Vasili II of Russia

Vasili II Vasiliyevich Tyomniy (Blind) (??????? II ?????????? ?????? in Russian) (March 10, 1415 – March 27, 1462) was the Grand Prince of Moscow whose long reign (1425-1462) was plagued by the greatest civil war of medieval Russian history.

Later reign and policies

Now that the war was over, Vasili eliminated almost all of the small appanages in Muscovy, so as to strengthen his sovereign authority. As a result of his military campaigns, republican governments in Novgorod, Pskov and Vyatka were forced to acknowledge him as their overlord.

Related Topics:
Military campaign - Novgorod - Pskov - Vyatka

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In the meantime, Constantinople fell to the Turks, and the Patriarch agreed to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope in the Council of Florence. Vasili promptly rejected this concession. By his order in 1448, bishop Jonah was appointed metropolitan of Russia, which was tantamount to declaration of independence of the Russian Orthodox Church from the Patriarch of Constantinople. This move further strengthened Russia?s reputation among Orthodox states.

Related Topics:
Constantinople - Patriarch - Pope - Council of Florence - 1448 - Bishop - Jonah - Metropolitan - Russia - Russian Orthodox Church

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