Vasily I Dmitrievich

Born the day before the celebration of the memory of St. Basil of Caesarea , and received a name in his honor, later depicted him on his seals ^[1] .

In August 1382, Khan Tokhtamysh ruined Moscow , and in the fall, the Khan’s ambassador, after removing the supporter of the consolidation of Russian lands against the Horde ^[2] Metropolitan Kiprian from Moscow, issued a grand-duke label to Dmitry Ivanovich, taking his son Vasily as a hostage ^[3] to the Horde . In 1386, the 14-year-old prince was helped to flee from the Horde to the prince of Moldavia, Peter Mushate (“In the same year, Prince Vasily, Grand Duke, son of Dmitriev, came from Horde to Podolsky land in the great Volochs to Peter Voevode ...”).

“But Dmitry , fearing Lithuania, was even more afraid of the Mongols and, then preparing for a new break with the Horde, he needed the affection of Yagaylova . The son of the Grand Duke Vasily, who lived for three years as a slave at the khan’s court, secretly left for Moldova, to the governor there, Peter, our co-religionist, and could return to Russia only through Polish and Lithuanian possessions. Dmitry sent the boyars to meet him, instructing them, for the personal safety of Vasilyeva, to persuade Jagiel to friendliness. They succeeded in their work: Vasily Dmitrievich arrived safely in Moscow, escorted by many Polish gentlemen. "

- ^[4]

In the summer of 1387, Vasily arrived in Lithuania with Metropolitan Cyprian, who was traveling from Constantinople . Cyprian convinced Vytautas to head the anti-Polish coalition and betrothed Vytautas daughter Sofya with Vasily Dmitrievich ^[5] . May 19, 1389 Dmitry Ivanovich died, Vasily became the Grand Duke of Moscow. On March 6, 1390, Kiprian arrived in Moscow, and on January 9, 1391, he married Vasily Dmitrievich with Sofia Vitovtovna.

“Three subjects were to be the main ones for the policy of the sovereign of Moscow: it was necessary to break or ease the chains assigned by the khans to Russia - to keep Lithuania's desire for its possessions, to strengthen the great reign by joining the inheritance of independent destinies. In these three respects, Vasily Dimitrievich acted with vigilant care, but adhering to the rules of moderation, fearing excessive haste and voluntarily leaving his successors further successes in the glorious cause of state power. ”

- ^[6]

After the death of Dmitry Donskoy in 1389, Vasily received from the Horde the right to the Vladimir table, transmitted through the Khan's ambassador Chess ^[7] . In order to protect himself inside Russia, Vasily had to agree with the most dangerous competitors: with his uncle, Vladimir Andreyevich Khrabry, on the latter's subordination in exchange for land concessions and his brother Yuri Dmitrievich , who received Zvenigorod , Galich , Ruza and Vyatka from his father. Basil continued the initiative of Dmitry Donskoy on the legal relations of the Grand Duke with the inheritance, asserting the main role of the Grand Duke, but leaving partial collective ownership in Moscow land for the subordinate princes.

In solving political issues, the young prince was assisted by the Moscow nobility and Metropolitan Kiprian, who contributed to the marriage of Vasily to the daughter of Lithuanian Prince Vitovt - Sofya - in 1391.

Already in 1392, Vasily made the first acquisition, buying back the right to Nizhny Novgorod in the Horde, which had previously belonged to Prince Boris Konstantinovich of the Gorodets, and sent the prince himself to forced settlement in Suzdal, separated from his family. In addition, he bought the rights to Gorodets , Meshchera , Tarusa and Murom . With this, he created a precedent for the repurchase of ownership under existing heirs. Prior to this, labels were issued only on the escheat .

To prevent danger from the Golden Horde, Vasily I entered into an alliance with Lithuania ( 1392 ) and did not oppose the establishment of Lithuanian influence in Smolensk in 1395 .

In 1395, during the successful military campaign against Tokhtamysh , Tamerlane’s army went to Russia, but deployed near the city of Yelets . Basil stopped paying tribute to the Horde. Tokhtamysh turned to Vitovt for help, promising to make him the ruler of all Russia and Novgorod. The order was also ready to recognize Vytautas the ruler of all Lithuania, Russia and Novgorod in exchange for a concession to the Pskov order.

