Who ruled before Vasily 3. The secret of Solomonia Saburova, the first wife of Emperor Vasily III

The Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily Ivanovich III (1505 - 1533, born in 1479) is most famous for the fact that during his reign the gathering of the fragmented appanages of North-Eastern Rus' into a single state was completed. Under Vasily III, the veche city of Pskov (1510) and the last appanage principalities - Ryazan (1517) and Chernigov-Seversky (1517-1523) were annexed to Moscow. Vasily continued the domestic and foreign policies of his father, Ivan III, whom he resembled in his stern, autocratic character. Of the two main church parties of the time, in the first years of his reign, the predominance belonged to non-covetous people, but then it passed to the Josephites, whom Basil III supported until his death.

Vasily III. Miniature from the Tsar's title book

The former, purely service composition of the Moscow boyars, as the Russian North-East was unified, was replenished with recent appanage princes, people much more influential and demanding. In this regard, Vasily treated the boyars with suspicion and distrust, consulting with him only for show, and even then rarely. He conducted the most important affairs not with the help of the boyars, but with the help of humble clerks and nobles (like his close butler Shigona Podzhogin). Vasily treated such rootless nominees rudely and unceremoniously (deacon Dolmatov paid with imprisonment for refusing to go to the embassy, ​​and Bersen-Beklemishev was executed for contradicting the Grand Duke). During the reign of Vasily III, the conflict between the grand-ducal power and the boyars, which during the reign of his son, Ivan the Terrible, led to the horrors of the oprichnina, began to gradually intensify. But Vasily behaved with the boyars still very restrained. None of noble representatives of the boyar class were not executed under him. Vasily, for the most part, limited himself to taking oaths from the boyars (Shuisky, Belsky, Vorotynsky, Mstislavsky) that they would not leave for Lithuania. Only Prince Vasily Kholmsky fell into disgrace under him (for what, it is unknown).

Unification of Muscovite Rus' under Ivan III and Vasily III

But Vasily treated close relatives who, due to dynastic kinship, could challenge his power with the usual severity of his predecessors. Vasily's rival, his nephew Dmitry Ivanovich (grandson of Ivan III from his eldest son, Ivan), died in prison. Vasily III established strict supervision over his brothers, Yuri and Andrei. Andrei was allowed to marry only when Vasily III himself became the father of two children. Vasily's brothers hated his favorites and the new order.

Not wanting to transfer the throne to either Yuri or Andrei, Vasily, after a long childless marriage, divorced his first wife, the barren Solomonia Saburova, and married (1526) Elena Vasilyevna Glinskaya, the niece of the famous Western Russian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky. From her he had sons Ivan (in 1530, the future Ivan the Terrible) and Yuri (1533). Solomonia Saburova was imprisoned in the Suzdal Intercession Monastery, and opponents of the divorce (Metropolitan Varlaam, as well as the leaders of non-covetous people Vassian Kosoy Patrikeev and the famous Byzantine scientist Maxim the Greek) also suffered.

Solomonia Saburova. Painting by P. Mineeva

Foreign policy of Vasily III

After the death of his son-in-law, Grand Duke Alexander of Lithuania (1506), Vasily decided to take advantage of the turmoil that arose among the noble lords of Lithuania. Among them, Mikhail Glinsky, who was insulted by Alexander's brother and successor, Sigismund, stood out for his education, military glory, wealth and land holdings. Mikhail Glinsky in response went into the service of Vasily III. This circumstance, as well as the poor treatment in Lithuania of Vasily’s sister (Alexander’s wife) Elena, who died in 1513, as was suspected of poison, caused a war between Lithuania and Moscow. During it, Glinsky lost all his former Lithuanian possessions, in return for which he received Medyn and Maloyaroslavets from Vasily. Sigismund's alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey caused the second war of Vasily III with Lithuania in 1512. On August 1, 1514, Vasily, with the assistance of Glinsky, took Smolensk from the Lithuanians, but on September 8 of the same year, Sigismund’s commander, Prince Ostrozhsky, inflicted a heavy defeat on the Moscow army at Orsha. However, according to the truce of 1522, concluded through the ambassador of the German Emperor Maximilian I, Herberstein, Smolensk remained with Moscow.

