What appeared during the reign of Ivan 3. The first sovereign of all Russia, John III Vasilievich

Ivan III Vasilievich was born on January 22, 1440, was a son. From an early age he helped his blind father in state affairs as much as he could, went on campaigns with him.

In March 1462, Vasily II fell seriously ill and died. Shortly before his death, he made a will. The will said that the eldest son Ivan received the grand throne, and most of the state, its main cities. The rest of the state was divided among themselves by the rest of the children of Vasily II.

Ivan III led a very productive, wise policy. In domestic politics, he, like his father, continues to collect Russian lands under the Moscow leadership. Annexed to Moscow Rostov, and Tver, Ryazan, Belozersk and Dmitrov princedoms.

Domestic policy of Ivan III

The unification of the Russian lands to Moscow was very successful and productive. It is worth saying that these lands were annexed peacefully. The Novgorodians wanted independence, but the forces of the Moscow principality were clearly superior to those of Novgorod.

Then, the Novgorod boyars decided to flirt with the Lithuanian prince Kazimir. This course of affairs did not suit Ivan III, who sought to unite all the Russian lands under the Moscow leadership.

On June 6, 1471, the Moscow army goes on a campaign against Novgorod. The troops of Ivan III do not disdain robbery and violence, trying to bring more fear to the Novgorod boyars.

The Novgorod boyars also did not sit idly by, from the townspeople hastily assembled a militia, the number of which amounted to about 40 thousand people. However, the army, hastily assembled, was not at all trained in military affairs. The Novgorodians moved in the direction of Pskov in order to prevent the combination of the Moscow and Pskov troops.

But on the Sheloni River, the Novgorod army, by chance, collided with the detachments of one of the Moscow governors, where they were utterly defeated by their enemy. Novgorod was under siege. During negotiations with Ivan III, Novgorod retained its independence, paid an indemnity, and no longer had the right to flirt with Lithuania.

In the spring of 1477, complainants from Novgorod arrived in Moscow. Presenting their case, the complainants named Ivan III sovereign, instead of the traditional lord. "Lord" - assumed the equality of "the lord of the Grand Duke" and "the lord of the great Novgorod." Muscovites immediately seized on this pretext and sent an ultimatum to Novgorod, according to which Novgorod was to join Moscow.

As a result of a new war, Novgorod was annexed to Moscow, the post of Novgorod mayor was abolished, and the veche bell was taken to Moscow. This was in 1478. After the capture of Novgorod, the tsar continued to collect Russian lands. This was the essence of his internal politics. He spread his power in the Vyazemskaya land, seized the Komi land and Great Perm, and also established his own order in the land of the Khanty and Mansi.

With the growth of the country's power, the grand ducal power grew stronger. Under Ivan III, a system of land service arose in Russia. This progressive innovation became the basis for the formation of a layer of the nobility, a new support for the grand-ducal, and subsequently the royal power. A centralized state could not exist without general legislation.

In 1497, an all-Russian one was published. The Code of Law established the legal norms of the life of Russian society.

Foreign policy of Ivan III

In the foreign policy of the ruler, too, there were major successes. Russia finally ceased to depend on the Golden Horde, to pay tribute to it. This event took place in 1480, marked by "". Khan Akhmat moved large troops to Russia, prepared for a decisive battle for a long time, but eventually turned back. So the Horde Yoke ended.

Ivan III died on October 27, 1505. His name has forever entered the history of Russia.

Outcomes

During his reign, he achieved great success in domestic and foreign policy, completed the process of collecting Russian land, once and for all put an end to the Horde Yoke. It is not for nothing that Ivan III Vasilievich, in science and journalism, received the nickname the Great.

Lived: 1440-1505. Reign: 1462-1505

Ivan III is the eldest son of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily II the Dark and the Grand Duchess Maria Yaroslavna, daughter of the Serpukhov prince.

At the twelfth year of his life, Ivan was married to Maria Borisovna, the princess of Tver, at the eighteenth year he already had a son, Ivan, nicknamed Young. In 1456, when Ivan was 16 years old, Vasily II the Dark appointed him his co-ruler, and at 22 he became the Grand Duke of Moscow.

