Boyarynya Morozova interesting facts. Boyarynya Morozova

In the middle of the 17th century, with the accession to the throne of the second tsar from the Romanov dynasty - Alexei Mikhailovich (1645 - 1676), his educator - "uncle", boyar Boris Ivanovich Morozov became the de facto ruler of the country. His family was the richest in Russia - the Morozovs owned thousands of households and tens of thousands of forced peasants. The noblewoman Morozova was the daughter-in-law of Boris Morozov, that Morozov whom the quietest tsar considered not only his "friend", but revered "instead of his own father." However, the family happiness of Theodosia lasted only eleven years. In 1662, Gleb Ivanovich died, leaving his widowed wife the heir of a huge "allotment" from the common family property. It seemed that open spaces of a happy and carefree fate were opening up before her ... In one of the many estates of the Morozovs - the village of Zyuzino near Moscow, one of the first in Russia a luxurious estate was equipped according to the western model. At the tsar's palace, Theodosia occupied the rank of riding boyaryn, was close to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. According to the memoirs of contemporaries, “About 300 people served her at home. There were 8000 peasants; there are many friends and relatives; She rode in an expensive carriage, made of mosaics and silver, of six or twelve horses with rattling chains; after her there were about a hundred servants, slaves and slaves, protecting her honor and health. " Boyarynya Morozova was an opponent of the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, closely associated with the apologist of the Old Believers - Archpriest Avvakum. Feodosia Morozova was engaged in charity work, received wanderers, beggars and holy fools in her house. Left a widow at thirty, she "pacified the flesh" by wearing a hair shirt. By the 60s. XVII century. the capital became one of the centers of the Old Believer schism. There were "old lovers" who had connections in the circles of the highest secular nobility and the capital's clergy. Boyarynya Morozova quickly became an ardent supporter of all those persecuted for the "old faith." With fanatical passion she listened to the sermons of the head of the schismatics, Archpriest Avvakum. Returning from exile in 1664, he and his wife lived with the noblewoman Theodosia (“nun Theodora,” as she now called herself). Many other "teachers" from different parts of the country also stayed here and found material support. Among them was a certain eldress Melanya, who in 1660 headed the women's community of Moscow "old lovers". Boyarynya Morozova became, on the advice of Avvakum, her novice. However, Habakkuk reproached the young widow that she did not “humble” her flesh enough and wrote to her “Stupid, insane, ugly gouge out your eyes with a shuttle like Mastridia” (calling, following the example of the Monk Mastridia, to get rid of love temptations, gouge out your eyes) ... Morozova performed her home prayers "according to ancient rituals," and her Moscow house served as a haven for the Old Believers persecuted by the authorities. But her support for the Old Believers, judging by the letters of Avvakum, was insufficient: "Alms flow from you, like a small drop from the depths of the sea, and then with a stipulation." Academician A. M. Panchenko, examining Morozova's letters to Avvakum, writes that they contain no discourse on faith and believes that Feodosia "is not a gloomy fanatic, but a mistress and mother, busy with her son and household chores." Habakkuk Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who fully supported church reforms, tried to influence the noblewoman through her relatives and entourage, as well as taking and returning estates from her patrimony. The high position of Morozova and the intercession of Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna kept the tsar from decisive actions. Theodosia Morozova was repeatedly present in the "New Rite Church" at a divine service, which the Old Believers viewed as a forced "little hypocrisy." But after the secret tonsure of a nun under the name of Theodora, which took place at the end of December 1670 or, according to Old Believer legends, on December 6 (16), 1670, Morozova began to withdraw from church and social events. Since that time, she has been to a greater extent is given over to "fasting and prayer and silence", avoiding household chores and giving them over to "his faithful people." The conflict worsened after F.P. Morozova on January 22, 1671 did not appear at the wedding of the tsar with N.K. Naryshkina, referring to the disease of the legs: “my legs are extremely deplorable and I can neither walk nor stand”. The king was angry: "Wem, as if she was proud!" He sent boyar Troekurov to her with persuasion to accept church reform, and later Prince Urusov, her sister's husband. Morozova both responded with a decisive refusal. On the night of November 16, 1671 F.P. Morozova and her sister E.P. Urusov were taken into custody. After interrogation in the chambers of the Chudov Monastery by Metropolitan Pavel Krutitsky and the Chudovsky Archimandrite Joachim, on November 19, Morozova, chained in chains, was taken to the courtyard of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery on the Arbat. However, despite strict guard, Morozova continued to keep in touch with outside world food and clothing was handed over to her. In prison, she received letters from Archpriest Avvakum and was even able to receive communion from one of the priests faithful to the old faith. Soon after the arrest of Theodosia, her son Ivan died. Morozova's property was confiscated to the royal treasury, and her two brothers were exiled. Patriarch Pitirim asked the Tsar for his sisters: “I advise you that noblewoman Morozov's widow, if you deigned to give her the house again and give her hundreds of peasants for her needs; and the princess, too, would have given it to the prince, so it would have been more decent. Women's business; that they know a lot! " But the tsar, calling Morozov a "wild fierceness," answered the patriarch that "she did me a lot of work and showed me inconveniences," and suggested that he himself interrogate the boyaryn. The Patriarch, in the presence of the spiritual and civil authorities, talked with