Ivan+IV+the+Terrible

Ivan IV, born in 1530 in Russia grew up to eventually become czar. Ivan had a horrible childhood. His father died when he was three years old, and his mother died when he was eight. Though he was intelligent and could quickly learn, he was treated with scorn and neglect. As a child, he also found twisted joy in throwing young animals off of roof-tops to their death. This kind of childhood is what many people think caused him to earn his title, 'the Terrible'. His adulthood was also just as bad. The only person he ever loved, his wife Anastasia, died suddenly. Though he remarried many times, he couldn't recapture his happiness with his Anastasia. When Glinsky (a boyar, or a high class member of Russia) died, Ivan didn't crowned himself grand prince, but Czar, astonishing the people of Russia. He was also appointed Selected Counsil; this being one of the only constructive parts of Ivan's life. Ivan also had an assembly with two sobors (consultative assemblies), having Ivan not elected, but appointed by himself. The Law Code of 1550 was also issued, being against using customary law in courts and created statutory law. Ivan not only perfected the churches, but also set up very specific sermons and how they were performed. Ivan the Terrible conquered many peoples, including Kazan and Astrakhan. Russia began its expansion. In1553, traders from all around the world began to come to Russia for trade, though English traders dominated the trade. In Ivan the Terrible's later years, his advisors turned against him, and he brought forth war on the boyars. His war between the boyars was what he thought caused his beautiful Anastasia to die a sudden death. He left Moscow in 1564, and no one knows why, though some thought that the idea of Moscow to Ivan caused him great pain from his memories of his adult and childhood. Without Ivan, the people panicked, and begged him to come back to rule them. Ivan agreed, on the conditions of creating a new political subdivision called oprichnina, and the right to 'properly' punish wrongdoers through execution when necessary. Ivan finally told his special guard to destory the major boyars. In 1584, Ivan's health was getting worse. He obsessed with the thought of death, and called witches to help him, but it wouldn't help. He finally died on March 18th, 1584. He left his kingdom to his oldest living son, Feodor. That was the end of Ivan IV, the Terrible.

Works Cited
 * “Ivan IV.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Vol. 2. Detriot: Gale, 1998. N. pag. Biography Resource Center. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.
 * “Ivan IV the Terrible.” UXL Biographies. Detroit: UXL, 2003. N. pag. Student Resource Center Junior. Web. 12 Mar. 2010.
 * Wassnezow, Wictor Michajilowitch. “File:Ivan Etud.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2010. .

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