Her personality has always worried historians, and opinions about her varied up to the opposite: some considered her a witch, others idolized and called her a saint. A few years ago, director Alexei Andrianov also presented his interpretation of the phenomenon of the Grand Duchess in the serial film "Sofia", which was broadcast on the Russia 1 TV channel. What is true in it, and what - we understand.

The film novel "Sofia", which made itself known on the wide screen, stands out against the background of other historical domestic films. It covers a distant era, which was not even taken to film before: the events in the film are dedicated to the beginning of the formation of Russian statehood, in particular, the marriage of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III with the last heir to the Byzantine throne.

A little digression: Zoya (that's what the girl was named at birth) was offered as a wife to Ivan III at the age of 14. Pope Sixtus IV himself very much hoped for this marriage (he hoped to strengthen Catholicism in Russian lands through marriage). The negotiations lasted a total of 3 years and were eventually crowned with success: at the age of 17, Zoya was betrothed in absentia in the Vatican and sent along with her retinue on a trip to the Russian lands, which only after inspecting the territories ended with her arrival in the capital. The Pope's plan, by the way, finally fell apart when the newly-born Byzantine princess was baptized in a short time and received the name Sophia.

The film, of course, does not reflect all the historical twists and turns. In 10 hour series, the creators tried to contain, in their opinion, the most important of what happened in Russia at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries. It was during this period, thanks to Ivan III, that Russia finally freed itself from the Tatar-Mongol yoke, the prince began to unite the territories, which eventually led to the formation of an integral strong state.

The fateful time in many respects became such thanks to Sophia Palaiologos. She, educated, culturally enlightened, did not become a mute addition for the prince, capable only of continuing the family and the princely family, as was established at that distant time. The Grand Duchess had her own opinion on everything and could always voice it, and her husband invariably put it highly. According to historians, it was probably Sofia who put Ivan III in the head with the idea of ​​uniting the lands under a single center. The princess saw in Russia an unprecedented power, believed in its great goal, and, according to the hypothesis of historians, it is she who owns the famous phrase "Moscow is the third Rome."

The niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Sophia also "gave" Moscow the coat of arms of her dynasty - that same double-headed eagle. It was inherited by the capital as an integral part of its dowry (along with the book library, which later became part of the legacy of the great library of Ivan the Terrible). Assumption and Annunciation Cathedrals - designed and created thanks to the Italian Alberti Fioravanti, whom Sofia personally invited to Moscow. In addition, the princess summoned artists and architects from Western Europe to ennoble the capital: they built palaces, erected new temples. It was then that Moscow was adorned with the Kremlin towers, the Terem Palace and the Archangel Cathedral.

Of course, we cannot know what the marriage of Sophia and Ivan III really was, unfortunately, we can only guess about this (it is only known that, according to various hypotheses, they had 9 or 12 children). A serial film is primarily an artistic perception and understanding of their relationship; it is in its own way the author's interpretation of the fate of the princess. In the film novel, the love line is brought to the fore, and all other historical ups and downs seem to be an accompanying background. Of course, the creators do not promise absolute certainty, it was important for them to make a sensual picture that they would believe, the characters of which would sympathize with, and sincerely worry about their serial fate.

However, everything that concerns the details, the filmmakers have given tremendous importance. In this regard, it is possible and necessary to learn history on a film: historically accurate scenery was created especially for filming (the decoration of the princely palace, the secret offices of the Vatican, even the smallest household items of the era), costumes (of which more than 1000 were made and mostly by hand). For the filming of Sofia, consultants and experts were involved so that even the most fastidious and attentive viewer would not have questions about the picture.

In the film novel, Sofia is a beauty. Actress Maria Andreeva - the star of the popular Duhless - in her incomplete 30s on the screen (on the date of filming) really looks 17. But historians confirmed that in fact Paleologus was not a beauty. However, ideals change not only over centuries, even over decades, and therefore it is difficult for us to rant about this. But the fact that she was overweight (according to her contemporaries, even critically) cannot be omitted. However, the same historians confirm that Sophia was indeed a very smart and educated woman for her time. This was understood by her contemporaries, and some of them, either out of envy or because of their own ignorance, were sure that such a smart Paleolog could only become thanks to connections with dark forces and the devil himself (based on this ambiguous hypothesis, one federal TV channel even directed the film "The Witch of All Russia").

However, Ivan III was in reality unprepossessing: he was short, hunchbacked and did not differ in beauty. But the filmmakers obviously decided that such a character would not evoke a response in the souls of the spectators, so the actor for this role was selected from among the main heartthrobs of the country, Yevgeny Tsyganov.

Apparently, the director wanted to please the eye of a fastidious viewer in the first place. In addition, for him, a spectator, thirsty for spectacle, they created the atmosphere of a real historical action: large-scale battles, massacres, natural disasters, betrayal and court intrigues, and in the center there is a beautiful love story of Sophia Paleolog and Ivan III. The viewer can only stock up on popcorn and enjoy the beauty of a perfectly filmed romantic story.

Photo: Getty Images, footage from the TV series

Sofya Fominichna Paleolog - (nee Zoya Paleologin), Grand Duchess of Moscow, second wife of Ivan III, mother of Vasily III, grandmother of Ivan IV the Terrible. Descended from the imperial dynasty of Palaiologos.

Grand Duchess Sophia Paleolog (died in 1503 at the age of 50-60). Sculptural reconstruction based on the skull of S.A. Nikitina, 1994.

Her father, Thomas Palaiologos, was the brother of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI, and despot of the Morea (Peloponnese).

Thomas Palaiologos, Sophia's father (Fresco by Pinturicchio, Piccolomini Library).

Her maternal grandfather was Centurione II Zaccaria, the last Frankish prince of Achaia. Centurione came from a Genoese merchant family. His father was placed to rule Achaia by the Neapolitan king Charles III of Anjou. Centurione inherited power from his father and ruled in the principality until 1430, when the despot of the Morea, Thomas Palaiologos, launched a large-scale offensive against his possessions. This forced the prince to retreat to his hereditary castle in Messenia, where he died in 1432, two years after the peace treaty, according to which Thomas married his daughter Catherine. After his death, the territory of the principality became part of the despotate.