Theodosia at the Chudov Monastery. Deciding that she was sick (the noblewoman did not want to stand in front of the patriarch and the whole interrogation was hanging in the arms of the archers), he tried to anoint her with consecrated oil, but Theodosia resisted. The boyaryn was returned to arrest. In the winter of 1672-1673. F.P. Morozov, E.P. Urusova and M. Danilova were tortured "Byahu, however, were put over their torment to stand: Prince Ivan Vorotynsky, Prince Yakov Adoevsky, Vasily Volynskoy." The persuasions of the clergy and the king, confiscation of property, cruel torture - nothing could break the will of the two women. Patriarch Pitirim at the boyar council "asked Theodora to be burned," but the boyars were afraid in front of all the people to execute a person from their midst. The Tsar's sister Irina asked him not to torture F.P. To Morozov: “Why, brother, do you not do the work of babbling and move the poor widow from place to place? Not good, brother! It was worthy to remember the service of Borisov and his brother Gl :) ”. This had an irritating effect on the tsar and “he growled with great anger and said:“ Good, sister, good! if you talk about her, my place is ready for her at once! " This place was a prison prison in Borovsk. The exact date of arrival of F.P. It is difficult to establish Morozova in Borovsk, but, as A.I. Mazunin, the beginning of the imprisonment of the boyaryn dates back to the end of 1673 and beginning of 1674. The nun Justina, imprisoned for the sake of faith, was also here. Somewhat later, E.P. was brought to Borovsk. Urusov and M.G. Danilov. At first, the prisoners F.P. Morozova, E.P. Urusov and M.G. Danilov lived in the prison relatively calmly: the centurions guarding them, even in Moscow, were coaxed by Joakinf Danilov, "so that they would not be ferocious." They were visited by I. Danilov's nephew Rodion, eldresses and sympathizers. (One of them - Pamphilus with his wife Agrippino was exiled for this help to Smolensk). Frequent visits by prisoners became known in Moscow. On March 23-24, 1675, a decree was drawn up to investigate what was going on in the prison. Under the decree, the clerk Pavel suddenly arrived in Borovsk, who, with partiality, questioned the centurions. As a result, many of them were exiled to Belgorod by soldiers for "eternal life." A new investigation was soon launched. On July 29, 1675, the clerk Kuzmishchev was sent, who "tortured the martyrs." The nun Justina was burnt in a log house on the square. By order of the clerk Kuzmishchev F.P. Morozov and E.P. Urusova was transferred from the prison, which was emptied after the execution, to an earthen prison in "five-planted pits." M.G. Danilova was placed in a prison where "the villains are sitting." In an earthen hole, the prisoners held last days own life. The author of "The Tale of Boyaryna Morozova" with pain and sympathy tells about the most difficult conditions of the prisoners' stay in an earthen prison: in pairs of the earthly weary, it creates great nausea for them. And the shitty ones to use them. Neither can it be washed out ". Under fear death penalty the guards were forbidden to give food to the prisoners: "If anyone dares through a command ..., this is the main execution to be executed." Chapel-monument at the alleged place of imprisonment of the boyar Feodosia Morozova, princess Evdokia Urusova, Maria Danilova and others like them victims in Borovsk The first could not stand the torment of E.P. Urusov. She asked her sister to serve her as a retreat, "and the martyr over the martyr ... sang the canon, and the yuznitsa shed tears over the yuznitsa, united in a chain reclining and groaning, and the other in a chain of imminent and sobbing." September 11, 1675 E.P. Urusova died. Her body remained unburied for 5 days: the authorities were deciding on the place of burial. The original tsarist order for the burial of Urusova in the forest was canceled, as the local authorities were afraid of the reburial of her body by the Bohr Old Believers and the transformation of the new grave into a place of pilgrimage: “... and the last misfortune will be worse than the first. " Urusova's body was wrapped in "rogozina" and buried inside the prison. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich hoped that the death of his sister would break F.P. Morozova and sends a monk to her for exhortations, but she chases him away with anger. Then to F.P. Morozova was transferred to M.G. Danilov. The detention of the prisoners has increased. Before her death, the noblewoman called a guard and asked: “Servant of Christ! Do you have a father and mother alive or have they passed away? And if they are alive, let us pray for them and for you; If we die, we will remember them. Have mercy ... Exhausted from the gladness and hunger for food, have mercy on me, give me kolachik. " The guard answered: "No, madam, I'm afraid." F.P. Morozova: "And you don’t have a loaf of bread." “I don’t dare,” the guard answered again. Begged, begged F.P. Morozov to give her "few crackers", an apple, a cucumber, and each time the guard refused. Then the noblewoman asked to fulfill her last request: to bury her next to her sister. Calling another guard, the martyr begged the martyr to wash her shirt before her death: "it is not like ... this body in unclean clothes is near in the bowels of her mother earth." The guard went to the river, "for a fee I was washing with water, but my face was washed with tears." From 1 to 2 November 1675 F.P. Morozova died. On December 1, 1675, M.G. Danilov. Avvakum exclaimed at the death of Morozova and Urusova: “O great luminaries, the sun and the moon of the Russian earth, Theodosius and Eudokey, and your cup, like stars shining before the Lord God. About two dawns, illuminating the whole world in the heavens ... ". F.P. Morozov and E.P. Urusov showed with their life and death that they stood above all their ideological opponents, their conviction in their righteousness and superiority over the torturers makes the latter fear them even more after death than alive. In 1682, their brothers Alexei and Fyodor Sokovnin laid a tombstone at the burial site of their sisters.
They also adhered to their sisters' views on maintaining their faith. March 4, 1697 okolnichy A.P. Sokovnin, the "secret schismatic", ended his days on the chopping block. Sources.

