The annexation of the Novgorod land of the Tver principality. Accession of Veliky Novgorod and Tver. Overthrow of the Mongol-Tatar yoke

Submission of specific principalities. Under Ivan III, the subordination and annexation of specific lands actively continued. Those of the small princes of Yaroslavl and Rostov, who until Ivan III still retained their independence, under Ivan transferred all their lands to Moscow and beat the Grand Duke with their foreheads so that he would take them into his service. Becoming Moscow servants and turning into boyars of the Moscow prince, these princes retained their ancestral lands, but not as inheritances, but as simple estates. They were their private property, and the Grand Duke of Moscow was already revered as the "sovereign" of their lands. Thus, all the small estates were collected by Moscow; only Tver and Ryazan remained. These "great princes", which once fought with Moscow, were now weak and retained only a shadow of their independence. The last Ryazan princes, two brothers - Ivan and Fedor, were native nephews of Ivan III (sons of his sister Anna). As their mother, they themselves did not leave Ivan's will, and the Grand Duke, one might say, himself ruled Ryazan for them. One of the brothers (Prince Fyodor) died childless and bequeathed his inheritance to his uncle to the Grand Duke, thus voluntarily giving half of Ryazan to Moscow. Another brother (Ivan) also died young, leaving a baby son named Ivan, for whom his grandmother and her brother Ivan III ruled. Ryazan was completely under the control of Moscow. The Prince of Tver Mikhail Borisovich also obeyed Ivan III. The Tver nobility even went to conquer Novgorod with Muscovites. But later, in 1484-1485, relations soured. The prince of Tver made friends with Lithuania, thinking of getting help from the Grand Duke of Lithuania against Moscow. Ivan III, learning about this, started a war with Tver and, of course, won. Mikhail Borisovich fled to Lithuania, and Tver was annexed to Moscow (1485). This is how the final unification of northern Russia took place.

Platonov S.F. A complete course of lectures on Russian history. SPb., 2000 http://magister.msk.ru/library/history/platonov/plats003.htm#gl15

Michael again started relations with Lithuania; but his messenger was intercepted, the letter was delivered to Moscow, from where menacing, reproachful speeches soon came to Tver. Frightened Michael sent Vladyka to beat John with his forehead, but he did not accept the petition; Prince Mikhail Kholmskoy arrived with a petition - this John did not let him see and began to gather an army. In August he went to Tver with his son John, with the brothers Andrei and Boris, with Prince Fyodor Belsky, with the Italian master Aristotle, with cannons, mattresses and pishchal. On September 8, the Moscow army surrounded Tver, on the 10th the townships were lit, on the 11th the princes and boyars of Tver came from Tver to the camp of the Grand Duke, seditious, as the chronicler puts it, and beat their foreheads in service; Mikhail Borisovich fled to Lithuania at night, seeing his exhaustion, and Tver swore allegiance to John, who put his son in it. In some chronicles it is directly stated that John took Tver by the betrayal of the boyar; in others, we find the news that the main seditious prince was Mikhail Kholmskoy, whom after John was sent to prison in Vologda because, having kissed the cross to his prince Mikhail, Kholmskaya retreated from him. "It is not good to believe someone who lies to God," - said John on this occasion. From the family of the grand duke was taken in Tver the mother of Mikhailov, from whom John tried to find out where the treasury of her son was; the old princess replied that Mikhail took everything with him to Lithuania, but afterwards the women who served with her reported that she wanted to send the treasury to her son, and indeed they found many expensive things, gold and silver, for which the Grand Duke imprisoned her in Pereyaslavl ... O further destiny Prince Michael, we know that at first he stayed in Lithuania for no more than a year and left somewhere: in September 1486, Ambassador Kazimirov told John: "You know very well that our ally, Grand Duke Mikhail Borisovich of Tver, came to us and we He beat his forehead so that we would help him; we wanted him to return his homeland without bloodshed, for which we sent an ambassador to you, as you know; but, having looked at the agreement concluded between us and your father, we they didn’t give help, they didn’t refuse bread and salt: he lived with us as long as he wanted to, and as he voluntarily came to our land, so voluntarily we let him go. "