Emperor John VIII, Sophia's uncle (fresco by Benozzo Gozzoli, Magi Chapel)

Emperor Constantine XI, Sophia's uncle (late icon)

Zoya's elder sister Elena Paleologina Morejska (1431 - November 7, 1473) was the wife of the Serbian despot Lazar Brankovich from 1446, and after the capture of Serbia by Muslims in 1459, she fled to the Greek island of Lefkada, where she took the veil. Thomas also had two surviving sons, Andrew Palaiologos (1453-1502) and Manuel Palaiologos (1455-1512).

Decisive in the fate of Zoe was the fall of the Byzantine Empire. Emperor Constantine died in 1453 during the capture of Constantinople, 7 years later, in 1460, Morea was captured by the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II, Thomas went to the island of Corfu, then to Rome, where he soon died. Zoya and her brothers, 7-year-old Andrei and 5-year-old Manuel, moved to Rome 5 years after their father. There she received the name "Sofia". Palaiologos settled at the court of Pope Sixtus IV (known for his patronage of Michelangelo, to whom he ordered the painting of the chapel of his name at the papal chambers). In order to gain support, Thomas converted to Catholicism in the last year of his life.

Sixtus IV

After the death of Thomas on May 12, 1465 (his wife Catherine died a little earlier in the same year), the well-known Greek scholar, Cardinal Bessarion of Nicaea, a supporter of the union, took care of his children. His letter has been preserved, in which he gave instructions to the teacher of orphans. It follows from this letter that the pope will continue to release 3600 ecu per year for their maintenance (200 ecu per month - for children, their clothes, horses and servants; plus it was necessary to save for a rainy day, and spend 100 ecu on the maintenance of a modest yard ). The court included a doctor, a professor of Latin, a professor of Greek, an interpreter and 1-2 priests.

Vissarion of Nicaea

A few words should be said about the deplorable fate of the brothers Sophia. After the death of Thomas, the crown of Palaiologos was inherited de jure by his son Andrew, who sold it to various European monarchs and died in poverty. During the reign of Bayezid II, the second son, Manuel, returned to Istanbul and surrendered to the mercy of the Sultan. According to some sources, he converted to Islam, started a family and served in the Turkish navy.

In 1466, the Venetian lordship offered the Cypriot king Jacques II de Lusignan her candidacy as a bride, but he refused. According to Fr. Pirlinga, the brilliance of her name and the glory of her ancestors were a poor bulwark against the Ottoman ships cruising the waters of the Mediterranean. Around 1467, Pope Paul II, through Cardinal Vissarion, offered her hand to Prince Caracciolo, a noble Italian rich man. She was solemnly engaged, but the marriage did not take place.

Ivan III Vasilievich. Engraving from "Cosmography" by A. Teve, 1575

Ivan III was widowed in 1467 - his first wife Maria Borisovna, Princess of Tverskaya died, leaving him his only son, heir - Ivan the Young.

Sophia's marriage to Ivan III was proposed in 1469 by Pope Paul II, presumably in the hope of strengthening the influence of the Catholic Church in Russia or, perhaps, bringing the Catholic and Orthodox churches closer together - to restore the Florentine connection of churches, as well as to involve Russia in a pan-European crusade against Turkey.

A papal legate sent to Russia in 1467, who proposed marriage, was received with honors. Ivan III, who strengthened the grand ducal power, hoped that kinship with the Byzantine house would help Muscovy increase international prestige, which had noticeably shaken over the two centuries of the Horde yoke, and help increase the authority of the grand ducal power within the country.

The ambassador of Ivan III, Ivan Fryazin, sent along with the legate to Rome in order to “see the bride”, said that Zoya was short, plump, with beautiful big eyes and unusually white skin (cleanliness of the skin as a sign of health was highly valued in Muscovy). With him from Rome, Fryazin brought a portrait of the bride in the form of a parsuna (images of a real person as a saint, the chronicler reports that Zoya was “painted on the icon”). Many contemporaries also talked about the sharp mind of a young woman.

Muyzhel Viktor Vasilievich (1880 -1924). "Ambassador Ivan Frezin presents Ivan III with a portrait of his bride Sophia Paleolog"

In March 1472, the second embassy to the pope ended with the arrival of Zoe in Moscow. Together with her, her dowry arrived in Russia, which included (in addition to many material values ​​and jewelry) a huge "library" - Greek "parchments", Latin chronographs, Hebrew manuscripts, which later, apparently, entered the library of Ivan the Terrible.

Meeting of the princess. 1883. Bronnikov Fedor Andreevich

Many wagons with dowries were accompanied by the papal legate Anthony, dressed in a red cardinal dress and carrying a four-pointed Catholic cross as a sign of hope for the conversion of the Russian prince to Catholicism. The cross was taken away from Anthony at the entrance to Moscow on the orders of Metropolitan Philip, who did not approve of this marriage.

The wedding of Ivan III with the Byzantine princess Sophia. Abeghyan M.

November 12, 1472, having converted to Orthodoxy under the name of Sophia, Zoya was married to Ivan III. At the same time, the wife “Catholicized” her husband, and the husband “orthodoxized” his wife, which was perceived by contemporaries as a victory of the Orthodox faith over “Latinism”.

On April 18, 1474, Sophia gave birth to the first (quickly deceased) daughter Anna, then another daughter (who also died so quickly that they did not have time to christen her). Disappointments in family life were compensated by activity in extra-home affairs. Her husband consulted with her in making state decisions (in 1474 he bought out half of the Rostov principality, a friendly alliance was concluded with the Crimean Khan Mengli Giray). Baron Herberstein, who twice came to Moscow as the ambassador of the German emperor under Vasily II, after hearing a lot of boyar talk, wrote about Sophia in his notes that she was an unusually cunning woman who had a great influence on the prince.

