Héléna Glinska

Héléna Glinska (1506/1507-4 or April 13rd 1538) is the second woman of the large-prince Vassili III of Moscovie. During four years (1533 - 1538), it was regent in the name of his Ivan son.

She was the girl of prince Vassili Glinski and the princess Anna Jaksic of Serbia. His/her uncle, Michel Glinski, became again very influential at the Court of Vassili III after the marriage of his niece. He had encouraged this one to enter in war against the Lithuania in 1512.

At the end of twenty years of marriage with his first wife, Salomonia Iourevna Sabourova, Vassili III require the divorce due to sterility. In spite of the firm opposition of part of the orthodoxe Church, the métropolite Daniel grants in November 1525 to him and Vassili can marry Héléna Glinska in January of the following year. Two children are born from this union: Ivan IV in 1530 and Youri in 1532, respectively four and six years after the marriage. Helena makes release his/her uncle, then in prison to have wanted to return in its country of origin, Lithuania. Michel Glinski returns in grace gradually near the sovereign, after the birth of his two sons.

On its bed of death, in 1533, Vassili III announces that it transfers its capacity to Héléna Glinska until the majority from his Ivan son whom it declares for heir. The uncle of the regent, Michel Glinski, and Vorontsov are indicated Co-guards of the young prince. Almost the five years of regency are marked by a series of plots, realities or are supposed, which aim at évincer Helena Glinska of the capacity. The government of the country becomes the stake of the big families of Boyard S. His/her brothers-in-law, Youri de Dimitrov and Andrei de Staritsa, are imprisoned, the first a few days after death of Vassili, the second in 1537, although it had been withdrawn from the fight to be able it after the arrest of his brother. These indeed could be also claimed heir to the throne according to the old habit where the brother (and not the son) succeed the brother. In July 1534, the regent even made stop his uncle, however 64 years old, who dies in prison in September. Others boyards which were opposed to the clan of Obolenski such as Vorontsov and Ivan Bielski are also imprisoned. Youri dies of hunger in prison in August 1536 and Andrei in December 1537.

The regent, who controls with prince Ivan Obolenski, member influence of the Douma, his lover of living even of Vassili, manages all the same to lead a reform which leads to the introduction of the Muscovite unified monetary system. The old coins are replaced by only one, the Kopeck.

In foreign policy, Héléna Glinska is less happy. Benefitting from a disturbed interior situation, the Lithuania causes in August 1534 a war where it conquers the towns of Gomel and Starodub, the latter reperdue the following year. A five years truce is signed in February 1537 between the two belligerents. Actually it opens one period of 21 years peace between the two Grand Duchies.

She dies in April 1538, probably poisoned by the Chouiski, a family of boyards which seizes the capacity then. The heir, the future Ivan the Terrible is indeed still only eight years old.

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