Sofya Zoya paleologist short biography. Sophia Paleolog: the most shocking facts. Reconstruction of the Kremlin, the overthrow of the Tatar yoke
Sophia Paleolog: the Greek intriguer who changed Russia
November 12, 1472 Ivan III marries for the second time. This time, the Greek princess Sophia, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos, becomes his chosen one.
Belokamennaya
Three years after the wedding, Ivan III will begin the arrangement of his residence with the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, which was erected on the site of the dismantled Kalita temple. Whether this will be due to the new status - the Grand Duke of Moscow by that time will position himself as the "sovereign of all Russia" - or whether his wife Sophia, dissatisfied with the "wretched situation", will "prompt" the idea, it's hard to say for sure. By 1479, the construction of the new temple will be completed, and its properties will later be transferred to the whole of Moscow, which is still called "white stone". Large-scale construction will continue. The Annunciation Cathedral will be built on the foundations of the old palace church of the Annunciation. To store the treasury of the Moscow princes, a stone chamber will be built, which will later be called the Treasury Yard. Instead of the old wooden choirs for the reception of ambassadors, they will begin to build a new stone chamber, called the Embankment. The Palace of Facets will be built for official receptions. A large number of churches will be rebuilt and built. As a result, Moscow will completely change its appearance, and the Kremlin will turn from a wooden fortress into a "Western European castle."
New title
With the appearance of Sophia, a number of researchers associate the new ceremonial and the new diplomatic language - complex and strict, prim and strained. Marrying a noble heiress of the Byzantine emperors will allow Tsar John to position himself as the political and ecclesiastical successor of Byzantium, and the final overthrow of the Horde yoke will make it possible to transfer the status of a Moscow prince to an unattainably high level of national ruler of the entire Russian land. “Ivan, Sovereign and Grand Duke” leaves the government acts and “John, by the grace of God, Sovereign of All Russia” appears. The significance of the new title is complemented by a long list of the limits of the Muscovite state: "The Sovereign of All Russia and the Grand Duke of Vladimir, and Moscow, and Novgorod, and Pskov, and Tver, and Perm, and Yugorsky, and Bulgarian, and others."
divine origin
In his new position, the source of which was partly his marriage to Sophia, Ivan III finds the former source of power insufficient - succession from his father and grandfather. The idea of the divine origin of power was not alien to the ancestors of the sovereign, however, none of them expressed it so firmly and convincingly. To the proposal of the German Emperor Frederick III to reward Tsar Ivan with a royal title, the latter will answer: “... by the grace of God we are sovereigns on our land from the beginning, from our first ancestors, and we have the appointment from God”, indicating that in the worldly recognition of his power, the Moscow prince does not need.
double headed eagle
To visually illustrate the succession of the fallen house of the Byzantine emperors, a visual expression will also be found: from the end of the 15th century, the Byzantine emblem - a double-headed eagle - will appear on the royal seal. There are a large number of other versions of where the two-headed bird "flew" from, but it is impossible to deny that the symbol appeared during the marriage of Ivan III and the Byzantine heiress.
The best minds
After Sophia's arrival in Moscow, a rather impressive group of immigrants from Italy and Greece will form at the Russian court. Subsequently, many foreigners will occupy influential public positions, and more than once will carry out the most important diplomatic state assignments. The ambassadors visited Italy with enviable regularity, but often the list of tasks did not include the solution of political issues. They returned with another rich "catch": architects, jewelers, coiners and weapons craftsmen, whose activities were directed in one direction - to promote the prosperity of Moscow. Visiting miners will find silver and copper ore in the Pechora Territory, and in Moscow they will start minting coins from Russian silver. There will also be a large number of professional doctors among the visitors.
Through the eyes of foreigners
During the reign of Ivan III and Sophia Paleolog, the first detailed notes of foreigners about Russia appear. Before some, Muscovy appeared as a wild land in which rude morals reign. For example, for the death of a patient, a doctor could be beheaded, stabbed, drowned, and when one of the best Italian architects, Aristotle Fioravanti, fearing for his life, requested to return to his homeland, he was deprived of his property and imprisoned. Other travelers saw Muscovy, those who did not stay long in the bear region. The Venetian merchant Josaphat Barbaro was amazed at the well-being of Russian cities, "abundant in bread, meat, honey and other useful things." The Italian Ambrogio Cantarini noted the beauty of Russians, both men and women. Another Italian traveler, Alberto Campenze, in a report for Pope Clement VII, writes about the well-established border service by the Muscovites, the ban on selling alcohol, except on holidays, but most of all he is captivated by Russian morality. “To deceive each other is revered by them as a terrible, heinous crime,” writes Campenze. - Adultery, violence and public debauchery are also very rare. Unnatural vices are completely unknown, and perjury and blasphemy are not heard at all.
