ON DMITRY DONSKOY’s TITLE “GRAND DUKE OF MOSCOW” IN MODERN RUSSIAN HISTORIOGRAPHY

Abstract

In modern historical literature, the title of Dmitry Ivanovich “Grand Duke of Moscow” is widely spread, it is used both in scientific publications and in popular science literature. The article examines the use of the title in historical literature since the 2000s. Dmitry Donskoy’s title “Grand Duke of Moscow” does not stand up to criticism from a historical source, its origin is artificial. The Moscow Principality has passed a different historical path of development than Tver or Nizhny Novgorod, there was no need for such a title to appear. Throughout the 14th century, Moscow princes fought for supreme power over Russia and the status of the “Grand Prince of Vladimir”. The appearance of the title “Grand Duke of Moscow” meets the demands of modern public life. The use of an incorrect title in special scientific literature hinders the study of the history of the early Moscow statehood from a scientific source-study position.