DMITRY ALEXANDROVICH

(d. 1294), Grand prince of Vladimir.

In 1260 Dmitry Alexandrovich was appointed to Novgorod by his father Alexander Yaroslavich "Nevsky" who, two years later, ordered him to attack the Teutonic Knights at Yurev (Tartu, Dorpat) in Estonia. But in 1264, after his father died, the Novgorodians evicted Dmitry because of his youth. Nevertheless, in 1268 they requested him to wage war against the castle of Rakovor (Rakvere, Wesenburg) in Estonia. After Dmitry's uncle Yaroslav of Vladimir died in 1271, he occupied Novgorod again, but his uncle Vasily evicted him. Vasily died in 1276, and Dmitry replaced him as grand prince of Vladimir. After that the Novgorodians once again invited him to rule their town. While there he waged war on Karelia and in 1280 built a stone fortress at Kopore near the Gulf of Finland. In 1281, however, Dmitry quarreled with the Novgorodians. He waged war against them and because of this failed to present himself to the new Khan in Saray. His younger brother Andrei, who did visit the Golden Horde, was therefore awarded the patent for Vladimir. Because Dmitry refused to abdicate, the khan gave Andrei troops with which he evicted his brother and seized Vladimir and Novgorod. Dmitry fled to Sweden and later returned to Pereyaslavl. In 1283, when Andrei brought Tatar troops against him, Dmitry sought help from Khan Nogay, an enemy of the Golden Horde, who gave him troops. They wreaked havoc on northern Russia. Andrei eventually capitulated but continued to plot Dmitry's overthrow. In 1293, after summoning the Tatars the fourth time, he succeeded in forcing Dmitry's abdication. Dmitry died in 1294 while returning to Pereyaslavl Zalessky.

See also: alexander yaroslavich; andrei alexandrovich; golden horde; novgorod the great

bibliography

Fennell, John. (1983). The Crisis of Medieval Russia 1200–1304. London: Longman.

Martin, Janet. (1995). Medieval Russia 980–1584. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Martin Dimnik