Although his son, Ivan the Terrible, is remembered more often, it was Vasily III who largely determined both the vectors of state policy and the psychology of the Russian government, ready to do anything to preserve itself.
Spare king
Vasily III was on the throne thanks to a successful power struggle waged by his mother, Sophia Palaeologus. Vasily's father, Ivan III, announced his eldest son from his first marriage, Ivan the Young, back in 1470 as his co-ruler. In 1490, Ivan Molodoy suddenly died of illness and two parties began to fight for power: one supported the son of Ivan Molodoy, Dmitry Ivanovich, the other - Vasily Ivanovich. Sofia and Vasily overdid it. Their conspiracy against Dmitry Ivanovich was discovered and they even fell into disgrace, but this did not stop Sofia. She continued to influence the government. It was rumored that she even cast magic against Ivan III. Thanks to rumors spread by Sofia, the closest associates of Dmitry Ivanovich fell out of favor with Ivan III. Dmitry began to lose power and also fell into disgrace,and after the death of his grandfather he was shackled and died 4 years later. So Vasily III, the son of a Greek princess, became the Russian tsar.
Solomonia
Vasily III chose his first wife as a result of a review (1500 brides) during his father's lifetime. She became Solomoniya Saburova, the daughter of a boyar scribe. For the first time in Russian history, the ruling monarch took as his wife not a representative of the princely aristocracy or a foreign princess, but a woman from the upper stratum of "service people". The marriage for 20 years was fruitless and Vasily III went to extreme, unprecedented measures: he was the first of the Russian tsars to exile his wife to a monastery. As regards children and the inheritance of power, Vasily, accustomed to fight for power in all possible ways, had a "fad". So, fearing that the possible sons of the brothers would become contenders for the throne, Vasily forbade his brothers to marry until he had a son. The son was never born. Who is to blame? Wife. Wife - to the monastery. You have to understand that this was a very controversial decision. Vassian Patrikeev, Metropolitan Barlaam and the Monk Maxim the Greek, who opposed the dissolution of the marriage, were exiled, and for the first time in Russian history the metropolitan was defrocked.
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Kudeyar
There is a legend that during the tonsure Solomonia was pregnant, gave birth to a son, George, whom she handed "into safe hands," and announced to everyone that the newborn had died. After that, this child became the famous robber Kudeyar, who, with his gang, robbed rich carts. Ivan the Terrible was very interested in this legend. The hypothetical Kudeyar was his older half-brother, which means he could claim power. This story is most likely a folk fiction. The desire to "ennoble the robber", as well as to allow oneself to believe in the illegitimacy of power (and therefore the possibility of its overthrow) is characteristic of the Russian tradition. With us, whatever the chieftain is a legitimate king. As for Kudeyar, a semi-mythical character, there are so many versions of his origin that would be enough for half a dozen chieftains.
Lithuanian
By his second marriage, Vasily III married a Lithuanian, young Elena Glinskaya. "All in a father," he married a foreign woman. Only four years later, Elena gave birth to her first child - Ivan Vasilyevich. According to legend, at the hour of the baby's birth, a terrible thunderstorm seemed to break out. Thunder struck from the clear sky and shook the earth to its foundations. The Kazan khansha, having learned about the birth of the tsar, announced to the Moscow messengers: "A tsar was born to you, and he has two teeth: he will eat us (Tatars) with some, and you with others." This legend is among the many written about the birth of Ivan IV. It was rumored that Ivan was an illegitimate son, but this is unlikely: an examination of the remains of Elena Glinskaya showed that she had red hair. As you know, Ivan was also red. Elena Glinskaya was like the mother of Vasily III, Sophia Palaeologus, with power she was no less confident and passionate. After the death of her husband in December 1533, she became the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Moscow (for this she removed the regents appointed by her husband). Thus, she became the first after the Grand Duchess Olga (except for Sofia Vitovtovna, whose power in many Russian lands outside the Moscow principality was formal) ruler of the Russian state.
Italianomania
Vasily III inherited from his father not only love for strong-willed overseas women, but also love for everything Italian. Italian architects hired by Vasily III built churches and monasteries, kremlins and bell towers in Russia. Vasily Ivanovich's guard also consisted entirely of foreigners, including Italians. They lived in Nalivka, a "German" settlement in the area of modern Yakimanka.
Brave fighter
Vasily III was the first Russian monarch to free himself from chin hair. According to legend, he cut his beard to look younger in the eyes of Elena Glinskaya. It did not last long in a beardless state, but it almost cost Russia independence. While the Grand Duke flaunted his smooth-shaven youth, the Crimean Khan Islyam I Giray, complete with armed countrymen with rare beards, came to visit. The case threatened to turn into a new Tatar yoke. But God saved. Immediately after the victory, Vasily again let go of his beard. In order not to wake the dashing.
Fighting non-possessors
The reign of Basil III was marked by the struggle between the "non-possessors" and the "Josephites". For a very short time, Vasily III was close to the "non-possessors", but in 1522, instead of the disgraced Barlaam, a disciple of Joseph Volotskiy and the head of the Josephites, Daniel, was appointed to the metropolitan throne, who became an ardent supporter of strengthening the grand ducal power. Vasily III strove to substantiate the divine origin of the grand ducal power, relying on the authority of Joseph Volotskiy, who in his works acted as the ideologist of strong state power and "drevlyago piety". This was also facilitated by the increased authority of the Grand Duke in Western Europe. In a treaty (1514) with the emperor of the "Holy Roman Empire" Maximilian, Basil III was even named tsar. Vasily III was cruel to his opponents: in 1525 and 1531. Maxim the Greek was twice condemned, who was imprisoned in a monastery.
