Sofia Paleolog: biography
Most historians agree that the grandmother of Ivan the Terrible, the Grand Duchess of Moscow Sophia (Zoya) Paleolog played a huge role in the formation of the Moscow kingdom. Many consider her the author of the concept "Moscow - the third Rome". And together with Zoya Palaiolognea, a double-headed eagle appeared. At first, it was the family coat of arms of her dynasty, and then migrated to the coat of arms of all the tsars and Russian emperors.
Zoya Paleolog was born (presumably) in 1455 in Morea (as the current Greek peninsula of the Peloponnese was called in the Middle Ages). The daughter of the Despot of Morea, Thomas Palaiologos, was born in a tragic and critical time - the time of the fall of the Byzantine Empire.
Sofia Paleolog |
After the capture of Constantinople by the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II and the death of Emperor Constantine, Thomas Palaiologos fled to Corfu with his wife Catherine of Achaia and their children. From there he moved to Rome, where he was forced to convert to Catholicism. Thomas died in May 1465. His death happened shortly after the death of his wife in the same year. Children, Zoya and her brothers - 5-year-old Manuel and 7-year-old Andrei, moved to Rome after the death of their parents.
The education of orphans was taken up by the Greek scientist, Uniate Vissarion of Nicaea, who served as a cardinal under Pope Sixtus IV (it was he who became the customer of the famous Sistine Chapel). In Rome, the Greek princess Zoe Palaiologos and her brothers were brought up in the Catholic faith. The cardinal took care of the maintenance of the children and their education. It is known that Bessarion of Nicaea, with the permission of the pope, paid for the modest court of the young Palaiologos, which included servants, a doctor, two professors of Latin and Greek, translators and priests.
Sophia Paleolog received a fairly solid education for those times.
Grand Duchess of Moscow
Sofia Paleolog (painting) http://www.russdom.ru
When Sophia came of age, the Venetian Signoria took care of her marriage. To take a noble girl as a wife was first offered to the King of Cyprus, Jacques II de Lusignan. But he refused this marriage, fearing a conflict with the Ottoman Empire. A year later, in 1467, Cardinal Vissarion, at the request of Pope Paul II, offered the hand of a noble Byzantine beauty to the prince and Italian nobleman Caracciolo. A solemn betrothal took place, but for unknown reasons, the marriage was canceled.
There is a version that Sophia secretly communicated with the Athonite elders and adhered to the Orthodox faith. She herself made efforts not to marry a non-Christian, frustrating all marriages offered to her.
Sofia Paleolog. (Fyodor Bronnikov. “Meeting of Princess Sophia Paleolog by Pskov posadniks and boyars at the mouth of the Embakh on Lake Peipsi”)
In the turning point for the life of Sophia Paleolog in 1467, the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Maria Borisovna died. In this marriage, the only son Ivan Young was born. Pope Paul II, counting on the spread of Catholicism to Moscow, offered the widowed sovereign of all Russia to marry his ward.
After 3 years of negotiations, Ivan III, having asked for advice from his mother, Metropolitan Philip and the boyars, decided to marry. It is noteworthy that the papal negotiators prudently kept silent about the transition of Sophia Palaiologos to Catholicism. Moreover, they reported that the proposed wife of Paleologne is an Orthodox Christian. They didn't even know it was true.
Sophia Paleolog: wedding with John III. 19th century engraving | AiF
In June 1472, in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome, the correspondence betrothal of Ivan III and Sophia Palaiologos took place. After that, the convoy of the bride left Rome for Moscow. The bride was accompanied by the same Cardinal Wisssarion.
Bologna chroniclers described Sophia as a rather attractive person. She looked 24 years old, she had snow-white skin and incredibly beautiful and expressive eyes. Her height was no higher than 160 cm. The future wife of the Russian sovereign had a dense physique.
There is a version that in the dowry of Sophia Paleolog, in addition to clothes and jewelry, there were many valuable books that later formed the basis of the mysteriously disappeared library of Ivan the Terrible. Among them were the treatises of Plato and Aristotle, the unknown poems of Homer.
At the end of a long route that ran through Germany and Poland, the Roman escorts of Sophia Palaiologos realized that their desire, through the marriage of Ivan III to Palaiologos, to spread (or at least bring closer) Catholicism to Orthodoxy was defeated. Zoya, who had barely left Rome, showed her firm intention to return to the faith of her ancestors - Christianity.
The main achievement of Sophia Paleolog, which turned into a huge boon for Russia, is considered to be her influence on her husband's decision to refuse to pay tribute to the Golden Horde. Thanks to his wife, Ivan the Third finally dared to throw off the centuries-old Tatar-Mongol yoke, although local princes and the elite offered to continue paying dues in order to avoid bloodshed.
Personal life
Evgeny Tsyganov and Maria Andreichenko in the film "Sofia Paleolog"
Apparently, the personal life of Sophia Paleolog with Grand Duke Ivan III was successful. In this marriage, considerable offspring were born - 5 sons and 4 daughters. But the existence of the new Grand Duchess Sophia in Moscow can hardly be called cloudless. The boyars saw the enormous influence that the wife had on her husband. Many people didn't like it. Rumor has it that the princess had a bad relationship with the heir, born in the previous marriage of Ivan III, Ivan the Young. Moreover, there is a version that Sophia was involved in the poisoning of Ivan Molodoy and the further removal of his wife Elena Voloshanka and son Dmitry from power.
Evgeny Tsyganov and Maria Andreichenko in the film "Sofia Paleolog" | Region.Moscow
Be that as it may, Sophia Paleolog had a huge impact on the entire subsequent history of Russia, on its culture and architecture. She was the mother of the heir to the throne, Vasily III, and the grandmother of Ivan the Terrible. According to some reports, the grandson had a considerable resemblance to his wise Byzantine grandmother.
Maria Andreichenko in the film "Sofia Paleolog"
Death
Sofia Palaiologos, Grand Duchess of Moscow, died on April 7, 1503. Husband, Ivan III, survived his wife only 2 years.
Sophia was buried next to the previous wife of Ivan III in the sarcophagus of the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral. The cathedral was destroyed in 1929. But the remains of the women of the royal house survived - they were transferred to the underground chamber of the Archangel Cathedral.
