Dmitry Donskoy

Dmitry of the Don
Grand Prince of Moscow
Reign 13 November 1359 – 19 May 1389
Predecessor Ivan II
Successor Vasiliy I
Born (1350-10-12)12 October 1350
Moscow, Grand Duchy of Moscow
Died 19 May 1389(1389-05-19) (aged 38)
Moscow, Grand Duchy of Moscow
Burial Cathedral of the Archangel, Moscow Kremlin
Consort Eudoxia Dmitriyevna
Issue Daniil Dmitriyevich
Yury Vasiliyevich
Vasily Dmitriyevich
Sofiya Dmitriyevna
Yury Dmitriyevich
Maria Dmitriyevna
Anastasia Dmitriyevna
Simeon Dmitriyevich
Ivan Dmitriyevich
Andrey Dmitriyevich
Pyotr Dmitriyevich
Anna Dmitriyevna
Konstantin Dmitriyevich
Full name
Dmitry Ivanovich
Dynasty Rurik
Father Ivan II
Mother Alexandra Vasilyevna Velyaminova

Saint Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy (Russian: Дми́трий Ива́нович Донско́й,also known as Dimitrii or Demetrius), or Dmitry of the Don, sometimes referred to simply as Dmitry (12 October 1350 in Moscow – 19 May 1389 in Moscow), son of Ivan II the Fair of Moscow (1326–1359), reigned as the Prince of Moscow from 1359 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1363 to his death. He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol authority in Russia. His nickname, Donskoy (i.e., "of the Don"), alludes to his great victory against the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo (1380), which took place on the Don River.[1] He is venerated as a Saint in the Orthodox Church with his feast day on 19 May.[2][3]

Early reign

Dmitry Donskoy, illustration in Tsarsky Titulyarnik, 17th century

Dmitry ascended the throne of the Principality of Moscow at the age of 9. During his minority, Russia's Metropolitan Aleksey ran the government. In 1360 Khizr-khan , Khan of the Golden Horde, transferred the title most prized among Russian princes, that of Grand Prince of Vladimir, to Dmitry Konstantinovich of Nizhniy Novgorod. In 1363, after that prince was deposed, Dmitry Ivanovich was crowned at Vladimir. Three years later, he made peace with Dmitry Konstantinovich and married his daughter Eudoxia. In 1376 their joint armies ravaged Volga Bulgaria.

The most important event during Dmitry's early reign was to start building the Moscow Kremlin; it was completed in 1367. Thanks to the new fortress, the city withstood two sieges by Algirdas of Lithuania during the Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1368–72). The war ended with the Treaty of Lyubutsk. In 1375, Dmitry settled, in his own favor, a conflict with Mikhail II of Tver over Vladimir. Other princes of Northern Russia acknowledged his authority and contributed troops to the impending struggle against the Horde. By the end of his reign, Dmitry had more than doubled the territory of the Principality of Moscow.

Struggle against Mamai

Monument to Dmitry Donskoy in front of Marinkina tower (Kolomna Kremlin)

Mongol domination of parts of what is now Russia began to crumble during Dmitry's thirty-year reign. The Golden Horde was severely weakened by civil war and dynastic rivalries. Dmitry took advantage of this lapse in Mongol authority to openly challenge the Tatars.

While he kept the Khan's patent to collect taxes for all of Russia, Dmitry is also famous for leading the first Russian military victory over the Mongols. Mamai, a Mongol general and claimant to the throne, tried to punish Dmitry for attempting to increase his power. In 1378 Mamai sent a Mongol army, but it was defeated by Dmitry's forces in the Battle of Vozha River. Two years later Mamai personally led a large force against Moscow. Dmitry met and defeated it at the Battle of Kulikovo.

The defeated Mamai was presently dethroned by a rival Mongol general, Tokhtamysh. That khan reasserted Mongol rule over parts of what now is Russia and overran Moscow for Dmitry's resistance to Mamai. Dimitry, however, pledged his loyalty to Tokhtamysh and to the Golden Horde and was reinstated as Mongol principal tax collector and Grand Duke of Vladimir. Upon his death in 1389, Dimitry was the first Grand Duke to bequeath his titles to his son Vasiliy without consulting the Khan.

Marriage and children

Dmitriy Donskoy in a World War I patriotic poster by Konstantin Korovin

He was married to Eudoxia of Nizhniy Novgorod. She was a daughter of Dmitry of Suzdal and Vasilisa of Rostov. They had at least twelve children:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Asimov, Isaac. Asimov's Chronology of the World. New York: HarperCollins, 1989; p. 186.
  2. ↑ (in Greek) Ὁ Ἅγιος Δημήτριος ὁ μεγάλος Πρίγκιπας. 19 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
  3. ↑ 1 June / 19 May. HOLY TRINITY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (A parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow).
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Dmitry of Suzdal		 Grand Prince of Vladimir
1362–1389 		Succeeded by
Vasily I
Preceded by
Ivan II		 Prince of Moscow
1359–1389 		Succeeded by
Vasily I
Russian royalty
Preceded by
Ivan II		 Heir to the Russian Throne
1350–1353 		Succeeded by
Daniil Dmitriyevich
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