MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

END OF MONGOL RULE

Formal repudiation, 1480

But Russians had stopped paying formal tribute in 1452

Khan’s last efforts to reign in Russians fail

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE RISE OF AUTOCRACY

Ivan III: as heir to Byzantium & Kiev

Marries Sophia Paleologus, niece of last Byzantine Emperor

Invests office with greater prestige & authority

• adopts formal Byzantine court rituals & ceremony

• begins using titles TSAR, AUTOCRAT & GOSUDAR

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE RISE OF AUTOCRACY

Ivan III

Administrative changes aimed at increasing control

Redistribution of land – from votchina to pomestie

New codification of laws = Sudebnik

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE RISE OF AUTOCRACY

Ivan III

Built up Moscow

• gave city new grandeur

Uspenskii Sobor (Assumption Cathedral)

Granovitaia PalaceBlagoveshchenskii Sobor (Annunciation Cathedral)

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE RISE OF AUTOCRACY

Vasili III (r. 1505-1533)

Annexes all remaining appanages

Expands Russian borders

Establishes relations with great powers of time

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE CHURCH

Moscow as the “THIRD ROME”

Moscow as the new & legitimate center of Orthodox Christianity

Strengthened authority & prestige of Moscow & ruler

Russian Orthodoxy takes on messianistic qualities

MUSCOVITE RUSSIA

THE CHURCH

POSSESSORS V. NON-POSSESSORS

Possessors: wanted close connection between church & tsar

Non-Possessors (Trans-Volga Elders): wanted poor church independent from state

Possessors emerge victorious

Now Church & state work to support each other

Joseph of Volotsk

Nil Sorskii

THE RISE OF MOSCOW

WHY DID MOSCOW SUCCEED?

Geographic location

Role of princes

Relationship with Mongols

Role of Church