(1363 – 1380)
Dmitry Ioannovich Donskoy, the son of Ioann II, the grandson of Ioann Kalita, distinguished by his brave character, exalted the power of the Moscow principality.
All his reign is filled with a continuous series of wars. He boldly entered into a battle with Tver, Ryazan, Lithuania and the Horde.
All the northeastern princes obeyed him, and he decided that it was time to overthrow the hateful yoke. He knew his strength and weakness of the Horde from strife.
In 1378 there was a first encounter with the Tatars on the river Vozzhe in the Ryazan principality. The Russian army under the personal leadership of Dmitry Ioannovich defeated the Tatars under the command of Mamai. This victory was the first since the invasion of the Tatars into Russia.
Kulikovskaya victory was immeasurably more glorious than hers.
Enraged Mamai decided to take revenge on Dmitry and began to collect a formidable militia, having entered into an alliance with the Lithuanian prince Jagiello. Dmitry was also actively preparing for the meeting of the terrible enemy.
September 8, 1380 Dmitry Ioannovich, the blessed Ave Sergius, the founder of the Troitsk-Sergius Lavra, with the combined forces of all the northeastern princes, except the prince of the Ryazan, defeated Mamai on the Kulikovo field at the confluence of the Nepryadvy River in the Don.
The victory over the Tatars was greatly helped by the cousin of the Grand Duke Vladimir Andreevich the Brave, who had caught a convenient time to attack the hordes of Mamai, and she was embarrassed by her detachment standing in ambush, where Voivod Volynsky Bobrok was also.
For this victory, Dmitry Ioannovich received the nickname of Don.
How brilliant this victory was, it did not save Russia from the Tatar yoke.
Khan Tokhtamysh, having lowered Mamai, suddenly attacked Moscow, forcing the Grand Duke to pay tribute again.
But despite this Kulikovskaya victory was of great importance. She raised the spirit of the Russian people, weakened the Tatars, strengthened respect for the dynasty of the Grand Dukes of Moscow.
Dying, Dmitry Donskoy blessed his elder son Vasily not only with Moscow, but with the great reign of Vladimir, calling him his patrimony.
Thus, he established a new order of succession to the throne from father to son.