Prokopy Petrovich Lyapunov

Lypunov Prokopy Petrovich
Voivode
Other titles	Dvoryanin, Viceroy, Head of interim government of 1611 (self-imposed)
Other names	Prokopy Lepunov
Known for	Organizing and leading first People's Opolchenie against Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth occupation of Moscow in 1611
Born	Isady, Old Ryazan (Principality of Ryazan)
Died	22 July 1611 Moscow
Cause of death	Assassination
Nationality	Russian
Residence	Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky
Locality	Tsardom of Russia
Noble family	Rurik dynasty
Issue	Vladimir Prokopievich Lyapunov
Father	Petr Lyapunov

Prokopy Petrovich Lyapunov (Russian: Прокопий Петрович Ляпунов) (? – July 22 (or August 1), 1611, Isady, Grand Duchy of Moscow) was a prominent 17th century Russian noble (dvoryanin), voivode (military chieftain) of, allegedly, a Rurikid origin who practically became a viceroy of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky lands in the end 1590s; he took part in wars during power vacuum in succession crisis that happened in early 1600 as result of confusion about legitimate heir apparent to the throne, nobility infighting, war declared by Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC) in 1605, and exhaustive Tatar raids; most famously he is remembered for organizing and leading the first unsuccessful uprising against occupation of Moscow of 1610 by PLC in April of 1611.

In 1583-1584 he successfully participated in exiling of Bogdan Belsky, a close associate of Ivan the Terrible who was blamed for treason. During Times of Troubles (1598) Prokopy Lyapunov and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov blindly sided with False Dmitry I who (upon being uncovered as a false Czar) was killed in a plot by Vasili IV Shuisky (Tsar) and his associates and against whom Prokopy Petrovich along his ally Pashkov Fillip Ivanovich initially rose a sword in controversial Peasants' Uprising (a.k.a. Uprising of Ivan Bolotnikov) of 1606 which failed to topple Vasili IV but which drew both parties (Lyapunov and Pashkov) on the latter's side by the end of 1606 (or 1607). In 1607 Along with Tsar's forces he besieged Tula where Ivan Bolotnikov was hiding. In 1610 plot he helped Moscovite's nobility, known as Seven Boyars, and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov to depose Vasili IV for latter brother's failure at Battle of Klushino, a battle with Polish hussars and mercenaries.

In April of 1611 Prokopy along with his strong men, Duke Trubetskoy, and Cossacks Ataman Ivan Zarutsky led the First People's Opolcheniye (FPO) in an attempt to expel polish forces from occupied Moscow dying not long after that in a plot organized by Aleksander K. Gosiewski.

Biography

He was born on unknown date in a village of Isady (Russian: Исады) located to the East of Old Ryazan. Little is known about his life before 1584.

Origin and name

It's known that Lyapunov brothers were descendants of a family of Konstantin Yaroslavich and one of his sons, dukes of the Duchy of Galich and Mersk both of whom itself belonged to Rurik Dynasty. Prokopy Lyapunov's family ascends to a boyarin (servant) of Pimen "Black" (1571, an Archibishop of Novgorod and supporter of Ivan IV) named Lyapun' Osypin (Russian: Ляпунь Осипин), from which Lypunov (Russian: Ляпунов) family name has started. Lypynovs acquired a dvoryanin title when one of Lyapun' Osypin's grandson entered servitude of Duchy of Ryazan (dissolved around 1521).

Genealogy book of Prokopy Lyapunov is currently kept at the museum of Ryazan Kremlin.