New orders
External paraphernalia played a significant role in the exaltation of the king in the eyes of the people. Sofya Fominichna knew about this on the example of the Byzantine emperors. Lush palace ceremonial, luxurious royal attire, rich decoration of the courtyard - all this was not in Moscow. Ivan III, already a powerful sovereign, lived not much wider and richer than the boyars. Simplicity was heard in the speeches of the closest subjects - some of them came, like the Grand Duke, from Rurik. The husband heard a lot about the court life of the Byzantine autocrats from his wife and from the people who came with her. He probably wanted to become “real” here as well. Gradually, new customs began to appear: Ivan Vasilyevich “began to behave majestically”, was titled “king” before the ambassadors, received foreign guests with special pomp and solemnity, and ordered to kiss the royal hand as a sign of special mercy. A little later, court ranks will appear - bed-keeper, nursery, equestrian, and the sovereign will begin to favor the boyars for merit.
After a while, Sophia Paleolog will be called an intriguer, she will be accused of the death of her stepson Ivan the Young and they will justify “disorders” in the state with her witchcraft. However, this marriage of convenience will last 30 years and become, perhaps, one of the most significant matrimonial unions in history.
Game of Thrones: Sophia Paleolog against Elena Voloshanka and the "Judaizers"
The "Heresy of the Judaizers", a religious and political movement that existed in Russia at the end of the 15th century, still harbors a lot of mysteries. In the history of our state, he was destined to become a landmark phenomenon.
origins
Opposition movements in Russia appeared a long time ago. At the end of the 14th century, in Pskov and Novgorod, the centers of freethinking, a movement of "strigolniks" arose, which protested against church bribery and money-grubbing. Pskov deacons Nikita and Karp questioned the sacraments conducted by official clergymen: “You are not worthy of the presbytery, we deliver according to bribes; it is not worthy to receive communion from them, nor to repent, nor to receive baptism from them.
It so happened that it was the Orthodox Church, which determines the way of life in Russia, that has become a bone of contention for various worldview systems. A century after the activities of the shearers, the followers of Nil Sorsky, known for his ideas about “non-covetousness,” declare themselves in full voice. They advocated the rejection of the accumulated wealth by the Church and urged the clergy to lead a more modest and righteous life.
Hula on the Church
It all started with the fact that hegumen Gennady Gonzov, called to the archbishop's service in Novgorod, called by his contemporaries "a bloodthirsty intimidator of criminals against the church," suddenly discovered a ferment of minds in the flock. Many priests stopped taking communion, while others even desecrated icons with abusive words. Also addicted to Jewish rituals and Kabbalah were noticed.
Moreover, the local abbot Zacharias accused the archbishop of having been put in office for a bribe. Gonzov decided to punish the obstinate abbot and poisoned him into exile. However, the Grand Duke Ivan III intervened and defended Zakharia.
Archbishop Gennady, alarmed by the heretical revelry, turned to the hierarchs of the Russian Church for support, but did not receive real help. Here Ivan III played his role, who, for political reasons, clearly did not want to lose ties with the Novgorod and Moscow nobility, many of whom were classified as "sectarians".
However, the archbishop had a strong ally in the person of Joseph Sanin (Volotsky), a religious figure who defended the positions of strengthening church power. He was not afraid to blame Ivan III himself, allowing for the possibility of disobedience to the "unrighteous sovereign", for "such a king is not God's servant, but the devil, and is not a king, but a tormentor."
Oppositionist
One of the most important roles in the opposition to the Church and the movement of the “Judaizers” was played by the Duma clerk and diplomat Fyodor Kuritsyn, “the chief of heretics,” as the Archbishop of Novgorod called him.
It was Kuritsyn who was accused by the clergy of planting heretical teachings among Muscovites, which he allegedly brought from abroad. In particular, he was credited with criticizing the Holy Fathers and denying monasticism. But the diplomat did not confine himself to promoting anti-clerical ideas.
Heresy or conspiracy?
But there was another person around whom heretics and freethinkers gathered - the daughter-in-law of Ivan III and the mother of the heir to the throne Dmitry, Princess Elena Voloshanka of Tver. She had influence on the sovereign and, according to historians, she tried to use her advantage for political purposes.
She succeeded, although the victory was not long. In 1497, Kuritsyn sealed the charter of Ivan III for the great reign of Dmitry. It is interesting that for the first time a double-headed eagle appears on this seal - the future coat of arms of the Russian state.
