Ivan IV, Called the Terrible, Tsar of Moscovy

Ivan IV the Terrible was the Grand Prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547, then Tsar of All the Russias until his death in 1584. He transformed Russia from a medieval state into an empire, though at immense cost to its people, and its broader, long-term economy. He was described as intelligent and devout, yet given to rages and prone to episodic outbreaks of mental instability that increased with his ...