The first thought of the new Grand Prince at Suzdal was to prevent the
possible rivalry of this arrogant principality in the North, by
conquering it and breaking its spirit. He was also resolved to break
thoroughly with the past, to destroy the system of Appanages, and had
conceived the idea of the modern undivided state. He removed his
capital from the old town of Suzdal, which had its _Vetché_ or popular
assembly, to Vladimir, which had had none of these things, assigning as
his reason, not that he intended to be sole master and free from all
ancient trammels--but that the Mother of God had come to him in a dream
and commanded him so to do! But an end came to all his dreams and
ambitions. He was assassinated in 1174 by his own _boyars_, who were
exasperated by his subversive policy and suspicions of his daring
reforms.

With the setting of the currents of Russian national life toward the
North, there was awakened in Europe a vague sense of danger. Not far
from Novgorod, on and about the shores of the Baltic, were various
tributary Slav tribes, mingled with pagan Finns. This was the only
point of actual contact, the only point without natural protection
between Russia and Europe, and it must be guarded. German merchants,
hand in hand with Latin missionaries, invaded a strip of disputed
territory, and, under the cloak of Christianity, commenced
a--_conquest_. A Latin Church became also a fortress; and the fortress
soon expanded into a German town, and these crept every year farther
and farther into the East. In order to quell the resistance of native
Finns and Slavs, there was created, and authorized by the Pope, an
order of knighthood, called the "Sword-Bearers," with the double
purpose of driving back the Slavonic tide which threatened Germany and
at the same time Christianizing it. These were the "Livonian Knights,"
who came from Saxony and Westphalia, armed _cap-à-pie_, with red