The last Byzantine princess Sophia Palaiologos. Sophia Paleolog: the path from the last Byzantine princess to the Grand Duchess of Moscow

"Secret Name"

According to the ancient urban planning tradition, at the beginning the secret name of the city was born, then there was a corresponding place, the “heart of the city”, which symbolized the World Tree. Moreover, it is not necessary that the navel of the city should be located in the "geometric" center of the future city. The city is almost like Koshchei’s: “... his death is at the end of a needle, that needle is in an egg, that egg is in a duck, that duck is in a hare, that hare is in a chest, and the chest stands on a tall oak, and that Koschei tree, like its own eye, protects ".

Interestingly, ancient and medieval city planners always left hints. Love for puzzles distinguished many professional guilds. Some Freemasons are worth something. Before the profanation of heraldry in the Enlightenment, the role of these rebuses was performed by the coats of arms of cities. But this is in Europe. In Russia, until the 17th century, there was no tradition at all to encrypt the essence of the city, its secret name, in the coat of arms or some other symbol. For example, George the Victorious migrated to the coat of arms of Moscow from the seals of the great Moscow princes, and even earlier - from the seals of the Tver principality. It had nothing to do with the city.

"Heart of the City"

In Rus', the starting point for the construction of the city was the temple. He was the axis of any locality. In Moscow, this function was performed by the Assumption Cathedral for centuries. In turn, according to the Byzantine tradition, the temple was to be built on the relics of the saint. At the same time, the relics were usually placed under the altar (sometimes also on one side of the altar or at the entrance to the temple). It was the relics that represented the “heart of the city”. The name of the saint, apparently, was the very "secret name". In other words, if St. Basil's Cathedral was the "founding stone" of Moscow, then the "secret name" of the city would be "Vasilyev" or "Vasilyev-grad".

However, we do not know whose relics lie at the base of the Assumption Cathedral. There is not a single mention of this in the annals. Probably the saint's name was kept secret.

At the end of the 12th century, a wooden church stood on the site of the current Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. A hundred years later, the Moscow prince Daniil Alexandrovich built the first Assumption Cathedral on this site. However, according to unknown reasons 25 years later, Ivan Kalita builds a new cathedral on this site. It is interesting that the temple was built on the model of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky. It's not entirely clear why? St. George's Cathedral can hardly be called a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. So there was something else?

perestroika

The model temple in Yuryev-Polsky was built in 1234 by Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich on the site on the foundation of the white stone church of St. George, which was built in 1152 when the city was founded by Yuri Dolgoruky. Apparently, some increased attention was paid to this place. And the construction of the same temple in Moscow, perhaps, was supposed to emphasize some kind of continuity.

The Assumption Cathedral in Moscow stood for less than 150 years, and then Ivan III suddenly decided to rebuild it. The formal reason is the dilapidation of the structure. Although one and a half hundred years for a stone temple is not God knows how long. The temple was dismantled, and in its place in 1472 the construction of a new cathedral began. However, on May 20, 1474, an earthquake occurred in Moscow. The unfinished cathedral was seriously damaged, and Ivan decides to dismantle the remains and start building a new temple. Architects from Pskov are invited for construction, but for mysterious reasons, they categorically refuse to build.

Aristotle Fioravanti

Then Ivan III, at the insistence of his second wife Sophia Palaiologos, sends emissaries to Italy, who were supposed to bring the Italian architect and engineer Aristotle Fioravanti to the capital. By the way, in his homeland he was called the “new Archimedes”. It looks absolutely fantastic, because for the first time in the history of Rus', a Catholic architect is invited to build an Orthodox church, the main church of the Moscow State!

From the point of view of the then tradition - a heretic. Why an Italian was invited, who had never seen a single Orthodox church, remains a mystery. Maybe because not a single Russian architect wanted to deal with this project.

The construction of the temple under the leadership of Aristotle Fioravanti began in 1475 and ended in 1479. It is interesting that the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was chosen as a model. Historians explain that Ivan III wanted to show the continuity of the Muscovite state from the former "capital city" of Vladimir. But this again does not look very convincing, since in the second half of the 15th century, the former authority of Vladimir could hardly have had any image value.

Perhaps this was due to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which in 1395 was transported from the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir to the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, built by Ivan Kalita. However, history has not preserved direct indications of this.

One of the hypotheses why Russian architects did not get down to business, and an Italian architect was invited, is connected with the personality of the second wife of John III, the Byzantine Sophia Palaiologos. A little more about this.

Sophia and the "Latin faith"

As you know, Pope Paul II actively promoted the Greek princess as a wife to Ivan III. In 1465 her father, Thomas Palaiologos, brought her with his other children to Rome. The family settled at the court of Pope Sixtus IV.

