On February 7, 1494, the Moscow Peace was signed between the Russian state and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He ended the Border War between the countries, moving the border of the Russian state to the west and ensuring Lithuania's official recognition of the Grand Duke of Moscow as the sovereign of all Rus'.

Rus' and Lithuania

There is no consensus among historians regarding the start date of the Border War - or, as it was also called, the Strange War. The fact is that it was not formally announced. Therefore, in some sources it is counted from the 1480s, while in others only the military actions of 1492-1494 are attributed to it. However, regarding the prerequisites for the outbreak of a military conflict, experts speak with confidence.

“Taking advantage of first the fragmentation of Rus' in the 13th-14th centuries, and then the results of the Mongol-Tatar invasion, Lithuanian feudal lords established control over the western and southwestern parts of the Russian lands. The power of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania over itself was forced to recognize, among other things, appanage princes of Russian origin who fell within its sphere of influence. However, as Moscow grew stronger, all Russian lands began to gather around it,” MPGU professor Vitaly Zakharov said in a conversation with RT.

According to experts, over time this process became more and more intense.

“For the Moscow princes, collecting Russian lands became the main mission. This process intensified many times under Ivan III. As we know, Veliky Novgorod, Tver, and other territories were annexed to a single state. And Moscow was faced with the ultimate task of returning the Russian lands that were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 15th century,” Vladimir Volkov, a professor at Moscow State Pedagogical University and the Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, noted in a conversation with RT.

According to experts, in the 1480s, the Russian state released serious forces - after standing on the Ugra River, Moscow put an end to history with formal dependence on the Great Horde. In addition, the authorities of the Russian state concluded a strategic agreement with the Crimean Khanate, and in 1487 they took Kazan for the first time.

“There is an opportunity to solve problems with the so-called Verkhovsky principalities, that is, with the principalities lying in the upper reaches of the Oka,” continued Vladimir Volkov.

The Verkhovsky principalities were ruled by the descendants of the Kyiv and Chernigov princes Mikhail Vsevolodovich. They were feudally dependent on the Lithuanian grand dukes, but already in the 1450s, individual representatives of this branch of the Rurikovichs began to move to the service of Moscow.

  • Ivan III

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“The Verkhovsky princes, recognizing the power of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, hoped that they would protect their principalities from the Tatars. But they couldn’t protect them,” the expert said.

As an example, he cited the events of 1480, when the troops of the Great Horde tried to attack the Russian state. Then they moved through the territory of the Verkhovsky principalities, ruined them to the ground, and Lithuania could not do anything about it.

Border War

As Vitaly Zakharov noted, hostilities between Lithuania and Moscow began in the area of ​​the lands of the Verkhovsky principalities in 1486-1487 without a declaration of war. The sons of Semyon Odoevsky, who had previously defected to Moscow, took an active part in the border clashes: princes Ivan, Vasily and Peter. They supported Ivan Vorotynsky, who later came under the rule of the Russian state.

At the end of the 1480s, the transition of Russian princes, who had previously served Lithuania, to the side of Moscow became widespread. At the same time, when leaving, they captured the volosts that belonged to the princes, who were still on the side of the Lithuanians. The Grand Duke of Lithuania and at the same time the Polish King Casimir IV protested about this, but Moscow ignored them.

  • Casimir IV

  • Legion-Media

The situation sharply worsened in 1492: Casimir IV died, and his sons decided to divide the Polish-Lithuanian throne, sealed by a personal union, among themselves. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania went to Alexander Jagiellon.

In August 1492, the Moscow army under the command of Prince Fyodor Telepnya Obolensky entered the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, capturing Mtsensk and Lyubutsk. Other Russian detachments occupied Mosalsk and Serpeisk. The process of the transition of the “border” feudal lords to the hand of Ivan III became even more intense. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost one city after another, although Alexander Jagiellon refused to recognize their new status.

First, the Lithuanian prince wrote letters to Moscow, and then sent troops against the rebellious border feudal lords, who were able to take possession of Serpeisk and Mtsensk for some time. However, globally this did not change anything. At the beginning of 1493, a new large Moscow army set out on a campaign. The main forces of the Lithuanian troops retreated. Russian troops entered some cities without a fight, while in others they quickly suppressed the resistance of the Lithuanian garrisons.

  • Alexander Jagiellon

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  • © Fine Art Images/Heritage Images

Against this background, the Verkhovsky princes, who held on to Lithuania, also began to go over to the side of Moscow. Russian regiments occupied Vyazma and swore in the local residents.

Alexander Jagiellon launched military operations along the entire border, but could not achieve success. War was never declared. According to Vitaly Zakharov, the Grand Duke of Lithuania felt his weakness and was therefore afraid to raise political stakes. Poland, which was ruled by the brother of the Grand Duke and which was connected with Lithuania by a personal union back in the 14th century, was busy with its own problems and did not want to go to the aid of the allies.

Alexander Jagiellon was forced to ask for peace by sending a diplomatic delegation to the Russian state. After tense negotiations, the Moscow Peace was concluded on February 7, 1494. He officially secured the entry into the Russian state of the lands of Vyazemsky and part of the Verkhovsky principalities. Alexander Jagiellon recognized the transfer of a number of his former vassals to Moscow service, as well as the rights of the Russian state to Novgorod, Pskov and Tver, renouncing any claims to them in the future.

According to historians, it was important that in the treaty Ivan III was called “the sovereign of all Rus'.” This was the official recognition of the new title of the Moscow princes at the international level. The treaty also established allied relations between the Russian state and Lithuania in defense against the Tatar khanates, guaranteed the protection of trade routes and the inviolability of merchants.

  • Elena and Alexander Jagiellon

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  • © Fine Art Images/Heritage Images

The Moscow peace was sealed by the marriage of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander with the daughter of Ivan III Elena. At the same time, the bride was guaranteed the right to remain in the Orthodox faith.

“The results of the war were very great for the Russian state. If earlier Lithuania subjugated the Russian lands and dominated them, now the reverse process has begun. Russian lands began to return to the state ruled by the Moscow Rurikovichs,” concluded Vladimir Volkov.