Causes of the feudal war of 1425. Russia in the second quarter of the 15th century. feudal war. Vasily II. Russia and the Union of Florence
In addition to external enemies, the strengthening of Russia was also threatened by an internal danger - enmity among the descendants of Ivan Kalita. For a long time, the Moscow princes managed to maintain unity. However, the danger of rebellion was concealed in itself by the appanage system, in which each member of the ruling family, in principle, had the opportunity to claim supreme power. With huge possessions, younger brothers the rulers, having united, could defeat him in a military confrontation. In addition, any rebel could count on the support of external enemies of Moscow, who were interested in weakening it. Thus, everything rested only on the authority of the Moscow prince, his ability to negotiate with his younger brothers. But one wrong decision was enough - and the fire of enmity broke out.
First internecine war Basil II began in 1425, when his 10-year-old son ascended the throne of Moscow after the death of Vasily I Vasily II.
Taking advantage of the general indignation, Prince Dmitry Shemyaka (the nickname comes from the word "shemyaka", that is, a fighter, a strong man) plotted against Vasily II. In February 1446, Vasily went on a pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Meanwhile, Shemyaka suddenly captured Moscow. Then he sent his men in pursuit of Vasily. Taken by surprise, the Grand Duke was brought to the capital as a prisoner. By order of Shemyaka, he was blinded and sent to prison in Uglich.
The reign of Dmitry Shemyaka in Moscow lasted about a year. Like his father, Shemyaka failed to enlist the support of the Moscow nobility. In Moscow, he was not loved and considered a usurper. The boyars persuaded Shemyaka to release Vasily II from custody and give him Vologda as an inheritance. From there, Vasily soon fled to Tver. Thanks to the support of the prince of Tver Boris Alexandrovich from the persecutor regained the throne of Moscow. And his rival was forced to seek refuge in Veliky Novgorod.
Having settled in Novgorod, Dmitry Shemyaka from time to time made predatory raids on Moscow lands. The Novgorodians refused to extradite him to the Moscow authorities. Then Vasily and his advisers decided to resort to secret means. In the summer of 1453 they managed to bribe Shemyaka's personal chef. He added poison to his master's food. After several days of torment, She-myaka died. Thus ended the long internecine war in Muscovite Russia.
First phase of the war (1425-1433)
The internecine war in Muscovite Russia began with the death of Vasily I in $1425; the war was between Basil II and his uncle Yuri Dmitrievich Zvenigorodsky and then by his sons. There are two main reasons for the start of the war:
- The clash of two orders of succession to the throne: ladder and family (from father to son)
- Personal conflicts of the descendants of Dmitry Donskoy
In $1389$ the year before his death Dmitry Donskoy issued a will, in which for the first time he inherited the Grand Duchy. His son became the heir Basil I, however, after Vasily, the reign was to go to the next oldest son of Dmitry.
In $1425, Vasily I died, appointing his son as heir Basil II. Yuri Dmitrievich protested against the reign of his nephew. But Vasily II had powerful support in the person of the Moscow boyars, and most importantly, Lithuanian prince Vytautas. Therefore, in $1428$, Yuri formally recognized Vasily's seniority. In $1430, Prince Vitovt died. And the next year, Yuri tried to challenge Vasily's right in the Horde, but Vasily's Horde supported.
In $1433$, an unpleasant incident happened at the wedding of Vasily II. His mother Sofia Vitovtovna with a crowd of people tore off Vasily Yurievich Kosoy a belt that was allegedly stolen from Dmitry Donskoy. After such an insult, the Yurievichs immediately left the wedding, plundering Yaroslavl along the way. Military operations have begun. Yuri Zvenigorodsky defeated Vasily II and occupied Moscow. Grand Duke fled through Tver to Kostroma. Yuri Dmitrievich gave Vasily Kolomna, but could not establish himself in Moscow. The Moscow boyars were opposed to the change of the princely dynasty and left for Kolomna. It is curious that the sons of Yuri, who quarreled with their father, joined the boyars. Yuri had to leave Moscow.