A few days after their arrival, Thomas died, having converted to Catholicism before his death. History has left us no information that Sophia converted to the "Latin faith", but it is unlikely that the Palaiologos could remain Orthodox while living at the court of the Pope. In other words, Ivan III, most likely, wooed a Catholic. Moreover, not a single chronicle reports that Sophia converted to Orthodoxy before the wedding. The wedding took place in November 1472. In theory, it was supposed to take place in the Assumption Cathedral. However, shortly before this, the temple was dismantled to the foundation in order to begin new construction. This looks very strange, because about a year before that, it was known about the upcoming wedding. It is also surprising that the wedding took place in a specially built wooden church near the Assumption Cathedral, which was demolished immediately after the ceremony. Why another Kremlin cathedral was not chosen remains a mystery.

What happened?

Let's get back to the refusal of Pskov architects to restore the destroyed Assumption Cathedral. One of the Moscow chronicles says that the Pskovites allegedly did not take up the work because of its complexity. However, it is hard to believe that Russian architects could refuse Ivan III, a rather harsh man, on such an occasion. The reason for the categorical refusal should have been very weighty. It was probably related to some heresy. A heresy that only a Catholic could bear - Fioravanti. What could it be?
The Assumption Cathedral, built by an Italian architect, does not have any "seditious" deviations from the Russian tradition of architecture. The only thing that could cause a categorical refusal is holy relics.
Perhaps the relics of a non-Orthodox saint could become a "mortgage" relic. As you know, Sophia brought many relics as a dowry, including Orthodox icons and a library. But, probably, we do not know about all the relics. It is no coincidence that Pope Paul II lobbied for this marriage so much.

If during the reconstruction of the temple there was a change of relics, then, according to the Russian tradition of urban planning, the “secret name” and, most importantly, the fate of the city changed. People who understand history well and subtly know that it was with Ivan III that the change in the rhythm of Russia began. Then the Grand Duchy of Moscow.

Grand Duchess Sophia (1455-1503) from the Greek Palaiologos dynasty was the wife of Ivan III. She came from a family of Byzantine emperors. Marriage with the Greek princess, Ivan Vasilyevich emphasized the connection between his own power and that of Constantinople. Once Byzantium gave Rus' Christianity. The marriage of Ivan and Sofia closed this historical circle. Their son Vasily III and his heirs considered themselves the successors of the Greek emperors. In order to transfer power to her own son, Sophia had to wage many years of dynastic struggle.

Origin

The exact date of birth of Sophia Palaiologos is unknown. She was born around 1455 in the Greek city of Mistra. The girl's father was Thomas Paleolog - the brother of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI. He ruled the Despotate of Morea, located on the Peloponnese peninsula. Sophia's mother, Catherine of Achaia, was the daughter of the Frankish prince Achaia Centurione II (Italian by birth). The Catholic ruler was in conflict with Thomas and lost a decisive war to him, as a result of which he lost his own possessions. As a sign of victory, as well as the accession of Achaea, the Greek despot married Catherine.

The fate of Sophia Paleolog was determined by the dramatic events that happened shortly before her birth. In 1453 the Turks captured Constantinople. This event was the end of the thousand-year history of the Byzantine Empire. Constantinople was at the crossroads between Europe and Asia. Having occupied the city, the Turks opened their way to the Balkans and the Old World as a whole.

If the Ottomans defeated the emperor, then the other princes did not pose a threat to them at all. The Despotate of Morea was already captured in 1460. Thomas managed to take his family and flee from the Peloponnese. First, the Palaiologoi came to Corfu, then moved to Rome. The choice was logical. Italy became a new home for many thousands of Greeks who did not want to remain under Muslim citizenship.

The girl's parents died almost simultaneously in 1465. After their death, the story of Sophia Paleologus turned out to be closely connected with the story of her brothers Andrei and Manuel. The young Palaiologos were sheltered by Pope Sixtus IV. In order to enlist his support and ensure a peaceful future for the children, Thomas converted to Catholicism shortly before his death, abandoning the Greek Orthodox faith.

Life in Rome

Sophia was taught by the Greek scientist and humanist Vissarion of Nicaea. Most of all, he was famous for the fact that he became the author of the project for the union of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, concluded in 1439. For a successful reunion (Byzantium made this deal, being on the verge of death and hoping in vain for the help of Europeans), Bessarion received the rank of cardinal. Now he became the teacher of Sophia Palaiologos and her brothers.

Biography of the future Moscow Grand Duchess With early years bore the seal of Greco-Roman duality, of which Bessarion of Nicaea was an adept. In Italy, she always had an interpreter with her. Two professors taught her Greek and Latin. Sophia Palaiologos and her brothers were supported by the Holy See. Papa gave them more than 3,000 crowns a year. Money was spent on servants, clothes, a doctor, etc.

