During the time of Ivan III, the great prince of Tver was Mikhail Borisovich. He saw that the Grand Prince of Moscow was incorporating Russian lands into his domain, and he sought protection from the Lithuanians. However, Muscovites intercepted the Tver prince's messengers to Lithuania. In 1485, Ivan III led troops to Tver, and the Tver boyars decided to submit to Moscow. Mikhail Tverkskoy, along with a group loyal to him, made his way to Moscow.