Palaeologus accent. Sophia Paleologue: the path from the last Byzantine princess to the great Moscow princess. Sophia Paleolog biography the most important thing

Sophia Palaeologus was one of the most significant figures on the Russian throne in terms of her origin, personal qualities, as well as those talented people whom she attracted to serve 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 the Palaeologus ruled for two centuries: from the expulsion of the crusaders in 1261 to the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1463.

Sophia's uncle Constantine XI is known as the last emperor of Byzantium. He died during the capture of the city by the Turks. Out of hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, only 5,000 went to the defense; 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 stripped off the signs of imperial dignity, he rushed into battle and was killed.

Sophia's father, Thomas Palaeologus, was the ruler of the Moray despotate in the Peloponnese. According to her mother, Catherine Ahai, the girl came from a noble Genoese family of Centurione.

The exact date of birth of Sophia is unknown, but her older sister Elena was born in 1531, and her brothers - in 1553 and 1555. Therefore, most likely those researchers are right who claim that at the time of her marriage with Ivan III in 1572 she was, according to the concepts of that time, for quite a few years.

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 ensure 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 Paleologues was entrusted to the Greek philosopher Vissarion of Nicaea, the author of the project of the union of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. Byzantium in 1439 took this step counting on support in the war against the Turks, but the European rulers did not provide any assistance.

Thomas's eldest son, Andrei, was the legal heir of the Paleologues. Subsequently, he managed to beg from Sixtus IV two million ducats for a military expedition, but spent them on other purposes. After that, he wandered around the European courts in the hope of finding allies.

Andrey'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 expected to marry Sophia Palaeologus in order to expand his influence with her assistance. But although the pope gave her a dowry of 6 thousand ducats, there was neither land nor military power behind her. She had a famous name that only frightened off the Greek rulers who did not want to quarrel with the Ottoman Empire, and Sophia refused to marry Catholics.

In 1467, the 27-year-old Moscow Grand Duke Ivan III was widowed, and two years later the Greek ambassador proposed to him a project of marriage with a Byzantine princess. A miniature portrait of Sophia was presented to the Grand Duke, and he agreed to the marriage.

Petrarch wrote about the Rome of the Renaissance: "It is enough to see Rome to lose faith." This city was a place where all the vices of mankind were concentrated, and the pontiffs of the Catholic Church stood at the head of moral decay. Sophia was educated in the spirit of Uniatism. All this was well known in Moscow. Despite the fact that the bride, while on the way, clearly demonstrated her adherence to Orthodoxy, Metropolitan Philip disapproved of this marriage and shied away from the wedding of the royal couple. The ceremony was performed by the archpriest Hosea of Kolomna. The wedding was carried out 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 remembrance of John Chrysostom - the patron saint of the Grand Duke.

Despite the fears of adherents of Orthodoxy, Sophia never tried to create a 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 Heaven."

Sophia's role in the development of Russian art

Arriving in Russia, Sophia learned about the problem of the absence here of sufficiently experienced architects for the construction of large buildings. Craftsmen from Pskov were invited, but Pskov stands on a limestone foundation, and Moscow stands on fragile clays, sand and peat bogs. In 1674, the almost completed Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin collapsed. Sophia Palaeologus knew which of the Italian specialists was capable of solving this problem. One of the first guests 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 Corvin.

Perhaps Fioravanti would not have agreed to come, but shortly before that he was falsely accused of selling counterfeit money, moreover, under Sixtus IV, the Inquisition began to gain momentum, and the architect thought it good to go to Russia, taking his son with him.

For the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, Fioravanti installed a brick factory and identified it as suitable deposits of white stone in Myachkovo, from where the building material was taken a hundred years earlier for the first stone Kremlin. The temple outwardly resembles the ancient Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, but inside it was not divided into small rooms, but represents one large hall.

In 1478, Fioravanti, as the chief of artillery, participated in Ivan III's campaign against Novgorod, and built a pontoon bridge over the Volkhov River. Later, Fioravanti took part in the campaigns to 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 leadership of the Italian architect Aleviz the New, the Kremlin Cathedral of Archangel Michael was rebuilt. The architect designed the zakomaras not as before, smooth, but in the form of shells. Everyone liked this idea so much that it was subsequently used everywhere.

Sophia's participation in the conflict with the Horde

VN Tatishchev gives evidence that, under the influence of his wife, Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the Golden Horde Khan Akhmat. That Sophia wept bitterly over the dependent position of the Russian state and Ivan, moved, went into conflict with the Horde Khan. If this is true, then Sophia acted under the influence of European politicians. Events developed as follows: in 1472 the Tatar raid was repulsed, but in 1480 Akhmat went to Moscow, having entered into an alliance with the king of Lithuania and Poland, Casimir. Ivan III was not at all sure of the outcome of the conflict and sent his wife with the treasury to Beloozero, in one of the chronicles it is even noted that the Grand Duke panicked: “the horror is naida, and flee from the shore in a hurry, and his Grand Duchess Roman and the treasury with her ambassador to Beloozero ".

