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1896. He then enrolled in the St. Petersburg Con-
servatory, where he studied with
RIMSKY
-
KOR
-
SAKOV
. Diaghilev was the driving force behind the
influential journal
MIR ISKUSSTVA
(
World of Art
)
(1898-1904). In 1899 he was appointed special
assistant to Prince Volkonsky, the new director of
the Imperial Theaters, his main task being the
editing of the theater yearbook. Diaghilev spent
the next decade organizing various artistic exhi-
bitions and projects such as “Old Russian Por-
traits” (St. Petersburg, 1905), “Russian Art” (Paris,
1906), and a Russian Seasons series in Paris
(1907-9) which drew attention to the talents of
Rimsky-Korsakov,
RACHMANINOFF
, Glazunov, and
CHALIAPIN
. Having found his métier in bringing
together musicians, painters, and dancers, Dia-
ghilev began the artistic enterprise with which he
is most closely associated, the Ballets Russes
(1909-29). His brilliant vision of ballet produc-
tions as unifying vehicles for dance, choreogra-
phy, sets, and composition introduced a vibrant
Russian artistic scene and reawakened interest
in ballet throughout the world. At different
times over the next two decades, dancers such as
Vatslav
NIJINSKY
(with whom he had a romance
that scandalized the czar's court), Anna
PAVLOVA
,
and Tamara
KARSAVINA
, choreographers such as
Fokine, artists such as Benois, Matisse, Picasso,
and Bakst, and composers like Debussy, Ravel,
STRAVINSKY
,
PROKOFIEV
, and Rachmaninoff all
worked with the Ballet Russes. Although the rev-
olution broke his links with Russia, Paris served
as the center of this unique enterprise until the
late 1920s, when Diaghilev's failing creative pow-
ers, financial difficulties, and stormy personal life
contributed to a decline in the company's for-
tunes. In his last years he turned to the collection
of Russian antiquarian books. He died in Venice.
(hence his name Donskoi) in 1380. This was the
first major victory by Russian forces over the
Mongol armies since their invasion of Russia in
1240. Although the Mongols were only tem-
porarily defeated and, in fact, raided Moscow two
years later and continued to receive tribute for
another century, their mantle of invincibility was
gone. Dmitrii also consolidated the supremacy of
Moscow over rival principalities at a time of
internal dissension both in the ranks of the Rus-
sian principalities and among the Mongols who
ruled them. Among other achievements, Dmitrii's
reign also witnessed the first introduction of
firearms into the Muscovite armies and of new
stone walls to replace the old wooden walls of the
Moscow Kremlin.
Dmitrii inherited the throne of Moscow at
the age of nine and during his minority received
considerable help from the wise counsel of
Metropolitan Aleksei, leader of the Russian
Church. His father had been a weak ruler, and
at the time of his death several relatives of
Dmitrii claimed the principality of Moscow. An
early challenger to the Muscovite throne was
Prince Dmitrii of Suzdal, a distant relative who
claimed seniority over him. After Moscow's
population rallied behind young Dmitrii, Dmitrii
of Suzdal agreed to recognize his position. A more
serious challenge came from Prince Michael of
TVER
, who benefited from the Mongol policy of
divide and rule, and obtained the title of grand
prince that the Mongol rulers used to ascribe
seniority among the Russian princes. Michael of
Tver also allied himself with Olgerd of Lithua-
nia, who himself tried to capture Moscow in
1368 and 1372. After repelling the Lithuanian
offensive, Dmitrii signed a truce with Olgerd
and turned on Michael, who recognized him as
grand prince.
By 1378, following a Muscovite victory over
Mongol troops near the Vozha River, Dmitrii had
built up enough strength to concern the Mon-
gols. Their new ruler, Mamai, set out to destroy
the Muscovite threat, established an alliance with
Grand Prince Jagiello of Lithuania, and agreed on
a joint invasion of the principality of Moscow.
Dmitrii Donskoi
(1350-1389)
grand prince
The son of Ivan II, grand prince of Moscow,
Dmitrii Donskoi is one of the heroes of Russian
history, primarily for his victory over Mongol
forces at the Battle of
KULIKOVO
, on the Don River
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