Ivan I of Russia

Known as Ivan Kalita, or moneybag, the second ruler of Moscow to serve as Grand Prince of Vladimir Suzdal. After the defection of Tver to Lithuania the Khan of the Golden Horde was forced to rely on Ivan as his preeminent Russian vassal. Ivan was the Mongol's leading tax collector and made himself and Moscow very wealthy by maintaining his loyalty to the Horde. He used this wealth to give loans to neighbouring Russian principalities. These cities gradualy fell deeper and deeper into debt, a condition that would allow Ivan's successors to annex them. Ivan's greatest success, however, was convincing the Khan in Sarai that his son should succeed him as Grand Prince of Vladimir, from then on the important position always belonged to the ruling house of Moscow.