Vision of the Rev. Sergius of Radonezh to Grand Duchess Sofia Palaiologos of Moscow. Lithography. Workshop of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. 1866. SPMZ. Sofia Paleolog. Plastic reconstruction S.A. Nikitin. Museums of the Moscow Kremlin. 1866

Sophia actively participated in diplomatic receptions (the Venetian envoy Cantarini noted that the reception organized by her was "very majestic and affectionate"). According to a legend cited not only by Russian chronicles, but also by the English poet John Milton, in 1477 Sophia was able to outwit the Tatar Khan, declaring that she had a sign from above about the construction of a church to St. and the actions of the Kremlin. This story presents Sophia as a resolute nature (“she put them out of the Kremlin, she demolished the house, although she did not build the temple”). In 1478 Russia actually stopped paying tribute to the Horde; two years remained before the complete overthrow of the yoke.

Shustov N. S. "John III overthrows the Tatar yoke, tearing the Khan's charter and ordering the death of the ambassadors." 1862

Basil the Great and led. book. Basil III", a fragment of the icon, State Historical Museum

In 1480, again on the “advice” of his wife, Ivan III went with the militia to the Ugra River (near Kaluga), where the army of the Tatar Khan Akhmat was stationed. "Standing on the Ugra" did not end with a battle. The onset of frost and lack of food forced the khan and his army to leave. These events put an end to the Horde yoke. The main obstacle to strengthening the grand duke's power collapsed and, relying on his dynastic connection with "Orthodox Rome" (Constantinople) through his wife Sophia, Ivan III proclaimed himself the successor to the sovereign rights of the Byzantine emperors. The Moscow coat of arms with George the Victorious was combined with the double-headed eagle - the ancient coat of arms of Byzantium. This emphasized that Moscow is the heir of the Byzantine Empire, Ivan III is “the king of all Orthodoxy”, the Russian Church is the successor of the Greek one. Under the influence of Sophia, the ceremonial of the Grand Duke's court acquired an unprecedented splendor, similar to the Byzantine-Roman.

Standing on the Ugra. Miniature of the Chronicle (XVI century)

In 1483, Sophia's authority was shaken: she imprudently presented a precious family necklace ("sazhen") that had previously belonged to Maria Borisovna, the first wife of Ivan III, to her niece, the wife of the Vereisk prince Vasily Mikhailovich. The husband intended an expensive gift for his daughter-in-law Elena Stepanovna Voloshanka, the wife of his son Ivan the Young from his first marriage. In the conflict that arose (Ivan III demanded the return of the necklace to the treasury), but Vasily Mikhailovich chose to flee with the necklace to Lithuania. Taking advantage of this, the Moscow boyar elite, dissatisfied with the success of the prince's centralization policy, opposed Sophia, considering her the ideological inspirer of Ivan's innovations, which infringed on the interests of his children from his first marriage.

Sophia began a stubborn struggle to justify the right to the Moscow throne for her son Vasily. When her son was 8 years old, she even made an attempt to organize a conspiracy against her husband (1497), but he was uncovered, and Sophia herself was convicted on suspicion of magic and connection with the “witch woman” (1498) and, together with her son Vasily, was disgraced .

But fate was merciful to this indefatigable defender of the rights of her kind (during the years of her 30-year marriage, Sophia gave birth to 5 sons and 4 daughters). The death of the eldest son of Ivan III, Ivan the Young, forced Sophia's wife to change her anger to mercy and return the exiles to Moscow. To celebrate, Sophia ordered a church shroud with her name (“Tsarevna of Tsargorod, Grand Duchess of Moscow Sophia of the Grand Duke of Moscow”).

Shroud from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

Feeling like a mistress in the capital again, Sophia managed to attract doctors, cultural figures and especially architects to Moscow; active stone construction began in Moscow. The architects Aristotle Fioravanti, Marco Ruffo, Aleviz Fryazin, Antonio and Petro Solari, who arrived from Sophia’s homeland and at her order, erected the Faceted Chamber, the Assumption and the Annunciation Cathedrals on the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin; completed the construction of the Archangel Cathedral. Sophia's influence on her husband increased.

crucifixion. Sir. End of the 15th century Contribution of Grand Duchess Sophia Paleolog.

Boyar Bersen reproachfully said then, according to the chronicler:
“Our sovereign, locking himself up, does all sorts of things by the bed.” According to the great Russian historian V.O. Klyuchevsky, Sophia “cannot be denied influence on the decorative setting and backstage life of the Moscow court, on court intrigues and personal relationships; but she could act on political affairs only by suggestions that echoed the secret or vague thoughts of Ivan himself.

Sophia died on August 7, 1503 in Moscow two years earlier than Ivan III, having achieved many honors.
She was buried in a massive white stone sarcophagus in a tomb in the Kremlin, next to the grave of Maria Borisovna, the first wife of Ivan III. On the lid of the sarcophagus, “Sophia” was scratched with a sharp instrument.

Transfer of the remains of the Grand Duchesses and Empresses before the destruction of the Ascension Monastery. 1929

This cathedral was destroyed in 1929, and the remains of Sophia, as well as other women of the reigning house, were transferred to the underground chamber of the southern extension of the Archangel Cathedral.

In December 1994, in connection with the transfer of the remains of the princely and royal wives to the basement chamber of the Archangel Cathedral, a sculptural portrait of Sophia was restored from the well-preserved skull of Sophia by M.M. Gerasimov’s student S.A. Nikitin.

Sculptural reconstruction based on the skull of S.A. Nikitin

There are various versions regarding the role of Sophia Paleolog in the history of the Russian state:

Artists and architects were called from Western Europe to decorate the palace and the capital. New temples, new palaces were erected. The Italian Alberti (Aristotle) ​​Fioaventi built the Assumption and Annunciation Cathedrals. Moscow was adorned with the Palace of Facets, the Kremlin towers, the Terem Palace, and, finally, the Archangel Cathedral was built.

For the sake of the marriage of her son Vasily III, she introduced the Byzantine custom - a review of brides.

