Moscow feud
The term Moscow feud or dynastic crisis is used in German research for the period from 1425 to 1453 in Russian history . Anglo-Saxon research uses the term “civil war” for this, while Marxist historiography describes this period as “feudal war” ( Russian Феодальная война ).
This is the last conflict between supporters of the seniorate and the primogeniture in succession to the Moscow Grand Duke's throne . The feud was fought between the sons and grandsons of Dmitri Donskoy and began after the death of Vasily I.
The dynastic crisis is divided into three phases:
- In the first phase of (1425–1434), Yuri von Zvenigorod and Vasily II fought in bloody disputes alternately over the dignity of the Grand Duke and the throne in Moscow
- The second phase of the struggle (1434-1436) began after the death of Yuri von Zvenigorod (Prince of Galitsch -Merski), when Vasily Kossoi ascended the throne of the Grand Duke and thus provoked the enmity of his own brothers Dmitri Shemjaka and Dmitri the Beautiful
- In the third phase of the crisis (1436–1453) Dmitri Shemjaka and Vasily II fought, from which the latter emerged as the final victor - while losing his sight.
In the end, the principle of primogeniture finally prevailed for the title of Grand Duke in Moscow. The title of Grand Duke was also upgraded to an abstract, higher value than before, regardless of the person. From a territorial-political point of view, the dynastic crisis ended with a further consolidation of Moscow's claim to leadership.
literature
- Hans-Joachim Torke (Hrsg.): Lexicon of the history of Russia. From the beginning to the October Revolution . CH Beck, Munich 1985, p. 103f.