The fate of the brothers Sophia has developed in the opposite way from each other. As the eldest son of Thomas, Andrew was considered the legal heir to the entire Palaiologos dynasty. He tried to sell his status to several European kings, hoping that they would help him regain the throne. The crusade did not happen. Andrew died in poverty. Manuel returned to his historical homeland. In Constantinople, he began to serve the Turkish Sultan Bayezid II, and according to some sources, even converted to Islam.

As a representative of the extinct imperial dynasty, Sophia Paleologus from Byzantium was one of the most enviable brides in Europe. However, none of the Catholic monarchs with whom they tried to negotiate in Rome agreed to marry the girl. Even the glory of the name of the Palaiologos could not overshadow the danger posed by the Ottomans. It is known for sure that Sophia's patrons began to marry her to the Cypriot king Jacques II, but he answered with a firm refusal. Another time, the Roman Pontiff Paul II himself offered the girl's hand to the influential Italian aristocrat Caracciolo, but this attempt to marry failed.

Embassy to Ivan III

Moscow learned about Sophia in 1469, when the Greek diplomat Yuri Trakhaniot arrived in the Russian capital. He proposed to the recently widowed, but still very young Ivan III, a project of marriage with the princess. The Roman Epistle delivered by a foreign guest was composed by Pope Paul II. The pontiff promised Ivan support if he wanted to marry Sophia.

What made Roman diplomacy turn to the Grand Duke of Moscow? In the 15th century, after a long period of political fragmentation and Mongolian yoke Russia reunited and became the largest European power. In the Old World there were legends about the wealth and power of Ivan III. In Rome, many influential people hoped for the help of the Grand Duke in the struggle of Christians against Turkish expansion.

One way or another, but Ivan III agreed and decided to continue negotiations. His mother Maria Yaroslavna favorably reacted to the "Roman-Byzantine" candidacy. Ivan III, despite his tough temper, was afraid of his mother and always listened to her opinion. At the same time, the figure of Sophia Palaiologos, whose biography was associated with the Latins, did not like the head of the Russian Orthodox Church- Metropolitan Philip. Realizing his impotence, he did not oppose the Moscow sovereign and distanced himself from the upcoming wedding.

Wedding

The Moscow embassy arrived in Rome in May 1472. The delegation was headed by the Italian Gian Batista della Volpe, known in Russia as Ivan Fryazin. The ambassadors were met by Pope Sixtus IV, who shortly before had succeeded the deceased Paul II. As a sign of gratitude for the hospitality, the pontiff received a gift a large number of sable fur.

Only a week passed, and a solemn ceremony was held in the main Roman Cathedral of St. Peter, at which Sophia Palaiologos and Ivan III got engaged in absentia. Volpe was in the role of the groom. Getting ready for important event The ambassador made a serious mistake. The Catholic rite required the use wedding rings, but Wolpe did not prepare them. The scandal was hushed up. All the influential organizers of the engagement wanted to complete it safely and turned a blind eye to the formalities.

In the summer of 1472, Sophia Paleolog, along with her own retinue, the papal legate and Moscow ambassadors, set off on a long journey. At parting, she met with the pontiff, who gave the bride his final blessing. Of several routes, Sofia's satellites chose the path through Northern Europe and the Baltic. The Greek princess crossed the entire Old World, arriving from Rome to Lübeck. Sophia Palaiologos from Byzantium adequately endured the hardships of a long journey - such trips were not the first time for her. At the insistence of the pope, all Catholic cities organized a warm welcome for the embassy. By sea, the girl reached Tallinn. This was followed by Yuriev, Pskov, followed by Novgorod. Sophia Paleolog, whose appearance was reconstructed by specialists in the 20th century, surprised Russians with her alien southern appearance and unfamiliar habits. Everywhere the future Grand Duchess was greeted with bread and salt.

On November 12, 1472, Princess Sophia Paleolog arrived in the long-awaited Moscow. The wedding ceremony with Ivan III took place on the same day. The rush had an understandable reason. The arrival of Sophia coincided with the celebration of the day of memory of John Chrysostom - the patron saint of the Grand Duke. So the Moscow sovereign gave his marriage under heavenly protection.

For the Orthodox Church, the fact that Sophia is the second wife of Ivan III was reprehensible. The priest who would crown such a marriage had to risk his reputation. In addition, the attitude towards the bride as someone else's Latina was entrenched in conservative circles from her very appearance in Moscow. That is why Metropolitan Philip shied away from the obligation to conduct a wedding. Instead of him, the ceremony was led by Archpriest Hosea of ​​Kolomna.

