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His young life was disrupted by struggles for power among Russia's landowning nobles known as boyars
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When Ivan was 16 he got married to the beautiful Anastasia, related to an old boyar family
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When he was 16, Ivan seized power and had himself crowned Czar
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the years 1547-1560 are often called Ivans "good periods" he won great victories, added lands to Russia gave russia a code of laws, and ruled justly
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Ivans bad periods began in 1560 after Anastasia died. Accusing the boyars of poisoning his wife
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1581, during a violent quarrel, he killed his oldest son and heir
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Ivan the terrible his weak second son was left to rule
