Absolute Monarchy In Ivan The Terrible

With a name like Ivan the Terrible, it is hard to deny the possibility of Ivan IV reigning as the supreme absolute monarch. Despite his numerous bouts of psychosis and general instability, he was a ruthless ruler who would achieve what he desired by any means necessary, with absolute devotion to his state and his faith.

One of the essential qualities of an absolute monarch is obtaining and maintaining full control of the lowly peasantry. Such a task may seem so simple, but without strict control of the lower classes, any monarchy can be overthrown due to the large numbers and sheer determination of said peasants. Ivan the Terrible accomplished this vital task early on in his reign and kept this control throughout, enforcing it strictly and even expounding upon previous laws later in his life. For example, in 1581, Ivan issued an official order that prevented peasants in certain areas from even leaving their land, effectively locking them in and forbidding any movement. The overall quality of life for peasants worsened significantly throughout the duration of Ivan's reign, although, their lives were not exactly simple and joyous before his rule. …show more content…
Ivan went about this matter by effectively requiring forced military conscription. In 1556, Ivan required the boyars and princes in Muscovy who still held private lands to serve in the state calvary, along with any of their personal slave soldiers. This military service requirement removed the collective independence from the Russian nobility class, rendering them dependent on their ruler. Ivan's control of the nobility also doubled to control the peasantry, as many of them previously worked for the nobility on their lands. Seeing as their lands were no longer their lands and now belonged to the Russian government, control of the peasants was easier than ever