ABSTRACT
Ivan IV was known as groznyi in Russian, a word that is poorly rendered by the English terrible. Under Ivan the Terrible the centralizing, absolutist tendencies already prominent in the growth of the power of the grand princes of Moscow and of Ivan III and Vasilii III reached their apogee. Ivan also developed a streak of cruelty and suppressed rage and a deep-seated determination to revenge himself on those responsible for his mistreatment and humiliation. In 1547, the year of Ivan’s coronation, extensive rioting occurred in Moscow, and social disorders broke out in other parts of the country. A high priority for Ivan was to improve the fighting capacity of the army. The top commands were held by the highest-ranking boyars, regardless of ability, and the system often created serious leadership deficiencies. In addition to security against the Moslem Tatars, Ivan had an important foreign policy goal in the other direction, toward Europe.