Boyarynya Morozova - the most famous Old Believer
10 women who influenced the history of Russia / Russia - feminine

This year, on the eve of March 8, the site "Russia for All" talked about women who left a serious mark on the history of Russia. Of course, there are infinitely more such representatives of the fair sex - you can read these amazing life stories! All of them are united by strength of mind, love for family, Motherland, devotion to their convictions and inner beauty. Further in the project: || || || || || || || ||

This woman has become a symbol of fearlessness and devotion to religious beliefs. Boyarynya Morozova is perhaps the most famous representative of the Old Believer branch of Orthodoxy. Feodosia Prokopyevna was born on May 21, 1632 in Moscow. Her father, Sokovnin Prokopiy Fedorovich, was a devious man, had family ties with the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, Maria Ilyinichna. Theodosia was one of the courtiers who accompanied the queen.

At the age of seventeen, the girl was married to Gleb Ivanovich Morozov, a representative of a noble boyar family, a relative of the Romanov family.

Feodosia Prokopyevna took the place of the riding boyaryn, and had great influence in Moscow.

A representative of the Old Believer faith, Morozova always treated the beggars and the holy fools favorably, giving them alms. In addition, adherents of the Old Believers often gathered in her house to pray according to the Old Russian canons at the ancient icons. The woman closely communicated with Archpriest Avvakum and did not accept the reforms of Patriarch Nikon. She wore a hair shirt in order to "pacify the flesh." At the same time, Theodosia attended the church of the new rite, thereby causing distrust of the Old Believers.

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich did not like the convictions of the riding boyar, he repeatedly tried to influence Morozov through relatives, but the obstinate boyar stood his ground. Finally, the sovereign's patience ran out. In the evening of November 16, 1671, Archimandrite Joachim came to Morozova with the Duma clerk Illarion. The boyar's sister, Princess Evdokia Urusova, was also in the house. To show their disrespectful attitude towards the guests, Theodosia and Evdokia went to bed and, lying down, answered the questions of those who came. After the interrogation, the women were shackled and left under house arrest. Two days later, Morozova was transported first to Chudov, and then to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

After the imprisonment of the boyaryn, her only son Ivan died, two brothers were exiled, and all the property passed to the royal treasury.

At the end of 1674, Morozova was transferred to the Yamskaya Dvor. There she was tortured on a rack to force her to give up her religious beliefs, but the woman remained unshakable. The richest and most influential Muscovite in the past died on November 2, 1675 from exhaustion. Shortly before her death, she asked the guards to wash her shirt in the river in order to die in clean clothes.

Morozova was glorified 200 years later by the famous artist Vasily Surikov - his painting "Boyarynya Morozova" is famous all over the world. The work of 1887 - a canvas, painted in oil, is currently in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Why was the church reform carried out?

Changes in the socio-economic and political development of Russia in the second half of the 17th century also affected the Russian Church. Accumulation practical knowledge led to a weakening of the religious worldview. Church reform was dictated by the need to strengthen discipline, order, and the moral foundations of the clergy. The expansion of ties with Ukraine (the reunification with which took place during this period, in 1654) and the Greek East required the introduction of the same church rituals in the Orthodox world. The spread of book printing opened up the possibility of unifying church books.

At the end of the 1640s, a Circle of Zealots of Ancient Piety was formed in Moscow, which included prominent religious figures: the tsar's confessor Stefan Vonifatyev, the rector of the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square, John, the Nizhny Novgorod residents Avvakum and Nikon, and others.

The son of a Mordovian peasant Nikon (in the world Nikita Minov) became hegumen of the Kozheozersky monastery (Kargopol region). His acquaintance and friendship with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, apparently, led to the fact that he soon became archimandrite of the Novospassky monastery - the family burial vault of the Romanovs. Since 1652 Nikon has been the Moscow Patriarch.

In an effort to turn the Russian Church into the center of world Orthodoxy, the imperious patriarch began reforms to unify rituals and establish uniformity in church services. Greek rules and ceremonies were taken as a model. The reforms generated massive discontent in society. Old Believers and supporters of reforms argued over which models - Greek or Russian - to unify church books. They also argued about how to be baptized - with two or three fingers, perform procession- by the sun or against the sun, and so on.

The split in society led to a serious social conflict, the most acute manifestation of which was the uprising in the Solovetsky Monastery in 1668-1676. It ended with the defeat of the Old Believers: out of 600 defenders of the fortress, only 50 people survived.

The leaders of the Old Believers - Archpriest Avvakum and his associates were exiled to Pustozersk in the lower reaches of the Pechora, where they spent 14 years in an earthen prison, after which they were burned alive. Since then, the Old Believers have often subjected themselves to "fiery baptism" - self-immolation in response to the arrival of "Nikon-Antichrist" in the world.

The Old Believers, which broke away from the official church, were persecuted by both the church and the state. Until now, Old Believers live in compact communities in different regions of the country and practically do not participate in its life.

In the history of their state. This woman has become the embodiment of fearlessness and stubbornness, she is a real fighter for her principles and ideals. The attitude towards the boyaryn is ambiguous, for some she is an ordinary fanatic, ready to go to death, just not to give up her own convictions, from others she commands respect for her steadfastness and loyalty to the accepted faith. Whatever it was, but this is a legendary person, and thanks to Surikov's painting, more than one generation will remember about the history of Morozova.

The origin of the noblewoman Morozova

Feodosia Prokopyevna was born on May 21, 1632 in Moscow, her father - Sokovnin Prokopiy Fyodorovich - was an okolnichny, was in kinship with the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Maria Ilyinichna. The future noblewoman was one of the courtiers who accompanied the queen. At the age of 17, Theodosia married Gleb Ivanovich Morozov. The husband was a representative of a noble family, was in kinship with the Romanov family, near Moscow had a luxurious estate Zyuzino, was the uncle of the prince and served as a royal sleeping bag. Gleb's brother, Boris Ivanovich, was very rich. He died in 1662, and since he never got any offspring, everything passed on to his closest relative.

The wealth and influence of the boyaryn

After the death of Gleb Ivanovich, the fortune of both brothers passes to the young Ivan Glebovich, the son of Gleb and Feodosia, and his mother becomes the actual manager of the wealth. The life story of the noblewoman Morozova is very interesting, because this woman had her own views on life. Feodosia Prokopyevna took the place of the riding boyaryn, had great influence, was close to the tsar. Her wealth could only be envied: the noblewoman had several estates, but she settled in the village of Zyuzino, where she arranged her house according to the Western model. At that time it was the most luxurious estate.

Boyarynya Morozova was in charge of eight (!) Thousand only in her house there were about 300 servants. Theodosia had a gorgeous carriage, decorated with silver and mosaics, she often went for walks, harnessing six or even twelve horses with clattering chains to her carriage. During the trips, the boyaryn was accompanied by about 100 slaves and slaves, protecting her from attacks. At that time, Morozova was considered almost the richest person in Moscow.

Supporter of the Old Believer faith

Boyarynya Morozova was an ardent supporter of the old faith. She always treated the beggars and the holy fools favorably, giving them alms. In addition, adherents of the Old Believers often gathered in her house to pray according to the Old Russian canons.