What did Sophia Paleolog do? Sophia Paleolog a brief biography of the famous Greek princess will tell about her contribution to history.
Sophia Paleolog biography the most important thing
Sophia Paleolog is an outstanding woman in Russian history. Sophia Paleolog is the second wife of Grand Duke Ivan III, as well as the mother of Vasily III and the grandmother of Ivan IV the Terrible. Her exact date of birth is unknown, but scholars suggest that she was born around 1455.
In 1469, the Great Moscow Prince Ivan III, who by this time had been a widower for two years, decided to marry again. But he could not decide on the role of the bride. Pope Paul II invited him to marry Sophia. After much deliberation, he was seduced by her title of Greek princess. The wedding of crowned individuals took place in 1472. The ceremony took place in the Assumption Cathedral, the couple was married by Metropolitan Philip.
Sophia was very happy in a marriage in which 9 children were born - four daughters and five sons. For the Grand Duchess of Greek origin, separate mansions were built in Moscow, which, unfortunately, perished during a fire in 1493.
Sophia Paleolog what did she do? According to contemporaries, Sophia Paleolog was a smart woman who skillfully directed her husband to actions. There is an opinion that it was Sophia who pushed Ivan III to the decision not to pay tribute to the Tatars.
With the advent of Sophia and her children at the Moscow court, real dynastic strife began in the city. Ivan III had a son, Ivan Young from his first marriage, who was supposed to inherit the throne. Sophia's son, Vasily, it seemed, was not destined to be the heir to his father's power.
But fate decreed otherwise. Ivan Young, who already had a family and a son, received the Tver lands, but suddenly fell ill and died. After that, rumors circulated for a long time that he had been poisoned. Sophia's son Vasily Ivanovich remained the only heir of Ivan III.
The attitude towards the wife of Ivan III in the princely environment was different. One of the nobility revered the Grand Duchess, respected her for her mind, while the other considered her very proud, not considering anyone's opinion, and the third side was convinced that with the advent of the Greek princess in Moscow, Prince Ivan III because of her "changed the old customs ".
Sophia Palaiologos died two years before the death of her husband in 1503. Until the end of her life, she considered herself a princess of Tsaregorod, a Greek, and only then the Grand Duchess of Moscow.
The sudden death of the first wife of Ivan III, Princess Maria Borisovna, on April 22, 1467, made the Grand Duke of Moscow think about a new marriage. The widowed grand duke opted for the Fechian princess Sophia Palaiologos, who lived in Rome and was known as a Catholic. Some historians believe that the idea of the "Roman-Byzantine" marriage union was born in Rome, others prefer Moscow, others - Vilna or Krakow.
Sophia (in Rome she was called Zoe) Palaiologos was the daughter of the Morean despot Thomas Palaiologos and was the niece of Emperors Constantine XI and John VIII. Despina Zoya spent her childhood in Morea and on the island of Corfu. She came to Rome with her brothers Andrei and Manuel after the death of her father in May 1465. The paleologists came under the auspices of Cardinal Bessarion, who retained sympathy for the Greeks. The Patriarch of Constantinople and Cardinal Vissarion tried to renew the union with Russia with the help of marriage.
Arriving in Moscow from Italy on February 11, 1469, Yuri Grek brought Ivan III a certain “leaf”. In this message, the author of which, apparently, was Pope Paul II himself, and the co-author was Cardinal Bessarion, the Grand Duke was informed about the stay in Rome of a noble bride devoted to Orthodoxy, Sophia Palaiologos. Dad promised Ivan his support in case he wants to woo her.
In Moscow, they did not like to rush into important matters, and they pondered over the new news from Rome for four months. Finally, all reflections, doubts and preparations were left behind. January 16, 1472 Moscow ambassadors set off on a long journey.
In Rome, the Muscovites were honorably received by the new Pope Gikctom IV. As a gift from Ivan III, the ambassadors presented the pontiff with sixty selected sable skins. From now on, the case quickly went to completion. A week later, Sixtus IV in St. Peter's Cathedral performs a solemn ceremony of Sophia's absentee betrothal to the Moscow sovereign.
At the end of June 1472, the bride, accompanied by Moscow ambassadors, the papal legate and a large retinue, went to Moscow. At parting, the Pope gave her a long audience and his blessing. He ordered to arrange magnificent crowded meetings everywhere for Sofya and her retinue.
Sophia Paleolog arrived in Moscow on November 12, 1472, and her wedding with Ivan III took place right there. What is the reason for the rush? It turns out that the next day the memory of St. John Chrysostom, the heavenly patron of the Moscow sovereign, was celebrated. From now on, the family happiness of Prince Ivan was given under the patronage of the great saint.
Sophia became a full-fledged Grand Duchess of Moscow.
The very fact that Sophia agreed to go to seek her fortune from Rome to distant Moscow suggests that she was a brave, energetic and adventurous woman. In Moscow, she was expected not only by the honors rendered to the Grand Duchess, but also by the hostility of the local clergy and the heir to the throne. At every step she had to defend her rights.
Ivan, for all his love of luxury, was thrifty to the point of stinginess. He saved literally everything. Growing up in a completely different environment, Sophia Paleolog, on the contrary, strove to shine and show generosity. This was required by her ambition of a Byzantine princess, the niece of the last emperor. In addition, generosity made it possible to make friends among the Moscow nobility.
But the best way to assert yourself was, of course, childbearing. The Grand Duke wanted to have sons. Sophia herself wanted this. However, to the delight of ill-wishers, she gave birth to three daughters in a row - Elena (1474), Theodosia (1475) and again Elena (1476). Sophia prayed to God and all the saints for the gift of a son.
Finally, her request was granted. On the night of March 25-26, 1479, a boy was born, named after his grandfather Vasily. (For his mother, he always remained Gabriel - in honor of the Archangel Gabriel.) Happy parents connected the birth of their son with last year's pilgrimage and fervent prayer at the tomb of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the Trinity Monastery. Sophia said that when approaching the monastery, the great old man himself appeared to her, holding a boy in his arms.
Following Vasily, she had two more sons (Yuri and Dmitry), then two daughters (Elena and Feodosia), then three more sons (Semyon, Andrei and Boris) and the last, in 1492, a daughter, Evdokia.
