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Russia
Events |
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The
Building of the Kremlin, 1156–1516 |
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Ivan IV Takes
a Wife, 1547 |
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Taking of Kazan,
1552 |
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Printing
of the First Book in Moscow, 1564 |
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Oprichnina,
1564 |
World Events |
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The Golden Horde,
1300s |
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Ottoman Capture
of Constantinople (Istanbul), 1453 |
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The Establishment
of the Safavid Dynasty, 1502 |
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The Protestant
Reformation, 1517 |
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The Jenkinson
Mission to West Asia, 1558 |
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Russia's Globalization:
A Key
Events marked are
specific to Muscovy/Russia's internal development.
Those marked are
important world historical or cultural events.
indicates
specific points of sociocultural or military engagement
between Muscovy/Russia and foreign powers or individuals.
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The oprichnina occurred during the latter or “bad” half
of the reign of Ivan IV and earned him the epithet “the
Terrible.” In this era, the tsar orchestrated a reign
of terror directed principally against the boyars, or hereditary
aristocracy, with the aim of breaking their influence and power
in government. While some boyars aspired to tsarist power and
others challenged Ivan because of his misdirected policies,
as a group they lacked solidarity, so the need for terror was
a product of Ivan’s paranoia. The tsar and his henchmen,
called oprichniki, murdered boyars – and their wives,
children, and retainers – usually after long and sadistic
torture that often took place during church services. The episode
shattered Russia’s political, economic, and social life.
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