1493 Muscovy/Russia

[marl_d]

well since Glen said to start your own threads here's Moscow

Russia 1493-1499

July 1493 - after the Great Fire Ivan declares that no new building is to be built out of wood or other burnable materials in any part of the city which left a large part of the old portion of the city destroyed. 240 meters around the Kremlin are left open for the market area, but they must not be permanent and easily for transport

In the OTL only the area around the Kremlin was wooden structures forbidden, this change will limit the destruction caused in any siege later on and limit the spread of fire.

1497-Sudebnik of 1497 is slightly changed from article 57, which requires a peasant to pay his lord a certain fee in the week before or the week after St. George's day if he is to have the right to move elsewhere
to removing the fee but stipulating that peasants could ONLY move during the week before and after the Fall St. George's day, and with permission of both Landowners.

While the Law doesn't require the fee, many Landlords demand it in order for the Peasant to move. This allows more movement of peasants and increases settlement in the annex territories Ivan has claimed during his reign.

below is not to be added to the official TL yet, as i haven't heard back from VulcanTrekkie yet

1498-Russia enters an Alliance with Wallachia, Moldavia, Turks, Austria and Cardinal of Rhodes, against the Malmuks. By helping the Turks, they agree to give up their European territory and put Vasili On the Throne of Constantinople.


Livonian Confederation 1493-1499

1495-Wolter von Plettenberg gets word from the Teutonic Knights and pledges a force of 7,000 knight and heavy Calvary at their disposal.(this may or may not happen)

1499-Russia and Livonia go to war as OTL. Ivan’s daughter Helena comes to visit him and try and talk him out of attacking her Husband. Instead offering to sell a portion of the lands that Ivan claimed where Russian and also promising not to intervene in any war with Livonia and in exchange they would get Courland and Semigallia.

Ivan sends an envoy to Sweden with the proposal of dividing up the Livonian Confederation between them and Poland/Lithuania, while leaving the Port city of Riga semi autonomous to enable trade through out the region but under the influence of Russia.

[marl_d]

1499-1502: War goes much as OTL(not sure how to do the red)

September 13th 1502: During the battle of the Seritsa River (Battle of Smolin) Wolter von Plettenberg was turning the tied of the war until he is killed by Russian artillery while attempting to take on the Russian forces. (OTL he is able to defeat the Russians with a force of only 12,000 against anywhere between 30-40,000) The demoralized Livonian army retreats toward Riga in hopes of help from abroad.

1503: After a long and tiresome siege with little help from the outside, the Remaining leaders of the Livonian Confederation send out request for help to the Kalamar Union, who rejects the Livonian request, and the Hansa/Teutonic Knights (ooc: their response will be added later)

After the fall of the Livonian Confederation, the Territory is split between the four powers (see division map in the map thread). The remaining Knights of the Order are given an Option, be expelled from Russian controlled Livonia (including Riga) or convert to the Orthodoxy and become Crusaders for the Patriarch. Most of the order leaves either retires in the Catholic Poland/Lithuania territory of Courland or goes to join the Teutonic Knights.

However a small band of about 175 Knights and 200 apprentices and squire’s stay, lead by a young, charismatic Aloysius Marmaduke (ooc: Alik Yakovlev in Russian and made up, can't find any names beyond the Grand Master of the Livonian Order), convert to the Orthodoxy and Establish the Knights of St. Andrew. These knights are sent to Moscow to start a school and training center, and will become the core of Russia’s future military. (Much like the Cossacks of OTL)
Edit/Delete Message

[marl_d]

1500: Upon hearing of the letter the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire sent to the Pope, Spain and Naples proposing being crowned Caesar as a successor to Rome, Ivan writes the Following to the Sultan:

To Ahmed Ibn-Bayezid Sultan of the Ottoman Empire,
I must object to your claim as the successor to Rome, and appeal to the Pope, King and Queen of Spain, and King of Naples that this coronation does not go through as I, Tsar Ivan III claim this title based on my marriage to Zoe Palaiologina (Sophia Paleologue) niece of Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. I demand that I am recognized as such, in return will support your Title as Caesar of the Mohammedans. I will also continue to support your actions against the Malmuks as is required by our alliance.
Tsar Ivan III

1502: Ivan, under pressure from his wife for Vasili to be crowned co-regent, he keeps his promise to Dmitriy Ivanovich. Having different plans for Vasili. Vasili and his mother are hysterically upset about the move. In order to keep a civil war from happening while in the mists of the war with Livonia, Ivan reveals his plans for his son to both Vasili and Dmitriy, and asks that they keep the plans secret until they can be put into motion. Vasili is appeased and vehemently supports Dmitriy’s regency.