The Venetian Republic was actively looking for an ally to help stop the advance of the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II. The mediator in the negotiations was the adventurer and merchant Giovanni-Battista della Volpa, who had estates in Moscow, was known here as Ivan Fryazin and it was he who was the ambassador, planted by the groom and the head of the wedding procession of Sophia Paleologue. 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 screw Russia into a difficult conflict with a bad prospect.

However, Moscow diplomacy wasted no time either: the Crimean Khanate of Gireev was involved in an alliance 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 assistance from Kazimir because of the attack on his lands by the allied to Ivan III Mengli Girey, and the Uzbek ruler Mohammed Sheibani attacked his own rear.

Difficulties in family relationships

The first two children of Sophia and Ivan were girls; they 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 4 died in infancy.

From his first marriage with the Tver princess, Ivan III had a son, Ivan Mlada, the heir to the throne, but in 1490 he fell ill with gout. The doctor Mister Leon was discharged from Venice, who vouched with his head for recovery. The treatment was carried out in such methods that finally ruined the health of the prince, and at the age of 32, Ivan Mlada 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 - Dmitry, the young son of Ivan the Young.

For several years, Ivan III hesitated over who to give preference to. In 1498, the Grand Duke crowned his grandson Dmitry, a year later he changed his mind and crowned Vasily, the son of Sophia. In 1502, he ordered the imprisonment of Dmitry and his mother, and just a year later, Sophia Paleologue died. For Ivan it was a heavy blow. In mourning, the Grand Duke made a number of pilgrimage trips to monasteries, where he devoted himself to prayers. He died three years later at the age of 65.

What was the appearance of Sophia Palaeologus

In 1994, the remains of the princess were excavated and studied. Forensic scientist Sergei Nikitin restored her appearance. She was short - 160 cm, full of build. This is confirmed by the Italian chronicle, which sarcastically called Sophia tolstoy. In Russia, there were other canons of beauty, to which the princess fully corresponded: fullness, beautiful, expressive eyes and beautiful skin. The age was set at 50-60 years.

She was born on September 27 (17 according to the old style) September 1657 in Moscow. One of six daughters from a marriage with Maria Miloslavskaya, who bore the tsar two more sons - Fyodor and Ivan.

The princess brought in a hitherto not practiced order - she, a woman, was present at the royal reports, and over time, without hesitation, publicly began to give her own orders.

Sophia's reign is marked by her desire for a broad renewal of Russian society. The princess took all measures to develop industry and trade. During the reign of Sophia, Russia began to produce velvet and satin, previously imported from Europe. Under her, the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy was created. Sofya Alekseevna sent the first Russian embassy to Paris. During her reign, the famous dispute about faith took place in the Kremlin's Palace of Facets, which put an end to the long-term church schism.

In addition, the first census of the population was held, a reform of the tax system was carried out, and the rules for obtaining public positions were changed (now, officials were required not only for a title, but also for the business qualities of applicants). Sophia began reorganizing the army according to the European model, but did not manage to complete what she had begun.

During the reign of Sophia, small concessions were made to the settlements and the search for fugitive peasants was weakened, which caused the discontent of the nobles. In foreign policy, the most significant actions of the government of Sofia Alekseevna were the conclusion of the "Eternal Peace" in 1686 with Poland, which secured the Left-Bank Ukraine, Kiev and Smolensk to Russia; Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 with China; entry into the war with Turkey and the Crimean Khanate. In 1689, there was a break between Sophia and the boyar-noble group that supported Peter I. The party of Peter I won.

Sophia Palaeologus, also called Zoya Palaeologinea, was born in 1455 in the city of Mystra, Greece.

Princess childhood

The future grandmother of Ivan the Terrible was born into the family of a Moreysky despot named Thomas Palaeologus at a not very prosperous time - in decadent times for Byzantium. When Constantinople fell to Turkey and was taken by Sultan Mehmed II, the girl's father Thomas Palaeologus fled to Kofra with his family.

Later in Rome, the family changed their faith to Catholicism, and when Sophia was 10 years old, her father died. Unfortunately for the girl, her mother, Ekaterina Ahaiskaya, died a year earlier, which knocked her father down.

The children of Palaeologus - Zoe, Manuel and Andrew, 10, 5 and 7 years old - settled in Rome under the tutelage of the Greek scientist Vissarion of Nicaea, who at that time served as a cardinal under the Pope. The Byzantine princess Sophia and her prince brothers were raised in Catholic traditions. With the permission of the Pope, Bessarion of Nicea paid for the servants of the Palaeologus, doctors, professors of language, as well as a whole staff of foreign translators and clergymen. The orphans received an excellent education.

