Muscovy

Muscovy refers to the Grand Duchy of Moscow, a historic Rus state centered on Moscow that emerged in the late 13th century and developed into the core of a centralized Russian state. The term is used in Western sources to describe both the early principality and the later state that dominated eastern Europe before the formation of the Russian Empire. Its geographic heart lay along the upper Volga and Oka rivers, with Moscow as the principal seat of power.

The duchy grew from the northeastern lands of the fragmented Rus, breaking away from the memory of Mongol overlordship over time. Its rulers expanded through diplomacy, vassalage arrangements, and military action. Notable milestones include the victory at the Battle of Kulikovo (1380) against the Golden Horde, the consolidation of authority over surrounding principalities, and the eventual fall of Novgorod in 1478, followed by further acquisitions such as Pskov (1510) and Smolensk (1514). The conquest of Kazan (1552) and Astrakhan (1556) extended Muscovite power into the Volga region and the Caspian basin, establishing it as a major eastern empire.

Government and society were characterized by centralized autocratic rule, backed by a service nobility and the Orthodox Church. The economy relied on agriculture, fur, and growing trade networks that linked northern, central, and Volga regions, complemented by income from tribute and taxation within a centralized administration.

In 1547, Grand Prince Ivan IV assumed the title of Tsar, marking the transformation of Muscovy into the Tsardom of Russia. The Muscovite state laid the foundations for a centralized Russian state that persisted into the Russian Empire, shaping governance, territory, and national identity for centuries.