The death of the monarch was the signal for the universal outbreak of violence and crime.  Where the sovereign is the only law, the death of the monarch is the destruction of the government.  The anarchy which sometimes succeeded his death was awful.  The Russian annalists cherish the memory of Andre affectionately.  They say that he was courageous, sagacious and a true Christian, and that he merited the title he has received of a second Solomon.  Had he established his throne in the more central city of Kief instead of the remote village of Moscow, he could more efficiently have governed the empire; but, blinded by his love for his own northern realms, he was ambitious of elevating his own native village, unfavorable as was its location, into the capital of the empire.  During his whole reign he manifested great zeal in extending Christianity through the empire, and evinced great interest in efforts for the conversion of the Jews.

Just before the death of the king, a number of the inhabitants of Novgorod, fatigued with civil strife and crowded out by the density of the population, formed a party to emigrate to the uninhabited lands far away in the East.  Traversing a region of about three hundred miles on the parallel of fifty-seven degrees of latitude, they reached the head waters of the Volga.  Here they embarked in boats and drifted down the wild stream for a thousand miles to the mouth of the river Kama, where they established a colony.  At this point they were twelve hundred miles north of the point where the Volga empties into the Caspian.  Other adventurers soon followed, and flourishing colonies sprang up all along the banks of the Kama and the Viatha.  This region was the Missouri valley of Russia.  By this emigration the Russian name, its manners, its institutions, were extended through a sweep of a thousand miles.

The colonists had many conflicts with the aboriginal inhabitants, but Russian civilization steadily advanced over barbaric force.

Soon after the death of Andre, the nobles of that region met in a public assembly to organize some form of confederate government.  One of the speakers rose and said, “No one is ignorant of the manner in which we have lost our king.  He has left but one son, who reigns at Novgorod.  The brothers of Andre are in southern Russia.  Who then shall we choose for our sovereign?  Let us elect Michel, of Tchernigof.  He is the oldest son of Monomaque and the most ancient of the princes of his family.”

Embassadors were immediately sent to Michel, offering him the throne and promising him the support of the confederate princes.  Michel hastened to Moscow with a strong army, supported by several princes, and took possession of Moscow and the adjacent provinces.  A little opposition was manifested, which he speedily quelled with the sword.  Great rejoicings welcomed the enthronement of a new prince and the restoration of order.  Michel proved worthy of his elevation.