Even as a youth, Ivan participated in campaigns against the Tatars (1448, 1454, 1459), had seen a lot, and by the time of his accession to the throne in 1462, Ivan III had already developed character, was ready to make important decisions of the state. He had a cold, judicious mind, a tough disposition, an iron will, he was distinguished by a special lust for power. By nature, Ivan III was secretive, cautious and did not rush to the intended goal quickly, but waited for an opportunity, chose the time, moving towards it with measured steps.

Outwardly, Ivan was handsome, thin, tall and slightly stooped, for which he received the nickname "Humpbacked".

Ivan III marked the beginning of his reign by issuing gold coins on which the names of Grand Duke Ivan III and his son Ivan the Young, the heir to the throne, were minted.

The first wife of Ivan III died early, and the Grand Duke entered into a second marriage with the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI, Zoya (Sophia) Palaeologus. Their wedding took place in Moscow on November 12, 1472. She immediately became involved in political activities, actively helping her husband. Under Sophia, he became more severe and cruel, demanding and power-hungry, demanded complete obedience and punished for disobedience, for which Ivan III was named the first of the tsars the Terrible.

In 1490, Ivan III's son from his first marriage, Ivan Molodoy, unexpectedly died. He left his son Dmitry. The Grand Duke was faced with the question of who should inherit the throne: the son of Vasily from Sophia or the grandson Dmitry.

Soon a conspiracy against Dmitry was revealed, the organizers of which were executed, and Vasily was taken into custody. On February 4, 1498, Ivan III married his grandson to the kingdom. This was the first coronation in Russia.

In January 1499, a conspiracy against Sophia and Vasily was discovered. Ivan III lost interest in his grandson and made peace with his wife and son. In 1502, the tsar disgraced Dmitry, and Vasily was declared the Grand Duke of All Russia.

The great sovereign decided to marry Basil to a Danish princess, but the Danish king declined the offer. Afraid of not having time to find a foreign bride before his death, Ivan III chose Solomonia, the daughter of an insignificant Russian dignitary. The marriage took place on September 4, 1505, and on October 27 of the same year, Ivan III the Great died.

Domestic policy of Ivan III

The cherished goal of Ivan III's activities was to collect land around Moscow, to put an end to the remnants of specific disunity for the sake of creating a single state. The wife of Ivan III, Sophia Palaeologus, strongly supported her husband's desire to expand the Moscow state and strengthen the autocratic power.

For a century and a half, Moscow extorted tribute from Novgorod, took away land and almost brought the Novgorodians to their knees, for which they hated Moscow. Realizing that Ivan III Vasilyevich finally wants to subjugate the Novgorodians, they freed themselves from the oath to the Grand Duke and formed a society to save Novgorod, headed by Martha Boretskaya, the widow of the mayor.

Novgorod signed an agreement with Kazimir, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, according to which Novgorod passes under his supreme power, but at the same time retains some independence and the right to the Orthodox faith, and Kazimir undertakes to protect Novgorod from the encroachments of the Moscow prince.

Twice Ivan III Vasilyevich sent ambassadors to Novgorod with good wishes to come to their senses and enter the lands of Moscow, the Moscow Metropolitan tried to convince the Novgorodians to "reform", but in vain. Ivan III had to make a campaign against Novgorod (1471), as a result of which the Novgorodians were defeated first on the Ilmen River, and then Shelon, Kazimir did not come to the rescue.

In 1477, Ivan III Vasilyevich demanded that Novgorod be fully recognized as his master, which caused a new revolt, which was suppressed. January 13, 1478 Veliky Novgorod completely submitted to the authority of the Moscow sovereign. In order to finally pacify Novgorod, Ivan III replaced the Novgorod Archbishop Theophilus in 1479, resettled the unreliable Novgorodians to Moscow lands, and settled Muscovites and other residents on their lands.

With the help of diplomacy and force, Ivan III Vasilyevich subdued other specific principalities to himself: Yaroslavl (1463), Rostov (1474), Tverskoe (1485), Vyatka lands (1489). Ivan married his sister Anna to the Ryazan prince, thereby securing the right to interfere in the affairs of Ryazan, and later he inherited the city from his nephews.

Ivan acted inhumanely with his brothers, taking away their inheritances and depriving them of the right to any participation in state affairs. Thus, Andrei Bolshoi and his sons were arrested and imprisoned.

Foreign policy of Ivan III.

During the reign of Ivan III in 1502, the Golden Horde ceased to exist.

