Ivan the Great became Grand Prince of Moscow

Moscow served as the capital of a minor state that paid homage to the Khans of the Golden Horde, the Tatar rulers of a territory extending from eastern Europe to Siberia, and provided them with forced labor. The rulers of Moscow increasingly increased their domain over time until they attained independence under Ivan III, sometimes known as the Great.

Ivan, who was born in Moscow in 1440, grew up with firsthand knowledge of politics, familial betrayal, and battle. His father Vasily II was engaged in a power battle with Vasily's uncle Yuri and his sons, who kidnapped Vasily in 1446 and blinded him. Vasily delivered Ivan to his relatives, but he quickly reclaimed control and taught Ivan to obey him. Ivan waged a war against the Tatars after becoming grand prince at the age of 22 following the death of his father.

Thus, following the passing of his father on March 27, 1462, Ivan the Great became Grand Prince of Moscow. He married the niece of the last Byzantine emperor in 1472 after losing his first wife, to whom he had been engaged at the age of 12, in 1467. He later adopted the Byzantine double eagle as his coat of arms.