Marriage

As soon as Sophia grew up, the Venetian subjects began to look for her noble spouse.

Her wife was prophesied to the Cypriot king Jacques II de Lusignan. The marriage did not take place in order to avoid quarrels with the Ottoman empire.
A few months later, Cardinal Vissarion invited Prince Caracciolo of Italy to marry a Byzantine princess. The young got engaged. However, Sophia threw all efforts to avoid becoming engaged to a non-believer (she continued to adhere to Orthodoxy).
By coincidence, in 1467, the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III died in Moscow. Only one son remained from the marriage. And Pope Paul II, with the aim of implanting the Catholic faith in Russia, offered the widower to the throne of the princess of All Russia to put a Greek Catholic princess.

Negotiations with the Russian prince lasted three years. Ivan III, having received the approval of his mother, churchmen and his boyars, decided to marry. By the way, during the negotiations about the transition of the princess to Catholicism that happened in Rome, the envoys from the Pope did not spread much. On the contrary, they slyly reported that the sovereign's bride is a true Orthodox Christian. Surprisingly, they could not even imagine that this is the true truth.

In June 1472, the newlyweds in Rome got engaged in absentia. Then, accompanied by Cardinal Vissarion, the princess of Moscow departed from Rome for Moscow.

Princess portrait

Bolognese chroniclers with eloquent words characterized Sophia Palaeologus as an outwardly attractive girl. When she got married, she looked about 24 years old.

Her skin is white as snow.
The eyes are huge and very expressive, which corresponded to the canons of beauty of that time.
The princess is 160 cm tall.
The physique is knocked down, dense.

The dowry of Palaeologus contained not only jewels, but also a large number of valuable books, including treatises by Plato, Aristotle, and unknown works of Homer. These books became the main attraction of the famous library of Ivan the Terrible, which after a while disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Besides, Zoya was very determined. She threw every effort to not convert to another faith, betrothed to a Christian person. At the end of her route from Rome to Moscow, when there was no turning back, she announced to her escorts that in marriage she would renounce Catholicism and accept Orthodoxy. So the desire of the Pope to spread Catholicism to Russia through the marriage of Ivan III and Paleologus collapsed.

Life in Moscow

The influence of Sophia Palaeologus on the married spouse was very great, it also became a great blessing for Russia, because the wife was very educated and incredibly devoted to her new homeland.

So, it was she who prompted her husband to stop paying tribute to the Golden Horde that weighed down on them. Thanks to his wife, the Grand Duke decided to throw off the Tatar-Mongol burden that had been weighing on Russia for many centuries. At the same time, his advisers and princes insisted on paying the rent, as usual, so as not to start a new bloodshed. In 1480, Ivan the Third announced his decision to the Tatar Khan Akhmat. Then there was a historic bloodless stand on the Ugra, and the Horde left Russia forever, never again demanding tribute from her.

In general, Sophia Palaeologus played a very important role in the subsequent historical events of Russia. Her broad outlook and bold innovative solutions allowed the country to make a noticeable breakthrough in the development of culture and architecture in the future. Sophia Paleologue opened Moscow to Europeans. Now Greeks, Italians, learned minds and talented craftsmen rushed to Muscovy. For example, Ivan the Third gladly took under the tutelage of Italian architects (such as Aristotle Fioravanti), who erected many historical masterpieces of architecture in Moscow. At the behest of Sophia, a separate courtyard and luxurious mansions were built for her. They were lost in a fire in 1493 (together with the Palaeologus treasury).

Zoe's personal relationship with her husband Ivan the Third was also successful. They had 12 children. But some died in infancy or from disease. So, in their family, five sons and four daughters survived to adulthood.

But the life of a Byzantine princess in Moscow can hardly be called rosy. The local elite saw the great influence that the spouse had on her husband, and was very unhappy with this.

Sophia's relationship with her adopted son from her deceased first wife, Ivan Molodoy, also went wrong. The princess really wanted her first-born Vasily to become the heir. And there is a historical version that she was involved in the death of the heir, having prescribed him an Italian doctor with poisonous potions, allegedly for the treatment of a sudden onset of gout (he was later executed for this).

Sophia had a hand in the removal from the throne of his wife Elena Voloshanka and their son Dmitry. First, Ivan the Third sent Sophia herself into disgrace because she invited witches to her to create poison for Elena and Dmitry. He forbade his wife to appear in the palace. However, later Ivan the Third ordered to send already the grandson of Dmitry, already proclaimed heir to the throne, and his mother to prison for court intrigues, successfully and in a favorable light revealed by his wife Sophia. The grandson was officially stripped of his grand-ducal dignity, and his son Vasily was declared heir to the throne.

Thus, Princess of Moscow became the mother of the heir to the Russian throne, Vasily III, and the grandmother of the famous Tsar Ivan the Terrible. There is evidence that the famous grandson had many similarities both in appearance and character with his imperious grandmother from Byzantium.