Moscow and Lithuania often fought over the Russian lands under Lithuania and Poland. As the power of the great sovereign of Moscow increased, more and more Russian princes with their lands moved from Lithuania to Moscow.

After Casimir's death, Lithuania and Poland were again divided between his sons, Alexander and Albrecht, respectively. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander married Ivan III's daughter Elena. Relations between son-in-law and father-in-law deteriorated, and in 1500 Ivan III declared war on Lithuania, which was successful for Russia: parts of the Smolensk, Novgorod-Seversky and Chernigov principalities were conquered. In 1503 a ceasefire agreement was signed for 6 years. Ivan III Vasilyevich rejected the offer of eternal peace until Smolensk and Kiev were returned.

As a result of the war of 1501-1503. the great sovereign of Moscow forced the Livonian Order to pay tribute (for the city of Yuryev).

During his reign, Ivan III Vasilievich made several attempts to subjugate the Kazan kingdom. In 1470, Moscow and Kazan made peace, and in 1487 Ivan III took Kazan and elevated Khan Makhmet-Amin to the throne, who for 17 years was a loyal novice of the Moscow prince.

Reforms of Ivan III

Under Ivan III, the title of "Grand Duke of All Russia" began to be formalized, and in some documents he calls himself tsar.

For the internal order in the country, Ivan III in 1497 developed the Code of Civil Laws (Code of Laws). The main judge was the Grand Duke, the Boyar Duma became the highest institution. Command and local control systems appeared.

The adoption of the Code of Law of Ivan III became a prerequisite for the establishment of serfdom in Russia. The law limited the output of peasants and gave them the right to transfer from one owner to another once a year (St. George's Day).

Results of the reign of Ivan III

Under Ivan III, the territory of Russia expanded significantly, Moscow became the center of the Russian centralized state.

The era of Ivan III was marked by the final liberation of Russia from the Tatar-Mongol yoke.

During the reign of Ivan III, the Assumption and Annunciation Cathedrals, the Faceted Chamber, and the Church of the Deposition of the Robe were built.

For forty-three years, Moscow was ruled by the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilievich or Ivan III (1462–1505).

The main merits of Ivan III:

Accession of vast lands.

Strengthening the state apparatus.

Enhancing the international prestige of Moscow.

The Yaroslavl principality (1463), the Tver principality in 1485, the Rostov principality in 1474, Novgorod and its possessions in 1478, the Perm region in 1472 were annexed to Moscow.

Ivan the Third waged successful wars with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Under the agreement of 1494, Ivan III received Vyazma, other lands, his daughter, Princess Elena Ivanovna, married the new Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon. However, the family ties that stretched between Moscow and Vilna (the capital of Lithuania) did not prevent a new war. It turned into a real military disaster for Ivan III's son-in-law.

In 1500, the troops of Ivan III defeated the Lithuanians on the Vedroshe River, and in 1501 they defeated again near Mstislavl. While Alexander Jagiellon was rushing about his country, trying to establish a defense, the Moscow governors occupied more and more cities. As a result, Moscow took control of a huge territory. According to the armistice of 1503, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania gave up Toropets, Putivl, Bryansk, Dorogobuzh, Mosalsk, Mtsensk, Novgorod-Seversky, Gomel, Starodub and many other cities. This was the largest military success in the entire life of Ivan III.

According to V.O. Klyuchevsky, after the unification of the lands, the Moscow principality became national, now the entire Great Russian nationality lived within it. At the same time, Ivan referred to himself in diplomatic correspondence as the sovereign of all Russia, i.e. expressed his claims in general to all the lands that were once part of the Kiev state.

In 1476, Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the rulers of the Horde. In 1480, after standing on the Ugra, the rule of the Tatar khans ended already formally.

Ivan III successfully entered into dynastic marriages. His first wife was the daughter of the Tver prince. This marriage allowed Ivan Vasilyevich to lay claim to the Tver reign. In 1472, by his second marriage, he married the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Palaeologus. The Moscow prince became, as it were, the successor of the Byzantine emperor. In the heraldry of the Moscow principality, not only the image of George the Victorious, but also the Byzantine two-headed eagle began to be used. At the beginning of the 16th century. the ideological concept began to develop, which was supposed to substantiate the greatness of the new state (Moscow - 3 Rome).

Under Ivan III in Russia, especially in Moscow, they built a lot. In particular, they erected new Kremlin walls and new churches. Europeans, primarily Italians, were widely involved in engineering and other services.