Crimean Tatar archer

Besides Lithuania, the main concern of the reign of Vasily III was Tatar relations, especially Crimean ones. Having submitted to powerful Turkey at the end of the 15th century, Crimea began to receive strong support from it. The raids of the Crimean Tatars alarmed the Moscow state more and more (raid on the Oka in 1507, on the Ryazan Ukraine in 1516, on the Tula in 1518, the siege of Moscow in 1521). Russia and Lithuania alternately gave gifts to the Crimean robbers and embroiled them in their mutual squabbles. The strengthened Crimean khans tried to subjugate Kazan and Astrakhan in order to restore the former Golden Horde - from the Upper Volga region and the Urals to the Black and Caspian seas. Vasily III did his best to oppose the annexation of Kazan to Crimea, which in 1521 led to the most dangerous Tatar raid on Rus' from the south and east. However, Kazan, torn apart by internal strife, became more and more subordinate to Moscow (the siege of Kazan in 1506, peace with its khan, Muhammad-Amen in 1507, the appointment from Moscow of the Kazan king Shah-Ali (Shigaleya) in 1519. and Jan-Ali in 1524, the construction by Vasily on the border with the Kazan possessions of the powerful fortress of Vasilsursk in 1524, etc.). With this constant pressure on Kazan, Vasily also anticipated the achievements of Ivan the Terrible. In 1523, the Crimean Khan Muhammad-Girey captured Astrakhan, but was soon killed there by the Nogais.

The reign of Vasily 3 briefly became the end. Vasily 3 actually destroyed the remnants of appanage principalities and created a single state. His son inherited an already powerful state.

In short, in the 1st half of the 16th century. Russia has experienced a great economic boom. Vasily’s father began to pursue an active policy in this direction. He made several trips towards Siberia and the Urals, and entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khanate. This policy made it possible to stabilize relations on the southern borders and bring peace there.

Reign of Ivan 3 and Vasily 3

The reign of Ivan 3 and Vasily 3 made it possible to stabilize the situation within the country, and was able to defeat another state hostile to Muscovite Rus' - the Livonian Order. The Livonian Order attacked Pskov. The rule of Pskov and Novgorod was similar, both territories were republics. However, the power of Novgorod was much greater. By the way, Pskov itself helped to annex Novgorod to the territory of the Russian state. But when the Order attacked Pskov, it had to rely only on the help of Moscow. He did not have his own troops in large numbers.

Pskov began to gradually turn into a territory where dual control was established:

1. Pskov Veche;
2. Prince sent from Moscow.

It is clear that the Moscow governor could not agree with the Veche on everything; conflicts arose. When Vasily 3 ascended the throne, he decided that it was no longer necessary to appoint a prince. He planned to abolish this system. Prince Repnya-Obolensky was sent to the city. He provoked a conflict with the Veche and Vasily began to prepare for the attack and conquest of Pskov.

In 1509, Vasily III and his army approached Novgorod. The inhabitants of Pskov found out about this, and hurried to the sovereign with their gifts. Vasily pretended to accept all the gifts. Everyone was ordered to appear at the sovereign's court. There, residents of Pskov were taken into custody. The People's Council was abolished, about 300 families were evicted by order of the sovereign, and the lands were given over to servicemen from Moscow. In 1510, the Pskov Republic ceased to be independent.

It so happened that many perceive the reign of Vasily 3 until his death as the time between the two Ivans. IvanIII became the first sovereign, became the first to collect Russian lands.aka Grozny also made a great contribution to the history of Muscovite Rus'. But here is the reign of VasilyIII is somehow missed by many. But he ruled for almost 30 years. The period is quite impressive.

Beginning of the reign of Vasily 3

The beginning of the reign of Vasily 3 began with the annexation of Pskov. In general, it is worth saying that Vasily III began to continue the work of his eminent father, Emperor Ivan III. The main directions of his policy coincided with his father's. Officially, Vasily Ivanovich was on the throne for 28 years. The reign of Vasily 3 was 1505-1533, but he actually began to rule when Ivan III was still on the throne. Vasily was the official co-ruler.

