Ivan III was the Grand Prince of Moscow who is most known for his long reign (43 years) during which time the territory of Russia tripled (more than 15,000 square miles), and for laying the foundations of the future Russian-Muscovite state. Ivan’s reign took on a new autocratic form and he began stylizing himself as tsar (a word derived from Caesar meaning ‘Emperor’ and suggesting a divine right). He was following an idea, after the fall of Constantinople, that Russia was the true successor to the Byzantine Empire. If there’s anything you want to blame the Russians for, it’s certainly not their lack of hubris!
