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The grandson of Ivan the Great, Ivan the Terrible was born Ivan Chetvyorty Vasilyevich on August 25, 1530, in the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, Russia, to members of the Rurik dynasty.
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Ivan IV was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533–1584
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In 1547, Ivan IV was crowned tsar of Muscovy. Ivan ruled as its first czar, the Russian significant word for caesar (emperor)
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In 1549, Ivan appointed a council of advisers, a consensus-building assembly who helped institute his reforms
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In 1552 and 1556, Ivan's armies crushed the Tartar khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, respectively.
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In 1560, fearing treason, Ivan summarily got rid of the "selected council" and embarked upon a regime of political terror that has become the subject of legend, literature, art, opera and film. The czar tortured and killed thousands. He kept a list of his victims with 4,000 survials and donated money to churches to pray for their souls. Ivan was married at least five times, perhaps seven; his wives either died (Ivan claimed they were poisoned)
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In 1581, during a fit of rage, he struck his son and heir, Ivan V, killing him.
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In 1584, with his health failing, Ivan the Terrible did not want to die so he called upon witches and soothsayers to help him, but it was not successful. The end came on March 18, 1584, when Ivan died of a stroke.