Boris, Yuri’s brother, died in Moscow soon after this, as did also
Afanasi, whom Yuri had settled in Novgorod, so that of Daniel’s sons
only Yuri and Ivan were living. When Yuri returned from the Horde as
Grand Prince, he gave his inherited lands, as it seems, to Ivan. In
1320, Ivan went to do homage to Uzbek; till that time he had never seen
him. In that year Tver had three marriages of princes: Alexander and
Constantine found brides among Russians, but Dmitri took a daughter of
Gedimin, the Lithuanian Grand Prince. This connection with Gedimin
brought Dmitri into intimate relations with an enemy of Russia, and
made it more difficult still for Tver to be friendly with Vladimir.
Dmitri did not wish to see Yuri, or approach him, or even hear his name
mentioned. Outspoken and direct, irrepressible and passionate the name
Terrible Eyes had been given Dmitri, and it described him clearly.
Yuri’s first move as Grand Prince was a quarrel with Ryazan, undertaken
to punish one of its princes. That labor finished, he moved on Dmitri.
The task was “to take his honor,” as the phrase ran in those days.
Expeditions were made then, as they had been made earlier, to impose
peace “with dread and trembling.” Minor princes performed certain acts
at the coronation of a Grand Prince. If not to show submission, at
least to recognize that he was their superior. The Grand Prince made a
treaty with each minor prince, causing him at the same time to kiss the
cross to observe it. When the Khan gave a patent to an important
prince, minor princes led his horse in the ceremony of installation.
Yuri, of course, was not seeking a service of this kind, but as Dmitri
had not ranged himself with princes who acknowledged his headship, Yuri
now led his warriors to attack Tver. When Dmitri heard of this campaign
against him, he made no move, but begged his friend Varsonofi, the
bishop, to save him from every discussion with Yuri. He agreed to all
terms in advance, so as to avoid meeting him. The bishop persuaded the
Grand Prince to withdraw from the country, after receiving a solemn
declaration from Dmitri that he would not strive to be Grand Prince.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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