Death

As they said then, “from old age” - at the age of 48, Sophia Palaeologus died on April 7, 1503. The woman was laid to rest in the sarcophagus in the Ascension Cathedral. She was buried next to Ivan's first wife.

By coincidence, in 1929, the Bolsheviks demolished the cathedral, but the Paleologini sarcophagus survived and was moved to the Archangel Cathedral.

Ivan III grievously endured the death of the princess. At the age of 60, this greatly crippled his health, moreover, recently he and his wife were in constant suspicion and quarrels. However, he continued to appreciate Sophia's intelligence and her love for Russia. Feeling the approach of his end, he made a will, appointing their common son Vasily the heir to power.

In the middle of the 15th century, when Constantinople fell under the onslaught of the Turks, the 17-year-old Byzantine princess Sophia left Rome to transfer the spirit of the old empire to a new, still nascent state.

With her fabulous life and a journey full of adventure, from the poorly lit passages of the papal church to the snow-covered Russian steppes, from the secret mission behind the betrothal to the Moscow prince, to the mysterious and still not found collection of books that she brought with her from Constantinople, - we were introduced by the journalist and writer Yorgos Leonardos, the author of the book "Sophia Palaeologus - from Byzantium to Russia", as well as many other historical novels.

In a conversation with a correspondent for the Athens-Macedonian Agency about the filming of a Russian film about the life of Sofia Paleologos, Mr. Leonardos emphasized that she was a versatile person, a practical and ambitious woman. The niece of the last Palaeologus inspired her husband, Moscow prince Ivan III, to create a strong state, earning Stalin's respect almost five centuries after her death.

Russian researchers highly appreciate the contribution that Sophia left in the political and cultural history of medieval Russia.

Yorgos Leonardos describes the personality of Sophia in the following way: “Sophia was the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine XI, and the daughter of Thomas Palaeologus. She was baptized in Mystra, giving the Christian name Zoya. In 1460, when the Turks captured the Peloponnese, the princess, along with her parents, brothers and sister, went to the island of Kerkyra. With the participation of Bessarion of Nicea, who had already become a Catholic cardinal in Rome by that time, Zoe moved to Rome with her father, brothers and sister. After the untimely death of her parents, Vissarion took over the custody of three children who converted to the Catholic faith. However, Sophia's life changed when Paul II took the papal throne, who wanted her to enter into a political marriage. The princess was married to the Moscow prince Ivan III, hoping that Orthodox Russia would convert to Catholicism. Sophia, descended from the Byzantine imperial family, Paul sent to Moscow as the heir to Constantinople. Her first stop after Rome was the city of Pskov, where the young girl was enthusiastically received by the Russian people. "

The author of the book considers a visit to one of the Pskov churches to be a key moment in Sophia's life: “She was impressed, and although there was a papal legate next to her at that time, watching her every step, she returned to Orthodoxy, neglecting the will of the pope. On November 12, 1472, Zoya became the second wife of the Moscow prince Ivan III under the Byzantine name Sophia. "

From this moment, according to Leonardos, her brilliant path begins: “Under the influence of a deep religious feeling, Sophia persuaded Ivan to throw off the burden of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, because at that time Russia was paying tribute to the Horde. Indeed, Ivan liberated his state and united various independent principalities under his rule. "

Sofia's contribution to the development of the state is great, because, as the author explains, “she established the Byzantine order at the Russian court and helped create the Russian state”.

“Since Sophia was the only heiress of Byzantium, Ivan believed that he had inherited the right to the imperial throne. He adopted the yellow color of the Palaeologus and the Byzantine coat of arms - the two-headed eagle, which existed until the 1917 revolution and was returned after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and also called Moscow the Third Rome. Since the sons of the Byzantine emperors took the name of Caesar, Ivan took this title for himself, which in Russian began to sound like "tsar". Ivan also raised the archbishopric of Moscow to a patriarchate, making it clear that the first patriarchy is not Constantinople, captured by the Turks, but Moscow. "

According to Yorgos Leonardos, “Sophia was the first to create a secret service in Russia on the model of Constantinople, the prototype of the tsarist secret police and the Soviet KGB. This contribution is still recognized by the Russian authorities today. For example, the former head of the Federal Security Service of Russia, Alexei Patrushev, on the Day of Military Counterintelligence on December 19, 2007, said that the country honors Sophia Palaeologus, as she defended Russia from internal and external enemies. "

Moscow also “owes her a change in its appearance, since Sofia brought here Italian and Byzantine architects who built mainly stone buildings, for example, the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin, as well as the Kremlin walls that still exist. Also, secret passages were dug under the territory of the entire Kremlin, following the Byzantine model.

