[1][8] Yaroslav and his son Mikhail presided over Tver's transformation into one of the greatest centres of power in medieval Russia which would compete with Moscow.

Reinforced by Tatar units,[11] Alexander presently fought it back, taking prisoner Yaroslav's children and leaving his wife as a casualty on the field of battle.

[11] In 1258, he visited the khan's capital in Sarai, and two years later led the Novgorod army against the Teutonic Knights.

Various Novgorodian factions still conspired against him and sought to place his brother Vasily of Kostroma or Alexander's son Dmitri of Pereslavl on the throne.

In 1270, the armies of three princes stood for a week near the town of Staraya Russa, ready for battle.