Direct descendant of Riourik by the line of Iaroslav Vladimirski, Vassili Ivanovitch Chouiski (Russian: Василий IV ИвановичШуйский, 1552 - 1612) became Tsar of Russia the May 29th 1606. According to the chroniclers, it is led of the Kremlin on the Place Red and proclaimed tsar " with the criée" on the Lobnoïé miesto .

The reign of Vassili IV (called the tsar villain ) inaugurates one period seven years during which the Temps of the disorders attint its culminating point: the Muscovite State crumbles to start its rectification then.

It was reconciled with Boris Godounov, and lent itself even to a kindness which was in the continuation the source of greatest misfortunes than the Russia tested. The tsar Fédor Ier had a son in low age, called Dmitri. Boris Godounov, who wanted to go up on the throne, made cut the throat of the young prince, and charged Zouiski, with some other trustworthy, to visit the body and to expose the facts, so as to make believe that the Dmitri young person had given itself death.

Zouiski had cowardice to lend itself to this infamy (1590). The traitor Boris, being assembled on the throne (1598), walked against the Tartar ; he gave to Zouiski the command of the right wing of the army; but fearing the influence of this family, it defended in Vassili to marry.

The Dmitri forgery or Dimitri II advancing for détrôner Boris, this one seemed to return his confidence in Zouiski, and gave to Vassili control its armies. Boris died, and his/her son Fédor appeared on the throne to only be cut the throat of (1605); Vassili was subjected to Dmitri, which it reduced from the throne to assemble itself there.

As of its advent, Vassili IV crystallizes against him the opposition of the province, which sees in him a tsar imposed by Moscow and refuses to recognize it. Several " False-Dimitri " , claiming all to be Dimitri II survivor of his assassination, appeared successively in Russia as from 1607 (most famous was Dimitri Bodganko, called the tsar of Touchino ).

On the internal plan, its reign is marked by the promulgation, in 1607, of a code of the laws ( Oulojenié ), prohibiting the owners from releasing their serfs. Vassili IV also inaugurates a constitutional form of government, refusing to be opposed to the Douma Boyard S.

February 29th 1609, prince Skopine signs an agreement with the Sweden: Moscow yields to the Swedes the province of Korela, gives up its claims on the Livonie and is committed entering in war against Poland. Sigismond III Vasa of Poland regards this agreement as a pretext of war and, in October 1609, besieges Smolensk.

March 16th, 1610, Skopine breaks the seat and returns to Moscow, where it is not long in dying, probably poisoned on the order of Vassili IV.

A few months later, in front of the advance of the Polish troops, the Muscovites raise and reverse Vassili IV the July 27th 1610. It is relegated to the monastery of the Miracle before being off-set, in company of his brothers, Poland where it died the September 12th 1612.