Vasily Ivanovich knew exactly what fate awaited him. He was being prepared that he might soon lead the Moscow state. But Vasily did not learn about this from an early age. The fact is that he had a son born in his first marriage - Ivan “Young”. He was the heir to the throne. Ivan Ivanovich had a son, Dmitry. The boy could also claim the throne in the event of his father's death. Of course, there was no clear decree that the throne would go to Ivan the Young. However, the young man actively participated in government affairs, many perceived him as the heir. In 1490, Ivan fell ill and soon died.

Thus, at different times three claimed the throne:

1. Ivan Ivanovich “Young”;
2. Vasily Ivanovich III;
3. Dmitry Ivanovich is the grandson of Ivan III.

In 1505, Vasily Ivanovich, the second eldest son of Vasily, was on the throne; he was born in his second marriage to the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus. As already mentioned, Vasily continued his father’s political course. He built new temples and stone houses. By 1508, a new palace was built, and Vasily III moved his family there.

It is interesting that many historians describe the character of VasilyIII as an arrogant and proud person. He believed in his exclusivity as the ruler of Russia, probably this vanity was instilled in him by his mother, Sophia Paleolog, and his father, IvanIII. He suppressed all resistance in Rus' very harshly, sometimes using cunning and ingenuity. However, there are very few people he has executed. His reign was not like a reign; there was no terror at all. VasilyIII preferred to eliminate his opponents without execution.

The reign of Vasily 3

Based on his political views, Vasily sought to pursue a tough and clear policy. He sometimes consulted with his associates, but made most decisions on his own. But still, the Boyar Duma played an important role in governing the country. The reign of Vasily 3 did not become “disgraced” for the boyars. The Duma met regularly.

At different times, Vasily III's close associates were:

• Vasily Kholmsky;
• Prince of Denmark Puppy;
• Dmitry Fedorovich Volsky;
• Princes from the Penkov family;
• Princes from the Shuisky family and others.

Main events of domestic and foreign policy:

• The confrontation between Moscow and the Crimean Khanate, as a result, Khan Muhammad-Girey went over to the side of Lithuania;
• Strengthening the southern borders, construction of Zaraysk, Tula and Kaluga;
• 1514 capture of Smolensk by the troops of Daniil Shchenya;
• 1518 invitation of a monk from Mount Athos to translate Greek books, Michael Trivolis (Maxim the Greek) arrived;
• 1522 Daniel became the new metropolitan (he replaced the previously removed
• Varlaam);
• Annexation of the Ryazan Principality (1522).

By creating and decorating churches, Vasily Ivanovich adhered to his interests in religion and art. He had excellent taste. In 1515, the Assumption Cathedral was completed on the territory of the Kremlin. When he first visited the cathedral, he noted that he felt great here. Vasily also showed great interest in the Old Russian language, he studied it, and could speak it quite well. And he loved his wife Elena (she was his second wife) and son very much. There are several letters that show how warmly he treated them.

Russia during the reign of Vasily 3

In September 1533, Vasily III visited the Trinity-Sergius Monastery with his wife and children, then he went hunting. Soon after his arrival, Vasily fell ill. A tear formed on the sovereign’s left thigh. The inflammation gradually became larger, and later doctors diagnosed “blood poisoning.” It became clear that the sovereign could no longer be saved. Vasily behaved very courageously in the face of impending death.

The last will of the ruler was:

• Securing the throne to the heir - three years of age;
• Take monastic vows.

No one doubted Ivan’s right to the throne, but many opposed Vasily’s tonsure. But Metropolitan Daniel managed to smooth out this situation, and at the beginning of December, when the sovereign was already very ill, he was tonsured. Then, on December 3, he already passed away.

The reign of Vasily III became an important stage in the final unification of Russian lands and their centralization. Many historians speak of his reign as transitional, but this is far from true.