Family

Main article: Lyapunov family

His father Petr Lyapunov (Russian: Пётр Ляпунов, often referred as Лепунов) according to Razriady records served in as a voivode in different cities Dankov (next to a Muravsky Trail)

Petr Lypunov had total 5 children:

• Prokopy Petrovich Lyapunov

• Alexander Petrovich Lyapunov – A voivode and servant of Ivan IV, who along with Andrey V. Sherfedinov had been invading "foreign" lands with impunity because of Ivan IV's predisposition to the latter;
• Zakhary Petrovich Lyapunov – Along with Prokopy, a notable figure of Times of Troubles who fought for False Dmitry I, and then, against False Dmitry II, deposed Tsar Vasily Shuisky in July 19, 1610, and who was a member of embassy to Sigismund III on September 11, 1610 and who sided with him and his son Władysław IV Vasa at besieged Smolensk camp; his fate after that remains unknown
  • Semyon Zakharyievich Lyapounov, a son of Zakhary P. L.
• Grigory Petrovich Lyapunov
• Stepan Petrovich Lyapunov

Children

• Vladimir Prokopievich Lyapunov, it's known that he has donated a cross to the church of the Isady Village where his father Prokopy was born; it's currently kept in Ryazan Kremlin

Time of Troubles

See also: Time of Troubles

During Feodor I of Russia

Until 1590 Prokopy served as voivode under viceroy of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky Dmitry I. Khvorostin until latter's death in 1590. In 1598 he was allegedly a head of Ryazan Zemsky Sobor embassy sent to Moscow to elect new Czar after Feodor I of Russia died with no heirs left. His signature is found on the the final decision made by Moscow Zemsky Sobor.

Servant of Boris Godunov

In 1603 Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky Hovansky Ivan Fedorovish and Prokopy Lyapunov attempted to retake Zaraysk occupied at the time by mercenaries of Aleksander Józef Lisowski, but ultimately failed.

Servant of False Dmitry I

After the death of Boris Godunov in 1605, Prokopy along with his brother Zakhary Lyapunov, Petr Basmanov, and Vasily Golitsyn switched their side to the False Dmitriy I after falsely believing that the latter was son of Ivan IV, Dmitry of Uglich who "managed to flee to Poland instead of dying" (and thus being an only legitimate Czar).

In early 1606 he and hist strongmen rebelled against ruling Tsar in the Bolotnikov Uprising. In November 1606, however Lyapunov came to Moscow and gave himself up to Vasili IV Shuisky for which the latter granted him dvoryanin of the Boyar Duma (1607) title.

Occupation of Moscow of 1611

In Spring of 1608, Lyapunov led the army of Ryazan and Muscovite troops against a peasant revolt raised in Ryazan land against Vasili IV Shuisky instigated by Aleksander Józef Lisowski ragtag mercenaries and supporters of False Dmitriy II.

In July 1610, Lyapunov along with his brother Zakhary P. L. overthrew and exiled Vasili IV after sudden and suspicious death of Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky (a highly appreciated warrior) blamed on Vasili IV. In September 1610 Moscow Boyars (so called Seven Boyars) invited Władysław IV Vasa, son of Sigismund III Vasa to "on the rule" i.e. to become a Czar of all Russia. They conditioned that he accepts Orthodox faith but he ultimately refused to appear.

In late 1610 Prokopy set off to retake of Pronsk in the name of Władysław IV, but in the battle against Lisowski's Don Cossacks was wounded. Dmitry Pozharsky As result he handed over his duties to his brother Zakhary P. L. who under leadership of duke Ivan F. Hovansky also attempted to retake Zaraisk at the time occupied by mercenaries of Lisowski, but ultimately failed.

When the Polish army occupied Moscow in 1611, Lyapunov, inspired by Patriarch Germogen's proclamations, mass levied the First People's Opolcheniye and became its leader. In March 1611, his ragtag army consisting Cossacks (previosly served to False Dmitry I and his pols superiors) approached Moscow and blocked the invaders.

In the summer of 1611, Lyapunov practically became the head of the interim government. On June 30, he issued a decree, which reinstated certain serf regulations and violated his own promises to Cossacks of "freedom and salary".

Death

As result of faked decree made up by Aleksander K. Gosiewski (who at the time occupied Moscow Kremlin) and delivered by Pols'-captive Cossack to the indignant Cossacks Prokopy Lyapunov was killed by them on July 22 (or August 1), 1611.

Aftermath

The idea of a Volunteer Army was taken up by Dmitry Pozharsky, who finally beat the Moscow back from the Poles in 1612 in a Second People's Opolcheniye campaign.

See also

• Mikhail Skopin-Shuysky