Changes

The early life of Ivan was harsh. The His regency was passed among the feuding nobility and the young boy . Ivan and his brother often went hungry they and were so neglected. It was at During this time that , Ivan developed a hatred and distrust for the nobility. At the age of sixteen, he was crowned and he took the title Tsar of all the Russia’s. This claim at the time was ludicrous as Ivan and Moscow were very weak. Ivan despite his youth proved to be a capable administrator. He rebuilt Moscow after a fire. He introduced the first parliament, found a standing army, known as the Streltzi, reformed the Church and stamped out many clerical abuses.<ref> Madariaga, p. 23</ref> Ivan was also a modernizer and he introduced the printing press into Russia. However, he was concerned about the mobility of the peasantry and was the first to introduce a series of regulations that limited their freedoms and tied them to the lands. Ivan also introduced a measure of self-government into lands that had been recently colonized by peasants to encourage colonization of virgin territories. Ivan also sought to develop trade links with western Europe and in order to win allies in the west he once proposed to Elizabeth I.

Reforms and peace marked At the first years age of Ivan's reign. Howeversixteen, this he was to change crowned, and many have even claimed that this was a result he took the title Tsar of some undiagnosed mental health issuesall Russia. More likely the drastic change in Ivan’s policies was due His claim to external and internal threats. In the 1560s, Tsar of all Russia was involved in several wars absurd because both Ivan's and a drought caused widespread famine. There Moscow's political power were rumors of revolt and conspiraciesnon-existent. Ivan decided that he needed to strengthen , despite his positionyouth, especially against the Boyarsproved to be a capable administrator. He found the Oprichnina a military and rebuilt Moscow after a police force that was soon given free reign against Ivan’s many real and imagined enemiesfire. There were several waves of persecution launched by He introduced the Oprichnina. This involved mass arrests and executions mainly of Boyars and their supporters. The Oprichnina significantly extend first parliament, founded a standing army, known as the hold of Ivan over Streltzi, reformed the hereditary nobility but its members increasingly enriched themselves Church and became a ‘state within a state’stamped out many clerical abuses.<ref> Madariaga, p. 23</ref>

Later, Ivan disbanded was also a modernizer and introduced the force in 1572printing press into Russia. The Tsar became increasingly paranoidHowever, especially after the death of his beloved wife and he suspected was concerned about the city mobility of Novgorod was going to betray him.<ref>Bobrick, Benson. <i>Ivan the Terrible</i>. (Edinburgh: Canongate Books, 1990), p. 156</ref> He attacked the city and had it sacked in an orgy of bloodshed peasantry and brutality that lasted weeks. Soon Ivan IV had earned the name ‘The Terrible.’ The Tsar throughout much of his reign was engaged in wars with the various Khanates first to the south and the east. In launch a series of wars, he conquered of forced regulations that limited their freedoms and tied them to the submission of three Muslim Khanateslands. He not only vastly increased the extent Ivan also introduced a measure of the territory self-government into areas that had been recently colonized by peasants to encourage colonization of Muscovyvirgin territories. He Ivan also turned it into a multi-faith sought to develop trade links with western Europe and a multi-ethnic stateto win allies in the west he once proposed to Elizabeth I.

Reforms and peace marked the first years of Ivan's reign. However, this was to change, and many have even claimed that this was a result of some undiagnosed mental health issues. More likely the drastic change in Ivan’s policies was due to external and internal threats. In the 1560s, Russia was involved in several wars, and drought caused widespread famine. There were rumors of revolt and conspiracies. Ivan decided that he needed to strengthen his position, especially against the Boyars. He found the Oprichnina a military and a police force that was soon given free reign against Ivan’s many real and imagined enemies. There were several waves of persecution launched by the Oprichnina. This involved mass arrests and executions mainly of Boyars and their supporters. The Oprichnina significantly extend the hold of Ivan over the hereditary nobility, but its members increasingly enriched themselves and became a ‘state within a state.’  Later, Ivan disbanded the force in 1572. The Tsar became increasingly paranoid, especially after the death of his beloved wife and he suspected the city of Novgorod was going to betray him.<ref>Bobrick, Benson. <i>Ivan the Terrible</i>. (Edinburgh: Canongate Books, 1990), p. 156</ref> He attacked the city and had it sacked in an orgy of bloodshed and brutality that lasted weeks. Soon Ivan IV had earned the name ‘The Terrible.’ The Tsar throughout much of his reign was engaged in wars with the various Khanates to the south and the east. In a series of wars, he conquered of forced the submission of three Muslim Khanates. Ivan not only vastly increased the extent of the territory of Muscovy, but he transformed it into a multi-faith and a multi-ethnic state.  In effect, Ivan IV had founded a new Russian Empire. Despite being a devout Orthodox Christian , Ivan pursued a policy of toleration towards his many numerous Muslim subjects. For many years , Ivan was involved in a brutal war to the west, this was called the Livonian War.<ref> Bobrick, p. 114</ref> It was an attempt by Russia Ivan sought to expand Russia to the Baltic Sea, and this involved it in led to a series of wars with Sweden, Denmark, and Poland among others. The war was wars were inconclusive.  During Ivan's reign, Russia started the exploration and colonization of Siberia. In 1555, shortly after the conquest of Kazan, the Tartar Khan in western Siberia pledged allegiance to Ivan. He failed to pay tribute and Ivan engineered his downfall. Instead of establishing another tributary state in Siberia, Ivan decided that he would rule it directly.