Upon this a general assembly of the states, composed of the princi pal persona among the nobility and clergy, as well as of the deputies from several towns, was convoked at Moscow six weeks after the death of Fedor, in order to elect a new monarch. The affairs of the state were in the meantime conducted by a council of boyards in the name of the tzarina. Disobedience to the supreme government and die• orders consequent on it manifested themselves in different towns. Every person feared the dangers of anarchy, and felt that there was only one man who could prevent them. The assembly of the states, which met at Moscow on the 17th of February 1598, consequently unanimously proclaimed Godunov tzar of Moscow, and for two days publio prayers were made that Godunov might be induced to accept the throne. On the 20th of February, Codunov, who remained all this time with his sister at a convent in the environs of Moscow, was apprised by a deputation that he was elected sovereign by all the empire ; but he still decidedly refused the proffered crown. On the second day the patriarch, accompanied by the principal clergy and nobility, entered the church of the convent, which was surrounded by almost the whole population of Moscow. Tho patriarch, having performed divine service, requested Godunov to accept the throne ; but as he continued to refuse, the patriarch went to tho cell of the widowed tzarina with several nobles and bishops, who prostrated themselves before her, while all the population assembled within and without tho walls of the monastery did the same at a given signal, crying out that Boris should have mercy upon them and accept the throne. The patriarch with tears implored the tzarina to induce her brother to comply with their wishes. The tzarina, who had remained for some time inexorable, declared at last that, touched by the distress of the nation, she gave her benediction to her brother as the sovereign of Mos:ow. Godunov still continued to refuse, but when his sister positively insisted on his accepting the throne, lie said, with an appear. snce of the greatest humility, "The will of God be done," and seemed rather resigned to make a sacrifico than to accept the highest worldly dignity. Godunov ascended the throne with the acclamations and the universal joy of the nation ; he fully justified the hopes of the people, and proved himself worthy of the supreme power.
Before his coronation a rumour was circulated that the khan of tho Crimea was on the point of invading the country. Godunov instantly took the field with such an imposing forco that the khan, instead of attacking him, sued for a continuance of peace. A new lustre was added to his reign by the final 'subjugation of Siberia, which was accomplished about that time.
Godunov was particularly anxious to extend the relations of Moscow with foreign powers, and it was a favourite scheme of his to establish a matrimonial alliance between his own family and some reigning house of Europe. He accordingly directed his attention to Gustavo', son of Eric, the deposed king of Sweden, an accomplished prince, who, having long wandered in many countries of Europe, was then living at Thorn, In Polish Prussia. Gustavus was received with great honoors ; rich presents and extensive estates were given to him, the tzar intending to make him sovereign of Livonia and his son-in. law ; but unwilling to become a tool of the Muscovite policy against Sweden, Gustavus soon fell into disgrace. His wealth was taken from him, and after having been imprisoned for somo time and partly restored to favour, he was finally exiled to the town of Kaahin (in the present government of Tver), where he occupied himself with chemical experiments till his death in 1607. Disappointed in this project, Godunov proposed an alliance between his daughter Xenia, a princess of great beauty, and the Duke John, brother of the King of Denmark and of the queen of James I., of Great Britain. This proposal was assented to by the king and by the duke; but the duke's premature death before the marriage again marred the ambitious schemes of Godunov.
Among the other relations of Godunov with foreign powers, we may mention his frequent but desultory negociations with Austria about a league against the Turks. Some negociations with Persia on the same subject had no more successful result; and an attempt to fix the dominion of Moscow in the Caucasian countries in 1604 also failed. There was a cloee connection with England during Godunov's reign, and Queen Elizabeth proposed to him, in 1603, a marriage between his son and a young English lady of rank, then only eleven years old. During this reign the merchants of Lilbeck received commercial privileges from him equal to those of the English in Russia. Godu nov, who was anxious to civilise Russia, conceived the plan of establishing universities, where the young Muscovites should bo instructed in foreign languages and the science,. For that purpose he sent to Germany a native of that country, named Cramer, in order to choose teachers for the intended schools. This project failed through the opposition of the clergy, who considered the measure as an innovation dangerous to religion. He sent however eighteen young men of noble families to be educated in Germany, England, and France. He was also anxious to attract all foreigners who could promote the civilisation of his country, such as physicians, engineers, and artificers. Ho was also fond of conversing with foreigners, and had great confidence in them, which was fully justified by the conduct of hie foreign guards, who remained faithful to his family to the last. He introduced many wise measures of administration, and never committed any unnecessary act of cruelty. In his policy he con stantly leaned rather towards clemency than severity. The first two years of Godunov's reign were the most fortunate that Muscovy had ever witnessed ; but untoward events soon followed. Some boyards were accused by their slaves of being ill disposed to the sovereign, who punished them by confining them in convents and exiling them to distant places. The bad harvests of 1601 and 1602 produced a general famine, the horrors of which, as described by eyewitnesses, seem almost incredible. Godunov exerted himself to alleviate this terrible calamity, and proved himself in this emergency the real father of the nation. This calamity produced a general disorganisation, and bands of robbers infested all the country. Their chief, called Khlopko, rendered himself so formidable that it was necessary to send an army against him. He was defeated and taken in a regular battle not far from Moscow, in which the commander of the tzar's forces was killed. The robbers however continued to infest particularly the border pro vinces, and their number was increased by Fedor's ordinance establish ing slavery. In 1604 a rumour began to be circulated that Prince Demetrius, who was believed to have been murdered at Uglich, was alive, and making preparations iu Poland to recover the throne of his ancestors. However this may be, he found many partisans in Poland, levied an army, and entered Russia, where, after some reverses, he obtained complete success. Town after town submitted to him, and be was joined by the armies sent to oppose him. lie was in full march on Moscow when Godunov suddenly died on the 13th of April 1605, under a strong suspicion of having destroyed himself by poison. Godunov was one of the most remarkable princes recorded in history. In his abilities and vigour of character he resembled Peter I. His eon Fedor, a youth of eighteen years of age, who is described as endowed with the most amiable qualities, received the oath of fidelity of all that part of the empire which was not under the domination of Demetrius. Ills reign was however of short duration, for ou the 13th of June a riot took place at Moscow ; he was dragged with his family from the palace, and shut up in a house which was his private property, where he was murdered a few days afterwards. [DENIE. TRIVS.]