Ivan IVs

Life
Ivan the Terrible

Early life

He was born on August 25, 1530 in Moscow.

His father, Vasily III, died when he was three from a
deadly sore on his thigh . He left the throne to his son
when he turned 15.
His mother, Yelena Glinskaya, died when he was eight, she
was poisoned, but no one really knew what happened.
She did rule Russia for four years until she died.
He was neglected and he became a beggar in his own
house. Horrible things went on in the palace like murders,
beatings, and abuse.
With everything going on it his house, he took his anger
out on animals like birds. He would harm them by tearing
of their feathers, cutting open their bodies, and piercing
the eyes.
The rape victims were hung, strangled, buried alive, or
thrown to the bears, but he picked it.
Some things he enjoyed were robbing and beating
farmers and reading books.

Accomplishments

Crowned Czar of all Russia at 16 and he was the

first ruler to officially assume the title.
He had Prince Andrew Shuisky, who had a person
skinned alive and left for people to view, thrown
into a place that was enclosed with a pack of
starving hunting dog.
He ended the rule of the boyars.
Improved Russias governmental administration
Conquered the remaining independent principalities,
such as Siberia.
Annexed a large Muslim population .
Turned Russia into a multi-ethnic and multireligious state.

St. Basils Cathedra

It has nine towers built on Red Square.
Completed in 1561 to honor the military

victories over the Tatars.

It is said that he gouged the architects eyes
out, so they could never create such beauty
again.
Some say the two architects were Postnik and
Barma, who worked on it.
Each chapel was consecrated in honor of an
event or battle in the struggle against Kazan.

Oprichniki

Large personal army he hired.

They dressed in black and rode black horses
Carried dogs heads and brooms as a symbol of
sniffing out treason and sweeping away the Tsars
enemies.
Most of them were criminals, which would kill
anyone Ivan dislike without sympathy.
Suppressed the boyar rebellion.
Busted into churches during mass and would
abducted the priest or murder him in front of the
alter.
Ivan was the master and watch ribs get torn out of
mens chests.

Wars With Russia

Captured the city Kazan (1552) and Astrakhan

(1556), because the tartars were a constant

threat to them.
In the Livonian War (1558-1583)with Poland and
Sweden, Russia lost far northern territories
and the access to the Baltic in 1582. The
financing of the war seriously strained
Russias economy.
The Tartars came back and burned Moscow to
the ground, when they fighting in the Livonian
War in 1571.

Personal life

First marriage was to Anastasia Romanov and was

his happiest marriage, but she died of illness in
1560. She gave birth to six children, but only two
boys survived named Ivan V and Fyoder.
Killed his oldest son by hitting him with his pointed
staff on accidentally, because he came to his wife ,
Elenas rescue, who was being beaten by his father.
Keep changing wife one after another.
Dont know how many wives he had, but he could had
up to 7 wives .
He died March 18, 1584, after playing his last game
of chess.

Hidden Library
Ivan had a hidden library were he would enjoy

his books, but he never told anyone before he

died.
No one know what happen to the Tsars Library.
Has a unique collection of 800 manuscripts in
Greek and Latin.
Some people think that is still lies hidden in
the Kremlin and others think it just perished.
It is still not found today, but people are still
searching.

Works cited

http://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/ivan-terrible.htm
http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-ryurikovichdynasty/ivan-iv-the-terrible/
http://madmonarchs.guusbeltman.nl/madmonarchs/ivan4/ivan4
_bio.htm
http://www.history.co.uk/biographies/ivan-the-terrible
http://www.emersonkent.com/history_notes/ivan_the_terribl
e.htm