1504: With the establishment of the Knights of St Andrews, plans for the proposed training facility, School and Cathedral/Monastery are drawn up to build near Tver. The building is slow and steady and takes about 5 years to complete but when it is, it becomes one of the Chief training areas for Russian Military Leaders. Eventually all Russian Princes are required to spend at lest 5 years training at the Facility. In the mean time a temporary facility is based in Moscow.

May 1504: Riga is reopened as a free trade city under the auspice of the Grand Duke. Ivan sends Dmitriy on a trip to England, France, Spain, and other parts of Europe to open trade routes. While abroad Dmitriy hears of the adventures of Columbus, Cabot. He marvels at the news and rumors of the New World and Envisions a Russian Colony, but first, Russia must build a Merchant and Military Navy

August, 27 1505: After returning from his trip in July Dmitriy is married to Solomonia Yuryevna Saburova (Vasili’s OTL wife) a descendent of the Tartar Khans.

Oct 27, 1505: Ivan III dies and Dmitriy assumes the title of Grand Prince of Muscovy.

Oct 28, 1505: Dmitriy formally places the Sect of Skhariya the Jew, which he and his mother are members of, under direct protection of the Grand Prince. And orders the construction of the first Merchant and Naval ships.

[marl_d]

Oct 28, 1505: Dmitriy formally places the Sect of Skhariya the Jew, which he and his mother are members of, under direct protection of the Grand Prince. And orders the construction of the first Merchant and Naval ships.

changed to this:

Oct 28, 1505: Dmitriy formally places the Sect of Skhariya the Jew, which he and his mother are members of, under direct protection of the Grand Prince. He also orders that groups of tradesman are sent to various European countries to learn shipbuilding.

[marl_d]

he first two are revised entries:

1500: Upon hearing of the letter the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire sent to the Pope, Spain and Naples proposing being crowned Caesar as a successor to Rome, Ivan writes the Following to the Sultan:

To Ahmed Ibn-Bayezid Sultan of the Ottoman Empire,

I must object to your claim as the successor to Rome, and appeal to the Pope, King and Queen of Spain, and King of Naples that this coronation does not go through as I, Tsar Ivan III claim this title based on my marriage to Zoe Palaiologina (Sophia Paleologue) nice of Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. I demand that I am recognized as such, my son Vasili be placed as Co-Regent of Constantinople, and you impose strict restrictions on your vessel the Meñli I Giray, Khan of Crimea in his raids for slaves. In return, I will support your Title as Caesar of the Mohammedans as long as my Son Vasili (and his descendants) remains as Co-Regent. If these conditions are meet I will also support your actions against the Malmuks, as is required by the purposed alliance with Austria, Moldavia/Wallachia.

Tsar Ivan III


Oct 28, 1505: Dmitriy formally places the Sect of Skhariya the Jew, which he and his mother are members of, under direct protection of the Grand Prince. He also orders that groups of wood working tradesman are sent to various European countries to learn shipbuilding. What is left of the Livonian and hired Dutch Shipbuilders are set to work building the first Russian Merchant ships and naval vessels.

(new entries)

1506: Dmitriy, having been a supporter of secularization, starts moving the government and church apart. While Dmitriy still supports the Church and in particular the Knights of St. Andrews, he feels that the teachings of the heretical group the Sect of Skhariya the Jew and the teachings of Nil Sorsky are right. Though he knows that he can’t force the ideology on the people let alone the Church. The Support of Nil Sorsky, his teachings, and the losses of church monastic holdings leads to more of a “liberalization” of the church where self rule is taught but the Sect’s ideas of Jesus and the Trinity are dropped as this is far and above anything that the Church can except. These teaching will lead to a Synod in 1508

November 1506: The Church starts to split between those in favor of new ideas being presented by Nil Sorsky and Joseph Volotsky with his outspoken support for the status qua. The two men, bitter rivals for nearly 20 years have many heated debates, many of them public during services.

Vasili in the mean time, while no supporter of Dmitriy’s plans and actions, does not say or do anything. Even with widespread calls from conservative Clergy and Boyars. Instead he has been preparing for his eventual trip to Constantinople where he will take his Great Uncles Crown. He does however, at his nephew’s request, start sending out invitations to the more conservative members of the Church hierarchy and Boyars, offering them places in his court.
(OOC Note: liberal/conservative is more of a RL way of referring to what is happening in the Russian Orthodox Church and not by any means any actual political leaning)

September 13, 1506: Dmitriy’s first son Ivan Daniil Dmitriyevich, Ivan is confirmed as heir to Dmitriy’s entire domain.


May 1507: The first of 2-dozen new Russian Merchant vessels are finished and launched. The first of 10 new Russian galley’s are also launched, they are built mostly for coastal defense and training.

