List of heirs to the Russian throne


This is a list of the individuals who were, at any given time, considered the next in line to inherit the throne of Russia or Grand Prince of Moscow. Those who actually succeeded are shown in bold. Stillborn children and infants surviving less than a month are not included.

1281 to 1552

At this time the ruler is known as Grand Prince of Moscow.
HeirStatusRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonNext in lineMonarch
Yury DanilovichHeir apparenteldest son1281born4 March 1303became Grand PrinceIvan Danilovich
1288-1303, brother		Daniel
Ivan DanilovichHeir presumptivebrother4 March 1303brother became Grand Prince21 November 1325became Grand PrinceuncertainYury
Ivan DanilovichHeir presumptivebrother4 March 1303brother became Grand Prince21 November 1325became Grand PrinceSimeon Ivanovich
1316-1325, son		Yury
Simeon IvanovichHeir apparenteldest son21 November 1325father became Grand Prince31 March 1340became Grand PrinceIvan Ivanovich
1325-1340, brother		Ivan I
Ivan IvanovichHeir presumptivebrother31 March 1340brother became Grand Prince1348son born to Grand PrinceuncertainSimeon
Ivan SimeonovichHeir apparenteldest son1349born1353diedIvan Ivanovich
1349-c. 1350, uncle		Simeon
Ivan SimeonovichHeir apparenteldest son1349born1353diedXX Simeonovich
c. 1350-1353, brother		Simeon
Ivan IvanovichHeir presumptivebrother1353death of Grand Prince's sons27 April 1353became Grand PrinceDmitry Ivanovich
1353, son		Simeon
Dmitry IvanovichHeir apparenteldest son27 April 1353father became Grand Prince13 November 1359became Grand PrinceuncertainIvan II
Dmitry IvanovichHeir apparenteldest son27 April 1353father became Grand Prince13 November 1359became Grand PrinceIvan Ivanovich
c. 1356-1359, brother		Ivan II
Ivan IvanovichHeir presumptivebrother13 November 1359brother became Grand Prince1364diedVladimir Andreyevich
1359-1364, cousin		Dmitry Donskoy
Vladimir AndreyevichHeir presumptivecousin1364death of Grand Prince's brotherc. 1370son born to Grand PrinceuncertainDmitry Donskoy
Daniil DmitrievichHeir apparenteldest sonc. 1370born15 September 1379diedVladimir Andreyevich
1370-1371, father's cousin		Dmitry Donskoy
Daniil DmitrievichHeir apparenteldest sonc. 1370born15 September 1379diedVasily Dmitrievich
1371-1379, brother		Dmitry Donskoy
Vasily DmitrievichHeir apparenteldest son15 September 1379brother died19 May 1389became Grand PrinceYury Dmitrievich
1379-1389, brother		Dmitry Donskoy
Yury DmitrievichHeir presumptivebrother19 May 1389brother became Grand Prince30 March 1395son born to Grand PrinceAndrey Dmitrievich
1389-1395, brother		Vasily I
Yury VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 March 1395born30 November 1400diedYury Dmitrievich
1395-1396, uncle		Vasily I
Yury VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 March 1395born30 November 1400diedIvan Vasilievich
1396-1400, brother		Vasily I
Ivan VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 November 1400brother died20 July 1417diedYury Dmitrievich
1400, uncle		Vasily I
Ivan VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 November 1400brother died20 July 1417diedDaniel Vasilievich
1400-1402, brother		Vasily I
Ivan VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 November 1400brother died20 July 1417diedYury Dmitrievich
1402-1415, uncle		Vasily I
Ivan VasilievichHeir apparenteldest son30 November 1400brother died20 July 1417diedVasily Vasilievich
1415-1417, brother		Vasily I
Vasily ViasilievichHeir apparenteldest son20 July 1417brother died27 February 1425became Grand PrinceYury Dmitrievich
1417-1425, uncle		Vasily I
Yury DmitrievichHeir presumptiveuncle27 February 1425nephew became Grand Prince1433seized the throneVasily Yurievich Kosoy
1425-1433, son		Vasily II

HeirStatusRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonNext in lineMonarch
Vasily KosoyHeir apparenteldest son1433father became Grand Prince5 June 1434became Grand PrinceDmitry Yurievich
1433-1434, brother		Yury II Dmitrievich
Dmitry YurievichHeir presumptivebrother5 June 1434brother became Grand Prince1435Grand Prince deposed by his cousinuncertainVasily Kosoy

1552 to 1722

From this point of the ruler is Tsar of Russia.

