Ivan I Danilovich

Ivan I Danilovich, called Kalita (“Moneybags”) (c. 1304-1341), Grand Prince, or Duke, of Moscow (1328-1341). The grandson of Alexander Nevsky, Ivan initiated the expansion that eventually left Moscow in control of Russia. As a vassal of the Golden Horde Tatars, he collected taxes for the khan and thus earned his epithet. At the same time he doubled the territory of his realm; moved his court from Vladimir to Moscow, merging the two administrations; and persuaded the metropolitan of Kiev, the leading ecclesiastic of the Russian Orthodox Church, to transfer his see to Moscow. Thus sanctioned by the Church, Ivan began to style himself Prince of All Russia.