“Since 1472, the history of the modern - tsarist - state begins in Russia. At that time, due to the climate, they were not engaged in agriculture, but only hunted. Sofia convinced the subjects of Ivan III to cultivate the fields and thus laid the foundation for the formation of agriculture in the country. "

The personality of Sofia was also respected under Soviet rule: according to Leonardos, “when the Ascension Monastery was destroyed in the Kremlin, in which the remains of the queen were kept, they were not only not disposed of, but by Stalin's decree they were placed in a tomb, which was then transferred to Arkhangelsk the cathedral".

Yorgos Leonardos said that Sofia brought from Constantinople 60 carts with books and rare treasures that were kept in the underground treasures of the Kremlin and have not been found until now.

“There are written sources,” says Mr. Leonardos, “pointing to the existence of these books, which the West tried to buy from her grandson, Ivan the Terrible, to which he, of course, did not agree. The search for books continues to this day. "

Sophia Palaeologus died on April 7, 1503 at the age of 48. Her husband, Ivan III, became the first ruler in the history of Russia, who was named the Great for his deeds performed with the support of Sophia. Their grandson, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, continued to strengthen the state and went down in history as one of the most influential rulers of Russia.

“Sofia transferred the spirit of Byzantium to the Russian Empire, which was just beginning to emerge. It was she who built the state in Russia, giving it Byzantine features, and in general, enriched the structure of the country and its society. Even today in Russia there are surnames that go back to Byzantine names, as a rule, they end with -ov, ”said Yorgos Leonardos.

As for the images of Sophia, Leonardos stressed that “her portraits have not survived, but even under communism, with the help of special technologies, scientists have recreated the appearance of the queen from her remains. This is how a bust appeared, which is placed near the entrance to the Historical Museum next to the Kremlin. "

“The legacy of Sophia Paleologue is Russia itself…” - summed up Yorgos Leonardos.

Material prepared by the editors of the site

Yet

The last flower of Byzantium
10 facts about the Russian queen Sophia Paleolog / World history

How the Byzantine princess deceived the Pope, and what she changed in the life of Russia. More about Third Rome

"Sofia". Shot from the series

1. Sofia Palaeologus was the daughter of the despot of Morea (now the Peloponnese peninsula) Thomas Palaeologus and niece of the last emperor of the Byzantine Empire Constantine XI.

2. At birth, Sofia was named Zoe... She was born two years after the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, and the Byzantine Empire ceased to exist. Five years later, Morea was captured. Zoe's family was forced to flee, taking refuge in Rome. To receive the support of Pope Thomas, Palaiologos converted to Catholicism with his family. With a change of faith, Zoe became Sophia.

3. The immediate guardian of Sofia Palaeologus was appointed Cardinal Bessarion of Nicea, a supporter of union, that is, the union of Catholics and Orthodox under the rule of the Pope. The fate of Sofia was supposed to be decided by a profitable marriage. In 1466 she was offered as a bride to a Cypriot King Jacques II de Lusignan but he refused. In 1467 she was offered as a wife Prince Caracciolo, a noble Italian rich man. The prince agreed, after which a solemn betrothal took place.

4. Sophia's fate changed dramatically after it became known that Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III widowed and looking for a new wife. Vissarion of Nicaea decided that if Sophia Palaeologus became the wife of Ivan III, the Russian lands could be subordinated to the influence of the Pope.

Sofia Paleologue. Reconstruction on the skull of S. Nikitin

5. On June 1, 1472, in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome, the absentee betrothal of Ivan III and Sophia Palaeologus took place. The deputy of the Grand Duke was a Russian Ambassador Ivan Fryazin... The wife was present as guests the ruler of Florence Lorenzo the Magnificent Clarice Orsini and the Queen of Bosnia Katarina.

6. The Pope's representatives were silent about the conversion of Sophia Palaeologus to Catholicism during the negotiations on the marriage. But they were also in for a surprise - immediately after crossing the Russian border, Sofia announced to Vissarion of Nicaea, who accompanied her, that she was returning to Orthodoxy and would not perform Catholic rituals. In fact, this was the end of the attempt to carry out the project of the union in Russia.

7. The wedding of Ivan III and Sophia Palaeologus in Russia took place on November 12, 1472. Their marriage lasted 30 years, Sofia gave birth to her husband 12 children, but the first four were girls. Born in March 1479, a boy named Vasily later became the Grand Duke of Moscow Basil III.

8. At the end of the 15th century, a fierce struggle for the rights to the succession to the throne unfolded in Moscow. The official heir was considered the son of Ivan III from his first marriage Ivan Young, who even had the status of a co-ruler. However, with the birth of his son Vasily, Sofia Paleologue joined the struggle for his right to the throne. The Moscow elite split into two warring parties. Both fell into disgrace, but in the end the victory remained with the supporters of Sofia Paleologus and her son.

