Daniil Kholmsky

Daniil Dmitrievich Kholmsky (Даниил Дмитриевич Холмский; c. 15th Century–1493) was a Russian knyaz (князь), boyar (боярин) and voyevoda (воевода), and one of the most prominent military leaders of Ivan the Great. He belonged to the princely house Kholmsky and was the father of another voyevoda and boyar, Vasily Danilovich Kholmsky, who later married the second daughter of Ivan the Great, Feodosiya Ivanovna.

Biography
Daniil was the son of the knyaz Dmitry Yurievich Kholmsky and a relative of Grand Prince  Mikhail III of Tver, to whom his brother Prince Mikhail Dmitrievich was chief adviser. He entered the service of Grand Prince Ivan III as early as 1467, becoming the first of a number of "influential Tverian defectors" to Moscow before its eventual conquest and annexation in 1485; he "immediately received some choice military assignments," served as a voyevoda in the Kazan campaign of 1469, became a leading general and boyar in the early-mid 1470s, and entered the boyar duma as early as c. 1473 and no later than 1479.

He became famous for his brilliant victory over the Kazan Tatars at Murom in 1468, when he launched an unexpected attack on the besieged city. However, as Tatar raids on the Russian borders continued, the Muscovite army launched a campaign against Kazan. Daniil was the commander of the leading regiment and defeated Khan Ibrahim, forcing him to sign a peace treaty with Ivan III. The treaty obliged the Khanate to return all Russian prisoners and to establish friendly relations with Moscow.

In 1471, Kholmsky served "with distinction" in Ivan III's military campaign against Novgorod, again leading the vanguard with Boyar Fedor Davidovich. After two minor victories at Korostyn and Staraya Russa, he soundly defeated the Novgorodians at the Battle of Shelon (Шелонская битва), which had a decisive impact on the balance of power between the two sides and paved the way for the future annexation of Novgorod.

In the summer of 1472, Kholmsky led an army against the Tatar forces of Akhmat Khan of the Great Horde who captured and destroyed the town of Alexin. The Khan did not risk fighting Kholmsky and returned to the steppes.

From 1473 to 1474, Kholmsky was sent by Ivan III to command a "sizeable force" to relieve the allied city of Pskov, which was besieged by Livonian knights and had appealed to Ivan for help. With courage and skill, Kholmsky secured a peace treaty that forced the Livonians to leave Pskov and granted Russian merchants free trade rights in the Baltic. This treaty became known as Daniil's Peace by the chronists. In return, Ivan III granted Daniil the title of boyar, after first making him "swear never to leave his service" and forbidding him to serve "any of the Muscovite appanage princes."

Soon Kholmsky was facing false accusations of attempted treason from jealous boyars. It was only with the support of the clergy and the bail of 2,000 rubles from eight Muscovite nobles that Kholmsky regained the confidence of the Grand Prince.

During Ivan III's second campaign against Novgorod in the autumn of 1477, Daniil led the main Muscovite army across the ice of Lake Ilmen. In the course of one night, he managed to encircle Novgorod, forcing the city to surrender to Ivan III.

In October and November 1480, Daniil Kholmsky took part in the famous Great Standing on the Ugra River, where he was one of the commanders of the Russian forces and organized the fortifications. With his efforts, Kholmsky contributed significantly to the final overthrow of Tatar rule in Russia.

In 1487, Kholmsky again led a Muscovite army against Kazan and captured the besieged city on July 9. The result of this event was the deposition of Ivan III's opponent and his replacement by the Moscow-friendly Möxämmädämin.

In 1489, Kholmsky commanded a successful "major campaign" against Vyatka alongside voevody Andrey Korobov, princes Osip Dorogobuzhskoy, Ivan Ivanovich Zvenets, Ivan Lyko Obelensky, and Yury Ivanovich Shostak.

In 1492, Knyaz Kholmsky took part in the war against Lithuania and helped the Upper Oka Principalities to protect their independence from Alexander Jagiellon.

Kholmsky died in 1493.

Family
Daniil married the eldest daughter of Ivan Ivanovich Vsevolozhkii, having at least three children:
 * Semyon Danilovich
 * Vasily Danilovich (1460s–1524)
 * A daughter, who later married Ivan Vladimirovich Golova Khovrin