The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-21

married the Lithuanian prince, JageIls, and
thus the two countries were united. first
nominaiiy and then in reality. From this
union Poland became . mighty country.
the great antagonist Of Russia; but while
the Muscovite princes were becom-
ing absolute rulers the Polish kings were
losing their power. Finally Moscow be-
came an autocratic country and Poland .
republic, with an elective king. In these
oinerent conditions of the two countries
come Of the historians seek the causes Of
the decline Of Poland and the rise of Rus
sia.
In this gloomy period of Russian history
there were. however, . few princes who de-
serve to be mentioned. One of them was
alexander Nevski, celebrated warrior.
de gained . famous victory over the
6wedes in 1910, and two years afterwards
be defeated the German Eword-bearing
knights, who established themselves in
Livonia. He was unable, however, to re-
sist the power of the Tartars, and was
obliged to do degrading homage to the
khan Another prince, Simeon the Proud
134O-l353). first took the title of grand
duke of all the Russias, and still
another prince. the celebrated Dmitri
Donskoy. tried to deliver his
country from the yoke of the Tartars. He
won the battle of Ku.ikovo over the Tar
tars in 1880. and though this victory had
no practical results, it raised the spirit of
the Russian people. But the most cele-
brated ruler was Ivan ILL.,. whose long
reign from 1862 to 1906 marks q new epoch
In Russian history. To that remarkable
man Russia is indebted more than to any
other ruler, except Peter the Great. He
forms one If the most important figures in
the annals of Russia, for to him is due the
consolidation Of the autocracy. In certain
respects he was equal to Louis NJ.
OF France, that is, he preferred
diplomacy to war, and often brought about
by intrigue what other monarchs would
only effect by force of arms. Ivan III.
united to Moscow the principalities OF Tver,
Yaroslavl and Rostof, and he reduced to
submission the free republic of Novgorod.
That naughty city ceased from that time
TO be the emporium Of trade, and rapidly
declined. But the most important act of
Ivan's reign was the bold stand
he took against the Tartars. At that time
the Mongols were divided already into a
few states, the most powerful of them
being that of Sarai. Ivan refused
to pay them tribute, and successfully
resisted their renewed invasions. He also
took the Tartar city of Kazan, which was,
however. not incorporated with Moscow
till the reign of Ivan the Terrible. In his
wars with the Poles he was also partly sue
csssful. but he was defeated by the leu
tonic Knights, who at that time absorbed
the order of the German Sword-bearing
Knights in Livonia. In 1472 he
married Sophia, niece of the unhappy Con-
stanstine Paieologus, last of the Byzan-
tine emperors, and by right Of his consan-
quinity to the Eastern Roman emper-
ors adopted the double-headed eagle
for his escutcheon. With the Byzantine
princess there came also to Moscow many
learned Greeks and Italian architects.
and among them the celebrated Fioraventi.
Ivan improved also the laws, regulated
the taxes, and when he died after his long
reign of forty-three years he left power
full and well-regulated empire to his son
Vasili, or Basil Nv. Vasili continued the
policy of his father, incorporated Pskow,
the last independent Russian republic, car
ried on war against Poland with varying
success, and defeated the Tartars of Kazan.
He died in 1888 and was succeeded by his
son Ivan the Terrible, the Nero of Russi ia
and the most curious figure in the history
of the Muscovite monarchy. M. l..