Ivan Terrible Effects On Russia

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In 1547, Ivan IV was made Grand Prince of Moscow. From 1547 to 1584 Ivan conducted numerous attacks on foreign nations. He created a private court. This court ended up backfiring Ivan and caused immense trouble for Russia and the economy. Ivan IV did more harm to Russia than good because he initiated wars that hurt Russia, not helped it. The Livonian War was a catastrophic event that had negative effects on Russia. From 1558 to 1583 Russia was draining itself in this war. But once Poland entered the war and had an effect on Russia, they went into a long stalemate, according to a professor at Yale Jennifer Stock, “1558 Russia went against Poland, which also wanted Livonia. The two countries went into a stalemate that lasted until the 1570s.” …show more content…

The wars Ivan IV initiated had many effects on Russia. People suffer from high taxes and compulsory military service. Paul Bushkovitch, writes, “The failed war was a major burden on the Russian treasury and ruinous for the peasantry, who paid the taxes to support it." High taxes affected the everyday life of Russians and made it unbearable, especially for the peasants. Another effect of Ivan's wars was his secret police force called the Oprichnina which created fear throughout Russia. Tamara Eidelman, the Russian historian, writes that the Oprichnina existed for seven years and was created to fight the odious boyars. Another effect of Ivan IV's wars was the immense hunger and population decrease they created. Anne Commire, a writer known for women's history, writes, “On his Oprichnina lands, all opposition--princes, boyars, relatives, officials, merchants, members of the Oprichnina, clerics--was exiled or murdered, as the land became increasingly depopulated.” The land became so depopulated because of executions causing terror and taking the land away from the boyars. This caused hunger and took away much from

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