About the book: 2017 / Sofia, the daughter of the Byzantine despot Thomas Palaiologos, had several suitors for her hand. But when the wife of Ivan III died in 1467, Pope Paul II invited the sovereign of All Rus' to take Sophia as his wife. Dad had big plans in the East. This marriage turned out to be successful, although not cloudless. Be that as it may, Sofia Paleolog had a huge influence on the entire subsequent history of Rus'.