Sections

Thursday, November 22, 2012

[November 22] St. Mikhail, grand prince of Vladimir

Local Name: Михаил Ярославич
Sobriquet: "The Saint"
Parents: Yaroslav III, grand prince of Vladimir, and Xenia of Tarusa
Born: 1271
House: Rurik
Spouse(s): St. Anna, daughter of Dimitry, prince of Rostov
Predecessor: Andrey
Reign: 1304 – 1318
Brief: Mikhail was the second son of his father, and succeeded his brother to the principality of Tver in 1285. Two decades later, in 1304, he succeeded his cousin to Vladimir, which Khan Tokhta of the Golden Horde confirmed. Unfortunately, Mikhail was never strongly secured in his post despite his legitimacy. He had to fight to confirm his titles to Novgorod and vied for influence with Prince Yury of Moscow. Yury eventually gained patent to Novgorod and married the khan's sister, thereby solidifying the patronage of the khans for Moscow at Vladimir's expense. The khan sent troops to Yury to help in the family feud, but Mikhail prevailed, capturing the prince's wife at Bortenevo. While in custody, though, the Mongol wife died, which the khan blamed Mikhail for. Mikhail was summoned to the capital of the Horde and was executed. Although the Orthodox church did not favor Mikhail during his lifetime, he was later proclaimed a martyr and a saint for his execution.
Date of Death: 22 November 1318
Successor: Yury

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
  • Felix II, antipope of Rome (365)
  • Lothair II, king of Italy (950)
  • Eric V, king of Denmark (1286)
  • Ahmed I, sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1617)

No comments:

Post a Comment