Third Rome

This new vessel, the new Third Rome, is Moscow. - Liberation from the Mongol yoke, the unification of scattered small destinies into a large Muscovite state; the marriage of Tsar John III to Sophia Palaiologos, the niece (and, as it were, heiress) of the last Byzantine emperor; successes in the East (the conquest of the khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan) - all this justified in the eyes of contemporaries the idea that Moscow had the right to such a role. On this basis, the custom of crowning Moscow sovereigns, the adoption of the royal title and the Byzantine coat of arms, the establishment of the patriarchate, the emergence of three legends:

A) about the barm and the royal crown received by Vladimir Monomakh from the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh (official link - in 1547);
b) about the origin of Rurik from Pruss, brother of the Roman Caesar Augustus, and
c) about the white hood: this hood, as a symbol of church independence, was given by Emperor Constantine the Great to Pope Sylvester, and the latter's successors, in the consciousness of their unworthiness, handed it over to the Patriarch of Constantinople; from him he passed to the Novgorod lords, and then to the Moscow metropolitans. The first two Romes perished, the third will not perish, and the fourth will not happen.

This thought found a literary expression in the elder of the Pskov Eleazarov Monastery Philotheus, in the epistles to the vel. Prince Vasily III, clerk Misyur Munekhin and Ivan the Terrible. The new position brought new obligations. Autocratic-tsarist, autocephalous-Orthodox Russia must preserve the right faith and fight against its enemies. At one time, the Latin West itself supported it in this direction: the popes of Rome tried to raise the Moscow sovereigns against the Turks, propagating the idea that the Russian tsars were the legitimate heirs of Byzantium; Venice acted in the same spirit. The theory of the Third Rome until the end of the 17th century, namely before the wars with Turkey, did not leave the sphere of abstract questions: but even later it never received the character of a specific political program, although some reflection of it can be heard: weaker - in government statements during liberation wars between Russia and Turkey on the Balkan Peninsula, stronger - in the views of the Slavophiles.

Helena (or Anna) (1474), died in infancy
Helena (1475), died in infancy
Theodosius (1475-?).

Elena Ivanovna (May 19, 1476-1513) - wife of the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Alexander Jagiellon.

Elena Ioannovna (May 19, 1476, Moscow - January 20, 1513, Vilna) - daughter of Grand Duke Ivan III Vasilyevich and Sophia Paleolog, Grand Duchess of Lithuania (from 1494), Queen of Poland (from 1501). At the end of the Russo-Lithuanian War of 1487–1494, as a sign of reconciliation between the two powers, she married the Lithuanian Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon, who pledged to preserve the Orthodox faith for her. Thanks to this, Elena Ivanovna was able to become the patroness of the Orthodox in the Lithuanian state. In 1499, violating these obligations, Alexander tried to convert her to Catholicism, which caused a mass transition of Orthodox feudal lords to Moscow Russia and the beginning of a new Russian-Lithuanian war of 1500-1503.

Elena Ioannovna

Elena Ivanovna and Alexander had no children. After the death of Alexander, her brother, the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III, tried with the help of Elena to take the Polish-Lithuanian throne. However, Sigismund I became king, which negatively affected the fate of the dowager queen. In 1512, she made an unsuccessful attempt to "depart" for Moscow, was arrested, and soon died at the age of 37 - most likely a violent death.

Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III (March 25, 1479 - December 3, 1533)

Yuri Ivanovich (March 23, 1480-1536) - Prince Dmitrovsky.

Yuri Ivanovich (March 23, 1480-1536) - the second son of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III from his marriage to Sophia Paleolog. Specific prince Dmitrovsky. At his expense, the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Dmitrov was built and has survived to this day. From documents that have come down to our time, it is known that Yuri was surrounded in Dmitrov by spies who reported to Moscow about all his steps and plans. It is also known that Yuri wanted to leave for Lithuania, because of contradictions with his brother Grand Duke Vasily III, but with the mediation of Joseph Volotsky, the brothers reconciled. Immediately after the death of Vasily III in 1534, Yuri was arrested and died in prison, due to the fact that he had the greatest rights to the throne, after the death of his older brother Vasily III, during the regency of Elena Glinskaya under the young Ivan IV. His inheritance was attached to the Moscow principality. He was buried in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Dmitry Zhilka (October 6, 1481 - February 14, 1521) - Prince of Uglich.

Dmitry Ivanovich Zhilka (October 6, 1481 - February 14, 1521) - specific prince of Uglitsky, son of Ivan III Vasilyevich.

Sent by his father to the Poles with a large army, he took (1500 or 1502) Orsha, burned the suburbs of Vitebsk, incinerated all the volosts to Polotsk and Mstislavl, but due to lack of food was forced to abandon the idea of ​​taking Smolensk. After the death of his father in 1506, he received his inheritance - Uglich with a parish. In 1506, he led the Russian army on a campaign against Kazan, due to a series of command errors, almost the entire Russian army died. In 1518 he went to Smolensk with his brother, Vasily III Ivanovich. In 1513, he went "according to the Crimean news" from Borovsk near Kashira. When the Russian troops finally took Smolensk (1514), Dmitry Ivanovich Zhilka at that time in Serpukhov guarded Moscow from the Tatars. On the death of Dmitry:37 his inheritance was annexed to Moscow.

Evdokia (February 1483 / ca. 1492-1513) - from January 25, 1506, the wife of the Tatar prince Khuday-Kul (Kudaikula), baptized Peter Ibragimovich.

Feodosia (May 29, 1485-February 12, 1505) - from 1500, the wife of the prince and Moscow governor Vasily Danilovich Kholmsky.

Simeon Ivanovich (March 21, 1487 - June 26, 1518) - Prince of Kaluga.

Simeon (Semyon) Ivanovich (March 21, 1487 - June 26, 1518) - Prince of Kaluga from 1504 to 1518, the fourth son of the Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia Ivan III and Sophia (Zoya) Fominichna Paleolog, niece of the last emperor of Byzantium Constantine XI.

In the Patriarchal, or Nikon Chronicle, it is recorded that on March 21, 1487, at 7 o'clock in the morning, the fourth son, named Simeon, was born to the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III. In 1504, according to the spiritual diploma of his father, Simeon got the cities of Bezhetsky Verkh, Kaluga, Kozelsk and Kozelsk volosts: Kozelsky: Serenesk, yes Lyudimesk, yes Korobki, and Vyrki, on the Vyrka on the river of the Senish volost, yes Sytichi, yes Vyino, and with other places, yes Lipitsy, yes Vzdybanov, yes Upper Serena, yes Lugan, yes Mestilovo, yes Ktsyn , yes Khvostovichi, yes Poryski, yes Boryatin, yes Oren, yes Khosttsi, yes Zheremin, yes Snykhovo, yes Ivanovskoye Babina, the village of Neznanovo, and with other places, with everything that gravitated towards those volost and village ... ".

