Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy (; 12 October 1350 – 19 May 1389) was Prince of Moscow from 1359 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1363 until his death. He was the heir of Ivan II.
He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol authority in Russia. In traditional Russian historiography, he is regarded as a Russian national hero and a central figure of the Russian Middle Ages. His nickname, Donskoy ("of the Don"), alludes to his great victory against the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo (1380), which took place on the Don River. He is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church with his feast day on 19 May.
Early reign
Dmitry was born in Moscow in 1350, the son of Ivan the Fair, Grand Prince of Moscow, and his second wife, Alexandra Vassilievna Velyaminova, the daughter of the mayor of Moscow. Dmitry was orphaned at the age of nine and ascended the throne of the Principality of Moscow. Per the terms of Ivan's will, during Dmitry's minority, Metropolitan Aleksey served as regent.
In 1360 Khiḍr Khan, Khan of the Golden Horde, transferred the title most prized among the Russian princes, that of Grand Prince of Vladimir, to Dmitry Konstantinovich of Nizhny Novgorod. In 1363, after that prince was deposed, Dmitry Ivanovich was crowned at Vladimir. Three years later, he made peace with Dmitry Konstantinovich and married his daughter Eudoxia.
The most important event during Dmitry's early reign was to start building the Moscow Kremlin; it was completed in 1367. Thanks to the new fortress, the city withstood two sieges by Algirdas of Lithuania during the Lithuanian–Muscovite War (1368–1372).
The defeated Mamai was presently dethroned by a rival Mongol general, Tokhtamysh. That Khan reasserted Mongol rule of Rus and overran Moscow in 1382 for Dmitry's resistance to Mamai. Dmitry, however, pledged his loyalty to Tokhtamysh and to the Golden Horde and was reinstated as Mongol principal tax collector and Grand Duke of Vladimir. Upon his death in Moscow in 1389, Dmitry was the first Grand Duke to bequeath his titles to his son Vasily I of Moscow without consulting the Khan.
Veneration
Right-Believing Prince Demetrius Ioannovich Donskoy was canonized on 6 June 1988 in Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius by 1988 Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church under Patriarch Pimen I of Moscow.
Gallery
<gallery>
File:Russian poster WWI 011.jpg|Dmitriy Donskoy in a World War I patriotic poster by Konstantin Korovin
Yvon kremlin.jpg|Dmitriy Donskoy in the Battle of Kulikovo, by Adolphe Yvon
Facial Chronicle - b.10, p.049 - Tokhtamysh at Moscow.jpg|Defense of Moscow from Tokhtamysh in 1382
1000 Donskoi.jpg|Dmitriy Donskoy on the Millennium of Russia monument in Veliky Novgorod
Moscou Serguei Possad (en2018) (34).JPG|Fresco of the blessing of Prince Dimitry Donskoy by Saint Sergius of Radonezh (Artel of Andrei Rublev), Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Sergiev Posad Oblast, Moscow
Frescos in Cathedral of the Archangel in Moscow - south wall 03 - Dmitry Donskoy.jpg|Fresco of Saint Dmitry Donskoy in the Cathedral of the Archangel in Moscow (1652–1666)
</gallery>
See also
- Bibliography of Russian history (1223–1613)
- Rulers of Russia family tree
- Dmitry Donskoy, opera by Anton Rubinstein (1852).
- Dmitri Donskoi (ship)