At the end of his reign, Ivan III became involved in an acute conflict with the Orthodox Church. The prince sought to limit the economic power of the church, to deprive it of tax benefits. However, he failed to do this.

In the late 15th and early 16th centuries. the state apparatus of the Moscow principality began to form. The princes in the annexed lands became boyars of the Moscow sovereign. These principalities were now called uyezds and were ruled by governors from Moscow.

Ivan 3 used the attached lands to create a system of estates. Noble landowners in possession (not in ownership) of plots of land that were supposed to be cultivated by the peasants. In exchange, the nobles carried out military service. The local cavalry became the core of the army of the Moscow principality.

The aristocratic council under the prince was called the Boyar Duma. It included the boyars and the okolnichi. There were 2 state departments 1. The palace. He ruled over the lands of the Grand Duke. 2. Treasury. She was in charge of finances, state press, archives.

In 1497 the first national code of law was published.

The personal power of the Grand Duke increased sharply, as can be seen from Ivan's will. The advantages of Grand Duke Vasily 3 over other members of the princely family.

Now only the Grand Duke collected taxes in Moscow and led a criminal court on the most important cases. Prior to that, the princes heirs owned plots in Moscow and could collect taxes there.

Exclusive right to mint a coin. Before that, both the great and appanage princes had such rights.

If the brothers of the grand duke died without leaving sons, then their inheritance passed to the grand duke. Prior to that, appanage princes could dispose of their estates at their own discretion.

Also, by treaty with his brothers, Vasily 3 arrogated to himself the sole right to negotiate with foreign powers.

Vasily III (1505-1533), who inherited the throne from Ivan III, continued his course towards building a unified Russian state. Under him, Pskov (1510) and Ryazan (1521) lost their independence. In 1514, as a result of a new war with Lithuania, Smolensk was captured.

Confrontation between the Moscow state and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

This state strengthened in the middle of the 13th century. because its rulers were able to successfully resist the troops of the German crusaders. Already in the middle of the 13th century. Lithuanian rulers began to annex the Russian principalities to their possessions.

An important feature of the Lithuanian state was its two-echelonism. A smaller part of the population was actually Lithuanians, while the majority of the population were Slavs-Rusyns. It should be noted that the process of expansion of the Lithuanian state was relatively peaceful. Causes:

Affiliation often took the form of dynastic alliances.

The benevolent policy of the Lithuanian princes towards the Orthodox Church.

The Russian (Rusyn) language became the official language of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and was used in office work.

Developed legal culture of the Lithuanian principality. There was a practice of concluding written agreements (ranks), when local elites agreed on their right to participate in the selection of governors for their lands.

By the middle of the 14th century. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania united all the western Russian lands except Galicia (at that time it was part of the Kingdom of Poland).

In 1385, the Lithuanian prince Jagiello entered into a dynastic marriage with the Polish princess Jadwiga and signed an agreement in Krevo, which largely determined the fate of the Lithuanian state. According to the Union of Kreva, Jagailo undertook the obligation to convert the entire population of the Lithuanian principality to the true Catholic faith, and also to recapture the Polish lands seized by the Teutonic Order. The agreement was beneficial for both parties. The Poles received a powerful ally to fight the Teutonic Order, and the Lithuanian prince received help in the dynastic struggle.

The conclusion of the Krevo Union helped the Polish and Lithuanian states militarily. In 1410, the combined forces of the two states inflicted a decisive defeat on the army of the Teutonic Order in the battle of Grunwald.

At the same time, until the end of the 1430s. The Lithuanian principality was going through a period of intense dynastic struggle. In the years 1398-1430. the Grand Duke of Lithuania was Vitovt. He managed to consolidate the scattered Lithuanian lands, entered into a dynastic alliance with the Moscow principality. Thus, Vitovt actually disavowed the Krevo union.

In the 1430s. Prince Svidrigailo managed to unite around himself the nobility of the Kiev, Chernigov and Volyn lands, which were dissatisfied with the policy of Catholicization and centralization and began a struggle for power in the entire Lithuanian state. After the intense war of 1432-1438. he was defeated.

