The history of the Vvedensky Monastery in Vyazniki is closely linked to the Mstislavsky family, descendants of the Lithuanian prince Gediminas. This family has long owned the Yaroslavl volost in the Vladimir district, where the city of Vyazniki is now located.

Fyodor Mikhailovich Mstislavsky arrived in Russia in 1526 and married the granddaughter of Ivan III, Anastasia. In 1536-1537, he is mentioned among the voivodes in Murom.

His son, Ivan Fyodorovich Mstislavsky, was a well-known politician and military leader during Ivan IV's reign. He is first mentioned in 1547 as a boyar and regimental voivode in Vladimir. Ivan participated in the Livonian War and held high positions after the introduction of the Oprichnina. He successfully negotiated with the Kazan Tatars, but after the death of Ivan IV, he fell into disgrace and was exiled to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. Ivan was married to Irina, the daughter of Prince Gorbaty, and had two sons who also became boyars.

One of the sons, Fyodor Ivanovich Mstislavsky, like his father, became an influential politician and military leader. By 1613, he owned 50,000 desyatinas, making him one of the largest landowners of that time. His lands stretched from the Yaroslavl volost to the village of Drachyovo in the present-day Selivanovsky district. Fyodor led troops in the fight against False Dmitry I and held high positions, including a claim to the throne after the death of Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich. Under Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich, he remained a prominent statesman.

Fyodor Ivanovich's wife, Domnikeya Mikhailovna, née Tyomkina-Rostovskaya, took monastic vows under the name Irina. Together with the sister of Prince Fyodor Ivanovich, she founded the Vvedensky female monastery in Vyazniki.