Sophia Palaiologos, whose religion remained Orthodox even during her stay in Rome, nevertheless arrived with a papal legate. This messenger, traveling along Russian roads, defiantly carried in front of him a large catholic crucifix. Under pressure from Metropolitan Philip, Ivan Vasilyevich made it clear to the legate that he was not going to tolerate such behavior, embarrassing his Orthodox subjects. The conflict was settled, but the "Roman glory" haunted Sophia until the end of her days.

Historical role

Together with Sophia, her Greek retinue arrived in Russia. Ivan III was very interested in the heritage of Byzantium. Marriage with Sophia became a signal for many other Greeks wandering in Europe. A stream of co-religionists aspired to settle in the possessions of the Grand Duke.

What did Sofia Palaiologos do for Russia? She opened it to Europeans. Not only Greeks, but also Italians went to Muscovy. Masters were especially appreciated and learned people. Ivan III took care of Italian architects (for example, Aristotle Fioravanti), who built a large number of masterpieces of architecture in Moscow. For Sophia herself, a separate courtyard and mansions were built. They burned down in 1493 during terrible fire. Together with them, the treasury of the Grand Duchess was lost.

In the days of standing on the Ugra

In 1480, Ivan III went to aggravate the conflict with the Tatar Khan Akhmat. The result of this conflict is known - after the bloodless standing on the Ugra, the Horde left the borders of Russia and never again demanded tribute from it. Ivan Vasilievich managed to throw off a long-term yoke. However, before Akhmat left the possessions of the Moscow prince in disgrace, the situation seemed uncertain. Fearing an attack on the capital, Ivan III organized Sophia's departure with their children to White Lake. Together with his wife was the grand ducal treasury. If Akhmat captured Moscow, she had to run further north closer to the sea.

The decision to evacuate, which was made by Ivan 3 and Sophia Paleolog, caused outrage among the people. Muscovites with pleasure began to recall the "Roman" origin of the princess. Sarcastic descriptions of the empress' flight to the north have been preserved in some chronicles, for example, in the Rostov Vault. Nevertheless, all the reproaches of contemporaries were immediately forgotten after the news came to Moscow that Akhmat and his army decided to retreat from the Ugra and return to the steppes. Sophia from the Palaiologos family arrived in Moscow a month later.

Heir problem

Ivan and Sofia had 12 children. Half of them died in childhood or infancy. The rest of the grown children of Sophia Paleolog also left behind offspring, but the branch of the Rurikids, which began from the marriage of Ivan and the Greek princess, died out around the middle of the 17th century. The Grand Duke also had a son from his first marriage with the Tver princess. Named after his father, he is remembered as Ivan Mladoy. According to the law of seniority, it was this prince who was to become the heir to the Moscow state. Of course, Sophia did not like this scenario, who wanted power to pass to her son Vasily. A loyal group of court nobility formed around her, supporting the claims of the princess. However, for the time being, she could not influence the dynastic issue in any way.

Since 1477, Ivan Mladoy was considered the co-ruler of his father. He participated in standing on the Ugra and gradually learned the princely duties. For many years, Ivan the Younger's position as the rightful heir was undeniable. However, in 1490 he fell ill with gout. There was no cure for "aching legs". Then the Italian doctor Mister Leon was discharged from Venice. He undertook to cure the heir and vouched for the success with his own head. Leon used rather strange methods. He gave Ivan a certain potion and burned his feet with red-hot glass vessels. Treatment only made the disease worse. In 1490, Ivan the Younger died in terrible agony at the age of 32. In anger, the husband of Sophia Paleologus imprisoned the Venetian, and after a few weeks he executed him in public.

Conflict with Elena

The death of Ivan the Younger brought Sofia little closer to fulfilling her dream. The deceased heir was married to the daughter of the Moldavian sovereign, Elena Stefanovna, and had a son, Dmitry. Now Ivan III was in front of difficult choice. On the one hand, he had a grandson Dmitry, and on the other, a son from Sofia, Vasily.

For several years, the Grand Duke continued to waver. The boyars split again. Some supported Elena, others - Sofia. The first supporters had much more. Many influential Russian aristocrats and nobles did not like the story of Sophia Palaiologos. Some continued to reproach her for her past with Rome. In addition, Sofia herself tried to surround herself with her native Greeks, which did not benefit her popularity.

On the side of Elena and her son Dmitry was a good memory of Ivan Mlad. Basil's supporters resisted: he was a descendant of the Byzantine emperors by his mother! Elena and Sofia were worth each other. Both of them were distinguished by ambition and cunning. Although the women observed palace decency, their mutual hatred of each other was not a secret to the princely entourage.

