The Rise of Moscow
Last Updated     12/5/2007      10/20/2007      10/19/2007

Moscow was a small trading post on the trade route from Kiev to the northern forests.   Many Rus people moved north to escape the Mongols.  Many artisans settled near the fortress at Moscow.  The princes of Moscow cooperated with the Mongols.  Soldiers from Moscow were in the Mongol army.  The princes had power to collect tax money.  When Rus territories could not provide soldiers or tax money Moscow would take it over.  Moscow began to expand.  In 1380, Dmitry, the prince of Moscow, attacked and defeated the Mongols.



Ivan the Great
1462 AD, Ivan III becomes prince of Moscow.
1480 AD, Ivan ends Mongol control of Moscow.
Ivan takes the title of czar.
He begins living in the style of Byzantine emperors.
1505 Ivan III dies.

Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV was the grandson of Ivan III.
He led a terrible childhood.
He was like "a beggar in the palace."
He hurt animals to take out his frustrations.

1547, Ivan crowned czar at age 16.
He ordered peasants not to leave the land.

Defeat of the Mongols
1552 AD, leads armies against the Mongols and defeats them.
Ivan IV's armies had gunpowder.
The Mongols had bows-and-arrows.

Expansion
Settlers from Moscow move east.
Cossacks, begin to farm along the Volga.

Attack on Livonia
1558 AD, Moscow attack Livonia, a land on the Baltic Sea.
1562 AD, Livonia and neighbors defeat Moscow.
They take Baltic territory land from Moscow.

Attack on Boyars
Ivan blames boyars for defeat.
He threatens to abdicate unless he is given complete power.
Ivan takes boyars land and gives it to his supporters.
The Oprichnina, secret police,  kills thousands of "traitors.".
They carried a broom to "sweep treason from the land."
Troyat describes how the mighty Volga River became choked with bodies and turned red for several days.

Accomplishments
He encouraged art and learning.
He brought artists, scholars, and engineers to teach new kills.
Established links with England and Holland

Erratic Behavior
He went into rages.
He hacked Prince Dimitry Obolensky to death on the wine cellar.
1581, Beat daughter-in-law for the way she dressed.
Killed his son when he complained.

Death of Ivan
1584 AD, Ivan the Terrible died.
Mercuery poisoniing is the suspected cause.

Bibliography
Bos, Janet. "Ivan the Iv of Russia." 5 Dec. 2007.  http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/madmonarchs/ivan4/ivan4_bio.htm.

Greenblatt, Miriam, and Lemmo, Peter. Human Heritage A World History. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw-Hill, 2001.

"Ivan the III of Russia." Wikepedia On Line Encyclopedia. 4 Dec. 12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_III.