While Michael’s sons were living, Constantine in Tver, and Vassili in Kashin, the Tver princes bore themselves peaceably. Their quarrels were moderated somewhat by Simeon, who gave his daughter in marriage to Michael, the son of Vassili. Simeon favored Vassili because of his seniority, though he loved Vsevolod, who was quarreling with Michael. But after Simeon’s death, the internal Tver quarrel broke out with violence.
In Ryazan princely quarrels were endless, till Oleg rose there above other princes, and for a time was important.
During his short reign Simeon warred only with those who attacked him, against whom he was forced to defend himself. The first of these was Olgerd, who, at the death of Simeon’s father, had attacked Mojaisk. In company with the Smolensk prince, Olgerd also attacked Novgorod savagely. But these wars were stopped before they became very serious.
After Olgerd’s second marriage he did not desist from those seizures. When he had connected many towns of Smolensk with his rule, and annexed some of them, he strove to extend his dominion to places claimed both by Moscow and Tver, and also to places south of Smolensk and Kaluga.
In 1351–1352 Simeon was forced to take arms because of this action. He declared war on Olgerd, and marched with strong forces against him. Olgerd preferred to negotiate. He sent envoys with gifts, and Simeon inclined to peace. Certain towns acknowledged by Olgerd as belonging to Moscow were claimed by Smolensk. Simeon then led forward his forces, and took possession of them. In this way the war ended favorably for Moscow, and was the last act of Simeon’s life. He died of the plague April 27, 1352. Forty days earlier, Feognost, the metropolitan of Russia, had died of old age. That same week Simeon lost two young sons, and almost at the same time Andrei, his brother. Of Kalitá’s sons there now remained only one, Ivan, the successor of Simeon. [[341]]
Before touching on the reign of Ivan, it is well to give some account of the man who succeeded Feognost as metropolitan, namely, Alexis. In the time of Nevski’s youngest son, Daniel, the boyar, Feodor Byakont, came to Moscow from Chernigoff, and was looked on with favor by Daniel. When Feodor’s first son was christened, Ivan, son of Daniel, then eight years of age, became his sponsor. The child was named Yelevtheri. He grew up, so to speak, in the palace, for he was a favorite in the family of Prince Daniel. They reared him carefully to serve the prince, but from childhood he was drawn in another direction. While still a youth he became a monk, and was distinguished among all monks in Moscow for love of letters, and zeal in everything with which he was entrusted.
Feognost noted Yelevtheri, and tried him in various ways. The young monk learned Greek sufficiently well to gain familiarity with the ancient classics, and compare the Slav testament with the original. There remains to this day a copy of the Gospels, which is not only his translation, but is in his handwriting. When Yelevtheri, now called Alexis, reached the office of abbot, Feognost, who was absent frequently, made him assistant, and finally vicar. Later he was bishop in Vladimir, and there he was when Feognost passed away from his labors. Feognost had wished Alexis to be his successor if possible.
It had been the fixed habit of the Patriarchs to appoint Greeks to the office of metropolitan. On the eve of Feognost’s death he sent his last letter to Tsargrad. In this letter he asked with insistence that Alexis succeed him. He explained that it would harm the Empire if another were chosen, and no matter whom they might send, the Grand Prince would not receive him.
For his zeal Feognost, though a Greek, was beloved in Russia, since he understood the true interests of the country. When he came to Russia in that gloomy day of the Mongol domination, it depended greatly on him to keep the seat of his office in Moscow. Selected by Peter, his predecessor, he did not forget Peter’s blessing to the city, and he made it his residence.
Tenibek and Chanibek, Uzbek’s successors at the Horde, were not tolerant like their father. They had a Mohammedan hatred of Christians, and wished to tax Christianity. The metropolitan stood firm against this, though threatened with torture, and he [[342]]succeeded in preserving ecclesiastical freedom. Among his many services one of the greatest was his choice of a successor, whose services to the Church of Russia at that time were beyond estimate.