Opala

In 1497, Ivan III became aware of a conspiracy being prepared behind his back. Young Vasily fell under the influence of several careless boyars. Fedor Stromilov stood out among them. This clerk was able to assure Vasily that Ivan was about to officially declare Dmitry as his heir. Reckless boyars offered to get rid of a competitor or seize the sovereign's treasury in Vologda. The number of like-minded people involved in the venture continued to grow until Ivan III himself found out about the conspiracy.

As always, the Grand Duke, terrible in anger, ordered the execution of the main noble conspirators, including the deacon Stromilov. Basil escaped the dungeon, but guards were assigned to him. Sophia also fell into disgrace. Rumors reached her husband that she was bringing imaginary witches to her and was trying to get a potion to poison Elena or Dmitry. These women were found and drowned in the river. The sovereign forbade his wife to catch his eye. To top it off, Ivan really declared his fifteen-year-old grandson to be his official heir.

The fight goes on

In February 1498, celebrations were held in Moscow on the occasion of the coronation of young Dmitry. The ceremony in the Assumption Cathedral was attended by all the boyars and members of the grand ducal family, with the exception of Vasily and Sophia. The disgraced relatives of the Grand Duke were defiantly not invited to the coronation. They put on Dmitry the Cap of Monomakh, and Ivan III arranged a grand feast in honor of his grandson.

Elena's party could triumph - it was her long-awaited triumph. However, even supporters of Dmitry and his mother could not feel too confident. Ivan III has always been impulsive. Because of his tough temper, he could disgrace anyone, including his wife, but nothing guaranteed that the Grand Duke would not change his preferences.

A year has passed since Dmitry's coronation. Unexpectedly, the favor of the sovereign returned to Sophia and her eldest son. There is no evidence in the annals that speaks of the reasons that prompted Ivan to reconcile with his wife. One way or another, but the Grand Duke ordered to reconsider the case against his wife. Upon re-investigation, new circumstances of the court struggle were revealed. Some denunciations against Sophia and Vasily turned out to be false.

The sovereign accused the most influential defenders of Elena and Dmitry, princes Ivan Patrikeev and Simeon Ryapolovsky, of slander. The first of them was the chief military adviser to the Moscow ruler for more than thirty years. Ryapolovsky's father defended Ivan Vasilyevich as a child, when he was in danger from Dmitry Shemyaka during the last Russian internecine war. These great merits of the nobles and their families did not save them.

Six weeks after the boyar disgrace, Ivan, who had already returned his favor to Sophia, declared their son Vasily the Prince of Novgorod and Pskov. Dmitry was still considered the heir, but the members of the court, sensing the change in mood of the sovereign, began to leave Elena and her child. Fearing to repeat the fate of Patrikeyev and Ryapolovsky, other aristocrats began to demonstrate loyalty to Sophia and Vasily.

Triumph and death

Three more years passed, and finally, in 1502, the struggle between Sophia and Helen ended in the fall of the latter. Ivan ordered that guards be assigned to Dmitry and his mother, then he sent them to prison and officially deprived his grandson of grand ducal dignity. Then the sovereign declared Vasily his heir. Sophia was jubilant. Not a single boyar dared to contradict the decision of the Grand Duke, although many continued to sympathize with the eighteen-year-old Dmitry. Ivan was not even stopped by a quarrel with his faithful and important ally - Elena's father and the Moldavian ruler Stefan, who hated the owner of the Kremlin for the suffering of his daughter and grandson.

Sophia Paleolog, whose biography was a series of ups and downs, managed to achieve the main goal of her life shortly before her own death. She died at the age of 48 on April 7, 1503. The Grand Duchess was buried in a white stone sarcophagus placed in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral. Sophia's grave was next to the grave of Ivan's first wife, Maria Borisovna. In 1929, the Bolsheviks destroyed the Ascension Cathedral, and the remains of the Grand Duchess were transferred to the Archangel Cathedral.

For Ivan, the death of his wife was a strong blow. He was already over 60. In mourning, the Grand Duke visited several Orthodox monasteries, where he diligently indulged in prayers. Last years life together marred by the disgrace and mutual suspicions of the spouses. Nevertheless, Ivan III always appreciated Sophia's mind and her help in public affairs. After the loss of his wife, the Grand Duke, feeling the proximity of his own death, made a will. Basil's rights to power were confirmed. Ivan followed Sophia in 1505, dying at the age of 65.

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 veil.

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). To get support in Last year During his life, Thomas converted to Catholicism.

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 3600 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, professor Latin, professors Greek, 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. Main character 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.

A Greek princess who had a significant impact on our country. Since that time, in fact, the device of an independent monarchical Russian state began.

Sofia Paleolog was born in the 40s of the 15th century, at birth she had the name Zoya and was the heiress of an ancient Greek family that ruled Byzantium from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Then the Palaiologos family moved to Rome.