Vasily II began to act unpopularly - to pursue opponents. This led to the fact that in $ 1434 $ the sons of Yuri came out against Vasily, and then he himself. Vasily II was defeated at Rostov, Yuri occupied Moscow for the second time, but soon died, presumably from poisoning. Yuri bequeathed Moscow to his son Vasily Kosoy.
Second phase of the war (1434-1436)
In accordance with the decision of Yuri, Vasily Kosoy declared himself the Grand Duke, but his own brothers did not support him. Dmitry Shemyaka and Dmitry Krasny entered into an alliance with Vasily II in exchange for the acquisition of a number of cities.
Vasily Kosoy soon fled from Moscow to Novgorod. Having gathered an army, Vasily Kosoy moved to Moscow, but in early January $1435 was defeated near Yaroslavl. Vasily Kosoy was stubborn and, having gathered a second army, again set off on a campaign, already to Rostov, where Vasily II was with the army.
Vasily Kosoy failed to gain the upper hand; in the battle on the Cherekha River, he was defeated, captured and blinded. Nickname "oblique" he received just after the blinding. Vasily II returned power again, freed Dmitry Shemyaka and returned the lands to him, which increased markedly after the death of Dmitry Krasny in $1440.
Third stage (1436-1453)
Vasily II, judging by his actions, did not possess special military and managerial talents and good luck. In $1445$ the Kazan Khan Ulu-Mohammed defeated Russian army near Suzdal. As a result, Vasily II was taken prisoner. According to the rule, power passed to Dmitry Shemyaka.
Vasily II promised the khan a large ransom for himself, received an army from him and returned to Moscow, from where Shemyaka naturally left.
Remark 1
Previously, Vasily II, with the loss of the Moscow throne, was supported by the boyars and the church, but in this case they took the side of Shemyaka because of the huge ransom and the Horde army.
Therefore, in $1446$, Shemyaka returned to Moscow.
Basil II was captured and blinded; hence the nickname "Dark", the prince suffered the fate of Vasily Kosoy blinded by him. Vasily II was sent to Vologda. But soon the princes dissatisfied with the rule of Shemyaka began to arrive there: Tver, Yaroslavl, Borovo, Starodub and others. As a result, $25$ December $1446$ Moscow Vasily II returned to Moscow in the absence of Shemyaka.
Dmitry Shemyaka fled, in $1452 he took refuge in Novgorod, where he was soon killed. With his death in $1453, the feudal war ended.
Feudal war in Russia in the second quarter of the 15th century |
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Grand Duchy of Moscow, Novgorod land |
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The struggle for the rights to the throne after the death of Vasily I |
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Opponents |
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1425-1434 |
1425-1434 |
1434-1436 |
1434-1436 |
1436-1453 |
1436-1453 Vasily the Dark Boris Alexandrovich Tverskoy (1446-1453) Ivan Andreevich Mozhaisky (1447-1453) |
Commanders |
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Yuri Dmitrievich Dmitry Yuryevich Shemyaka Vasily Yuryevich Kosoy Alexander Vasilievich Czartorysky |
Vasily Vasilyevich Temny Boris Alexandrovich Tverskoy Fyodor Vasilyevich Basyonok Ivan Vasilyevich Striga-Obolensky |
Internecine war in Moscow Russia (1425-1453)- the war for the great reign between the descendants of Dmitry Donskoy, Prince Vasily II (Dark) Vasilyevich of Moscow and his uncle, Prince Yuri Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod and Galich and his sons Vasily (Kosy) and Dmitry Shemyaka in 1425-1453. The Grand Duke's throne passed from hand to hand several times.
