The Tver Uprising

December 1327 

The rebellion against the Mongol Horde that took place in Tver in 1327 is one of the landmark events of Russian history. In the fall of that year, a delegation of baskaks (tribute collectors) headed by a Horde magnate named Cholkhan arrived in the city. At the time, Tver was one of the richest and most powerful cities in Rus, and its history up to this point very much resembled that of Moscow – its neighbor and rival. 

Before the Mongol invasion (1237-1240), neither Tver nor Moscow was particularly prominent. When the forces of Batu Khan swept over the lands of Rus, its richest cities – Vladimir, Suzdal, and Kiev – bore the main brunt of the invasion. Moscow and Tver suffered, but to a lesser extent. Later, when Rus had become a vassal of the Khans, no one paid much attention to these minor towns. This allowed the principalities at the center of Rus to come into their own.