Machiavellian Ruler: Ivan The Terrible

Machiavellian Ruler, Ivan the Terrible Ivan Vasilyevich, Ivan IV, was a Machiavellian ruler called to the throne at the age of three after his father’s death; however, his mother, Yelena Glinskaya, ruled as a surrogate until her death in 1538. Later on, Ivan IV was crowned as Russia’s ruler on January 16, 1547 (Andryev). Later, during the constructive period of Ivan’s reign, he issued many reforms involving self-government, taxes, and religion (“Ivan the Terrible”). After this seemingly calm time, Ivan IV’s iconic rule truly began with the death of his wife, Anastasia (Shaposhnik 75). Ivan IV, later known as Ivan the Terrible, exhibited the qualities of a Machiavellian ruler, because he had extensive military knowledge, because he weakened a stronger force, the nobility, to gain power himself, and because was more feared by his subjects feared than loved. Ivan IV, the Machiavellian ruler, possessed knowledge of military leadership, which he showed during his conquests to annex free lands near Russia. Machiavelli taught, “a prince must have no other objective, no …show more content…
Ivan IV became known as “Ivan the Terrible” later in his life because of extreme paranoia and harsh leadership; the ruthlessness exampled by Ivan IV caused the citizens of Russia to fear him more than love him which makes him a Machiavellian ruler. Over the course of his reign, Ivan IV executed entire towns for treason, murdered his only heir, and blinded the architect of St. Basil’s Cathedral (Shaposhnik 76). Again, Machiavelli’s writing supports that Ivan IV was a Machiavellian ruler because the author writes that if a person must choose between fear and love, he will find a greater security in fear (66). Ivan IV followed this teaching of Machiavelli and guaranteed his throne until his death by a heart attack (“Ivan the