[marl_d]

July 1507-1509: Nil Sorsky decides to start evangelizing to the peasants. He tells his “Sorskivtes” that he will be leaving for the Russian countryside teaching, preaching, living off what the Lord provides. He does not ask any of them to follow him, but would not reject any company. A small band of 20 set out to preach the about reforming and going back to a simpler, apostleistic approach to God.

This move is at first seen as a bit of a joke by the Hierarchy, particularly Joseph Volotsky, until Sorskivites gain strength through the peasant population and lower clergy. Hoping to crush the heresy, the Josephineians start a smear campaign against Sorsky and his followers.

During this time, the Sorskivtes develop the reformations basic doctrines, while most don’t differ from the Orthodox, such as the Trinity, Iconography, the Resurrection, the infallibility of the Bible and the Orthodoxy’s idea’s on “Sola scriptura”, some do. They belive that an Individual's only way to God is through ones own inner world and personal emotional experiences of faith, monks should use their time for productive labor, a modest lifestyle as well as going about seeing to the needs of the sick and poor, and not keeping themselves secluded.

A group of Sorskivites takes it upon themselves to start learning what they can to treat the sick and heal using Christ as an example. They also glean what they can from Local healers and star experimenting with different cures for various ailments.

1508: With the increase in trade between Moscow and Riga, Dmitriy annexes the autonomous reigns of Pskov and Volokolamsk.
1509: A peasant brings his 7-year-old son, Alik, to the Knights of St Andrew. The Grand Master asks why he doesn’t send him to a Monastery instead, the father replies that he did but they threw him out because he kept escaping and was leading the other boys on “crusades” to route out the heathen Mongols. The boy is very intelligent and absorbs everything he’s learned, but is undisciplined and vivid imagination, and can’t be controlled. The Grand Master accepts the young Alik, and keeps an eye on the boy.
1510: The monk Philotheus of Pskov records the Legend of the White Cowl, which asserts the historical and religious inevitability of Russia's place as the heir to the Byzantine Empire's temporal and religious authority.

August 15, 1510: Vasili getting frustrated with his nephew’s rule and lax policies regarding the reformers and feeling that the third Rome is losing it’s prestige, finally sets out for Constantinople. When he leaves he offers Joseph Volotsky, Clergy and Boyars that are loyal to him as well as feed up with Dmitriy’s rule to join him. He promises to get land and positions in his court for the Boyars, and High Ranks in the Orthodox Hierarchy in Constantinople.


September 1510: Vasili arrives in Constantinople with an about 150 priest, monks, Boyars and the Boyars families. Emperor Ahmed and Princess Fatima receive him in the Throne room where a descendant of the Shishemid Tsars of Bulgaria is also present. Though irritated by the small jab, Vasili recognizes the significance, and says nothing.

1511: The Russian Navy and Merchant fleets continue to grow. With the Help of Dutch ship designers the first carrack is built. In honor of Dmitriy’s Grandfather, the ship is named Ivan the Great, (this is also the first time that Ivan III is called such). The Russian Navy now consists of the Ivan, 30 galleys, and about 20 smaller ships. The Russian Merchant fleet has increased to 50 ships. Most of the sailors of the Russian Fleet, both naval and merchant, are still foreigners, though the number of former Livonian’s and Russians are increasing.

February 17, 1511: Twins are born to Dmitriy, both a boy and Girl.
Vladislava and Vikenti

1512: In order to increase the Education of the Boyars and the Princes, 2 Universities are established, one in Moscow and one in Novgorod. Due his journeys, Nil Sorsky refuses the offer of being the first Headmaster at either School; instead Dmitriy offers the Headmastership of the Moscow Academy to his long time friend and confidant Vassian Patrikeyev, who accepts. A request for Teachers is sent though Europe offering teaching positions at the new Universities.


1513: With the Increase in demand for Flax, a group of 10 flax farmers in the former Livonian region get together in order to sell their flax at higher prices than what they are getting currently. Though they receive more than what they have in the past for their crop, the group doesn’t do as well as they hope to and disband after the first year. The idea catches the ear of a man who is in Riga from Moscow on business, and he starts to contemplate how to be more effective as a business practice.

1514: Dmitriy Learns of the Sibir Khan’s attempts at expending his role in the region, seeing this as a good opportunity to gain an ally and help balance out the other Khanate’s, especially if they try and ally against Muscovy. He sends out Emissaries, and asks the Grand Master of the Knights to accompany them for protection. The Grand Master Agrees under the stipulation that the Siberian’s must be converted, so Dmitriy asks that a group of missionaries also be sent, saying that they are composed of both Traditionalist and Sorskivites.

