In the XI century, the Old Russian state disintegrated intoseveral independent principalities. After the invasion of the Tatars and the establishment of the Mongol yoke, Moscow began to increase its influence. This small town became the political center of all Russian lands. Moscow princes led the fight against the steppe. After Dmitry Donskoy defeated Mamai in the Battle of Kulikovo, this leadership position became even stronger.
Однако, помимо Москвы, оставалось еще несколько wealthy and important cities that enjoyed independence. In the first place it was Novgorod and Tver. They were attached to Moscow during the reign of Ivan III (1462-1505).
Mr. Novgorod the Great has always stood out onagainst other Russian cities. In the XII century there was established the republican government. The power in the city primarily belonged to the veche. It was a meeting of city dwellers, at which key issues of managing Novgorod were resolved by voting. Such a democracy existed only in Pskov. Novgorodians chose a prince. As a rule, these were the rulers of the Rurik dynasty. The prince could not pass on his power by inheritance, as was done in other ancient Russian cities.
Joining of Novgorod and Tver to MoscowPrincipality led to the breaking of traditions that are familiar to the locals. Ivan III did not like the love of freedom that prevailed on the banks of the Volkhov. In the first years of his reign, a treaty 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 increase the influence of Ivan. This group of boyars, headed by Posadnica Marfa Boretskaya, made 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 was dismantled - the veche bell.
At this time, Tver was still independent from Moscow.It was ruled by a young prince Mikhail Borisovich. Ivan III was distracted from his relationship with Tver for a time because of the war with the Mongols. In 1480, standing on the River Ugra. After him, Ivan Vasilyevich finally got rid of the status of the tributary of the Golden Horde.
After this began joining the Moscowthe principality of Tver. On the side of Ivan III was the influence and a large army. Tver has become a new victim of the policy of “gathering Russian lands” also because Mikhail Borisovich’s possessions were driven by a wedge between Moscow and Novgorod.
Before that, in the XIV century, Tver had every chance tobecome the center of the union of all Eastern Slavic principalities. For some time, the rulers of the city even seized 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 became the victim of several wars, during which all the neighbors united against it. Three Tver princes at different times lost their heads in the Horde. Thanks to this, Moscow won the fight for supremacy over the Russian lands. Ivan III only finished the work that his predecessors began.
Tver rulers, having lost their former influence, triedto conclude an alliance with Moscow in which they would be equal members. Under Ivan III's father, Vasily the Dark, disturbances began in his domain. The war between the grandchildren of Dmitry Donskoy (aspirants to the throne) led to the fact that the then Prince of Tver Boris decided to help one of them. His choice fell on Basil the Dark. The rulers agreed that Ivan III marries the daughter of the Prince of Tver. When Basil was finally entrenched on the throne (despite the fact that he was blinded), this union was finalized.
However, it was precisely 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.
A rift between neighbors appeared,when the spouse of Moscow prince Maria Borisovna suddenly died. After this event, the ambitious and shrewd Tver boyars began to move to Moscow, anticipating a future war. Among them was, for example, Daniel Kholmsky - the famous voivode and commander. Joining the Moscow principality of Tver should have happened for unavoidable historical reasons, and the emergence of the excuse was only a matter of time. Ivan III elevated the defectors, making it clear to other boyars that it was best for them to go to the service for him. These measures made joining the Moscow principality of Tver an easy event. The elite of the city absorbed did not resist the inevitable event.
The next blow to Mikhail Borisovich wasappointment 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 bring Tver to the Moscow principality. Year after year, the bishop sent Ivan dispatches about the state of mind of the local aristocracy.
Последней надеждой Михаила Борисовича на preservation of independence could become an alliance with the Polish-Lithuanian state. Tver’s accession to the Moscow principality would be complicated if its western neighbors stood up for it. At first, Michael focused on Orthodox magnates and the descendants of Gediminas. He entered into dynastic marriages, but they did not pay any dividends.
In 1483, Mikhail became a widow.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 found out about Michael's secret intercourse. After that, he decided to start joining Tver to the Moscow principality. The date of this event inexorably approaching.
At the end of August 1485, Ivan III gathered the faithfulshelves. With them, he went to Tver, declaring war on Mikhail Borisovich. There was nothing to resist the principality. Michael fled to Poland. The boyars remaining in the city asked Ivan to take them to his service, which ended Tver’s accession to the Moscow principality. Year after year, Ivan gradually left his neighbor without supporters and resources. In the end, the accession to the Moscow principality of Tver. Under whom no longer would the citizens live, they could not offer resistance to the central government. Moscow expansion was the logical result of a centuries-old struggle between the fiefdoms in which someone had to win. Under 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 is no longer disputed by anyone.
The last Prince of Tver, Mikhail Borisovich, remained in Poland, where he died peacefully in 1505 (in the same year as Ivan III). From Casimir he received several estates, in which he lived until his death.
