Solomonia Saburova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Solomonia Saburova |
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| Grand Princess consort of Moscow | |
Sister Sofia in Intercession Monastery, 19th century
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| Tenure | 27 October 1505 – November 1525 |
| Born | c. 1490 |
| Died | 18 December 1542 Suzdal |
| Spouse | Vasili III of Russia |
| Issue | Kudeyar (folk legend) |
| House | House of Rurik |
| Father | Yury Konstantinovich Saburov |
Solomonia Yuryevna Saburova (born around 1490, died 18 December 1542) was a very important person in Russian history. She was the first wife of Vasili III, who was the Grand Prince of Muscovy. Muscovy was the name for Russia at that time. Later, Solomonia was recognized as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church and is known as Saint Sofia of Suzdal.
Early Life and Family
Solomonia's father was Yury Konstantinovich Saburov. He was a nobleman, which means he came from an important family. When Solomonia married the Grand Prince, her father was given an even higher title called a boyar. This showed how important her family became.
Her family was connected to other famous people in Russian history. One of her relatives later married the son of Ivan IV. Another relative, Irina Feodorovna, was the wife of the last ruler from the Rurikid family, Feodor I. Also, Boris Godunov, who later became a Tsar, was from her family.
Becoming Grand Princess
Solomonia and Vasili III got married on 4 September 1505. The wedding was a big event, and Vasili's father, Ivan III, was there. A very important church leader, Metropolitan Simon, blessed their marriage at the main church in the Moscow Kremlin.
For twenty years, Solomonia and Vasili III were married, but they did not have any children. This was a big problem because Vasili needed a son to take over as ruler after him. If he died without a son, his brothers would inherit the throne. To try and stop this, Vasili made sure his brothers could not marry or have power. This situation later caused big problems for Russia, leading to a time of trouble known as the Time of Troubles.
Even though Solomonia was known for her beauty and good character, not having an heir was a huge issue. Vasili even looked for help from doctors from other countries. In 1525, Vasili decided to divorce Solomonia. Some church leaders and important people agreed, but others said it was wrong.
Life After the Divorce
In November 1525, their marriage was officially ended. Solomonia was then made to become a nun. When she became a nun, she took a new name, Sophia. She first went to a monastery in Moscow. After that, she was moved to the Intercession Monastery in Suzdal. This monastery was one of many churches that Vasili and Solomonia had built to pray for a child.
Some historical writings say that Solomonia was forced to become a nun. However, Russian stories often say that she accepted the ruler's decision. There were also rumors that Solomonia had a child named George while she was living in the monastery. She passed away in Suzdal in 1542.
