Grand Principality of Moscow: Map & History
The Grand Principality of Moscow, before 1389 the Principality of Moscow, also known by the exonym Muscovy, was a late medieval Russian monarchy.
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The Grand Principality of Moscow, before 1389 the Principality of Moscow, also known by the exonym Muscovy, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as an appanage principality in the 13th century, Moscow became the leading Russian principality and was transformed into a centralized Russian state in the late 15th century, laying the groundwork for Tsarist Russia.
Modern Countries Once Part of Grand Principality of Moscow
At its mapped extent, Grand Principality of Moscow covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Grand Principality of Moscow's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Grand Principality of Moscow in Depth
History
Moscow is first mentioned in chronicles under the year 1147, as part of the principality of Rostov-Suzdal. The importance of Moscow greatly increased during the second half of the 12th century, and it was converted into a fortified gorod (stronghold) in the 1150s. On the death of Vsevolod III in 1212, Moscow appears to have been passed to his son Yury, who succeeded his father as the grand prince of Vladimir. During the Mongol invasions of 1237–1238, Moscow was sacked following the destruction of Ryazan. The city is not mentioned again until the late 13th century.
The first prince of Moscow was Daniel (r. 1263–1303), the youngest son of Aleksandr Nevsky, and he was given Moscow as an otchina, where he established a local branch of Rurikid princes.
Government and politics
The unification of Russia gave rise to a new political system characterized by the dominance of the grand prince, who viewed the country as his personal patrimony. The historian Sergey Platonov wrote: "The authority of the Moscow princes took on the character of the authority of a lord of the manor over its land and people... The prince was not only the ruler of the country; he was also its owner". During the appanage period, princes and their retinues played a major administrative and social role in their principalities; however, with the rise of the grand principality of Moscow, the role of those princes were subordinated to the grand prince and the emerging state apparatus.
Economy
In the 15th century, following the disintegration of the Golden Horde, Muscovite merchants began trading directly with Crimea, including with the Genoese in Caffa. A distinct merchant group known as the gosti-surozhane emerged, likely composed of native Russians, who specialized in trading with Crimea. Merchants from abroad, including Armenians and Genoese, came to Moscow via Crimea. Around the same time, the city of Kazan replaced Bolghar as the focal point of trade on the river. The annual fair in Kazan attracted many merchants from abroad, including Russians. The Nogai Horde also played an important role in the Muscovite economy by supplying the army with horses. By the 16th century, 20,000 horses were driven to markets in Moscow each year.
Culture
Muscovite Russia was culturally influenced by Slavic and Byzantine cultural elements. In Muscovite Russia, supernaturalism was a fundamental part of daily life.
A distinct school of icon painting was formed in Moscow in the second half of the 14th century, and would be led by Andrei Rublev, one of the most celebrated Russian icon painters. Among his most notable works is The Trinity, which dates to the early 15th century. The first original Russian school, the Suzdal school, was merged with the Moscow school in the early 15th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Grand Principality of Moscow (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Grand Principality of Moscow: Key Facts
| Capital | Moscow |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Old East Slavic, Old Moscow version of Church Slavonic |
| Form of government | feudal monarchy |
| Founded | 1263 |
| Dissolved | 1547 |
Preceded by
- Duchy of Moscow
- Period of Appanages
- Grand Principality of Vladimir
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q170770 (CC0).
Grand Principality of Moscow Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Grand Principality of Moscow appears, with the other states of the time.
Grand Principality of Moscow Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,433,401 km² in 1543 CE.
Grand Principality of Moscow: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Grand Principality of Moscow exist?
Grand Principality of Moscow is dated to 1294 CE – 1546 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Grand Principality of Moscow?
The capital of Grand Principality of Moscow was Moscow.
How large was Grand Principality of Moscow at its peak?
At its peak in 1543 Grand Principality of Moscow covered about 2,433,401 km².
How did the map of Grand Principality of Moscow change over time?
Grand Principality of Moscow appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1300 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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