In 1485, Tver besieged by him swore allegiance to Ivan III without a fight. […] Such is the change that has taken place in the position of the Moscow principality. Territorial expansion in itself is a purely external, geographical success; but it had a powerful effect on the political position of the Moscow principality and its prince. It was not the number of new spaces that mattered. In Moscow, they felt that a long-standing work was coming to an end, which deeply touched the internal structure of zemstvo life. […] If you imagine the new borders of the Moscow principality created by the listed territorial acquisitions, you will see that this principality has absorbed a whole nationality. We know how in the appanage centuries, through colonization in Central and Northern Russia, a new tribe was formed as part of the Russian population, a new nationality was formed - the Great Russian. But until the half of the 15th century. this nationality remained only an ethnographic fact, without political significance: it was divided into several independent and diversely arranged political parts; national unity was not expressed in state unity. Now all this nation is united under one state power, all covered by one political form... This gives a new character to the Moscow principality. Until now, it was one of several great principalities of Northern Russia; now it remains the only one here and therefore becomes national: its borders coincide with the borders of the Great Russian nationality. Former popular sympathies that pulled Great Russia to Moscow have now turned into political ties. This is the main fact that gave rise to the rest of the phenomena that fill our history in the 15th and 16th centuries. This fact can be expressed this way: the completion of the territorial collection of north-eastern Russia by Moscow turned the Moscow principality into a national Great Russian state and thus informed the Grand Duke of Moscow the importance of the national Great Russian sovereign. If you recall the main phenomena of our history of the 15th and 16th centuries, you will see that the external and internal position of the Moscow state at this time is composed of the consequences of this basic fact.

Klyuchevsky V.O. Russian history. Full course of lectures. M., 2004.http: //magister.msk.ru/library/history/kluchev/kllec25.htm

Surrounded on all sides by Moscow possessions, Tver still raised its independent head, like a small island in the middle of the sea, threatened by drowning every hour. Prince Mikhail Borisovich, brother-in-law Ioannov, knew the danger and did not believe in either the property or the treaty letters with which this Sovereign had approved his independence: at the first word he had to humbly leave the throne or defend himself with a foreign union. Lithuania alone could serve him as a support, albeit very weak, as the lot of Novgorod testified; but Kazimirov's personal hatred for the Grand Duke, an example of the former Tver Owners, who were friends of Lithuania from time immemorial, and the gullibility of hope, instilled by fear in the faint-hearted, turned Mikhail to the King: as a widower, he decided to marry his grandson and entered into a close relationship with him. Until then, John, having the Tver army in necessary cases, left his brother-in-law alone: ​​having learned about this secret alliance and, probably delighted with a just reason for breaking up, immediately declared war on Mikhail (in 1485). This prince, trembling, hastened to appease John with sacrifices: he refused the name of his equal brother, admitted himself the younger, ceded some lands to Moscow, and undertook to go everywhere with him to war. The Bishop of Tver was a mediator, and the Grand Duke, wishing usually to appear moderate and long-suffering, postponed the death of this Power. In the peace treaty letter, then written, it is said that Mikhail breaks the alliance with the King and, without the knowledge of Ioannov, should not have any relations with him, nor with the sons of Shemyaka, Prince Mozhaisky, Borovsky, or with other Russian fugitives; that he swears for himself and for his children not to succumb to Lithuania forever; that the Grand Duke promises not to intervene in Tver, and so on. But this agreement was the last act of Tver independence: John in his mind decided its fate, as before Novgorod; began to press the land and the subjects of Mikhailov: if they annoyed the Muscovites in any way, then he threatened and demanded their execution; and if the Muscovites took away their property and made them the most intolerable insults, then there was no court, no council. Mikhail wrote and complained: they did not listen to him. The Tverites, seeing that they no longer had a defender in their Sovereign, were looking for him in Moscow: the Princes Mikulinsky and Dorogobuzhsky entered the service of the Grand Duke, who gave the first to the estate Dmitrov, and the second to Yaroslavl. Many Boyars Tverskys followed them. What was left for Michael? Prepare yourself a refuge in Lithuania. He sent a faithful person there: he was detained and presented to John Michael's letter to the King, sufficient evidence of treason and treachery: for the Prince of Tver promised not to get in touch with Lithuania, and in this letter he still incited Casimir against John. The unfortunate Michael sent the Bishop and Prince of Kholmsky to Moscow with an apology: they were not accepted. John ordered the Governor of Novgorod, Boyarin Yakov Zakharievich, to go with all his might to Tver, and he himself, accompanied by his son and brothers, set out from Moscow on August 21 with a large army and a firearm (entrusted to the skillful Aristotle); September 8 besieged the capital of Mikhailov and set fire to the suburb. Two days later, all his secret well-wishers from Tver, the Princes and Boyars, appeared to him, leaving their Tsar in misfortune. Michael saw the need either to flee or to surrender into the hands of John; decided on the first and left for Lithuania at night. Then the Bishop, Prince Mikhail Kholmsky with other Princes, Boyars and zemstvo people, remaining faithful to their legitimate Sovereign to the end, opened the city to John, went out and bowed to him as the general Monarch of Russia. The Grand Duke sent his Boyars and Dyakovs to take the oath from the inhabitants; forbade the soldiers to plunder; On September 15, he entered Tver, listened to the Liturgy in the Church of the Transfiguration and solemnly announced that he would grant this Principality to his son, John Ioannovich; left him there and returned to Moscow. After some time, he sent his Boyars to Tver, to Staritsa, Zubtsov, Opoki, Klin, Kholm, Novogorodok to describe all the local lands and divide them into plows for payment of state taxes. So easily disappeared the existence of the famous Tver State, which from the time of St. Mikhail Yaroslavich was called the Grand Duke and for a long time argued with Moscow about the primacy.

