Dmitry Donskoy

Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy (Russian: Дми́трий Ива́нович Донско́й; 12 October 1350 – 19 May 1389) was Prince of Moscow from 1359 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1362 until his death in 1389. Dmitry became prince at the age of nine following the death of his father, Ivan II. During the early years of his reign, Metropolitan Alexius effectively ruled Moscow on Dmitry's behalf and equated the interests of the Russian Orthodox Church with those of Moscow. In 1360, as a result of political turmoil in the Golden Horde, Dmitry temporarily lost the Grand Principality of Vladimir to Dmitry of Suzdal. However, two years later, the latter abandoned his claim and arranged for his daughter, Eudoxia, to marry Dmitry. He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol authority in Russia. His nickname, Donskoy ('of the Don'), alludes to his great victory against the Tatars at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, which took place on the Don River. Although Moscow was sacked by Tokhtamysh two years later, Moscow's prestige among the Russian principalities greatly increased. Dmitry spent his final years strengthening his authority among the Russian princes, and by the end of his reign, he had permanently united the thrones of Moscow and Vladimir. In Russian historiography, he is regarded as a Russian national hero and a central figure of medieval Russia. He was canonized as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988, and his feast day is on 19 May.