General Notes

Michael (Mikhail Fyodorovich Romanov), b. 1596, d. July 23, (N.S.), 1645, tsar
of Russia (1613-45), founded the Romanov dynasty. To end the chaos of the
period known as the Time of Troubles, the zemsky sobor (assembly of the land)
offered the throne to Michael, a grandnephew of Tsar Ivan IV. Michael was
dominated first by his mother, Ksenia Ivanovna Shestova, and her relatives and
later by his father, Fyodor Nikitich Romanov, who was released from Polish
captivity in 1619 and served as patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church and
coruler until he died in 1633. Under Michael's rule domestic disorder was
checked, and peace was established with Sweden (1617) and Poland (1618, 1634).
He was succeeded by his son Alexis.