Reign of Ivan IV in Russia (jan 16, 1547 – mar 18, 1584)
Description:
Ivan IV first came to power as a young child in 1533. He originally bore the title of the Grand Prince of Moscow, but eventually he declared himself as the Czar of Russia in 1547. Ivan IV began his reign as czar by instituting church reforms in an attempt to centralize his government. He also accomplished this goal by writing a new legal code and limiting the power of the aristocracy. His choice of the word czar itself was indicative of his perceived power due to its origin from the Roman word for an emperor (Caesar). His reign served as a basis for future absolutist monarchs like Louis XIV through his government policies and the modernization of Russia by Peter the Great with the strong government he left behind.Added to timeline:
Date:
jan 16, 1547
mar 18, 1584
~ 37 years