Remained independent of the Moscow prince Novgorod boyar republic. In Novgorod there were PROMOSKOVSKAYA and PROLITOVSKAYA boyar parties that fought among themselves.

In 1456. Vasily Dark signed YAZHELBITSKY WORLD, by which prince was the highest court in Novgorod, which strengthened the position of the pro-Moscow party.

She feared the loss of her privileges and, in the hope of preserving the veche system in Novgorod, part of the boyars headed by Posadnitsa Martha Boretskaya concluded agreement with Lithuania by which:

The Polish king and the Lithuanian prince Kazimir were supposed to defend Novgorod from Moscow and save: 1 Orthodoxy; 2 veche system; 3 privileges of the boyars.

Lithuanian party of Martha Boretskaya invited the representative of the Lithuanian aristocracy Mikhail Olelkovich to reign in Novgorod.

IVAN III accused the Novgorodians of treason, violation of the Yazhelbitsky treaty and tried to put things together peacefully.

But when he found out that Lithuanian prince Kazimir entered into an alliance with the khan of the Golden Horde Akhmatom for a campaign to Russia, he decided to get ahead Lithuania and the Horde and start a campaign against Novgorod.

July 1471 – Hike of Ivan III to Novgorod. Ivan III defeated the Novgorodians on river SHELON. The winners cut off the ears, lips, and noses of the defeated.

According to the Korostynsky treaty, Novgorod recognized itself as the fiefdom of Moscow, pledged not to conclude alliances with Lithuania. In 1477. Novgorod ambassadors, after making a reservation, named Ivan III sovereign. Ivan III, taking advantage of this, demanded complete obedience, but The veche, under the suppression of Martha Boretskaya, refused him.

1477 - 1478 – Ivan III's new campaign against Novgorod. During the campaign, Ivan III won a victory, the Novgorod boyar republic, being under siege, admitted defeat. The Novgorod boyar republic in 1478 was finally annexed to Moscow.

In Novgorod were abolished EVENING, RIDER, COURT. The Veche Bell was sent to Moscow together with Martha Boretskaya.

The Novgorod freemen ceased to exist. Moscow governors began to rule the city, boyars and ordinary people were resettled from the Novgorod land to other lands.

V In 1485, Ivan III conquered another long-standing enemy of Moscow - TVER.

V In 1489, Ivan III annexed Vyatka.