The reign of Vasily 3 briefly video

Vasily the Third Ivanovich was born on March twenty-fifth, 1479 in the family of Ivan the Third. However, Ivan the Young, his eldest son, was announced as Ivan’s co-ruler back in 1470. There was no hope that Vasily would gain power, but in 1490 Ivan the Young died. Soon Vasily the Third is declared heir. At the same time, he became his father’s official heir only in 1502. At that time, he was already the Grand Duke of Novgorod and Pskov.

Like foreign policy, domestic policy was a natural continuation of the course begun by Ivan the Third, who directed all his actions towards centralizing the state and defending the interests of the Russian church. In addition, his policies led to the annexation of vast territories to Moscow.

So in 1510 Pskov was annexed to the Moscow principality, four years later Smolensk, and in 1521 Ryazan. A year later, the Novgorod-Seversky and Starodub principalities were also annexed. The careful innovative reforms of Vasily the Third led to a significant limitation of the privileges of the princely-boyar families. All important state affairs were now accepted personally by the prince, and he could receive advice only from trusted persons.

The policy of the ruler in question had a clearly defined goal of preserving and protecting the Russian land from regular raids, which periodically occurred “thanks to” the detachments of the Kazan and Crimean Khanates. To resolve this issue, the prince introduced a rather interesting practice, inviting noble Tatars to serve and allocating vast territories for them to rule. In addition, in foreign policy, Vasily the Third was friendly to distant powers, considering the possibility of concluding an anti-Turkish union with the Pope, etc.

During his entire reign, Vasily the Third was married twice. His first wife was Solomonia Saburova, a girl from a noble family of boyars. However, this marriage union did not bring heirs to the prince and was dissolved for this reason in 1525. A year later, the prince marries Elena Glinskaya, who gave him two sons, Yuri and Stepan.

On December 3, 1533, Vasily the Third died of blood poisoning, after which he was buried in the Moscow Kremlin. Historians consider the most important result of the era of his reign to be the unification of the northeastern and northwestern territories of Rus'. After Vasily the Third, his young son Ivan ascended to the Russian throne under the regency of Glinskaya, who became the most famous Tsar of Rus'.

Video lecture by Vasily III:

The ultimate success of the unification of Russian lands in a single state was the achievement of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III Ivanovich (1505-1533). It is no coincidence that the Austrian diplomat Sigismund Herberstein, who visited Russia twice in the first third of the 16th century and left the famous “Notes on Muscovy,” wrote that Vasily III was superior in power to “almost all the monarchs of the whole world.” However, the sovereign was unlucky - the bizarre historical memory, having given due credit to his father and no less rightly cementing the cruel image of his son Ivan the Terrible, did not leave enough free space for Vasily III himself. As if “hovering” between two sovereign Ivans, Vasily III always remained in their shadow. Neither his personality, nor his methods of government, nor the forms of succession in power between Ivan III and Ivan the Terrible have yet been studied sufficiently fully.

Childhood, youth

Vasily III was born on March 25, 1479 and was named in honor of the confessor Vasily of Paria, inheriting one of the traditional names for the Moscow princely family of the Danilovichs. He became the first son from the second marriage of Ivan III to Sophia Paleologus, who came from the Morean line of the dynasty that ruled in Byzantium until 1453. Before Vasily, only girls were born to the grand ducal couple. In later chronicles, a wonderful legend was even recorded about how Sophia, who suffered from the absence of her son, received a sign from the Monk Sergius himself about the birth of the future heir to the throne. However, the long-awaited firstborn was not the main contender for the throne. From his first marriage, Ivan III had an eldest son, Ivan the Young, who was declared co-ruler of Ivan III at least eight years before the birth of Vasily. But in March 1490, Ivan the Young died, and Vasily had a chance. Researchers traditionally talk about the struggle between two court factions, which especially intensified in the second half of the 1490s. One of them relied on the son of Ivan the Young - Dmitry Vnuk, the other promoted Vasily. The balance of power and passion of this struggle is unknown to us, but we know its outcome. Ivan III, who initially declared Dmitry Vnuk as heir and even for some time imprisoned Vasily “for bailiffs in his own court,” changed his anger to mercy in March 1499: Vasily was proclaimed “Sovereign Grand Duke.”

