How Did Ivan The Terrible Use Of Power And Authority

B. Power and authority are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they are not mutually exclusive. Real power and real authority are exclusive, especially during the period in Russia from Kievan Rus through Ivan the Terrible. Power dynamics shifted often, it was hard to asset real authority over a decentralized Rus. There were numerous invasions from outside forces, like the Mongols. The princes and boyars were always fighting in order to gain just a little more authority and power. The church also asserted God’s authority over all its citizens. Prince Vladimir is credited with the Christianization of Rus in 988. He converted and made it the official religion of Rus. He sent out messengers to find out which religion he should covert to.

His coronation was held in 1547, he was the first Tsar to be officially crowned in charge of all of Russia. He became Russia’s first real autocrat. Under his rule, Russia saw the expansion of its authority and reach. He led a successful campaign against Astra Khan and the Kazan. This allowed Russia to extends its rule, power and authority south. Throughout Ivan the Terrible’s life and his reign, he had a strong mistrust of the boyars. He believed they had a hand in his mother’s death when he was a boy and that they had something to do with the death of his wife Anastasia. His paranoia went into overdrive and he left Moscow and was ready to abdicate the title of Tsar. The boyars and the people pleaded for his return. He agreed but said he would only come back if they agreed to give him absolute power. He created Oprichnina. He used this method to “sweep away his enemies”. This began his reign of terror. He swept through Russia and killed major boyar families. His eradication of the major boyar families further cemented the absolute power and authority of the Tsar. He did not get all of the boyars, some of them fled his reign of

Boyar Prince Andrey Kurbsky, fled to Poland to escape Ivan IV’s power and authority. He is one of the most famous and successful boyars to escape Ivan the Terrible’s persecution. He wrote multiple correspondences to Ivan IV and questioned his authority to be Tsar. Ivan the Terrible through these letters told Kurbsky, that he had all the authority to do what he wanted and no one should question his authority because he was ordained by God to be the Tsar. That he did not have to answer to no one for his actions expect God (Kurbsky-Ivan Letters, 13). Both men used the Bible to prove their points. Kurbsky did not accept that the Tsar was endowed with unquestionable power and authority. “Now you humiliate yourself exceedingly, now raise yourself up without limit and beyond measure!” (Kurbsky-Ivan Letters, 203). Ivan the Terrible’s authority was not absolute because Kurbsky was able to flee Russia and live out his days openly defying the