Ivan Ivanovich Krasny, or Ivan 2, was one of the representatives of the family of the Grand Dukes. He was born in Moscow on March 30, 1326. He was the second son of Ivan 1 Kalita and Princess Elena - the first wife of the king. Ivan the Red received his nickname, according to some chronicles, because of his exceptional beauty. According to another version, because his birthday fell on the church holiday Fomino Sunday, or as it is also called Krasnaya Gorka.
Right to reign
In 1340, Ivan 1 Kalita died, but a year before his death, he, along with his eldest sons Simeon and Ivan, went to the Khan in the Horde. The tsar wanted to be the first to get a label for governing the state specifically for the Moscow house, since at that time the Tver principality was being revived, headed by a strong ruler Alexander Mikhailovich. It was he who competed with the eldest son of Ivan Kalita and also claimed supreme power. As a result, Simeon received a label for a great reign and after the death of his father began to rule the state.
Zvenigorod prince
The second son of Kalita, Ivan Krasny, according to his father's will, received control over 23 cities and villages, the main of which wereRuza and Zvenigorod. In addition, he also controlled a third of Moscow, which came into joint ownership of the three brothers. Thus, Ivan Ivanovich Krasny received the title of Prince of Zvenigorod.
When my father died, he was 14 years old. In those days, he was considered almost an adult man. Even then, the young prince was not perceived as an independent politician. Ivan always remained in the shadow of the activities of his brother Simeon the Proud and did not possess any special talents.
A vivid example of this statement is the following fact. In 1348, the Swedish king Magnus 2 suddenly invaded the territory of Novgorod land with his army. Simeon the Proud sent his brother Ivan to help his neighbors, but he was afraid of a collision with the enemy's army and hurried back to Moscow. By that time, the Swedes managed to capture the Oreshek fortress and capture about a dozen noble people. As a result, the Novgorodians had to cope with their enemy on their own, and Ivan the Red never acquired military glory.
Grand Duke
In 1353, a plague broke out in Moscow, which claimed many human lives. She did not spare the family of Simeon the Proud either. After his death, the younger brother Ivan the Red, unexpectedly for himself, acquired the title of Grand Duke. He was completely unprepared for this, as he was not able to effectively manage the state.
The Horde did not intervene this time. At that time, Khan Uzbek just died, so the rulers changed at such a speed that they lackedtime, not the strength to get into the affairs of the Russian principalities. It should be noted that few wanted to see Ivan in the role of their ruler. The specific princes all the time weaved intrigues in order to prevent Ivan 2 from coming to power. But nevertheless, all their intrigues were not successful.
Reign time
Ivan 2 Krasny will last only 6 years in power. According to historians, he was the most faceless representative of all the princes of the Kalitichi family who ever occupied the throne. Most likely, Ivan 2 himself understood that he must act decisively and continue the policy pursued by his father and older brother, but he could not do anything.
The weakness of the new Grand Duke showed up almost immediately. Multiple attacks on his lands began. The Ryazan prince managed to capture Lopasnya, located between Moscow and Serpukhov. The Lithuanians, in turn, led troops to Mozhaisk, and also imposed their metropolitan on Kyiv. Novgorodians in the Horde began to weave intrigues against Ivan 2 and in his place read their protege - Prince Konstantin of Suzdal. And to top it all, internal boyar strife began in Moscow itself, and there was also a fire.
All these circumstances could in no way contribute to strengthening the power of Ivan 2. Most likely, he would not have been able to hold the reins of power in his hands, since weakness in those days was an unaffordable luxury, if not for two factors. The first is the support of the Moscow boyars, who did not want to part with their privileges, the second is the church.
History knows many examples when a stronger figure rises behind the weak personality of a ruler. In this case, it was the then head of the Orthodox Church, with an exceptional mind, remarkable diplomatic skills and strong will, Metropolitan Alexy. It was thanks to his support that Ivan 2 the Red managed to retain his title of Grand Duke of Moscow until his death in 1359.
Results
Many historians tend to believe that the reign of Ivan the Red did not bring anything to Muscovite Russia, except to weaken its influence on neighboring principalities. The only merit of this prince is considered to be the annexation of the Kostroma and Dmitrov lands to Moscow. He is also known for being the father of Dmitry Donskoy, the great Russian commander who won the Battle of Kulikovo.