But now the question inevitably arose about the future fate of Vasily and his brothers. The heir to the throne remained the son of Ivan III and Maria Borisovna, Ivan Molodoy, whose son Dmitry was born on October 10, 1483, in marriage with Elena Voloshanka. In the event of the death of the Sovereign, he would not hesitate in one way or another to get rid of Sophia and her family. The best they could hope for was exile or exile. At the thought of this, the Greek woman was seized with rage and impotent despair.
In the winter of 1490, Sophia's brother, Andrei Paleologus, came to Moscow from Rome. Together with him, the Moscow ambassadors who traveled to Italy returned. They brought to the Kremlin a lot of all kinds of craftsmen. One of them, a visiting doctor Leon, volunteered to heal Prince Ivan the Young of a leg disease. But when he put jars to the prince and gave his potions (from which he could hardly die), a certain malefactor added poison to these potions. On March 7, 1490, 32-year-old Ivan the Young died.
This whole story gave rise to many rumors in Moscow and throughout Russia. Hostile relations between Ivan the Young and Sophia Paleolog were well known. The Greek woman did not enjoy the love of Muscovites. It is quite clear that rumor attributed to her the murder of Ivan the Young. In The History of the Grand Duke of Moscow, Prince Kurbsky directly accused Ivan III of poisoning his own son, Ivan the Young. Yes, such a turn of events opened the way to the throne for the children of Sophia. Sovereign himself found himself in an extremely difficult position. Probably, in this intrigue, Ivan III, who ordered his son to use the services of a vain doctor, turned out to be only a blind tool in the hands of a cunning Greek woman.
After the death of Ivan the Young, the question of the heir to the throne escalated. There were two candidates: the son of Ivan the Young - Dmitry and the eldest son of Ivan III and Sophia
Paleolog - Vasily. The claims of Dmitry the grandson were reinforced by the fact that his father was the officially proclaimed Grand Duke - co-ruler of Ivan III and heir to the throne.
The sovereign was faced with a painful choice: to send either his wife and son to prison, or his daughter-in-law and grandson ... The murder of an opponent has always been the usual price of supreme power.
In the autumn of 1497, Ivan III leaned over to the side of Dmitry. He ordered to prepare for the grandson a solemn "marriage to the kingdom." Upon learning of this, the supporters of Sophia and Prince Vasily made a conspiracy that included the murder of Dmitry, as well as Vasily's flight to Beloozero (from where the road to Novgorod opened in front of him), the seizure of the grand ducal treasury stored in Vologda and Beloozero. However, already in December, Ivan arrested all the conspirators, including Vasily.
The investigation revealed the involvement in the conspiracy of Sophia Paleolog. It is possible that she was the organizer of the enterprise. Sophia got the poison and waited for the right opportunity to poison Dmitry.
On Sunday, February 4, 1498, 14-year-old Dmitry was solemnly declared heir to the throne in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Sophia Paleolog and her son Vasily were absent from this coronation. It seemed that their case was finally lost. The courtiers rushed to please Elena Stefanovna and her crowned son. However, the crowd of flatterers soon retreated in bewilderment. Sovereign did not give Dmitry real power, giving him control over only some northern counties.
Ivan III continued to painfully seek a way out of the dynastic impasse. Now his original plan did not seem successful. The Sovereign felt sorry for his young sons Vasily, Yuri, Dmitry Zhilka, Semyon, Andrey ... And he lived together with Princess Sophia for a quarter of a century ... Ivan III understood that sooner or later Sophia's sons would revolt. There were only two ways to prevent the performance: either destroy the second family, or bequeath the throne to Vasily and destroy the family of Ivan the Young.
Sovereign this time chose the second path. On March 21, 1499, he "granted ... the son of his prince Vasil Ivanovich, named him the sovereign of the Grand Duke, gave him Great Novgorod and Pskov to the Grand Duchy." As a result, three great princes appeared in Russia at once: father, son and grandson!
On Thursday, February 13, 1500, a magnificent wedding was played in Moscow. Ivan III gave his 14-year-old daughter Theodosius in marriage to Prince Vasily Danilovich Kholmsky, the son of the famous commander and leader of the Tver "fellowship" in Moscow. This marriage contributed to the rapprochement between the children of Sophia Paleolog and the top of the Moscow nobility. Unfortunately, exactly one year later Theodosius died.
The denouement of the family drama came only two years later. “The same spring (1502) the prince of great April And on Monday put disgrace on the grandson of his Grand Duke Dmitry and on his mother on the Grand Duchess Elena, and from that day he did not order them to be remembered in litanies and litias, nor called the Grand Duke, and put them on the bailiffs." Three days later, Ivan III "granted his son Vasily, blessed and planted autocrat on the Grand Duchy of Volodimer and Moscow and All Russia, with the blessing of Simon, Metropolitan of All Russia."
Exactly one year after these events, on April 7, 1503, Sophia Paleolog died. The body of the Grand Duchess was buried in the cathedral of the Kremlin Ascension Monastery. She was buried next to the grave of the Tsar's first wife, Princess Maria Borisovna of Tver.
Soon the health of Ivan III himself deteriorated. On Thursday, September 21, 1503, he, together with the heir to the throne, Vasily and his younger sons, went on a pilgrimage to the northern monasteries. However, the saints were no longer inclined to help the penitent sovereign. Upon returning from the pilgrimage, Ivan was stricken with paralysis: "... took away his arm and leg and eye." Ivan III died on October 27, 1505.
Grand Duchess Sophia (1455-1503) from the Greek Palaiologos dynasty was the wife of Ivan III. She came from a family of Byzantine emperors. Marriage with the Greek princess, Ivan Vasilyevich emphasized the connection between his own power and that of Constantinople. Once Byzantium gave Russia Christianity. The marriage of Ivan and Sofia closed this historical circle. Their son Basil III and his heirs considered themselves the successors of the Greek emperors. In order to transfer power to her own son, Sophia had to wage many years of dynastic struggle.
Origin
The exact date of birth of Sophia Palaiologos is unknown. She was born around 1455 in the Greek city of Mistra. The girl's father was Thomas Paleolog - the brother of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI. He ruled the Despotate of Morea, located on the Peloponnese peninsula. Sophia's mother, Catherine of Achaia, was the daughter of the Frankish prince Achaia Centurione II (Italian by birth). The Catholic ruler was in conflict with Thomas and lost a decisive war to him, as a result of which he lost his own possessions. As a sign of victory, as well as the accession of Achaea, the Greek despot married Catherine.