1515: Prince Ivan leads his younger sibling in several pranks, one that almost causes a guard to be dismissed. Dmitriy having tried various forms of getting the boy under control finally is fed up and sends him to the Knights where he can learn discipline. The Grand Master can see the potential in the young Ivan, reminding him of Alik and how over the last 6 years the peasant boy had grown and honed his skills and was now the Grand Masters squire. Drawn to the young prince but at the same time repulsed by his snobbish attitude, Alik takes an immediate dislike to Ivan.

1520: Dmitriy passes the Sudebnik of 1520 which revamps not only the movement of peasants (encouraged and pushed by the Sorskivites) but the also the laws on the new merchant class that had grown out of the budding trade with the west. The Merchant laws cover mostly taxes, how much and what. The laws governing peasants are greatly expanded, banning any fee by the landowner to leave, also increasing the time that a peasant could move from the two weeks around St Georges day, to any time between three weeks after harvest and three weeks before planting. Many Traditionalist Boyars see this as a weakening of their power and protest the move.

[Keenir]

August 15, 1510: Vasili getting frustrated with his nephew’s rule and lax policies regarding the reformers and feeling that the third Rome is losing it’s prestige, finally sets out for Constantinople.

September 1510: Vasili arrives in Constantinople with an about 150 priest, monks,

this was retconned several times; sorry, but he doesn't enter the Ottoman Empire at all.

[marl_d]

i thought we were leaving it in, i'd asked about it and Glen said it was ok

[Keenir]

i thought we were leaving it in, i'd asked about it and Glen said it was ok

Glen runs England...not sure what England would do with a Russian prince, but - *shrugs* - its your call.
:D;)

[marl_d]

what are you talking about...this is what Glen said on the subject

Not certain what to advise. The tension is kinda nice, and its reasonable that Vasili might have ended up an exile somewhere, though Istanbul seems a slight stretch...but I'm getting tired of everyone having to rewrite everything, so if its not too big a stretch, its okay. The biggest problems related to the Vasili stuff was 1) the initial impression that he had some claim by marriage to Constantinople and 2) that the Ottoman Emperor would become some sort of 'protector' of the Russian Orthodox Church.

[Keenir]

what are you talking about..

I was trying to make a joke.

.this is what Glen said on the subject

[marl_d]

gottcha...are we leaving the Vasili thing in or no? if not, i've got a way out that helps both of us and keeps me from reconning a bunch of stuff

[Keenir]

gottcha...are we leaving the Vasili thing in or no?

no.

if not, i've got a way out that helps both of us and keeps me from reconning a bunch of stuff

cool...I'm looking forward to the Russian Civil War. (its looming, and Vasili's exile doesn't kill it - just delays it)

[marl_d]

ok, everything up to 1510 will stay, except for this

September 1510: As Vasili and his entourage are being transported to Constantinople on the Black Sea a fierce storm blows in, the crew valiantly tries to save the galley, but their efforts prove fruitless when a waterspout suddenly springs forth and destroys the ship only one sailor survives, washing ashore near Varna. (Waterspouts are a common summer occurrence on the Black Sea so is plausible)


how does that work...quick and painless

[Keenir]

ok, everything up to 1510 will stay, except for this

September 1510: As Vasili and his entourage are being transported to Constantinople on the Black Sea a fierce storm blows in, the crew valiantly tries to save the galley, but their efforts prove fruitless when a waterspout suddenly springs forth and destroys the ship. (Waterspouts are a common summer occurrence on the Black Sea so is plausible)

*nods*
it gets my vote.


how does that work...quick and painless

that works...I thought you were going to have the Venetians or some other nation hold him hostage.

[marl_d]

eh...this was easier, and gets rid of him for both of us...now the only thing will be Compensation...what do you think of Dmitriy asking for some compensation, as the Boyars would demand it, since the Ottomans would be the one transporting him, maybe some money or trade consesstions, or something else...

[Keenir]

eh...this was easier, and gets rid of him for both of us...now the only thing will be Compensation...what do you think of Dmitriy asking for some compensation, as the Boyars would demand it, since the Ottomans would be the one transporting him, maybe some money or trade consesstions, or something else...

well he's welcome to ask for compensation.:cool:
probably won't get any...not unless he wants to pay even more for the loss of the ship and soldiers who were assigned to transport him.

...this'll probably impact the coming War of the Khans (if it brings in Crimea and the Ottomans, as some think it will), though I'm not sure how, exactly.

[Glen]

eh...this was easier, and gets rid of him for both of us...now the only thing will be Compensation...what do you think of Dmitriy asking for some compensation, as the Boyars would demand it, since the Ottomans would be the one transporting him, maybe some money or trade consesstions, or something else...

Acts of God do not count. Have one or two sailors survive to tell the tale.

[marl_d]

Acts of God do not count. Have one or two sailors survive to tell the tale.

ok, edited and fixed,

[marl_d]

bumping this up so i can find it :D