-
1533
Death of Vasily III
Vasily III was Ivan's father. Ivan the Terrible was 3 at the time of his father's death. -
1538
Death of Yelena Glinskaya
Glinskaya was Ivan IV's mother, who ruled under Ivan's name, until her death in 1538. -
1538
Boyar Power Struggles
Much of Ivan the Terrible's earlier years had boyars fighting for power. This may have influenced his attempts to limit the boyar's powers later in his life. -
1547
Ivan Marries Anastasiya Romanovna
In February 1547, one month after Ivan is crowned the tsar of Russia, Ivan marries Anastasiya Romanovna from the Romanov family. -
1549
Ivan Calls the Zemskii Sobor
Ivan the Terrible called the zemskii sobor, or the 'assembly of the land', to make reforms to law and administration. -
1560
Anastasiya Romanovna Dies
Ivan's first wife, Anastasiya Romanovna, died in 1560. Ivan may have believed she was murdered, and thus entered the bad period. -
1564
Ivan Gains the Loyaly of the Muscovites
When Andrei Kurbskii defected to Poland, Ivan announced he was not going to rule anymore. The Muscovites begged Ivan to continue his rule. Ivan effectively gained the full loyalty and support of Russia. -
1565
Ivan Creates the Oprichnina
Ivan, with the full support of the Muscovites, created the oprichnina, a system where the state is controlled in parts by officials. Ivan also used this system to execute suspicious people, mainly boyars. -
1570
Ivan Marries Five Times
In the span of nine years in Ivan's later life, he married five wives. -
1581
Ivan IV Kills Ivan V
Ivan IV killed his own son and heir, Ivan V when Ivan the Terrible was enraged. This caused Ivan the Terrible great stress and ultimately led to his death in 1584. He left his country in ruin with Feodor I as the reign, who was weak and incompetent, unlike Ivan V