The fate of Sophia Paleolog was determined by the dramatic events that happened shortly before her birth. In 1453 the Turks captured Constantinople. This event was the end of the thousand-year history of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. Having occupied the city, the Turks opened their way to the Balkans and the Old World as a whole.
If the Ottomans defeated the emperor, then the other princes did not pose a threat to them at all. The Despotate of Morea was already captured in 1460. Thomas managed to take his family and flee from the Peloponnese. First, the Palaiologoi came to Corfu, then moved to Rome. The choice was logical. Italy became a new home for many thousands of Greeks who did not want to remain under Muslim citizenship.
The girl's parents died almost simultaneously in 1465. After their death, the story of Sophia Paleologus turned out to be closely connected with the story of her brothers Andrei and Manuel. The young Palaiologos were sheltered by Pope Sixtus IV. In order to enlist his support and ensure a peaceful future for the children, Thomas converted to Catholicism shortly before his death, abandoning the Greek Orthodox faith.
Life in Rome
Sophia was taught by the Greek scientist and humanist Vissarion of Nicaea. Most of all, he was famous for the fact that he became the author of the project for the union of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, concluded in 1439. For a successful reunion (Byzantium made this deal, being on the verge of death and hoping in vain for the help of Europeans), Bessarion received the rank of cardinal. Now he became the teacher of Sophia Palaiologos and her brothers.
The biography of the future Moscow Grand Duchess from an early age bore the seal of Greco-Roman duality, of which Bessarion of Nicaea was an adept. In Italy, she always had an interpreter with her. Two professors taught her Greek and Latin. Sophia Palaiologos and her brothers were supported by the Holy See. Papa gave them more than 3,000 crowns a year. Money was spent on servants, clothes, a doctor, etc.
The fate of the brothers Sophia has developed in the opposite way from each other. As the eldest son of Thomas, Andrew was considered the legal heir to the entire Palaiologos dynasty. He tried to sell his status to several European kings, hoping that they would help him regain the throne. The crusade did not happen. Andrew died in poverty. Manuel returned to his historical homeland. In Constantinople, he began to serve the Turkish Sultan Bayezid II, and according to some sources, even converted to Islam.
As a representative of the extinct imperial dynasty, Sophia Paleologus from Byzantium was one of the most enviable brides in Europe. However, none of the Catholic monarchs with whom they tried to negotiate in Rome agreed to marry the girl. Even the glory of the name of the Palaiologos could not overshadow the danger posed by the Ottomans. It is known for sure that Sophia's patrons began to marry her to the Cypriot king Jacques II, but he answered with a firm refusal. Another time, the Roman Pontiff Paul II himself offered the girl's hand to the influential Italian aristocrat Caracciolo, but this attempt to marry failed.
Embassy to Ivan III
Moscow learned about Sophia in 1469, when the Greek diplomat Yuri Trakhaniot arrived in the Russian capital. He proposed to the recently widowed, but still very young Ivan III, a project of marriage with the princess. The Roman Epistle delivered by a foreign guest was composed by Pope Paul II. The pontiff promised Ivan support if he wanted to marry Sophia.
What made Roman diplomacy turn to the Grand Duke of Moscow? In the 15th century, after a long period of political fragmentation and the Mongol yoke, Russia reunited and became the largest European power. In the Old World there were legends about the wealth and power of Ivan III. In Rome, many influential people hoped for the help of the Grand Duke in the struggle of Christians against Turkish expansion.
One way or another, but Ivan III agreed and decided to continue negotiations. His mother Maria Yaroslavna favorably reacted to the "Roman-Byzantine" candidacy. Ivan III, despite his tough temper, was afraid of his mother and always listened to her opinion. At the same time, the figure of Sophia Palaiologos, whose biography was associated with the Latins, did not like the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Philip. Realizing his impotence, he did not oppose the Moscow sovereign and distanced himself from the upcoming wedding.
Wedding
The Moscow embassy arrived in Rome in May 1472. The delegation was headed by the Italian Gian Batista della Volpe, known in Russia as Ivan Fryazin. The ambassadors were met by Pope Sixtus IV, who shortly before had succeeded the deceased Paul II. As a sign of gratitude for the hospitality, the pontiff received a large amount of sable fur as a gift.
Only a week passed, and a solemn ceremony was held in the main Roman Cathedral of St. Peter, at which Sophia Palaiologos and Ivan III got engaged in absentia. Volpe was in the role of the groom. Preparing for an important event, the ambassador made a serious mistake. The Catholic rite required the use of wedding rings, but Volpe did not prepare them. The scandal was hushed up. All the influential organizers of the engagement wanted to complete it safely and turned a blind eye to the formalities.
In the summer of 1472, Sophia Paleolog, along with her own retinue, the papal legate and Moscow ambassadors, set off on a long journey. At parting, she met with the pontiff, who gave the bride his final blessing. Of several routes, Sofia's satellites chose the path through Northern Europe and the Baltic. The Greek princess crossed the entire Old World, arriving from Rome to Lübeck. Sophia Palaiologos from Byzantium adequately endured the hardships of a long journey - such trips were not the first time for her. At the insistence of the pope, all Catholic cities organized a warm welcome for the embassy. By sea, the girl reached Tallinn. This was followed by Yuriev, Pskov, followed by Novgorod. Sophia Paleolog, whose appearance was reconstructed by specialists in the 20th century, surprised Russians with her alien southern appearance and unfamiliar habits. Everywhere the future Grand Duchess was greeted with bread and salt.
On November 12, 1472, Princess Sophia Paleolog arrived in the long-awaited Moscow. The wedding ceremony with Ivan III took place on the same day. The rush had an understandable reason. The arrival of Sophia coincided with the celebration of the day of memory of John Chrysostom - the patron saint of the Grand Duke. So the Moscow sovereign gave his marriage under heavenly protection.
For the Orthodox Church, the fact that Sophia is the second wife of Ivan III was reprehensible. The priest who would crown such a marriage had to risk his reputation. In addition, the attitude towards the bride as someone else's Latina was entrenched in conservative circles from her very appearance in Moscow. That is why Metropolitan Philip shied away from the obligation to conduct a wedding. Instead of him, the ceremony was led by Archpriest Hosea of Kolomna.