Thus, by connecting North - Eastern and North - Western Russia, Ivan III increased the territory of the Moscow principality more than 2 times.

CONSEQUENCES OF IVAN III'S TRAVEL TO NOVGOROD AND TVER:

1) Accession of Novgorod and Tver to Moscow. The elimination of the independence and independence of these principalities.

2) Elimination of the veche system in Novgorod.

3) Confiscation of the lands of the Novgorod boyars and their distribution to Moscow servicemen.

4) Removal of the threat of transfer of Novgorod lands to Lithuania.

5) After the annexation of the Tver principality Ivan III took the title "STATE OF ALL RUSSIA".

6) The territory of the Moscow state has significantly increased.

During the war between Moscow and Lithuania in 1500. - 1503 Ivan III received 25 cities and 70 volosts located in the upper reaches of the Oka, the Desna basin and in the upper reaches of the Dnieper.

Overthrow of the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

One of the main conquests of Russia during the reign of Ivan III will be complete liberation from the yoke of the Horde.

V 1472 khan of the Horde Akhmat took Hike to Russia. He was met by 180 thousand. the army of Ivan III, Akhmat retreated, but did not abandon plans to return the former power of the Horde. An ally Horde spoke Lithuania and her Prince Casimir.

An ally Rus - Crimean Khan Mengli - Girey.

V 1476 year Ivan III stopped paying tribute to the Mongol-Tatars, Akhmat wants to return the payment of tribute and renew the dependence of Russia on the Horde.

STANDING ON THE UGRE RIVER

In 1480, the culmination of the struggle between Moscow and the Big Horde was "STANDING ON THE RIVER UGRA" when Akhmat, who had begun a new campaign against Russia, reached the Ugra river, but could not cross to the other side of the river.

The further course of events was due to the diplomatic and military leadership talent of Ivan III, able to:

Gather Russian troops and organize defense;

To arrange the Russian troops so that to close the road to Moscow and the Horde and Lithuanians. Ivan III did everything to prevent Lithuania from coming to the aid of the Horde.

Show firmness in politics and stand together with the Moscow princes against the Horde.

Ivan III had 3 options for waging war with Akhmat:

1. plan of defense on a wide front based on natural lines;

2. crossing the river, deepening into the steppe and attacking the Mongol-Tatars.

3. retreat inland.

Ivan III chose 1 option.

2 troops - Russian and Mongolian for six months stood on the Ugra River, Khan Akhmat did not dare to give a battle. And when he learned that his capital Saray was attacked by the Siberian Khanate, he withdrew his troops.

The Mongol-Tatar yoke ended.

In 1502. Crimean Khan Mengli - Girey defeated the Horde, the state ceased to exist.

Then he began to work on the principalities that remained outside Moscow. In 1483, the prince of the Tver principality, Mikhail Borisovich, strengthened his alliance with Lithuania by marrying a relative of Casimir the 4th. Having received news of what had happened, Ivan the 3rd went to war in the Tver lands. Mikhail was defeated, and he had no choice but to obey Ivan.

Pretending that he resigned himself, Mikhail secretly made attempts to contact Lithuania, wanting to disconnect from Moscow. Ivan went to Tver again, and in 1485 the Tver principality finally surrendered. Residents and boyars gladly went over to the side of Moscow, and Mikhail fled to Lithuania.

As in Novgorod, Ivan settled the Moscow nobles and boyars in the Tver lands, creating a solid support for himself, and at the same time exiled the Tver feudal lords to various regions of the Moscow state. In the same year, Ivan annexed the last inheritance - Vereisky.

In 1489, the second feudal republic of Vyatka was added to the territory of the Moscow lands. From a legal point of view, Pskov and Ryazan remained independent from Moscow. But Ivan's governor was in Pskov, with his help the Pskov region was realized, and Ivan felt like a complete master there.

In Ryazan, Ivan was actually considered the ruler, since the last Ryazan princes were his own nephews. One of them died, he had no children, and half of Ryazan went to Moscow. The other half retained their independence until 1521.

