ions
were sent against the city but nothing was effected. When this khan
died, Vassili succeeded in installing a friendly prince, but he was
overthrown and a relative of the Khan of the Crimea took his place. He
prepared a great invasion of Russia in 1521, and did gain a decided
victory on the Oka, after which he ravaged the territory of the grand
duke. Vassili was compelled to humble himself before the khan, in
order to save Moscow; he made him presents and in the treaty signed by
him, called himself the khan's tributary. When the khan withdrew, he
was attacked in Riazan and the treaty was taken away from him. The
invasion was, however, a calamity for the grand dukedom, which was
devastated by fire, and a host of women and children were carried off,
to be sold as slaves at Astrakhan and Kaffa.

The following year Vassili collected a large army on the Oka and
challenged the Khan of the Crimea to come and give battle. The offer
was declined with the remark that he knew the way into Russia, and
that he was not in the habit of consulting his enemies as to when and
where he was to fight.

Hoping to profit by the quarrels among the Tartars, Vassili sent an
expedition to Kazan in 1523, and again in 1524, but both were (p. 110)
unsuccessful. Kazan owed its wealth to a fair, which attracted a host
of merchants. Vassili thought that he would destroy his enemy's
prosperity by establishing a rival fair. Accordingly one was opened at
Makarief, and this time the grand duke's expectations were realized.
This was the origin of the world-famous fair at Nishni Novgorod,
whither it was transferred afterwards.

Vassili made a long stride forward in the direction of autocracy. He
consulted neither boyard nor priest. He deposed the Metropolitan and
banished him to a monastery. Prince Kholmski, who was married to one
of Vassili's sisters, was thrown into prison for failing to show
abject respect. When one of the boyards complained that "The grand
duke decided all the questions, shut up with two others in the
bedchamber," the noble was promptly arrested, condemned to death, and
executed. He interrupted the objection of a high noble with, "Be
silent, lout!" His court displayed great splendor, but it was
semi-Asiatic. The throne was guarded by young nobles called _ryndis_,
dressed in long caftans of white satin, high caps of white fur, and
carrying silver hatchets.

Like his father, he tried to attract artists and learned men, and
ex