Ivan IV shortly after his accession to the throne beganto carry out state reforms, relying on the Elected Greetings. It was a circle of like-minded people gathered around the first Russian tsar. What was the activity of Rada and what role did it play in the history of the Russian state? To answer these questions, it is necessary to consider the situation in which Russia found itself in the middle of the XVI century.
В 1553 году умер Василий Третий, и его малолетний son Ivan formally inherited the throne. Before reaching the age of majority, a guardian council was appointed, consisting of influential boyars. However, soon Ivan's mother - Elena Glinskaya - took power into her own hands. It did not last long, about 5 years, nevertheless managed to carry out two reforms that contributed to the centralization of the country in the future:
After the death of Glinsky in 1558 in the stateA violent struggle for power between the aristocratic boyars broke out. As a consequence, in the Moscow principality, the local decentralized sentiments have intensified. In addition, in such an unstable situation, the contradictions between the boyars, servicemen and commoners were aggravated.
Growing up among endless strife among the noblesIvan IV, reaching the age of 17, told Metropolitan Makarii that he wanted to get married not to the great reign, as his ancestors did, but to the kingdom. The church hierarch supported the young prince, as it promised strengthening of the supreme power.
In the winter of 1547Ivan the Fourth became the first tsar in Russia. This act distinguished him from the boyars as a successor to the Byzantine emperors, and also marked the beginning of independent rule. In the summer of the same year, terrible fires destroyed most of the wooden Moscow, provoking popular uprisings.
These mutinies, spread to othercities, clearly showed that the country is in urgent need of reforms. By this time (the end of the 40-ies of the XVI century) under Ivan IV a circle of talented statesmen who were close to him and not associated with boyar families fighting among themselves was formed. Later, Prince Kurbsky called him the elected Rada. This, in fact, was a backstage government under the tsar. The most prominent members were:
The essence of the reforms conceived by the tsar and his associates,was to limit boyar arbitrariness and create a centralized state. Already in 1549 the emperor summoned representatives of noble families, servicemen and clergy from all Russian lands to the first Zemsky Sobor in Russia.
1550 Elected by Ivan the Terribleheld the first military reform in Russia. As a result, the Streletsky Regiment was formed, an army consisting of free men who were in the tsarist service and who received from the treasury weapons, uniforms and monetary compensation. In addition, the tsar's decree declared that in high-up times high-level command posts could be occupied by people of non-common origin, if they were endowed with military talent. This, of course, dealt a blow to boyar mestnichestvo.
In 1550, the elected Rada under Ivan the Terrible developed a new judicial order, which provided for severe bribery for bribe-takers and robbers, and limited the rights of vicegerents.
In addition, he established orders - the new central government:
To centralization, not onlystate power, but also spiritual. Thus, in 1551, religious rituals were brought to unity at the Stoglav church cathedral under the leadership of Metropolitan Makarii, and all local saints (Vladimir, Suzdal, etc.) were declared to be all-Russian.
Another important transformation has affected the localmanagement. Launched in 1556 by the elected Rada, this reform was aimed at eradicating boyar power in specific lands. For example, the system of vicegerency and feeding was eliminated. Since that time, the court and the collection of taxes were in the hands of elected city policemen.
Assessing the reforms of Ivan IV and his like-minded people,historians did not reach a consensus. However, it is impossible to dispute the fact that the lawmaking activity of the Chosen Rada was a big step in the development of the country. He helped to centralize the Russian state and strengthen the power of the monarch.