The main causes of the war were: increased contradictions among the feudal lords in connection with the choice of ways and forms of state centralization in the context of Tatar raids and Lithuanian expansion; political and economic consolidation of principalities. The result was the elimination of most of the small destinies in the Moscow principality and the strengthening of the power of the Grand Duke. The last internecine war in Russia and one of the last in Europe.
Vasily II against Yuri Dmitrievich (1425-1434)
In 1389, Yuri Dmitrievich, according to the will of his father Dmitry Donskoy, was appointed heir in the event of the death of his young brother Vasily Dmitrievich, which later, after the death of an already adult brother in 1425, gave him reason to claim the throne of the Grand Duke, bypassing his son Vasily Vasilyevich. In 1428, Yuri recognized, however, his nephew as an "elder brother", but in 1431 he tried to get a label for reigning from the Horde Khan, but Vasily got the label. However, Vasily did not give Yuri Dmitrov, who sentenced him to give him the khan. In 1433, at the wedding of Vasily II, his mother Sofya Vitovtovna publicly tore off a precious belt from her son Yuri Vasily, which, according to her, was allegedly previously intended for Dmitry Donskoy and replaced. The offended Yurievichs immediately went to their father in Galich; on the way, they plundered Yaroslavl, whose prince supported Vasily Vasilyevich. The insult became the reason for a new speech by Yuri, who, with detachments of Galicians, defeated Vasily on the banks of the Klyazma and occupied Moscow, giving Kolomna to his nephew. However, after that, the Moscow boyars and service people began to run across to Kolomna; they were joined by both sons of Yuri, Vasily and Dmitry, who quarreled with their father. Yuri chose to reconcile with his nephew, returning him the Grand Duke's throne. However, the subsequent persecution of former opponents by Vasily led to a speech in 1434 against Vasily, first by the sons of Yuri (in the battle on the banks of the Kus River, the Yurievichs took over), and then (after the defeat of Galich by the Muscovites) and himself. Vasily was defeated near Rostov near the village of Nikolskoye on the Ustye River, Yuri again occupied Moscow, but died soon after (it was believed he was poisoned), bequeathing the throne to his nephew.
Vasily II against Vasily Yurievich (1434-1436)
Despite this, his son Vasily Yuryevich declared himself Grand Duke, but his younger brothers did not support him, making peace with Vasily II, according to which Dmitry Shemyaka received Uglich and Rzhev, and Dmitry Krasny - Galich and Bezhetsk. When the united princes approached Moscow, Vasily Yurievich, taking his father's treasury, fled to Novgorod. After staying in Novgorod for a month and a half, he went to Zavolochye, then to Kostroma and went on a campaign against Moscow. Defeated on January 6, 1435 on the banks of the Kotorosl River between the villages of Kozmodemyansky and Veliky near Yaroslavl, he fled to Vologda, from where he appeared with new troops and went to Rostov, taking Nerekhta along the way.
Vasily Vasilyevich concentrated his forces in Rostov, and his ally, Prince Alexander Fedorovich of Yaroslavl, stood near Yaroslavl, preventing part of the troops of Vasily Yuryevich from going to take him to the city - as a result, he was captured along with the princess, a large ransom was given for them, but they were released immediately. Vasily Yuryevich thought to take Vasily Vasilyevich by surprise, but he set out from Rostov and took a position in the village of Skoryatino, then defeated the enemy troops (May 1436), and Vasily Yuryevich himself was captured and blinded, for which he was nicknamed Kosym (died in 1448 ). Vasily II freed Dmitry Shemyaka, who was kept in Kolomna, and returned to him all the possessions, which, after the death of Dmitry the Red in 1440, were joined by Galich and Bezhetsk.
