all over Russia calling upon the nee
pie to unite in defense of their religion. Min
Novgorod, led by Kuzma Mimi a master butche,
at responded with enthusiasm Kazar
Jealous OF Mini Novgorod held back but al
down the Volga the towns joined the movement
and men and money came pouring into tn
patriot city. Prince Dmtri Mkhailovich POI
harski, brave noble who had consistently OF
piles IN boen dod alro
to death in the fighting round Moscow was cleo