Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky
Prince Mikhail Vasiliyevich Skopin-Shuisky (Russian: Михаил Васильевич Скопин-Шуйский; 18 November [O.S. 8 November] 1586 – 3 May [O.S. 23 April] 1610) was a Russian statesman and military figure during the Time of Troubles. He was the last representative of a cadet branch of the Shuysky family.
Life
Having lost his father, Vasili Feodorovich Skopin-Shuisky, at an early age, Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky was educated by his mother. During the reign (1598-1605) of
Military career
He began his military career in 1606 with the appearance of
When
On 14 April 1609, Skopin-Shuisky left Novgorod with 12,000
Mikhail's actions were often impeded by lack of funding for the Swedish mercenaries and necessity to train his own army. Nevertheless, many supporters of False Dmitriy II chose to flee at the sight of Mikhail's army and this gained him a reputation of the saviour of the fatherland.
According to Chester Dunning, "In March 1610, Tsar Vasili's brilliant nephew Skopin-Shuiskii made a triumphal entry into the capital widely hailed as the hero who had ended the siege of Moscow and eliminated the longstanding threat posed by Tushino. Skopin-Shuiskii was by this time far more popular than Tsar Vasilii and was being secretly promoted by
Death
Skopin-Shuiskii died mysteriously, less than a month after a private meeting with Tsar Vasili. According to Dunning, "Many people claimed that he had been poisoned by a jealous relative,[clarification needed] either the tsar himself or his brother Dmitrii - who was, in fact, hoping to succeed the childless ruler some day. Few people believed the tsar sincerely mourned the loss of his nephew, and many suspected him of involvement in murder."[1]
See also
- Dmitry Pozharsky
- Prokopy Lyapunov
References
- ^ ISBN 0271024658.