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Ivan III's Conquest of Novgorod (1478)

Type Event Region Europe Time 1471–1478

In the 1470s, Ivan III weakened the Novgorod Republic through trade blockade, border wars, and political division;…

Timeline

  1. 1471Shelon River · RussiaIvan III led his army against Novgorod's forces near the Shelon River, achieving a decisive victory for Moscow. Afterwards the grand prince forced Novgorod to sign a humiliating peace, ceding territory, paying indemnities, and promising not to seek alliance with Lithuania.
  2. 1474–1477Novgorod · RussiaIvan III cut Novgorod's trade routes to the Baltic and supported pro-Moscow factions. Between 1477 and 1478, the grand prince accused Novgorod of violating the peace by seeking union with Lithuania, creating a legal pretext for military takeover.
  3. 1478Novgorod · RussiaIvan III's forces entered Novgorod, arrested Archbishop Feofan, executed opposing boyars, abolished the veche (citizens' assembly), and placed the city under direct Moscow rule. Large numbers of Novgorod nobles and merchants were relocated south of Moscow, ending the republic's political traditions.

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