The little-known state dissident of the Middle Ages in Volyn

Abstract

The author tells about the little-known pages of the history of Volyn and, in particular, about the dissident of the Grand Duke of Tver Mikhail Borisovich. The Grand Duke hid in Volhynia from Moscow's persecution in the late 15th century. He had an estate in the village of Pechykhvosty, Peremyshl district, Volyn, which became the basis for such conclusions after a numismatic find. The article describes the political situation that prevailed at that time in relations between the various principalities of North - Eastern Russia as part of the Moscow state in the late XV century. Pro-imperial "gathering" of territories reached its apogee. In 1485 it was the turn of the Grand Duchy of Tver. The coin testifies to a well-known state-level dissident, Grand Duke Mykhailo Borysovych of Tver, who suffered from the policies of a feudal sovereign as a fighter against tyranny for the personal freedom and independence of his principality. Mykhailo Borysovych found refuge in Volyn, had an estate here and may have lived here for years. But for a number of reasons it is hardly mentioned in local scientific and local history publications. Given this circumstance and the discovery in 2018 of a Tver coin pooled near the village of Ozdenizh, Lutsk district, and this may be related to the fugitive prince Mykhailo Borysovych. Therefore, this little-known topic is still relevant in today's Russian-Ukrainian relations. The article also provides analogues of dissent. The author presents Andriy Kurbsky, who also hid in Volhynia and was a political refugee during the reign of Ivan IV. In Volhynia in 1571 the prince married Maria Yuriyivna, widow of Mykhailo Kozynsky, née Princess Holshanska-Dubrovytska, but the union did not form and the couple divorced in 1578. After all, Maria had two sons from her first marriage, and they were terrible robbers. A.M. Kurbsky died in May 1583 on his estate in Kovel and was buried in the Kovel Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Verbts.