Ivan the Terrible

by Brian C. and Carey W.

Ivan the IV was born on August 25, 1530, in Moscow. He was the son of the Grand Duke of Moscow, his name is Vasily III. His mother was Yelena Glinskaya, who came from a leading noble family. His father died in 1533, Ivan was only 3 years old. He was also the heir of his father's wealth. His mother was his advisior or regent until he became of age to rule. Ivan suffered poor health and was ignored by many people, his education was also ignored and neglected. In 1547 Ivan was crowned not as the Grand Duke but as the Tsar or Czar, which is the Russian word for absolute monarch or emperor with absolute power. In that same year he married Anastasia Romanov and she died in 1560. Ivan was never able to recapture the happiness he had enjoyed with her.

Astrakhan was the first of the non-Slavic states in the empire. Russia had control of the Volga River and Caspian Sea. Increasingly powerful, Ivan turned against his advisors, convinced that they, backed by the boyars, caused her death. He threatened to abdicate or give up the throne unless the boyars were punished for their greed and treachery. Ivan abandoned Moscow in 1564, settling in the village of Aleksandrovsk. Confused and frightened the people begged for Ivan to return and rule over them.

Ivan the Terrible was given that name because of his terrible temper. He was very strong and intelligent leader. He was the first ruler to name himself czar, Ivan ruled as an absolute monarch. Historians say that Ivan suffered from a form of mental illness called paranoia. A person who suffers from paranoia is suspicous of everyone and afraid that everyone is out to get him/her. When he grew older his paranoia got worse and people became afraid of him. He killed many people just because he was suspicious of them.