Bogdan Belsky

After the exile of Dmitry Ivanovich and the Nagoys to Uglich, the frontrunning boyars joined their efforts in their struggle against Bogdan Belsky, inciting the citizens of Moscow.

He was blamed for the death of Ivan and accused of plotting to murder Feodor I in order to transfer power to Boris Godunov or even seize it himself.

Tsar Boris Godunov appointed Belsky okolnichy and hastily sent him away from Moscow, ordering him to build the town of Tsaryov-Borisov on the shores of the Donets River (1599–1600).

In 1601, Belsky was deassigned from Borisov, subjected to corporal punishment (they say that Godunov ordered his beard plucked), stripped of his property, and sent to prison in the provinces.

Kissing the icon on the day of False Dmitry I’s arrival in Moscow, he tried to convince the Muscovites of the latter’s royal origins.

It is still unknown whether Bogdan Belsky pledged allegiance to Wladislaus IV or not, but his name was not on list of those who had been asking for mercy from the Polish king Sigismund III Vasa and his son.

When in 1611 the citizens of Kazan decided to swear allegiance to False Dmitry II (also known as Thief of Tushino), Belsky tried to talk them out of it and refused to submit to the impostor.