Reign (1505-1533)

Vasily's co-government lasted more than six years. On October 27, 1505, Ivan III passed away, and Vasily became an independent sovereign.

Domestic policy

Fight against destinies

Most of the possessions of the deceased Grand Duke passed to Vasily: 66 cities against 30 that went to the other four sons, and Moscow, which had always been split up between sons, now passed entirely to the eldest heir. The new principles of transfer of power established by Ivan III reflected one of the main trends in the country's political life - the desire for autocracy: the appanage system was not only the main source of strife, but also a serious obstacle to the economic and political unity of the country. Vasily III continued the centralizing policy of his father. Around 1506, the Grand Duke's governor established himself in Perm the Great. In 1510, the formal independence of the Pskov land was abolished. The reason for this was a major clash between the Pskovites and the Grand Duke's governor, Prince Repnin-Obolensky. The Pskov residents’ complaint against the governor’s arbitrariness was not satisfied, but a stunning demand followed: “Otherwise you wouldn’t have had a veche, and naturally they would have removed the veche bell.” Pskov no longer had the strength to reject it. By order of Vasily III, many boyar families and “guests” were evicted from Pskov. In 1521, the Ryazan Principality, which followed Moscow policy for more than half a century, also joined the Grand Duchy of Moscow. The Pskov land and the Ryazan principality were strategically important outskirts in the northwest and southeast, respectively. A sharp strengthening of Moscow’s position here would extremely complicate its relations with its neighbors. Vasily III believed that the existence of buffer vassal lands located on strategically important outskirts was more expedient than their direct inclusion in the state until the state did not have sufficient forces to reliably secure new territories. The Grand Duke fought against the appanages using various methods. Sometimes the appanages were destroyed purposefully (for example, the abolition of the Novgorod-Seversky appanage in 1522, where the grandson of Dmitry Shemyaka, Prince Vasily Ivanovich, ruled), usually Vasily simply forbade his brothers to marry and, therefore, have legitimate heirs. After the death of Vasily III himself in 1533, the inheritance of his second son Yuri, as well as his brother Andrei Staritsky, remained. There also remained several minor fiefs of the Verkhovsky princes, located in the upper reaches of the Oka. But the specific system was essentially overcome.

Local system

Under Vasily III, the local system was strengthened - a mechanism that made it possible to solve two pressing problems facing the state: at that time, the needs of ensuring a combat-ready army were closely intertwined with the need to limit the political and economic independence of the large aristocracy. The essence of the mechanism of local land ownership was the distribution of lands to the “landowners”-nobles for temporary conditional possession for the period of the “princes’ service.” The “landowner” had to perform his service regularly, could lose his land for violating his duties, and had no right to dispose of the lands given to him, which remained the supreme property of the grand dukes. At the same time, social guarantees were introduced: if a “landowner”-noble died in service, the state took care of his family.

Localism

The principle of localism began to play a most important role in the work of the state machine under Vasily III - a system of hierarchy, according to which the highest positions in the army or in the civil service could be filled exclusively in accordance with the birth of the prince or boyar. Although this principle prevented access to the administration of talented managers, it largely made it possible to avoid struggle at the top of the country's political elite, which was rapidly flooded with heterogeneous immigrants from different Russian lands during the formation of a unified Russian state.

" " and "non-possessors"

In the era of Vasily III, the problem of monastic property, primarily the ownership of lands, was actively discussed. Numerous donations to the monasteries led to the fact that by the end of the 15th century, a significant part of the monasteries became wealthy landowners. One solution to the problem was proposed: to use funds to help the suffering, and to make stricter regulations in the monasteries themselves. Another decision came from the Monk Nilus of Sorsky: the monasteries should completely abandon their property, and the monks should live “by their handicrafts.” The grand ducal authorities, interested in the land fund necessary for distribution to estates, also advocated limiting monastery property. At a church council in 1503, Ivan III made an attempt to carry out secularization, but was refused. However, time passed, and the position of the authorities changed. The “Josephite” environment put a lot of effort into developing the concept of a strong state, and Vasily III turned away from the “non-acquisitive”. The final victory of the “Josephites” took place at the council of 1531.

