Vasily I of Moscow
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Vasiliy I Dmitriyevich (Василий I Дмитриевич in the Russian alphabet) (30 December 1371 – 27 February 1425, Moscow), Grand Prince of Moscow since 1389, oldest son of Dmitri Donskoi and Grand Princess Eudoxia - daughter of the Grand Prince Dmitry Konstantinovich of Nizhny Novgorod.
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[edit] Domestic policy
Basil I continued the process of unification of the Russian lands: in 1392, he annexed the principalities of Nizhny Novgorod and Murom; in 1397-1398 - Kaluga, Vologda, Veliki Ustyug and Komi peoples' lands.
During his reign, feudal landownership kept growing. With the growth of princely authority in Moscow, feudals' judicial powers were partially diminished and transferred to Vasili's deputies and heads of volosts.
[edit] Foreign policy
To prevent Russia from being attacked by the Golden Horde, Basil I entered into alliance with Lithuania in 1392 and married Sophia of Lithuania, the only daughter of Vytautas the Great. The alliance turned out to be fragile, since Vytautas would later capture Vyazma and Smolensk in 1403–1404.
Timur raided the Slavic lands in 1395; he ruined the Volgan regions but did not penetrate so far as Moscow. Timur's raid was of service to the Russian prince as it damaged the Golden Horde, which for the next twelve years was in a state of anarchy. During the whole of this time no tribute was paid to the khan, Olug Moxammat, though vast sums of money were collected in the Moscow treasury for military purposes. In 1408 Edigu ravaged Russians territory, but was unable to take Moscow. In 1412, however, Basil found it necessary to pay the long-deferred visit of submission to the Horde.
The growing influence of Moscow abroad was underlined by the fact that Basil married his daughter Anna to Emperor John VIII Palaeologus of Byzantium.
[edit] Marriage and children
He married Sophia of Lithuania. She was a daughter of Vytautas the Great and Anna of Smolensk. They had nine known children:
- Anna of Moscow (1393 - August, 1417). Married John VIII Palaiologos.
- Yury Vasilievich (30 March 1395 - 30 November 1400).
- Ivan Vasilievich (15 January 1396 - 20 July 1417). Married a daughter of Ivan Vladimirovich of Pronsk.
- Anastasia Vasilievna (d. 1470). Married Vladymir Alexander, Prince of Kiev. Her husband was a son of Vladymir, Prince of Kiev. His paternal grandparents were Algirdas and Maria of Vitebsk.
- Daniil Vasilievich (6 December 1400 - May, 1402).
- Vasilisa Vasilievna. Married first Alexander Ivanovich "Brukhaty", Prince of Suzdal and secondly his first cousin Alexander Daniilovich "Vzmetenj", Prince of Suzdal. They were both fifth-generation descendants of Andrei II of Vladimir.
- Simeon Vasilievich (13 January - 7 April 1405).
- Maria Vasilievna. Married Yuri Patrikievich. Her husband was a son of Patrikej, Prince of Starodub and his wife Helena. His paternal grandfather was Narimantas. The marriage solidified his role as a Boyar attached to Moscow.
- Vasily II of Moscow (10 March 1415 - 27 March 1462).
[edit] See also
| Preceded by Dmitri Donskoi |
Grand Prince of Moscow 1389–1425 |
Succeeded by Basil II |
| Preceded by Daniil Dmitrievich |
Heir to the Russian Throne 1379–1389 |
Succeeded by Yury Dmitrievich |
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
