I'VAN, Buss. pron. (Russ.. John). The name of a number of Russian Czars, of whom the most notable were the third and fourth of the name.-1vAN 111., the Great (1440-1505), succeeded his father, Vasili the Blind. in 1462, as Grand Prince of Muscovy, a title of pre cedence that had been admitted by several of the Russian provinces and recognized by the Khan of the Golden Horde, through whose fa vor Moscow bad risen to power. In spite of two centuries of struggle with jealous neigh bors, it was still a precarious power when Ivan succeeded to the sovereignty. One fruitful cause of Russian weakness had been the division of territories. Ivan successfully undertook to bring back under one sway the divided posses sions of his house. In 1472 he married Sophia Pahrologus, niece of the last Byzantine Em peror. and she "taught him to penetrate the secrets of autocracy." From this time the double Imperial eagle of Byzantium took its place in the Russian arms, and Russia claimed to be the legitimate successor of Constantinople as head of the Eastern Empire and the Greek Church. Ivan forced to submit to his supremacy Hu* rival princes of Tver. Yaroslay. Riazan, and Rostov, and the republics of Novgorod the Great and Viatka. With Russia well consolidated, Ivan was powerful enough to throw off the Tatar yoke, which had rested upon Russia for nearly two centuries and a half. Ivan then threat against Poland and Lithuania, the great rivals of Russia on the west, and waged two indecisive wars, which resulted. nevertheless, in reuniting to Russia some of its ancient territory. Ivan opened diplomatic relations with other European countries, sending envoys to the Emperor, to Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, the Pope, and the Sultan. He died in 1505, and was succeeded by his son Vasili (or Basil).
IV., the Terrible (1330-S4), son of Vasili, was three years of age when his father died, his mother. Helena Glinski, being left as She died in 153S. and the Government fell into the hands of the turbulent boyars. the chief of whom had been sovereign princes before they were re dueed to submission and made Muscovite cour tiers by Ivan's immediate predecessors. These carried affairs with a high hand until 1543. when Ivan, under the influence of the Metropolitan, TMa•arius, overthrew his tyrants and became the master in his own domains. In 1547 Ile took the title of Czar (q.v.). His marriage with Anas tasia. of the House of P,nmanoff (q.v.). prepared the way for the greatness of that family. After the great fire of Moscow and the ensuing revolt of the people in 1547. Iran. who had been violent and heedless of the responsibilities of govern »lent. took two new councilors, Silvester, a priest, and Ad:deficit', a man of the people, and radically changed his ways. The organization of the Gov eminent was the laws were codified, and various internal improvements were made. In 1552 Kazan was conquered. and within a few years the last remnant of the Tatar power was gone, the conquest of Astrakhan following close upon that of Kazan. The Cossacks (q.v.) of the Don were brought under control in 1353. Eng
lish navigators. seeking a northwest passage through the Arctic Ocean, landed on the shores of the White Sea, found their way to the Court of the Czar, were well received, and carried back messages to England which led to the opening of diplomatic and trade relations between Rus sia and I.:upland. In 1558 Ivan made war on the Knights Sword-bearers. who held sway in Livonia and other Baltic regions. His forces were victorious, and Do•pat, and many other towns fell into his hands. The Knights Sword-bearers obtained the support of Poland, to which power they ceded Livonia. In 1563 Ivan in person invaded Lithuania and took Po lotsk, and in 1566 the Polish King, Sigismund Augustus, was forced to conclude a disadvanta geous truce. About the time that Ivan entered upon these wars, Silvester and Adatcheff, who had been drawn into Court intrigues, were dis graced and imprisoned. This led to plots against the Court on the part of their friends. Ivan took prompt. measures to put down the rebellious boyars, but this was not accomplished without many executions and cruelties which have given to Ivan IV. his well-known sobriquet. the Ter rible. By 1572 be was master of his domin ions, and the indiscriminate executions ceased. The Krim Tatars, aided by the Turks. broke through the southern frontiers of the Muscovite territory iu 13(B, and in 1571 they advanced to the gates of Moscow. In the following year, however, they suffered a great defeat. Ivan stood twice as a candidate for the crown of Poland. the second time (1575) being defeated by Stephen Bfithory (q.v.). Under this able King the Poles made war upon Russia. which bad at the same time to contend against the armies of Sweden. In I5S2 peace was arranged through the mediation of a Papal emissary. Ivan lost Polotsk and hid conquests on the Baltic. from which Russia was destined to be shut out until the reign of Peter the Great. The event of most lasting influence in Ivan's reign was the beginning of the conquest of Siberia. under the rossaek Yer Inak. (See SIBERIA: \ER.IAK TImovEvEEE.) Acts of cruelty. probably unsurpassed in history. arc associated with Ivan's name. Upon the rebellious cities of Novgorod, Tver. and Moscow- he wreaked the most sanguinary vengeance. and in fits of passion he slau2htercd those who were nearest to him. including his eldest son and heir (1581). These outbursts of homicidal fury were often suc ceeded by moods of sincere repentanee. and on more than one occasion the powerful Czar. of his own will, performed penance for his sins before his people. Notwithstanding his bloodthirsty IIA ture this autocrat was not altogether without enlightened notions regarding government, and he exerted himself to raise the level of civili zation among his people. Ivan was married seven times, his second wife being a Tatar princess. He died in 1584. leaving only two young sons as heirs of the turbulent realm his severity had only half subdued. Consult: Pierling, Rome et Moscou, 1547-70 (Paris, 1883) ; id., tin nonce du Pope en Moscorie (Paris, 1884). See RUSSIA.