ELENA BRYANSKAYA (years of birth and death are unknown), Princess of Kashin, the Grand Princess of Tver, since 1329 the wife of Vasily Mikhailovich, Prince of Kashins, the Grand Prince of Tver
Father
- Ivan Alexandrovich, Prince of Smolensk (1313-1359) [4, p. 554]
Biography
The chronicles did not preserve the records of the birth and early years of Elena. It is not known exactly who Elena's parents were, but it is most likely that her father was Dmitry Romanovich, Prince of Bryansk. Her name is found not only in the news of the prince's marriage and the birth of children, but also in connection with political events - the internecine struggle for the prince's table and diplomacy.
Elena was married to Vasily, the youngest son of Mikhail of Tver and Anna of Kashin. The wedding took place in 1329 in Bryansk. In marriage, the princely couple had two sons, Vasily and Mikhail [I, p. 155].
After the death of Konstantin Mikhailovich, the confrontation between the Moscow and Tver princes was aggravated by the struggle between Vasily Mikhailovich and Vsevolod Alexandrovich directly at Tver. The chronicle puts a variety of advice into Elena's mouth, showing the princess as an ambitious and politically active woman pushing her husband to oppose Mikhail Alexandrovich. In 1367 Elena took part in a military campaign against Tver [II, cl. 84]. In the autumn of the same year, she, together with the wife of Eremey Konstantinovich, was captured by Mikhail Alexandrovich, who returned from Lithuania and perpetrated a rout in Tver [II, cl. 84; III; p. 106; 1, p. 176; 2, p. 61; 3, p. 32] Vasily Mikhailovich, apparently, at that time was in Kashin, because Mikhail went there. Halfway through, the princes met and were able to negotiate peace. Elena Ivanovna was released and returned to her husband. The chronicle notes that Mikhail, despite his military advantage, at that time recognizes the superiority of Vasily and calls him the prince of Tver [1, p. 177].
After the death of Vasily Mikhailovich in 1368, Elena, with activity characteristic to her, supported her son Mikhail in his struggle for the Tver throne.
The date of the princess's death is unknown. But, in all likelihood, she outlived her husband and both sons a lot. Vasily Vasilyevich died in 1363 [II, cl. 75; 1, p. 176], Mikhail Vasilyevich died in 1373. In 1373 the chronicle record that Elena, together with the Kashin boyars, adviced her young grandson, Vasily, to go to Tver in order to continue the fight for the prince's table. There is no later records of Princess of Bryansk.
Children
- Vasily (c. 1330-1362), Prince of Kashin
- Mikhail (1331-1373), Prince of Kashin [I, p. 155]
Sources
I. PSRL. T. X. Letopisnyi sbornik, imenuemyi Patriarshei ili Nikonovskoi letopis'iu. M., 2000.
II. PSRL. T. XV. Rogozhskii letopisets. Tverskoi sbornik. M., 2000.
III. PSRL. T. XVIII. Simeonovskaia letopis'. SPb., 1913.
Bibliography
1. Gadalova G. S. Velikaia kniaginia Elena Tverskaia (Kashinskaia) // S. 97-110.
2. Kliug E. KniazhestvoTverskoe (1247–1485 gg.). Tver', 1994.
3. Koniavskaia E.L. Ocherki po istorii tverskoi literatury XIV–XV v. M, 2007.
4. Koniavskaia E.L. Tverskie kniagini i ikh rol' v semeinoi, obshchestvennoi i khoziaistvennoi zhizni // Vestnik TvGu. Seriia "Istoriia'. 2020, № 4 (56). S. 16–32.
Internet Resources
1. Koniavskaia E.L. Ocherki po istorii tverskoi literatury XIV–XV v. M, 2007.