Ivan the Terrible

25 August 1530 – 28 March 1584

Ivan IV Vasilyevich, known as Ivan the Terrible, was Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 until his death in 1584. He greatly expanded Russia by conquering the khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan and beginning the annexation of Siberia. His later reign was marked by the oprichnina reign of terror and the killing of his own son and heir.

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Lived at the same time

Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with Ivan the Terrible.

Life events

Born at Kolomenskoye near Moscow
25 August 1530

Ivan was born to Grand Prince Vasili III of Moscow and Elena Glinskaya.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became Grand Prince of Moscow at age three
3 December 1533

On the death of his father Vasili III, the three-year-old Ivan became Grand Prince of Moscow under a regency.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Crowned the first Tsar of all Russia
16 January 1547

Ivan was crowned Tsar in the Cathedral of the Dormition in Moscow, the first Russian ruler to formally assume the title.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Anastasia Romanovna
3 February 1547

Ivan married Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yurieva, his first and most beloved wife, whose family later gave rise to the Romanov dynasty.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Conquered the Khanate of Kazan
2 October 1552

Ivan's armies stormed Kazan, annexing the Tatar khanate and opening the Volga region to Russian expansion; St. Basil's Cathedral was built to commemorate the victory.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Annexed the Khanate of Astrakhan
1556

Russian forces took Astrakhan, giving Moscow control of the entire Volga river down to the Caspian Sea.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Began the Livonian War
1558 – 1583

Ivan invaded Livonia seeking access to the Baltic Sea, starting a costly twenty-five-year war against a coalition of Baltic powers.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Instituted the oprichnina
1565 – 1572

Ivan created the oprichnina, a state-within-a-state enforced by the oprichniki, unleashing a period of purges and terror against the boyar elite.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Fatally struck his son and heir Tsarevich Ivan
19 November 1581

In a fit of rage Ivan struck his eldest surviving son with his sceptre; the tsarevich died days later, leaving the feeble Feodor as heir.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Moscow
28 March 1584

Ivan died suddenly, reportedly while preparing to play chess, and was succeeded by his son Feodor I.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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