Solomonida Saburova ¹

  General Notes:

Vasili's greatest problem was the lack of heir. In 1526, despite much opposition from the clergy, he divorced his barren wife, Solomonida Saburova, and married Princess Elena Glinskaya (Helena Glinska), the daughter of a Serbian princess and niece of his friend Mikhail Hlinski. To the great joy of Vasili and the populace, the new tsaritsa gave birth to a son, who succeeded him as Ivan IV. According to a story, Solomonida Saburova also bore a son in the convent where she had been confined, just several months after the controversial divorce.

Solomonida married Basil III of Moscow, son of Ivan III the Great of Moscow and Sophia Paleologue. The marriage ended in divorce in 1526. (Basil III of Moscow was born on 25 Mar 1479 and died on 3 Dec 1534.)