9. Under Sofia Palaeologus, the practice of inviting foreign specialists to Russia became widespread: architects, jewelers, coin makers, gunsmiths, doctors. For the construction of the Assumption Cathedral from Italy was invited architect Aristotle Fioravanti... Other buildings on the territory of the Kremlin were also rebuilt. White stone was actively used at the construction site, which is why the expression "white-stone Moscow", which has survived for centuries, appeared.

10. In the Trinity-Sergius Monastery there is a silk shroud sewn by Sophia's hands in 1498; her name is embroidered on the shroud, and she calls herself not the Grand Duchess of Moscow, but "the princess of the Tsarevgorodskaya". With her submission, the Russian rulers began, first unofficially, and then at the official level, to call themselves tsars. In 1514, in an agreement with Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I the son of Sophia, Vasily III, for the first time in the history of Russia, was named the emperor of the Rus. This letter is then used by Peter I as proof of their coronation rights as emperor.

The wedding of Ivan III to Sophia Paleologue in 1472. Engraving of the 19th century.

Sophia Paleologue
How a Byzantine princess built a new empire in Russia

The niece of the last ruler of Byzantium, having survived the collapse of one empire, decided to revive it in a new place. Mother of the "Third Rome"

At the end of the 15th century, in the Russian lands united around Moscow, the concept began to emerge, according to which the Russian state was the legal successor of the Byzantine Empire. Several decades later, the thesis "Moscow - the Third Rome" will become a symbol of the state ideology of the Russian state.

A large role in the formation of a new ideology and in the changes that took place at that time within Russia was destined to play a woman, whose name was heard by almost everyone who had ever come into contact with Russian history. Sophia Paleologue, wife of Grand Duke Ivan III, contributed to the development of Russian architecture, medicine, culture and many other spheres of life.

There is also another view of her, according to which she was the "Russian Catherine de Medici", whose intrigues allowed the development of Russia along a completely different path and brought confusion into the life of the state.

The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between. Sophia Palaeologus did not choose Russia - Russia chose her, a girl from the last dynasty of Byzantine emperors, as a wife for the Grand Duke of Moscow.

Thomas Palaeologus, Sophia's father

Byzantine orphan at the papal court

Zoya Paleologina, the daughter of a despot (this is the name of the position) of Morea Thomas Palaeologus, was born in a tragic time. In 1453, the Byzantine Empire, the heiress of Ancient Rome, after a thousand years of existence, collapsed under the blows of the Ottomans. The fall of Constantinople, in which Emperor Constantine XI, the brother of Thomas Palaeologus and uncle Zoya, died.

The Moray despotate, a province of Byzantium ruled by Thomas Palaeologus, held out until 1460. These years Zoya lived with her father and brothers in Mystra, the capital of Morea, a city located next to Ancient Sparta. After sultan Mehmed II captured Morea, Thomas Palaeologus went to the island of Corfu, and then to Rome, where he died.

Children from the royal family of the lost empire lived at the court of the Pope. Shortly before the death of Thomas Palaeologus, in order to receive support, he converted to Catholicism. His children also became Catholics. After being baptized according to the Roman rite, Zoya was named Sophia.

Bessarion of Nicea

A 10-year-old girl, taken into the care of the papal court, did not have the opportunity to decide anything on her own. Cardinal Bissarion of Nicea, one of the authors of the union, which was supposed to unite Catholics and Orthodox Christians under the common authority of the Pope, was appointed her mentor.

Sophia's fate was going to be arranged by marriage. In 1466, she was offered as a bride to the Cypriot king Jacques II de Lusignan, but he refused. In 1467 she was offered as a wife to Prince Caracciolo, a noble Italian rich man. The prince agreed, after which a solemn betrothal took place.

The bride on the "icon"

But Sophia was not destined to become the wife of the Italian. In Rome it became known that the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III was widowed. The Russian prince was young, at the time of the death of his first wife he was only 27 years old, and it was expected that he would soon be looking for a new wife.

Cardinal Bissarion of Nicaea saw this as a chance to promote his idea of Uniatism in the Russian lands. From his submission in 1469 Pope Paul II sent a letter to Ivan III, in which he proposed 14-year-old Sophia Palaeologus as a bride. The letter referred to her as an "Orthodox Christian", without mentioning her conversion to Catholicism.

Ivan III was not devoid of ambition, which his wife would often play later on. Upon learning that the niece of the Byzantine emperor was proposed as a bride, he agreed.

Victor Muizhel. "Ambassador Ivan Fryazin presents Ivan III with a portrait of his bride Sophia Paleologue"

The negotiations, however, had just begun - it was necessary to discuss all the details. The Russian ambassador, sent to Rome, returned with a gift that shocked both the groom and his entourage. This fact was reflected in the annals with the words “bring the princess on the icon”.

