Decline of the Dynasty: The Last Rurikids and the False Dmitry

Cap of Kazan
Russia, Moscow, 1553-1558.
Gold, precious stones, pearl, sable fur; casting, carving, niello, enamel.
Orb
Western Europe, late 16th - early 17th century.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearl; casting, chasing, carving, enamel.
Cover of the Shrine of Tsarevich Dmitry
Russia, Moscow, Kremlin Workshops, 1628-1630.
Craftsmen: Gavrila Ovdokimov, Pavel Vlasiev, Dmitry Alexeev, Vassily Korovnikov, Timofey Ivanov, Vassily Malosolets.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearl, glass, wood, fabric; casting, embossing, flat chasing, carving, gilding.
Donation from Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich to the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.
Throne
Iran, late 16th – early 17th century; fabric - Iran, 16th century, France, 18th century.
Gold, rubies, tourmalines, turquoise, pearl, wood, velvet; stamping, filigree, flat chasing, weaving.
Belonged to Tsar Boris Godunov.
Altar Cross
Russia, Moscow, Kremlin Workshops, 1599.
Gold, precious stones, fresh-water pearls, wood; chasing, enamel, filigree, carving, flat chasing.
Donation from Tsar Boris Godunov, Tsarina Maria and their kids Fyodor and Ksenia to Chudov Monastery in the Moscow Kremlin in 1599.
Measure Icon 'St John Climacus' in cover
Russia, Moscow, Kremlin Workshops, 1554
Gold, wood, precious stones, gesso, pearl, fabric; embossing, egg tempera, filigree, enamel, niello
Made for Tsarevich Ivan, son of Ivan the Terrible.
Measure icon’s height is equal to the height of a new-born child.
Air (shroud) 'The Entombment'
Needlework – Moscow, 1558, workshop of Princess Euphrosinia Staritskaya; damask – Italy, 16th century; border (liturgical inscription) and dyed homespun canvas – Russia, 19th century.
Damask, heavy silk, dyed homespun canvas, silver-gilt thread, silk thread; needlework, weaving.
Easel Painting (Parsuna) of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, copy of the 17th-century easel painting
Russia, Moscow, 19th century.
Wood, gesso; egg tempera.
Shield
Iran, 16th century.
Craftsman – Mohammed Mummin Zernishan.
Gold, wootz steel, rubies, pearl, turquoise, fabric, fringe; chasing, carving, gold damascening, gilding, filigree.
Belonged to Prince F.I. Mstislavsky.
Hussar Saddle
Poland, 16th century.
Silver, wood, velvet, precious stones, leather, silver-gilt threads; weaving, needlework.
Present from King Sigismund III to Tsar Boris Godunov.
Plate
Russia, Moscow, Kremlin Workshops, 1561. Gold; forging, embossing, niello.
Present from Tsar Ivan the Terrible to his wife Tsarina Maria Temryukovna in 1561.
Cock-shaped Cup
Germany, 15th century.
Silver; chasing, casting, gilding, engraving, enamel.
Ritual Vessel
Bohemia, Prague, mid. – the second half of the 16th century. Court workshop of Rudolph II (?).
Glass; shaping, coloured enamel painting, gilding.
Originates from the burial of Tsar Ivan the Terrible in the side-chapel of St John the Precursor of the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.
Medal 'Tsar Dmitry Ivanovich (the False Dmitry)'
Russia, 19th century (?).
Silver; stamping.
Icon-reliquary 'Patriarch Hermogenes against Chudov Monastery'
Russia, Moscow, 1913, workshop of the Pashkov brothers.
Wood, gesso; oil painting.
Panagia
Russia, 1603, chain – 18th century.
Silver, crystal; chasing, enamel, painting on crystal, flat chasing, gilding.
Belonged to Patriarch Hermogenes.
Portrait of Patriarch Filaret
Russia, 1772.
Artist – Alexey Antropov.
Oil on canvas.

06 April 2021 – 25 July 2021

Exhibition hall of the Patriarch's Palace and Exhibition hall of the Assumption Belfry

Organized by: The Moscow Kremlin Museums

Participants:: The Moscow Kremlin Museums, Military History Museum of Artillery and Engineering and Signal Corps, State Tretiakov Gallery, State Historical Museum, State Pushkin Museum, State Russian Museum, State Hermitage, State Museum of Ceramics at the Kuskovo Estate, Dresden State Art Collections (Germany), Green Vaults Museum (Germany), Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, Saratov State Art Museum of A.N. Radishchev, Sergiev Posad State Historical and Art Museum and Heritage Site

From its origin up to the end of the 16th century, Russian statehood was inextricably bound to the dynastic history of the Rurikids (or Rurik dynasty). Princes, Great Princes and Tsars – the descents of the semi-legendary Rurik – had been governing Russian lands for more than seven centuries. The right of the Rurikids to absolute authority was of sacred significance for Russian society.

The exposition in the exhibition hall of the Patriarch's Palace tells about the most significant events in the Russian sovereigns' family history in the mentioned time. On display are monuments related to the heirs' accession to the throne, marriages, births and deaths. Among them are remarkable works such as signs and symbols of royal power, items from the treasury of monarchs, personal belongings of the royal family members, family relics, attributes of funeral and memorial rites, and valuable historical documents. Visitors will see the most prestigious and iconic monuments dating back to the last Rurikids.

The decline of the royal family at the end of the 16th century gave rise to the chaos, the so-called Time of Troubles — the nation-wide calamity, the very existence of the Russian statehood was threatened in this historical period. The emergence of impostors in Russia was one of the consequences of the dynastic crisis.

The exposition in the exhibition hall of the Assumption Belfry is devoted to one of the most mysterious figures of the Russian Time of Troubles - the pretended son of Ivan the Terrible, the Tsar of Muscovy Dmitry Ivanovich, who called himself Dmitry the Emperor and remained in history as Dmitry the Impostor, or False Dmitry I.

Artefacts and documentary sources cover the history since the death of Tsarevich Dmitry in Uglich, describe the appearance of the miraculously escaped prince in Poland in 1604 and his campaign in Russia, as well as the accession of Tsar Dmitry Ivanovich to the Russian throne in 1605, his eleven-month reign and death. Testimonies of the short reigning of False Dmitry I and works created in subsequent centuries will highlight how he sought to present himself to the world and how he remained in the memory of posterity.

On display are pieces from the collections of Russian and foreign museums, archives and libraries. Most of them are monuments of exceptional artistic, historical and memorial value.

The Moscow Kremlin Museums have launched a theme-based satellite site about the exhibition declineofthedynasty.kreml.ru