Boris Godunov

Boris Feodorovich Godunov (1552–1605) rose at the court of Ivan the Terrible as an oprichnik and married the daughter of Malyuta Skuratov; his sister Irina wed the heir Feodor in 1580, making Boris the future tsar's brother-in-law.

From Feodor I's accession in 1584 he was the de facto ruler of Russia. When Feodor died childless in 1598, Boris had himself elected tsar by the Zemsky Sobor and was crowned.

He imported foreign teachers and made peace with Sweden in 1595. In 1600 he moved against the rival Romanov family, forcing Feodor Romanov into a monastery. Boris died in April 1605 during the Time of Troubles.