A year later, Simeon issued voivodship certificates for possessions in Bezhetsky Verkh and Belev. And the first Kaluga prince chose the mountainous bank of the Yachenka River near Kaluga as the place for the princely court. It was here, according to legend, that he built a wooden fortress in the spirit of Russian fortifications of the 15th-16th centuries. However, the possessions of the Kaluga specific prince did not represent a single whole. The parishes were scattered. The prince did not have the right to mint state coins, enter into farming, establish auctions, etc., so Simeon Ivanovich was not an independent ruler and was completely dependent on his older brother, Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III Ivanovich.

The great Russian historian N.M. Karamzin called Simeon Ivanovich a man with an ardent disposition, frivolous. This characteristic is probably due to the fact that the annals mention an interesting fact of Simeon's attempt to escape to Lithuania, undertaken half a century before the well-known similar act of Prince Andrei Mikhailovich Kurbsky, who was fleeing the revenge of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Probably, this step was caused by the disagreement of the Kaluga prince and his entourage with the policy of his elder brother, an attempt to free himself from his guardianship. In the Nikon Chronicle, referring this event to 1510, one can read: “... Then, in the winter of January, Prince Seme Ivanovich wanted to flee to Lithuania from his brother ... and the great prince, knowing that, sent an ambassador to him and ordered him to be at home and wanted to place his disgrace on him. Prince Semyon Ivanovich, for his guilt, began to beat the brow of the great sovereign, and the great prince ... gave him guilt, and changed all his people and the boyars ... ".

In 1512, the Crimean Tatars under the leadership of Khan Mengli-Girey attacked the Kaluga Principality, devastating Belev, Aleksin and Vorotynsk. Kaluga residents heroically defended their city. Simeon fought the Tatars on the Oka and defeated them, according to legend, thanks to the help of the holy fool Lawrence of Kaluga. For this feat, Prince Simeon and righteous Lawrence became locally venerated saints. In 1514, Simeon, together with the brothers Yuri and Vasily III, participated in the capture of Smolensk, which was heroically recaptured from Lithuania.

In 1518, Simeon, along with his brother Andrei, accompanied Vasily III, during a trip to "fun" in Volok Lamsky. Shortly thereafter, Simeon died suddenly. There are versions that the sudden death of Simeon could have been accelerated by Vasily III, in other words, he could have been poisoned with poison.

The specific prince of Kaluga Simeon Ivanovich died when he was only thirty-one years old. He was buried in the Grand Duke's tomb in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. He had no heirs, in connection with which, having existed for fourteen years, the Kaluga principality was declared escheated and included by the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III in the Moscow possessions.

Andrei Staritsky (August 5, 1490 - December 11, 1537) - Prince of Staritsky.

There is no information about Andrei's early childhood. There is only a mention that he, along with the rest of the children of Ivan III, accompanied his father on a pilgrimage to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, then to Rostov and Yaroslavl

Andrei was only 14 years old when his older brother Vasily III ascended the throne. Like his other brothers, he was forbidden to marry until Basil produced an heir, that is, until 1530. On February 2, 1533, he married a princess from the Gediminovich family, Efrosinia Andreevna Khovanskaya. Their only child, Vladimir, was born later that year.

On December 3, 1533, Grand Duke Vasily III dies. Andrei was among the few people who listened to his last will, in the presence of Metropolitan Daniel brought a kiss of the cross for allegiance to the heir Ivan and his mother and ruler, Elena Glinskaya. After 40 days of mourning, Andrei turned to Elena Glinskaya with a request to expand his possessions. Elena refused, and the offended Prince Andrei left for Staritsa (in March 1534).

In Staritsa, many of those dissatisfied with the power of the Glinskys and their cruelties began to gather around Andrei. Then he learned that his only living brother Yuri died in prison, where he was imprisoned shortly after the death of Prince Vasily. To clarify the relationship from Moscow to Staritsa, on behalf of Elena, Prince V.V. traveled. Shuisky, and then Andrey himself went to Moscow for personal explanations. Despite mutual assurances of fidelity and love, mutual distrust only increased. In the future, Andrei did not respond to Elena's new invitations to visit Moscow.

In 1537, there were rumors that Andrei was going to flee to Lithuania. Elena sent her favorite, Prince Obolensky, to prevent Andrei's flight. After leaving Staritsa, Andrei stopped in the village of Bernovo, from where he sent letters to the boyar children with an appeal to go to his service. Many of the boyar children responded to the letter, making up a significant detachment. Andrei's immediate goal was to go to Novgorod and take possession of it. The detachment was stopped near Novgorod, Andrei agreed to lay down his arms and surrendered to the mercy of Obolensky.

In Moscow, he was tried and thrown into prison with his entire family. Andrei died a few months later and was buried with great honors in the Archangel Cathedral in Moscow. After his death, the Staritsky principality passed to his son Vladimir.

According to the historian N. M. Karamzin:

Prince Andrei Ioannovich, being of a weak character and not having any brilliant qualities, used outward signs of respect at the Court and in the council of the Boyars, who, in relations with other Powers, gave him the name of the first state trustee; but in fact he did not participate in the government in the least; he mourned the fate of his brother, trembled for himself and hesitated in indecision: either he wanted favors from the court, or he showed himself to be his immodest detractor, following the suggestions of his favorites.

In Staritsa, Andrei restored the Holy Assumption Monastery: the Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, a brick church over the Holy Gates, a wooden bell tower, stone buildings for the abbot and the brethren were built.

By the middle of the 17th century, all her offspring had died out. Only the fate of the possible offspring of her great-great-granddaughter Anastasia Mstislavskaya and Simeon Bekbulatovich remains unknown.

***

History of Russian Goverment

This woman was credited with many important state deeds. Why is Sophia Paleolog so distinguished? Interesting facts about her, as well as biographical information are collected in this article.

