Chapter 314 Moscow Succession

Due to the low cost of water transportation, this trade route from Moscow to Constantinople will rely on the Volga River, the Don River, the Dnieper River, the Sea of ​​Azov, and the Black Sea to Constantinople.

In recent years, trade between Rome and Moscow has gradually increased, and the wood and fur produced in Moscow are exported to Rome in exchange for luxury goods and other daily necessities. The planning and protection of trade routes can increase Moscow's income, and the Grand Duke can continue to maintain pressure on Lithuania.

After acquiring Novgorod, Moscow has a large amount of trade income, but the local nobles and citizens do not recognize the Grand Duke's policies. Vasily forcefully dissolved the local parliament, resulting in some people fleeing to Lithuania, and Vytautas even provided them with asylum. This made Vasily angry. This was an attempt to use them to overthrow his rule. No, absolutely not.

On the one hand, Vasily increased armaments, and on the other hand, he used Novgorod's location and status to do business with the Hanseatic League. Novgorod was the easternmost trading partner of the Hanseatic League. Through the geographical advantage of "connecting land and water", Novgorod exported fur, fish oil, walrus, unicorn horns (impersonated by narwhal tusks), beeswax, and hemp produced in the Russian region to Western Europe, and then imported metal products, wine, jewelry and other commodities.

Through trade, Vasily made a lot of money. But trade with southern Rome grew slowly, so it was also the Grand Duke's plan to take the opportunity to increase trade with the Roman Empire.

In order to protect the trade route, the Ukrainian Duchy in the middle could not be bypassed. However, Mihaly, who should have come with his wife, was nowhere to be seen at the banquet, which surprised Peter a little. He should have been there.

At this time, Mihaly and his wife Anna were meeting an important guest in a small room, Sergei, the abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery, who came to discuss the succession of the Grand Duke of Moscow with Mihaly on the order of the Patriarch of Moscow.

Vasily I has no offspring so far. Once he dies, the position of the Grand Duke of Moscow will be vacant. His younger brother Yuri was the most likely to inherit, but when the voices of Anna and her husband Mihaly appeared in the country, he was not so safe.

Some boyar nobles persuaded the Grand Duke to make Mihaly the heir. He was not only the brother-in-law of the Rurik family, but also had a powerful empire behind him, which could be pulled in as an ally. The nobles headed by Yuri took the Anglo-French War as an example and proposed that Anna had no right of inheritance and could not inherit the Principality of Moscow.

Both sides were vying for the support of various forces, and even foreign countries began to compete. Rome would definitely support Mihaly, so Yuri would take those nobles who surrendered on the surface to win over Poland and Lithuania. They were also a major power in Eastern Europe and could also compete with Rome. However, Yuri did this and completely ignored a neutral force in Moscow, that is, the Orthodox Church.

After the Moscow Bishop was promoted to Patriarch, he gradually played his social role. He opened charitable organizations, educated the indigenous people, and built monasteries on the border of the Kingdom of Sweden, which made the church gain a lot of prestige, and the Moscow Patriarch also had a place in the Grand Duke's government.

The Patriarch originally did not want to join the succession dispute. But Yuri secretly contacted Lithuania and violated their bottom line. The Grand Duke can be changed, the dynasty can be changed, but the church will not fall. For the future of the church, Moscow Patriarch Tikhon sent Sergei to secretly contact Mihaly and others.

"I know my brother wants the Grand Duke position, but I also have the right to inherit the Grand Duke. We can also protect the land of Moscow and their property, and of course we can protect the status of the church."

Anna knew why the abbot came. She started with protecting religion, indicating that she and her husband would fight for Orthodoxy.

"At present, the main concern in the country about you and your husband inheriting the Grand Duchess of Moscow is that foreigners cannot be accepted as rulers."

"I can protect Moscow, and I will also learn the local language."

Before Sergei finished speaking, Mihaly said that he could learn the language and culture of Moscow and fight for them. It's not his fault. He wants a position like his brother Peter too much. The Roman emperor is his, and his younger brother will enter Bohemia through marriage. He also wants a place where he has the final say and is the ruler. The Grand Duke of Moscow is his opportunity.

"I can give everything for Moscow, but I also need the support of the Patriarch. The Patriarch doesn't want Moscow to be ruled by people from Vilnius, right?"

Sergei was quite satisfied with Mihaly, at least he gave him full marks in religion. He had to return to Moscow quickly to explain the situation to the Patriarch. Who knew when the Grand Duke would be gone.

Mihaly also wanted to find Peter. He thought that even if he failed in the fight, he would take his army and sit on the seat of the Grand Duke of Moscow.

Although his rule in Ukraine was freer than Peter's, it was not exciting enough. What he wanted was the scene of the monarch charging into battle, and his father had already arranged it here, so it was not challenging.

When he heard that Peter won one victory after another, he could no longer sit still. He also wanted to gain glory on the battlefield, but he still needed to become the ruler of another country. Looking around, Moscow was the most suitable choice.

The Ukrainian Duchy had begun to improve, and local reclamation was underway. Mineral mining has also increased steadily. Dehrim has developed into a small city. The funds sent here from Constantinople have been reduced year by year, and soon they will no longer need to rely on subsidies from the central government.

Mihai also established trade relations with the Cossack Emirate, trading through Zaporizhia and Mircea Fortress. Both countries could obtain the goods they needed, and the Cossacks' military strength was also needed by Mihai. Occasionally, there would be steppe robbers coming to rob, and the Cossacks were responsible for driving them away.

Compared with the prosperous Ukraine, the economy of the Cossack Emirate seemed a bit backward. Because their political system was not the family inheritance system of the surrounding countries, but the tribal election system. This allowed foreign countries to interfere in their internal affairs, and Rome was like this. Some tribes that intended to break away from their control launched a rebellion, but were eliminated by the pro-Roman Zaporizhia Cossack tribe. Poland and Lithuania continued to exert pressure, but before they broke off with the Teutonic Knights, they exerted limited pressure.

The Roman Empire's trade on the Dniester and Dnieper rivers, Orthodoxy and alcohol controlled their beliefs and bodies, their rebellious thoughts had been worn down, and there was only loyalty to the empire. They only knew that those who opposed Rome were enemies, and the ruling class also relied on Constantinople to maintain their status. It was not an easy task for Lithuania to restore its largest territory.