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Came into the world in Kolomenskoye, Russia
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After Ivan's father (Vasili III) died, he was immediately crowned the grand prince of Moscow. His mother (Elena Glinskaya) helped Ivan grow up and ruled the kingdom.
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After his mom's (Elena Glinskaya's) death at the age of 8, Boyars and others of high nobility fought for his throne.
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They all tried to claim the throne of the "grand prince of Moscow". They kicked Ivan off the throne to take it themselves.
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The same year he took back the throne, he married Anastasia.
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The church was summoned to systematize the churches affairs. This affirmed its Orthodoxy and canonized a lot of Russian saints.
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Ivan finally had enough and decided he would take the throne back. At the age of 16, he reclaimed the throne and crowned himself czar or "Caesar".
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To make sure his reformations benefited everyone, Ivan assembled a council of advisers. They would be responsible for some of the better things in Ivan's reign such as rural region self governing, church reformation, reformed tax collection, and the institution of the statutory law.
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Ivan made a new legal code to replace the outdated old legal codes that were made in 1497
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To increase their control, trade, and buffer against the Mongols, Ivan decided to invade Tartar and Astrakhan.
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After a short war, the mouth of Volga was conquered and became a Russian river. This gave them access to the Caspian Sea to trade.
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Ivan regulated the power of the boyars. He made sure that they would service the tsar of Russia instead of overthrow them.
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Ivan turned his attention Westward, thinking that trade with Europe was the way to advance his Empire. Unfortunately, he lost and gave up all gains in Livonia.
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After his wife's death, he became mentally unstable and suspicious of everyone. His later wives also died mysteriously.
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The Oprichnina were an army of people used to influence the political and economic power to destroy powerful boyars and princes and to suppress resistance.
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Ivan sent his personal army called the Oprichniki to attack Novgorod to execute people of nobility. They destroyed the city and killed more than 7,000 people in the process.
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Ivan killed his son, who was also named Ivan, in a fit of rage. This created a political crisis known as the "Time of Troubles".
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Died in Moscow, Russia