After the end of the Livonian War, that is, in the words of a Russian general "Together with worries about restoring the charm of the Russian name in the far west of their possessions", Moscow Grand Duke Ivan III continued to collect Russian lands into a single centralized state.

Let us compare the maps presented according to Figures 1 and 2. Any reader, if desired, can easily find them on the Internet. On the maps, it is quite clearly visible how successively over the centuries, step by step, an all-Russian state with a center in Moscow was created and the territories annexed to the Grand Duchy of Moscow under Ivan III are clearly shown (Figure 2). The work done under Ivan III to unite the Russian lands is impressive.

After liberation from the yoke of the Horde, in order to achieve the great goal of uniting Russia, however, as before the victory over it, Grand Duke Ivan III used a variety of ways to annex various state entities of that time on Russian soil.

For example, the Vologda land was annexed as follows. Andrey Vasilyevich Menshoy (1452 - 1481), the appanage prince of Vologda and the youngest of the seven sons of Vasily II the Dark, died at the age of twenty-nine. He never clashed with his older brother Ivan III, whom the victory on the crossings across the Ugra River made Great. During the quarrels in the grand ducal family in 1480, Prince Andrei Menshoi sided with the Grand Duke, was childless and bequeathed his inheritance to his elder brother before his death.

Figure 1 - Growth of the territory of the Grand Duchy of Moscow

in 1300 - 1462

There were other appanage princes who, for various reasons, bequeathed to transfer their lands to the Moscow Grand Duke after death.

After the annexation of the Novgorod land, the issue of the annexation of the lands of the Tver principality arose sharply on the agenda. The solution of this issue became a necessary condition for the further continuation of the development of the statehood of Russia.

Figure 2 - Growth of the territory of the Grand Duchy of Moscow

in 1462-1533 (under Ivan III and his son Vasily III)

Even a cursory analysis of the maps (Figures 1 and 2) gives a clear idea that immediately after standing on the Ugra, the question of the annexation and integration of the Tver land, which turned out to be practically surrounded by Moscow lands, became extremely urgent for the Moscow principality. Previously, the Horde could intervene in the solution of the Tver issue, but now any threat of Horde interference in Russian affairs was unrealistic. But the threat of Lithuanian interference remained real.

Therefore, after 1480, Ivan III actively began to look for the possibility of annexing the Tver principality to Moscow. Grand Duke Tverskoy Mikhail Borisovich (1453 - 1505) understood that the days of the existence of his principality were numbered. He clearly did not want to part with the great princely power. In 1483, when Mikhail Borisovich was widowed, he decided to conclude a dynastic marriage with the granddaughter of Casimir IV, the ruler of Poland and Lithuania united by the union treaty. And the Moscow principality's relations with Lithuania were still extremely tense and no improvement in Russian-Lithuanian relations was foreseen. For example, the chronicle reports that in 1482 Ivan III actively pushed his ally, the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, to raid the Lithuanian lands. According to Figure 3, the message of the chronicle about the next attack of the Crimean horde on Podillya is presented.

Figure 3 - PSRL. T. 12. VIII. Chronicle collection called the Patriarch or Nikon Chronicle. SPb .: Printing house I.N. Skorokhodova, 1901.

Snippet of page 215

The bride of the Prince of Tver, the granddaughter of the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, was, of course, a Catholic. According to the harsh laws of that time, marriage was concluded only in the church during the sacrament of the wedding. This means that both spouses had to belong to only one confession. christian church... It was not difficult to guess which of the future spouses Casimir IV would offer to change his faith. And Mikhail Borisovich Tverskoy, most likely, will not refuse a powerful father-in-law. It was quite simple to calculate the further consequences of this marriage - the Roman Catholic Church in the very heart of Russia would receive a springboard for missionary activity, and then an armed struggle against Orthodox Christians. Therefore, when in 1483 Ivan III Vasilyevich learned about the matchmaking of the Tver prince, he, naturally, "Runѣ Vasya" and immediately decided to nip in the bud a possible Lithuanian-Tver dynastic alliance. According to figure 4, the message of the chronicle is presented.

Figure 4 - Pskov Chronicles. Second edition. Edited by
A.N. Nasonova - Moscow: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1955.