Sophia Palaiologos, whose religion remained Orthodox even during her stay in Rome, nevertheless arrived with a papal legate. This messenger, traveling along Russian roads, defiantly carried a large Catholic crucifix in front of him. Under pressure from Metropolitan Philip, Ivan Vasilyevich made it clear to the legate that he was not going to tolerate such behavior, embarrassing his Orthodox subjects. The conflict was settled, but the "Roman glory" haunted Sophia until the end of her days.
Historical role
Together with Sophia, her Greek retinue arrived in Russia. Ivan III was very interested in the heritage of Byzantium. Marriage with Sophia became a signal for many other Greeks wandering in Europe. A stream of co-religionists aspired to settle in the possessions of the Grand Duke.
What did Sofia Palaiologos do for Russia? She opened it to Europeans. Not only Greeks, but also Italians went to Muscovy. Masters and learned people were especially valued. Ivan III took care of Italian architects (for example, Aristotle Fioravanti), who built a large number of masterpieces of architecture in Moscow. For Sophia herself, a separate courtyard and mansions were built. They burned down in 1493 during a terrible fire. Together with them, the treasury of the Grand Duchess was lost.
In the days of standing on the Ugra
In 1480, Ivan III went to aggravate the conflict with the Tatar Khan Akhmat. The result of this conflict is known - after the bloodless standing on the Ugra, the Horde left the borders of Russia and never again demanded tribute from it. Ivan Vasilievich managed to throw off a long-term yoke. However, before Akhmat left the possessions of the Moscow prince in disgrace, the situation seemed uncertain. Fearing an attack on the capital, Ivan III organized Sophia's departure with their children to White Lake. Together with his wife was the grand ducal treasury. If Akhmat captured Moscow, she had to run further north closer to the sea.
The decision to evacuate, which was made by Ivan 3 and Sophia Paleolog, caused outrage among the people. Muscovites with pleasure began to recall the "Roman" origin of the princess. Sarcastic descriptions of the empress' flight to the north have been preserved in some chronicles, for example, in the Rostov Vault. Nevertheless, all the reproaches of contemporaries were immediately forgotten after the news came to Moscow that Akhmat and his army decided to retreat from the Ugra and return to the steppes. Sophia from the Palaiologos family arrived in Moscow a month later.
Heir problem
Ivan and Sofia had 12 children. Half of them died in childhood or infancy. The rest of the grown-up children of Sophia Paleolog also left behind offspring, but the branch of the Rurikids, which began from the marriage of Ivan and the Greek princess, died out around the middle of the 17th century. The Grand Duke also had a son from his first marriage with the Tver princess. Named after his father, he is remembered as Ivan Mladoy. According to the law of seniority, it was this prince who was to become the heir to the Moscow state. Of course, Sophia did not like this scenario, who wanted power to pass to her son Vasily. A loyal group of court nobility formed around her, supporting the claims of the princess. However, for the time being, she could not influence the dynastic issue in any way.
Since 1477, Ivan Mladoy was considered the co-ruler of his father. He participated in standing on the Ugra and gradually learned the princely duties. For many years, Ivan the Younger's position as the rightful heir was undeniable. However, in 1490 he fell ill with gout. There was no cure for "aching legs". Then the Italian doctor Mister Leon was discharged from Venice. He undertook to cure the heir and vouched for the success with his own head. Leon used rather strange methods. He gave Ivan a certain potion and burned his feet with red-hot glass vessels. Treatment only made the disease worse. In 1490, Ivan the Younger died in terrible agony at the age of 32. In anger, the husband of Sophia Paleologus imprisoned the Venetian, and after a few weeks he executed him in public.
Conflict with Elena
The death of Ivan the Younger brought Sofia little closer to fulfilling her dream. The deceased heir was married to the daughter of the Moldavian sovereign, Elena Stefanovna, and had a son, Dmitry. Now Ivan III faced a difficult choice. On the one hand, he had a grandson Dmitry, and on the other, a son from Sofia, Vasily.
For several years, the Grand Duke continued to waver. The boyars split again. Some supported Elena, others - Sofia. The first supporters had much more. Many influential Russian aristocrats and nobles did not like the story of Sophia Palaiologos. Some continued to reproach her for her past with Rome. In addition, Sofia herself tried to surround herself with her native Greeks, which did not benefit her popularity.
On the side of Elena and her son Dmitry was a good memory of Ivan Mlad. Basil's supporters resisted: he was a descendant of the Byzantine emperors by his mother! Elena and Sofia were worth each other. Both of them were distinguished by ambition and cunning. Although the women observed palace decency, their mutual hatred of each other was not a secret to the princely entourage.
Opala
In 1497, Ivan III became aware of a conspiracy being prepared behind his back. Young Vasily fell under the influence of several careless boyars. Fedor Stromilov stood out among them. This clerk was able to assure Vasily that Ivan was about to officially declare Dmitry as his heir. Reckless boyars offered to get rid of a competitor or seize the sovereign's treasury in Vologda. The number of like-minded people involved in the venture continued to grow until Ivan III himself found out about the conspiracy.
As always, the Grand Duke, terrible in anger, ordered the execution of the main noble conspirators, including the deacon Stromilov. Basil escaped the dungeon, but guards were assigned to him. Sophia also fell into disgrace. Rumors reached her husband that she was bringing imaginary witches to her and was trying to get a potion to poison Elena or Dmitry. These women were found and drowned in the river. The sovereign forbade his wife to catch his eye. To top it off, Ivan really declared his fifteen-year-old grandson to be his official heir.
The fight goes on
In February 1498, celebrations were held in Moscow on the occasion of the coronation of young Dmitry. The ceremony in the Assumption Cathedral was attended by all the boyars and members of the grand ducal family, with the exception of Vasily and Sophia. The disgraced relatives of the Grand Duke were defiantly not invited to the coronation. They put on Dmitry the Cap of Monomakh, and Ivan III arranged a grand feast in honor of his grandson.
Elena's party could triumph - it was her long-awaited triumph. However, even supporters of Dmitry and his mother could not feel too confident. Ivan III has always been impulsive. Because of his tough temper, he could disgrace anyone, including his wife, but nothing guaranteed that the Grand Duke would not change his preferences.
