The Rise of The Rise of

MuscovyMuscovy

There are three traditional There are three traditional views of how the Muscovite views of how the Muscovite state gained prominence, and state gained prominence, and what role the Mongols what role the Mongols played.played.

The first view by the The first view by the medieval Russian chroniclers medieval Russian chroniclers completely denied that the completely denied that the Mongols had conquered the Mongols had conquered the Russian Lands and had any Russian Lands and had any part in the rise of Moscow. part in the rise of Moscow.

During the 19During the 19thth century century historians began to historians began to recognize that the Mongols recognize that the Mongols had impacted the lands and had impacted the lands and people of Russia, however people of Russia, however the Mongols were only seen the Mongols were only seen as bring negative as bring negative influences.influences.

The third and most modern The third and most modern view, credits the Mongols view, credits the Mongols with have a positive and with have a positive and influential role in the rise influential role in the rise of Muscovyof Muscovy

My approach to the question, My approach to the question, how did the Muscovites gain how did the Muscovites gain power? Is considerably power? Is considerably different from past different from past interpretations. I intend to interpretations. I intend to look at how the Muscovites look at how the Muscovites Princes idea of power changed, Princes idea of power changed, and led to the creation of an and led to the creation of an autocratic state.autocratic state.

I will be looking at three I will be looking at three PrincesPrinces

Ivan KalitaIvan Kalita Ivan IIIIvan III Ivan IVIvan IV

In Ivan Kalita’s Testament In Ivan Kalita’s Testament he divided his land holding he divided his land holding equally between his three equally between his three sons.sons.

This created a divided and This created a divided and weak state, because there weak state, because there was no consolidation of was no consolidation of resources. resources.

Ivan III consolidated the Ivan III consolidated the power of his state by power of his state by leaving all titles and land leaving all titles and land rights to his oldest son.rights to his oldest son.

Ivan IV, show the final Ivan IV, show the final culmination of the changing culmination of the changing view of power, he “leaves of view of power, he “leaves of the Russian Tsardom to his the Russian Tsardom to his oldest son. This is important oldest son. This is important because previously the title because previously the title tsar was help only by the tsar was help only by the emperor in Constantinople. emperor in Constantinople.