Contemporaries noted the oriental beauty of the princess, her sharp mind, curiosity, and her high level of education and culture. They tried to marry Sophia to the king of Cyprus, Jacob 2, and then to the Italian prince Caracciolo. Both marriages did not take place, there were rumors that Sophia allegedly refused the suitors, because she did not want to give up her faith.

In 1469, Pope Paul 2 advised Sophia as a wife to the widowed Grand Duke of Moscow. The Catholic Church hoped to exert its influence on Rus' through this union.

But the matter of the wedding did not go soon. The prince was in no hurry, he decided to consult with the boyars and his mother Maria of Tver. Only then did he send his envoy to Rome, the Italian Gian Batistta del Volpe, who in Rus' was simply called Ivan Fryazin.

He is instructed on behalf of the king to negotiate and see the bride. The Italian came back, not alone, but with a portrait of the bride. Three years later, Volpe left for the future princess. In the summer, Zoya, with her large retinue, set off on a journey to a northern, unknown country. In many cities through which the niece of the Greek emperor passed, the future princess of Rus' aroused great curiosity.

The townspeople noted her appearance, wonderful white skin and huge black, very beautiful eyes. The princess is dressed in a purple dress, over a brocade mantle lined with sables. On Zoya's head, priceless stones and pearls sparkled in her hair, a large clasp adorned with a large precious stone, conspicuous against the backdrop of a luxurious outfit.

After the courtship, Ivan 3 was presented with a portrait of the bride of skillful work. There was a version that the Greek woman was engaged in magic and thereby bewitched the portrait. One way or another, but the wedding of Ivan 3 and Sophia took place in November 1472, when Sophia arrived in Moscow.

hopes catholic church on Sofia Paleolog were not justified. Upon entering Moscow, the representative of the pope was denied the solemn bearing of the Catholic cross, and subsequently his position at the Russian court did not play any role. Byzantine princess returned to Orthodox faith and became an ardent opponent of Catholicism.

The marriage of Sophia and Ivan 3 had 12 children. The first two daughters died in infancy. There is a legend that the birth of a son was predicted by the saints of Sophia. During the pilgrimage of the Moscow princess to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the monk appeared to her and offered up a male infant. Indeed, soon Sophia gave birth to a boy, who later became the heir to the throne and the first recognized Russian tsar - Vasily 3.

With the birth of a new pretender to the throne, intrigues began at court, a struggle for power ensued between Sophia and Ivan the 3rd's son from his first marriage, Ivan the Young. The young prince already had his heir - little Dmitry, but he was in poor health. But soon Ivan Molodoy fell ill with gout and died, the doctor who treated him was executed and rumors spread that the prince had been poisoned.

His son - Dimitri, the grandson of Ivan 3, was crowned as a Grand Duke, and was considered the heir to the throne. However, in the course of Sophia's intrigues, grandfather Ivan 3 soon fell into disgrace, was imprisoned and soon died, and the right of inheritance passed to Sophia's son Vasily.

As a Moscow princess, Sophia showed great initiative in her husband's public affairs. At her insistence, Ivan 3 in 1480 refused to pay tribute to the Tatar Khan Akhmat, tore up the letter and ordered the Horde ambassadors to be driven out.

The consequences were not long in coming - Khan Akhmat gathered all his soldiers and moved to Moscow. His troops settled on the Ugra River and began to prepare for an attack. The gently sloping banks of the river did not give the necessary advantage in battle, time passed and the troops remained in place, waiting for the onset of cold weather to cross the river on ice. At the same time, riots and uprisings began in the Golden Horde, perhaps this was the reason why the khan turned his tumens and left Rus'.

Sophia Paleolog transferred her legacy of the Byzantine Empire to Rus'. Together with the dowry, the princess brought rare icons, big library with the works of Aristotle and Plato, the writings of Homer, and as a gift to her husband got the royal throne from Ivory with biblical scenes cut out. All this later passed to their grandson -

With ambition and great influence on her husband, she attached Moscow to the European order. Under her rule, etiquette was established in the princely court, the princess was allowed to have her own half of the palace and independently receive ambassadors. The best architects and painters of that time were called from Europe to Moscow.

The wooden capital of Sophia clearly lacked the former majesty of Byzantium. Buildings were erected that became the best jewelry Moscow: Assumption, Annunciation, Archangel Cathedrals. Also built: the Faceted Chamber for the reception of ambassadors and guests, the Treasury Court, the Embankment Stone Chamber, the towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

Throughout her life, Sophia considered herself a princess of Tsaregorod, it was she who had the idea to make the third Rome out of Moscow. After marriage, Ivan 3 introduced into his coat of arms and printers the symbol of the Palaiologos family - the double-headed eagle. In addition, Rus' began to be called Russia, thanks to the Byzantine tradition.