New political theories

Successes in state building, the strengthening of Muscovite self-awareness, and political and ideological necessity gave impetus to the emergence in the era of Vasily III of new political theories designed to explain and justify the special political rights of the Grand Dukes of Moscow. The most famous are “The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir” and the messages of Elder Philotheus to Vasily III about the Third Rome.

Foreign policy

Russo-Lithuanian wars (1507-1508; 1512-22)

During the Russian-Lithuanian wars, Vasily III managed to conquer Smolensk in 1514, one of the largest centers of the Russian-speaking lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Smolensk campaigns were led personally by Vasily III, and in the official chronicle the triumph of Russian weapons will be expressed by the phrase about the liberation of Smolensk from “evil Latin charms and violence.” The crushing defeat of Russian troops in the Battle of Orsha in the fall of 1514 that followed the liberation of Smolensk stopped Moscow’s advance to the West. However, during the military campaigns of 1517 and 1518, Russian commanders managed to defeat the Lithuanian forces near Opochka and Krevo.

Relations with Orthodox peoples

The reign of Vasily III was marked by the deepening of Russia's contacts with Orthodox peoples and lands conquered by the Ottoman Empire, including Mount Athos. The severity of the church schism between the Metropolitanate of All Rus' and the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which began in the middle of the 15th century after the election of the Russian Metropolitan Jonah without the sanction of Constantinople, is also gradually softening. A clear confirmation of this is the message of Patriarch Theoliptus I to Metropolitan Varlaam, compiled in July 1516, in which the patriarch, long before the official adoption of the royal title by the Russian sovereigns, awarded Vasily III with royal dignity - “the highest and shortest king and the great king of all Orthodox lands, Great Rus' "

Russian-Crimean relations

Russian-Crimean relations were not easy. They reached their peak when, in July 1521, Khan Muhammad-Girey made a devastating campaign against Rus' with the goal of “putting an end to the outrageous rebellions of idolaters fierce against Islam.” The southern and central volosts of the Moscow principality (the advanced forces of the Krymchaks reached the outskirts of Moscow) suffered enormous damage. Muhammad-Girey captured a huge full. Since then, the defense of the Coast - the southern border, which ran along the Oka River - has become the most important task of ensuring the security of the state.

Relations with the West

The attempts that began during the time of Ivan III to achieve an alliance with the Grand Duchy of Moscow against the Ottoman Empire continued under Vasily III. The sovereigns invariably emphasized hatred of the infidel “terror” and “enemies of Christ,” but did not enter into an agreement. They equally refused to become subordinate to the “Latins” and did not want to spoil the still quite friendly relations with the Ottoman Empire.

Personal life

In 1505, Vasily III married Solomonia Saburova. For the first time, a representative of a boyar, and not a princely family, became the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow. The couple, who had been married for twenty years, had no children, and Vasily III, who needed an heir, decided to marry a second time. Solomonia was sent to a monastery, and Elena Glinskaya, who came from a family of Lithuanian boyars who went to serve in Moscow, became the new wife of the sovereign. From this marriage the future Tsar of All Rus' Ivan the Terrible was born.

On December 3, 1533, Vasily III died due to a progressive illness that appeared during a hunt. Before his death, he accepted monasticism with the name Varlaam. Soon after the death of the Grand Duke, the most interesting “Tale of the Illness and Death of Vasily III” was created - a chronicle of the last weeks of the sovereign’s life.

Vasily Ivanovich
(at baptism the name Gabriel was given)
Years of life: March 25, 1479 - December 4, 1533
Reign: 1505-1533

From the family of Moscow Grand Dukes.

Russian Tsar. Grand Duke of Moscow and All Rus' in 1505-1533.
Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir.

Eldest son of Sophia Palaiologos, niece of the last Byzantine emperor.

