PREREQUISITES FOR THE INTEGRATION OF RUSSIAN LANDS AROUND MOSCOW: HISTORICAL ASPECT
The article deals with the issue of integration of Russian lands around Moscow. It is noted that the political fragmentation in North-Eastern Russia has reached its limit, the main reason was the thirteen independent principalities-states, where, respectively, their princely dynasties ruled: Suzdal, Gorodetsky, Starodubsky, Yaroslavl, Rostov, Kostroma, Tver, Moscow. Each of the rulers of the above-mentioned principalities could receive a label for the grand duchy in the Horde, however, after the death of Alexander Nevsky, an unspoken rule was established in Sarai itself, which stated that only direct descendants of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich could claim it. Together with the khan's label, its owner received not only "eldership" over the rest of the Russian princes, but also the entire Vladimir Principality, which was the largest feudal possession in North-Eastern Russia. Therefore, the struggle for the possession of the Khan's label was so sharp and uncompromising.