Andrey of Gorodets

Andrey III Alexandrovich (ca. 1255 – 27 July 1304), a Rus’ prince, son of Alexander Nevsky, received from his father the town of Gorodets on the Volga. In 1276 he added Kostroma to his possessions and joined the struggle for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir-Suzdal.

In 1281, joining the Mongol army, Andrey expelled his elder brother Dmitri from Vladimir. After some feasting with Mongols in Vladimir, Andrey went to Novgorod, where the populace made him heartily welcome. Meanwhile, his brother allied himself with the powerful Mongol general Nogai Khan, who reinstated Dmitry as Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1283.

During the following decade, Andrey thrice brought the Mongols to Rus’ in order to wrest Vladimir from his brother. In the campaign of 1293 they pillaged 14 Russian towns, finally forcing Dmitry to abdicate. Even when elevated to the grand-ducal throne of Vladimir, Andrey continued to live in Gorodets. During the last decade of his reign he struggled with a league formed by Daniel of Moscow, Mikhail of Tver, and Ivan of Pereslavl. In 1301 he drove the Swedes from Landskrona near present-day Saint Petersburg.