Vasily II against Dmitry Yurievich (1436-1453)
After the sons of the Kazan Khan Ulu-Mukhammed defeated the Moscow army and captured Vasily II in 1445 in the battle near Suzdal, power in Moscow, according to the traditional order of succession, passed to Dmitry Shemyaka. But Vasily, having promised the khan a ransom, received an army from him and returned to Moscow, and Shemyaka was forced to leave the capital and retire to Uglich. But many boyars, merchants and representatives of the clergy, outraged by the “Horde commandery” of Vasily the Dark, went over to the side of Dmitry, and in 1446, with their support, Dmitry Shemyaka became the Moscow prince. Then, with the help of Ivan Andreevich of Mozhaisky, he captured Vasily Vasilyevich in the Trinity Monastery and - in retaliation for blinding his brother and accusing Vasily II of favoring the Tatars - blinded, for which Vasily II was nicknamed the Dark, and sent to Uglich, and then to Vologda. But again, dissatisfied with Dmitry Shemyaka began to come to Vasily the Dark, help was provided by princes Boris Alexandrovich (Tver), Vasily Yaroslavich (Borovsky), Alexander Fedorovich (Yaroslavsky), Ivan Ivanovich (Starodubsko-Ryapolovsky) and others. On December 25, 1446, in the absence of Dmitry Shemyaka, Moscow was occupied by the troops of Vasily II. On February 17, 1447, Vasily the Dark solemnly entered Moscow. Dmitry, who was at that time near Volokolamsk, was forced to begin a retreat from Moscow - he went to Galich, and then to Chukhloma. Later, Dmitry Shemyaka unsuccessfully continued to fight with Vasily the Dark, having suffered defeats near Galich, and then near Ustyug.
In 1449, Vasily II concluded with Polish king and the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Casimir IV, a peace treaty confirming the Moscow-Lithuanian borders and a promise not to support the internal political opponents of the other side, Casimir also renounced claims to Novgorod. In 1452, Dmitry was surrounded by the army of Vasily the Dark, lost his possessions, fled to Novgorod, where he died (according to chronicles, he was poisoned by the people of Vasily II) in 1453. In 1456, Vasily II was able to impose the unequal Yazhelbitsky peace treaty on Novgorod.
Main events: Feudal war gg. Moscow princes: Vasily the First (). Vasily the Second Dark ()
Commander, founder of the Timurid Empire (1370) with its capital in Samarkand. Timur left behind dozens of monumental architectural structures, some of which entered the treasury of world culture. "great lame", who made 25 campaigns, conqueror Central Asia, Siberia, Persia, Baghdad, Damascus, India, Turkey, defeated the Golden Horde. moved on to Moscow.
In the 1390s, Tamerlane inflicted two severe defeats on the Khan of the Horde on Kondurcha in 1391 and Terek in 1395, after which Tokhtamysh was deprived of the throne and forced to wage a constant struggle with the khans appointed by Tamerlane. With this defeat of the army of Khan Tokhtamysh, Tamerlane brought indirect benefits in the struggle of the Russian lands against the Tatar-Mongol yoke.
Vasily the First () Vasily the Second () Yuri Zvenigorodsky () Vasily Kosoy (1434) Dmitry Shemyaka ()
Basil's occupation of the 2nd throne without a label. Yuri Zvenigorodsky's claims to the throne - Vasily 2 received a label for reigning scandal at the wedding of Vasily 2 because of the grand prince's belt. The beginning of hostilities - the defeat of Vasily 2. Yuri occupies Moscow - Vasily Kosoy occupies Moscow. The return of Moscow to Vasily the conflict between Vasily Kosoy and Vasily 2. The blinding of Vasily Kosoy transfer of power to Dmitry Shemyaka.
1446 - the blinding of Vasily 2. New reign in Moscow D. Shemyaki - the conclusion of the alliance of Vasily 2 with the Tver prince Boris Alexandrovich. The expulsion of D. Shemyaka from Moscow military attempts by Dmitri Shemyaka to overthrow Vasily - the death of Dmitry Shemyaka. End of the war.
