Daniel of Russia
Daniil (Daniel) Aleksandrovich (Даниил Александрович in Russian) (1261 - March 4/5, 1303), the first Grand Prince of Moscow, the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky of Novgorod, forefather of all the princes of Moscow.
Since Daniel was a child, the Moscow Principality had been governed by tiuns (deputies), appointed by the Grand Prince of Vladimir and Tver Yaroslav Yaroslavich, Daniel's uncle.
Daniel took part in his brothers' - Dmitry Pereyaslavsky and Andrey Gorodetsky - struggle for the absolute right to govern Vladimir and Novgorod. In 1282, together with the Prince of Tver Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, Daniel turned against Dmitry. Since 1283, however, Daniel had been fighting on Dmitry's side, who would eventually become the Prince of Vladimir.
After Dmitry's death in 1294, Daniel became the leader of the Moscow-Pereyaslavl-Tver alliance against Andrey Gorodetsky. Daniel's participation in the struggle for Novgorod in 1296 indicated Moscow's increasing political influence.
In 1300, Daniel fought with Ryazan' and conquered Kolomna. After the death of Ivan Dmitryevich (Prince of Pereyaslavl) in 1302, Daniel made Pereyaslavl a part of the Moscow Principality.
During Daniel's reign, they built Bogoyavlensky monastery and Danilov monastery in late 1290s. Daniil Aleksandrovich has been canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