She wore a hair shirt in order to "pacify the flesh." But still Avvakum was dissatisfied with Morozova, urged her to gouge out her eyes, as Mastridia did, in order to save herself from love temptations. The archpriest also reproached the boyaryn with insignificant alms, because with her condition she could benefit a much larger number of those in need. In addition, Theodosia, although she was faithful to the old faith, attended the church of the new rite, which caused distrust of the Old Believers.

Disobedience to Morozova

The tsar knew about the convictions of the riding boyar, and he did not like this behavior at all. Feodosia avoided church and social events in every possible way, she did not even attend the wedding of Alexei Mikhailovich, saying that she was very sick. The tsar tried in every possible way to influence the obstinate noblewoman, sent her relatives to her, so that they would advise the woman and persuade her to accept the new faith, but everything was in vain: Morozova stood her ground. Few knew the name of the noblewoman Morozova after she was tonsured by the Old Believers. The woman secretly accepted him and received a new name - Theodora, proving to her entourage that she remains faithful to the old faith.

Tsarina Maria Ilyinichna for a long time restrained the tsar's anger, and the high position of the boyar woman did not allow her to be punished just like that, but Alexei Mikhailovich's patience was coming to an end. In the evening of November 16, 1671, Archimandrite Joachim with the Duma clerk Illarion came to Morozova. The boyar's sister, Princess Urusova, was also in the house. To show their disrespectful attitude towards the guests, Theodosia and Evdokia went to bed and, lying down, answered the questions of those who came. After interrogation, the women were shackled and kept under house arrest. Two days later, Morozova was transported first to Chudov, and then to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

After the imprisonment of the boyaryn, her only son Ivan died, two brothers were exiled, and all the property passed to the royal treasury. Morozova was carefully guarded, but nevertheless she received clothing and food from people who sympathized with her, Archpriest Avvakum wrote letters to her, and one of the priests of the old faith gave the unfortunate woman communion.

The king's punishment

Boyarynya Morozova, Princess Urusova and Maria Danilova (wife of the Streltsy Colonel) at the end of 1674 were transferred to the Yamskaya Dvor. Torture on the rack tried to convince women to accept the new faith and give up their beliefs, but they were unshakable. They were already going to be burned at the stake, but princess Irina Mikhailovna, the king's sister and the patron of the boyars, prevented such blasphemy. Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the sisters Evdokia and Theodosius to be exiled to the Pafnutevo-Borovsky monastery and imprisoned in an earthen prison.

The death of the boyaryn

In June 1675, 14 servants of the boyar were burnt in the log house, who supported the old faith. On September 11, 1675, Princess Urusova died of hunger, Morozova also foresaw her imminent demise. Shortly before her death, she asked the guards to wash their shirt in the river in order to die in clean clothes. Theodosia died from complete exhaustion on November 2, 1675.

The theme of Surikov's painting

In 1887, after the 15th traveling exhibition for Tretyakov Gallery, for 25 thousand rubles was bought the work of the genius artist "Boyarynya Morozova". Surikov's painting is a canvas measuring 304x587.5 cm, it was painted in oil. Today it is one of the largest exhibits in the gallery. Painting

from afar attracts the attention of the audience, fascinates with the brightness of colors, the lively power of images and spaciousness. Vasily Ivanovich took the 17th century theme as a basis. The painter wanted to show the hard life and deep faith of the Russian people. He managed to convey the whole tragedy of the situation: the main character is humiliated, trampled, but not broken; Morozova is doomed to death, but still appears in a victorious manner.

Surikov's interest in the fate of the boyaryn

The biography of the noblewoman Morozova interested Vasily Ivanovich for the reason that he himself was from Siberia, and this region was famous for a huge number of Old Believers. Siberians had a positive attitude to the old faith, therefore in this region handwritten "lives" that belonged to the Old Believer martyrs who suffered at the hands of representatives of the new faith became widespread. According to some reports, Surikov was introduced to the "Tale of the Boyaryn Morozova" by his godmother. Apparently, the artist was impressed by the willpower of the boyar, so he decided to revive the memory of her by depicting on a huge canvas the episode where Morozova was being taken to prison.

Images of the main characters of the picture

When looking at the canvas, first of all, the central character is striking - boyarynya Morozova. The description of the painting suggests that the artist was determined for a long time with portrait sketches, he painted them separately, and then put them together. Protopop Avvakum described Theodosia as a thin woman with a running, lightning look, and Surikov could not find such a face for a long time - fanatical, bloodless, exhausted, but proud and unyielding. In the end, he copied Morozov from the Old Believers, who met Vasily Ivanovich near

The Moscow poor man selling cucumbers became the prototype of the holy fool, but the image of the wanderer is the author himself. "Boyarynya Morozova" is a painting full of "color symphonies". Surikov great importance gave shades, made them seem natural. The artist watched the snow for a long time, capturing all its overflows, watched how the cold air affects the complexion. That is why his characters seem to be alive. To give the picture a sense of movement, Surikov drew a running boy to the sled.

Assessment of the artist's work

The history of the painting "Boyarynya Morozova" is very unusual, if only because this work caused controversial assessments and loud controversy among critics during the traveling exhibition. Someone likes someone - no, but everyone agreed that he succeeded in this creation wonderfully well. Some critics compared the canvas with a variegated one because bright colors were dazzling in their eyes, academics discussed various flaws in the painting, such as incorrect hand positions, etc. But nevertheless, the most famous and adamant critics, when studying the drawing in detail, had to admit that this truly a masterpiece.

Before Vasily Surikov, none of the painters portrayed people of the pre-Petrine era so brightly and impartially. In the center of the canvas is a pale woman, exhausted from mental anguish, starving from a long fast, clumsy, rude people in fur coats, torlops, padded jackets are located around her. The crowd was divided into two parts, one sympathizes with the boyar, the other mocks her misfortune. Surikov managed to revive his characters. The viewer standing near the canvas feels himself in this crowd and is, as it were, transported in time several centuries ago.

