In or around the 1330s, Duke Vasili married Evdokia, a daughter of
Ivan Kalita, Grand Prince of Moscow. However, the new son-in-law did not acknowledge the overlordship of Moscow, but instead willfully called himself the Grand Prince of Yaroslavl. Ivan Kalita's priority at that time was to break the power of
Tver, which was a serious contender to Moscow. In 1339,
Ozbeg Khan summoned to the
Golden Horde two princes who opposed Ivan Kalita's demands:
Alexander Mikhailovich of Tver and Vasili of Yaroslavl. Ivan Kalita feared that joint action by these princes would cause trouble for him. Prince
Romanchuk of Belozero was a third there. A detachment of 500 men were sent to seize Vasili, but he escaped with his men and reached the Horde safely. In the end, though, Kalita's opponents failed to shake Khan Uzbek's confidence in the Moscow ruler. In 1340 Ivan Kalita died, and Princes Alexander of Tver, Vasili of Yaroslavl and Konstantin of
Suzdal laid claim to overlordship over his title and position. They asked the Horde to decide between them and to make an appointment. Ultimately, however, the khan chose Ivan Kalita's son Simon. Vasili had to accept and to recognize the primacy of the new Moscow prince. In the same year he, like all the other princes nearby, took part in the march of Muscovite troops to
Torzhok. Vasili died in the winter of 1345 and was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral in Yaroslavl Monastery of Our Saviour. From his marriage with Evdokia Ivanovna of Moscow he had three sons:
Vasili Vasilievich, prince of Yaroslavl;
Hleb Vasilievich and
Roman Vasilievich (who became the Duke of Romanov). After the death of Vasili, the principality of Yaroslavl disintegrated into small principalities and completely succumbed to the power of Moscow. ==Sources==