In socio-economic terms, the Lithuanian principality developed very successfully during the 15-16th centuries. In the 15th century. many cities switched to the so-called Magdeburg Law, which guaranteed self-government and independence from the princely power. On the other hand, the nobility played a huge role in the life of the Lithuanian state, which actually divided the state into zones of influence. Each prince had his own system of legislation and taxation, his own military detachments, controlled the state authorities in their lands. 15 out of 40 cities that were located on the territory of modern Belarus were located on magnate lands, which often limited their development.

Gradually, the Lithuanian state became more and more integrated with the Polish one. In 1447, the Polish king and Lithuanian prince Kazimierz issued a general land privilege, which guaranteed the rights of the gentry (nobility) both in Poland and Lithuania. In 1529 and 1566. The Panskaya Rada (Council of Aristocrats, the supreme governing body of the Lithuanian state) initiated the creation of 2 Lithuanian statutes. The first codified the norms of civil and criminal law. The second statute regulated the relationship between the gentry and aristocrats. The gentry received guaranteed rights to participate in local and state government bodies (seimiks and general seims). At the same time, an administrative reform was carried out, following the example of Poland, the country was divided into voivodships.

In comparison with the Moscow state, the Lithuanian principality was distinguished by greater religious tolerance. On the territory of the principality, the Orthodox and Catholic churches coexisted and competed, in the middle of the 16th century. Protestantism became widespread enough.

Relations between Lithuania and Moscow during the second half of the 15-16th centuries. were mostly tense. The states competed among themselves for control over the Russian lands. After a series of successful wars, Ivan 3 and his son Vasily III were able to annex the border lands in the upper reaches of the Oka and Dnieper, the most important success of Vasily 3 was the annexation, after a long struggle, of the strategically important Smolensk principality in 1514.

During the Livonian War 1558-1583. At the first stage of hostilities, the Lithuanian army suffered serious defeats from the troops of the Moscow Tsar. As a result, in 1569 the Union of Lublin was concluded between Poland and Lithuania. Reasons for imprisonment: 1. Military threat from the Moscow tsar. 2. The economic situation. In the 16th century. Poland was one of the largest grain traders in Europe. Lithuanian nobility wanted free access to such a profitable trade. 3. The attractiveness of the Polish gentry culture, great legal guarantees that the Polish gentry had. 4. It was important for the Poles to gain access to the very fertile, but poorly developed lands of the Lithuanian principality. According to the union, as a part of a single state, Lithuania retained its legal proceedings, administration and the Russian language in office work. Freedom of belief and preservation of local customs were especially noted. At the same time, Volyn and Kiev lands were transferred to the Polish kingdom.

Consequences of the union: 1. Increased military potential. The Polish king Stefan Batory managed to inflict heavy defeats on the troops of Ivan the Terrible, the Moscow kingdom eventually lost all its conquests in the Baltic. 2. Powerful migration of the Polish population and the population of Galicia to the east of the Lithuanian state. 3. The reception of Polish culture is primarily the local Russian nobility. 4. Revitalization of spiritual life, since the Orthodox Church needed to compete in the struggle for minds with Catholics and Protestants. This contributed to the development of the education system.

In 1596, on the initiative of the Catholic Church in Brest, a church union was concluded between the Catholic and Orthodox churches of the Commonwealth. The union was actively supported by the Polish kings, who counted on the consolidation of their state.

According to the union, the Orthodox Church recognized the supremacy of the Pope and a number of Catholic dogmas (filioque, the concept of purgatory). At the same time, Orthodox rituals remained unchanged.

The union not only did not contribute to the consolidation of society, but, on the contrary, split it. Only a part of the Orthodox bishops recognized the union. The new church received the name Greek Catholic or Uniate (from the 18th century). Other bishops remained faithful to the Orthodox Church. In this they were supported by a significant part of the population of the Lithuanian lands.

Additional tension was brought about by the activities of the Zaporozhye and Ukrainian Cossacks. Detachments of free Christian people went to the Wild Field for prey as early as the 13th century (roaming). However, the consolidation of the Cossacks into a serious and recognized force took place in the 15-16th centuries. due to the constant raids of the Crimean Khanate. In response to the raids, the Zaporozhye Sich emerged as a professional military association. The Polish kings actively used the Zaporozhye Cossacks in their wars, but the Cossacks remained a source of turmoil, since they were joined by all those dissatisfied with the current situation.

