The Army of Muscovite Russia – From the Middle Ages to Imperial Russia
Medieval Russia was divided into a number of independent princepalities and republics. In the fourteenth century Moscow, ruled by a Grand Duke or Prince (velikiy knyaz’), gained a leading rle among them, a feat achieved chiefly by accepting tributary status to the Golden Horde. Nonetheless, relations between Moscow and the Horde were often unfriendly. In 1481, after a brief confrontation at the Ugra River in 1480, the Grand Duke Ivan III (r. 1462-1505) of Moscow declared independence…