Snippet of page 66

Mikhail Borisovich Tverskoy was frightened by the anger of the Moscow prince and immediately confessed himself younger brother Ivan III Vasilyevich, that is, Michael from the great dukes moved to the category of appanages. All agreements between Tver and Lithuania were broken.

But Mikhail Borisovich resigned himself cunningly and continued negotiations with Lithuania. The Grand Duke of Moscow received quite concrete evidence about these negotiations - a messenger from Prince Mikhail to the Lithuanian Grand Duke Casimir IV was captured. In September 1485, the troops of Ivan III surrounded Tver. The Moscow prince forbade robbing the city and its environs. There were enough supporters of Moscow among the Tverites, and the city was preparing for surrender. Before the surrender of the city, Prince Mikhail Borisovich fled with the treasury to Lithuania, where his life ended in exile. Tver surrendered and became the personal inheritance of the heir to the Moscow throne - the young prince Ivan Ivanovich. The story of the Tver Chronicle about these events is presented in accordance with Figure 5.

Thus ended the almost two-hundred-year civil strife between Moscow and Tver, which destroyed the Russian people's consciousness and drained the forces of the people.

Figure 5 - Chronicle collection called the Tver Chronicle. SPb .: Printing house of Leonid Demis, 1863. Fragment of page 500

In Lithuania, the Tver prince Mikhail Borisovich completely naturalized - he married the granddaughter of Casimir IV (even then in Europe they showed a certain concern for Russian traitors - and suddenly they will fit in for something), shaved off his beard and dressed in Polish fashion. Apparently, the stolen treasury of the Tver principality also helped the prince to settle well in a foreign land. Surprisingly, modern Russian dissidents, including the so-called human rights activists, for some reason are still not indifferent to state money. Something is wrong with dissent.

Prince Mikhail (Figure 6) wanted to regain the Tver throne and asked his father-in-law for this purpose troops. But he prudently refused the fugitive prince.

Figure 6 - Prince of Tverskoy, in a cap and long clothes, in front of the belt, a saber covered with purple. Unknown artist of the 15th century (portrait, apparently for life)

1. Gumelev V.Yu., Postnikov A.A. The birth of the Russian kingdom. How the Livonians were punished // History and archeology. - March 2014. - No. 3 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://history.snauka.ru/2014/03/887 (date of access: 03/02/2014).
2. A. Nechvolodov, The Legend of the Russian Land. In 5 volumes. Part three - M .: LLC "Prestige Book", 2006. [Electronic resource] - electronic data carrier CD-ROM. Direct Media Publishing, 2007.
3. Encyclopedic Dictionary of F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron. Andrey Vasilievich Menshoy. [Electronic resource]. Url:
4. Borzakovsky, V.S. History of the Tver principality [Text] / V.S. Borzakovsky. - SPb .: Publishing of the bookseller I.G. Martynov, 1876 .-- 156 p.
5. PSRL. T. 12. VIII. Chronicle collection called the Patriarch or Nikon Chronicle [Text] - SPb .: Printing house IN. Skorokhodova, 1901. - 267 p.
6. Pskov Chronicles. Second edition. Edited by A.N. Nasonova [Text] - Moscow: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 1955. - 365 p.
7. PSRL. T. 15. Chronicle collection called the Tver Chronicle [Text] - St. Petersburg: Printing House of Leonid Demis, 1863. - 540 p.
8. Zhiznevsky, A.K. Portrait of the Grand Duke of Tver Mikhail Borisovich [Text] / A.K. Zhiznevsky - Tver: Printing house of the provincial government, 1889. - 10 p.

In the 11th century, the Old Russian state split 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 has become political center of all Russian lands. The Moscow princes took the lead in the struggle against the steppe inhabitants. After Dmitry Donskoy defeated Mamai in the Battle of Kulikovo, 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 in the years (1462-1505).