The grateful descendants of their ruler Ivan III Vasilyevich called the “Gatherer of Russian lands” and Ivan the Great. And he extolled this statesman even higher than. He, the Grand Duke of Moscow, ruled the country from 1462 to 1505, having managed to increase the territory of the state from 24 thousand square kilometers to 64 thousand. But the main thing is that he finally managed to relieve Russia of the obligation to pay a huge quitrent to the Golden Horde every year.

Ivan the Third was born in January 1440. The boy became the eldest son of the great Moscow prince Vasily II Vasilyevich and Maria Yaroslavna, the granddaughter of Prince Vladimir the Brave. When Ivan was 5 years old, his father was captured by the Tatars. In the Moscow principality, the eldest of the descendants, the prince, was immediately placed on the throne. For his release, Vasily II was forced to promise a ransom to the Tatars, after which the prince was released. Arriving in Moscow, Ivan's father again took the throne, and Shemyaka went to Uglich.

Many contemporaries were dissatisfied with the actions of the prince, who only worsened the situation of the people by increasing the tribute to the Horde. Dmitry Yuryevich became the organizer of a conspiracy against the Grand Duke, together with his associates, he took Vasily II prisoner and blinded him. Those close to Vasily II and his children managed to hide in Murom. But soon the freed prince, who by that time had received the nickname Dark because of his blindness, went to Tver. There he enlisted the support of the Grand Duke Boris of Tversky, betrothed six-year-old Ivan to his daughter Maria Borisovna.

Soon, Vasily managed to restore power in Moscow, and after the death of Shemyaka, civil strife finally ceased. Having married his bride in 1452, Ivan became a co-regent of his father. The city of Pereslavl-Zalessky was subordinate to him, and at the age of 15, Ivan had already made the first campaign against the Tatars. By the age of 20, the young prince led the army of the Moscow principality.

At the age of 22, Ivan had to take up reign on his own: Vasily II died.

Governing body

After the death of his father, Ivan the Third inherited the largest and most significant inheritance, which included part of Moscow and the largest cities: Kolomna, Vladimir, Pereyaslavl, Kostroma, Ustyug, Suzdal, Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan's brothers Andrei Bolshoy, Andrei Menshii and Boris were taken over by Uglich, Vologda and Volokolamsk.

Ivan III, as his father bequeathed, continued the policy of collecting. He consolidated the Russian state by all possible means: sometimes by diplomacy and persuasion, and sometimes by force. In 1463, Ivan III managed to annex the Yaroslavl principality, in 1474 the state increased at the expense of the Rostov lands.

But that was just the beginning. Russia continued to expand, overgrowing the vast expanses of the Novgorod lands. Then, at the mercy of the winner, Tver surrendered, and after it Vyatka and Pskov gradually passed into the possession of Ivan the Great.

The Grand Duke managed to win two wars with Lithuania, taking possession of a large part of the Smolensk and Chernigov principalities. Tribute to Ivan III was paid by the Livonian Order.

An important event during the reign of Ivan III was the annexation of Novgorod. The Grand Duchy of Moscow tried to annex Novgorod since the time of Ivan Kalita, but it only managed to impose a tribute on the city. The Novgorodians strove to preserve their independence from Moscow and even sought support from the Lithuanian principality. They were restrained from the final step only by the fact that Orthodoxy in this case was in danger.

However, with the installation of a Lithuanian protege, Prince Mikhail Olelkovich, in 1470 Novgorod signed an agreement with King Kazemir. Upon learning of this, Ivan III sent ambassadors to the northern city, and after insubordination a year later he began a war. During the Battle of Shelon, the Novgorodians were defeated, but no help came from Lithuania. As a result of the negotiations, Novgorod was declared the fiefdom of the Moscow prince.

Six years later, Ivan III undertook another campaign against Novgorod, after the boyars of the city refused to recognize him as sovereign. For two years the Grand Duke led a grueling siege for the Novgorodians, ultimately subjugating the city to himself. In 1480, the resettlement of Novgorodians to the lands of the Moscow principality began, and the Moscow boyars and merchants to Novgorod.

But the main thing is that since 1480 the Grand Duke of Moscow stopped paying tribute to the Horde. Russia finally sighed from the 250-year-old yoke. It is noteworthy that liberation was achieved without bloodshed. For the whole summer, the troops of Ivan the Great and Khan Akhmat stood against each other. They were separated only by the Ugra River (the famous standing on the Ugra). But the battle never took place - the Horde left with nothing. In the game of nerves, the army of the Russian prince won.