Vasily Ivanovich realistically portrayed an event that took place in the history of Russia. His work prompted people not only to learn about the fate of the boyarynya Morozova, but also to think about her deed. Someone perceives her as a fanatic, someone admires her inflexibility and loyalty to principles. During the appearance of the picture, people compared the heroine with the populists and Stenka Razin. It only says that there are "noblemen Morozovs" in every era, there will always be people who are true to their convictions.

In his famous painting "BOYARYNA MOROZOVA" Vasily Surikov, who always tried to be faithful to the historical truth, nevertheless departed from it. In fact, Theodosius Morozova, being taken into exile, was chained to an oak block so tightly that she could hardly move. What made the authorities so afraid of this woman?

Sure. Morozova was not an ordinary woman - the richest in Russia, the most beautiful, the most influential. She belonged to the seedy family of the Bryansk noblemen, the Sokovnins, who had come to the fore thanks to their kinship with the Miloslavskys, relatives of the first wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The young sovereign, who ascended the throne in 1645, did not like wars, for which he was nicknamed the Quietest, but he adored church services and all sorts of foreign wonders. These two dissimilar hobbies led him to the idea that the Russian Church was organized incorrectly - it would be nice to remake it in a foreign manner and, above all, put it under state control.

Alexey Tishaishy

This idea was supported in every possible way by the Tsar's advisers, the main of whom was his "uncle" - the educator Boris Morozov. The royal favor brought wealth not only to him, but also to his relatives, one of whom - his brother Gleb Ivanovich Morozov - became a widow, married in 1649 to 17-year-old Theodosia Sokovnina. The bride was distinguished by rare beauty and was raised by Father Prokop Fyodorovich in strict rules. Morozov was attracted not by this, but by her relationship with the Miloslavskys. After the wedding for Feodosia began new life- she took on the trouble of managing a large farm and taking care of her son Ivan, a beautiful but sickly baby who required constant care. Almost nothing is known about this period: in those days, the life of a Russian woman, a hermitage, was reliably hidden from prying eyes. We can only assume that Feodosia did not have much intimacy with her husband. The elderly boyar Morozov spent most of the day in the palace, trying to serve the king.

Boyarin Boris Morozov

In 1661, Boris Morozov unexpectedly died, and his brother inherited all his enormous wealth, but he himself died a couple of months later - another plentiful tsarist feast became fatal to his upset health. The only heir to the largest fortune in Russia was the young Ivan, but Feodosia Prokopyevna was in charge of everything. Her palace in Zyuzin, near Moscow, was striking in its wealth: the floors were laid with checkerboard tiles, the walls were decorated with Chinese silk, and peacocks were walking in a huge garden. On pilgrimage, the young widow rode out in a carriage trimmed with gold, which was carried by "many argamaks, 6 or 12, with rattling chains" and accompanied by hundreds of foot and horse servants.

It would seem that one can live and rejoice, delighting the flesh and slowly aging among the courtiers and hangers-on. But, apparently, the faith inspired by the parents was not ostentatious for Morozova. Having refused several eligible suitors, she decided to devote herself to works of piety. She rose with the first rays of the sun, prayed for a long time, then received petitioners - both her peasants, of whom the Morozovs had almost 10 thousand, and beggars who converged on the Zyuzin estate from everywhere. She not only distributed money to them, but she herself healed the sick, bandaged the wounds of the crippled. At the same time, she was by no means a blissful simpleton - those. those who tried, feigning injuries, to snatch their share of mercy, were mercilessly thrown out by the stalwart servants. After dinner - only the simplest dishes, no fried swans and overseas eggplant caviar - the boyarina talked with her son and checked the lessons given to him by his home teachers. She perfectly understood the benefits of sciences.

Ponds in Zyuzino

Then came the time of evening work - Morozova sewed clothes from plain fabric, which she distributed to the poor and prisoners. She slept no more than seven hours, but even in the middle of the night she often got up and prayed earnestly, made prostrations - now three hundred, now all five hundred - for Holy Russia and her deliverance from troubles. These night vigils became more and more frequent as pilgrims-pilgrims brought more and more unhappy news to the boyar's mansion. Back in 1652, Nikon, who was close to the tsar, was elected patriarch - a native of peasants, a devout and disinterested person, but incredibly proud.

Patriarch Nikon

Revolutionaries emerge from such people, and Nikon made a real revolution in the Russian Church. Outwardly, everything looked pretty harmless - they ordered to be baptized not with two, but with three fingers, instead of "Jesus" write "Jesus", and the eight-pointed cross was replaced with a four-pointed Catholic one. And one more thing: in the Creed, the preposition “a” was dropped from the combination “born, not created”, as if doubting the divinity of Christ. The main thing was that church democracy was replaced by a strict "vertical of power", headed by the patriarch, but in reality - the tsar.

These reforms were called "correcting church books" according to the Greek model. But the Greek church of that time, which was in the slavery of the Gentiles, was far removed from the ancient customs. Of course, the learned ministers of the church immediately noticed this and began to be indignant. But Nikon, like the "quietest" tsar, did not tolerate any opposition. At the Council of 1654, the patriarch personally beat Bishop Pavel of Kolomna, who dared to object to him, with a staff, defrocked him and sent him to a distant monastery.

Ordinary priests and laymen had much worse - for refusing to be baptized with three fingers and communing with prosphora with a four-pointed "Lyash" cross, they were branded as thieves, their hands were cut off and their eyes were gouged out. Those who persisted were faced with an even more cruel punishment - burning in a log house, a kind of wooden cage. The first to be severely executed was the same Bishop Paul, and after him came the turn of tens and hundreds of adherents of the "old faith", or "old rite" - this is how the opponents of Nikon and his reforms began to call themselves. The newly-minted Russian Inquisition did not spare anyone - even the Tsar's favorite, the learned Archpriest Avvakum, was exiled to distant Dauria, to the Chinese border.

