The boyars of Novgorod not only considered that they had a right to invite a prince from Lithuania, but apparently they were ready to place Novgorod under Lithuanian protection, if thus they could keep independent of other princes, and preserve to their city those rich, boundless lands on the north and the east.
Ivan would not admit for a moment that they had the right to call in a foreign prince, or owned exclusively those lands which they claimed for their own.
In 1332, when returning from the Horde, Ivan made a demand in the name of the Khan to which the people of Novgorod gave a stern refusal. He insisted, and to make sure of their compliance he seized the Upper Baijets and Torjok immediately. From that began a long quarrel. At times Novgorod seemed to yield, and the quarrel apparently ceased; again it would blaze up on the city’s renewed refusal. Thus the dispute continued during Ivan’s reign.
The main cause of the dispute was the silver beyond the Ural Mountains. Ivan demanded from Novgorod an income from places claimed by the city, no part of which income should go to any prince ruling in Novgorod. He wished to extend taxes over all Novgorod possessions to the boundaries of Siberia. [[319]]
In proportion as Novgorod quarreled with Ivan, it tried to be intimate with Pskoff. Vassili, the archbishop, having added stone walls to the Kremlin of Novgorod, found it proper to visit Pskoff and give the people his blessing, withheld since his installation, at which time he had opposed Pskoff’s efforts to separate from the diocese. A son had just been born to Alexander. The bishop baptized him, and was one of the godfathers of this little prince, named for his grandfather, Michael.
At that time Novgorod had entered into friendship with Lithuania, and Narimont, son of Gedimin, had arrived in the city. Novgorod received him with gladness, and gave him Ladoga with Oraihova and Karelia in part as a portion. In view of these acts Ivan went to Sarai, and when he came back it was stated that he had been shown great honor, and had gained large accessions of power while with Uzbek. This alarmed Novgorod. During Ivan’s absence the Novgorod archbishop had gone on a visit to Moscow, bearing gifts from the city to the metropolitan, who had just come from Tsargrad. The archbishop begged the metropolitan to speak with Ivan about Novgorod. This intercession succeeded, for when envoys arrived in Moscow and invited Ivan to Novgorod, he set aside his dislike for the city, entered Novgorod February 16, 1335, and was received there in triumph. They offered to add all their forces to his, and fall upon Pskoff if he so ordered. But he would not attack Pskoff at that period; he accepted their service, however, and marched on Lithuania. His forces, and those of the city, took towns in good number, and though this Lithuanian campaign was not the most important in conquest, it was in agreement.
Meanwhile Gedimin’s son had not justified Novgorod’s hopes in him, and he went back at last to his father. This freed Ivan’s hands, for he had been gracious to Novgorod partly because of this young prince’s presence at Ladoga. At this time Novgorod yielded in many, if not in all things to Ivan. He bought lands where he liked in Novgorod regions, and founded villages in them, a thing which Novgorod had never permitted to any prince. Still he yielded no claim touching Russia. The great contention as to what belonged to Novgorod, and what was all Russia’s dominion was still undecided. Novgorod now sought again the Pskoff friendship. But the Pskoff men knew well that Novgorod’s desire [[320]]for friendship came from dread of Ivan, Prince of Moscow. They knew also that a little while earlier Novgorod had offered aid against Pskoff, if Ivan wished to have it. There was no quarrel or hatred on either side at the time of the offer, and it had been made purely from policy; passion had had nothing to do with the matter.
If Ivan, as Grand Prince of all Russia, preferred his demands against Novgorod so insistently, we may understand very well that he was not tender with princes of small strength. Attendants and boyars of small princes went to serve him by preference, Moscow’s success was desired by all people who toiled and produced, because order and quietness came from it. No prince could rival Ivan in power and in resources. He surpassed not only each Russian prince separately, but he was stronger than any combination which might be made among them. For long years Ivan had worked at winning wealth and power. He had worked successfully and with great diligence. Then Uzbek gave him lands in addition to Moscow, and gave him perfect control of all tribute from other princes. This made his position unequaled. Ivan now held the purse. He kept such firm order that merchants felt safe to expose their goods everywhere. New markets on the Volga and elsewhere were opened. In Northern Russia Yaroslavl, near the mouth of the Mologa, a river which enters the Volga, was a place where German, Persian, Greek and Italian merchants met and sold goods during summer. The revenue from transactions was large. Boats covered the Volga, and till the sixteenth century this market was an important one in Russia.
Ivan purchased from poor princes not only villages, but towns such as Uglitch, Bailozersk, and Galitch beyond the Volga, and thus increased his inheritance unceasingly. He also bought from boyars and monasteries, and exchanged with them. He received presents of land and property through wills of friends and relatives. With the wealth which belonged to him personally, and that which pertained to his office, he was able to meet all possible demands.
Responsible to the Khan for Russian tribute, and paying this tribute at regular intervals, he frequently had to pay for princes who lacked ready money. Of these some grew insolvent and paid him with land. All, in greater or less degree, were dependent upon him; all in fact needed his protection. Without regard to the [[321]]murmurs of Novgorod boyars, he bought towns and villages in Novgorod regions continually. So, extending power from his capital always with the rights of a Grand Prince, to which he knew how to give proper emphasis, he was strong at all points, and for many reasons. Consequently boyars and warriors of weakening principalities went gladly to the service of Moscow.