Stepan Tverdislavich
Stepan Tverdislavich
Died 1243. Novgorod posadnik (chief administrative official) from 1230 to 1243; son of Tverdis-lav Mikhalkovich.
Stepan Tverdislavich first took part in the struggle of Novgorod political parties after 1220. He supported an alliance with the princes of Vladimir and Suzdal’ and relied on their aid in fighting the Germans and Swedes. In 1230 he organized a coup and was elected posadnik. Stepan Tverdislavich managed to allay the rivalry of boyar groups and unite the people of Novgorod, thus helping Novgorod defeat its enemies in 1234, 1240, and 1242. Stepan Tverdislavich is buried in the Cathedral of St. Sophia.