Anna of Ryazan
Encyclopedia
Grand Prince
ss Anna Vasilievna of Ryazan (1451–1501) was a Russian
noblewoman, the only daughter of Grand Prince Vasily II of Moscow and the mother and grandmother of last Grand Princes of Ryazan Principality
. Anna was born in Moscow
to the family of Vasily II of Moscow, who was blinded five years before her birth during a time of troubles, and his wife Maria Yaroslavna of Borovsk
.
Before his death in 1456 Grand Prince Ivan Fyodorovich of Ryazan entrusted his friend Vasily of Moscow with temporary governing of the principality and taking care of his children Vasily and Theodosia until their maturity. But soon after Ivan's death Vasily of Moscow moved orphans to Moscow and appointed a voevoda to Ryazan. This decision started a process of joining of Ryazan Principality to the Grand Duchy of Moscow
. Vasily II's heir Ivan III of Russia
continued his father's policy towards Ryazan and Anna grew together with Ryazan prince Vasily.
When Anna grew up her mother has decided to marry Anna and Vasily. She asked her son Ivan III to delay annexation of Ryazan because it was not suitable to a Grand Princess to marry an ordinary nobleman even of princely descent. Ivan III agreed and allowed on Summer 1464 to return sixteen-year Prince Vasily to his family seat. But the same winter he came to Moscow to marry Anna and, after the wedding, the couple returned to Ryazan.
In 1467 Anna bore a son Ivan and until the death of her husband in 1483 did not participate in governing the principality and did not protest when her brother two times annexed Ryazan territories. In 1483 Anna became the regent
of her sixteen-year son.
In her policy Anna tried to expand her domain, she visited often Moscow and due her diplomatic efforts the Pronsk
principality was added to Ryazan. A major problem in Ryazan-Moscow relations was so-called ryazan ukraina, a huge steppe
region in the basin
of Don River
. According to treaties, Ryazan was obliged not to settle in these lands, but many years Ryazan princes secretly colonized this area and during the Anna's regency this process become much more significant. Numerous immigrants received considerable privileges, being released for 3–7 years from taxes if agreed to remain in steppe for ever.
Anna's son died in 1500 and until her death in 1501 she was the regent of her grandson Ivan V of Ryazan
. After the end of Anna's reing Ryazan Principality finally lost its independence. Except of Ivan, Anna had son Fyodor and daughter Anna who was married to Lithuanian
Prince Feodor Ivanovich Belski
.
Grand Prince
The title grand prince or great prince ranked in honour below emperor and tsar and above a sovereign prince .Grand duke is the usual and established, though not literal, translation of these terms in English and Romance languages, which do not normally use separate words for a "prince" who reigns...
ss Anna Vasilievna of Ryazan (1451–1501) was a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
noblewoman, the only daughter of Grand Prince Vasily II of Moscow and the mother and grandmother of last Grand Princes of Ryazan Principality
Ryazan Principality
The Grand Duchy of Ryazan existed from 1078 when it was separated from the Chernigov Principality as the provincial Murom Principality.-Prior to the invasion of Batu Khan:...
. Anna was born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to the family of Vasily II of Moscow, who was blinded five years before her birth during a time of troubles, and his wife Maria Yaroslavna of Borovsk
Borovsk
Borovsk is a town and the administrative center of Borovsky District of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located just south from the oblast's border with Moscow Oblast. It is situated on the Protva River, about southwest of Moscow.Population: 12,000 ....
.
Before his death in 1456 Grand Prince Ivan Fyodorovich of Ryazan entrusted his friend Vasily of Moscow with temporary governing of the principality and taking care of his children Vasily and Theodosia until their maturity. But soon after Ivan's death Vasily of Moscow moved orphans to Moscow and appointed a voevoda to Ryazan. This decision started a process of joining of Ryazan Principality to the Grand Duchy of Moscow
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Duchy of Moscow or Grand Principality of Moscow, also known in English simply as Muscovy , was a late medieval Rus' principality centered on Moscow, and the predecessor state of the early modern Tsardom of Russia....
. Vasily II's heir Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III Vasilyevich , also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and "Grand Prince of all Rus"...
continued his father's policy towards Ryazan and Anna grew together with Ryazan prince Vasily.
When Anna grew up her mother has decided to marry Anna and Vasily. She asked her son Ivan III to delay annexation of Ryazan because it was not suitable to a Grand Princess to marry an ordinary nobleman even of princely descent. Ivan III agreed and allowed on Summer 1464 to return sixteen-year Prince Vasily to his family seat. But the same winter he came to Moscow to marry Anna and, after the wedding, the couple returned to Ryazan.
In 1467 Anna bore a son Ivan and until the death of her husband in 1483 did not participate in governing the principality and did not protest when her brother two times annexed Ryazan territories. In 1483 Anna became the regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of her sixteen-year son.
In her policy Anna tried to expand her domain, she visited often Moscow and due her diplomatic efforts the Pronsk
Pronsk
Pronsk is an urban locality and the administrative center of Pronsky District of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. Population: Pronsk was first attested in chronicles in 1186...
principality was added to Ryazan. A major problem in Ryazan-Moscow relations was so-called ryazan ukraina, a huge steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
region in the basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of Don River
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
. According to treaties, Ryazan was obliged not to settle in these lands, but many years Ryazan princes secretly colonized this area and during the Anna's regency this process become much more significant. Numerous immigrants received considerable privileges, being released for 3–7 years from taxes if agreed to remain in steppe for ever.
Anna's son died in 1500 and until her death in 1501 she was the regent of her grandson Ivan V of Ryazan
Ivan V of Ryazan
Grand Prince Ivan V of Ryazan was the last nominally independent ruler of Ryazan Principality.Ivan of Ryazan was the only son of Prince Ivan Vasilievich and his wife, Agrippina Ivanovna...
. After the end of Anna's reing Ryazan Principality finally lost its independence. Except of Ivan, Anna had son Fyodor and daughter Anna who was married to Lithuanian
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
Prince Feodor Ivanovich Belski
Belsky
The Belsky or Belski family was a princely family of Gediminid origin in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It later deflected to the Grand Duchy of Moscow and played a key role during the regency of Ivan IV of Russia. The family started with Ivan Vladimirovich, son of Vladimir Olgerdovich and grandson...
.