# End of the Rurikids; Boris Godunov elected (1598)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1598-end-of-the-rurikids-boris-godunov-elected
Categories: ruler-change

Feodor I died childless in January 1598, ending the Rurikid dynasty. A Zemsky Sobor elected Boris Godunov tsar. Godunov tried to consolidate power and modernise, sending students abroad. The dynastic break opened the Time of Troubles.

## Why it matters
The dynastic break opened the Time of Troubles.

Ruler at the time: [Boris Godunov](https://history-russia.com/rulers/boris-godunov)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Boris Godunov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Godunov)
- [Wikipedia — Time of Troubles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_of_Troubles)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — End of the Rurikids; Boris Godunov elected](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=End+of+the+Rurikids%3B+Boris+Godunov+elected)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)