Michael of Russia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael I
J. H. Wedekind's copy of a portrait
Tsar of Russia
Reign	21 February 1613 – 12 July 1645
Coronation	22 July 1613
Predecessor	Dmitry Troubetskoy (as the head of the Zemsky government)
Successor	Alexis
Born	(1596-07-22)22 July 1596 Moscow, Russia
Died	23 July 1645(1645-07-23) (aged 49) Moscow, Russia
Burial	Archangel Cathedral
Consort	Maria Vladimirovna Dolgorukova ​ ​ (m. 1624; died 1625)​ Eudoxia Lukyanovna Streshneva ​ (m. 1626)​
Issue among others...	Tsarevna Irina Mikhailovna Alexis I of Russia Tsarevna Anna Mikhailovna Tsarevna Tatiana Mikhailovna
Full name Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov
House	Romanov
Father	Feodor Nikitich Romanov
Mother	Kseniya Shestova
Religion	Eastern Orthodoxy
Signature

Michael I (born Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov) was the first Tsar of Russia from the House of Romanov. He was chosen to rule by a special meeting called the Zemsky Sobor in 1613. This happened after a difficult period in Russian history known as the Time of Troubles.

Michael was the son of Feodor Nikitich Romanov and Xenia Shestova. He was also related to the last Tsar of the Rurik dynasty, Feodor I. During his time as Tsar, Russia grew a lot. It took over most of Siberia, reaching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This expansion was helped by brave Cossacks and the wealthy Stroganov family.

Becoming Tsar

Michael's grandfather, Nikita Romanovich, was a brother to the first Russian Tsaritsa Anastasia. He was also an important helper to Ivan the Terrible. When Michael was a young boy, he and his mother were sent away from Moscow in 1600. This happened because the Tsar at the time, Boris Godunov, wrongly said that Michael's father was a traitor.

On February 21, 1613, a national meeting called the Zemsky Sobor chose Michael to be the new Tsar. The people at the meeting found Michael and his mother at the Ipatiev Monastery. At first, his mother, Martha, didn't want him to be Tsar. She thought he was too young to lead Russia during such a difficult time.

Michael at a young age

Michael's election is part of the famous Ivan Susanin story. This story was made into an opera called A Life for the Tsar by the composer Mikhail Glinka.

Michael's Reign

When Michael became Tsar, the capital city of Moscow was in bad shape. He had to wait for several weeks at the Troitsa monastery before Moscow was ready for him. He was crowned on July 22, 1613, which was his seventeenth birthday.

One of the first things the new Tsar did was to make peace with other countries. He signed a peace treaty with Sweden in 1617. Then, he made a truce with Poland in 1618. A very important part of the truce with Poland was that Michael's father, Feodor, could return from being held captive. After his father came back, he helped Michael rule Russia until he died in 1633. Michael often let his father make many of the big decisions.

During Michael's rule, Russia gained a lot of new land. The conquest of Siberia continued, making Russia much larger. This was mostly done by the Cossacks and paid for by the rich Stroganov merchant family.

Later Life and Family

Tsar Michael had a leg injury that got worse over time. This meant he couldn't walk well by the end of his life. He was known as a kind and religious ruler. He often listened to his advisors. Some of his advisors were good and honest, like his father. Others were not as good.

Michael was married two times. His first wife, Princess Maria Vladimirovna Dolgorukova, died shortly after their marriage in 1625. In 1626, he married Eudoxia Streshneva. They had 10 children together. Four of their children lived to be adults: the future Tsar Alexis, and his sisters Irina, Anna, and Tatyana.

Tsar Michael became ill in April 1645. He passed away on July 23, 1645.

Government and Culture

When Tsar Michael came to power, music was not very common in Russia, except for folk songs. This was because of an old rule from the 12th century that said music was bad. But Tsar Michael changed this. He invited singers and musicians from France and Germany. He brought in instruments like harpsichords. Because of him, Western music started to become popular in Russia.

Issue

Michael and Eudoxia Streshneva had 10 children:

Images for kids

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  Sixteen-year-old Michael being offered the crown at the Ipatiev Monastery in 1613, painting by Grigory Ugryumov

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  Michael offered Monomakh's Cap and scepter by Kuzma Minin, protected by Dmitry Pozharsky

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  Silver coin: 1 ruble Nikolai II_Romanov Dynasty - 1913. This coin shows Emperor Nikolas II and Michael I in royal robes.

See also

In Spanish: Miguel I de Rusia para niños