Ivan the Terrible

Born in 1530, son of the Grand Prince of Moscow, Ivan had a difficult childhood. He lost his father when he was only three years old. The orphan was immediately caught up in the power struggles of the court boyars, who did not hesitate to mistreat him. At the age of 17, he finally acceded to power, crowned himself and proclaimed himself tsar, a title used for the first time for a Russian sovereign.