Żółkiewski and the second False Dmitry, formerly…

Żółkiewski and the second False Dmitry, formerly reluctant allies, have begun to part ways.

The second False Dmitry has lost much of his influence over the Polish court, and Żółkiewski will eventually try to drive Dmitriy from the capital.

Żółkiewski soon begins maneuvering for a tsar of Polish origin, particularly the 15-year old Prince Władysław.

Previously during the Time of Troubles, the boyars had offered the throne to Władysław at least twice, in the hopes of having the liberal Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth end the despotic rule of their current tsars.

Through Żółkiewski's work, the pro-Polish factions among the boyars (composed of knyazes Fyodor Mstislavsky, Vasily Galitzine, Fyodor Sheremetev, Daniil Mezetsky and diaks Vasily Telepnyov and Tomiło Łagowski gain dominance and once again a majority of the boyars say that they will support Władysław for the throne, if he converts to Orthodoxy and if Poland–Lithuania returns the fortresses that they had captured in the war.

However, Sigismund, supported by some of the more devout szlachta, is completely opposed to the conversion of the prince.

From this point the planned Polish-Lithuanian-Muscovite union begins to fall apart.

Offended and angered by Sigismund, the boyars drag their feet on supporting Władysław–they are divided between electing Vasily Galitzine, Michael Romanov (also fifteen years old), or the second False Dmitriy.

Żółkiewski acts quickly, making promises without the consent of the still-absent king, and the boyars elects Władysław as the new tsar.

Żółkiewski has the most prominent of the opponents, Fyodor Romanov, Michael's father and the patriarch of Moscow, exiled from Russia in order to secure Polish support.

Vasli IV, the last male line Rurikid to rule Russia, is shaved as a monk and eventually transported to Warsaw by Zolkiewski.

He will die a prisoner in the castle of Gostynin, near Warsaw, in 1612.