Ivan the Great and Ivan the Terrible

The foundation of the new Russian state were established by the Moscow Prince Ivan III the Great. He unified regions and built the Moscow Kremlin.

Then came Ivan IV the Terrible, first to use the title of Tsar. It concentrated too much power and was awarded numerous exiles and executions, but also contributed greatly to the progress of place: it issued a code of laws, reformed the ethics of clergy and built the great St. Basil’s Cathedral, which still can be visited in Moscow and is one of the symbols of the city and the country.

After the death of Ivan the Terrible in 1584, a period marked by several wars, corrupt governments, periods of crop failures and disputes over the succession of rulers happen. He is known as tumultuous period.