The Elbert County tribune., 1913-05-23

! IL up after the havoc of the Mongol fury
d new state around the obscure city of Moscow,
is one of the most remarkable in history Yet in
Ioll all their work seemed .undone II Ivan ",
prematurely aged, worn out brokenrhearted hayS
Ing murdered his eldest son in fit of maniacaf
1ury, passed away in circumstances of the utmost
horror in 1854. For the next twenty years the
real ruler of Muscoyy was Ivan's great minister
Boris Godunov, one of the new men" whom his
reforming zeal had called to the front Godunoy
was in many ways excellent ruler-he,
perhaps the most enlightened of the pre- -Petriue
monarchs of Russia. But the great nobles DIS
liked him, and there is little doubt that he
cleared his path to the throne by making away,
with Dmitrf, the half-brother of the nominal Car
Feodor l.. and his natural heir The great family
of the Romanoffs stood the throne for Feo-
doris mother had been Romanoff.. While Feo
dor lived Godunov dared not attack them but
when the weak monarch died In. 1893 and the
minister. despite his more-oE-less- -feigned reluc
tance, was elected his successor. the whole fam,
lily was banished. y y - .. ~ =
Suspicion was the bane OF the othetwise bene-
fetal rule of Boris. Finally an adventurer named
gregory Otrepev gave out that he was, Prince
Dmitri, who had escaped FROM the assassinsS Of
Boris. and raised formidable insurrection. aided
by Sgismund Ill., king of Poland, In the midst
of the war Boris died. and the fatal period of
troubles" of Russia began ~.
The supposed Drnitn soon overthrew the
youthful Feodo- III, son Of Boriss He proved an
admirable ruler, but he was fRohan CathoIfc
and was murdered by the mobiles. Shuiski one
of the conspirators. elected Gar under the
title OF Vasili ", but obtained no firm footing
Revolt everywhere broke out 5sprang up IN every
direction raised armies OF miscellaneous ruffians
and Polish adventurers. 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
1. e.. robbers The desolation was fearful In
hve years the fruits Of a century OF effort ap
peared to have been hopelessly lost The wretch
ed Shutski purchased by the surrender OF terri.
tory In the Baltic provinces, the aid of Sweden;
but the result was to bring about Polish inva
sion. In 1909 Smoensk was besieged. next wear
the great Polish general. Zolkiewski, defeated
and captured Shuisk, entered MOSCOW and pro-
claimed Wladisaw, of Sigismund IN. czar
By shllful diplomacy he occupied the Kremifn
and gained some measure of, support for wiadis
law. 80 ST1fg-Nfti -.
Russia seemed lost. gSmoiensk held out With
bitter desperation for two years but was at last
taken The Thief was murdered but his fol
lowers held together ana contested the posses.
sion OF Moscow desperately with the Poles. Half
the wretched city was destroyed In the course
of the struggle but the famous Troitsa monastery
near the capital resisted siege. after siege dur
ing the anarchy and ,refosed Stol submit NNN
Here the movement to put an end to the pre-
vailing misery first took definite shape The
abbot Dionysius, and the radministrator Abraham
were sent all over Russia calling upoh the peo
pie to unite in defense of ther religion Mini
Novgorod led by Kuzma Minin, a master butcher
at once responded with enthusiasm ! Kazan
Jealous of Mini Novgorod. held back but ali
down the Voga the towns Joined the movement
and men and money came pouring into the
patriot city. Prince Dmitri MikhaNoviek Poz
harsk a brave noble who had consistently -opa
pos.d the Poles and had been wounded almost
to .eath in the fighting round Moscow. was elect