Mr. Veliky Novgorod has always stood out against the background of other Russian cities. In the XII century, a republican system of government was established here. Power in the city primarily belonged to the veche. It was a meeting of the townspeople, at which the key issues of Novgorod's governance through voting were resolved. This kind of democracy existed only in Pskov. The Novgorodians chose a prince for themselves. As a rule, these were the rulers from the Prince could not pass on their power by inheritance, as was done in other ancient Russian cities.

The annexation of Novgorod and Tver to the Moscow principality led to a breakdown of the traditions 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 force, according to which the Novgorodians recognized the Moscow autocrat as their patron. However, there was a party of aristocrats that did not want Ivan's influence to increase. This group of boyars, led by a posadnitsa, entered into 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 it 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 this time, Tver was still independent from Moscow. It was ruled by a young prince Mikhail Borisovich. Ivan III was temporarily distracted from his relationship with Tver because of the war with the Mongols. In 1480, a standing took place after him, Ivan Vasilyevich finally got rid of the status of a tributary of the Golden Horde.

After that, the annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality began. On the side of Ivan III there was 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 by a wedge between Moscow and Novgorod.

History of Tver

Prior to that, in the XIV century, Tver had every chance to become the center of unification of all East Slavic principalities. For a while, the rulers of the city even took possession of Vladimir, the ancient capital of the region. However, the meteoric rise of the Tver princes alarmed the Tatars and other Russian rulers. As a result, the city fell victim to several wars, during which all neighbors united against it. Three Tver princes in different time lost their heads in the Horde. Thanks to this, Moscow won the struggle for supremacy over the Russian lands. Ivan III has just finished what his predecessors had started.

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. Under the father of Ivan III, Vasily the Dark, turmoil began in his domain. The war between the grandchildren 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 Vasily the Dark. The rulers agreed that Ivan III would marry the daughter of the Tver prince. When Vasily finally took the throne (despite the fact that he was blinded), this alliance was finally formalized.

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

Cooling down relationships

A crack in relations between neighbors appeared when the wife of the Moscow prince, Maria Borisovna, suddenly died. After this event, the ambitious and sagacious Tver boyars began to move to Moscow, anticipating a future war. Among them was, for example, Daniil Kholmsky - the famous voivode and commander. The annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality was to happen for inevitable historical reasons, and the appearance of a pretext was only a matter of time. Ivan III elevated the defectors, making it clear to other boyars that it would be best for them to go into the service to him. These measures made the annexation of the Moscow principality of Tver an easy undertaking. The elite of the absorbed city did not resist the inevitable event.

The next blow to Mikhail Borisovich was the appointment of Vassian as bishop of Tver. In the world, he was the son of one of the generals of Ivan III. The new bishop became the eye of the sovereign in the neighboring city. He did a lot to make Tver annexed to the Moscow principality. Year after year, the bishop sent dispatches to Ivan about the state of mind of the local aristocracy.

Michael's new allies

The last hope of Mikhail Borisovich for the preservation of independence could be an alliance with the Polish-Lithuanian state. The annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality would have been complicated if its western neighbors stood up for it. At first, Mikhail was guided by the Orthodox magnates and the descendants of Gediminas. He entered into 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 coolly. Soon Ivan III learned about Mikhail's secret relations. After that, he decided to begin the annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality. The date of this event was approaching inexorably.

Fall of Tver

At the end of August 1485, Ivan III gathered loyal regiments. With them, he went to Tver, declaring war on Mikhail Borisovich. The principality had nothing to resist. Mikhail fled to Poland. The boyars who remained in the city asked Ivan to take them into his service, thereby completing the annexation of Tver to the Moscow principality. Year after year, Ivan gradually left his neighbor without supporters and resources. In the end, Tver was annexed to the Moscow principality. Whoever the townspeople now lived under, they could not offer resistance to the central government. The Moscow expansion was the natural result of the centuries-old struggle between the appanage principalities, in which only one person had to win. Under the son of Ivan III Vasily, Pskov and Ryazan were also annexed, which completed the unification of Russia. Moscow became a national political center, which was no longer disputed by anyone.

The last prince of Tver, Mikhail Borisovich, remained in Poland, where he died peacefully in 1505 (the same year as Ivan III). From Casimir, he received several estates, in which he lived until his death.