The fact is that in Russia at that time secular painting did not exist at all, and the portrait of Sophia, sent to Ivan III, was perceived in Moscow as an "icon".

Sophia Paleologue. Reconstruction on the skull of S. Nikitin

However, having figured out what's what, the Moscow prince was satisfied with the appearance of the bride. In the historical literature, there are various descriptions of Sophia Paleologue - from beauty to ugly. In the 1990s, studies were conducted on the remains of Ivan III's wife, during which her appearance was restored. Sophia was a short woman (about 160 cm), prone to overweight, with strong-willed facial features that can be called, if not beautiful, then rather pretty. Be that as it may, Ivan III liked it.

The failure of Bessarion of Nicea

The formalities were settled by the spring of 1472, when a new Russian embassy arrived in Rome, this time for the bride herself.

On June 1, 1472, an absentee betrothal took place in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The deputy of the Grand Duke was the Russian ambassador Ivan Fryazin. The wife of the ruler of Florence, Lorenzo the Magnificent, Clarice Orsini, and the Queen of Bosnia, Katarina, were also guests. The Pope, in addition to gifts, gave the bride a dowry of 6 thousand ducats.

Sophia Paleologue enters Moscow. Miniature of the Facial Chronicle Code

On June 24, 1472, a large train of Sophia Paleologos, together with the Russian ambassador, left Rome. The bride was accompanied by a Roman retinue led by Cardinal Bissarion of Nicea.

It was necessary to get to Moscow via Germany via the Baltic Sea, and then via the Baltic states, Pskov and Novgorod. Such a difficult route was caused by the fact that during this period Russia once again began to have political problems with Poland.

From time immemorial, the Byzantines were famous for their cunning and cunning. That these qualities Sophia Palaeologus inherited in full measure, Vissarion of Nicaea learned soon after the bride's baggage train crossed the border of Russia. The 17-year-old girl announced that from now on she would no longer perform Catholic rituals, but returned to the faith of her ancestors, that is, to Orthodoxy. All of the cardinal's ambitious plans collapsed. Attempts by Catholics to gain a foothold in Moscow and increase their influence failed.

On November 12, 1472, Sophia entered Moscow. There were also many here who were wary of her, seeing her as a “Roman agent”. According to some reports, Metropolitan Philip, dissatisfied with the bride, refused to hold the wedding ceremony, which is why the ceremony was conducted by Kolomensky Archpriest Hosea.

But, be that as it may, Sophia Paleologue became the wife of Ivan III.

Fedor Bronnikov. "Meeting of Princess Sophia Palaeologus by the Pskov mayor and boyars at the mouth of the Embach on Lake Peipsi"

How Sophia saved Russia from the yoke

Their marriage lasted 30 years, she gave birth to her husband 12 children, of whom five sons and four daughters survived to adulthood. Judging by the historical documents, the Grand Duke was attached to his wife and children, for which he even received reproaches from high-ranking ministers of the church, who believed that this was detrimental to state interests.

Sophia never forgot about her origin and behaved as, in her opinion, the emperor's niece was supposed to behave. Under her influence, the receptions at the Grand Duke, especially the receptions of ambassadors, were furnished with a complex and colorful ceremony, similar to the Byzantine one. Thanks to her, the Byzantine double-headed eagle migrated to Russian heraldry. Thanks to her influence, Grand Duke Ivan III began to call himself the "Russian Tsar". Under the son and grandson of Sophia Palaeologus, this naming of the Russian ruler will become official.

Judging by the actions and deeds of Sophia, she, having lost her native Byzantium, seriously set about building it in another Orthodox country. She was helped by the ambition of her husband, whom she successfully played.

When the Horde khan Akhmat was preparing an invasion of the Russian lands and in Moscow they were discussing the question of the amount of tribute, with the help of which one could buy off the misfortune, Sophia intervened in the matter. Bursting into tears, she began to reproach her husband that the country was still forced to pay tribute and that it was time to end this shameful situation. Ivan III was not a warlike man, but the reproaches of his wife touched him to the quick. He decided to gather an army and march towards Akhmat.

At the same time, the Grand Duke sent his wife and children first to Dmitrov, and then to Beloozero, fearing a military failure.

But failure did not happen - on the Ugra River, where the troops of Akhmat and Ivan III met, the battle did not take place. After what is known as "standing on the Ugra", Akhmat retired without a fight, and his dependence on the Horde ended completely.

Rebuilding of the 15th century

Sophia instilled in her husband that the sovereign of such a great power as he could not live in the capital with wooden temples and chambers. Under the influence of his wife, Ivan III began the restructuring of the Kremlin. The architect Aristotle Fioravanti was invited from Italy to build the Assumption Cathedral. White stone was actively used at the construction site, which is why the expression "white-stone Moscow", which has survived for centuries, appeared.

