After the adoption of baptism from Byzantium, Russia remained in religious subordination near its capital - Constantinople. Here was the patriarch (head of the whole church). He appointed the head of the Orthodox Church in Russia - the Metropolitan. As a rule, this position was held by the Greeks. In 1308, the patriarch decided to replace the Metropolitan as hegumen Peter, a monastery rector in the southern Volyn lands. It should be noted that Tver nominated its candidate for the post of Metropolitan. But the choice of the patriarch fell on Peter. In order to somehow "balance" the election, the patriarch sent Peter to Vladimir, and not to the south.
However, Tver expressed discontent, and its princes could not get along with the new metropolitan. Peter found support from the Moscow princes. After the prince of Tver settled in Vladimir, the metropolitan moved to Moscow. Here Peter was received very welcome. Pious and influential, beloved Peter, everyone began to raise the prestige of the city, creating the prerequisites for the rise of Moscow in the future.
With the support of Metropolitan Ivan Daniilovich (Prince of Moscow) he began the construction of the first stone temple. Assumption Cathedral was built in accordance with the new status of the city. Subsequently, the temple was to become the main one in Russia. Metropolitan Peter bequeathed to bury himself in the Assumption Cathedral. He died in 1326 and was buried in a still unfinished church. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1327. From that moment, the temple became the tomb of the metropolitans of Russia.
Reasons and conditions for the rise of Moscow
Ivan Daniilovich in 1327 had the opportunity to deal with Tver. At that time, the collection of the Mongolian tribute was carried out by the Basques - Khan collectors. Expressing dissatisfaction, the Tver people rebelled against the Baskak Schelkan (Cholkhan). The prince of Moscow immediately reported this to the Horde. As a reward for his service, Ivan Daniilovich received a label from the khan for a great reign.
Prince Tver Alexander was hiding in Pskov. Ivan Daniilovich decided to get rid of the Tver prince forever. Arriving in the Horde, he slandered Alexander. The Khan summoned the Prince of Tver to himself and executed him and his son. Khan made Ivan Daniilovich a collector of tribute from all over Russian land.
From that moment began the intense elevation of Moscow. The city and the prince himself are rich. New lands brought considerable income. After the annexation of Mozhaisk and Kolomna, in the hands of the Moscow prince was the entire channel of the Moscow River - an important trade route. The Principality received not only large duties, but also new opportunities for the development of trade. The rise of Moscow was fast enough. In the hands of Ivan Daniilovich settled part of the tribute that he collected for the Horde. The wealthy prince began to call Kalita ("money bag", "wallet"). Ivan Kalita began to invest money in the exaltation of Moscow.
The funds of the prince contributed to the beginning of large-scale stone construction. In 1329, a church was erected in honor of the Byzantine theologian, numbered among the saints, John Climacus. Subsequently , the Ivan the Great bell tower was built on the site of the church . In 1330, the Church of the Savior on Bor (Savior Transfiguration) of the Spassky Monastery was built. By 1333, the Archangel Cathedral was built (presumably instead of the church of Mikhail the Archangel), which later became the burial place of the princes of Moscow.
Since the reign of Ivan Kalita, the word "Kremnik" ("Kremlin") has come into Russian usage. So called the Moscow fortress. This word was designated as "intracity fortress", "chopped fortification". The last contribution to the exaltation of Moscow, Ivan Kalita, was made by the construction of the oak walls of the Kremlin.
The will of Ivan Kalita contains a fairly extensive list of possessions, which the prince distributed. This document refers to the village of Kolomninsky (Kolomensky) and many others that have survived to this day.