then ordered the adoption of Christianity throughout Lithuania, and the universal baptism of his subjects.  In order to facilitate the baptism of over a million at once, the inhabitants were collected at several central points.  They were arranged in vast groups, and were sprinkled with water which had been blessed by the priests.  As the formula of baptism was pronounced, to one entire group the name of Peter was given, to another the name of Paul, to another that of John.  These converts were received, not into the Greek church, which was dominant-in Russia, but to the Romish church, which prevailed in Poland.  Jaghellon became immediately the inveterate foe of the Russians, whom he called heretics, for new proselytes are almost invariably inspired with fanatic zeal, and he forbade the marriage of any of his Catholic subjects with members of the Russian church.  This event caused great grief to Dmitri, for he had relied upon the cooeperation of the warlike Lithuanians to aid him to repel the Mogols.

[Footnote 3:  For an account of the romantic circumstances attending this marriage, see Empire of Austria, pp. 53 and 54.]

Affairs were in this condition when Vassali, the son of Dmitri, escaped from the horde after a three years’ captivity, and, traversing Poland and Lithuania, arrived safely at Moscow.  Dmitri was now forty years of age.  He was a man of colossal stature, and of vigorous health.  His hair and beard were black as the raven’s wing, and his ruddy cheek and piercing eye seemed to give promise of a long life.  But suddenly he was seized with a fatal disease, and it was soon evident that death was near.  The intellect of the dying prince was unclouded, and, with much fortitude, in a long interview, he bade adieu to his wife and his children.  He designated his son Vassali, then but seventeen years of age, as his successor, and then, after offering a touching prayer, folded his hands across his breast, in the form of a cross, and died without a struggle.  The grief of the Russians was profound and universal.  For ages they had not known a prince so illustrious or so devoted to the welfare of his country.

The young Vassali had been but a few years on the throne when Tamerlane himself advanced with countless hordes from the far Orient, crushing down all opposition, and sweeping over prostrate nations like the pestilence which had preceded him, and whose track he followed.  Tamerlane was the son of a petty Mogol prince.  He was born in a season of anarchy, and when the whole Tartar horde was distracted with civil dissensions.  The impetuous young man had hardly begun to think, ere he had formed the resolve to attain the supremacy over all the Mogol tribes, to conquer the whole known world, and thus to render himself immortal in the annals of glory.  Behind a curtain of mountains, and protected by vast deserts, his persuasive genius collected a large band of followers, who with enthusiasm adopted his views and hailed him their chief.