Vasily III Ivanovich - short biography

According to existing marriage arrangements, the children of the Grand Duke of Moscow and the Byzantine princess Sophia could not occupy the Moscow throne. But Sophia Paleologue did not want to come to terms with this. In the winter of 1490, when the heir to the throne, Ivan the Young (the eldest son from his first marriage), fell ill, a doctor was called in on Sophia’s advice, but he died 2 months later. Poisoning was suspected at court, but only the doctor was executed. The new heir to the throne was the son of the deceased heir, Dmitry.

On the eve of Dmitry's 15th birthday, Sophia Paleologue and her son hatched a plot to kill the official heir to the throne. But the boyars exposed the conspirators. Some supporters of Sophia Paleolog were executed, and Vasily Ivanovich was put under house arrest. With great difficulty, Sophia managed to restore a good relationship with her husband. The father and his son were forgiven.

Soon the positions of Sophia and her son became so strong that Dmitry himself and his mother Elena Voloshanka fell into disgrace. Vasily was proclaimed heir to the throne. Until the death of the Grand Duke of Moscow, Vasily Ivanovich was considered the Grand Duke of Novgorod, and in 1502 he also received from his father the great reign of Vladimir.

Prince Vasily III Ivanovich

In 1505, the dying father asked his sons to make peace, but as soon as Vasily Ivanovich became the Grand Duke, he immediately ordered Dmitry to be put in a dungeon, where he died in 1508. The accession of Vasily III Ivanovich to the grand-ducal throne caused discontent among many boyars.

Like his father, he continued the policy of “gathering lands”, strengthening
grand ducal power. During his reign, Pskov (1510), the Ryazan and Uglich principalities (1512), Volotsk (1513), Smolensk (1514), Kaluga (1518), and the Novgorod-Seversky principality (1523) were ceded to Moscow.

The successes of Vasily Ivanovich and his sister Elena were reflected in the treaty between Moscow and Lithuania and Poland in 1508, according to which Moscow retained his father’s acquisitions in the western lands beyond Moscow.

Since 1507, constant raids of the Crimean Tatars on Rus' began (1507, 1516–1518 and 1521). The Moscow ruler had difficulty negotiating peace with Khan Mengli-Girey.

Later, joint raids of Kazan and Crimean Tatars on Moscow began. The Prince of Moscow in 1521 decided to build fortified cities in the area of ​​the “wild field” (in particular, Vasilsursk) and the Great Zasechnaya Line (1521–1523) in order to strengthen the borders. He also invited Tatar princes to Moscow service, giving them vast lands.

Chronicles indicate that Prince Vasily III Ivanovich received the ambassadors of Denmark, Sweden, and Turkey, and discussed with the Pope the possibility of war against Turkey. At the end of the 1520s. relations between Muscovy and France began; in 1533, ambassadors arrived from Sultan Babur, a Hindu sovereign. Trade relations connected Moscow with Italy and Austria.

Politics during the reign of Vasily III Ivanovich

In his domestic policy, he enjoyed the support of the Church in the fight against the feudal opposition. The landed nobility also increased, and the authorities actively limited the privileges of the boyars.

Years of reign of Vasily III Ivanovich was marked by the rise of Russian culture and the widespread spread of the Moscow style of literary writing. Under him, the Moscow Kremlin turned into an impregnable fortress.

According to the stories of his contemporaries, the prince was of a harsh disposition and did not leave a grateful memory of his reign in folk poetry.

The Grand Duke of Moscow and All Rus' Vasily Ivanovich died on December 4, 1533 from blood poisoning, which was caused by an abscess on his left thigh. In agony, he managed to become a monk under the name of Varlaam. He was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 3-year-old Ivan IV (the future Tsar the Terrible) was declared heir to the throne. son of Vasily Ivanovich, and Elena Glinskaya was appointed regent.

Vasily was married twice.
His wives:
Saburova Solomonia Yuryevna (from September 4, 1506 to November 1525).
Glinskaya Elena Vasilievna (from January 21, 1526).