Ivan IV the Terrible was the son of Elena Glinsky and Grand Prince Vasily III.He entered the history of Russia as a very controversial figure.On the one hand, it was a reformer and a talented writer, author of the brilliant literary "messages" to various statesmen of the time, and on the other - cruel tyrant and a man with a painful psyche.Historians are still wondering who is Ivan the Terrible - a genius or a villain?
Brief characteristics of the board
Tsar Ivan the Terrible began to rule with the participation of the Selected glad to late 1540s.When it began to convene the Zemsky Sobor, of Law was established in 1550.Were carried out transformation of the judiciary and management systems - introduced partial self-government in areas (rural, lipstick and other reforms).After the king suspected of betraying the Prince Kurbsky, was established oprichnina (a complex of administrative and military measures to strengthen the royal power and the destruction of the opposition).When Ivan IV were established trade relations with Britain (1553rd), founded a printing house in Moscow.They were conquered Kazan (1552-m) and Astrakhan (in 1556) Khanate.
In the period 1558-1583 has been actively carried out the Livonian War.The king wanted to gain access to the Baltic Sea.I do not cease persistent struggle against the Crimean Khan Devlet Giray.After winning the battle Molodinskom (1572 th) Muscovy gained de facto independence and strengthened the rights to Kazan and Astrakhan Khanate and began to join Siberia (1581 minutes).However, the internal policy of the king after a series of setbacks during the Livonian War got tough repressive against the boyars and commercial elite.Many years of exhausting war on different fronts has led to an increase in the tax burden and greater dependence of the peasantry.More King's contemporaries remembered his excessive cruelty.Based on the above, it is very difficult to clearly answer the question of who was Ivan the Terrible.The genius or a villain, this is without a doubt an extraordinary ruler?
Childhood
After the death of the father of three boy raised by his mother, who was his regent.But she died in the night of 3 April 4, 1538-th.Until 1547 - age prince - a country ruled by the boyars.The future monarch Ivan the Terrible 4 grew up in palace coups because of the constant power struggle between rival clans boyars Shuisky and Belsky.The boy saw the murder, he was surrounded by intrigue and violence.All this has left its indelible imprint and personality contributed to the development of such features as suspicion, vindictiveness and cruelty.
propensity to mock the living beings emerged from Ivan in the childhood, and the inner circle has approved it.In late December 1543rd thirteen Prince orphan first showed his temper.He arrested one of the most influential boyars - Prince Andrei Shumsky - and "told him to give Psara and Psari vzyasha and ubisha it when dragged to jail.""Since then (says the chronicle) began nobles of the king have a great fear."
Great Fire and the Moscow uprising
One of the strongest impressions youthful king were "big fire" and the Moscow uprising in 1547-th.The fire killed 1,700 people.Then burn the Kremlin, various churches and monasteries.By the seventeenth Ivan has already made so many killings and other atrocities that took a devastating fire in Moscow in retaliation for its sins.In his letter to the church council in 1551, he recalled: "God punished me for the sins of the flood, the plague, and all I have not repented. In the end, God sent the great fires, and went a fear of my soul, and trembling in my bones, andmy spirit was troubled. "In the capital rumors that the fire blame "villains" Glinsky.After the massacre of one of them - a relative of the king - the rebellious people came to the village Vorobyov, which hid the Grand Duke, and demanded other boyars issuance of this kind.With great difficulty, managed to convince the angry crowd to disperse.As soon as the danger was over, the king gave orders to arrest and execute the main conspirators.
coronation
The main purpose of the king, had planned in his youth, became unlimited autocratic power.She relied on when Vasily III created the concept of "Moscow - the Third Rome", which became the ideological basis of the Moscow autocracy.Ivan, given that his paternal grandmother was the niece of Sophia Palaeologus the last Byzantine emperor Constantine considered himself a descendant of the Roman rulers.Therefore, the 16th January 1547, at the Assumption Cathedral of the wedding of Grand Prince Ivan to the throne.Is charged with symbols of imperial dignity: hat Monomakh, the bartender and the cross.
royal title given the opportunity to take a better diplomatic position in relation to Western European countries.The grand title of the Europeans is like "Grand Duke" or "prince.""King" is not interpreted at all, or translated as "emperor."Thus, Ivan stood flush with the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.However, this information does not answer the question of what constitutes Ivan the Terrible.The genius or the villain was this man?
War
In 1550-1551 years autocrat personally participated in the Kazan campaign.In 1552-m fell Kazan and then Astrakhan Khanate (1556 minutes).They have become dependent on the Russian tsar.Also, Moscow Siberian Khan Ediger obeyed.In 1553-m have been established trade relations with Britain.In 1558 th monarch Livonian War waged for the possession of the Baltic Sea.At first battles were fought successfully for Moscow.The 1560th Army Livonians was completely destroyed, and the Livonian Order ceased to exist.
internal changes and the Livonian War
Domestically, major changes began.At about 1560 m the king quarreled with the elected Rada and its members subjected to harassment.Ivan has been particularly cruel to the aristocracy after the unexpected death of Queen Anastasia, suspecting that she was poisoned.Adashev and Sylvester unsuccessfully advised the king to stop the Livonian War.However, in 1563-m troops took Polotsk.It was at that time a major Lithuanian fortress.Autocrat is especially proud of this victory that was won after the break with the Rada.But already in 1564-th army suffered a serious defeat.The king began to look for the "guilty".Began executions and other reprisals.
