Ivan III crowned his grandson Dmitry as heir in 1498, then made his son Vasily heir and kept the grandson under guard until he died in 1509

Ivan III's eldest son, Ivan the Young, married Elena, daughter of Stephen the Great of Moldavia, on 12 January 1483. Their son Dmitry was born that October. Ivan III's second wife was Sophia Palaiologina, niece of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor. Their son Vasily was born on 25 March 1479. Ivan the Young died suddenly on 7 March 1490, and the court split into two parties, one for the grandson and one for the son. In December 1497 boyars told Ivan III that Vasily planned to seize power while his father lived and that Sophia was using sorceresses against Dmitry and Elena. Ivan sent Sophia away, put guards on Vasily and executed many of his supporters. On 4 February 1498 the metropolitan crowned Dmitry grand prince in the Kremlin as Ivan's successor. In 1499 Ivan lifted the disgrace from Sophia and Vasily. On 11 April 1502 Dmitry was forbidden to call himself grand prince, Vasily was declared grand prince, and Dmitry and his mother were placed under guard. Sophia died in April 1503. Elena died in custody on 18 January 1505. Under Vasily III, Dmitry was kept in captivity until he died on 14 February 1509. He was buried in the Kremlin's Archangel Cathedral with grand-princely honours. Sophia's coffin lies in the crypt of the same cathedral. An embroidered shroud showing Dmitry, made about 1498, is held by the State Historical Museum in Moscow.