False Dmitriy refers to a series of impostors in early 17th-century Russia who claimed to be the deceased son of Ivan the Terrible, Dmitriy Ivanovich. The most notable of these impostors emerged in 1604, gaining support from discontented nobles and Polish forces, which led to a brief period of power. The first False Dmitriy was eventually overthrown in 1606, but his claim sparked a chaotic time known as the Time of Troubles. This period was marked by political instability, foreign intervention, and civil strife, ultimately leading to the establishment of the Romanov dynasty in 1613.