How did Ivan III break the power of the Golden Horde?

Ivan III used the rising Russian nationalism to oust control from .

By the 14th century, Mongol control over Russia was on the decline; Russian princes were gaining more autonomy as a result of rising profits and more political experience. Soon these princes would work to slowly free the Russians from the waning Golden Horde.

Enter Ivan III, who was one of these princes. With a strong military campaign he was able to free a large portion of the land surrounding Moscow. These victories would allow him to create a stronger military, and invigorate the nationalism and Orthodox Christianity inside of Russians. By 1480, the Mongols were out of Moscow, and with a large territorial gain, Ivan III kick started the new Russian empire.

Since the Mongols didn't change the basic Russian ideals and governmental techniques, rebuilding the Russian empire wasn't a challenge. Ivan III created centralized rule, and married a Byzantine emperor's niece, which allowed him to gain control over the Orthodox Church.

So, to sum it up, Ivan III freed Russia from the Mongols due to...

• Russian nationalism and religious zeal
• Mongol inability to change Russian ideals
• Centralized rule and control over Orthodoxy
• The other princes
• Military campaign