Oprichnina
reign of Ivan the Terrible went on as usual.Autocrat more imbued with the idea of ​​establishing a personal dictatorship.In 1565-meters, he announced the establishment of the oprichnina.In fact, the state was divided into two parts: zemshchina and oprichnina.Each oprichnik had to take an oath of allegiance to the monarch and gave a promise not to have contact with the Zemstvo.They all wore black clothes, like monks.
Mounted guardsmen were marked by special marks of distinction.By their saddles they cling dismal marks an epoch: the broom to drive them to change and head of dogs to gnaw it.With the guardsmen, who were released from the king of any kind of responsibility, 4 Ivan the Terrible power boyars robbed of their ancestral lands and passed Oprichnina nobles.The executions and persecution accompanied by unprecedented terror and plunder the population.
landmark event was the Massacre of Novgorod of 1570.The reason for it was suspected in an effort to separate Novgorod Lithuania.The monarch personally led the campaign.Along the way, all the villages were looted.During this campaign Malyuta Skuratov in Tver monastery strangled Metropolitan Philip, who tried to warn the Terrible, and then confront him.It is believed that the number of dead Novgorod was about 10-15 thousand.In the town at the time lived no more than 30 thousand people.
abolition of oprichnina
believe that the reason oprichnina Ivan the Terrible have a personal character.Difficult childhood left its mark on his psyche.The fear of conspiracies and betrayals became paranoid.In 1572-m king abolished oprichnina.By decision of its slopes unseemly role played by his oprichnina colleagues in the attack on Moscow Crimean Khan in 1571-m.The army of guardsmen could not do anything.In fact, it is scattered.Tatars set fire to Moscow.Fire damaged the Kremlin.It is very difficult to understand such figures as Ivan the Terrible.The genius or the villain he was, you can not say definitely.
Results Oprichnina
Tsar Ivan the Terrible oprichnina severely damaged the economy of the state.The division had an extremely detrimental.Much of the land was destroyed and devastated.In 1581-m in order to prevent neglect, Ivan instituted forbidden years - a ban on the change of the peasants owners, which took place in the St. George's Day.This has contributed to an even greater oppression and approval of serfdom.
Foreign policy of Ivan the Terrible 4 also was not particularly successful.Livonian War ended in complete failure with the loss of territories.Objective results of the reign of Ivan the Terrible had seen during his lifetime.In fact, it was the failure of most of the undertakings.Since 1578 the first king ceased to perform executions.These are the times of Ivan the Terrible contemporaries too well remembered.King became even more devout.He was ordered to make funeral announcements murdered on his orders and distributed to monasteries for the commemoration.In his will of 1579 th he repented perfect.History Oprichnina fully disclose why Ivan the Terrible called the Terrible.
Murder son
a period of repentance and prayer alternated terrible fits of rage.It was during one of these in 1582, in the Alexander settlement autocrat accidentally killed his son Ivan, hitting him with a metal-tipped staff in his temple.After 11 days he was dead.Handwritten assassination of the heir of the king resulted in horror as the other his son Fedor was not able to rule, because the mind was weak.The king sent a huge sum to the monastery for remembrance of his child.He even thought of a haircut as a monk.
Wives
reign of Ivan the Terrible was rich in monarchic marriages.It is not known the exact number of female autocrat, but most likely, there were eight (including one-day marriage).Also children who died as a child, the monarch had three sons.The first marriage of Anastasia Zakharina-Koshkina brought him two children.The second wife was the daughter of the autocrat Kabardian nobles - Maria Temryukovna.The third wife was Martha Sobakina that suddenly died three weeks after the wedding.According to church canons, married more than three times it was impossible.In May 1572 the first church council was held.He allowed a fourth marriage.The wife of the emperor was Anna Koltovskaya.However, for betraying the king in the same year her he imprisoned in a monastery.Fifth wife was Anna Vasilchikova.She died in 1579-m.Sixth, most likely, it was Vasilisa Melentyeva.Last wedding took place in 1580-m Maria Nagaya.In 1582, they had a son, Dmitry, who after the death of the autocrat was killed in Uglich.
Results
4 Ivan went down in history not only as a tyrant.Monarch was one of the most educated people of his time.He had a phenomenal memory, distinguished theologian erudition.King is the author of numerous messages that are of great interest from a creative standpoint.Ivan wrote the music and lyrics of worship.Terrible contributed to the development of printing.When it was built St. Basil's Cathedral.However, the reign of the king is in fact a war against its own people.State terror when it has reached a unprecedented scale.Autocrat in every possible way to strengthen its power, not disdaining any means.In Ivan inexplicably combined talents with extreme cruelty, piety sexual debauchery.Modern experts in psychology believe that absolute power distorts the personality.And only a few are able to cope with this burden and not to lose any human traits.However, the indisputable fact is that the identity of the king left a huge mark on the whole subsequent history of the country.
