Ivan+the+Terrible

Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible, was the first czar of Russia. Even though Ivan the Terrible is most commonly known for his brutal murder of his eldest son, as shown below, he also did some good for his mother country. He expanded Russia's territory into the lands of present day Siberia and the region along the Volga river. And, to improve Russia's craftsmanship and military technology, he invited experts from other countries to learn from them. However, he ruled with an iron fist with his secret police and his new laws that diminished nobles, ministers, merchants, and farmers to mere servants of the Czar. He also developed a new administrative system called Oprichnina. Another savage attempt Ivan the IV made in order to assure he had supreme power was ordering the arrest and murder of thousands of boyars and princes, who made up the Russian aristocracy. After killing them, he gave their land to the scholar gentry who in return were expected to fight for the czar. During his reign, Ivan the IV fought the Tartars at Astrakhan and Kazan.



created by Elizabeth Thompson 10/13/08

Sources:

http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/repivan.html

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