This movement coincided with a change in the family circumstances of Ivan III. After the death of his first consort in 1467, Maria of Tver, and at the suggestion of Pope Paul II in 1469, who hoped thereby to bind Moscow to the Holy See, Ivan III wedded Sophia Palaiologina (also known under her original name Zoe) in 1472, daughter of Thomas Palaeologus, despot of Morea, who claimed the throne of Constantinople as the brother of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor. Frustrating the Pope's hopes of reuniting the two faiths, the princess endorsed Eastern Orthodoxy. Due to her family traditions, she encouraged imperial ideas in the mind of her consort. It was through her influence that the ceremonious etiquette of Constantinople (along with the imperial double-headed eagle and all that it implied) was adopted by the court of Moscow. Ivan combined the double-headed eagle with his emblem of St. George slaying the dragon; his family seal became and remained a symbol of the Russian tsars until the monarchy was abolished in 1917. Ivan's marriage would add to Moscow's prestige after the Russian Orthodox Church had earlier declared itself autocephalous in 1448, and a native metropolitan was installed in Moscow. The transformation to absolutism was supported by the Russian Orthodox Church, which benefitted from Moscow's increased international standing, with the doctrine of Moscow as the "third Rome" beginning to emerge.
this movement coincided with a change in the family circumstances of ivan iii after the death of his first consort in 1467 maria of tver and at the suggestion of pope paul ii in 1469 who hoped thereby to bind moscow to the holy see ivan iii wedded sophia palaiologina (also known under her original name zoe) in 1472 daughter of thomas palaeologus despot of morea who claimed the throne of constantinople as the brother of constantine xi the last byzantine emperor frustrating the pope's hopes of reuniting the two faiths the princess endorsed eastern orthodoxy due to her family traditions she encouraged imperial ideas in the mind of her consort it was through her influence that the ceremonious etiquette of constantinople (along with the imperial double-headed eagle and all that it implied) was adopted by the court of moscow ivan combined the double-headed eagle with his emblem of st george slaying the dragon; his family seal became and remained a symbol of the russian tsars until the monarchy was abolished in 1917 ivan's marriage would add to moscow's prestige after the russian orthodox church had earlier declared itself autocephalous in 1448 and a native metropolitan was installed in moscow the transformation to absolutism was supported by the russian orthodox church which benefitted from moscow's increased international standing with the doctrine of moscow as the "third rome" beginning to emerge