And also during the reign of Ivan III, the current Moscow Kremlin appeared, built of bricks on the site of an old wooden building. A code of state laws was written and adopted - the Code of Laws, which cemented the young state. Also, the rudiments of diplomacy and the state-of-the-art local land tenure system appeared. Serfdom began to form. The peasants, who previously passed from one owner to another freely, were now limited to the period of St. George's Day. For the transition, the peasants were allocated a certain time of the year - a week before and after the autumn holiday.

Thanks to Ivan the Third, the Grand Duchy of Moscow turned into a strong state, which was learned about in Europe. And Ivan the Great himself turned out to be the first Russian ruler who called himself “the sovereign of all Russia”. Historians argue that today's Russia basically has the foundation that was laid by Ivan III Vasilyevich with his activities. Even a two-headed eagle - and that migrated to the coat of arms of the state after the reign of the Grand Duke of Moscow. Another symbol of the Moscow principality borrowed from Byzantium was the image of George the Victorious, striking a serpent with a spear.

It is argued that the doctrine of "Moscow - the Third Rome" originated during the reign of Ivan Vasilyevich. This is not surprising, because under him the size of the state increased almost 3 times.

Personal life of Ivan III

The first wife of Ivan the Great was Princess Maria of Tverskaya. But she died, giving birth to her husband's only son.

The personal life of Ivan III changed 3 years after the death of his wife. The marriage to the enlightened Greek princess, niece and goddaughter of the last emperor of Byzantium, Zoya Palaeologus, turned out to be fateful both for the sovereign himself and for all of Russia. Baptized in Orthodoxy, she brought a lot of new and useful things into the archaic life of the state.

Etiquette appeared at court. Sofia Fominichna Palaeologus insisted on the rebuilding of the capital, having “discharged” famous Roman architects from Europe. But the main thing is that it was she who begged her husband to decide to refuse to pay tribute to the Golden Horde, because the boyars were extremely afraid of such a radical step. Supported by his faithful wife, the sovereign tore up another Khan's letter, which the Tatar ambassadors brought him.

Probably, Ivan and Sophia really loved each other. The husband listened to the wise advice of his enlightened wife, although this was not to the liking of his boyars, who had previously had undivided influence on the prince. In this marriage, which became the first dynastic, numerous offspring appeared - 5 sons and 4 daughters. State power passed to one of the sons.

Death of Ivan III

Ivan III survived his beloved wife by only 2 years. He died on October 27, 1505. The Grand Duke was buried in the Archangel Cathedral.

Later, in 1929, the relics of both wives of Ivan the Great - Maria Borisovna and Sophia Paleologue - were transferred to the basement chamber of this temple.

Memory

The memory of Ivan III is immortalized in a number of sculptural monuments, which are located in Kaluga, Naryan-Mar, in Moscow, in Veliky Novgorod on the monument "Millennium of Russia". Several documentaries are devoted to the biographies of the Grand Duke, including the series "The Rulers of Russia". The love story of Ivan Vasilyevich and Sophia Paleologue formed the basis of the plot of the Russian TV series by Alexei Andrianov, where the main roles were played by and.

On January 22, 1440, a son was born to Grand Duke Vasily II and his wife Maria Yaroslavna in Moscow. The future heir to the throne was named Ivan in honor of St. John Chrysostom. The boy's happy and carefree childhood was overshadowed by an event that happened in 1445 near Suzdal. The army of Vasily II was defeated by the Tatars. The prince was taken prisoner. The inhabitants of Moscow, led by the interim ruler Dmitry Yuryevich Shemyaka, were in despair at the thought that the enemy might attack their city. But soon Vasily II returns from captivity. For this, the Muscovites had to transfer an unbearable amount to the Horde. The discontent of the people played into the hands of Shemyaka and his supporters. They organized a conspiracy against the Grand Duke.

On the way to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Vasily II was captured and blinded. It was after this that they began to call him Dark. Fearing reprisals, Ivan with his younger brothers and boyars loyal to his father, hid in Murom. Shemyak cunningly lured Ivan to Uglich, where his father was imprisoned. But, for some unknown reason, Prince Vasily and his son were released. Once free, they appeared in Moscow with Prince Boris of Tver and a large army. Shemyaka's power fell. In 1452, Ivan leads the army sent by his father to take the Kokshengu fortress. Upon his return to Moscow, Ivan was married to Princess Maria, daughter of Boris Tverskoy. Ivan's second wife was Sophia Palaeologus. Dmitry Shemyaka was poisoned. His claims to the throne and bloody internecine wars are a thing of the past. In 1460, after the death of Vasily II, the throne passes to Ivan III.

