Ivan Vasilyevich or Ivan III The Great as he is most commonly known was born January 22, 1440 in Moscow, Russia. He was a part of the Rurik dynasty. Ivan III would be married by the age of twelve and would secede his father in 1462 at 22 years of age. He became the Grand Duke of Moscow without confirmation by the Mongol Kahn. Over Ivan’s reign he fought a series of wars with the Republic of Novgorod over Moscow’s religious and political sovereignty. He is best known for tripling the amount of land for Russia, earning him the nickname “the gatherer of Russian lands.”
After Ivan’s first wife, Princess Maria, died he re-married Princess Sophia. Their wedding was sponsored by the Vatican hoping that this would bring Ivan The Great and Russia to the help the Pope against the Turks but it did not. He would eventually have nine children. Vasili III would be his successor one he passed away.
Under Ivan the Great an impressive building program took place in Moscow. He would begin to incorporate Italian art into the Russian society. The Kremlin is where rulers once lived in Moscow, similar to the White House in the United States. Ivan remodeled the Kremlin by strengthening the surrounding walls and furnished new towers and gates along the outside. Ivan III reigned for 43 years and died on October 27, 1505 in Moscow.
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