In 1399, Vitovt opposed Edigey , Timur’s protege in the Horde, but suffered a crushing defeat in the battle on the Vorskla River , in which the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, Andrei and Dmitry Olgerdovichi , as well as, according to some historians, Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky , were killed. In the same year, Prince Ryazansky Oleg Ivanovich , the father of the wife of one of the Smolensk princes, Yuri Svyatoslavich , organized the capture of Smolensk (a protege of Vitovt and a participant in the Battle of Kulikovo, Prince Roman Mikhailovich Bryansky was killed). After Oleg’s death, his son-in-law, Yuri, established himself in Smolensk. After the death of the Polish queen Jadwiga ( 1399 ), the wife of Jagailo Olgerdovich, without heirs, the Lithuanian feudal lords weakened by the defeat at Vorskla went to Jagiel's dynastic marriage with another granddaughter of Casimir the Great and a new alliance with Poland, which resulted in the capture of Vyazma and 1403-1404 Smolensk , as well as the victory at Grunwald ( 1410 ).

The Invasion of Edigheus

In 1407 - 1408, Ivan Vladimirovich , Prince of Pronsky, with the help of Edigey captured Ryazan, then in the Battle of Smyadva defeated Ryazan Prince Fyodor Olgovich , who received help from his brother-in-law Vasily, but by peace agreement Fedor returned to Ryazan reign.

The strengthening of Polish influence in Lithuania caused resistance of the Lithuanian-Russian feudal lords, led by Svidrigailo Olgerdovich . In 1408, he went to the service of Vasily and received from him a number of cities to feed . In the same year, the brother of Vasily Konstantin Dmitrievich replaced the Lithuanian prince Lugveni Olgerdovich on the Novgorod reign. Jagiello and Vitovt opposed Vasily, the troops met on two sides of the Ugra River, but the battle did not happen. At the same time, Edigei raided the South Russian possessions of Lithuania.

In the fall of 1408, Edigey himself moved to Moscow. The Horde did not succeed in taking the capital, but they ravaged many cities of the Moscow principality, including those that were fed by Svidrigail Olgerdovich ( Pereslavl-Zalessky , Yuryev-Polsky , Rostov , Dmitrov ). During the siege of Moscow, Edigey sent to Tver Grand Duke Ivan Mikhailovich the demand "to be in Moscow" with artillery, but he did not obey. Vasily did not send troops to the battle against Edigheil, but made a number of diplomatic efforts to resume the struggle for power in the Horde itself, in the rear of Ediguy, as did the grandson of Vasily Ivan III during the famous standing on the Ugra , which put an end to the Horde yoke 72 years later.

Svidrigailo, according to the chronicler, “from those Edigeev Tatars weary tired”, as a result of which he returned to Vitovt. After the invasion of Edigey, Vasily resumed paying tribute to the Horde.

It would seem that a marriage with the daughter of the Lithuanian prince Vytautas in 1391 would provide Vasily Dmitrievich with help in solving problems with Novgorod, but Vytautas had his own problems and goals. Firstly, he was not yet the Grand Duke, but was on the territory of the Teutonic Order (from 1389 to 1392), opposing his rival Jagiello . And only in 1392 Vitovt became the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Secondly, as a serious politician, Vytautas was inclined to use family ties in his political interests.

This is noticeable from the first actions of the Lithuanian prince. Not having time to solve military problems with the crusaders, the forty-five-year-old Vytautas promised his 24-year-old son-in-law military aid against Tamerlane, but in September he seizes Smolensk, using a squabble in the Smolensk princely house. Vasily meekly accepts this message, and six months later he goes to meet his father-in-law just in the occupied Smolensk, where he discusses border and religious affairs.

This position of the Grand Duke of Moscow is difficult to explain, given that he, continuing the policy of his father, sought to unite the Russian principalities.