A year has passed since Dmitry's coronation. Unexpectedly, the favor of the sovereign returned to Sophia and her eldest son. There is no evidence in the annals that speaks of the reasons that prompted Ivan to reconcile with his wife. One way or another, but the Grand Duke ordered to reconsider the case against his wife. Upon re-investigation, new circumstances of the court struggle were revealed. Some denunciations against Sophia and Vasily turned out to be false.
The sovereign accused the most influential defenders of Elena and Dmitry, princes Ivan Patrikeev and Simeon Ryapolovsky, of slander. The first of them was the chief military adviser to the Moscow ruler for more than thirty years. Ryapolovsky's father defended Ivan Vasilyevich as a child, when he was in danger from Dmitry Shemyaka during the last Russian internecine war. These great merits of the nobles and their families did not save them.
Six weeks after the boyar disgrace, Ivan, who had already returned his favor to Sophia, declared their son Vasily the Prince of Novgorod and Pskov. Dmitry was still considered the heir, but the members of the court, sensing the change in mood of the sovereign, began to leave Elena and her child. Fearing to repeat the fate of Patrikeyev and Ryapolovsky, other aristocrats began to demonstrate loyalty to Sophia and Vasily.
Triumph and death
Three more years passed, and finally, in 1502, the struggle between Sophia and Helen ended in the fall of the latter. Ivan ordered that guards be assigned to Dmitry and his mother, then he sent them to prison and officially deprived his grandson of grand ducal dignity. Then the sovereign declared Vasily his heir. Sophia was jubilant. Not a single boyar dared to contradict the decision of the Grand Duke, although many continued to sympathize with the eighteen-year-old Dmitry. Ivan was not even stopped by a quarrel with his faithful and important ally - Elena's father and the Moldavian ruler Stefan, who hated the owner of the Kremlin for the suffering of his daughter and grandson.
Sophia Paleolog, whose biography was a series of ups and downs, managed to achieve the main goal of her life shortly before her own death. She died at the age of 48 on April 7, 1503. The Grand Duchess was buried in a white stone sarcophagus placed in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral. Sophia's grave was next to the grave of Ivan's first wife, Maria Borisovna. In 1929, the Bolsheviks destroyed the Ascension Cathedral, and the remains of the Grand Duchess were transferred to the Archangel Cathedral.
For Ivan, the death of his wife was a strong blow. He was already over 60. In mourning, the Grand Duke visited several Orthodox monasteries, where he diligently indulged in prayers. The last years of their life together were overshadowed by the disgrace and mutual suspicions of the spouses. Nevertheless, Ivan III always appreciated Sophia's mind and her help in public affairs. After the loss of his wife, the Grand Duke, feeling the proximity of his own death, made a will. Basil's rights to power were confirmed. Ivan followed Sophia in 1505, dying at the age of 65.
During most of the reign of Ivan III, the work of the Moscow government went smoothly, without any sharp contradictions within the ruling group. In the 90s. XV century, the situation changed. Religious differences confused the whole people and aroused a bitter feeling. The massacre in 1491 with Ivan's brother Andrei Bolshoi and his death in prison in 1493 made him a martyr in the eyes of numerous supporters of the rights of appanage princes, especially their former servants. As for foreign policy, the bulk of the nation wholeheartedly supported Ivan III in his struggle against the Tatars, Germans and Swedes, but there was no such unity regarding his conflict with Lithuania. All this created a favorable psychological ground for the growth of the opposition. This opposition would not have united and constituted a serious threat to Ivan III and his government, if this government itself at that moment had not been struck by palace intrigues, as a result of which even Ivan III eventually lost his temper.
As we know, in 1470 Ivan III declared his son (from his first wife) Ivan the Young as his co-ruler, giving him the title of Grand Duke. Twenty years later, Ivan the Young died (there were rumors that he was poisoned by his stepmother, Sophia Paleolog); his death reopened the question of an heir to the throne. The court was divided into two groups: one supported the candidacy of the son of Ivan the Young (grandson of Ivan III) Dmitry, and the other - the eldest son of Ivan III from Sophia Paleolog, Vasily (born in 1479). Behind all this was the personal struggle of two women: Sophia - the mother of Vasily and Elena - the mother of Dmitry.
For several years, Ivan III could not decide which of the two boys to appoint as his successor. Of the main advisers to Ivan III, both Prince Patrikeev and the clerk Fyodor Kuritsyn were inclined towards the candidacy of Dmitry. On the other hand, Sophia naturally intrigued in favor of her son. Some opponents of Ivan III also preferred Vasily to Dmitry. Among them were former servants of the specific princes, as well as some priests who were painfully perceiving the tolerant attitude of Ivan III to the "heresy of the Judaizers." It was known that Sophia's rival, Princess Elena Moldavskaya, shared the views of this trend. Under such circumstances, one might expect that Sophia and Vasily would try to get in touch with Ivan's political and religious opponents.
Sophia's connections with the specific Moscow princes were established long before the conflict of the nineties of the XV century. In 1480, her niece Maria (daughter of Sophia's brother Andrei Paleolog) married Vasily Mikhailovich, son of Prince Mikhail Andreevich Vereisky. This marriage had unexpected consequences four years later, causing a quarrel between Sophia and Ivan III. After the wedding, Ivan allowed Sofya to wear one of his first wife's gems. When Dmitry (the son of Ivan the Young and Elena of Moldavia) was born in 1483, Ivan III asked Sophia to return the jewel in order to present it to Elena. Sophia considered this request an insult and refused to return the stone. She explained that she herself had little jewelry left, because she had to give a lot to her brother Andrei (who, we recall, was always in need of money), and the rest to her niece Maria as a dowry. Ivan III was furious and sent his men to Vereya to confiscate Mary's dowry, which they did. Vasily and Maria fled to Lithuania, asking for protection from Grand Duke Casimir.
This incident, of course, aroused in Sophia hatred for Elena and the boy Dmitry. While Dmitry's father was alive, the boy himself did not pose an immediate threat to Sophia. However, after the death of Ivan the Young, Dmitry became a serious obstacle in the way of Sophia and her son Vasily to the throne.
This obstacle could only be removed by desperate measures. In 1497, a plot was uncovered to kill Dmitry. In all likelihood, it originated after the arrest of Andrei the Great in 1491 or after his death in captivity in 1493. The conspirators decided to act when they learned in 1497 that Ivan III had finally decided to declare Dmitry as his co-ruler and successor.