In 1658, Nikon dared to accuse Alexei Mikhailovich himself of insufficient orthodoxy - and very soon found himself out of work. His disgrace did not cancel the reforms convenient for the king, but brought amnesty to some of the prisoners. Returned to Moscow and Avvakum, who found shelter in the house of the noblewoman Morozova. They had long conversations, and the learned archpriest marveled at the rationality of the hostess: "You are close to Theodosia and reading books, and drawing the depth of reason from the source of the words of the Gospel." Gradually, Zyuzino became the center of the Old Believer opposition: in addition to Avvakum, the influential Eldress Melanya, the wife of the Strelets Colonel Maria Danilova and two holy fools - Cyprian and Fyodor - settled there. The latter especially fell in love with Morozova and sometimes did not part with her even at night. The Nikonians spread rumors about their "prodigal cohabitation", but everyone who knew the boyar did not believe in it for a minute. Her stubborn piety also infected her relatives: her brothers Fyodor and Alexei, and her sister Evdokia, who was married to Prince Urusov, joined the old faith.

Church in Zyuzino. Our days

Little by little, the stronghold of schism near the royal palace began to irritate the authorities. After several warnings, half of the property was taken away from Morozova to the treasury, then her brothers were sent to serve in remote cities. They tried to blackmail her with the most precious thing - the life of her son. Her second cousin Anna Rtischeva, Nikon's comrade-in-arms, said: "You have one child, and you want to make him a sire and a beggar." The boyar's answer was firm: "If you intend as a son to distract me from the path of Christ, I will tell you directly: take my son to Execution Ground, give him to be torn to pieces by the dogs - I will not think to deviate from piety." So far, they tormented people close to her - first they sent to the North (and later executed) both holy fools, then they sent them to the distant Pustozersk Avvakum. The frantic archpriest spent fifteen years in an earthen prison, in hunger and cold, and then, in April 1681, he received a fiery death. For many years he continued to correspond with Morozova - and severely scolded her for past manifestations of carnal weakness. He even advised to "gouge out the eyes" with a weaving shuttle following the example of Saint Mastridia, who thus got rid of lustful thoughts.

Archpriest Avvakum

For the time being, the authorities' attacks on the noblewoman were restrained by her relative, Queen Maria Miloslavskaya. But in 1669 she died, and the Quietest summoned the noblewoman to him, in last time calling to think again. She again did not flinch: "They are always submissive to your tsarist majesty, but we will never dare to stick to the novelties of Nikon the patriarch." After this conversation, there was no turning back, and she decided to take tonsure from the Old Believer priest, which was strictly prohibited by law. At the very beginning of 1671, hegumen Dositheus, who secretly appeared in Moscow from a forest shelter in the North, tonsured her as a nun under the name of Theodora. She already knew what awaited her - in a few days the tsar was going to marry the young beauty Natalya Naryshkina. Morozova, like all the boyars, was supposed to be present at the wedding and receive a blessing from the bishops - Nikonians. She could not do this in any way - and did not go to the wedding, referring, as it is said in “The Story of the Life of Boyaryn Morozova,” written by an unknown author in the middle of the 17th century, to illness: stand. " For Alexei Mikhailovich, this was a personal insult. "Wem, like proud!" - raged the Quietest.

In November of the same year, the archers surrounded the palace in Zyuzino. The noblewoman, together with Evdokia Urusova, was taken to the Kremlin's Miracle Monastery, to Archimandrite Joachim, who ordered them to cross themselves. Both sisters clasped their fingers with two fingers and were immediately chained and thrown into the damp basement. Following them flew the angry voice of the archimandrite: "You are full of life at a height, get down!" A day later, they were brought to trial, forcing them to take communion according to the Nikonian custom, but they refused. They were sentenced to eternal imprisonment in a monastery and taken in shameful carts through the streets of Moscow, hoping that the people would rejoice at the humiliation of the rich and noble. This moment was captured by the artist - Muscovites looked at Morozova, some mournfully and some sympathetically. She, raising up her two-fingered fingers, shouted: “Look, Orthodox! Here is my precious chariot, and here are the chains ... Pray as I did, and do not be afraid to suffer for Christ! "

She was imprisoned in the Pechersky courtyard on the Arbat, and Evdokia - in the Conception Monastery on Prechistenka. Soon the son of Theodosia, Ivan, deprived of maternal care, died "of much sorrow," and all the Morozovs' wealth was confiscated. But the authorities could not leave the disgraced noblewoman alone: ​​the Old Believers brought more and more trouble. As usual, everyone who was dissatisfied with the heavy hand of the tsar and the boyars stood up under the banner of the old faith. Some of them fled in droves into the forests, and with the approach of the tsarist troops they themselves burned themselves in hundreds and thousands, just not to take the Nikonian communion. Many fled even further, to the very edge of the state - it was with their sweat and blood that the new frontiers of Russia were mastered. Others went south, to the Cossacks, in order to join then the army of Stepan Razin. As soon as the authorities were able to suppress the Razin uprising, the Solovetsky Monastery rose up for the old faith in the North. In these conditions, the tsar and the patriarch desperately needed the repentance of the leaders of the schism - and they decided to achieve them by any means.

In the winter of 1673, Morozova, Evdokia Urusova and their friend Maria Danilova were again brought to court with the same demand: to confess and receive communion according to a new rite and cross themselves with three fingers. “There is no one to confess to,” she answered, “below whom to take communion from. There are many priests, but there is nothing true. " Forgetting about his dignity, the venerable patriarch Pitirim "roaring like a bear" and ordered to drag the boyary woman, "like a dog, a cap by the neck," so that Morozova on the stairs "considered all degrees to be her head." At this time, he himself shouted: "Morning the sufferer in the trumpet!" - that is, "burn the convict." The next morning, Morozova and other prisoners were beaten with whips, raised on a rack, and then thrown into the snow right in the Kremlin courtyard. The patriarch had already ordered to put log cabins on Bolotnaya Square for burning, but the king stopped Pitirim - apparently, he was afraid that the public execution of a noble boyar would create an unnecessary precedent. - Instead, he sent a messenger to the tortured prisoner with a tempting offer: to bring her to royal palace where the boyars will carry her "on their heads" and the tsar himself will bow to her, if only she is - just for show, only once. - crossed herself with three fingers. Of course, the noblewoman refused. However, perhaps nothing of the kind happened - the tsar's words are contained in the not very reliable Old Believer "The Tale of the Boyar Morozova." The quietest knew too well the adamant character of the boyaryn to count on reconciliation with her. The same story conveys his words: "It is hard for her to fraternize with me - the only one who can overcome all from us." In the sense that in the dispute between the king and the powerless prisoner, only one can win. Alexei Mikhailovich was in a hurry - his health was deteriorating, and he did not want the "Mother of God of the split" to survive him.

