WI Czarevna Feodosia Fyodorovna lived?

POD her OTL death in January 1594. She was a bit over 1 year old (born sometime in 1592), no special reason to assume she was especially frail - just a random childhood illness, and if butterflies just avoid it, she can grow up a child as healthy as any other in her time.

And the natural illnesses of her father Czar Fyodor, her mother Czarina Irina and her uncle Boris go just per OTL schedule. Also, her parents´ subfertility takes the same natural course - as per OTL Irina bears no further children 1594...1598, neither sons nor daughters.

Recapitulate the family relationships:
Vladimir of Staritsa and most his children had been killed in 1569;
his only surviving child was daughter Maria, by 1598 a nun incarcerated in Russia and 38 years old, with both her children dead;
the House of Moscow had been exterminating cadets for some time, so the Ryurikid cadets left alive were very distant and also lacking in wealth and connections.

This is why OTL, Boris Godunov with no Ryurikid descent was made Czar without an immediate civil war, and Irina was alleged to have been seriously considered.

Now, minority was in principle accepted for the throne of Moscow. Ivan the Terrible had acceded, age 3, without fight even though he had a couple of middle-aged bachelor uncles available. But there appear to have been some hesitation: when Ivan Terrible fell seriously ill in 1552 or 1553 (the story is not exactly dated), he wanted to be succeeded by his baby son Dmitry (who lived to 8 months, so the age limits are under 8 months and possibly under 2), many boyars expressed reluctance (somehow in the face of the sick Czar, instead of swearing and then breaking the oath when Ivan was safely dead), wanting the succession of Ivan´s cousin the said Vladimir of Staritsa (then 19...20).

So. In January 1598, Fyodor dies as per OTL. Recapitulating the obvious family:
on the male line, Fyodor´s little brother, Dmitry, as been dead for nearly 7 years, and would be 15 if alive. And did not OTL reappear for the next 6 years
the mentioned Maria of Staritsa, a nun of 38
a bunch of very distant and unimportant Ryurikovich princes;
through marriage, Czar´s widow Irina, about 40 years old
Czarina´s brother, Konyushi and de facto established regent for over 10 years, Boris Godunov, age 46, with a healthy son Fyodor, age 8;
influential but decidedly subordinate boyar Filaret Romanov;
a bunch of other boyars like Vasily Shuiski.

All as per OTL.
And the major difference - a 5 year old apparently healthy daughter of the late Czar.

Considering the above described poor alternatives: would Moscow of January 1598 acknowledge a 5 year old girl as their Autocratrix?

And how about regency? For formal regent, if specifically designated, there are obvious options - Irina, Boris, or the sitting Patriarch. Or a council - Ivan the Terrible had designated a regency council for Fyodor even though he was an adult.

De facto prime minister would obviously continue to be Boris, whether in his own name or as the right hand of his sister the Regent.

How would the boyars of Moscow behave during the next 5 years - OTL good years, as Autocratrix Feodosia grows from 5 to about 11?
 
Boris Godunov will likely be de-facto regent as female rule was, while new thing, not entirely alien...and the girl is considered a vehicle of legitimisation for any further pretenders to the throne - though Boris will do his best to marry her to a foreign prince (a Danish candidate?).
A great hunger of early 1600ies can be interpreted as punishment for female rule, though.
 
Boris Godunov will likely be de-facto regent as female rule was, while new thing, not entirely alien...
Female reign was new. Female rule was not.
Yelena Glinskaya, the mother of 3 year old Ivan the Terrible, had gained regency, ruled for 4 years, apparently competently despite being a 23 year old without goverment background (chosen by Vassili for her youth and good looks at age 15, not for particularly influential family). She successfully dealt with 2 brethren of her late husband, and favoured a handsome young boyar Telepnev-Obolensky who was suspected as her lover (a pretty widow ages 23...28... well, she did not end up conceiving), whereas it was after her death that all hell broke loose fighting for the regency of her 7 year old son.
Irina is 41. So there would be less suspicions about young favourites. Remembering the example of Yelena, making her the regent and requiring boyars to report formally to her, would seem like an obvious and safe option... even if she does predictably end up relying on her brother as much as her late husband had done.
and the girl is considered a vehicle of legitimisation for any further pretenders to the throne - though Boris will do his best to marry her to a foreign prince (a Danish candidate?).
That Maria was best precedent to draw on. The ruler of Moscow had by 1598 not had a marriageable daughter for a century (last had been Ivan III-s daughter).

Good OTL example is Czarevna Xenia Godunova. In 1598, 15 years old, and NOT heiress even in OTL, because of her healthy little brother Fyodor (in 1598, 8 years old). Boris tried 2 grooms for her - both Western: Prince Gustav son of overthrown Erik XIV of Sweden (31 years on her arrival to Moscow in 1599), and Johan son of Frederick II of Denmark (19 on his arrival in Moscow in 1602). Both fell through - Gustav because unsuitability, Johan because he died in Moscow. By 1605, Xenia was 23, maid, and 3 years since last suitor showed up.

Now it is the Autocratrix who is looking for a husband. And no one knows what the government of an adult Autocratrix should look like, or what should be the role of her lawful husband. On the other, hand, she is 5.

When would Boris start seriously looking for a specific groom? Czarina Feodosia just turns 11 in 1603. Well, Maria had married Duke Magnus in 1573, age 13.
Who will show up to woo the girl Czarina? Western Europe had just had the experience with Mary Stewart, Mary Tutor, Elizabeth Tudor... would OTL soon have had Christina Vasa - but child Czarina of Russia?
 
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