Evidence of a conspiracy in the annals is scarce and contradictory. For obvious reasons, the compilers of the annalistic codes created during the reign of Vasily III and his son Ivan, apparently, were instructed to remove information about the participation of Sophia and Vasily in it. However, some fragments of original records have been preserved in some manuscripts.
According to the story in one such fragment, Ivan III, having received information about the conspiracy and about the role of Vasily in it, went berserk and placed Vasily under house arrest. Vasily's supporters were captured. The investigation found the following facts.
Somewhat earlier (probably in September or October), the clerk Fyodor Stromilov informed Vasily that his father (Ivan III) had decided to grant Dmitry the title of Grand Duke of Vladimir and Moscow. On the advice of Afanasy Eropkin, Vasily gathered a meeting of his adherents, who were mostly boyar children; among them was Vladimir Gusev (who until recently was erroneously considered the compiler of the Sudebnik). They, and some others, swore allegiance to Vasily. It was decided that Vasily and his people should break allegiance to his father, go to Northern Russia and seize the grand ducal treasury stored in Vologda and Beloozero. At this time, Dmitry will be killed.
Then Ivan received a denunciation that Sophia met with several "witches" who supplied her with poison. It is assumed that Sophia - due to her role in the conspiracy - intended to secretly poison Dmitry, and possibly Ivan III himself. Ivan ordered the "witches" to be seized and drowned at night in the Moscow River. Then he put Sophia in disgrace and, as the chronicler says, from that time on he took special precautions. Basil also came under close surveillance.
As for the leaders of the conspiracy, Ivan first of all handed over the matter to Metropolitan Simon and the episcopal council. The Council authorized the Supreme Court to hold a trial. All participants in the conspiracy were found guilty. Dyak Fyodor Stromilov, Afanasy Eropkin, Vladimir Gusev and three other leaders were sentenced to death and beheaded on December 27. This was the first case of application of article 9 of the Code of Laws. Many supporters of Basil were imprisoned.
As L.V. Cherepnin, all the leaders of the conspiracy and their families were associated, at one time or another, with the courts of specific princes, such as Andrei Bolshoy Uglitsky, Boris Volotsky and Mikhail Vereisky and Beloozersky. It should also be noted that the ancestors of Gusev and Stromilov supported Dmitry Shemyaka and Ivan Mozhaisky against the father of Ivan III. Thus, the conspiracy of 1497 appears to be the revival of the federal idea, opposed to the aristocracy.
There is no reason to believe that the son of Ivan III Vasily supported the rights of specific princes. Later, after becoming the ruler of Muscovy, he continued the policy of his father. It is obvious that the reason for his alliance with the Gusev group was the risky undertaking of a desperate person. The conspiracy seemed the only way that gave Vasily the opportunity to seize power. He lost, but subsequent events showed that it was not definitive. Right now, his life was more important.
Once the plot was uncovered, preparations for Dmitri's official coronation were completed. A complex ritual was developed in advance. The ceremony was held in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin on February 4, 1498. Metropolitan Simon and the bishops celebrated the service. Three thrones stood in the center of the church: for Ivan III, for Dmitry and for the metropolitan. Ivan III and the Metropolitan sat in their places, Dmitry stood in front of his throne. Ivan III, addressing the metropolitan, announced that, according to ancient custom, each of his ancestors transferred the great reign to his first son. Since the first son of Ivan III died, he now blesses Dmitry (as the first son of his first son) with the Grand Duchy of Vladimir, Moscow and Novgorod. The Metropolitan then laid his hand on Dmitry's head and read the anointing prayer, after which he blessed the regalia - barmas - a crown. Ivan III laid the regalia on the shoulders and head of Dmitry, Dmitry sat on the throne, and a prayer service was performed. Then, in a short speech, Ivan III gave his grandson parting words to be obedient to God, love justice and take good care of the Orthodox people.
With the solemn coronation of Dmitry, the political crisis seemed to be overcome, the stable position of the government was restored and, moreover, blessed by the metropolitan and the episcopal council. However, the wound did not actually heal. The disclosure of the conspiracy and especially the participation of Sophia and Vasily in it had a painful effect on the physical and mental state of Ivan III. If we decide to believe Herberstein's story about the drunkenness of Ivan III, then most likely he became addicted to it at the time. Herberstein says: “At dinner he used to drink so much that he fell asleep. All the invitees then sat in silence, greatly frightened. Herberstein, during his visits to Moscow, collected a lot of valuable information, but at the same time he repeated just rumors: some of his stories are, of course, fiction. Specifically, this story seems to be psychologically true, but only if we assume that it refers to the last years of Ivan III's life: there is no evidence of Ivan III's excessive drinking in the first half of his reign. The Italian Ambrogio Contarini, invited three times by Ivan III to dinner in 1476-77, found that the dinner "was, of course, served in magnificent style." Contarini liked all the dishes. As for drinks, he says that after he dined with Ivan III for the third time (shortly before his departure), he was presented with "a huge silver vessel full of their drink, made from honey." Contarini was only able to drink a quarter. Ivan insisted that he drink to the bottom, and "ordered to free the vessel and return it to me."
Although Sofya and Vasily were in disgrace and apparently under strict supervision, it was impossible to isolate them completely. Vasily's next oldest brother, Yuri (born in 1480), escaped disgrace (like Sophia's younger children). Yuri even took part in Dmitry's coronation ceremony. Vasily's sister Elena was the Grand Duchess of Lithuania, and any open violence against her mother could lead to a diplomatic incident. Before the disclosure of the conspiracy of 1497, both Ivan and Sophia corresponded with Elena on a regular basis. After the disgrace, Sophia stopped writing to her daughter. Ivan III, however, continued to write to Elena and convey his best wishes to both her and her husband, Grand Duke Alexander. On March 29, 1498, Ivan's ambassador to Lithuania, Prince Vasily Romodanovsky, was instructed to convey greetings to Alexander in the following order: from Ivan III himself, from Dmitry, from Sophia, and from Dmitry's mother, Elena of Moldavia. Greetings to Elena of Lithuania were to be conveyed in the same order.
