Biography
Most historians agree that the grandmother Ivan the Terrible, the Great Princess Moscow Sophia (Zoya) Paleologist played a huge role in the formation of the Moscow kingdom. Many consider it by the author of the concept of "Moscow - the Third Rome". And together with the peeled paleologue, a double-headed eagle appeared. At first he was a family coat of arms of her dynasty, and then migrated to the emblem for all kings and Russian emperors.Childhood and youth
Zoya Paleologist appeared on the light (presumably) in 1455 in Mr.. The daughter of the despot of the Maisi Foma Paleologist was born in the tragic and turning time - the time of falling the Byzantine Empire.
After the capture of Constantinople, the Turkish Sultan Mehmed II and the death of Emperor Konstantin, Foma Paleologist, together with his wife, Catherine Akhai and children, fled at Corfu. From there he moved to Rome, where he was forced to go to Catholicism. In May 1465, Thomas died. His death happened shortly after the death of spouses in the same year. Children, Zoya and her brothers - 5-year-old Manuel and 7-year-old Andrei, moved to Rome after the death of parents.
The Greek Scientist, Union Vissarion, who served as Cardinal at Dad Sicsta IV (it became the customer of the famous Sistine Capel, was engaged in the education of orphans. In Rome, the Greek princess Zoya Paleologist and her brothers were brought up in the Catholic faith. Cardinal took care of the content of children and their education.
It is known that Vissarion Nicene with the permission of the Pope paid the modest yard of young paleologists, which included servants, a doctor, two professors of Latin and Greek, translators and priests. Sophia Paleologist received a rather solid education at that time.
Great Princess Moscow
When Sophia reached the age of majority, the Venetian Signoria was concerned about her marriage. Take a noble girl in his wife first offered the king of Cyprus Jacques II de Lusignan. But he refused this marriage, having a conflict with the Ottoman Empire. A year later, in 1467, Cardinal Vissarion at the request of Pope Paul II proposed the hand of a noble Byzantine beauty to the prince and Italian noble Karachchiolo. Solemn gain took place, but for unknown reasons, the marriage was canceled.
There is a version that Sophia secretly communicated with the Athos elders and adhered to Orthodox faith. She herself made efforts to not marry an inner, upsetting all the marriages offered to her.
In a turning point for the life of Sofia Paleologist, 1467, the spouse of the Grand Duke Moscow Ivan III Maria Borisovna died. In this marriage, the only son of Ivan was born. Pope Paul II, counting on the spread of Catholicism to Moscow, suggested a widowed state of all Russia to take his ward to his wife.
After 3-year-old negotiations Ivan III, having argued by the Council from Mother, Metropolitan Philip and Boyar, decided to marry. It is noteworthy that the transition of Sofia Paleolog in Catholicism negotiators from Pope prudently silent. Moreover, they reported that the Orthodox Christian proposed in the wives. They did not even guess that it was so.
In June 1472, in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Rome, the correspondence of Ivan III and Sofia Paleologists took place. After that, the bride's traffic was departed from Rome to Moscow. Accompanied the bride all the same Cardinal Vissarion.
Bologna chroniclers described sophia rather attractive special. She had 24 years old, she had snow-white leather and incredibly beautiful and expressive eyes. It was not higher than 160 cm. The physique of the future spouse of the Russian sovereign had a dense.
There is a version that in the village of Sofia Paleologist, except for clothes and jewelry, there were many most valuable books, which later accounted for the basis of the mysteriously disappeared library of Ivan the Terrible. Among them were the treatises of Platon and Aristotle, unknown poems of Homer.
At the end of the long route, which had running through Germany and Poland, the Roman rooted Sofia Paleologists realized that their desire through the marriage of Ivan III on a paleologist to spread (or at least closer) Catholicism with Orthodoxy was defeated. Zoya, barely left Rome, demonstrated a solid intention to return to the faith of ancestors - Christianity. Wedding took place in Moscow on November 12, 1472. The ceremony was held in the Assumption Cathedral.
The main achievement of Sofia Paleolog, which turned into a huge benefit for Russia, is considered to have its impact on the decision of the husband to refuse to pay tribute to the Golden Horde. Thanks to the spouse, Ivan the third finally dared to reset the centuries-old Tatar-Mongolian Igo, although the local princes and elite were offered to continue to pay for the lifts to avoid bloodshed.
Personal life
Apparently, the personal life of Sofia Paleolog with the Grand Duke Ivan III has developed successfully. In this marriage, a considerable offspring was born - 5 sons and 4 daughters. But the cloudless existence of a new Great Princess Sofia in Moscow is difficult to call. The boyars saw the huge influence that his wife had on the spouse. Many people did not like it.
Ranking, Prinugini had bad relations with the heir, born in the early marriage of Ivan III, Ivan the young. Moreover, there is a version that Sophia is involved in the poisoning of Ivan the young and further removal from the power of His spouse Elena Voloshanka and the son of Dmitry.
Anyway, Sophia Paleolog had a huge impact on the entire further history of Russia, on its culture and architecture. She was the mother of the heir to the throne of Vasily III and grandmother Ivan the Terrible. According to some information, the grandson had a considerable similarity with his wise Byzantine grandmother.
Death
Sophia Paleologist, Great Princess Moskovskaya, April 7, 1503, died. Husband, Ivan III, survived the spouse for only 2 years.
Sophia buried near the previous wife Ivan III in the sarcophagus of the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral. The cathedral was destroyed in 1929. But the remains of women of the royal house were preserved - they were transferred to the underground chamber of the Arkhangelsk Cathedral.