Cardinal's Proposal

In February 1469, the ambassador of Cardinal Vissarion arrived in Moscow. He handed over a letter to the Grand Duke with a proposal to marry Sophia, the daughter of Theodore I, Despot of Morea. By the way, this letter also said that Sophia Paleolog (real name - Zoya, they decided to replace it with an Orthodox one for diplomatic reasons) had already refused two crowned suitors who were wooing her. They were the Duke of Milan and the French king. The fact is that Sophia did not want to marry a Catholic.

Sophia Palaiologos (of course, her photo cannot be found, but the portraits are presented in the article), according to the ideas of that distant time, she was no longer young. However, she was still quite attractive. She had expressive, amazingly beautiful eyes, as well as matte delicate skin, which was considered in Russia a sign of excellent health. In addition, the bride was distinguished by her article and a sharp mind.

Who is Sofia Fominichna Paleolog?

Sofia Fominichna is the niece of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last emperor of Byzantium. Since 1472, she was the wife of Ivan III Vasilyevich. Her father was Thomas Palaiologos, who fled to Rome with his family after the Turks captured Constantinople. Sophia Paleolog lived after the death of her father in the care of the great pope. For a number of reasons, he wished to marry her to Ivan III, who was widowed in 1467. He answered yes.

Sofia Paleolog gave birth to a son in 1479, who later became Vasily III Ivanovich. In addition, she achieved the announcement of Vasily the Grand Duke, whose place was to be taken by Dmitry, the grandson of Ivan III, who was crowned king. Ivan III used his marriage to Sophia to strengthen Russia in the international arena.

Icon "Blessed Sky" and the image of Michael III

Sophia Paleolog, Grand Duchess of Moscow, brought several Orthodox icons. It is believed that among them was a rare image of the Mother of God. She was in the Kremlin Archangel Cathedral. However, according to another legend, the relic was transported from Constantinople to Smolensk, and when the latter was captured by Lithuania, Sofya Vitovtovna, the princess, was blessed with this icon for marriage when she married Vasily I, the Moscow prince. The image, which is today in the cathedral, is a list from an ancient icon, made at the end of the 17th century by order (pictured below). Muscovites, according to tradition, brought lamp oil and water to this icon. It was believed that they were filled with healing properties, because the image had healing power. This icon today is one of the most revered in our country.

In the Archangel Cathedral, after the wedding of Ivan III, an image of Michael III, the Byzantine emperor, who was the ancestor of the Palaiologos dynasty, also appeared. Thus, it was argued that Moscow is the successor of the Byzantine Empire, and the sovereigns of Russia are the heirs of the Byzantine emperors.

The birth of the long-awaited heir

After Sophia Paleolog, the second wife of Ivan III, married him in the Assumption Cathedral and became his wife, she began to think about how to gain influence and become a real queen. Paleolog understood that for this it was necessary to present the prince with a gift that only she could do: to give birth to a son who would become the heir to the throne. To the chagrin of Sophia, the firstborn was a daughter who died almost immediately after birth. A year later, a girl was born again, who also died suddenly. Sophia Palaiologos cried, prayed to God to give her an heir, handed out handfuls of alms to the poor, donated to churches. After some time, the Mother of God heard her prayers - Sophia Paleolog became pregnant again.

Her biography was finally marked by a long-awaited event. It took place on March 25, 1479 at 8 pm, as stated in one of the Moscow chronicles. A son was born. He was named Vasily Pariysky. The boy was baptized by Vasiyan, Archbishop of Rostov, in the Sergius Monastery.

What did Sophia bring with her?

Sophia managed to inspire what was dear to her, and what was appreciated and understood in Moscow. She brought with her the customs and traditions of the Byzantine court, pride in her own lineage, and annoyance at having to marry a Mongol-Tatar tributary. It is unlikely that Sophia liked the simplicity of the situation in Moscow, as well as the unceremonious relations that prevailed at that time at court. Ivan III himself was forced to listen to reproachful speeches from obstinate boyars. However, in the capital, even without it, many had a desire to change the old order, which did not correspond to the position of the Moscow sovereign. And the wife of Ivan III with the Greeks brought by her, who saw both Roman and Byzantine life, could give the Russians valuable instructions on what models and how to implement the changes desired by everyone.

Sophia's influence

The prince's wife cannot be denied influence on the behind-the-scenes life of the court and its decorative setting. She skillfully built personal relationships, she was excellent at court intrigues. However, Paleolog could only respond to political ones with suggestions that echoed the vague and secret thoughts of Ivan III. Especially clear was the idea that by her marriage the princess was making the rulers of Moscow the successors of the emperors of Byzantium, with the interests of the Orthodox East holding on to the latter. Therefore, Sophia Paleolog in the capital of the Russian state was valued mainly as a Byzantine princess, and not as a Grand Duchess of Moscow. She herself understood this. How she used the right to receive foreign embassies in Moscow. Therefore, her marriage to Ivan was a kind of political demonstration. It was announced to the whole world that the heiress of the Byzantine house, which had fallen shortly before, transferred its sovereign rights to Moscow, which became the new Constantinople. Here she shares these rights with her husband.

Reconstruction of the Kremlin, the overthrow of the Tatar yoke

Ivan, sensing his new position in the international arena, found the old Kremlin environment ugly and cramped. From Italy, following the princess, the masters were discharged. They built the Assumption Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral) on the site of the wooden choirs, as well as a new stone palace. In the Kremlin at that time, a strict and complex ceremonial began to start up at the court, imparting arrogance and stiffness to Moscow life. Just as in his own palace, Ivan III began to act in external relations with a more solemn step. Especially when the Tatar yoke without a fight, as if by itself, fell off the shoulders. And it weighed almost two centuries over the entire north-eastern Russia (from 1238 to 1480). A new language, more solemn, appears at this time in government papers, especially diplomatic ones. There is a lot of terminology.