"There is no doubt that Vasily Dimitrievich regretfully saw this new abduction of Russian property and could not be blinded by the caresses of his father-in-law; but it seemed to him more prudent to respect his affection and integrity even though of the Moscow principality, rather than expose this only hope of the fatherland to this powerful war, courageous, greedy for fame and for acquisitions. Vasily, cautious, prudent, had courage, but only if necessary, when weakness and indecision lead to obvious distress; he fought b We’ve been with Tamerlan, the crusher of empires: but with Vitovt one could still be cunning, and the Grand Duke went to him to Smolensk, where, among the cheerful feasts of outward friendliness, they established the boundaries of their possessions. "

- N. M. Karamzin , “History of the Russian State,” Volume 5, Chapter II.

In addition, the meeting in Smolensk was marked by another important event:

"- Together with the Grand Duke, Metropolitan Cyprian was in Smolensk, petitioning for the benefit of our church or his own. Having given a word not to oppress the Greek Faith, Vytautas left Cyprian the head of the clergy in Russian subject to him, and the metropolitan, having gone to Kiev, lived there for 18 months."

- N. M. Karamzin , “History of the Russian State,” Volume 5, Chapter II.

At the same time, it is known that Ryazan Prince Oleg, supporting Smolensk Prince Yuri, responded with a campaign to Lithuania, and Vitovt, in turn, attacked Ryazan land. When Oleg Ivanovich Ryazansky went to Lithuania for the second time, Vasily Dmitrievich even rebuked the Ryazan prince for this, pointing to the peace between Lithuania and Russia. In fact, this meant that Vasily agreed with the transfer of Smolensk to Lithuania.

In 1397, Vytautas again, in response, attacked the Principality of Ryazan, and Vasily I missed Vytautas back without objection and even met with him in Kolomna. According to chronicles, Vitovt planned to use his influence in the Horde to establish power over Russia:

In the year 6907 ( 1399 ). Vitovt and Tokhtamysh went with the whole Lithuanian army, and the Germans, Poles, Zhmud, Tatars, Wallachians, Podolyans, and the Tokhtamyshev yard — there was a very large army, and went to Temir Kutluya. Vytautas Tokhtamysh boasted of planting on the Horde, and he himself sat on the Moscow throne, for that is why he committed this war; Tokhtamysh promised him Moscow and the whole Russian land.

- Tver Chronicle

Further, relations between relatives deteriorate sharply.

In 1403, only recovering from the defeat in Vorskla , Vitovt captured Vyazma, and in 1404, in the absence of Smolensk Prince Yuri , attacked and captured Smolensk, after which the city for a long time passed under the arm of Lithuania.

Noteworthy is a fragment of the correspondence between Vasily I and Vitovt about the Smolensk prince, mentioned in the Tver Chronicle for 1404. Vytautas writes:

Remember that you firmly promised me not to intervene for Yuri Smolensky in any way; and Yuri did a lot of evil to me, he killed my brother and prince the great Roman of Chernigov and took his treasury, beat other princes, and did many other evil; now you have it in your principality, catch it with your people, because your Novgorodians; if you catch him, keep it with you, as you promised me for love.

, to which Vasily I answered Vitovt quite loyally, which confirms the existence of a certain agreement:

I don’t have Yuri; the Novgorodians accepted him without my order.

When Vitovt, in the same year 1405, made a campaign against Pskov and captured Kolozhe, Vasily I began to gather an army against him, calling up the Tveriches and Tatars under his banner.

In the spring of 1406, troops of opposing relatives met on the Plava River near Tula, but it all ended with an armistice until next year. This truce, concluded without the knowledge of the Tveriches, offended the Tver prince, who next year refused to support Vasily I.

Standing on the Ugra (1408)

In 1408, Vitovt captured Odoev , and Vasily in response attacked Lithuanian possessions, capturing the fortress of Dmitrovets , which guarded the road to Vyazma near the Ugra River. The Russian and Lithuanian troops met on the Ugra River, where they stood against each other for almost half a month, after which an “eternal” peace was concluded. This was a timely step by Vasily Dmitrievich, since in the same year there was an attack on Edigey’s troops on Russian lands.

In the future, until the death of Vasily Dmitrievich, the annals do not contain information about his conflicts with Vitovt.

Thus, the negative results of the policy of Vasily I in the Lithuanian direction are as follows:

• a large concession of land in the southwest to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania;
• the intervention of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the affairs of the Russian principalities;
• surviving claims of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to Novgorod and Pskov.