Despite the apparent advantages, the people and the boyars treated Sophia with hostility, calling her a “Greek woman” and a “sorceress”. Many were afraid of her influence on Ivan 3, since the prince began to have a tough temper and demand complete obedience from his subjects.

Nevertheless, it was thanks to Sophia Paleolog that the rapprochement between Russia and the West took place, the architecture of the capital changed, private ties with Europe were established, and the foreign policy.

The campaign of Ivan 3 against independent Novgorod ended in its complete liquidation. The fate of the Novgorod Republic also predetermined fate. The Moscow army entered the territory of the Tver land. Now Tver "kissed the cross" swearing allegiance to Ivan 3, and the prince of Tver was forced to flee to Lithuania.

The successful unification of the Russian lands created the conditions for liberation from the Horde dependence, which happened in 1480.

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The last flower of Byzantium
10 Facts About Russian Tsarina 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". Frame from the series

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

3. The immediate guardian of Sophia Paleolog was appointed Cardinal Vissarion of Nicaea, a supporter of the union, that is, the unification of Catholics and Orthodox under the authority of the Pope. Sophia's fate was supposed to be decided by an advantageous 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. The fate of Sophia changed dramatically after it became known that Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III widowed and looking for new wife. Vissarion of Nicaea decided that if Sophia Paleolog becomes the wife of Ivan III, the Russian lands could be brought under the influence of the Pope.

Sofia Paleolog. Reconstruction from the skull of S. Nikitin

6. During the marriage negotiations, representatives of the Pope were silent about the transition of Sophia Palaiologos to Catholicism. But a surprise awaited them too - immediately after crossing the Russian border, Sophia announced to Bessarion of Nicaea, who accompanied her, that she was returning to Orthodoxy and would not perform Catholic rites. In fact, this was the end of the attempt to carry out the union project in Russia.

7. The wedding of Ivan III and Sophia Paleolog 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, the boy, named Vasily, later became the Grand Duke of Moscow Basil III.

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

9. Under Sophia Palaiologos, the practice of inviting foreign specialists to Russia became widespread: architects, jewelers, miners, 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. Actively used in construction White stone, which is why the expression “white-stone Moscow”, which has been preserved for centuries, appeared.

10. A silk veil is kept in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, hand sewn Sophia in 1498; her name is embroidered on the veil, and she calls herself not the Grand Duchess of Moscow, but the “Tsarina of Tsaregorodskaya”. With her filing, 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 Sophia's son Vasily III for the first time in the history of Rus' is named Emperor of the Rus. This charter is then used Peter I as proof of their rights to be crowned as emperor.

The wedding of Ivan III with Sophia Paleolog in 1472. Engraving of the 19th century.

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 successor of the Byzantine Empire. A few decades later, the thesis "Moscow - the Third Rome" will become a symbol of the state ideology Russian state.

A major role in the formation of a new ideology and in the changes that were taking place at that time inside Russia was destined to be played by a woman whose name was heard by almost everyone who had ever come into contact with Russian history. Sophia Paleolog, the wife of Grand Duke Ivan III, contributed to the development of Russian architecture, medicine, culture and many other areas of life.

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

The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in between. Sophia Paleolog 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 Palaiologos, Sophia's father

Zoya Paleologina, daughter of the despot (this is the title of the position) Morea Thomas Palaiologos, was born at a tragic time. In 1453 the Byzantine Empire, heiress ancient rome, after a thousand years of existence, collapsed under the blows of the Ottomans. The fall of Constantinople, in which Emperor Constantine XI, brother of Thomas Palaiologos and uncle Zoe, died, was a symbol of the empire's downfall.

The Despotate of Morea, a province of Byzantium ruled by Thomas Palaiologos, 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 the Morea, Thomas Palaiologos 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 Palaiologos, in order to gain support, he converted to Catholicism. His children also became Catholics. Zoya after baptism in the Roman rite was named Sophia.

Vissarion of Nicaea

Sophia's fate was going to be arranged through 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.

Bride on the "icon"

But Sophia was not destined to become the wife of an Italian. In Rome, it became known that the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III had been 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 Vissarion of Nicaea saw this as a chance to promote his idea of ​​Uniatism to Russian lands. From his filing in 1469 Pope Paul II sent a letter to Ivan III, in which he proposed 14-year-old Sophia Paleolog 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.

Viktor Muyzhel. "Ambassador Ivan Fryazin presents Ivan III with a portrait of his bride Sophia Paleolog"

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”.