1722 to 1797

Between Peter I's decree on the succession to the throne of 16 February 1722 and Paul I's decree of 15 May 1797, the Emperor had the right to name his or her own successor. All heirs in this period were nominated by the reigning monarch, rather than holding the position by right of inheritance. Despite Peter the Great's modification of the law to allow nomination of a successor by the monarch, neither he nor his two immediate successors ever nominated an heir, and Catherine I, Peter II, and Anna were all chosen irregularly, after the death of their predecessor. In addition, Ivan VI, who had not named a successor, was deposed in a coup, while Peter III, who was deposed and murdered after a coup, was succeeded not by his son Paul, his chosen successor, but by his wife, who became Catherine II.
HeirStatusRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonMonarch
Grand Duke Ivan AntonovichCrown heirgrand nephew1740proclaimed by Empress1740became emperorAnna
Grand Duke Peter FeodorovichHeir apparentnephew1742proclaimed by Empress1762became emperorElizabeth
Grand Duke Paul PetrovichHeir apparentson1762proclaimed by Emperor, and then by Empress1796became emperorPeter III and Catherine II
Grand Duke Alexander PavlovichHeir apparentson1796proclaimed by Emperor1801became emperorPaul I

1797 to 1917

In 1797, Emperor Paul modified the laws of succession, abolishing the Petrine law and establishing in its place a law establishing semi-Salic succession among his own descendants. This law remained until the abolition of the monarchy.
Although Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich renounced his claims to the throne in 1820, he did so secretly, and so was still widely viewed as heir to the throne until his older brother's death in 1825. At the death of Alexander I, the next brother, who would become Nicholas I, deferred his claims until his older brother Constantine renounced once again, but after Constantine's second renunciation he claimed to have taken the throne immediately upon Alexander's death.
HeirStatusRelationship to MonarchBecame heirReasonCeased to be heirReasonNext in lineMonarch
Tsarevich Alexander PavlovichHeir apparentson1797designated as heir by new law of succession1801became emperorGrand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, brotherPaul I
Grand Duke Constantine PavlovichHeir presumptivebrother1801brother acceded to the throne1820renounced claims to the throneGrand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich, brotherAlexander I
Grand Duke Nicholas PavlovichHeir presumptivebrother1820brother's renunciation1825became emperorGrand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, sonAlexander I
Tsarevich Alexander NikolaevichHeir apparentson1825father's accession to the throne1855became emperorGrand Duke Michael Pavlovich 1825-1827, uncleNicholas I
Tsarevich Alexander NikolaevichHeir apparentson1825father's accession to the throne1855became emperorGrand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich 1827-1843, brotherNicholas I
Tsarevich Alexander NikolaevichHeir apparentson1825father's accession to the throne1855became emperorGrand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich 1843-1855, sonNicholas I
Tsarevich Nicholas AlexandrovichHeir apparentson1855father's accession to the throne1865diedGrand Duke Alexander Alexandrovich, brotherAlexander II
Tsarevich Alexander AlexandrovichHeir apparentson1865brother's death1881became emperorGrand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich 1865-1868, brotherAlexander II
Tsarevich Alexander AlexandrovichHeir apparentson1865brother's death1881became emperorGrand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich 1868-1881, sonAlexander II
Tsarevich Nicholas AlexandrovichHeir apparentson1881father's accession to the throne1894became emperorGrand Duke George Alexandrovich, brotherAlexander III
Grand Duke George AlexandrovichHeir presumptivebrother1894brother's accession to the throne1899diedGrand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, brotherNicholas II
Grand Duke Michael AlexandrovichHeir presumptivebrother1899brother's death1904birth of Emperor's sonGrand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, uncleNicholas II
Tsarevich Alexei NikolaevichHeir apparentson1904born1917Russian monarchy abolishedGrand Duke Michael Alexandrovich, uncleNicholas II