Ivan the terrible

Birth of Ivan

Aug 25, 1530

Father dies

Dec 3, 1533

Ivan's father, Vasili III dies when Ivan is three years old. Now Ivan is appointed grand prince of Moscow, but he is not in power because his mother is a regent.

Mother dies

Apr 4, 1538

Ivan's mother dies when he is seven years old, he now has no parents, and her role as regent gets replaced by some family members.

Ivan gains power

Jan 16, 1547

Leads expansion into Siberia

Oct 2, 1552

Ivan leads significant military victories into Siberia by overtaking Kazan and Astrakhan, two Tatar strongholds.

Ivan suffers near fatal illness

1553

Ivan suffers through a near fatal illness, but makes a full recovery.

Anastasia dies

Aug 7, 1560

Ivan's beloved wife, Anastasia Romanovna dies several years after Ivan's near fatal illness. This is a drastic change in Ivan's life and causes him to completely change his attitude and style of ruling. He believes that she has been poisoned, and Ivan becomes paranoid and mentally unstable as a result of her death.

Ivan threatens abdication

1564

Ivan left Moscow secretly and threatens to renounce his throne. The public went in to panic and begged him to come back. He came back, but only on his own terms that he could have absolute power and punish any he believed were not loyal to him.

Miscarriage of daughter in law

1581

Ivan becomes enraged at his son's pregnant wife for being under dressed, and beats her. This causes her to miscarry.

Ivan kills his son

Nov 19, 1581

It is believed that after an argument stemming from the previous beating of his daughter in law, Ivan the terrible kills his own son accidentally in a fight. Ivan's son would have been heir to the throne.

Ivan dies

Mar 18, 1584