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Vasili I
(1371-1425)
(Vasilii Dmitrievich)
ruler
The second son of
DMITRII DONSKOI
,who
defeated the Mongols at the Battle of
KULIKOVO
in 1380, Vasili was grand prince of
MOSCOW
from 1389 to 1425. Vasili was a cautious ruler,
criticized by some as indecisive, who enlarged
the territories of Moscow at the expense of its
neighbors while balancing threats from Lithua-
nia and the
GOLDEN HORDE
. Vasili also had to
contend with Russian challenges to the growing
supremacy of Moscow, particularly from Tver
and Ryazan. In 1399, the princes of Tver and
Ryazan agreed never to challenge for the throne
of Moscow. Despite his father's victory at
Kulikovo, Russian princes still had to pay trib-
ute to the Tatars, and Vasili continued to jour-
ney to
SARAI
, the Tatar capital. During his reign,
however, the power of the Golden Horde was
considerably weakened by Tamerlane (Timur),
who decisively defeated the Mongols, led by
Toqtamish, in 1395. Nevertheless, the Tatars
attacked Moscow in 1408 in punishment for its
failure to pay tribute to the Tatar Khan Idiqu,
forcing Vasili to flee to nearby Kostroma. The
city of Moscow was not damaged, but the Tatars
did extensive damage to the principality.
Although he married Sofia, the daughter of the
grand prince of Lithuania in 1391 and signed an
alliance with her father, Vitvot (Vitold), Vasili
witnessed continued tensions with Lithuania
during his reign.
Vasili II
(1415-1462)
(Vasili Vasilievich)
ruler
Also known as Vasili the Blind, Vasili was the
fifth son of
VASILI I
and Sofia, daughter of the
grand prince of Lithuania, who became grand
prince of
MOSCOW
in 1425, at the age of 10. His
four older brothers had all previously died.
Vasili's reign witnessed a complicated political
situation with three civil wars occurring almost
simultaneously for the thrones of Moscow,
Lithuania, and the Golden Horde, even as the
three states continued their struggle for
supremacy in the region. Of most lasting signifi-
cance, the Golden Horde splintered into feuding
khanates during Vasili's reign, to Moscow's great
benefit. In 1444, the Tatar khan, Uleg Mahmed,
began hostilities against Moscow, capturing
Vasili in battle in July 1445. While in captivity,
Vasili took advantage of divisions and resent-
ments amongst the khan's sons, especially after
one of them, Mahmudek, murdered his father
and took control of the Mongol army. In the fall
of 1445, he established the Khanate of
KAZAN
,
the first of various territories to break off from
the Golden Horde. Back in Moscow, Vasili was
challenged in his claim to the throne by his
cousin Dmitrii Shemiaka as well as Vasili the
Squint-eyed. Dmitrii Shemiaka temporarily
deposed Vasili, but by 1452 he had been
defeated, often with the help of Tatar princes. In
repayment, Vasili helped another of Uleg Mah-
mud's sons, Kasim, establish his own khanate.
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