He went down in history as Ivan the Great. First of all, the new sovereign carried out work to strengthen and expand the principality that belonged to him. The Moscow principality now included Yaroslavl, Rostov, Dmitrovskoe, Novgorodskoe. Historians call this process "the gathering of Russian land." The famous standing on Uglich completed the period of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The last months of his life, Ivan III visits holy places. He died on October 22, 1505. Buried in the Archangel Cathedral on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin.

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Biography of Ivan III

The future Ivan the Great was born on January 22, 1440. The father was Vasily II, the mother was Maria Yaroslavna. Early childhood was quite standard for grand-ducal children, upbringing at court.

Many big troubles fell on Ivan's later childhood. Father, due to the defeat at Suzdal, was captured by the Tatars. Russia was threatened by a Tatar raid. A major fire broke out in Moscow. With the return of his father, the internal political situation became even more complicated. While Vasily was in captivity, the eldest of Kalita's descendants, Dmitry Shemyaka, was in power. However, upon his return, Vasily brought a great debt. Shemyaka was forced to leave Moscow. A turmoil was brewing in the capital, and as soon as the sovereign left the city, a riot broke out. Dmitry Shemyaka and his supporters seized Vasily and transported him to Moscow. There, the Grand Duke forcibly lost his sight, for, according to the rebels, he fraternized with the Tatars and distributed lands to them. After being blinded, the Grand Duke was sent to prison in Uglich, where Shemyaka himself had previously been.

Ivan was able to save and transport him to a city loyal to his father. However, succumbing to the promises of the rebel Shemyaka, they returned to Moscow. The promises were false and the son, with other children, was exiled to his father. Some time later, Dmitry nevertheless decided to fulfill his promise, and allocated a whole lot for Vasily - Vologda. But the former Grand Duke did not accept defeat, and the internecine war flared up with renewed vigor.

Ivan grew up and became a full-fledged participant in the internal war. It wasn't until about twenty-five years later that the war finally subsided. By this time, Ivan was already married to Maria Borisovna, the daughter of the Tver prince. Their engagement was the result of the conclusion of an alliance between Grand Duke Vasily II and Prince Boris of Tver.

The war was over, and a measured life, burdened with princely duties, awaited the prince. So, being a specific prince, Ivan pays much more attention to military campaigns. For 5 years he has been participating in several major campaigns against the Tatars. If in the first battles he was only nominally the commander, and the army was led by experienced commanders, then later, having gained experience, he actually commands. After the death of his father, he generously divided the lands between the brothers according to his father's will. Ivan himself was appointed heir and ascended the throne on March 27, 1462. The transfer of the title took place without any problems, for the new sovereign was not greedy for power.

Having risen to power, Ivan first of all shows that the contracts concluded by his father will continue to operate, and thus everyone wins. Further, the Grand Duke takes a course towards the unification of the Russian lands. It was possible to annex the principalities without any problems: Yaroslavl, Dmitrovskoe, Rostov. The Novgorod lands were next in line, however, for their annexation it was necessary to equip an army. The campaign was successful, and the Novgorod independence was lost.

One of the main merits of Ivan the Great is the liberation of Russia from the long-term Tatar yoke. The Golden Horde split into more and more new khanates and, in fact, no longer represented a single state. Thanks to this, as well as the unification of the Russian state, Ivan was able to enter into open confrontation with the Horde. Standing on the eel river confirmed that from now on Russia is independent and free.

Then Ivan had to face a new threat. Relations with the neighboring Grand Duchy of Lithuania gradually deteriorated. Having reached a critical point, they developed into open war. After 7 years, a peace treaty was signed, according to which most of the lands captured during the conflict were part of the Russian state.

An important achievement of Ivan III's foreign policy is also the conclusion of an alliance with the Crimean Khanate. Russia acquired a valuable ally for itself, albeit for a short time.

In general, Ivan's foreign policy greatly strengthened Russia.

On October 27, 1505, due to illness, Ivan III died. By this time, he was married twice, Sophia Paleologue became the second wife, and managed to have nine children.

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