[25] Vasily III (r. 1505–1533) completed the annexation of the remaining appanages,[26] and his son Ivan IV (r. 1533–1584) was crowned as the first Russian tsar in 1547, thereby formally establishing the Tsardom of Russia.

[27] The English names Moscow and Muscovy, for the city, the principality, and the river, are derived from post-classical Latin Moscovia, Muscovia, and ultimately from the Old Russian fully vocalized accusative form Московь, Moskov'.

[58] In 1306, Yury established his authority over Ryazan with support from the khan as part of the Tatars' strategy to adjust the balance of power in the conflict between Moscow and Tver.

[61] Mikhail also failed to win the support of the church, and when he launched an expedition to Nizhny Novgorod, his army was stopped by Metropolitan Peter in Vladimir.

[k][82] Ivan also developed Moscow to attract people and produce the resources needed to maintain his position, a policy reflected in his sobriquet, Kalita (lit. 'moneybag').

[93] At the start of Simeon's reign, the principality of Bryansk returned to Moscow's sphere of influence after the pro-Muscovite Dmitry Romanovich was once again installed as prince.

[96] In 1352, Simeon marched into the neighboring principality of Smolensk, located to the west of Moscow, and was able to extend his authority there with the removal of the pro-Lithuanian prince, who was likely replaced with either Dmitry Romanovich's son or nephew.

[101] When Jani Beg first occupied the throne, Simeon's cousin Konstantin took advantage of the power struggle in Sarai and took control of Nizhny Novgorod and Gorodets.

[105] The ruling family of Moscow remained small as a result of the Black Death, and a new vertical pattern of princely succession from father to son was defined.

[106] Ivan II (r. 1353–1359) went to Sarai following the death of his older brother, where he presented himself to the khan as a candidate for the patent for the grand princely title.

[105] Novgorod sent a delegation to the khan requesting him to give the patent to Konstantin, due to Ivan's previous refusal to aid the Novgorodian army in besieging the Swedish-held fortress of Orekhov in 1348.

[124] Although later generations saw the Russian victory as a triumph, the principalities remained under Mongol suzerainty and Tokhtamysh launched a punitive expedition, sacking Moscow in 1382.

[130] Vasily gathered an army, while Metropolitan Cyprian brought the Our Lady of Vladimir icon, but Timur stopped his advance and withdrew from Russian territory.

[134] In 1401, the people of Smolensk launched a revolt against Lithuanian rule and recalled their former prince, but Vasily stayed neutral and Vytautas reasserted his control three years later.

[134] In 1410, Vytautas joined Jogaila of Poland in defeating the Teutonic Knights in the Battle of Grunwald, and relations between Lithuania and Moscow resumed a more peaceful course, although the two continued to wrestle for influence in Pskov and Novgorod.

[143] Vasily's army entered Moscow the same year unopposed with the support of most court nobles and the ecclesiastical hierarchy, in addition to the prince of Tver.

[149] He also adopted the title of sovereign of all Russia and competed with his powerful rival, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, for control over the Upper Oka Principalities.

[150] Through the defections of some princes, border skirmishes, and the long inconclusive Russo-Lithuanian Wars that ended only in 1503, Ivan III was able to push westward, and the Moscow state tripled in size under his rule.

[156] In the 16th century, appanage princes held significant power over their subjects, including the right to collect taxes and administer low justice.

[155] The unification of Russia gave rise to a new political system characterized by the dominance of the grand prince, who viewed the country as his personal patrimony.

[163] As the state's needs grew more complex, the office of gorodovoy prikazchik was established during the reign of Vasily III to handle some of the functions of the governor, such as tax collection and maintaining order.

Further attempts to deprive its rulers of the status of grand prince were unsuccessful after the Horde sank into internecine war and proved to be fruitless during the reign of a relatively powerful khan such as Mamai, whereas Tokhtamysh had no other choice but to recognize the supremacy of Moscow over the Russian principalities.

[171] Towards the end of the 14th century, Stephen of Perm moved into the territory of the Komi peoples in the northeastern corner of European Russia, where his teachings and acts of charity won him many converts.

[179] The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was viewed by the Russians as divine punishment for apostasy, with subsequent writings referring to Vasily II (r. 1425–1462) as "the God-chosen... God-crowned tsar of Orthodoxy and of all Russia".

[180] The unilateral decision of Vasily II and the Russian bishops to install Jonah as metropolitan in 1448 was later justified by arguing that the fall of the Byzantine Empire had left the Orthodox world without an emperor, while the patriarch was incapacitated.

[180] This decision allowed for the creation of a separate metropolitanate in Lithuania during the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon, with Jonah being unable to assert his authority there.

[184] From the mid-15th century, Muscovite law also specified that peasants could legally move during the two weeks surrounding George's Day in Autumn, provided that they had fulfilled their obligations and settled any debt.

[186] By the end of the 15th century, as the grand prince of Moscow became the undisputed leader of the nation, he forbade the right of departure and expected warriors to appear when summoned.

[187] At the same time, the Muscovite army became a highly effective fighting force, drawing on centuries of experience battling mounted warriors from the steppe.

[187] In the 15th century, following the disintegration of the Golden Horde, Muscovite merchants began trading directly with Crimea, including with the Genoese in Caffa.