The invitation of foreign specialists in various fields has become a widespread phenomenon under Sophia Palaeologus. The Italians and Greeks, who occupied the posts of ambassadors under Ivan III, will begin to actively invite their fellow countrymen to Russia: architects, jewelers, coin makers and gunsmiths. There were a large number of professional doctors among the visitors.

Sophia arrived in Moscow with a large dowry, part of which was occupied by the library, which included Greek parchments, Latin chronographs, ancient Eastern manuscripts, among which were the poems of Homer, the works of Aristotle and Plato, and even books from the Library of Alexandria.

These books formed the basis of the legendary missing library of Ivan the Terrible, which enthusiasts are trying to search to this day. Skeptics, however, believe that such a library did not really exist.

Speaking about the hostile and wary attitude of the Russians towards Sophia, it must be said that they were embarrassed by her independent behavior, active interference in state affairs. Such behavior was uncharacteristic for Sophia's predecessors as grand duchesses, and just for Russian women.

Battle of the heirs

By the time of the second marriage of Ivan III, he already had a son from his first wife - Ivan Molodoy, who was declared the heir to the throne. But with the birth of children, Sophia's tensions began to build up. The Russian nobility split into two groups, one of which supported Ivan Molodoy, and the second - Sophia.

The relationship between the stepmother and the stepson did not work out, so much so that Ivan III himself had to admonish his son to behave decently.

Ivan Molodoy was only three years younger than Sophia and did not feel respect for her, apparently, considering his father's new marriage a betrayal of his deceased mother.

In 1479, Sophia, who had previously given birth only to girls, gave birth to a son, named Vasily. As a true representative of the Byzantine imperial family, she was ready to provide her son with the throne at any cost.

By this time, Ivan Molodoy was already mentioned in Russian documents as a co-ruler of his father. And in 1483 the heir married daughter of the ruler of Moldova Stephen the Great Elena Voloshanka.

The relationship between Sophia and Elena immediately became hostile. When in 1483 Elena gave birth to a son Dmitry, Vasily's prospects of inheriting the throne of his father became completely illusory.

Women's rivalry at the court of Ivan III was fierce. Both Elena and Sophia were eager to get rid of not only a competitor, but also her offspring.

In 1484, Ivan III decided to present his daughter-in-law with a pearl dowry left over from his first wife. But then it turned out that Sophia had already given it to her relative. The Grand Duke, angry with his wife's arbitrariness, forced her to return the gift, and the relative herself, together with her husband, had to flee the Russian lands for fear of punishment.

Death and burial of Grand Duchess Sophia Palaeologus

The loser loses everything

In 1490, the heir to the throne, Ivan Molodoy, fell ill with "aching legs." Especially for his treatment from Venice was called doctor Lebi Zhidovin, but he could not help, and on March 7, 1490, the heir died. The doctor was executed by order of Ivan III, and rumors circulated in Moscow that Ivan Molodoy died as a result of poisoning, which was the work of Sophia Paleologue.

There is no evidence of this, however. After the death of Ivan the Young, his son, known in Russian historiography as Dmitry Ivanovich Grandson.

Officially, Dmitry Vnuk was not proclaimed heir, and therefore Sophia Palaeologus continued to try to achieve the throne for Vasily.

In 1497, a conspiracy of supporters of Vasily and Sophia was discovered. The enraged Ivan III sent his participants to the chopping block, but did not touch his wife and son. However, they ended up in disgrace, in fact, under house arrest. On February 4, 1498, Dmitry Vnuk was officially proclaimed heir to the throne.

The fight, however, was not over. Soon, Sophia's party managed to achieve revenge - this time the supporters of Dmitry and Elena Voloshanka were handed over to the executioners. The denouement came on April 11, 1502. He found new charges of conspiracy against Dmitry Vnuk and his mother Ivan III convincing, sending them under house arrest. A few days later, Vasily was proclaimed co-regent of his father and heir to the throne, and Dmitry Vnuk and his mother were imprisoned.

The birth of an empire

Sophia Paleologue, who actually elevated her son to the Russian throne, herself did not live up to this moment. She died on April 7, 1503 and was buried in a massive white-stone sarcophagus in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral in the Kremlin next to the grave Maria Borisovna, the first wife of Ivan III.

The Grand Duke, widowed a second time, outlived his beloved Sophia for two years, passing away in October 1505. Elena Voloshanka died in prison.

Vasily III, ascending the throne, first of all toughened the conditions of detention for a competitor - Dmitry Vnuk was chained in iron shackles and placed in a small cell. In 1509, the 25-year-old noble prisoner died.

In 1514, in a treaty with the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Vasily III was named the Emperor of the Rus for the first time in the history of Russia. This letter is then used by Peter I as proof of his coronation rights as emperor.

The efforts of Sophia Palaeologus, a proud Byzantine woman who set out to build a new empire to replace the lost one, were not in vain.