In the autumn of 1438 Ulu Mohammed (Big Mohammed) was expelled from the Horde by his rival, Kutchuk Mohammed (Little Mohammed). Ulu Mohammed seized the town of Bailoff on the boundary of Lithuania, and thought, as it seems, that he could win back his throne with the aid of Vassili, to whom he had given the Grand Principality. But Vassili, either wishing to be rid of Mongol robbery, or not desiring to quarrel with the Khan then occupying the throne, sent against Ulu voevodas with whom Dmitri Shemyaká and Dmitri Krasni, his two cousins, joined their forces. This army besieged the Mongols in Bailoff. In vain did Ulu beg for peace, promising to defend Russia from other Mongols, and never [[430]]again to ask for tribute. The Russian commanders would listen to nothing. But with them at Bailoff was the voevoda Gregori Protasieff, sent, as it seems, by the Lithuanian Grand Prince to help Moscow. This man betrayed his allies. He joined the Khan’s forces and made it possible for him to inflict a defeat upon Moscow. After this victory Ulu withdrew and halted near Nizni. At that point many Mongols came to him, and thus strengthened he was able to make raids against Russia, and even to hold Moscow besieged for several days in succession.
In the spring of 1445 the Grand Prince received news that Mongols under Mohmutek and Yagup had been sent against Moscow. Vassili summoned a number of smaller princes and marched out in person to drive back those forces. July 6 he halted near Suzdal, and an encounter with the enemy took place. The Russians attacked the Mongols with vigor, and dispersed them after a short and sharp conflict. But, while hunting the enemy, Vassili’s men scattered, and some fell to stripping the dead. The Mongols now employed their usual tactics. They turned suddenly and attacking on all sides, defeated the Russians. A number of important boyars and princes were captured, among others the Grand Prince Vassili.
The Mongol commander took the cross, which Vassili wore next his body, and sent it to Moscow to his wife and his mother, but Vassili they led away with them to Nizni. Before going, however, they plundered many places in Vladimir and Murom.
There was weeping and wailing when news came to Moscow that the Grand Prince was a captive among Mongols; all looked for great woe, and a speedy attack on the capital. But the Mongols did not come, and the excitement gradually died away.
Vassili’s captivity was not of long duration. From Nizni, the Khan with his forces went eastward to the edge of Moscow regions; thence he sent Baigitch, his murza, to Dmitri Shemyaká, who heard of Vassili’s misfortune with gladness, and straightway sent an envoy to work against liberating the prisoner. The envoy, however, was delayed for a long time; hence the Khan thought Shemyaká an enemy, and liberated the Grand Prince, who took an oath to give a large price for his freedom.
Vassili returned to Moscow in the autumn of 1445. With him went Horde magnates, and a crowd of attendants to receive the [[431]]promised ransom. Some of these men, pleased with Moscow, remained in Russia as subjects. It must be noted that Vassili, in those days of Horde quarrels, had attracted princes and murzas to his capital. He had taken these men to his service, and given land to support them. Many Russians, not understanding his policy, were displeased to see Mongols treated as if they were people of Moscow.
Hence, when the Grand Prince had to find his large ransom, dissatisfaction rose straightway on all sides. Shemyaká took advantage of this and brought over to his plans Vassili’s cousin, Ivan, son of Andrei, and grandson of Vladimir the Brave. This Ivan had fought nobly at Suzdal, where Vassili was captured. Wounded and thrown from his horse, he had succeeded with great difficulty in mounting another, and escaping. Discontented with a slender inheritance, as he thought it, he hoped to divide the lands of the Grand Prince with Shemyaká, the new claimant. He and Shemyaká now arranged with the malcontents of Moscow, and going to a place near the city, held communication daily with those conspirators.
Vassili, not knowing the plot which his enemies were weaving, went on a pilgrimage to the Troitski monastery, with Ivan and Yuri, his two little sons. His attendants were a few intimate boyars, and a small number of servants. Shemyaká and Ivan rushed with all haste to Moscow and took possession of the city at night, through the help of confederates, who opened the gates to them. The Grand Prince’s mother, Sophia, and his wife were both captured; the treasury was pillaged; boyars faithful to Vassili were made prisoners and their property taken; wealthy citizens were robbed without ceremony.
That same night, February 12–13, 1446, Shemyaká sent Ivan to the monastery to capture the Grand Prince. Vassili was at mass when a man named Bunko rushed in and declared that an enemy was approaching. Bunko had served the Grand Prince somewhat earlier, but had left him for Shemyaká’s service. Vassili, therefore, suspected the man of plotting, and commanded to expel him, but at the same time he sent guards out to learn what was happening. Ivan’s men saw those guards and reported. The conspirator had sent in a long line of sleighs, each carrying two armed men hidden under mats and other covering. Behind each sleigh walked a [[432]]third man, who seemed to be a peasant following his load. Vassili’s guards let a number of these sleighs pass unchallenged. All at once the line halted, and armed men sprang out and seized the guards. As there was deep snow at each side of the road, no man could escape to give warning to Vassili. Ivan’s men were seen only when near the monastery. The prince rushed to the stable, but no horse was ready. The old monks were helpless; among the younger monks some were opposed to Vassili. The prince hastened to the stone Church of the Trinity. He entered and the sexton closed and barred the heavy door.
The attackers stormed like wolves in winter; they burst into the monastery, and ran to the Church of the Trinity. “Where is the Grand Prince?” shouted Ivan. Hearing Ivan’s voice, Vassili opened the door, and implored for his eyesight. Ivan commanded to seize him. Nikita, a boyar, obeyed his command. “Thou art taken,” said he, “by Dmitri, son of Yuri, Grand Prince of Moscow.” “God’s will be done,” replied Vassili.