The positive points are as follows:

• the influx of the Lithuanian Orthodox aristocracy under the control of Moscow;
• the avoidance of bloodshed between the Moscow and Lithuanian principalities;
• using the authority of Vytautas to deter civil strife at the beginning of the reign of the heir, Vasily II.

Under Vasily I, feudal land ownership continued to grow. With the strengthening of the power of the Grand Duke, part of the court cases were seized from the feudal lords and transferred to the hands of the Grand Duke's governors and volostes.

In 1392, Vasily I annexed the Nizhny Novgorod and Murom principalities , in 1397 - 1398 - Bezhetsky Verkh , Vologda , Ustyug, and the lands of the Komi . He made two unsuccessful attempts to seize the Dvinsk land by force from Novgorod .

In 1416, Vasily established friendly relations with the prussian prince Ivan Vladimirovich, marrying his son Ivan to his daughter.

Thanks to a prudent policy, during the 36 years of the reign of Vasily I, the Moscow principality did not feel any internal shocks. During this period of time, Moscow only once, in 1408 , was invaded by the Horde forces, but Edigey was never able to take the city.

On Christmas Day of 1390 , in Kolomna , he married the Lithuanian Princess Sophia , the only child of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas . In Moscow authorities, Sofya Vitovtovna probably did not like it, considering it a "litvinka".

Children

1. Yuri Vasilievich (18.5.1395 - 11/30/1400) - lived only five years.
2. Ivan Vasilievich , (15.1.1397 - 07.20.1417) died on the road from Kolomna to Moscow as a result of a “pestilence”, only six months after marrying the daughter of Prince Pronsky and receiving Nizhniy Novgorod as an inheritance
3. Daniil Vasilievich (12/6/1401 - May 1402) - died of pestilence
4. Semyon Vasilievich (13.1.1405 - 8.4.1405) - died of pestilence
5. Anna Vasilievna (1393 - August 1417) - the first daughter of the prince, who became the wife of the Byzantine emperor John VIII Paleolog .
6. Anastasia Vasilievna (1398 - 1470) - in 1417 she married Kiev prince Alexander Vladimirovich (Olelko).
7. Vasilisa Vasilievna (1400? - before 1440) - the first marriage for the Suzdal Prince Alexander Ivanovich Brukhaty , the second for the Nizhny Novgorod Prince Alexander Danilovich Vzmetny .
8. Maria Vasilievna - since 1418, married to Yuri Patrikeevich , Prince Starodubsky ; from this marriage the princes of the Patrikeevs descend, and from them - the princes of Kurakin and Golitsyn .
9. Basil II the Dark (10.3.1415 - 03.3.1462)

Ancestors

In 1395 - 1405, Feofan Grek worked in Moscow, who had his own workshop and carried out church and secular orders, for example, painted the towers of Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich and Vladimir Andreevich Khrabry , as well as three Kremlin churches: the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1395), Arkhangelsky ( 1399), the Annunciation (1405) cathedrals.

Under Vasily Dmitrievich, the Annunciation Cathedral was built in the Moscow Kremlin (the basement was preserved from the original construction) and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in the Seny (the original church was preserved to the level of the choir).

At the beginning of the 15th century, the Gospel of Fyodor Koshka (probably intended for the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin) and the Gospel of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin were created in Moscow.

• A monument was erected to Basil the First in the city of Plyos (Ivanovo Region).

Movie Image

• Andrei Rublev ( USSR ; 1966 ) directed by Andrei Tarkovsky , in the role of the Grand Duke - Yuri Nazarov .

• Slavic Encyclopedia. Kievan Rus - Muscovy: in 2 volumes / Compiled by V.V. Boguslavsky . - M .: OLMA-PRESS, 2001 .-- T. 1 . - 784 p. - 5,000 copies. - ISBN 5-224-02249-5 .
• Ryzhov K.V. All monarchs of the world. Russia - M .: Veche, 1998 .-- 640 p. - 16,000 copies. - ISBN 5-7838-0268-9 .

• Tolstoy I.I. Money of the Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich
• Russia in the late XIV - early XV centuries. Foreign policy conditions for land unification