In 1383 the Grand Prince, no matter how grievous it might be, had to show the Khan honor by sending his heir, Vassili, a boy of twelve years of age, to give homage. Important boyars went [[398]]with him. Michael of Tver was then at the Horde, negotiating for the patent. He had more wealth than the Moscow prince, but Dmitri’s boyars referred to previous charters, especially that of Chanibek, who had confirmed the Moscow primacy forever, and then they showed the original document. Tohtamish, who rested his own claims on regular descent, and wished to honor his ancestor in order to strengthen his own power with the past of the Golden Horde, gave Dmitri the charter.
Michael of Tver, greatly grieved and disappointed, left the Horde, complaining specially against that Mongol prince, who had promised him success beyond peradventure. “I know my possessions,” said Tohtamish, while dismissing him. “All the Russian princes are living on land which belongs to me. Let each live on that which falls to him by usage. If he serves me with truth, I will reward him. Dmitri offended me, I punished him; he serves me now truthfully, hence I reward him. Do thou go to Tver, and serve there as is proper; thee also will I reward in time.” The Khan dismissed Michael, but kept Michael’s son as a hostage.
The evil rule of the new Khan was distinguished for uncertainty: Tamerlane had given the throne to him, but once in power, Tohtamish, wishing to be independent, dared to measure forces with that great conqueror. He raised his hand against his protector and invaded Samarkand, Tamerlane’s capital; next he attacked Persian regions and found there a terrible answer. He received blow after blow, one more deadly than the other, from the great Mongol, who had conquered a large part of Asia. At last the final blow struck him. These campaigns, with the dread of his master and the preparations to ward off invasions, drew away Tohtamish, whose absences from Sarai were protracted and frequent. At times it seemed as if Mongol power in Russia had ended, and then Dmitri’s authority appeared in its vigor. But that was in the last period of Tohtamish’s reign.
Subjection to Tohtamish was at first very grievous; it recalled the worst days of Uzbek’s reign. Vassili, the heir of the Grand Prince, sent to the Horde to render homage, was detained most ungraciously for more than two years. Again Russian princes went to get patents, and complain one against another.
In 1383 the Nizni prince died, and no matter how Simeon and Vassili strove for their father’s inheritance, the Khan, not wishing [[399]]to offend Boris, their uncle, gave Nizni to him, and to them he left Suzdal; but one of the brothers, Vassili, he kept at the Horde as a hostage. A quarrel rose now between the uncle and his nephews, and the nephews turned to Dmitri of Moscow to help them. Since Nizni had been considered as connected with Moscow, Dmitri might not wish his brothers-in-law to win Nizni, as they had not scrupled to help Tohtamish; still it would be easier to get Nizni from them than from their uncle. Therefore, in 1387, the Grand Prince assisted them to Nizni. Boris, who had suffered much in struggling with Moscow, said then to his nephews: “My dear children, I weep now because of you; later on you will weep because of another,” hinting thus at future absorption of Nizni by Moscow. The brothers got Nizni at the price of subjection to Moscow, which after that held Nizni as its own land forever. Thus, after a period, Dmitri again paid small respect to the Mongols.
In 1385, Oleg of Ryazan prepared to avenge on Dmitri the blow which the latter had dealt him because of aid given the Horde in their conflict with Moscow. He seized Kolomna, and, following this seizure, a bloody war broke out between the two princes. Vladimir the Brave led the army of Moscow. The Ryazan prince suffered heavily, but so did Dmitri. One battle especially was noted for stubbornness; many of the best men on both sides were slain. Dmitri offered peace, but Oleg was haughty; no matter what offers were made, he was insolent. The Grand Prince, who had grieved much under Mongol subjection, was crushed by the endless strife among princes, so he sent to the Troitski monastery, and begged holy Sergai to visit Oleg on a mission.
Sergai was revered throughout Russia and famed, as the chronicler tells us, for gifts from the Holy Spirit. He so discoursed with Oleg that he changed all his venom to kindness, and made final peace between the two princes. After that there was no war either between Oleg and Dmitri, or between their descendants. This same year, 1385, Dmitri had a son christened Peter, and Sergai was his godfather.
The following year Feodor, son of Oleg, married Sophia, a daughter of the Grand Prince. Dmitri’s next act was to bring Novgorod to reason. Counting on the weakness of Moscow after the war with Oleg, Novgorod neglected all obligations, and it was only after an attack on the city, in which many princes assisted, [[400]]that Dmitri maintained his position. Novgorod then paid its dues and signed a new treaty.
After his son had been absent nearly three years at Sarai, Dmitri obtained the Khan’s consent to his return. Freed at last from detention, the young prince hurried off with great gladness. Before returning to Moscow, however, he passed a year in Romania and Western Russia. He went then to Lutsk on a visit to Vitold, in whose daughter, Sophia, he saw a young woman who charmed him. Vitold’s mother, the priestess Biruta, was famous for beauty, and had enchanted Keistut, Vitold’s father. Biruta’s beauty may have been reflected in her granddaughter. Anna, Vitold’s wife, who had saved him from prison and death, might also have added her quota of comeliness. Sophia, in every case, was a beautiful girl. Dmitri sent boyars to accompany Vassili on his journey home, and charged them to bring Vitold to friendship. In this they succeeded, and Vassili left Lutsk as the betrothed of Sophia.
The meeting of this youth with his father after four years of absence was joyous. That was the time, as Dmitri had decided, to declare him his heir, the coming Grand Prince.