The role of Sophia in overthrowing the Tatar yoke

Paleolog in Moscow was not loved for the influence it exerted on the Grand Duke, as well as for the changes in the life of Moscow - "great disorders" (in the words of the boyar Bersen-Beklemishev). Sophia interfered not only in internal, but also in foreign affairs. She demanded that Ivan III refuse to pay tribute to the Horde Khan and finally free himself from his power. Skillful advice Paleolog, as evidenced by V.O. Klyuchevsky, always met the intentions of her husband. Therefore, he refused to pay tribute. Ivan III trampled on the khan's charter in Zamoskovreche, in the Horde courtyard. Later, the Transfiguration Church was built on this site. However, even then the people "spoke" of Paleologus. Before Ivan III went to the great in 1480, he sent his wife and children to Beloozero. For this, the subjects attributed to the sovereign the intention to quit power in the event that he takes Moscow and flees with his wife.

"Duma" and a change in the treatment of subordinates

Ivan III, freed from the yoke, finally felt like a sovereign sovereign. Palace etiquette through the efforts of Sophia began to resemble Byzantine. The prince gave his wife a "gift": Ivan III allowed Paleolog to gather his own "thought" from the members of the retinue and arrange "diplomatic receptions" in his half. The princess received foreign ambassadors and conversed politely with them. This was an unprecedented innovation for Russia. The treatment at the court of the sovereign also changed.

Sophia Palaiologos brought sovereign rights to her husband, as well as the right to the Byzantine throne, as noted by F. I. Uspensky, a historian who studied this period. The boyars had to reckon with this. Ivan III used to love disputes and objections, but under Sophia, he radically changed the treatment of his courtiers. Ivan began to hold himself impregnable, easily fell into anger, often imposed disgrace, demanded special respect for himself. Rumor also attributed all these misfortunes to the influence of Sophia Paleolog.

Fight for the throne

She was also accused of violating the throne. Enemies in 1497 told the prince that Sophia Paleologus planned to poison his grandson in order to put her own son on the throne, that fortune-tellers preparing a poisonous potion were secretly visiting her, that Vasily himself was participating in this conspiracy. Ivan III took the side of his grandson in this matter. He ordered the soothsayers to be drowned in the Moscow River, arrested Vasily, and removed his wife from him, defiantly executing several members of the Paleolog "thought". In 1498, Ivan III married Dmitry in the Assumption Cathedral as heir to the throne.

However, Sophia had in her blood the ability to court intrigues. She accused Elena Voloshanka of heresy and was able to bring about her downfall. The Grand Duke placed his grandson and daughter-in-law in disgrace and named Vasily in 1500 as the legitimate heir to the throne.

Sophia Paleolog: role in history

The marriage of Sophia Paleolog and Ivan III, of course, strengthened the Muscovite state. He contributed to its transformation into the Third Rome. Sofia Paleolog lived for over 30 years in Russia, having given birth to 12 children to her husband. However, she never managed to fully understand a foreign country, its laws and traditions. Even in official chronicles there are records condemning her behavior in some situations that are difficult for the country.

Sofia attracted architects and other cultural figures, as well as doctors, to the Russian capital. The creations of Italian architects have made Moscow not inferior in majesty and beauty to the capitals of Europe. This helped to strengthen the prestige of the Moscow sovereign, emphasized the continuity of the Russian capital to the Second Rome.

Sophia's death

Sophia died in Moscow on August 7, 1503. She was buried in the Ascension Convent of the Moscow Kremlin. In December 1994, in connection with the transfer of the remains of the royal and princely wives to the Archangel Cathedral, S. A. Nikitin restored her sculptural portrait based on the preserved skull of Sophia (pictured above). Now we can at least roughly imagine what Sophia Paleolog looked like. Interesting facts and biographical information about her are numerous. We tried to select the most important when compiling this article.

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 Paleolog, 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 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.

Sophia Paleolog was one of the most significant figures on the Russian throne both in her origin and in personal qualities, and also because of the people she attracted to the service of the Moscow rulers. This woman had the talent of a statesman, she knew how to set goals and achieve results.

Family and lineage

The Byzantine imperial dynasty of Palaiologos ruled for two centuries, from the expulsion of the crusaders in 1261 to the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453.

Sophia's uncle Constantine XI is known as the last emperor of Byzantium. He died during the capture of the city by the Turks. Of the hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, only 5,000 went on the defensive, foreign sailors and mercenaries, led by the emperor himself, fought with the invaders. Seeing that the enemies were winning, Constantine exclaimed in despair: “The city has fallen, but I am still alive,” after which, having torn off the signs of imperial dignity, he rushed into battle and was killed.

Sophia's father, Thomas Palaiologos, was the ruler of the Despotate of Morea on the Peloponnese peninsula. By her mother, Catherine of Akhai, the girl came from a noble Genoese family of Centurione.

The exact date of Sophia's birth is unknown, but her older sister Elena was born in 1431, and her brothers in 1453 and 1455. Therefore, most likely, those researchers who claim that at the time of her marriage to Ivan III in 1472, she was, according to the concepts of that time, already quite a few years old are right.

Life in Rome

In 1453, the Turks captured Constantinople, and in 1460 they invaded the Peloponnese. Thomas managed to escape with his family to the island of Corfu, and then to Rome. To guarantee the location of the Vatican, Thomas converted to Catholicism.

Thomas and his wife died almost simultaneously in 1465. Sophia and her brothers were under the patronage of Pope Paul II. The training of young Palaiologos was entrusted to the Greek philosopher Bessarion of Nicaea, the author of the project for the union of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. By the way, Byzantium agreed to the above alliance in 1439, counting on support in the war against the Turks, but did not wait for any help from European rulers.

The eldest son of Thomas, Andrew, was the legitimate heir of the Palaiologoi. Subsequently, he managed to get two million ducats from Sixtus IV for a military expedition, but spent them on other purposes. After that, he wandered around European courtyards in the hope of finding allies.

Andrew's brother Manuel returned to Constantinople and ceded his rights to the throne to Sultan Bayezid II in exchange for maintenance.

Marriage with Grand Duke Ivan III

Pope Paul II hoped to marry Sophia Palaiologos for his own benefit, in order to expand his influence with her assistance. But although the pope gave her a dowry of 6,000 ducats, she had no land or military force behind her. She had a famous name, which only scared away the Greek rulers who did not want to quarrel with the Ottoman Empire, and Sophia refused marriages with Catholics.

