Vasily II of Moscow

Vasily II Vasilyevich (; 10 March 141527 March 1462), nicknamed the Blind or the Dark , was Grand Prince of Moscow from 1425 until his death in 1462.

Later reign and policies Now that the war was over, Vasily II eliminated almost all of the small appanages in Moscow principality, so as to strengthen his sovereign authority. His military campaigns of 1441–1460 increased Moscow's hold over Suzdal, the Vyatka lands, and the republican governments of Novgorod and Pskov.

In the meantime, Constantinople fell to the Turks, and the patriarch agreed to acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope in the Council of Florence. After the death of Photius in 1431, he was replaced by Isidore as metropolitan, a nominee of Byzantium, who took part in the Council of Florence. This move further strengthened Moscow's reputation among Orthodox states.

Vasily also adopted the title of sovereign of all Russia when he returned to the throne, taking inspiration from his uncle Dmitry, and began issuing coins with the title. The Muscovites began developing an identity of the grand prince as the sovereign and the ruler of all the Russian lands, and Vasily positioned himself as the defender of Orthodoxy.

In his later years, the blind prince was greatly helped by Metropolitan Jonah, boyars, and then by his older son Ivan III who was styled as co-ruler since the late 1450s. On Vasily II's death in 1462, Ivan III succeeded him as the grand prince of Moscow. Vasily's daughter Anna was married to a prince of Ryazan.