The Grand Duchy of Moscow was a Rus' principality of the Late Middle Ages centered on Moscow, and the predecessor state of the <a href="https://history-maps.com/story/History-of-Russia-Tsardom-of-Russia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tsardom of Russia</a> in the early modern period. It was ruled by the Rurik dynasty, who had ruled Rus' since the foundation of Novgorod in 862. Ivan III the Great titled himself as Sovereign and Grand Duke of All Rus'. The state originated with the rule of Alexander Nevsky of the Rurik dynasty, when in 1263 his son Daniel I was appointed to rule the newly created Grand Principality of Moscow, which was a vassal state to the Mongol Empire (under the "Tatar Yoke"), and which eclipsed and eventually absorbed its parent duchy of Vladimir-Suzdal by the 1320s. It later absorbed its neighbors including the Novgorod Republic in 1478 and the Principality of Tver in 1485, and remained a vassal state of the <a href="https://history-maps.com/story/Golden-Horde" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golden Horde</a> until 1480, though there were frequent uprisings and successful military campaigns against the Mongols, such as the war of Dmitri Donskoy in 1380. Ivan III further consolidated the state during his 43-year reign, campaigning against his major remaining rival power, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and by 1503 he had tripled the territory of his realm, adopting the title of tsar and claiming the title of "Ruler of all Rus'". By his marriage to Sophia Palaiologina, niece of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last <a href="https://history-maps.com/story/Byzantine-Empire-Palaiologos-dynasty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Byzantine emperor</a>, he claimed Muscovy to be the successor state of the Roman Empire, the "Third Rome". The immigration of Byzantine people influenced and strengthened Moscow's identity as the heir of Orthodox traditions. Ivan's successor Vasili III also enjoyed military success, gaining Smolensk from Lithuania in 1512 and pushing Muscovy's borders to the Dnieper. Vasili's son Ivan IV (later known as Ivan the Terrible) was an infant upon his father's death in 1533. He was crowned in 1547, assuming the title of tsar together with the proclamation of the Tsardom of Russia.

Visual Timelines

Grand Duchy of Moscow Timeline

Grand Duchy of Moscow Timeline

Alexander Nevsky dies

Reign of Daniel of Moscow

Foundation and Initial Expansion

Moscow's growing influence

Reign of Yury of Moscow

Yury goes to the Golden Horde

Setting the border with Sweden

Yury executed by the Horde

Reign of Ivan I of Moscow

Tver Uprising

Rise of Moscow

Reign of Simeon of Moscow

Black Death

Reign of Ivan II of Moscow

Reign of Dmitry Donskoy

Battle of Blue Waters

Moscow Kremlin

Lithuanian–Muscovite War

Battle of the Vozha River

Consolidation of Power

Battle of Kulikovo

Golden Horde reasserts control

Tokhtamysh–Timur war

Reign of Vasily I of Moscow

Expansion

Battle of the Terek River

Disintegration of the Golden Horde

Tartar Tribute continues

Civil War: First Period

Reign of Vasily II of Moscow

Civil War: Second Period

Wars with the Khanate of Kazan

Battle of Suzdal

Vasily caught and blinded by Shemyaka

End of the Civil War

Centralization and Territorial Expansion

Reign of Ivan III of Russia

Ivan III's territorial expansion

Qasim War

War with Novgorod

Ivan III marries Sophia Palaiologina

Ivan III refuses to pay tribute

End of Tatar rule

First Lithuanian–Muscovite War

Siege of Kazan

Ivan III invades Lithuania

Russo-Swedish War

Sudebnik of 1497

Renewed war with Lithuania

Battle of the Siritsa River

Battle of Mstislavl

Height of the Duchy and Transition

Ivan's last war

Vasili III of Russia

Glinski rebellion

Fourth Lithuanian–Muscovite War

Siege of Smolensk

Battle of Orsha

End of Lithuanian-Muscovite Wars

Starodub War

Epilogue

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