Morozova and two other prisoners were sent to the Borovsky Monastery, to an earthen prison, and ordered to be stricter with them. But far from the capital, the husband of Maria Danilova, a streltsy commander, managed to take care of his wife and her friends. The commission, which arrived in Borovsk two years later, saw that the prisoners were alive and well, they were reading Old Believer books and even writing letters at will, which was especially intolerable. All the guards were sent into exile, and the women were ordered to be thrown into an earthen hole, into the "dark darkness." Before that, in front of their eyes, 14 Old Believers imprisoned in the monastery were burned. After that, they were lowered underground, on pain of death, forbidding the guards to give them food and drink. Evdokia Urusova was the first to die, then it was Maria's turn. Left alone, Morozova could not stand it and began to ask the guards for an apple, a crouton, a piece of bread ... Although the archers felt sorry for the boyar, they did not dare to disobey the order. The monastic ones heard screams rushing from the ground: “Water! At least a sip of water! " On the night of November 2, 1675, the screams ceased. The bodies of the sufferers - in a dirty mat, without a funeral service - were buried in the fence of the prison.

Very soon, Aleksey Mikhailovich died, and the Morozova brothers who returned from exile put a stone slab at the burial place of the boyaryn. Today a chapel has been erected there at the expense of the Old Believers, who continue to reject everything that comes from the "Nikonian" Church. The split caused irreparable damage to Russia. Compounded by the Peter's reforms, it turned into an abyss that lay between the people and the government and became the cause of many subsequent riots.

Available in a large number... This is one of the few women of pre-Petrine times, whose name went down in history. After all, then noble and wealthy women, shackled by the customs of Domostroi, most often sat in the towers, like the inhabitants of eastern harems.

She is known, first of all, for being an ardent defender of the Old Believer traditions, having entered into single combat with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich himself, who was carrying out church reforms. Today we will talk about the boyaryna Morozova who lived in the 17th century, whose biography we will consider.

Rich and noble

Short biography boyarynya Morozova, it is advisable to start with her origin, which largely determined her further destiny as it was quite high. She was born in 1632 to the family of Procopius Sokovnin, a Moscow nobleman, being his eldest daughter. The name was given to her in honor of the holy martyr - Theodosia of Tire.

Among her distant ancestors are representatives of the family of the Germanic knights of Meyendorff. One of them, Baron von Ixskul, arrived from Livonia to Ivan the Terrible in 1545, was baptized and took the name of Fyodor Ivanovich. He had a son, Vasily, nicknamed "Sokovnya", who became the ancestor of the Sokovnins.

Theodosia's father at various times served as a voivode in various cities, was an envoy in the Crimea, sat in Zemsky Cathedral, headed by the Stone Order. He was a fairly well-to-do man and had several houses in Moscow. From Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, he received the court position of a roundabout, referring to the second Duma rank, after the boyar rank. In addition to Feodosia, the family had three more children, including one sister, Evdokia, who shared with her the hardships of her tragic death. This will be further discussed in more detail in the biography of Boyaryn Morozova.

Influence of the famous painting

As a rule, when it comes to the biography of Boyarynaya Morozova, a photo of the painting "Boyarynya Morozova" by Vasily Surikov, describing a scene from the history of the schism of the church in the 17th century, immediately rises before our eyes. It was first shown at the exhibition of the Itinerants in 1887 and was bought for the Tretyakov Gallery for 25 thousand rubles. And today it is among the main exhibits there.

Due to the great popularity of this work of art, the image of the noblewoman Morozova is mistakenly seen as the image of an elderly, stern, fanatical woman. However, it seems that this concept is explained, rather, by artistic intent.

Not quite a correct idea?

The canvas depicts a martyr, a martyr for the faith, who addresses a crowd of commoners - an old beggar woman, a wanderer with a staff in her hand, a holy fool - who embody the representatives of those strata who fought against the imposition of new church rituals.

It is this aspect of the biography and fate of Boyaryn Morozova that the artist wanted to emphasize, therefore she appears in the picture as a woman who has lived, wise, devoid of any frivolity. Largely thanks to the painting, Theodosia Prokopyevna remained in the memory of people as a symbol of the struggle of the schismatics.

But was it really so unambiguous? Was Morozova a harsh and uncompromising fanatic, alien to everything earthly, because at the time of her arrest she was not yet 40 years old? To find out, let's return to the interesting biography of the noblewoman Morozova.

The Morozov family

In 1649, Theodosia Sokovnina, 17 years old, married the 54-year-old boyar Morozov Gleb Ivanovich, one of the richest people in the country. His family was not inferior in nobility to the Sokovnin family, both of them were the elite of Moscow society. Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the Morozovs were one of the 16 most noble families, whose representatives immediately became boyars, bypassing the okolnichy rank.

The Morozovs were brought closer by the young tsar to the court. So, Gleb Morozov, who was a relative of the Romanovs, was the tsar's sleeping bag and the uncle of the tsarevich. He was the owner of the Zyuzino estate near Moscow and many other estates. His brother, Boris Ivanovich, had a huge fortune, died childless, leaving all the wealth to Gleb. As for Theodosia, she was the upper noblewoman, very close to the queen, constantly accompanying her, which she repeatedly used.

Young widow

In the biography of noblewoman Morozova, there are few facts regarding her life with her husband. It is only known that they did not have children for a long time. But after they turned in prayers to the Monk Sergius of Radonezh, he appeared before Theodosia Prokopyevna, and the couple had a son named Ivan.

