Ivan IV Vasilyevich, commonly known as Ivan the Terrible, was Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia from 1547 until his death in 1584. Ivan's reign was characterised by Russia's transformation from a medieval state to a fledgling empire, but at an immense cost to its people and long-term economy. August 25, 1530 – March 28, 1584; died at 53. Alive at the same time as William Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Martin Luther, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Francis Bacon. Wiki link