The coronation of Dmitry as co-ruler of Ivan III took place on February 4, 1498. Sophia Paleolog and her son Vasily were not invited to it. Shortly before the appointed event, the sovereign revealed a conspiracy in which his wife tried to disrupt the legitimate succession to the throne. Some of the conspirators were executed, and Sophia and Vasily fell into disgrace. However, historians argue that some of the accusations, including an attempt to poison Dmitry, were far-fetched.
But the court intrigues between Sophia Paleolog and Elena Voloshanka did not end there. Gennady Gonzov and Iosif Volotsky again enter the political arena, not without the participation of Sophia, who force Ivan III to take up the case of "Jewish heretics". In 1503 and 1504 Councils against heresy are convened, at which the fate of Kuritsyn's party is decided.
Russian inquisition
Archbishop Gennady was a zealous supporter of the methods of the Spanish inquisitor Torquemada, in the heat of controversy he urged Metropolitan Zosima to adapt strict measures in the face of Orthodox heresy.
However, the metropolitan, suspected by historians of sympathy for heretics, did not give a course to this process.
The principles of the “punishing sword of the Church” were no less consistently pursued by Joseph Volotsky. In his literary writings, he repeatedly called for the “fierce execution to betray” dissidents, because the “holy spirit” itself punishes with the hands of the executioners. Even those who “did not testify” against heretics fell under his accusations.
In 1502, the struggle of the Church against the "Jewish" finally found a response from the new Metropolitan Simon and Ivan III. The latter, after a long hesitation, deprives Dmitry of the grand ducal dignity and sends him to prison with his mother. Sophia achieves her goal - Vasily becomes co-ruler of the sovereign.
The councils of 1503 and 1504, through the efforts of the militant defenders of Orthodoxy, are turning into real trials. However, if the first Council is limited only to disciplinary measures, then the second sets in motion the punishing flywheel of the system. The heresy that undermines not only the authority of the Church, but also the foundations of statehood must be eradicated.
By decision of the Council of the main heretics - Ivan Maksimov, Mikhail Konoplev, Ivan Volk are burned in Moscow, and Nekras Rukavov is executed in Novgorod, having previously cut off his tongue. The spiritual inquisitors also insisted on the burning of Archimandrite Kassian of Yuryev, but the fate of Fyodor Kuritsyn is not known to us for certain.
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 unambiguously 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, besides, 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.
Sofia Fominichna Paleolog, she is Zoya Paleologina (Greek Ζωή Σοφία Παλαιολογίνα). Born ca. 1455 - died April 7, 1503. Grand Duchess of Moscow, second wife of Ivan III, mother of Vasily III, grandmother of Ivan the Terrible. She came from the Byzantine imperial dynasty of the Palaiologos.
Sofia (Zoya) Paleolog was born around 1455.
Father - Thomas Palaiologos, brother of the last emperor of Byzantium Constantine XI, despot of the Morea (Peloponnese peninsula).
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.
Sophia's elder sister (Zoya) - Elena Paleologina Moreiskaya (1431 - November 7, 1473), from 1446 was the wife of the Serbian despot Lazar Brankovich, and after the capture of Serbia by Muslims in 1459, she fled to the Greek island of Lefkada, where she took the vows of a nun.
She also had two surviving brothers - Andrei Palaiologos (1453-1502) and Manuel Palaiologos (1455-1512).
Decisive in the fate of Sophia (Zoya) 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.
She and her brothers - 7-year-old Andrei and 5-year-old Manuel moved to Rome 5 years after her father. There she received the name Sophia. Palaiologos settled at the court of Pope Sixtus IV (customer of the Sistine Chapel). In order to gain support, Thomas converted to Catholicism in the last year of his life.
After the death of Thomas on May 12, 1465 (his wife Catherine died a little earlier in the same year), the well-known Greek scientist, 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. From this letter it follows that the pope will continue to release 3,600 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 , which included a doctor, a professor of Latin, a professor of Greek, a translator and 1-2 priests).
After the death of Thomas, the crown of the Palaiologos was de jure inherited by his son Andrei, who sold it to various European monarchs and died in poverty. The second son of Thomas Palaiologos, Manuel, during the reign of Bayezid II 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 the candidacy of Sophia 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. They were solemnly engaged, but the marriage did not take place.
The wedding of Sophia Paleolog and Ivan III
The role of Sophia Paleolog was played by an actress.
“My heroine is a kind, strong princess. A person always tries to cope with adversity, so the series is more about strength than about female weaknesses. It is about how a person copes with his passions, how he humbles himself, endures, about how love wins. It seems to me that this is a film about the hope for happiness, ”Maria Andreeva said about her heroine.