In Moscow, the direct order of succession to the throne is approved. Undeniable leadership of Moscow. The war ravaged the country. Strengthening the power of the Horde. The beginning of the liquidation of appanages in the Moscow principality. Growth of the nobility. Moscow princes actively interfere in church affairs.
Summing up the development of Russia in the first two centuries after the Mongol devastation, it can be argued that during the XIV and the first half of the XV century. conditions were created for the creation of a single state and the overthrow of the Golden Horde yoke. The struggle for a great reign was already going on, as the feudal war of the second quarter of the 15th century showed, not between separate principalities, but within the Moscow princely house. Actively supported the struggle for the unity of the Russian lands Orthodox Church. The process of formation of the Russian state with its capital in Moscow became irreversible.
Feudal war is an inter-dynastic struggle for the throne within one state. The belligerents do not intend to share power and territory, but want to receive it in full.
Reasons for the war:
1. Dynastic conflict of Moscow princes.
Vasily I died in 1425. In his ecclesiastical 1423, he wrote: “And God will give my son a great princedom;
The son was not yet 10, and the father named the father-in-law of the Lithuanian prince Vitovt, brothers Andrei, Peter and Konstantin and second cousins as guardians.
The eldest of the brothers of Vasily I, Yuri of Galitsky and Zvenigorodsky, was not named in the will, since according to the will of their father D. Donskoy, it was he who was to reign after his brother.
The conflict between Vasily I and Yuri began as early as 1449, when, in a preliminary version of his will, Vasily called the great reign his fiefdom and unconditionally bequeathed it to his son.
It's not just a clash of siblings. Two traditions of inheritance collided: the old - from brother to brother, and the new - from father to son.
Moscow managed to avoid this collision for a long time simply by force of circumstances.
In addition, even at the end of the reign of D. Donskoy, the role of the Horde in the transfer of the label was obvious.
Now the Moscow principality is not afraid of the rivalry of other Russian princes for the label, and the role of the Horde is not important: Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod belonged to Moscow, Tver is weak, and there is nothing to say about the rest of the former great principalities. Therefore, the struggle for the label begins in the Moscow principality itself. First, this is a confrontation between a young nephew and an uncle, since the senior guardian - grandfather Vitovt - is a serious opponent for Yuri.
With the help of Metropolitan Photius, in 1428 the peace between Moscow and Galich was concluded. When Photius arrived in Galich, where Yuri's subjects had gathered, he said to the prince: “Prince Yuri! I have never seen so many people in sheep's wool”, making it clear that people dressed in sermyags are bad warriors.
54-year-old Yuri recognized himself as the younger brother of a 13-year-old nephew and pledged not to seek a great reign.
Neither one nor the other went to the Horde. But Yuri has a reputation as an enemy of the Tatars, since even during the life of his brother he successfully went to the Bulgars and Kazan Tatars.
After the death of Vytautas in 1430, Yuri changed his mind.
In 1431, both rivals went to the Horde.
2. The dissatisfaction of the specific princes and their boyars with the strengthening of the power of the Grand Duke of Moscow.
Active violation of feudal immunity under Basil I did not bode well specific principalities with his heir.
3. The dissatisfaction of the urban elite with the complete elimination of urban self-government in the Moscow principality and large extortions in favor of the Moscow prince.
balance of power:
on the side of Vasily II
Peasants;
Residents of Moscow;
Nobles.
Part of the Moscow boyars who do not want to lose profitable places of service:
- (often) Prince of Tver (he betrothed his 4-year-old daughter Marya to his 6-year-old son Vasily Ivan, after 6 years they were married);
Metropolitan Photius (died 1431);
Bishop Jonah;
on Yuri's side
Citizens (except Moscow);
Part of the Moscow boyars, counting on a career with a strong prince;
specific princes;
Boyars of specific principalities;
Sons:
1) Vasily Kosoy,
2) Dmitry Shemyaka,
3) Dmitry Krasny, the younger brothers hated Kosoy.