Sofia Paleolog. Reconstruction from the skull of S. Nikitin

The failure of Vissarion of Nicaea

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 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, Katharina, were also guests. The Pope, in addition to gifts, gave the bride a dowry of 6,000 ducats.

Sophia Paleolog enters Moscow. Miniature of the Front Chronicle

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

From time immemorial, the Byzantines were famous for their cunning and deceit. The fact that Sophia Palaiologos inherited these qualities in full, Bessarion of Nicaea found out soon after the bride's convoy crossed the border of Russia. The 17-year-old girl announced that from now on she would no longer perform Catholic rites, but would return to the faith of her ancestors, that is, to Orthodoxy. All the ambitious plans of the cardinal collapsed. Attempts by Catholics to gain a foothold in Moscow and increase their influence failed.

November 12, 1472 Sophia entered Moscow. Here, too, there were many who were wary of her, seeing her as a "Roman agent." According to some information, Metropolitan Philip, dissatisfied with the bride, refused to conduct the wedding ceremony, which is why the ceremony was held by the Kolomna Archpriest Hosea.

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

Fedor Bronnikov. "Meeting of Princess Sophia Paleolog by Pskov posadniks and boyars at the mouth of the Embakh on Lake Peipsi"

Their marriage lasted 30 years, she gave birth to her husband 12 children, of which five sons and four daughters survived to adulthood. Judging by 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 of the Grand Duke, especially the receptions of ambassadors, were furnished with a complex and colorful ceremonial, 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 Paleolog, 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. To help her was the ambition of her husband, on whom she successfully played.

When the Horde Khan Akhmat prepared an invasion of Russian lands and in Moscow they discussed the issue of the amount of tribute with which you can pay off misfortune, Sophia intervened in the matter. Bursting into tears, she began to reproach her husband for the fact 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 person, but his wife's reproaches touched him to the core. 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 happen. After what is known as “standing on the Ugra”, Akhmat retreated without a fight, and dependence on the Horde ended completely.

15th century rebuilding

Sophia inspired her husband that the sovereign of such a great power as he could not live in the capital with wooden churches and chambers. Under the influence of his wife, Ivan III began the restructuring of the Kremlin. For the construction of the Assumption Cathedral, the architect Aristotle Fioravanti was invited from Italy. At the construction site, white stone was actively used, which is why the expression “white-stone Moscow”, which has been preserved for centuries, appeared.

The invitation of foreign experts in various fields became a widespread phenomenon under Sophia Paleolog. The Italians and Greeks, who took up the post of ambassadors under Ivan III, will begin to actively invite their fellow countrymen to Russia: architects, jewelers, coiners and gunsmiths. Among the visitors there were a large number of professional doctors.

Sophia arrived in Moscow with a large dowry, part of which was occupied by a library that 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 find to this day. Skeptics, however, believe that such a library did not really exist.

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

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 heir to the throne. But with the birth of children, Sophia began to grow tension. The Russian nobility split into two groups, one of which supported Ivan the Young, and the second - Sophia.

Relations between the stepmother and stepson did not work out, so much so that Ivan III himself had to exhort 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 dead 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 the Young was already mentioned in Russian documents as a co-ruler of his father. And in 1483 the heir married daughter of the ruler of Moldavia, 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 for inheriting his father's throne 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 their rival, but also her offspring.

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

Death and burial of Grand Duchess Sophia Paleolog

In 1490, the heir to the throne, Ivan the Young, 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 Young died as a result of poisoning, which was the work of Sophia Paleolog.

There is no evidence for this, however. After the death of Ivan the Young, his son became the new heir, known in Russian historiography as Dmitry Ivanovich Vnuk.

Dmitry Vnuk was not officially proclaimed heir, and therefore Sophia Paleolog continued her attempts to achieve the throne for Vasily.

In 1497, a conspiracy of supporters of Vasily and Sophia was uncovered. Enraged, Ivan III sent its participants to the chopping block, but did not touch his wife and son. However, they were in disgrace, actually 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 given into the hands of the executioners. The denouement came on April 11, 1502. New accusations of a conspiracy against Dmitry Vnuk and his mother Ivan III considered convincing, sending them under house arrest. A few days later, Vasily was proclaimed co-ruler of his father and heir to the throne, and Dmitry Vnuk and his mother were placed in prison.

Birth of an empire

Sophia Paleolog, 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, who was widowed for the second time, outlived his beloved Sophia by two years, passing away in October 1505. Elena Voloshanka died in prison.

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

In 1514, in an agreement with the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Vasily III was named Emperor of the Rus for the first time in the history of Rus'. This charter is then used by Peter I as proof of his rights to be crowned as emperor.

The efforts of Sophia Palaiologos, a proud Byzantine who set about building a new empire to replace the lost one, were not in vain.