The young man's troubles began here. The enormous retinue of Poles that had attended his bride on her journey to the Russian capital bore themselves in the most arrogant manner towards the Russians, and the old and undying animosity between the two races was kindled anew.
Discontent reigned among the people, based upon reports that the Czar had already surrounded himself with Polish counselors, and had abandoned old Russian traditions and customs, and, though nominally an adherent of the Greek Church, he was really a Papist at heart. But the greatest of all his sins was this marriage with an unbaptized woman, a Polish heretic, so regarded, because she had not been immersed and the Greek Church baptized only by immersion. The result was a rebellion under Prince Vassilli Shuiski. This prince had before headed a conspiracy against the new Czar and had been sentenced to exile in Siberia, but the Czar had pardoned him.
The revolution made such headway that at daybreak on the 24th of May the whole city was in rebellion, and Dimitri was warned of his danger but would not listen. In the meantime a fanatical religious riot was fomented on the streets, and there were loud cries of orthodox Christians to rise and put to death the inmates of the houses where the Poles lodged, which had been marked with chalk the night before. The palace of the Czar was stormed by an armed mob shouting "Death to the impostor!" Dimitri seized a sword and defended himself with great bravery, and his guards stood by their master until the last.
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From General Nelson A. Miles
Thrilling Stories of The Russian-Japanese War, 1904
