Vasily 1: years of government, politics, wife and children

The end of the 13th c. And the first quarter of the 14th century. For the Moscow principality were marked by rather calm times, without internal shocks and only by a single invasion of the Horde. The territory grew due to the addition of new lands, feudal land ownership increased. All this became possible thanks to the prudent policy of the young ruler. This is the time when the prince's throne was occupied by the son of Dmitry Donskoy, the great Moscow prince Vasily 1. Years of government and what the ruler is famous for, as well as brief information about his family and children, you will find in the article.

Khan's label

At the end of the 13th century a new state formation, the Golden Horde, separated from the powerful empire of Genghis Khan, which existed in the immediate vicinity of the Russian principalities until the end of the 14th century. And although they retained their statehood, administration and church, the duty to pay taxes was a heavy burden on their shoulders. This assignment was assigned to a certain prince by issuing a khan's label, which, as it were, granted the right to the title of Grand Duke, as well as political and military support from the Horde. He was originally driven to Mongolia, and then to Saray.

In 1832, after the devastation of Moscow, D. Donskoy sent a delegation to the Khan Tokhtamysh in order to obtain a label for the reign, led by the 11-year-old eldest son of Dmitry, the future Grand Duke Vasily, 1 whose reign began in 1389.

Early period

His name was given to the future prince in honor of St. Basil of Caesarea, as he was born the day before the commemoration of his memory - December 10, 1371. Vasily's mother Evdokiya Dmitrievna was from Suzdal, she was the daughter of the Grand Duke of Suzdal Dmitry Konstantinovich.

As already mentioned above, after the ruin of Moscow in 1882, the young prince led a delegation to the Horde. Khansky label was received by Dmitry Donskoy, but only his son Tokhtamysh left as a hostage. Vasily fled when he was 14 years old. His path lay through the Moldavian principality of Peter Mushate. In Russia, he could only get through the Polish and Lithuanian possessions. Dmitry Ivanovich sent to meet the son of the boyars, who were to persuade the prince of the Poles. In their case, the ambassadors succeeded and safely brought Vasily to Moscow.

Vasily Dmitrievich: years of government

The right to the Vladimir throne of the Horde Basil I received in 1389, after the death of his father. To protect himself and his territories, he almost immediately began negotiations with his most serious rivals: his brother Yuri Dmitrievich and his uncle Vladimir Hrabry. The first inherited from Dmitry Donskoy Zvenigorod, Ruza, Galich and Vyatka, and the second - was the appanage prince Serpukhovskiy, Galitsky, Borovsky, Uglitsky and Dmitrovsky. With Uncle Vasily agreed on submission in exchange for certain land concessions.

In general, Basil began his first years of government with the continuation of his father's initiatives, especially those relating to the legal relationship between the Grand Duke and the possessions, systematically asserting his main role, while leaving his subordinates partial possession in the Moscow lands. True to the policies of his father and grandfather, he remained in the future. The young ruler was supported and assisted in solving political problems by Metropolitan Cyprian and the Moscow boyars.

The prince died on February 27, 1425, at the age of 53. The grave is in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. His son became the youngest son - Vasily the Dark (photo above). The beginning of his rule is associated with an internecine war in Moscow Rus.

Relationship with the Horde

With the Golden Horde, Basil I tried to maintain a neutral relationship. In 1392, he first bought her the right to Nizhny Novgorod, sending the Gorodets prince to forced settlement in Suzdal. Then Meshchera, Gorodets, Moore and Tarusa were acquired. This, in fact, was a precedent for the purchase of possessions under the existing legal heirs. Labels for ownership were issued before only on escheat land.

Vasily 1 (years of rule - 1389-1425) held an opinion about his independence from the Horde and practically did not share his income with the khan. The ambassadors sent for the tribute left with nothing, or with very poor gifts. However, in 1407-1408 years. Under the command of Temnik Yedigei, an invasion of the Moscow Principality was committed. The culmination of this campaign was the siege of the Kremlin for three weeks, which, however, had no success. Basil I did not send his troops, but made attempts to diplomatic negotiations, thereby renewing the war for power within the Horde itself. Upon learning that another adversary was approaching him, Yedigei hastily left the Russian capital, taking ransom, and ruining many cities of the principality, including Ryazan, which was burnt.

Relations with Lithuania

The ability to diplomacy and negotiation is one of the main qualities that the Grand Duke Vasiliy possessed. Years of government in Moscow began almost simultaneously with his marriage to the daughter of Lithuanian prince Vitovt in 1390. It would seem that this step should help solve problems with Novgorod. But Vitovt had its own goals and plans. The Grand Duke of Lithuania he became in 1392 and was inclined to use new family ties only in his political interests.

Evidence of this is the seizure of Smolensk at the time of squabbling inside the prince's house. Basil I accepted this, considering it more reasonable to keep the peace to a certain point, rather than enter into a war with a powerful and avid ruler. Then Vitovt attacked the Ryazan principality and according to the annals, planned to use ties with the Horde to establish power over Rus. In 1405, after he made a campaign for Pskov, Basil I began to gather troops, calling on Tatars and Tverites. Opponents met on the river Plava near Tula, but the battle did not take place. A truce was signed for a year.

In the end, in the Lithuanian direction Vasily I made large concessions in the territorial plan, allowed the Lithuanian prince to interfere in internal affairs, but at the same time his policy contributed to the inflow of the Lithuanian Orthodox aristocracy under Moscow's control, the prevention of bloodshed between the principalities and the use of Vitovt's authority to contain internecine strife .

Wife and kids

In 1391, on Christmas Day, Vasily 1 (years of reign of 1389-1425) married Sophia - the Lithuanian princess and the only daughter of the great Lithuanian prince Vitovt. She gave birth to Basil nine children: four girls, one of whom in the future married Emperor John VIII Palaeologus, and five boys, of whom only one survived. In 1425, Sofia (in the picture above the princess and her husband) became a regent with a minor heir of Basil II on a par with Vytautas and princes Peter and Andrew Dmitrievich. In old age, the prince's wife went to the Ascension Monastery, where she continued to build the Ascension Church, which was once started by the wife of D. Donskoy. The Princess died October 27, 1453 at the venerable age (82 years).

This is only a short narration telling how Vasily came to power. 1. Years of rule and what the Grand Duke did for Rus is one of the most interesting topics in history. His successor inherited a fairly stable princedom for internal and foreign policy, not ruined by exhausting wars and greatly increased throughout the territory.