The Greek ambassador proposed to Ivan III a marriage proposal to a Byzantine princess two years after the Grand Duke of Moscow had been widowed in 1467. He was presented with a miniature portrait of Sophia. Ivan III agreed to the marriage.

However, Sophia was brought up in Rome and was educated in the spirit of Uniatism. And the Rome of the Renaissance was the place of concentration of all the vices of mankind, and this moral decay was headed by the pontiffs of the Catholic Church. Petrarch wrote about this city: "It is enough to see Rome to lose faith." All this was well known in Moscow. And despite the fact that the bride unequivocally demonstrated her commitment to Orthodoxy while on the road, Metropolitan Philip disapproved of this marriage and avoided the wedding of the royal couple. The rite was performed by Archpriest Hosea of ​​Kolomna. The wedding took place immediately on the day of the bride's arrival - November 12, 1472. Such a rush was explained by the fact that it was a holiday: the day of memory of John Chrysostom - the patron saint of the Grand Duke.

Despite the fears of the zealots of Orthodoxy, Sophia never tried to create the basis for religious conflicts. According to legend, she brought with her several Orthodox shrines, including the Byzantine miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Blessed Sky”.

The role of Sophia in the development of Russian art

In Russia, Sophia faced the problem of the lack of sufficiently experienced architects of large buildings. There were good Pskov craftsmen, but they had experience in building mainly on a limestone foundation, while Moscow stands on fragile clay, sand and peat bogs. So, in 1474, the almost completed Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin collapsed.

Sophia Paleolog knew which of the Italian specialists was capable of solving this problem. One of the first invited by her was Aristotle Fioravanti, a talented engineer and architect from Bologna. In addition to many buildings in Italy, he also designed bridges across the Danube at the court of the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus.

Maybe Fioravanti would not have agreed to come, but shortly before that he was falsely accused of selling counterfeit money, moreover, under Sixtus IV, the Inquisition began to gain momentum, and the architect considered it good to leave for Russia, taking his son with him.

For the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, Fioravanti set up a brick factory and identified as suitable deposits of white stone in Myachkovo, from where they took building material a hundred years before for the first stone Kremlin. The temple looks like the ancient Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, but inside it is not divided into small rooms, but is one large hall.

In 1478, Fioravanti, as chief of artillery, went with Ivan III on a campaign against Novgorod and built a pontoon bridge across the Volkhov River. Later, Fioravanti participated in campaigns against Kazan and Tver.

Italian architects rebuilt the Kremlin, giving it a modern look, erected dozens of churches and monasteries. They took into account Russian traditions, harmoniously combining them with their new products. In 1505-1508, under the guidance of the Italian architect Aleviz the New, the Kremlin Cathedral of Michael the Archangel was erected, during the construction of which the architect made the zakomaras not smooth, as before, but in the form of shells. Everyone liked this idea so much that it was subsequently used everywhere.

Sophia's involvement in the conflict with the Horde

Historian V.N. Tatishchev in his writings cites evidence that, under the influence of his wife, Ivan III went into conflict with the Golden Horde Khan Akhmat, refusing to pay tribute to him, since Sophia was very oppressed by the dependent position of the Russian state. If this is true, then Sophia acted under the influence of European politicians. The events unfolded as follows: in 1472, the Tatar raid was repulsed, but in 1480 Akhmat went to Moscow, concluding an alliance with the king of Lithuania and Poland, Casimir. Ivan III was not at all sure of the outcome of the battle and sent his wife with the treasury to Beloozero. In one of the chronicles, it is even noted that the Grand Duke panicked: “Horror found me on the river, and I wanted to run away from the shore, and I sent my Grand Duchess Roman and the treasury with her to Beloozero.”

The Venetian Republic was actively looking for an ally who would help stop the advance of the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II. The mediator in the negotiations was the adventurer and merchant Jean-Battista della Volpe, who had estates in Moscow and was known to us as Ivan Fryazin, it was he who was the ambassador and head of the wedding procession of Sophia Paleolog. According to Russian sources, Sophia kindly received members of the Venetian embassy. From all of the above, it follows that the Venetians were playing a double game and made an attempt, through the Grand Duchess, to plunge Russia into a difficult conflict with a bad prospect.

However, Moscow diplomacy also did not waste time: the Crimean Khanate of Girey agreed to interact with the Russians. Akhmat's campaign ended with "Standing on the Ugra", as a result of which the khan retreated without a general battle. Akhmat did not receive the promised help from Casimir because of the attack on his lands by Ivan III's allied Mengli Giray.

Difficulties in family relationships

The first two children (girls) of Sophia and Ivan died in infancy. There is a legend that the young princess had a vision of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the patron saint of the Moscow state, and after this sign from above, she gave birth to a son, the future Vasily III. In total, 12 children were born in the marriage, of which four died in infancy.

From his first marriage with a Tver princess, Ivan III had a son, Ivan Mladoy, heir to the throne, but in 1490 he fell ill with gout. From Venice, the doctor Mister Leon was discharged, who vouched for his recovery with his head. The treatment was carried out by such methods that completely ruined the prince's health, and at the age of 32 Ivan Mladoy died in terrible agony. The doctor was publicly executed, and two warring parties formed at the court: one supported the young Grand Duchess and her son, the other supported Dmitry, the infant son of Ivan the Younger.

For several years, Ivan III hesitated over who to give preference to. In 1498, the Grand Duke crowned Dmitry's grandson, but a year later he changed his mind and gave preference to Vasily, Sophia's son. In 1502, he ordered Dmitry and his mother to be imprisoned. A year later, Sophia Paleolog died. For Ivan, this was a heavy blow. In mourning, the Grand Duke made a number of pilgrimages to monasteries, where he diligently indulged in prayers. He died two years later at the age of 65.

What was the appearance of Sophia Paleolog

In 1994, the remains of the princess were removed and studied. Criminalist Sergei Nikitin restored her appearance. She was short in stature - 160 cm, full build. This was confirmed by the Italian chronicle, which sarcastically called Sophia fat. In Russia, there were other canons of beauty, which the princess fully corresponded to: fullness, beautiful, expressive eyes and beautiful skin. Scientists have determined that the princess died at the age of 50-60 years.