Also, the image of Sophia Palaiologos is widely present in fiction.
"Byzantine"- A novel by Nikolai Spassky. The action takes place in Italy in the 15th century against the background of the consequences of the fall of Constantinople. The protagonist intrigues to pass off Zoya Paleolog for the Russian Tsar.
"Sophia Palaiologos - from Byzantium to Russia" A novel by Georgios Leonardos.
"Basurman"- a novel by Ivan Lazhechnikov about the doctor Sofia.
Nikolai Aksakov dedicated a story to the Venetian doctor Leon Zhidovin, which spoke about the friendship of the Jewish doctor with the humanist Pico della Mirandola, and about the journey from Italy together with the brother of Queen Sophia Andrei Paleolog, Russian envoys Semyon Tolbuzin, Manuil and Dmitry Ralev, and Italian masters - architects , jewelers, gunners. - invited to the service of the Moscow sovereign.
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 Paleolog, according to the ideas of that distant time, was no longer young. However, she was still quite attractive. She had expressive, surprisingly 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 in 1453, 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 as 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 the icon "Blessed Sky", 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 now in the cathedral, is a list from an ancient icon, made at the end of the 17th century by order of Fyodor Alekseevich. 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 you bring with you
Sofya Sofya 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 makes 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. As a princess, Sophia enjoyed 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.
Kremlin reconstruction
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 Palace of Facets, the Assumption Cathedral (St. Basil's Cathedral), and a new stone palace on the site of the wooden choirs. 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 disturbances" (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 came out in 1480 to the great stand on the Ugra, 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 Khan Akhmat took Moscow, and to flee 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.
Sofia Paleolog went from the last Byzantine princess to the Grand Duchess of Moscow. Thanks to her intelligence and cunning, she could influence the policy of Ivan III, won in palace intrigues. Sophia also managed to put her son Vasily III on the throne.
Zoya Palaiologos was born around 1440-1449. She was the daughter of Thomas Palaiologos, brother of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine. The fate of the whole family after the death of the ruler was unenviable. Thomas Palaiologos fled to Corfu and then to Rome. After a while, the children followed him. Paleologists were patronized by Pope Paul II himself. The girl had to convert to Catholicism and change her name from Zoya to Sophia. She received an education appropriate to her status, not bathed in luxury, but not in poverty either.
Sophia became a pawn in the political game of the Pope. At first he wanted to give her as a wife to the king of Cyprus, James II, but he refused. The next contender for the girl's hand was Prince Caracciolo, but he did not live to see the wedding. When the wife of Prince Ivan III died in 1467, Sophia Paleolog was offered to him as his wife. The Pope did not mention that she was a Catholic, thereby wishing to expand the influence of the Vatican in Russia. Negotiations for marriage continued for three years. Ivan III was seduced by the opportunity to marry such an eminent person.
The betrothal in absentia took place on June 1, 1472, after which Sophia Paleolog went to Muscovy. Everywhere she was given all sorts of honors and organized holidays. At the head of her motorcade was a man who carried a Catholic cross. Upon learning of this, Metropolitan Philip threatened to leave Moscow if the cross was brought into the city. Ivan III ordered to take away the Catholic symbol 15 miles from Moscow. Dad's plans failed, and Sophia returned to her faith again. The wedding took place on November 12, 1472 in the Assumption Cathedral.
At court, the newly-made Byzantine wife of the Grand Duke was disliked. Despite this, Sophia had a huge influence on her husband. The chronicles describe in detail how Palaiologos persuaded Ivan III to free himself from the Mongol yoke.
Following the Byzantine model, Ivan III developed a complex judicial system. At the same time, for the first time, the Grand Duke began to call himself "Tsar and Autocrat of All Russia." It is believed that the image of the double-headed eagle, which later appeared on the coat of arms of Muscovy, Sophia Paleolog brought with her.
Sofia Paleolog and Ivan III had eleven children (five sons and six daughters). From his first marriage, the tsar had a son, Ivan Molodoy, the first contender for the throne. But he fell ill with gout and died. Another "obstacle" for the children of Sophia on the way to the throne was the son of Ivan the Young Dmitry. But he and his mother fell out of favor with the king and died in captivity. Some historians suggest that Palaiologos was involved in the deaths of the direct heirs, but there is no direct evidence. Ivan III's successor was Sophia's son Vasily III.
The Byzantine princess and princess of Muscovy died on April 7, 1503. She was buried in a stone sarcophagus in the Ascension Monastery.
The marriage of Ivan III and Sophia Paleologus turned out to be successful politically and culturally. were able to leave a mark not only in the history of their country, but also become beloved queens in a foreign land.
