Accession to the Moscow principality of Tver at whom happened and in what year? The Accession of Novgorod and Tver to the Moscow Principality

In the XI century, the Old Russian state broke up into several independent principalities. After the invasion of the Tatars and the establishment of the Mongol yoke, Moscow's influence began to grow. This small town became the political center of all Russian lands. The Moscow princes led the struggle against the steppe people. After Dmitry Donskoy defeated Mamai in the Kulikovo battle, this leadership position was further strengthened.

Accession of Novgorod

However, in addition to Moscow, there were still several rich and important cities that enjoyed independence. First of all, these were Novgorod and Tver. They were annexed to Moscow during the reign of Ivan III (1462-1505).

Mr. Novgorod the Great always stood out against the background of other Russian cities. In the XII century, a republican system of government was established here. The power in the city primarily belonged to the veche. It was a meeting of the townspeople, at which the key issues of managing Novgorod were decided through voting. Such a democracy existed only in Pskov. The Novgorodians chose the prince. As a rule, these were rulers from the Rurik dynasty. The prince could not transfer his power by inheritance, as was done in other ancient Russian cities.

The accession of Novgorod and Tver to the Moscow principality led to the breakdown of traditions that are familiar to local residents. Ivan III did not like the love of freedom that reigned on the banks of the Volkhov. In the first years of his reign, an agreement was in effect, according to which the Novgorodians recognized the Moscow autocrat as their patron. However, there was a party of aristocrats, who did not want to strengthen Ivan's influence. This group of boyars, led by the posadnitsa Martha Boretsky concluded an alliance with Lithuania. Ivan regarded this act as a betrayal. He declared war on the disobedient. In 1478 his troops finally entered Novgorod and annexed him to the possessions of the Moscow prince. The main symbol of freedom of local residents - the veche bell was dismantled.

The position of Mikhail Borisovich

At that time, Tver was still independent of Moscow. In it, the young prince Mikhail Borisovich ruled. Ivan III temporarily withdrew from his relationship with Tver because of the war with the Mongols. In 1480 there was a standing on the river Ugra. After him, Ivan Vasilyevich finally got rid of the status of tribute to the Golden Horde.

After that began joining the Moscow principality of Tver. On the side of Ivan III there was an influence and a large army. Tver became a new victim of the policy of "collecting Russian lands" also because the possessions of Mikhail Borisovich were driven in by a wedge between Moscow and Novgorod.

History of Tver

Before that, in the XIV century, Tver had every chance to become the center of the union of all the East Slavic principalities. For some time, the city's rulers even took Vladimir, the ancient capital of the region. However, the rapid rise of the Tver princes alarmed the Tatars and other Russian rulers. As a result, the city was the victim of several wars, during which all neighbors united against him. Three princes of Tver at different times lost their heads in the Horde. Thanks to this, Moscow won the struggle for supremacy over Russian lands. Ivan III just finished the case, which began his predecessors.

Union of Moscow and Tver

The rulers of Tver, having lost their former influence, tried to conclude an alliance with Moscow, in which they would be equal members. With the father of Ivan III, Basil the Dark, in his dominions troubles began. The war between the grandsons of Dmitry Donskoy (pretenders to the throne) led to the fact that the then Tver prince Boris decided to help one of them. His choice fell on Basil the Dark. The rulers agreed that Ivan III would marry the daughter of a Tver prince. When Basil was finally entrenched on the throne (despite the fact that he was blinded), this union was finally drawn up.

However, it was the marriage of Ivan III that made possible the accession to the Moscow principality of Tver. His first son (also Ivan), thanks to his mother, had all the rights to the grandfather's throne.

Cooling relations

A crack in relations between neighbors appeared when the spouse of the Moscow prince Maria Borisovna suddenly died. After this event, the ambitious and perspicacious Tver boyars began to move to Moscow, foreseeing a future war. Among them was, for example, Daniel Kholmsky - the famous governor and commander. The accession to the Moscow principality of Tver should have happened due to unavoidable historical reasons, and the emergence of an excuse was only a matter of time. Ivan III elevated the defectors, letting other boyars know that they had better go to the service to him. These measures made joining the Moscow principality of Tver an easy exercise. The elite of the absorbed city did not resist the inevitable event.

The next blow to Mikhail Borisovich was the appointment of Tver bishop Vassian. In the world it was the son of one of the commanders of Ivan III. The new bishop became the eye of the sovereign in the neighboring city. He did a lot to join Tver to the Moscow principality. Year after year the bishop sent Ivan a dispatch about the state of minds of the local aristocracy.

New allies of Mikhail

The last hope of Mikhail Borisovich for the preservation of independence could be an alliance with the Polish-Lithuanian state. The accession of Tver to the Moscow principality would have become more complicated if its western neighbors stood up for it. At first, Michael was guided by Orthodox tycoons and descendants of Gedimin. He concluded dynastic marriages, but they did not bring any dividends.

In 1483, Mikhail was widowed. He decided to send a secret embassy to the Polish king Casimir. The prince wanted to marry his granddaughter and get a reliable ally. The Poles were Catholics, and in Moscow they were treated more than cool. Soon Ivan III learned about secret intercourse of Michael. After that, he decided to begin the annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality. The date of this event inexorably approached.

The fall of Tver

At the end of August 1485, Ivan III gathered the right regiments. With them, he went to Tver, declaring war on Mikhail Borisovich. There was nothing to oppose the principality. Mikhail fled to Poland. The boyars who remained in the city asked Ivan to take them to their service, than they completed the annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality. Year after year Ivan gradually abandoned his neighbor without supporters and resources. In the end, there was an adherence to the Moscow principality of Tver. Whom people now live in, they could not resist the central authorities. Moscow expansion became a logical result of the centuries-old struggle between the appanage principalities, in which one was to win. With the son of Ivan III Vasily, Pskov and Ryazan were also joined, which ended the unification of Russia. Moscow has become a national political center, which has not been disputed by anyone.

The last Tver prince Mikhail Borisovich stayed in Poland, where he died peacefully in 1505 (in one year with Ivan III). From Casimir he received several estates, in which he lived until his death.