Muscovite-Lithuanian War, Second (1500-1503)

Hostilities between the Grand Duchy of Lithuanian and the Grand Principality of Moscow are renewed in May 1500, when Ivan III takes advantage of a planned Polish–Hungarian campaign against the Ottoman Empire.

While preoccupied with the Ottomans, Poland and Hungary will not provide assistance to Lithuania.

The pretext is the alleged religious intolerance to Orthodox Christians in the Lithuanian court.

Helena, daughter of Ivan III, is forbidden by her father Ivan III to convert to Catholicism; this provides numerous opportunities for Ivan III, as defender of all Orthodox, to interfere in Lithuanian affairs and rally Orthodox believers.

The Muscovites promptly overrun Lithuanian fortresses in Bryansk, Vyazma, Dorogobuzh, Toropets, Putyvl.

Local nobles, particularly the Vorotynskys, often join the Muscovite cause.

Another attack comes from southeast into Kiev Voivodeship, Volhynia, and Podolia.

On July 14, 1500, the Lithuanians suffer a great defeat in the Battle of Vedrosha; Grand Hetman Konstanty Ostrogski is captured.

The defeat is one of the reasons for the proposed Union of Mielnik between Poland and Lithuania.

In November 1501, the Lithuanians are defeated again in the Battle of Mstislavl.

The Crimean Tatars destroy the Golden Horde, a Lithuanian ally, when its capital New Sarai is conquered in 1502.

In June 1501, John I Albert, King of Poland, dies leaving his brother Alexander Jagiellon, Grand Duke of Lithuania, the strongest candidate for the Polish throne.

Alexander becomes preoccupied with the succession.

To counter religious accusations, Alexander attempts to establish a church union between Catholics and Orthodox Christians as it had been envisioned at the Council of Florence – the Orthodox Christians are to retain their traditions, but will accept the pope as their spiritual sovereign.

The Metropolitan of Kiev agrees to such an arrangement, but Helena protests.

Polish nobles, including Bishop Erazm Ciołek and Cardinal Fryderyk Jagiellończyk, discuss the issue of royal divorce.

In the meantime the war continues, just not as successfully for Muscovy.

As Lithuanian forces arrive to the region, the Muscovite forces have to move slowly.

Additionally, the Livonian Order, led by Wolter von Plettenberg, joins the war as an ally of Lithuania.

The Livonian troops win the Battle of the Siritsa River in August 1501, besiege Pskov, and win the Battle of Smolin in September 1502.

In 1502, Ivan III organizs a campaign to capture Smolensk, but the city withstands the siege, as the Muscovites have chosen poor strategy and have insufficient artillery.

[ Peace negotiations begin in mid-1502.

Alexander asks Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary to act as the mediator and a six-year truce is concluded on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) in 1503.

The Grand Duchy of Lithuania loses approximately 210,000 square kilometers (81,000 sq mi) or a third of its territory: Chernihiv, Novhorod-Siverskyi, Starodub, and lands around the upper Oka River.

Russian historian Matvei Kuzmich Liubavskii counts Lithuanian losses at seventy volosts, twenty-two towns, and thirteen villages.

The Lithuanians also acknowledge Ivan's title sovereign of all Rus'

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