After the first shock of disgrace passed, Sophia and Vasily, apparently, began to try to regain the favor of Ivan III through their friends among the courtiers and the clergy. To do this, it was necessary to arouse his suspicions about the boyars who investigated the conspiracy of 1497 and put Dmitry on the throne, and above all about Prince Ivan Patrikeev. The most convincing would be to present Vasily as a victim of slander. It is this plan that the chronicles of the 16th century follow. In the Nikon Chronicle, we read that Ivan III put Vasily and Sophia in disgrace under the influence of "devilish spells and advice from bad people." You can be sure that Prince Ivan Patrikeev was considered one of these people.
The Byzantines were unsurpassed masters of palace intrigues, and, apparently, this art was in Sophia's blood. It can be assumed that at first she did not try to prove anything to Ivan III herself, but sent some third party, most likely not involved in the conflict, to gradually undermine Ivan III's confidence in Prince Patrikeev. It so happened that it was at this time that disagreements arose between Ivan III and Prince Patrikeev over Russian foreign policy. As we know, after the subjugation of the Kazan Khanate in 1487, Ivan III set as his next goal the annexation of the Western Russian lands. This suggested a conflict with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The marriage of Ivan's daughter Elena to Alexander of Lithuania (in 1495) on the part of Ivan was a diplomatic step aimed solely at strengthening the Russian Orthodox Party in Lithuania. On the contrary, Prince Ivan Patrikeyev and some other noble boyars, such as Prince Semyon Ivanovich Ryapolovsky and Prince Vasily Vasilyevich Romodanovsky, advocated rapprochement with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. They hoped that Elena's marriage to Alexander could strengthen the friendship of the two countries, which together would find it easier to fight the Tatars and Turks.
Apparently, Patrikeyev and Ryapolovsky, who were often entrusted with negotiations with Lithuania in order to avoid war, did not always follow the instructions of Ivan III exactly and stuck to their own line. When Ivan III discovered this, he considered their behavior "betrayal" (the expression is used in the Ustyug Chronicle). The denouement came when, in January 1499, Ivan III ordered the arrest of Prince Ivan Patrikeev, his son Vasily and Prince Semyon Ryapolovsky. On February 5, Ryapolovsky was executed. Both Patrikeyevs were tonsured monks. In April, Prince Vasily Romodanovsky was captured.
Ivan III gave all orders in this case personally, without any agreement with the boyar duma (whose head was Prince Patrikeyev). Thus, in contrast to the executions of 1497, the assassination of Prince Ryapolovsky was an act of power that was contrary to the spirit of the Sudebnik. Soon a new head of the Duma was appointed - Prince Vasily Danilovich Kholmsky (from the Tver branch of the Rurikovich). A year later (February 13, 1500), Ivan III gave Kholmsky his daughter Theodosia (born in 1485) as his wife. It should be noted that the father of Vasily Kholmsky, Prince Danila Dmitrievich Kholmsky, glorified himself as a commander in the wars with the Kazan Tatars and Livonians, but despite this, in 1474 he fell into disgrace. Ivan III returned his location to Prince Danila only after he signed a special obligation never to leave the Moscow service. Prince Danila died in 1493. His son Vasily (the new head of the Duma) was also an outstanding military leader.
Shortly after the arrest of Ryapolovsky and the Patrikeyevs, Ivan III returned Sophia and Vasily to court, and on March 21. Vasily was declared the Grand Duke of Novgorod and Pskov.
Some time later, Sophia again began to write to her daughter, Elena of Lithuania. However, the spirit of her letters has changed a lot. Previously, these were intimate letters from a mother to her daughter; now Sophia's messages had a religious and political tone. She encourages Elena to hold fast to her Orthodox faith. “Do not accept the Roman faith, even if they threaten you with pain and death, otherwise your soul will perish” (May 30, 1499). Obviously, in her letters to Elena of that period, Sophia followed the official line of Ivan III's foreign policy.
At his coronation in 1498, Dmitry received the title of Grand Duke of All Russia. More precisely, Ivan III "blessed his grandson with the Grand Duchy of Vladimir, Moscow and Novgorod." Now, when a little more than a year has passed since the coronation, Ivan III declared Vasily the Grand Duke of Novgorod (and Pskov), thus violating the unity of "All Russia" and depriving Dmitry of one of the great principalities. Apparently, this act of Ivan III was approved by the boyar duma, headed by its new chairman. In any case, there is no evidence of opposition. On the other hand, a furious protest against the new title of Basil came from those whom he directly concerned. Novgorod was now a province of Muscovy and had no political voice. However, Pskov still remained a free city, although under the suzerainty of Ivan III. Ivan sent an ambassador to Pskov with the following notice: "I, Grand Duke Ivan, favor my son Vasily and grant him Novgorod and Pskov." The Pskov Veche refused to recognize Vasily and sent a delegation of three city leaders and three boyars to Moscow with a request to the Grand Dukes Ivan and Dmitry not to violate the ancient tradition, according to which the Grand Duke of Moscow is the overlord of Pskov (both Ivan III and Dmitry were the Grand Dukes of Moscow, and Basil is not).
When the Pskov delegation handed the petition to Ivan III, he became angry and replied: “Am I not free to take care of my grandson and my sons? I grant princely power to whom I wish; and I wish to grant Novgorod and Pskov to Vasily. He took into custody two members of the Pskov delegation, although he allowed others to return to Pskov. The Pskovites then sent another delegation with a new petition addressed to "Ivan, Grand Duke of Novgorod and Pskov." Ivan III ordered the delegation to return back and promised to send a special envoy to Pskov with his answer. This ambassador, the boyar Ivan Khobotov, arrived in Pskov and announced at the veche that the Grand Duke would observe the ancient tradition regarding Pskov. The text of the message brought by Khobotov is not given in the Pskov Chronicle. In all likelihood, Ivan explained to the Pskovites that he remained their overlord, and the title of Vasily was only nominal. The next Pskov delegation to Moscow asked the Grand Dukes Ivan and Vasily to release from prison two members of the first delegation (until then held in Moscow). This was done immediately, and the conflict between Pskov and Moscow was thus resolved. Vasily, however, was deeply offended by such a frank unwillingness of the Pskovites to recognize him as their Grand Duke; Vasily's feelings influenced his own policy towards Pskov when he became the sole ruler of Great Russia.