In 1662, Gleb Ivanovich Morozov died, leaving an inheritance to his 12-year-old son, but in fact he was in charge of the money of Theodosius. In the same year, the father of a 30-year-old woman died. The second time she did not marry and lived quietly in nobility and wealth.

Fabulous wealth

As K. Kozhurin writes in the biography of the noblewoman Morozova, her chambers in Moscow were among the first, she was respected and loved at the royal court, Aleksey Mikhailovich himself distinguished her from other boyars. She bore the title of "kravchi of the great power" (kravchi at court were responsible for the health of the tsar, his table and dishes). According to Archpriest Avvakum, Theodosius Morozova was among the "fourth boyars".

Feodosia Morozova was surrounded not just by wealth, but by unprecedented luxury. Her estate in Zyuzino was equipped in accordance with the best Western examples and was among the very first in the Russian state. A large garden was laid out here, in which peacocks roamed.

As contemporaries testify, her carriage was worth a lot of money, being gilded and decorated with silver and mosaics, drawn by twelve selected horses with clattering chains. At the same time, more than a hundred servants followed her, taking care of the lady's honor and health.

In the house there were about three hundred people who served the boyar. There were about 8 thousand peasant households, while landowners were already considered rich, who had about 300 households.

Big change

However, it has become even more interesting biography boyarynya Morozova after an unexpected change took place in her life. Staying in luxury, being on friendly terms with the royal family, Feodosia Prokopyevna, according to Avvakum, decided to renounce "earthly glory." She turned into a fierce opponent of church reforms after she met him. Throughout the history of the Old Believers, Avvakum was an iconic and very authoritative figure, the leader of the schismatics.

The house of the noblewoman turns, in fact, into the headquarters of fighters against innovations, opponents of making corrections to the sacred books. Archpriest Avvakum himself lived with her for a long time, receiving shelter and protection here. Theodosia and her sister Evdokia Urusova, the princess, were very devoted to him and obeyed him in everything.

In addition, Morozova constantly received priests in her house, who were expelled from monasteries, numerous wanderers, as well as holy fools. Thus, she created a kind of opposition to the royal court and Alexei Mikhailovich, who supported the church reform.

Human weaknesses

However, even after such drastic changes in the biography, the boyarynya Morozova did not turn into a religious fanatic, did not become a "blue stocking." She was not alien to human weaknesses and concerns.

Thus, Archpriest Avvakum noticed that her character was distinguished by gaiety. When her husband died, Theodosia Prokopyevna was only 30 years old, and in order not to fall into sin, she wore a hair shirt to mortify the flesh.

In his letters, Avvakum, most likely in a figurative sense, advised her to gouge her eyes out so as not to succumb to the temptation of love. And he also blamed the boyaryna for the fact that she did not always show generosity when allocating funds for a common cause.

Morozova loved her son Ivan very much, who was her only child, and dreamed of transferring his fortune to him in safety. She was very worried about choosing a worthy bride for the heir, about which, in addition to discussing issues of faith, she informed the disgraced archpriest in letters.

Thus, despite the strength of character that helped her in her ascetic activity, Morozova had quite everyday weaknesses and problems.

Temptation

Alexey Mikhailovich, being supporters of church reforms, repeatedly made attempts to influence the rebellious lady through her relatives and inner circle. At the same time, he either took the estates from her, then returned them, and Morozova periodically made concessions.

In the biography of the noblewoman Daria Morozova, there is another interesting fact. According to the available historical records, Rtishchev, a detainee, was sent to her, persuading her to cross herself with three fingers, for which the tsar promised to return her "lackeys and estates."

The noblewoman succumbed to the temptation and made the sign of the cross, and what was taken was returned to her. But at the same time, she allegedly immediately fell ill, was out of her mind for three days and became very weak. The Life of Archpriest Avvakum says that Morozova recovered when she crossed herself with a true, two-fingered cross. The return of estates is often explained by the patronage of the queen.

Secret tonsure

From taking the most decisive action, the king was restrained by two factors: the patronage of the queen and the high position of the champion of the old faith. Under his pressure, Morozova had to attend services held according to the new rite. Its supporters saw this as "little hypocrisy", which is a forced step.

But after the noblewoman took the secret tonsure of a nun in 1670, taking the church name Theodore, she stopped participating in both church and secular events.

In January 1671, a new wedding of the tsar who had been widowed several years ago with Natalya Naryshkina took place, in which Morozova refused on the pretext of illness. This act aroused the anger of the autocratic person.

Having cooled down a little, Alexei Mikhailovich sent to the disobedient first boyar Troekurov, and then Prince Urusov (her sister's husband), who tried to persuade her to accept church reform... However, Morozova did not betray her "standing for the faith" and in both cases expressed her decisive refusal.

Arrest and death

In November 1671, Morozova and her sister were interrogated, after which they were shackled and left at home, under arrest, and then transported to the Chudov Monastery. Here interrogations continued, after which the sisters were sent to the courtyard of the Pskov-Pechersky monastery.

Soon after the arrest, a misfortune happened, as evidenced by the biography of Morozova, with the boyaryn's son. He passed away at the age of just over 20. The property of the noblewoman was confiscated, and her brothers were sent into exile.

Alexei Mikhailovich ordered the expulsion of the sisters to the city of Borovsk, where they were placed in an earthen prison in a local prison. In June 1675, 14 people who served them were burned down, locked in a log house. In September 1675, Princess Evdokia Urusova died of hunger.

Noblewoman Morozova herself also died of complete exhaustion. Last minutes the female slaves were full of drama. Before their death, the unfortunate women asked to give them at least a crust of bread, but in vain.

There is information according to which Feodosia Morozova, feeling imminent death, asked the jailer to rinse her shirt in the river in order to accept death in a dignified manner. She died in November 1675, briefly outliving her sister. In the place where the sisters, as well as other Old Believers, were supposedly imprisoned, a chapel was erected.