In 1304 died Andrei, brother of Nevski. After his death, two men were rivals for the dignity of Grand Prince. Yuri, son of Daniel, through the glory of his grandfather, Nevski, and the newly won greatness of Moscow, where he and his brother Ivan were ruling, looked on himself as the senior. But the senior in fact, if descent were decisive, was Michael of Tver, the youngest brother of Nevski. Both Yuri and Michael hastened to occupy the throne of Vladimir, and each strove to incline Novgorod to his side. Michael hurried off to the Horde to win the patent, but found that Yuri had preceded him. The boyars of Andrei, the recent Grand Prince, were in favor of Michael, and the men who had served with Andrei were convinced that the throne would fall to their candidate. But Yuri succeeded in occupying Vladimir, and Novgorod was divided. Though that city contained many followers of Yuri, it did not reject Michael. The Novgorod men declared to both candidates that they would accept him who obtained the Khan’s patent; still they murmured at Michael. Why was he sending officials to Novgorod while he lacked confirmation? Maxim, the metropolitan, was friendly to Michael; he revered Ksenia, Michael’s widowed mother, as one of God’s chosen people; and respected Michael’s wife, Princess Anna, because she had many Christian virtues. Yuri seemed to him not in the right as compared with his senior. Seeing the general movement of warriors and regiments on both sides, he was greatly alarmed, and, wishing for agreement, he not only threatened Yuri, but implored him to make peace. Maxim thought that he had succeeded, but he did not know Yuri, who never dropped any claim that he cherished. He would give no word not to go to the Horde. When the metropolitan tried to win a promise he answered: “I am not going to the Horde for a patent, but for another object.” This wily prince, who was ambitious and unprincipled, stopped at nothing to obtain power, which was dearer to him than all things else. He knew well that the Horde was all-powerful, and the Khan was its master in Russia. The word of the Khan was his sword; on this sword Yuri’s trust was unswerving, and he used every means to wield it; hence he set out for Sarai. While on the journey Michael’s adherents came very near seizing Yuri. He escaped, however, and by a roundabout road reached the Horde in safety, but only after much effort. The Mongol magnates charmed the prince with their readiness to feast and make friends with him. “Give more than Michael, and the yarlyk (patent) will be thine,” said they. So the princes strove to surpass each other in making presents to the Khan’s wives and favorites, as well as to Horde magnates. It proved, however, that Michael had more gold to spend than had Yuri. Yuri halted, and going to Michael, he said: “Let us strive no longer. I will not ruin my heritage. Let Vladimir be thine.” Soon after this the Khan gave the patent to Michael, who returned home eight months later.