Grand Principality of Vladimir

The Grand Principality of Vladimir, before 1157 the Principality of Suzdal and commonly called Vladimir-Suzdal or Suzdalia, was the Russian principality of the northeast, born from the disintegration of Kievan Rus. Its capitals ran from Rostov to Suzdal and finally to Vladimir, which gives the realm its name. Yury Dolgoruky ruled from 1125; his son Andrei Bogolyubsky moved the seat to Vladimir, sacked Kiev in 1169 and made the northeast the arbiter of Rus. Vsevolod the Big Nest filled the throne with sons, and the quarrels of those sons invited the Mongol storm: in 1238 the host perished at the Sit River and Vladimir burned. Under the Horde's yoke the grand-princely title became the prize of Rus, won by Tver, then secured by Moscow. Alexander Nevsky wore it while turning back Swedes and Teutonic knights. The church sustained Vladimir's dignity until the metropolitan settled in Moscow. In 1389, after Dmitry Donskoy's victory at Kulikovo, the grand principality passed permanently into the hands of Moscow and the Vladimir name became the first in the Muscovite title.