state of Russia by increasing trade with other countries and inviting certain foreign manufacturers to the country. Before his rule the living conditions of the peasantry was often horrific. Under his reign living standards were much better. He provided enhanced education for military officers which allowed for reforms of the military much later on. He greatly favored the boyar nobility to the common folk and his support of serfdom laid much of the foundation for its rise in Russia following his rule. While he had a large impact on the country during his time as tsar, arguably his greatest achievement was the legacy he left behind.
He had ten children with his second wife, Eudoxia. His eldest son Alexis, just 16 years old, would take the throne the day of his death. For the next three centuries, the Romanov dynasty would rule Russia. Some of the best rulers Russia would ever know, like Peter the Great, were a part of this dynasty. Thanks to Michael I, Russia was brought back from the brink of collapse. He allowed the country to recover from a very destructive time. He steadied the shaky balance in his dominion and allowed the land to prosper. The Romanov dynasty also gained an influential place in the history of Russia and it all began with the reluctant 16 year old Mikhail
Romanov.