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Ivan Vasilyevich was born 25 August, 1530, into the Russian royal family. His father died 3 years after he was born, this causing him to grow up without a proper father figure. His mother lived until a little later.
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On the 16 of January, 1547, at age sixteen, Ivan was crowned with the Monomakh's Cap. The Cap was the crown of the Russian Royal Family. He was the first monarch to be crowned "Tsar of All Russias"
On 16 January 1547, -
Ivan's reign was a peaceful one in the early years. He revised the laws, and created the first Russian parliament called the Zemsky Sobor. He created a council of nobles and "boyars", the wealthy people of Russia.
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On the 3rd of February, 1547, Ivan married Anastasia Romanovna. This made him feel powerful, and gave him a higher purpose to rule. Ivan crowned her "Tsaritsa", literally meaning "Tsar's Wife". The image is Anastasia.
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By being crowned the Tsar, Ivan was showing to the rest of the world that him, and him alone, is the ruler of Russia, and the Slavic States.
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Ivan was a part of 5 large battles and wars while on the Russian throne. The Conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan, Russo-Turkish War, Livonian War, Crimean Raids, and the Conquest of Siberia.
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Anastasia, Ivan's wife dies of apparent poisoning. Ivan snaps, and becomes incredibly mentally unstable.
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On the 3rd of December, 1564, Ivan fled Moscow, and sent letters back to the Zemsky Sobor stating that he fled because of the suspected embezzlement, corruption, and treason of the aristocracy. The boyars begged him to come back, in return he would get unwavering loyalty and power from them.
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The Oprichnina was a private estate that Ivan had created for himself. Ivan created a special police force, the Oprichniki, and tasked them to hunt down boyars and execute them and their families.
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On the 19th of November, 1581, Ivan's son, also called Ivan, engaged in an argument with his father, resulting in Ivan's striking his son in the head with his pointed staff, fatally wounding him. This caused Ivan's final spiral into severe madness.
