The pretenders of the Time of Troubles: a comparative analysis

The Russian pretenders of the Time of Troubles appeared at a time of dynastic crisis. The death of Tsar Fedor in 1598 created a fertile soil for pretence, and the series of false Dimitrys challenged rulers whose legitimacy was questionable: Boris Godunov and his son Fedor; Vasilii Shuiskii; and the Polish prince Władysław. By asserting claims to belong to the old dynasty, the pretenders appealed to the traditional principle of hereditary succession, in contrast to the various types of election that had brought their opponents to the throne.

Elsewhere in fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Europe, too, pretenders appeared against the background of dynastic crisis and the dubious legitimacy of the current ruler. Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck challenged the Tudor King Henry VII's right to the throne by claiming to be legitimist princes of the house of York. The Moldavian pretenders Ivan Podkova and Alexander maintained that they were the brothers of Ivan Voda, who had led a national uprising against the Turks in 1574; they opposed Peter the Lame, the Turkish nominee who had replaced Ivan Voda on the throne. The false Don Sebastians challenged the succession of Philip II of Spain to the Portuguese throne.