Prokopy Petrovich Lyapunov () (Isady, Grand Duchy of Moscow; b. ? — July 22, 1611; Tsardom of Russia) was a prominent 17th century Russian nobleman (dvoryanin), voivode (military chieftain) of, allegedly, a Rurikid origin who practically became a head of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky lands nobility in the end of 1590s; he took part in wars during power vacuum in succession crisis that happened in early 1598 in Tsardom as result of confusion about legitimate heir apparent following death of Feodor I, nobility infighting, war declared by Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC) in 1605, and exhaustive Tatar raids; most famously he is remembered for organizing and leading the first unsuccessful uprising against occupation of Moscow of 1610 by PLC in April of 1611.
In 1583-1584 he successfully participated in exiling of Bogdan Belsky, a close associate of Ivan the Terrible who was blamed for treason. During Time of Troubles (1598) Prokopy Lyapunov and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov sided with False Dmitry I who (upon being uncovered as a false Czar) was killed in a plot by Vasili IV Shuisky (Tsar) and his associates. Prokopy Petrovich along with his ally Pashkov Fillip Ivanovich initially revolted against Vasilii IV in controversial Peasants' Uprising (a.k.a. Uprising of Ivan Bolotnikov) of 1606 which failed to topple Vasili IV but which, however, drew both parties (Lyapunov and Pashkov) on the latter's side by the end of 1606 (or 1607). In 1607 Along with Tsar's forces he where Ivan Bolotnikov was hiding. In 1610 plot he helped Moscovite's nobility, known as Seven Boyars, and his brother Zakhary Lyapunov to depose Vasili IV for a latter brother's failure at Battle of Klushino, a battle with Polish hussars and mercenaries.
In April of 1611 Prokopy along with his strong men, Duke Dmitry Troubetskoy, and Cossacks Ataman Ivan Zarutsky led the (FPO) in an attempt to expel Polish forces from occupied Moscow dying not long after that.
Biography
He was born on unknown date in a village of Isady () located to the East of . Little is known about his life before 1584.
Time of Troubles
During Feodor I of Russia
Until 1590 Prokopy served as voivode under viceroy of Pereyaslavl-Ryazansky until latter's death in 1590. In 1598 he was allegedly a head of Ryazan Zemsky Sobor embassy sent to Moscow to elect new Czar when Feodor I of Russia died with no heirs left. His signature is found on the final decision made by Moscow Zemsky Sobor in favor of Boris Godunov.
Servant of Boris Godunov
In 1603-1603 Prokopy served as Mayor of now lost city . In 1603 along with Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky, Prokopy attempted to retake Zaraysk occupied at the time by mercenaries of Aleksander Józef Lisowski. After Battle of Dobrynichi in 1605 under leadership of Fedor Sheremetev, Prokopy with his son Vladimir were sent to Kromy as voivide (not far from Orel, where Lisowczyks were expected) to ward off Polish and Zaporozh Cossack forces.
Servant of False Dmitry I
After the death of Boris Godunov in 1605, Prokopy along with his brother Zakhary Lyapunov, , and Vasily Golitsyn switched their side to the False Dmitriy I after falsely believing that the latter was son of Ivan IV, Dmitry of Uglich who "managed to flee to Poland instead of dying" (and thus being the only legitimate heir to the Czar throne).
In October 1606 he and hist strongmen rebelled against ruling Tsar Vasili IV in the Bolotnikov Uprising. In November 1606, however Lyapunov came to Moscow and gave himself up to Vasili IV for which the latter granted him with a Dvoryanin of Boyar Duma (likely c. 1607) title. In 1607 supported Tsar's troops in where leaders of uprising, including Ivan Bolotnikov, took a refugee, and confronted rebels in neighboring towns.
Occupation of Moscow of 1611
During February-March, 1608, Lyapunov led an army of Ryazan, Arzamas, and Muscow voivodes against peasants who rose in revolt in Pronsk against Vasili IV Shuisky (which was allegedly instigated by Aleksander Józef Lisowski and his ragtag mercenaries and supporters of False Dmitriy II)
In late spring Prokopy L., with his brother Zakhary P. L., and Viceroy of Ryazan Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky unsuccessfully besieged Pronsk (at the time occupied by mercenaries of Lisowski) in the .; Prokopy sustained leg wound by a musket at hands of Lisowski's Don Cossacks and temporarily handed military duties to his brother Zakhary.
In May 1609 Prokopy was sent by Czar Vasilii IV to Kolomna to relieve siege imposed by troops loyal to False Dmitry II and Lisowski.